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  • Category: technology

    • Witness, a Digital Mystery Line from HC

      Posted at 10:17 am by Laura, on April 30, 2013

      HarperCollins Plans Digital Original Mystery Line, Witness — Publishers Weekly   

      Two years after HarperCollins’ Avon Books imprint launched the digital romance imprint Impulse, its William Morrow imprint announced plans for Witness, a “digital-original” mystery, suspense and thriller line.

      Over a hundred titles have signed for Witness and ten of them will appear this October.

      Witness will feature the same royalty structure as Morrow/Avon’s other digital-first imprints: authors receive a 50% royalty once their book sells 10,000 copies (initial royalties start at 25%).

      Agatha Christie’s short stories will be digitized and included, as well.

      Thoughts?

      Posted in books, Link, publishing, technology | 0 Comments | Tagged books, ebooks, news, publishing, technology
    • Keeping Brick-and-Mortar Stores in Business: A FAQ

      Posted at 9:45 am by Laura, on February 28, 2013

      In light of the news that Barnes & Noble will be closing a third of their stores across 10 years, that Nook may be separating from B&N, that independent bookstores are few and far between, allow this bookseller to answer the age-old question, “How can I keep bookstores from closing?” (which, of course, stems from the statement, “I wish bookstores weren’t closing!”).

      The best and most obvious answer is purchase directly in the bookstore.

      Seriously. I’m sick of explaining to people why we sell books at the sticker price, why prices are “high,” why online is cheaper than in store. As I cannot take out my frustration on our patrons, I’m going to step up with booksellers everywhere — including independent and used bookstore booksellers — and explain all these questions.

      1. Why are online prices cheaper?

      If a bookstore, like Barnes & Noble or Waterstones, has an online presence, the prices for the products are generally cheaper. This is because the consumer is going directly to the vendor — which has far fewer employees — and ordering from there. Whether or not one is a special member of some sort for this online bookstore, there is still the expectation that one will pay for shipping. The price offered is the lowest price that can still be split among the publisher, the author, and the bookseller.

      When the consumer purchases in the store, they are paying for “overhead.” Overhead is payment towards the rent/lease of the venue, payment towards the helpful employees, payment for the upkeep and cleanliness of the venue, as well as the publisher, the author, and the bookseller corporation.

      If consumers continuously purchase online rather than walking into the store, the store’s physical presence declines and thus they close. Chain bookstores live with a double-edged sword: online presence can boost sales, but it can also aid in store closings.

      2. Why are so many indie/used bookstores closing?

      Most independent bookstores and used bookstores use a mathematical formula to lower the sticker price to it’s lowest possible value before harming their sales. Say you spot a rare edition of a book by an author you love. The original sticker price is $25, but the indie store is selling it for $15 and the used store is selling it for $10. The indie store will make a small profit from selling this book, but the majority will still be sent to the publisher and author. The used bookstore is barely making enough profit to keep the place running, but nothing goes toward the publisher or author.

      A lot of independent and used bookstores are closing because consumers still find cheaper prices online.   The stores’ prices are also heavily dependent on scraping by: keeping employees employed, paying venue rent, keeping the place in good condition and clean. If you want your mom-and-pop, independent, or used bookstore to stay in business (either because you like the cozy atmosphere, it’s location, the selection, or even it’s nice low prices), you need to walk into their store and purchase from them directly.

      3. But I like Amazon’s prices! Why should I, the consumer, not use Amazon?

      Mention Amazon to a bookseller and we do everything we can to not explode with anger. Those stiff smiles, blank stares, and suddenly curt speech are the only acceptable ways for us to express our dislike.

      Amazon never sells at the sticker price. They are an online presence, not a physical presence. They make enough profit off shipping and other products to keep themselves in business. [Refer to Answer #1 on online prices.] Great on them. They’re a monopoly.

      But the prices they offer, including the used ones, rarely — if ever — benefit the publisher, the author, or anyone else in the book business. Yes, the prices are miraculously cheaper and in this economy everyone wants the cheaper price. But consistently purchasing from Amazon only creates a larger monopoly, creates a business that will not help you in person, and drastically lowers the likelihood of a brick-and-mortar store staying in business near you.

      Sidenote: This is for all those cranky customers who say to booksellers, “Ugh, I had to drive 30 minutes out here just to get to this store and you’re telling me you don’t have this book?! This is why Amazon is in business; I’m ordering from them!” No, Amazon is not in business because we’re 30 minutes away — we’re 30 minutes away because consumers like you consistently purchase from Amazon and we have to close our stores closest to you.

