Big in Japan?

On several occasions we've had authors calling us about overseas sales. When researching where their books are listed online, they find that their books are showing up all over the world on different online bookstores.

Our authors feel generally one of two possible ways:
1. Think it's awesome they are selling so well in London
2. Totally freaked out that someone has copied their book and is selling it in bulk, or is selling used copies, to the masses at greatly reduced prices.

Here's the skinny.

Online retailers list Wheatmark author titles on their site via a wholesaler. This is one of the great things about publishing with Wheatmark! Your book is easily available for any site to list as "available in stock."

The wholesaler makes this information available to any online book retailer that pulls from their list directory. This means that if a bookseller in Prague is receiving a buy list from the wholesaler Ingram or Bertram, you'll be on it. This doesn't mean that there is a high demand in Prague for your book ... but you never know!

There are a few things about these listings that can be confusing. For example, some authors are concerned when they see used copies of their book listed.

This doesn't really mean that there are used copies available or that someone at Wheatmark is snatching inventory and selling it at a reduced price online. (For one, it would be expensive because said employee would have to actually BUY the book at list price to turn around and sell it at a reduced cost ... not a great business model ... and the author would STILL get the royalty!)

The "used copy available" option on sites like Amazon is just to tantalize buyers. Generally, once the customer clicks to buy the "used" copy, a message will come up that they do not actually have used copies, but that you can go ahead and buy a new copy one at the normal price.

Still concerned?
Wheatmark is able to track all the purchases of your book. If you really feel your books are being illegally sold (or are selling like hotcakes in Tokyo) we'll be able to verify it. Just call!

Attention Wheatmark Shoppers!

The mall parking lots are crazy packed, the Lands End coat you were going to get your mom is back ordered, and you can't remember what shoe size your Uncle Larry is-- it's holiday gift giving time again!

Personally, I love finding fabulous items at bargain prices to add to my collection of fabulous items purchased at bargain prices ... but not this time of year. I'd much rather sit on my couch breaking up dog fights over NylaBones than brave the consumer insanity that tends to occur this time of year.

That's why buying books at Wheatmark to knock out my Christmas list seems like such a great plan. They'll love them ... but if they don't, they can always return them for something else!

For my brother the earth science geek, Chad Widmer's awesome book on raising jellyfish.


For my husband in law school, one of our series of Arizona Law books from Don Loose.

For my dad, James Best's book, The Shopkeeper, because he'll enjoy the western tale.

And for my mom, Milton Lipson's adorably illustrated children's book, Two Arizona Black Birds, because she'll love reading it to her preschool class.

Just remember, if you're going take my advice for gift giving, make sure to order books in time for Christmas (online or by phone 888-934-0888 x 100)! Hardcover books need to be ordered by December 3rd, color books by December 5th, and paperbacks by December 8th!

Angry Booksellers, Angrier Bookmakers, and the Indie Art of War

Book industry trade publications are not generally known for their attention-grabbing headlines, and booksellers are not generally known as war-mongering hot-heads, but this morning’s PW email greeted me with one of the most intriguing subject headings this book marketing chick has seen in quite a while: "Angry Bookseller’ Speaks Out at GLIBA."

Read the article and you’ll learn that Publisher’s Weekly isn’t above sensationalizing an email subject heading in order to increase their open rate.

Read the comments following the article and you’ll find that there appears to be a growing disconnect between indie booksellers and indie publishers/authors.

While I don't think so-called "Angry Bookseller" Carol Besse (co-owner of Carmichael's Books and outgoing GLIBA President) could rightly be labeled as anything more than perhaps mildly perturbed (at least not based on anything revealed in this little article. I mean come on, there were no chairs thrown, no hair pulled – I've seen angry – this is not angry; this is maybe miffed), her "call to arms" (in preparation for war against Amazon.com) did manage to catch the ear, as well as the ire of some indie publishers and indie (ie: self-published) authors who feel they’ve been too long ignored by their bookselling brethren.

Rather than argue as to which literary indie group has the most to be angry about, let's just assume that these days there are plenty of problems to go around in the independent literary community, and it sounds like everyone has more than their fair share.

What was it SunTzu said in (what could be considered his best book on the subject ever) The Art of War? Ah, that's right (thanks Google): "Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems."

Or something like that.

Point being -- maybe the problems that indie publishers, indie authors, indie distributors, and indie booksellers are facing individually, might collectively present a big fat opportunity.

Maybe, if we all put our indie heads together, indie publishers and authors could work with indie distributors and booksellers to form mutually beneficial relationships.

Maybe we could even involve the likes of the indie book and publishing associations such as Independent Book Publishers’ Association and SPAN; and indie print reviewers like Foreword Magazine and Midwest Book Review; and while we're at it we could include the indie book blog-o-sphere, etc. to bring readers' attention to those lesser-known, but deserving, self-published & indie-pubbed titles.

Maybe in this war of indies and locals versus big-boxes and online giants, the best defense for all of us indies is a collective, customer-focused and value-rich offense.

I'll take my comments off the air…