A couple of days ago I saw a multitude of copies of Forever Richard through my now defunct second publisher, (books that I no longer make any money off of and neither does the publisher) for sale on Ebay by numerous book sellers. And quite a few books at that.
Nothing like seeing hordes of books out there that you make no proceeds from when you're attempting to market the "new" edition. All of these books were coming from the UK too which was odd to me. Upon investigating I learned that Gazelle Books, Bookmaster's UK distributor had a number of copies left from the big sell-off that Bookmasters initiated when my publisher was utilizing their services and had held on to the books past the ten month grace period when they could "return them for free" (but of course my publisher would be hit with new charges.)
Upon learning this Gazelle Books actually contacted me and said that they were sorry and they would deal with these books the same way the dealt with the inventory of the same book in February. I assume this meant they'd destroy them since they couldn't send them back to Atlas without losing money. Needless to say, they are folks of their word. The sellers for this particular edition of Forever Richard, from my defunct second publisher, has been pared down to two from about ten. Wow!
Do know that if you plan on purchasing Forever Richard, the new edition has some changes that the old one doesn't have. So not only do I not make anything from your purchasing it, you most likely just spent more money than you would for the new edition which has new material.
My current publisher Black Bed Sheet Books has some fantastic prices and the BEST prices on all my stories.
Just in time for Christmas!!!!
Showing posts with label book masters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book masters. Show all posts
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Atlas Books - Aw, that's okay. You can be rude to me.
Just a quick word to say that BookMasters in fact does not have any more stock of Forever Richard, ISBN 1934284033, in stock. And the copies that are for sale now are leftovers from when BookMasters "oversold" copies of that book for a "commission." Of course, this move would normally be a good move for a publisher except for that dratted "return policy" set up by the few established publishers back in the depression which negates any possible benefits. Because of that policy, booksellers don't have to pay a dime to return books.
But somebody has to pay.
Guess who?
That's right. The publisher. And BookMaster's charges handling fees and other fees on top of that.
So my second small publisher folded because they had to pay straight away for the books that came back (even though the number that came back was less than the ones still out there) before they received money for the books that "might" sell. Booksellers don't have to pay for books for 90 days and most send the books back if they still have them before that time is up.
With that being said, I learned that the copies of my out-of-print book (ISBN 1934284033) Forever Richard that I found for sale on EBAY by various booksellers were actually provided (ultimately) by Gazelle Books who purchase books from BookMaster's Atlas Books. Atlas Books sends out a notice when an account is closed to let their buyers know that they have 10 months to return books before Atlas will no longer accept returns. Apparently the books Gazelle had were left from that "oversell" by BookMasters.
My second publisher was too small to deal with this financial punch in the gut and certainly didn't see it coming. Who would expect a distributor to rush out and oversell something for a commission knowing that the publisher was going to have to pay for returns and fees on top of that. And it doesn't even take that many returns to put a small publisher under the ground. Good grief.
At any rate, thank-you Gazelle Books for being sooooo on top of things and professional. As for BookMasters . . . let's just say that things haven't improved. They are just as mean and rude as they've always been which is one main reason why I've made my books short-run and non-returnable. If I "never" have to deal with Book Masters again--that will be TOO soon!
And don't forget, you get the best price for any of my books at Black Bed Sheet Books because they can offer the biggest discount. DUH! And I for sure see the money coming to me. ;)
But somebody has to pay.
Guess who?
That's right. The publisher. And BookMaster's charges handling fees and other fees on top of that.
So my second small publisher folded because they had to pay straight away for the books that came back (even though the number that came back was less than the ones still out there) before they received money for the books that "might" sell. Booksellers don't have to pay for books for 90 days and most send the books back if they still have them before that time is up.
With that being said, I learned that the copies of my out-of-print book (ISBN 1934284033) Forever Richard that I found for sale on EBAY by various booksellers were actually provided (ultimately) by Gazelle Books who purchase books from BookMaster's Atlas Books. Atlas Books sends out a notice when an account is closed to let their buyers know that they have 10 months to return books before Atlas will no longer accept returns. Apparently the books Gazelle had were left from that "oversell" by BookMasters.
My second publisher was too small to deal with this financial punch in the gut and certainly didn't see it coming. Who would expect a distributor to rush out and oversell something for a commission knowing that the publisher was going to have to pay for returns and fees on top of that. And it doesn't even take that many returns to put a small publisher under the ground. Good grief.
At any rate, thank-you Gazelle Books for being sooooo on top of things and professional. As for BookMasters . . . let's just say that things haven't improved. They are just as mean and rude as they've always been which is one main reason why I've made my books short-run and non-returnable. If I "never" have to deal with Book Masters again--that will be TOO soon!
