It's officially unofficial. Mo Con V bound!

Barring any unforeseen circumstances that come with plans formed at the last minute, *Sue rapping like Rabbit in 8-mile, "I will be at Mo-Con V. I will be bring books from home. I will seek out the Funky Werepig Broadcast. I do live in a trailer park with my mom *Sue snaps back to reality, oops there goes gravity, oops she won't have it. . . "

Okay, I think that gets the point across. So if you're in the area and want to visit and purchase either Never Ceese or Forever Richard or meet ANY of the other unbelievably talented Horror writers of the day with guests including but not limited to Brian Keene, Kim Paffenroth and the Sinister Minister Maurice Broadus himself -- then check out this site for more information.

Michael West, as I understand it, will be upholding the no-pants tradition during the Funky Werepig Broadcast and may inspire others to follow the tradition. Who knows? All I know is that this could be very interesting. ;)

Also you may come to learn more about my new release from Nicholas Grabowsky's Black Bed Sheet Books, "Electric Angel."

Or come get you a copy of Never Ceese THE PAPERBACK published by my own S D Enterprises or Forever Richard published by The Writers' Cafe Press and talk about Cyn No More to come out later from TWCP.

So much to talk about so little time.

Hope to see you there!

Oh and is there a longest drive prize?! ;)

More on POD publishers.

Is Print on Demand Publishing the new thing or a Band-Aid (plastic strip to be politically correct) for a broken/outdated system?

That sort of depends on what your goal is. Each POD publisher differs in one way or another but just be sure you understand that no POD publisher will be able to help you get into brick and mortar bookstores which is what most authors are looking for help with. Okay, maybe that's just what I'm looking for help with. ;)

The main distributors, Ingram, Baker & Taylor etc . . . have a long standing relationship with bookstores. In fact, bookstores sign contracts with these distributors which boast a very attractive return policy scenario (or so I've heard.) Certainly too good to pass up. While I've not seen the contract I do understand how the return policy works (sort of) and it is my understanding that it is designed to encourage bookstores to order a lot of titles to help distributors with warehousing costs. In other words bookstores order large quantities of a title (which constitutes a sell which helps push the title to the top of best-sellers list) but is given the option to return the books at anytime for a full refund. Back in the day, and I'm pretty sure this still happens, bookstores weren't even required to return the book at all so that they save on postage as well. Another incentive to purchase more books than needed. They simply have to return the front cover which makes the book unsellable to the publisher.

When a POD publisher offers an author distribution to the "brick and mortar" bookstores, or rather tells you to make your book returnable, you the author, become an active participant/victim of the large distributors return policy. POD publishers will not reimburse you for damaged returned goods yet they do have funny little ways to offset this loss. For instance my POD publisher automatically destroys returns. You're not given the option to look at the book yourself to see if you might can salvage any part of it. It's simply destroyed. My POD does offer to give you a sellable book for two dollars minus the printing cost if you choose this option.

I did ask recently why I wasn't told in the beginning that returns would be destroyed automatically as this would have certainly swayed my decision to go with said POD as why would I do business with someone who'd present my product to sellers but not protect me against returns. I was simply told that this is how the book industry works?

So there you go.

Yes. That is why my book is now non-returnable with the only advantage for using a POD being that my title shows up in the larger distributors database . . . but they won't order it since they can't return it at will and in whatever shape they desire to return it in which is usually mutilated in some fashion to verify proof of purchase from bookstores who aren't required to send a non-mutilated book back?

My POD did tell me that I could sell my books to the bookstores myself and set up my own return policy with them.

*Sue blinks in dismay.*

Really? Well that's nice to know.

Where to find Sue's Books locally.

A great mystery to be sure!

Of course you'd think it would be a given considering what both Never Ceese and Forever Richard have done since their respective releases.

Yes. I'lll rehash:

-My debut novel Never Ceese short-listed for a 2007 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel, the year Jonathan Mayberry won this category (go Jonathan!!)

