'What Is the Value of a Book?'

This is a GREAT post from Bookshop Santa Cruz on the value of books and indie stores. Read it and be inspired again.

'What Is the Value of a Book?'

It's not you, it's me.

Don't you hate it when you REALLY want to love a book, but you just can't?  Especially when you have been waiting and waiting for this title to come out, finally get it, and just can't force yourself into a relationship with the characters (or the plot, or whatever).  This doesn't happen to me often, but when it does, it ruins the book for me just about forever (I've been known to go back and try things when I am in a different mood). 

Most recently it happened with Dave Zeltserman's Caretaker of Lorne Field.  It got GLOWING reviews and has a fantastically interesting premise, but I wanted to kill each and every one of the characters, except for one.  How bad is that?  When this happens, I start to not care about the story and become only marginally invested in it, thus not really paying attention.  It's almost like going to see a bad movie and forcing yourself to finish it since you paid $35 to see it.  But in this case, since I got it from the library (where I had it on hold forever and just got it), I didn't feel too bad when I put it down for good. But I so wanted to like it on merit alone. 

I had this same problem with Arsonist's Guide to Writers Homes in New England.  Everyone loved it, but me: booksellers, critics, and publishers.  And I usually LOVE quirky, off beat stuff like that, but once again, the main character ruined it for me.  He was so annoying and didn't have a redeeming quality about him, not even some half-baked morality humor that I could find. I know that is part of the beauty of the novel and the appeal of the story, that the main character is really unlikable, but I didn't even find that aspect enough to continue.  It's really a fine line to walk between unlikable/awful and unlikable/funny because most of the characters of Chuck Palahniuk's novels are awful, awful people while still being amazingly funny and snarky, and I love his work.  AGtWHiNE just failed for me and I so wanted it to work!  Hopefully his next title, Exley, will work for me.  It's another great premise with lots of promise, and a great cover.  We'll see.

Another shocking dislike from me is the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay.  I love the marketing (I sleep in a Dexter publisher tshirt promoting the first season on DVD that says "Have a Knife Day" with a bloody knife on the front) and the concept, but I just can't get past the complete disconnect of the character.  I KNOW that is the entire point, but it just doesn't work for me.  I like the idea of it and I think that it is extremely clever to write about serial murder and vigilante justice from that point of view, but I just can't bring myself to care about him.  Once again, if I am not personally invested in the character, I just can't see spending my scant free time with them. 

What books have you wanted to love but had to ditch like a bad date? 

Penguin is going dystopia crazy!

In case you have been living under a rock for the last couple years, the newest trend in YA literature has moved from vampires (and somewhat away from zombies as well) to dystopian/post apocalyptic themed books.  Bestsellers like the Hunger Games Trilogy (Scholastic), Chaos Walking Trilogy (Candlewick), and Susan Beth Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It trilogy (HMH) have totally changed the market, much like Harry Potter did when those first came out.  This has paved the way for a welcome resurgence in smart, well written fantasy for young adults and adults alike. 

Many of this fall's biggest titles are coming from one publisher: Penguin.  They have become more and more cognizant of the trends of the market in the last couple years and have shifted gears accordingly, but all the while, not flooding it with crap.  Titles like Catherine Fisher's Incarceron (and the upcoming Sapphique), Brenna Yovanoff's Replacement, Ally Condie's Matched, and the much awaited title from Beth Revis, Across the Universe (one of the BEST first chapters that I have read in a long time and a phenomenal cover; I can't wait to see an ARC!) are all extremely well written in a genre that is notorious for mass produced junk when it comes to trends.  These books are smart, funny, emotionally gripping, and although they might deal with some adult themes, are perfectly toned for the younger set but still great reads for those of us who refuse to grow up.  They take place in well-drawn alternate worlds and futures but don't focus on the extraneous like some authors try to do.  (Really?  Do you think that a teenage really cares about all of the science?  Save it for the adults who like Michael Crichton.  If kids want science overwhelming the story, they will just read Jurassic Park.) They also deal with issues that most kids deal with (although in a different way) like ethics, good vs. evil, and the ever present young love.  Get on the hold list now at your local library because once these titles come out, it will be hard to get them for a while.  Better yet, order them from your local indie bookstore and help your community by keeping your money there. 