And don't forget, you get the best price for any of my books at Black Bed Sheet Books because they can offer the biggest discount. DUH! And I for sure see the money coming to me. ;)
Monday, December 12, 2011
British Fantasy Society's review of Forever Richard
Since the original review pointed to an edition of Forever Richard that is no longer available, (or at least wouldn't be if Book Masters hadn't dumped books belonging to my publisher to "returned from the bookstore" vendors), the BFS has kindly updated the book information on Maryann Boo's fabulous review. This is wonderful news considering all that is corrupt in the publishing industry. Thanks Book Master's, you so RAWK! I thought it was under handed for you to send signed and dated returned-from-the-book-store books to me as NEW!!!! I never dreamed you'd be as underhanded as to actually sell returned from the bookstore books to second hand vendors as opposed to returning them to a publishers stock as you say you do. At any rate, here's the awesome review. Just click the logo below. Love me some Maryann! ;D
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Any Independent Bookstores out there willing to help.
To the best of my knowledge all Indy bookstores work very much the same way large bookstores do with the exception that they will take books on consignment (at least some will anyway.) Sadly this means I'll have to CALL any Independent Bookstore to chat with them about the "possibility" of them taking a few books to put on their shelves for my readers to find. And yes, my readers will have to FIND my books if they are placed as all the coveted shelf space goes to the large publishers even in Independent bookstores because bookstores have to put out soooooo much money just to get these books to begin with. Meaning they have to actually buy so many just to stock them. Of course this isn't a real problem because bookstores can then send unsold books back for a full refund, eventually. But it is a lot of money for them up front just to carry books by large publishers. Not to mention fees and all of that and I think they have to actually qualify.
So in the meantime us small publishers who've put as much money, time and energy (some who've even earned legitimate awards) have to peddle our goods in a way that keeps us from making any real sales. At least we do unless we make our books returnable.
Only there's a very real problem with making ones books returnable if you're with a small publisher. The only distributors small press can afford, like Ingram's Lightning Source, they don't allow for small publishers to ever see their returned books again. Therefore small publishers lose product if the book is returned (or destroyed which is what Lightning Source SAYS they do with ALL returned books.) Large publisher's returned books are resold to second hand booksellers like Books-A-Million so that large publishers actually make money off books that didn't sell when they first flood their large bookstores with their latest books to drive those books to the top of the "New York Times" best-sellers list. Yes. A win-win situation for them. Sorry crooks.
Lightning Source doesn't even give you the option to see your returned book again. They make claims that the books have been through so many hands that it isn't something you'll want back. So they conveniently destroy them (or so they say. They wouldn't tell me, when I asked, where I could go to see where the destruction occurs.) They offer to reprint you a "new" book for "half" the price. Oh wow! Now their customers only eat "half" the recovery cost. I've seen returned from the bookstore books. I've not seen one that wasn't in impeccable condition. They have to be because they're a commodity. Books-A-Million will scarf them right up and so will other second hand resellers.
Bottom line is, Lightning Source isn't the only distributor that operates like this. My second publisher went through Book Masters. When I ordered new author copies from them I was sent books that I'd hand delivered to a Barnes & Noble in Louisiana. Books I had signed and books that had an autographed by author sticker on the FRONT COVER!!! They had been sent back and were being resold as NEW through Book Masters who claim ALL returned books go to "returned books" inventory for the publisher to deal with. They claimed what happened to me was an accident and next time they'd be more CAREFUL!! There was a sticker on the front of six of the books I ordered. These books shouldn't have been with new books. EVER!
Due to this sort of activity I've made my books non-returnable. It makes my job tougher as far as getting my books into brick and mortar stores and onto the shelves but at least my books aren't stolen and at least my publisher doesn't lose more money than they stand to make.
How can Independent Bookstores help? Give us small published authors the time of day. Many of us are going to start making our books non-returnable just to survive. Give us the same chance you give any publishers who play a game they can't possibly win.
So in the meantime us small publishers who've put as much money, time and energy (some who've even earned legitimate awards) have to peddle our goods in a way that keeps us from making any real sales. At least we do unless we make our books returnable.
Only there's a very real problem with making ones books returnable if you're with a small publisher. The only distributors small press can afford, like Ingram's Lightning Source, they don't allow for small publishers to ever see their returned books again. Therefore small publishers lose product if the book is returned (or destroyed which is what Lightning Source SAYS they do with ALL returned books.) Large publisher's returned books are resold to second hand booksellers like Books-A-Million so that large publishers actually make money off books that didn't sell when they first flood their large bookstores with their latest books to drive those books to the top of the "New York Times" best-sellers list. Yes. A win-win situation for them. Sorry crooks.