-Never Ceese voted book club choice for the month of May 2007 at the ACFW

-Never Ceese short-listed for a 2009 Pluto Award

-Forever Richard making the long-list for a 2009 Pluto Award

-Forever Richard currently on the long-list for a 2010 British Fantasy Award

So why wouldn't you expect to be able to go into, at the very least, a local bookstore and find a healthy number of both on the shelf at least in the local section.

*Sue blinks both eyes as though puzzled herself.*

I don't rightly know but you most certainly can't.

My local Barnes & Nobles has ten in their warehouse but none on the shelf. Their explanation,

"Well when customers start asking for it . . ."

Wow!

Really?

Let me clarify my sarcasm. A larger publisher (only called this because now there are small publishers. Before they were simply called publishers) puts out a debut novel that, based on reviews that come later, royally sucks to high Heaven. Because this book came from a larger publisher, it is automatically without question ordered in mass, as per the agreement between bookstores and large distributors, and placed in a prominent position in the stores. The buying in mass automatically pushes said sorry book to the top of the best-sellers chart (neat how that works isn't it?) and double-standard is complete. There was no demand for this author before their debut novel was released. No one had to walk in and ask to see it on the shelf before it could be placed in said prominent position. What a ludicrous statement for a bookstore to tell a small pubbed author. No they don't single me out. This is what ALL small pubbed authors are told.

Books-A-Million, when I approached them about my books not even being at least in their local author section at once ordered twenty of Forever Richard which I quickly had them change to ten so my publisher wouldn't eat the books I couldn't possibly get rid of fast enough since the local section isn't the first place readers go to find books.

All ten did sell and nine more are on the shelf now but only of Forever Richard and not Never Ceese the paperback as that's through Lightning Source and no large bookstores carry POD's due to the fact that they don't come through a larger publisher and bookstores don't want to hassle with books they're pretty certain won't sell due to POD authors not being able to compete with the publicity wagons of large publishers. Sure a bookstore can send my books back for a full refund if they don't sell (and my publisher will eat the returns as most bookstores only have to return book covers or bar codes to get their money back from the distributor thus making the book unsellable to the publisher-how nice!) But most won't even bother ordering because it's simply too much trouble.

The Bookshelf up the road from me, an independent bookstore, does carry both of my books but I supply them. If there aren't any in the store, they can call me and I can bring one--if I have any.

And as far as Books-A-Million goes, I learned a few days ago that when those nine of Forever Richard are gone, they can't order anymore because my publisher who distributes through Bookmasters is in a dispute over an unbelievable amount of money charged to them for books that were returned damaged due to the fact that bookstores aren't required to return books to distributors in a resell-able manner (sorry but missing front covers or whatever is required to return for a full refund doesn't constitute a resell-able book.) As a result Bookmasters is now not sending the books out to distributors until the matter is resolved or so I'm assuming because now my book that was showing up in Books-A-Million's, available to the brick and mortar stores, is no longer showing up.

And to update on another matter, no neither I nor the other small pubbed author I invited to join me in a booksigning at my local Barnes & Noble have been paid for the books we sold. And no, we didn't sell a lot but that hardly negates the absurdity of the situation. Coming up on a year now and neither of us have seen anything.

Ridiculous!

Return Policy Blues/Scam - Part three.

Part two prompted some very interesting comments but none are more revealing than the one posted by my publisher who has been there and back. Since comments to blogs are almost better than the blog itself I will post my publishers response here. Just know I was actually considering going the route my publisher went after talking with the distributor they went with until that distributor couldn't promise me any help if books came back unsellable. The only thing the distributor would say is that she would GUESS that only 5% were ever returned damaged. If that's true then explain why my current publisher is now being charged over $900 for one month for returned books. Now I'm no expert at math but that sounds like a LOT more than 5%!!!!

Without further ado, my publishers' comment:

What really gets my goat is damaged returns to the distributor. Neither I nor my authors is physically responsible for the damaged book! yet, who sucks up the cost?

The distributor stores the book, they package and mail it to the buyer. Somewhere in this process a book is damaged. I pay for a) original fulfillment fee, b) the book printing, c) reimburse the buyer for what they paid, d) pay the distributor for their return admin fee and, e) have one less book to sell. And, I haven't even touched the darn book -- I pay the distributor to do it.