Cemetery Dance Publications

Attention all Horror, Scifi, and Fantasy readers:  if you aren't aware of Cemetery Dance Publications yet, you should be ashamed of yourself.  They are an amazing small publishing house that cultivates both new and bestselling genre authors, as well as putting out Cemetery Dance magazine a few times a year.  Their books are HIGHLY collectible and are almost all tiny print runs, illustrated, and/or signed limited editions.  You can't beat it.  And, if you preorder, they give you free shipping.  Who doesn't love free shipping?  Especially from a small publisher.  It's unheard of. 

Some of their best stuff is in their famous Grab Bag sales.  These are random things that they have lying around their warehouses and sell to us for ridiculously cheap ($39 for 3 hardcover, signed limited editions usually).  And if you are on their mailing list, you get advance notice of almost everything before it gets announced to the general public, and usually get some sort of discount.  I'm a member of the Collector's Club and some of the initial discounts have been stellar.  I'm not ashamed to say that I have spent WAY more money than I probably should have in the last 3 months, but don't tell my husband.  That is what having a separate bank account is for. 

They publish everyone from Stephen King (they did the true first edition of this year's huge hit, Blockade Billy, that caused his normal publisher, Scribner, to put out a cheaper version for the masses since there was such demand) to Peter Straub to Richard Matheson, and many many more.  Most of their titles sell out within a few days of announcement and are very hard to get aftermarket.  They have been also known to sell a few editions from Subterranean Press or Donald Grant, but not very often. 

If you love a good thrill ride, check them out on facebook or on http://www.cemeterydance.com/.  Let's help the little guys have a great year.

Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

I'm a Stieg Larsson stalker. I got sucked into the Millenium Trilogy when the galleys first came out a couple years ago (maybe even before when I saw the first write-up about the book in PW) and haven't been able to extricate myself in the slightest. I have been waiting and waiting for the ARC of the third book, Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, for months and now, having read it, I can say without a doubt that the world is a lesser place because Stieg Larsson is no longer in it and writing. My only disappointment is that it's over and that the movies aren't available yet in the States.

The first two books in the trilogy, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Girl Who Played With Fire, were phenomenal, which is rare. Usually the first book is great, the middle is ok, and then the third picks up the slack to finish it off, but never quite captures the mystery and promise of the first. That isn't the case here. Both books are fantastic in their own ways. Although the title of the first book indicates the story is truly about Salander, it is in actuality mostly about Blomkvist by way of Salander. Sure, we get the majority of Salander's background, but it isn't until the second book that we really know what to think of it. Salander truly comes to the forefront and becomes a character that will surely be as classic and iconic as Scout (To Kill a Mockingbird) or Holden (Catcher in the Rye) or Alice (Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass). Her journey is so unique because she is SO unlikable that she just grows on you like moss. Her view is so black and white that when she is forced into the gray reality of today, her reactions and perceptions show us how truly screwed up we are. This objectivity is one of the most beautiful aspects of Larsson's writing. He is like a floodlight subjecting all of the imperfections and indiscretions of society and its' players in the same scorching glare that the good guys willingly bathe in. It's amazing.

Now, I'm not going to ruin Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest with a bunch of spoilers and try to analyze what his big picture point was. All I have to say that is that any story, whether fiction or non, that can keep me laughing, cringing, crying, and cheering simultaneously, is one that I will come back to again and again. I have to point out that I was irritated during the entire reading of it because I wanted to know how it was going to end SO badly that I just couldn't wait, but I was also irritated because I knew that once I found out what happened, then the story would be over. I haven't felt this way since I finished the seventh Harry Potter book and realized that there wasn't any more to the story. Books like that are so good but once they are finished, it's like a death in the family (only you can "visit" by re-reading them). You feel a sense of peace because the story is done, but a huge sense of loss because your forays into the world for the first time are done. Now we are just all seasoned veterans. Which is better?

Hundred Thousand Kingdoms -- N.K. Jemisin

I'm a repeat reader. I admit it. When I was a kid, I would go to the library, get 5 or 6 books, and only 3 of them would be things that were new to me. The rest would be things that I had read a billion times before and just loved. I would usually buy the books later (or ask for them for birthdays or Christmas) and still have most of them today. I am one of those people who finds comfort in the familiar worlds of these particular books. That said, at this point in my life, with the job that I have, re-reading things is not so much of an option for me anymore. I have a duty to my job to read as many things as I possibly can before they come out so that I can be as effective as I can and limit my re-reading to times of despair and extreme duress -- maybe twice a year for like 3 weeks at a time. So when I tell you that I read N. K. Jemisin's Hundred Thousand Kingdoms a couple months ago and couldn't stop thinking about it so much that I re-read it this week, that is a BIG DEAL. For me to think about a book that much that I re-read it virtually immediately, regardless of the other things on my shelf (which happen to include Stieg Larsson's Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest which I have been SALIVATING for for at least a year), it had to be amazingly good.

