Can't Shake the Devil's Hand and Say You're Only Kidding

This week, we received a copy of a new book from an author who was interested in coming in to sign. The problem is that the book is from the new Amazon mystery imprint. They're making an agressive move into publishing and have lined up a list of new and known authors. The authors are understandably eager and excited and they have a hard time understanding when they run into our brick wall of NO. We start with my original message of explaination, then his reply and my return message. In the interest of everyone getting a better understanding of the issues and our point, here is the exchange ~ JB

Tuesday, June 21, 10:30 AM To: The Author

Sorry to say that we cannot offer you a signing. We cannot do anything to support, help or benefit Amazon. They're the enemy of independent bookshops and aiding them in any way - mainly ordering their books and selling them and promoting them - would be suicide. Things are tough enough without cutting our own throats. - JB Dickey, owner

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 5:49 PM To: [email protected]

Dear JB, I understand your concerns. But please know that the opposite is happening nationwide. Amazon is reaching out to independents everywhere and offering to send hundreds of thousands of Amazon emails promoting an individual bookstore. Happily sending Amazon customers to independents. The results have been spectacular. Hundreds have been showing up at these events. It is a tremendous show of support for the independents.

I know it seems counter-intuitive. Amazon is easy to demonize. But I've seen the result of their work with independents. And it is impressive. They wouldn't be putting in this kind of effort if they were out to cut your throat. My little book tour is not about to make or break Amazon. I truly believe that Amazon wants both the independents and the online stores to thrive. If I didn't believe that I would not have signed with them.

And as an author with a bestselling book from a conventional NY publisher, I can attest to the new life Amazon is breathing into books. Whereas an event might bring in the same ten or twelve people, now we are seeing many times that amount. New customers who then tell others about the event and about the bookstores. It has been great for everyone, especially the bookstores.

I know your mind is set, and I do not expect my email to change it. But I do want you to know that my experience with Amazon as an author has been second to none. They are incredibly supportive and responsive and beyond author-friendly. They flew me to NY for a book signing at BEA, something unheard of for a first-time author in my genre. And the list goes on.

If I can do anything to help your bookstore please let me know. And if you want to talk more about this or anything else book-related please call me at 555-555-1212. The author I am touring with is an English professor at University State X, and I know he feels as strongly as I do about the survival of the independents.

Sincerely, The Author

6/22/11, 10:56 AM To: The Author

What you say is all well and good but you're looking at it from your perspective.

From my perspective, this is a huge corporation that has not only taken massive amounts of sales away from me over the years but also sales reps (which means the attention of publishers) and has waged a price war with the NYC publishers over their e-books. Remember when they removed ALL St. Martin's titles from their site in retaliation for St. Martin's insisting that they no longer undercut the price structure for e-books that the others were observing? Remember, too, that Amazon is the company that reached into the private devices of individuals and deleted e-books (one of our very good/long time customers is a computer worker and had downloaded a technical book from Amazon and make copious notes in her reader - Amazon deleted the 'book' and she lost all of her notes/ and then they also deleted - what was it, 1984? - from people's e-readers). And let's not forget that they appeared to buckle to outside pressure to remove gay and lesbian fiction and, when caught, blamed technical problems, not mendacity. I cannot tolerate censorship of any kind or by anyone. If these people are not intentionally evil, they come damn close to it by their actions and policies.

You want me to buy books from them? Pay them money to continue their efforts and to have books in my joint that clearly say "Amazon", to give them free advertisement as well?

If they're like NYC publishers, they'd demand that I open an account with them. That means giving them my personal info (this shop is a sole-proprietorship), tax numbers and bank accounts and, probably, the account information from three other businesses (either publishers and/or wholesalers) as references. Sorry - not a chance in hell I'd give all of that to Amazon. I do not trust them.

Even if I were to consider it, I haven't heard enough about their policies: what is the discount structure? are returns allowed and in what time frame? are they selling the same book at a discount that I can't/won't match or are they selling the books at the same price as I would?

I don't doubt that they're doing good things for you authors. It is fully within their interest to do so. First of all, they're launching a mystery/crime imprint and want to do all they can to promote it and its authors. Secondly, they want you to promote it and talk about it and to have more authors want to sign with them and to make more and more sales. I would bet that the intent is to take more and more business away from the major publishers who are very good at letting sales slip through their fingers.

Neither of us will change our minds. I'm the owner of the Bailey Brothers Building and Loan. You are working for Mr. Potter. And Mr. Potter is always buying.

No one else may share my views. We're all doggedly independent. It might be that I'm extra-sensitive about Amazon since they started here. If it works for others and you, great. But it is not for me.  ~ JB

Update, June 29th:  Folks - if you're interested in following this debate, please read the blog posts that followed to see our answers to many of the questions raised by commentators. What you've just read is but the tip of the iceberg around which independents must navigate ~JB

the morning of June 23: On Dave's Thoughts

the afternoon of June 23: Point/CounterPoint

June 24: the Return of Point/CounterPoint

June 29: Spawn of Point/CounterPoint

July 3: Point/CounterPoint vs. Mothra

July 10: Point/Counterpoint: a story problem

Aug 8: Point/Counterpoint: It Isn't Just Us

Comments

[jay]

I was planning to visit Seattle Mystery Bookshop to buy G. M. Ford's latest novel "Thicker Than Water."

But because it's published by Thomas & Mercer, I can't buy it at SMB? I have to buy it at a different bookstore, or directly from amazon?

[kamagra]

Competitions is a part of the business,it would be good or bad. This can bring challenge into business. Interesting books should be appreciate by the reader whether it is independent or amazon.

[Inmybook]

Kudos to you. You've made the right decision.