Perhaps the "damage" occurred in the printing? well, most of my books are printed by the same company that distributes them. But, I don't see them offering to eat the damaged return.

For a small publisher, it is the middle man that reaps the benefits -- not the bookstores or the publisher/ author.

Return Policy Blues - Part two.

Using Print on Demand isn't necessarily bad but here's a little more insight on just what they can offer you.

With the return policy mentioned in my previous post in place, things for small publishers will most likely never get better anytime soon.

POD's do what they can but much is actually out of their hands. For instance, with my POD you don't actually get the choice to see the book that's returned from the distributor/bookstore. When they get returns back they destroy them. I'm not sure why this happens but my guess is, and it is a simply a guess, that the stores sending the books back actually only return the cover and not the book itself as this is all the major distributors require.

If this isn't the case why is a sellable item automatically destroyed? How does that benefit the seller of goods. I was told, when I did ask, that if I wanted another copy to sell that they (my POD distributor) would offer me a freshly printed one for $2.00 with no additional charges to reprint.

*Sue stares blankly for a moment*

You mean if a bookstore orders/buys my book from one of the official distributors such as Ingram or Baker & Taylor or whoever, via my POD of choice, said bookstore can return it for a full refund and they don't even have to return the actual book? And if they do return the actual book and it's in good shape it's still destroyed automatically leaving me with nothing to sell!!

That's a fact Jack!

And how does my POD address this quite disturbing problem? They'll sell me a newly printed copy of my book for $2.00 and not charge me the printing cost.

I'm sorry but "thank-you" and "that's a great deal" are not the first things that pop into my mind. Give me my book back in the shape it went out in or yes, reprint my book and return it to me for free and then charge the distributor who didn't return it in sellable shape.

WOW!

Let's evaluate this scenario:

Your books sells at a 55% discount for $5.83. It costs you $4.33 to print it. You make $1.50 profit. The book comes back, which it will do as the return policy between distributors and bookstores is so lenient it actually promotes returns, and your profit is gone. Not only that but you have nothing to resell because your book is automatically destroyed meaning you don't have a choice in the matter. Not only did you just lose your profit, you ate it. Somehow being offered a reprint for $2.00 and no reprint charge doesn't do much for me but add salt to a wound. Sure I now have something to sell and it's new but I had to pay for it. If I choose this option I'm now in the whole for $3.50.

And yes, certain POD's act differently to deal with this problem. For instance Amazon's Create Space isn't interested in getting you distribution through the major distributors, only through Amazon because they want to take over the world. Therefore you don't have to deal with the major distributors faulty return policy that only works for large publishers. But neither will you be able to go into a bookstore and set up a signing because you don't have distribution through the major distributors. They only allow authors in who have books through the major distributors.

Sorry. I'd like to be able to go in and do signings here and there so that's why I opted to use a POD that could make my books available through these distributors. My only protection against this outrageous return policy however is to make my books non-returnable. When I get more than one book through my POD I may make my work returnable but even at that bookstores don't generally allow POD authors in despite the books showing up in the system. There's no real benefit except that you can sell your books for a pretty good discount direct. ;)

Just more information on the POD route for those authors interested.

Return Policy Blues.

The return policy that exists, made between book publishers and distributors back in the day, needs a makeover. Not sure it it will ever get one but that's what it needs. And for what it's worth, it doesn't need a ginormous makeover just one that is more small pub friendly. With small publishers clearly outnumbering larger publishers due to the ease of printing, it would seem that a revision would be in the works.

Who would make the change though?

Publishers or rather the large publishers of today and distributors (provider of books to all bookstores) are responsible for the return policy as it stands with these two entities striking a deal that accommodated both. Sure these publishers no longer need to coddle distributors to encourage them to carry more books to help with with warehousing costs. And by coddle I mean offering them the ability to return all books for a full refund regardless of the condition of the book, the origin . . . so long as the book exists etc. . . But the return policy doesn't hurt them so why change it to make it easier for the competition?

The distributors could add a different return policy for small pubs but that might spark a revolution with all the large publishers telling them where they can ahem, stick it and moving to another distributor.

What's a small pubbed author to do?