Lightning Source doesn't even give you the option to see your returned book again. They make claims that the books have been through so many hands that it isn't something you'll want back. So they conveniently destroy them (or so they say. They wouldn't tell me, when I asked, where I could go to see where the destruction occurs.) They offer to reprint you a "new" book for "half" the price. Oh wow! Now their customers only eat "half" the recovery cost. I've seen returned from the bookstore books. I've not seen one that wasn't in impeccable condition. They have to be because they're a commodity. Books-A-Million will scarf them right up and so will other second hand resellers.
Bottom line is, Lightning Source isn't the only distributor that operates like this. My second publisher went through Book Masters. When I ordered new author copies from them I was sent books that I'd hand delivered to a Barnes & Noble in Louisiana. Books I had signed and books that had an autographed by author sticker on the FRONT COVER!!! They had been sent back and were being resold as NEW through Book Masters who claim ALL returned books go to "returned books" inventory for the publisher to deal with. They claimed what happened to me was an accident and next time they'd be more CAREFUL!! There was a sticker on the front of six of the books I ordered. These books shouldn't have been with new books. EVER!
Due to this sort of activity I've made my books non-returnable. It makes my job tougher as far as getting my books into brick and mortar stores and onto the shelves but at least my books aren't stolen and at least my publisher doesn't lose more money than they stand to make.
How can Independent Bookstores help? Give us small published authors the time of day. Many of us are going to start making our books non-returnable just to survive. Give us the same chance you give any publishers who play a game they can't possibly win.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Question from a reader!
"Hey Sue, I never found 'Forever Richard' and definitely want to read it before this one. Any ideas where I can find it?"
Well of course you can find Forever Richard anywhere BUT not on any bookstore shelf as bookstores only automatically shelf books from the "big dog" publishers and NEVER from small press publishers. Books-A-Million doesn't even shelf new books. Their distributors only sell returned-from-the-bookstore books which won't be mine because I've made them non-returnable to safeguard myself against theft. Unfortunately Books-A-Million got some copies of Forever Richard while it was returnable or rather available through Book Masters but once they're gone, they're gone. YAY!
Forever Richard isn't difficult to get at all though. You'll just have to order it. Not even local bookstores put it on the shelf. That's not to say they're picking on me. They won't shelf any small press (and heaven forbid self-published author) unless the publisher is well . . . you know. ;)
When my books start selling in numbers that matter, which may happen before I die, if I don't win the lottery and am able to compete monetarily with the "big dog" publishers, then you'll see me on the shelves of larger bookstores provided they don't ALL go under before then.
Oh and I'd prefer you buy Forever Richard from me at the moment as my second publisher has returned the rights and the only copies of Forever Richard for sell at the moment are copies BookMasters stole from that publisher--more or less. I make nothing off of them and never will because neither does my publisher. Thanks BookMasters you so RAWK!
For the record, humoring small press or self-pubbed authors by placing SOME of their books in an INDISCREET section and doing nothing to help potential book buyers understand that these authors are not privy to the big money that big publishers use to PIMP their authors is the same as not putting said book on the shelf in the first place.
Well of course you can find Forever Richard anywhere BUT not on any bookstore shelf as bookstores only automatically shelf books from the "big dog" publishers and NEVER from small press publishers. Books-A-Million doesn't even shelf new books. Their distributors only sell returned-from-the-bookstore books which won't be mine because I've made them non-returnable to safeguard myself against theft. Unfortunately Books-A-Million got some copies of Forever Richard while it was returnable or rather available through Book Masters but once they're gone, they're gone. YAY!
Forever Richard isn't difficult to get at all though. You'll just have to order it. Not even local bookstores put it on the shelf. That's not to say they're picking on me. They won't shelf any small press (and heaven forbid self-published author) unless the publisher is well . . . you know. ;)
When my books start selling in numbers that matter, which may happen before I die, if I don't win the lottery and am able to compete monetarily with the "big dog" publishers, then you'll see me on the shelves of larger bookstores provided they don't ALL go under before then.
Oh and I'd prefer you buy Forever Richard from me at the moment as my second publisher has returned the rights and the only copies of Forever Richard for sell at the moment are copies BookMasters stole from that publisher--more or less. I make nothing off of them and never will because neither does my publisher. Thanks BookMasters you so RAWK!
For the record, humoring small press or self-pubbed authors by placing SOME of their books in an INDISCREET section and doing nothing to help potential book buyers understand that these authors are not privy to the big money that big publishers use to PIMP their authors is the same as not putting said book on the shelf in the first place.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Check it out!
I have a writer friend (and blessed to call him a friend) who has put together a blog to help those seeking to be published. He made me a contributor . . . for now. Jump over and read all he has to say and then read my contribution before he decides to retract his offer to have me contribute. LOL
Here's the link.
Good stuff here to be sure.
Here's the link.
Good stuff here to be sure.
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