A "Kindle" Author interview that disses Amazon's Kindles?

So I queried David Wisehart about doing a "Kindle Author" interview with authors who sell their e-books through their publisher and not through Amazon and he said, "sure!" So here it is! Thanks agazillion David Wisehart. You are da man!

So here's a link to:

A most unlikely Kindle Author Interview

The truth will set you free and hopefully it will allow small published authors and self-published authors actually make the money that is rightfully theirs. At least those of us who are attempting to make a living with our God given talent as opposed to giving it away for free.

It's past time for a revolution.

Please support all small published authors and self-published authors and don't shop at large chain bookstores such as, but not limited to, Barnes & Nobles. They no longer even humor small published or self-published authors. They don't allow them in for events and will definitely NOT put them on their shelves. There is absolutely nothing at any of these bookstores that you can't get anywhere else.

To Barnes & Nobles and the other few large bookstores chains still left (and operate this way)-- "Going under does not give you the right to be a bully. Small publishers and Self-published authors have only ever tried to help you. We can't do that if you choose to belief that over 75% of the publishing industry doesn't exist."At one time B&N used to order books from small publishers if they signed on to that non-working Industry standard return policy (designed for an "industry" that no longer exists as it was once defined.) But apparently they don't even do that anymore.

****Update Just to make sure my facts are straight I occasionally contact a rand B&N and ask them if they let authors in on consignment any more. The store I contacted said, "No. I have to be able to return your books." I said, "I understand that but you mean return as in the "industry standard return policy" that doesn't work for most publishers. She replied, "I just have to be able to return your books to the distributor." B&N does not distinguish between a return policy that works for All publishers and an antiquated one that barely even works for their large publishers anymore. I told her my books are returnable just not by the antiquated industry standard return policy. Yeah. You guessed it, no go! Another heads up--I told her several small publishers I know do make their books returnable according to that antiquated return policy and can no longer get in themselves, so I was just checking. "They just have to be returnable." Poor CRM sounded like a broken record. Repeating the same thing over and over. Not answering any questions. So sad. Update over.****

EXACTLY how I feel . . .!

Exactly how I feel. . . about B&N and OTHER large bookstores, including large "Christian" bookstores such as Lifeway and Mardel's who discriminate but don't make that clear. And yes most definitely Amazon as well!

Chain retailers bent on eliminating Independent bookstores?

Yes, that includes large "Christian" chain bookstores as well. Just another reason for small publishers to not sacrifice their business by attempting to get books inside a Barnes & Noble or any other chain bookstore. My source is the Gale Encyclopedia of US history:

In the 1970s, national chain bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and Waldenbooks began to open retail outlets in malls across the country. By buying in volume, chains could earn more profit on each copy of a book sold, allowing them to pay higher rents. Buying in volume also meant that they could negotiate deeper discounts from publishers. By passing this discount on to book buyers, the chains were able to attract customers away from the smaller independent bookstores.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/publishing-industry#ixzz1Z4FaOsSM

"By passing this discount on to book buyers, the chains were able to attract customers away from the smaller independent bookstores." What? What? What?

Gee, what ever happened to working together for the common good of the well, umm, AUTHOR!!! So B&N and OTHER chain bookstores are actively seeking to lure business away from "smaller" independent bookstores. Innocent enough I guess unless you consider, B&N and OTHER chain bookstores won't even let small publishers in and has recently taken the stand that a small publisher can't even get in on consignment EVEN IF they sign on to abide by an "outdated" and unworkable industry standard return policy.

Look out large chain bookstores your "true" colors are showing. Go ahead. Keep pandering to those large publishers. How long do you think you can stay in business when over 75% of the publishing industry today is made up of SMALL PUBLISHERS and you don't do anything to make getting into your stores workable and now, not even doable. As it stands, NO small publisher can even get an event at a B&N period. And oh my, you should here the way they try to explain this. If it weren't so sad it'd be funny.

Indie stores, make your move! Create an new industry standard return policy that fits the market today. I'm going to be in Dayton Ohio Halloween weekend. I can't get into a B&N to do an event. I don't honor the industry standard return policy as it is but you can certainly work with my publisher to devise a return policy that is beneficial to both parties.

"The song has been sung. The time is upon us," or you could just sit there, "cowering your bathwater." ;)

Actually my books ARE returnable!!!

Actually my books ARE returnable!!! Just not "industry" standard returnable. In other words you may talk with my publisher and they'll be glad to work out a return policy that suits both parties.



I know, right?



You buy any of my books and you can return them if they don't sell. Talk to my publisher about details. I'm sure they can work something out. Perhaps they'll pay the shipping to your store and back should you want to return them. Or maybe they'll require you to keep them for a set period of time before you return them. Of course the books will have to be in a resellable condition and you'll have to pay for them up front. And you'll definitely have to pay for unreasonable damage should there be any. Feel free to discuss that further with my publisher. ;)



Yeah, something like that.



I'll wager a bet that there will be very few if any calls to my publisher regarding this. That's okay but if someone doesn't change the "industry" standard on returns, the big dog publishers are going to take us all down. That stupid policy no longer helps them either but it at least keeps their competition from getting ahead of them--for now. Wake up and smell the coffee folks. Please.

The Publishing Industry - Just so you'll know.

This very enlightening article explains it all in great detail and leaves no question as to why the publishing industry is the way it is presently. I quote it often and will continue to do so. The link I initially gave is a bit weird now though. So I've found a new link to the page:

This is the new link.

Though I've discussed it before it seems when I post about it again that new readers are immediately shocked and surprised. If you're an author and you want to understand more about why things are the way they are then you need to go to the link above and read it thoroughly.

For your viewing pleasure I will only quote some excerpts:

"The 1920s saw the founding of such important publishing houses as Simon and Schuster, Random House, Alfred A. Knopf, and Viking Press. Although Random House would grow to be the largest and most successful publisher in the country, and would hold that position into the twenty-first century, Simon and Schuster introduced some important industry innovations with long-term consequences."

*Sue scratches head* I wonder what those "important industry innovations" were?

"The Great Depression of the 1930s hit the book publishing industry as hard as it hit every other sector of the American economy. Booksellers at that time were mostly small local businesses, and to help them survive the economic hardships of the depression, Simon and Schuster invented a system allowing booksellers to return unsold copies of books for credit against future purchases. Other publishers quickly had to follow Simon and Schuster's lead, and the practice became the industry standard."

Well, I guess it was a good idea at the time. But I like the way this "industry standard" is described here: http://www.creativemindspress.com/business.htm

Back in the Depression, when bookstores were going under right and left, publishers realized they had to do something radical to keep booksellers in business. They came up with the idea of returns—a system whereby any bookseller may return any book, with little regard for how long the book was kept or what condition it was in. No one told the book business the Depression ended 70 years ago. We still have a system that—not to put too fine a point on it—sucks. Few other industries operate on what amounts to a giant consignment scheme.

LOL SUCKS! Really? Not only that but small publishers don't even get to see their returned books. The only way to survive is to make your books non-returnable. That way large bookstores can still order your books but not take you down with the ship. I sort of hate to say it but unless this return policy mess is straightened out, Barnes & Nobles is next. Good thing there are Independent Bookstores to pick up the slack. Independent bookstores that don't abide by Industry Standard that is. ;D