Going through a POD is an option (see, I like POD's. Never Ceese is through a POD) Just make the book non-returnable. You don't have to play the game if you don't like the rules or rather if the rules set you up to be the loser. If you're with a POD and put out quite a few books through them then you might survive the slanted-toward-the-big-publisher return policy. One book alone can work . . . eventually . . . maybe . . . but it won't be pretty. LOL

Okay, so POD isn't<>Death for an author.

Okay, so POD doesn't automatically mean death for an author. It was just one of those days. LOL However, while going with a print-on-demand book publisher doesn't mean death for an author, neither does it mean they can get you into brick and mortar bookstores should that be what you're looking for. Most who deal with POD's understand this some don't.

Why?

Because bookstores enjoy a unique relationship with larger publishers that has served them well over the years. They purchase large quantities of books from large publishers to help large publishers with warehousing cost and in return large publishers offer a return policy that only makes sense if you're a large publisher with lots of books that you need help warehousing. Large publishers make their books returnable for a full refund no matter what the condition of the book (or origin?) and no matter when the bookstore chooses to return them. In most cases they even accept just the front cover of the book to help bookstores with return postage.

As a result, bookstores have no incentive to offer smaller publishers a different return policy. Some POD's, mine excluded, from what I'm hearing, are saying that their return policy is different and that the book they produce for their authors can only be returned if there is damage or a print problem in which case the POD will pay to fix the matter. This is the POD's return policy though not the bookstores. No bookstore will order books unless the return policy they share with larger publishers is honored.

I just talked with Atlas Books about perhaps getting distribution through them, a clean line of distribution through Ingram and Baker & Taylor but they confirmed that the return policy was just as twisted and convoluted as I explained above. I stand to lose way more money than I'd make just to be able to get bookstores to order my book when I do signings. For the record here is the return policy as stated:

D. Returns: Accepted from the Customer in any condition regardless of origin with full refund from the Publisher.

Regardless of origin? Wonder what that means. LOL

After seeing that, I'll definitely reconsider. Staying with print on demand but making my book non-returnable so I can survive . . . hopefully. ;)

Latest Press Release.

You may click below to read my latest Press Release. Feel free to share. ;)

Click Here.

Chaser by Jon Guenther

Chaser by Jon Guenther is available for purchase now!!! Do not make me say this twice!!! Go to this page to order it. Order here!

And while you're there order Soul Runner! And don't forget to watch for Finding Faithe. ;)

And before anyone tries to get sassy, these books SHOULD be in every bookstore but you won't easily find them there because small pubbed authors can't survive the return policies set up to accommodate large publishers who use bookstores back rooms to thwart their warehousing cost which of course automatically drives their books to the top of the best-sellers list because technically ordering so many books counts as a purchase whether they're returned or not.

Jon Guenther is one of those FINE authors whose books would never stay on the bookstore shelves should there be a logical way for him to get in bookstores without LOSING money and that's even if his book were to sell.

*Sue takes a deep breath* Just buy the man's books and read them. You won't regret it. Also these books, because of Jon's faith, will hardly offend even the most prudent of Christian readers and Soul Runner has even been approved for distribution to the Christian market. Jon would easily top CBA bestsellers list but can't get on them because he doesn't pay to be affiliated. But that's their loss not yours . . . well, unless you don't go buy and read his books. Off to order mine but I want mine autographed so I'll be hitting Jon up!

No. I don't get reviews everyday. ;)

An author who isn't with a larger publisher, no matter how well the book is written or seems to be doing, doesn't get reviews that often and certainly not every day. LOL The industry makes small published authors invisible--absolutely invisible. It is therefore more than just a breath of fresh air to get reviews like this one. Rachel Wade calls me a mentor. I hope I never live to let her down. Thank you sooooo much Rachel. I'm pretty sure Amazon needs this review. ;)

Love you!

TheBoitenoire.blogspot.com

Reviews everyday? You make me blush Rachel. I wish.

So who are the bad guys in publishing?