Her debut fantasy is so original in scope and style that it seems like she has been around for years rather than months. Her premise is steeped in the classics of both ancient literature and mythology, as well as comparitive religion and modern science fiction, with a little bit of stream of consciousness thrown in. It's phenomenal. There are very few holes in the plot and the majority of the characters are perfectly developed. The couple of minor problems aren't really issues at all because the reader doesn't really care about these people/plotlines at all since they are intentionally peripheral while not being contrived or feel "forgotten" like some lost plot threads can in lesser hands. And it is one of those books that only gets better each time it is read because of the little details and nuances that weren't detected before.

The basic plot is centered around Yeine, the daughter of the now disowned heir to the current ruler of the kingdoms. When she is summoned after her mother is killed suspiciously, she has no reason not to go, even though she is wary. Much more is to be revealed as she spends her time at Sky (city & capital). As she comes into herself and attempts to keep herself alive despite the petty political manuevering of her rivals, she is thrown into the company of several enslaved gods -- Nahadoth, and Sieh most prominently, the result of a long ago war that is the basis for the entire religious system. At first, the religious aspects don't ring original, but that isn't the case. By blending many different mythologies of everything from The Sandman's Morpheus and the concept of the biblical Trinity, she created a nexus for the conflict between the gods and between the humans.

It's a very complex novel filled with all of the intrigue and revenge that comes with political struggles, but with a healthy dose of the many faces of love, and the price that it can exact. She never takes a heavy hand with the characters or with their actions; each entity acts "naturally" if that makes sense, and doesn't feel forced to the reader. Jemisin has achieved the elusive feeling of being a true voyeur to the story through the structure of the narrative and the completeness of the story. I was obviously thrilled with this installment, and can't wait for the next phase of the story. She is going to have a (hopefully) long and illustrious career and I will surely salivate for each work.

For more info on the book or N. K. Jemisin, go to www.orbitbooks.net. Check out her blog posts too. So much fun.

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls

YAY! It's here!

Being a HUGE fan of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies when it came out last year, I couldn't wait until PPZ: Dawn of the Dreadfuls came out. So, of course I finagled my way to get an early copy and have since devoured it. You will not be disappointed. It gives us the backstory of how Elizabeth became the bad-ass zombie slayer from PPZ and elaborates more on the familial relationships that are somewhat kept in the background in the original PP (hello, can Mr. Bennet want to kill Mrs. Bennet anymore!?!). It's the most polite and mannerly bloodbath that you'll ever read. The fun part is that it still remains faithful to the reference text and doesn't detract from the basic essence of the story. It's witty and smart and a delight to read, as long as you keep your tongue firmly in your cheek.

It's a great addition to the Quirk Classics canon and I can't wait for the next installment of the trilogy, as well as the next classic, Android Karenina. Don't miss this!

Here is some fun for you readers. Enter this contest by March 11 through Quirk Classics to win a great PPZ prize stash including a copy of the book, PPZ notecards, PPZ journal, and more. Simply go to the link below and enter my blog. Happy Hunting!

http://quirkclassics.com/index.php?q=QuirkClassicsContest_DOD_Reviews

For more Quirk Classics fun, go to their website, www.quirkclassics.com.

I hate not getting it.

Lately I have been trying to catch up on a couple trilogies that I am in the middle of and seemed to come across the same problem: I just don't get what is going on. For example, I was a HUGE fan of The Traveller when it came out 3 years ago or so, and was fairly ok with Dark River (Book 2), so when Golden City came out, I was pumped. Two problems: I couldn't remember what was going on and I had a baby right when it came out. So I found some online summaries of the plot and everything came back to me, but when I got into the book, I realized that John Twelve Hawks really had no intention of resolving most of the issues and was more concerned with taking an Ayn Rand-like philosophical stand instead. Don't get me wrong, I love Ayn Rand, but I skip the 30 pages or so of her books where she goes off her relativistic tangents because I don't understand it (or care to) and I don't think that it has any relevance to the story. Purists will I'm sure tell me that I can't possibly understand the truth of the novels without getting the philosophy but really, that isn't why I am reading it. If I want philosophy, I'll read philosophy. Golden City had the potential to be really good and profound but then it just sort of stops. Ta-da, the end. Not a lot is resolved, there is no closure, and I am left irritated that I wasted my time on the story. I'm also left feeling like I am frankly not smart enough to be reading this.