      4. If booksellers frown on Amazon, what are some other online groups with low prices that booksellers don’t get angry over?

      I’m glad you asked!

      Better World Books “collect and sell books online to donate books and fund literacy initiatives worldwide.”

      Books sold on BetterWorldBooks.com help fund high-impact literacy projects in the United States and around the world. That’s why we commit to matching every purchase on our website with a book donation to someone in need.

      What sane bookseller would say no to that?! Literacy is something to support and celebrate!

      AbeBooks has some amazingly cheap prices on everything. They help those independent booksellers get their presence known. Small stores, nationwide and worldwide, advertise the availability of a new/used book they have in stock. When you purchase through AbeBooks, you’re benefitting this organization as well as the small seller.

      Alibris also helps independent sellers stay in business by connecting them across the globe and aiding in library collections.

      Biblio is also fantastic — a large selection of rare books, connecting indie and used stores across the country. They also help in non-profit organizations.

      —-

      So. You want your bookstore to stay in business? Go in the bookstore and purchase from them today.

      Posted in books, library, Link, publishing, technology, Update Post | 0 Comments | Tagged books, bookstores, library, news, personal, publishing
    • Bookish – A Magical Place

      Posted at 12:41 pm by Laura, on February 11, 2013

      Have you encountered Bookish?

      Bookish is an organization founded by Penguin, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster. The purpose is to promote books and help bookworms find their next best pick. In light of bookstores closing, these publishers created this fantastic website that helps personalize the reader’s interests. Get the latest news from authors, editors, and publishers!

      Check out their twitter, @BookishHQ.

      They were recently featured in Wall Street Journal.  Check it out!

      Posted in books, Link, publishing, technology | 0 Comments | Tagged books, ebooks, news, publishing
    • DOJ Case Settled

      Posted at 8:03 pm by Laura, on February 8, 2013

      At least, that certainly seems to be the case.

      Department of Justice appears to have settled with publishers in the ebook pricing case. What does this mean for the future of ebooks?

      Apple has also said in court papers that the government’s suit “sides with monopoly, rather than competition,” by shoring up Amazon’s early advantage in electronic books.

      A civil trial for Apple is scheduled to begin in June.

      Bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc has sided with Apple, telling the federal court that it, too, is concerned about a monopoly by Amazon.

      This is another issue with ebook pricing. Amazon is already an egotistical monopoly in the book world. Rather than going to a local or independent bookstore, customers rush to Amazon because it’s “cheaper.” Then those same customers complain about bookstores closing. How does one fix this? Utilize the local bookstore!

      Writers are worried about not making enough money on their books because of this monopoly. They know customers want small prices, and ordering through Amazon completely cuts out the royalties for authors and all their hard work. So now authors have turned to self-publishing ebooks, as they can still make money off ebooks.

      BUT NOW Amazon is trying to sell “used” ebooks, which is not actually a thing AND it cuts out royalties for authors once again!

      Obviously this post veered off-topic, but as a reader, who do you support? Do you want to support the writers and editors who work so hard to make good quality books for you to learn from and enjoy? Or do you want to feed a monopoly that is actually killing the industry?

      Some food for thought. Back to the DOJ deal…

      Posted in books, Link, publishing, technology | 0 Comments | Tagged books, ebooks, legal issues, news, publishing
    • Awards, Bestsellers, and E-books, Oh My!

      Posted at 7:34 pm by Laura, on January 16, 2013

      Apologies for the lack of posts. I’ve since taken a trip to NYC and adopted a kitty from a shelter.

      On to some book news!

      1. NBCC Finalists Announced — 2012 National Book Critics Circle finalists were announced Monday. There are 30 finalists across 6 categories, including Adam Johnson’s The Orphan Master’s Son, Katherine Boo’s Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Tom Reiss’s The Black Count, and Allan Peterson’s Fragile Acts.
      2. Wanna know which titles dominated in 2012? I’m sure you can guess quite a few of them. Big Names Dominated Bestsellers in 2012 contains all the sales information as well as the lists of the Top 10 Books within 10 categories.
      3. Prepare to be launched into a literary Italy with Dan Brown’s Inferno on May 14! Make all the jokes you want — I’m really looking forward to this one. Lost Symbol was ehhh for me, but the other Robert Langdon books were intriguing. Probably because it was set in Europe. And now we’re looking into Dante’s Inferno? Yes, please!
      4. Scholastic Report Finds More E-book Reading Among Children — This is to be expected, as the current generation is growing up with easy-access technology. However, the stats are incredibly fascinating. More boys are reading, and more teenagers are making the switch from print to digital.
      5. 2013 Edgar Nominations Announced — Check out the selections from the Mystery Writers of America, with Best Book, Best First, Best Fact Crime, and many more!
      Posted in books, Link, publishing, technology | 0 Comments | Tagged awards, books, ebooks, ereaders, news, publishing
    • 9 Things Huffington Post Predicts Will Keep Publishers Awake