It does start looking like there are a lot of bad guys. LOL But in all honesty, it's simply time for things to change. As in most cases however, change usually starts at the top and since most publishers at the top hardly experience the problems we smaller publishers experience, it's not likely any change will help us any time soon. And small publishers certainly can't make enough noise to be heard--or can they?

Saying that you just won't worry about having your books in Brick and Mortar stores is ridiculous and well, it's not exactly the bookstores fault. Truth be known, the return policy in place today was put in place by the now larger publishers. They needed relief with warehousing because they had to print so many books at once due to the cost of printing in those days. They made a deal with bookstores that basically said if you put a lot of our books in your back rooms we will promise to let you return what doesn't sell. Worked well at the time. At least for the larger publishers. I suppose with the entire printing business the way it was you just didn't have a lot of small publishers. You were either big or you weren't.

Now that there are a LOT of small publishers, this model needs to be changed. But who changes it? The larger publishers sure aren't going to make the move. This model only helps them and it helps keep the competition out of the bookstores. I'm not sure why the bookstores don't work to change this except perhaps for the same reason.

Bottom line, I don't think there are any real bad guys. Just a very real need for change since printing books is no longer the costly venture it used to be forcing publishers to print way more books than they could afford to stock thus seeking help from bookstores. ;)

Why does this seem so funny to me?

There are ways, though a bit more costly, for publishers to get what I like to call "a clean line of distribution" through Ingram and Baker & Taylor. The avenue I'm looking at just sent met his "welcome" message to describe why I should choose them:

Thank you so much for your interest in our book distribution service.

We will place your title information into Ingram and Baker & Taylor's

data base and this will create the avenue into the bookstores. We also

have the complete selling force for both the major book chains and

the independent stores to help create the orders. We would ask that you

have the publicity to help us in creating the customer demand.

I'm particularly moved by the line that says, "we would ask that you have the publicity to help us in creating the customer demand."

Right. Just keep in mind that any money I put into creating customer demand or publicity won't be toward getting books into bookstores especially when there's nothing to keep bookstores from returning books they've bought at a loss to me the author. My distributor won't lose any money. The bookstores won't be out anything except for postage which isn't much as most aren't even required to send the book back. All they have to do his rip off the cover to save on postage. The only person in this scenario who stands to lose money consistently is the provider of the product.

Ooooooh, sign me up for that!

Actually, I probably will sign up for this but I'll ask my distributor to make my books non-returnable as I've no desire for bookstores to buy my books. I just want them to be able to order them when I do signings. ;)

Going POD=Death for an author.

Sorry to be so hard-lined but things are what they are. I'm quite amazed at how authors will ignore the facts just to "follow their dream" or simply try to make a living. Gee, it seems I've done so THREE times. LOL But those days are over.

So now to explain why going with a POD isn't a route an author should choose if they want to actually hmm . . . make money or just simply "get their work out there."

Believe it or not there's a very brief explanation and it only has a little to do with POD's except that no POD will tell you the facts UNTIL you're buried and on your way to your final resting place as an author.

Here's the skinny. Bookstores won't order books unless they're returnable. Now in case you didn't read that properly I'll say it again, Bookstores won't order books unless it's returnable. Okay. POD's will tell you this so there's no hidden agenda here. But I'm going to rephrase this to a bit so you can see how it applies. Bookstores want a gun to shoot you with. There. That should clear things up.

POD's encourage an author to discount their books heavily so bookstores will be encouraged to "buy their books." Does anyone get the picture yet? How many of you would do business with someone who says they'll buy your goods but only if they're heavily discounted and only if when they return it they get all of their money back which means you lose any profit and then some.

I suspect that none of you would but that's what you do when you deal with a bookstore (without a POD or with a POD.) If a bookstore takes a chance and order books from an author POD or otherwise, the bookstore doesn't pay the price if the book doesn't sell, the author does. There's absolutely no protection for the author. NONE.

Grocery stores don't operate this way. If they order a product that doesn't sell, they simply put it on clearance or return it in tact, the way it was for an even result. Provider doesn't lose money and neither does the store. Amazing how much that makes sense isn't it?

So when my POD told me I should discount my book and make it returnable I told them to forget about it. I don't normally give people the ammo and the gun to shoot me with.