Now, I am a pretty intelligent person: I have a fairly high IQ, great vocabulary, high SAT scores from high school, and was on the Dean's List in college without killing myself. I usually don't have too much trouble getting things, but lately I've noticed that it's getting harder and harder. Maybe it is because of the sheer volume of things that I read, so nothing seems to stick in my craw like it should. Or because I now have 2 kids age 3 and under (That will scramble anyone's brain, believe me. I'm lucky sometimes to have matching socks on.) and can't pay attention all the time. Whatever it is, it's annoying.

Another example is last year's Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Almost everyone that I talked to that had read it had this amazing epiphany at the end and I missed. It was a wonderful novel, beautifully written, but I kept feeling like I was just a little bit outside of what was going on. I hate that. I hate feeling dumb! Even 2 of my super smart best friends had the same problem (we were all in the same AP English class when we read Hamlet so maybe that was the problem . . . way to go Mrs. Shipman!) and we couldn't nail down what it was. I even had a Shakespeare seminar in college!

I guess it's just a little set back but it is still a blow to my ego. Maybe I should just stick to thrillers and scifi rather than the literary stuff. PFFFFTTTT!

Macmillan - 1, Amazon - 0.

In an interesting piece of news today, Amazon.com was forced to capitulate to the e-book pricing terms set by Macmillan. Gasp! Moan! Oh, how will the giant survive? PFHTTT! Who cares! Read the whole story here.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6717182.html?desc=topstory

I'm just so jazzed that Macmillan stood up to the big, bad, wolf and won. This proves that we indies aren't exaggerating when we say that Amazon is a predator out to control the industry. They have proved it here by taking away the "buy" button on their site of all Macmillan titles (which has still not been restored even after the settling of the dispute) like a spoiled child. All the publisher(s) were asking was for control of THEIR OWN PRODUCT. Amazon is not a wholesaler (even though they have somehow negotiated wholesaler terms . . . hmmm), they are a retailer. Since when did retailers get to dictate the price to the publisher, and therefore, the authors? Why did they allow Amazon to have that much power? Well, not anymore. Hopefully the rest of the major publishers will follow suit and be successful, therefore paving the way for the smaller presses in the future.

Although this victory has no real bearing on my life now, I'm sure that it will in the future because let's face it: ebooks are part of the future whether we like it or not. And for the publishers to be able to dictate the price rather than Amazon dictating it to the publishers, it is a better situation for all of us. Because really, if the publishers lose, who are they going to take it out on . . . Amazon? No, the Indies. Think about it.

Percy Jackson, my new favorite thing.

Having seen the trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief and listened to the kids behind me talk about how much they enjoyed the books, I decided to take the plunge. I hadn't read them before since they hit when I was either in college or just starting out in bookselling and was so overwhelmed that I didn't have time for them. Being the good book buyer that I am, and by my compulsion to be knowledgeable about the things that I am ordering and also recommending, I jumped in. All I can say is WOW. Seriously, if you have a brain in your head and a funny bone in your body, you will laugh and laugh hard. Rick Riordan has taken what can be stodgy and imperialistic and made it modern and smart. His characters are full of heart without being fake, his plots are well thought out with loose ends tied up for the most part (but not always the way the reader expects which is nice), and his treatment of the various Greek myths and Gods/Goddesses is thought-provoking and hysterical. His characterizations of each of the Gods/Goddesses is spot on with plenty of "in" jokes for those in the know. The best part is that even if you have a working knowledge of Greek myths, you still want to go back and rediscover the stories that he is referring to (I've also seen this first hand with many of his younger readers; we usually stock classic mythology texts very close to the Percy Jackson books because of the constant need for them) just to find all the nuances and allusions. I mean, whoever thought to describe Poseidon as sporting cutoffs, Tommy Bahama hawaiian shirts, flipflops, and week-old stubble? It works, but isn't necessary dignified for a major player in the myths. But it makes him, as well as the rest of the Gods/Goddesses, accessible for the young reader and hilarious for the older ones. I'm so pumped about getting back into Greek myths that I am even considering picking up Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series (recommended by a sales rep friend who shall remain nameless so as to protect her guilty pleasure . . . you know who you are!) which also plays on the different myths, but with a vastly different effect. I just don't know how to explain those titles to my husband while they are laying around. Dark Lover, etc. Hmmm.