      Posted at 1:52 pm by Laura, on December 14, 2012

      Huffington Post congratulates the publishing industry on a big year, and can only see even more drama in the future. They list 9 things publishers will worry about in 2013, and several of them involve Amazon’s monopoly, self-publishing, and the future of ebooks.

      Some other things to concern yourself with include library budget cuts, mergers, and termination rights. The world of books is constantly changing…

      Posted in books, library, Link, publishing, technology | 0 Comments | Tagged books, ebooks, library, news, publishing
    • “Newsweek” Ends Print Edition — NPR

      Posted at 8:45 pm by Laura, on October 18, 2012

      ‘Newsweek’ Kills Its Print Edition — NPR — Mark Memmott

      That glossy I grew up reading with my family, admiring the photos and stories and formatting, is going to end their print editions December 31 and then becoming an online-only publication.

      Personally, I think this is a terrible move.  Many of Newsweek‘s readers are not technologically inclined, and many complaints will be sent to them because of this transition. Adults 50+ are already upset about thinner newspapers and fewer magazines – this just increases that frustration.

      However, I can see why they made the change. More money can be made from ads rather than subscribers, they probably do have a wider readership digitally than in print, they’re changing with the times, etc. But I still think this is a poor move.

      I’m sure once I enter the business world I may change my mind, but for now I’m sticking to my guns.

      Posted in Link, publishing, technology | 0 Comments | Tagged magazine, news, publishing
    • Barnes & Noble Nook HD and Nook HD+

      Posted at 2:57 pm by Laura, on September 26, 2012

      As a Barnes & Noble bookseller, I can tell you all about the new devices, the comparisons between each other, and comparisons with other tablets in the market.  As a struggling graduate student who loves pretty shiny things, I can also tell you how entranced I was by the ads and commercials and everything these devices will offer.

      So I’m pumped and ready to give you links to all sorts of information about the HD and HD+!

      1. New York Times — “The new devices are a seven-inch tablet for $199, called the Nook HD, and a nine-inch tablet for $269, the Nook HD Plus. Company executives promoted them as being lighter and faster than comparable tablets, a market that is crowded with competitors from Apple, Amazon and Google.” There are four devices. Nook HD 8GB, Nook HD 16GB (both available in Snow and Storm), Nook HD+ 16GB, and Nook HD+ 32GB (both available in Slate). Something to note.
      2. Shelf Awareness Pro — Information on the new tablets, the new Nook Video (“This fall, B&N is launching Nook Video, which will stream movies and TV shows from a range of studios, including Sony, Warner Bros., Disney, HBO, Viacom and Starz. The material can be watched on Nooks, TVs, tablets, smartphones as well as on a video app that will be released in the near future.”), and expansion in the UK.
      3. Publishers Weekly — “B&N’s head of hardware development Bill Sapperstein showed off the Nook HD and what he described as the “highest resolution display on a 7-inch tablet,” with 243 pixels per inch and pointed to wide viewing angles on both tablets. Both devices run on a customized version of Ice Cream Sandwich, the Android 4.0 OS optimized for tablets. The devices also just seem to get lighter—the Nook HD is 315 grams and Nook HD+ 515 grams—and more powerful with the NHD offering a 1.3GHZ processor and the NHD+ offering a 1.5 GHZ processor.”
      4. Barnes & Noble — As you can see, the Nook Color, Nook Tablet 8GB and Nook Tablet 16GB have sort of…disappeared.

      I feel like a kid in a candy shop. I’m already in love with the device and I haven’t even held one yet!

      Posted in books, Link, technology | 5 Comments | Tagged barnes and noble, books, bookstores, ereaders, news, nook, technology
    • Hello, I’m Laura!

      I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!
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