On a brighter note, I believe I've found a way to get a clean line of distribution through Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Amazon and B&N that will make my books available to all larger stores hassle free, (well except for the stupid discount and return policy racket) so that I can do book signings and only order what I think will sale thus cutting down on what bookstores can steal from me.

It will still be like handing the bookstores a gun but at least they only have a few bullets and maybe, just maybe the chamber will be empty when they fire. ;)

Books-A-Million What's an author to do?

Books-A-Million What's an author to do?

Okay so since Forever Richard is through a traditional press with connections to Ingram, Forever Richard can be found inside these stores should I ask for the store to carry a few copies which I won't do for fear they'll order too many and send what doesn't sell back which wipes out any profit sold books might make.

My local Book-A-Million, as of last week had nine copies of Forever Richard after having sold ten! That's grand. Now I want to do a book signing to get rid of the nine so they don't get sent back BUT I don't want to sign if Never Ceese, the first book in the series can't be sold at the same time.

Well, I had to republish Never Ceese through Lightning Source because I couldn't find a traditional press to take the novel after my first publisher went belly up. Books A Million's submission guidelines state a book has to be available through Ingram to qualify to be in their system. I thought this meant I was good to go since Lightning Source was Ingram's POD. Nope, says Lightning Source. Books A Million is not one of the stores they distribute to. I know, right?

Apparently it isn't just Ingram Books A Million pulls from as, believe or not, they carry the hardback of Never Ceese (which I make no money off of and is out of print) even though the publisher never got hooked up with Ingram, only Baker & Taylor who is one of the other MAJOR distributors.

Also I've made Never Ceese the paperback non-returnable so larger book stores can't bury me with returns and NO larger bookstore will order a book that isn't returnable.

What's my point?

I want to do a Book Signing at my local Books-A-Million but I won't do one unless I can sell Never Ceese at the same time and NO I don't mean the hardback. Sheesh! So here's to hoping that they'll let me set up in the parking lot with Never Ceese. ;)

*Sue crosses fingers and hopes. ;)*

BTW I'm not talking about being on all the .com's all the POD's can offer that. It means nothing. I'm talking about having that clean line of distribution (like what TWCP offers me) through the major distributors that automatically puts you in a larger bookstores system, something NO POD can offer because this type of distribution costs a lot of money and there are qualifications to be met that no POD publisher can meet. If they could meet the qualifications an author sure wouldn't go through a POD.

Here's an example of how a POD author can die financially if they listen to their POD's who tell them they should discount their book to the max and make it returnable. After discount and printing cost I make $1.50 profit on one book. On the off chance a bookstore orders it, should it come back as a return it cost me $5.83 for a total profit of ummm . . . well, you get the picture.

And with bookstores not being penalized for sending books back and NOT trying to sell what they've ordered . . . . again, you get the picture. Seems like the only penalty is for an author to try and sell their book for what it's worth.

For lack of a better phrase I'd have to say that pretty much sucks. AND it's simply amazing that it's even legal.

So excited about this!

It's official! ;)

One book deal for Electric Angel

And for the record, if I want this book available for distribution to the Christian market, all that needs to be done is submission to Spring Arbor. I doubt this will be done though because there is no advantage. Just some very real disadvantages. ;)

Ready to rock and roll!

Black Bed Sheet Books to publish Electric Angel

I know I often point to Nicholas Grabowsky's review of Never Ceese as a very significant event in my publishing journey. Indeed it was his review that gave me the confidence I needed to move on. Why would he lie, right? To add to my delight, shortly after the review, Nicholas invited me to be a guest of his at the 2007 World Horror Convention! Honestly, I didn't think things could get any better . . . until while chatting on facebook a few nights back he proposed that he should publish me. Upon recovering from reading what he typed, I agreed . . . ummm . . . who wouldn't!

So as it stands now, a completely separate one book deal with Black Bed
Sheet Books with cover done by Mr. Grabowsky himself (I cannot wait to see this!) Perhaps this announcement is a little premature as I've not physically signed the contract yet. However mentally I've signed it over and over. ;)

Electric Angel

Sue Dent

Black Bed Sheet Books