Julie/Julia and the impact of a book

So, what they don't tell you about being the parent of young children is that you will only see the movies you want if you rent them (and usually only get to watch them if said children are gone, and in my case, the husband too!) which is how I ended up watching Julie & Julia this morning to my delight. Very cute and Meryl Streep is delightful as Julia Child. The thing that struck me the most, and I must admit that I haven't read either book that the movie was based on (Julie Powell's or the bio on Julia Child) so I don't know any hard facts, was the way that Streep played Julia Child -- she was so full of joy that she looked like she was going to burst. How many people do you ever see that are so full of joy like that? And that joy was something that translated to those around her via her cookbook or her show. People could intrinsically sense that she loved what she was doing and wanted you to love it too. That "joy through osmosis" from her cookbook was able to help Powell through a rough patch in her life, like many books are able to do. Isn't that why we (the "lifers") are in the book business, either on the writing side, the publishing side, or the bookselling side? We believe that books are life changing -- they have the power to affect people's lives in a profound way. As a bookseller and a book buyer, you dream (at least I do at times) of being able to be find the right perfect book that a person is looking for at just the right time. I get excited at the start of every publishing season because of all of the things that are coming, and the possibilities for each. The impact doesn't have to be huge, it could just be a few minutes of blissful escapism, or it can be something so shattering as Randy Pausch's Last Lecture has been for millions of people. But each one has the possibility for that kind of change, and that is an amazing thing.

Holidays, schmolidays.

I hate that when the holiday season is over, you feel so drained and yet you really haven't accomplished anything! Well, besides making the dreams of your three year old come true via My Little Pony stuff and a Magnadoodle (who knew that was all it took? This could be world changing!). Some of the highlights of my holiday season are thus:

*Books that I loved from Nov/Dec that I feel like mentioning:

• Full Circle - Pamela Freeman: Seriously, can she get any better? A great ending to the trilogy although I would have liked to see something of an Epilogue for a more complete look at the after . . . sorry so vague, but no spoilers here! I can't wait for her nest outing.
• Mr. Shivers - Robert Bennett: This is one debut that you don't want to miss, especially if you are a fan of Stephen King, Steinbeck (thanks to PW for that great comparison), with a little Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy thrown in for good measure. Brilliantly written and a gem. And, his guest blog on www.orbitbooks.net is classic and wonderful. He is one to watch.
• Captivate - Carrie Jones: The sequel to last year's Need won't disappoint. Need was one of my favorite things last year (any book whose chapter headings are all phobias is a winner automatically!) and except for Captivate's cliffhanger, it is sure to be as well. She just gets better and better.
• Soulless -- Gail Carriger: OH MY GOD. If you have any inclination for any Bronte, Austen, vampires, werewolves, parasols, or just a damn good read, you must pick up Soulless immediately. I haven't laughed this hard reading a book in years or had so much fun with a bustle ever. And her blog? Total must read. Hysterical. Changeless (4/10)can't come soon enough.
• Swan Thieves - Elizabeth Kostova: I was a HUGE fan of The Historian when it came out 4 years ago and could not wait for this. It is a different sort of book than her previous but it shows her range and her depth of writing, as well as her commitment to research. I will be curious to see if there are historical notes in the finished book (I read an ARC) because the assertions that she makes are powerful enough to pursue, and I don't know if they are rooted in fact or not. Fantastic.

*Fun things of Note:

• Book Blogger Holiday Swap: Calling all book bloggers! If you don't do this, you are missing out. I am not the Secret Santa type, but this was perfect. We are all junkies and love getting book related items, so you can't lose! My santa was great. She was Amanda Teague, from NYC and she sent awesome stuff that was perfect. I am most appreciative and can't wait for next year. My santee (sp?) was Monica Schroeder, www.bibliophilicbookblog.com, who I have to say is PROLIFIC with the book reviewing . . . she puts most of us to shame! I am a new follower of her blog and have to say that I am enjoying it (especially her contests . . . ereaders, YAY!)! Thanks Holiday Swap!
• I love trivia contests! Especially the Orbit ones! I have to say that I am shameless with these because there is no better prize than one that you want. Who doesn't want a special spyglass from Kevin J. Anderson or a bag full of books, usually ones that you are going to buy anyway? It is the best part of my month when the Orbit Report email comes and I get to flex that trivia muscle. Sad, but true.