Amazon is a big, bad bully, that, by virtue of the luck of the US tax code, has tried to appoint itself as the master of bookselling in the US (and soon the world). They refuse to do business in states where new laws have insisted that they pay tax. They are unethical and greedy. If only more of us little guys would face up to the bully as you have, we might succeed in killing or at least maiming the giant.

[Troy]

>>I cannot tolerate censorship of any kind or by anyone.

Censorship of any kind? Like not getting a book because it is published by Amazon?

Censorship by anyone? You

[Judy, it's business, baby!]

To JUDY HELLER,

I hate to be blunt like this but your entire post made you sound like a fool. I mean, you feel Kindle is going to go out of business because some of your "friends" don't know how to operate the device properly. Strange, everybody else seems to be doing just fine with it (including young children).

Then you went on to say Kindle has "open file sharing" or something, that encourages piracy (according to you). You said it was like the music biz. You clearly haven't researched this topic & are just blowing hot air.

Then you said, "What are us writers going to do then?" WRITERS are earning 70% royalties on Kindle Direct Publishing. Believe me, they're doing just fine (in regards to ebooks). And no offense but you sound like a "traditionally" published writer, so in that case I'd answer your question by saying 'keep your day job' (like you've been doing all along). If your a midlist writer, earning 14.9% on those ebooks you may as well fold anyway 'cause you're not making anything to begin with.

Saying "I'll never buy an ebook" (or "I'll reject technology) is just hammering more nails into your coffin as a writer. Seriously. You don't sound professional, you sound like you're whinning. Writing is a business. It's business, baby.

EVERYBODY is trying to earn an dollar and stay in business-writers, too (which has been nearly IMPOSSIBLE since publishers take such huge royalties from the pot). Now writers have a real chance to earn "something". No one knows what the future holds but they know what the present holds.

[Sharon Hodgins]

Somewhere along the line, the monopoly laws created, I think, in the 1930's have gone by the wayside-- and we are refighting the 1930's with the attack on workers, unions, independent businesses of any kind -- reread the chapters of any American History book of the "Gilded Age"-- late 1890's to really the "First" Great Depression -- and you will see the huge parallels between where were 100+ years ago, and where we are currently.

Even though I have a somewhat limited income, I always try to buy books from an independent bookstore when the author writes a mystery series I follow. It does make me say "ouch" at the retail price but I want to make sure that both the author and the independent bookstore survives. The Seattle Mystery bookshop has given me many pleasurable hours and I will support them as long as they exist. Further, it has let me converse with authors whom I enjoy with their many signings.

I don't know alot about how publishers work today, and what they do for authors -- but I do know there are fewer publishers -- which makes me sad. Again, a monopoly growing.

As for Kindle, I have two friends who were completely enamoured with them -- and after 6 months, they fizzled out. No thanks -- the only way I will purchase one is if I am on a long trip where I can't take many books.

I don't want any company in a position to be a monopoly or to not pay taxes. I do as little business with Amazon as possible and will continue to do so.

By the way, there are many places to buy used books besides Amazon -- you might check for them on the Internet. E-Bay, for example, has spent millions of dollars creating a great book store. I buy often from them/half.com if I am looking for a "bargain".

Thanks, JB, for taking the strong stand against Amazon -- another monopoly in the making.

[karl]

of course I understand the independent bookstore's point here.. but on the one hand he's saying that he can not support companies that censor while on the other he is removing titles and authors from his store that are related to amazon. Does he do the same with other publishers he doesn't like?

To me amazon seems like part of the problem..but the main problem is an unwillingness of small stores to adapt to technological advances or even push that advance. How many bookstores have a decent website that is easy to use?

It would be presumptuous of me to assume that all avenues for revenue have not been explored, but amazon seems like an easy target that allows for independents to wallow in 'woe is me' rather than trying to get creative.

further restricting potential sales, also, by cutting all amazon titles seems like it wouldn't help the problem either, but further advance it.

I buy from both Amazon and independents...I buy from the Strand here in NYC often for instance. Amazon is great for titles that bookstores can't carry and bookstores are great for impulse buys and stack searches leading to new titles that will can never fully be replicated by a website equivalent.

[Nina]

Here's the real issue -- it's not the indie bookseller who's caught in the middle -- it's the reader.

We just want to read good books. At the end of the day, we're going to find them and keep reading them one way or another.

If the only way to purchase them is through Amazon, so be it.

I suspect what will really happen going forward is publishing houses will become their own bookstore. Why not? The indies whine and complain, the big box stores screwed themselves,and Amazon strongarms. In the meantime, publishers want to sell and readers want to buy.

Who needs all these dysfunctional middlemen anyway?

Amazon may end up shooting themselves in the foot, but that only helps direct sales from the publisher's perspective. And if Amazon goes, so will the remaining indies. The only people who DON'T have anything to lose are publishers and readers.

[Jessica Glenn]

A bookseller who is supporting book banning? That is terribly, terribly wrong!

[NPeske]

There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of books. I want to buy physical books to pass along to friends, keep on my shelf for reference, and to own because I'm just not happy without a physical copy of Jane Eyre even if it's on my Kindle. I want eBooks for the quick delivery, low price, and most importantly, ease of reading. I have middle aged eyes and my son has visual processing disorder; without Kindle, our reading AND book buying would be slashed 75 percent. In all this discussion, where's the acknowledgment that people borrow books from friends or the library, cutting into independent bookstores' businesses? Indies are great IF they support local authors and genres they don't personally think are cool--NOT always the case. The business will shake itself out but there are no bad guys. As an author, I have to say my local independents have been bigger "bad guys" to me than Amazon has. Everyone needs to change.

http://www.nancypeske.com