That's all for now, but more to come now that holiday hysteria is over. My goal for next year? More book reviews, all the time. I read constantly and get so much stuff because of my job and I don't write about much of it! Travesty! I have so much to say!

Why the Cliffhanger?

I have a serious love/hate relationship with series books. I understand that to have a successful series is similar to being given the option to print your own money (especially if said series is in hardcover and has had the movies rights picked up and done well) but do authors have to constantly employ the cliffhanger? Seriously. It's irritating. I hate to read a great book only to have it "not end" so that I will read the next one! I feel like the authors don't trust us as readers to come back so they have to employ the cliffhanger defense to ensure that we are all begging for the next installment. FYI to authors: we are loyal, we will come back (. . . as long as you continue to write good stuff), go ahead and wrap up the current story without a big shocker. I just feel like it is a ploy that some writers will use because they don't know where the story should go next (or they do know but don't know how to get there).

For example, some authors that don't really use the cliffhanger but have successful series are Charlaine Harris, J. K. Rowling, and Stephenie Meyer. Sure there are unexplained and unfleshed out elements of each of those stories, but they wrap things up within the book pretty well before ending it. Except for the shocker at the end of Half-Blood Prince, they aren't trying to sucker us into reading more, we genuinely want to come back because we care about the characters and want to see how things turn out. These authors create debate with their fans rather than leave us all hanging by our fingernails.

Cliffhangers, when used correctly, can be good, but I don't think that authors that take 3 years or more to write the next book need to use them. At that point, I have forgotten what happened and may not have time to re-read everything, and then may not continue with the series until it is done. Take Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Talk about creating debate and dissension among readers for longer than I have been alive (28 years for me, 30 some odd for DT fans). I am a devoted DT fan and will go back through the series about once a year because I love the story and the characters and because there is so much to find each time it's read. But the thing is that I didn't have to wait for the next installment of the series each time: I read it all in about 2 weeks after they all came out circa 2005. So I didn't have the animosity that some fans had because there were HUGE gaps between many of the books, some that spanned 10 years or more, with no guarantee that it would ever be finished. King didn't always employ the cliffhanger, but the books were never wrapped up tight (notable cliffhangers: Wastelands, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and Dark Tower). There were three reasons for that in my opinion. One, and he has admitted this publicly, is that he had NO IDEA where things were going to go next sometimes. He ran out of gas in the story and had to just stop. Two, had he continued some of the books past the cliffhanger, the books would have been even more monstrous (the total series spans around 5,000 pages I think) than they already are. And, third, he was writing an Epic. I don't think that the normal rules apply to writing epics because it is a continuation of a complete and present story, rather than different episodes in the characters' lives like traditional series usually are.

Another author whom I love that employs the cliffhanger is Diana Gabaldon. The irritating thing with her books is that it takes her about 3 years to write the next. And, they are huge books, with multiple storylines so it's almost impossible to remember all of the intricacies without re-reading. Her current book ends in a ridiculously unresolved way that I didn't think was necessary since her fans are some of the most loyal in the industry because they will wait years between books and still read the 1,000+ pages of each (even if it's a dud like Fiery Cross!). I just don't understand the purpose for it.

Some cliffhangers seem to be part of the MO like with YA authors. To keep some kids hooked you have to employ some sort of gimmick and cliffhangers are perfect for that becuase it keeps them thinking and talking about the books. But why use it with adult series books that are wildly successful? It's just irritating frankly and makes me want to wait to read (and buy) them until they are all out.

Walmart, Amazon, Target, Oh My!

If I were running a big publishing house right now, I would be terrified. And, if I were any of these authors affected, I would be furious. Normally a price war is a good thing but not in the case of Walmart, Amazon, Target, and now Sears (WTF!&$). They are taking a valuable (in my humble booksellers opinion) commodity and making it virtually worth nothing by charging 70% less than the cover price. I understand the concept of a "loss leader" but usually it's something like a DVD for a movie that already made $100 million or toilet paper, not a book. Independent bookselling is a precarious place at the best of times and now, during what should be the busiest time of the year, it is thrown completely off-kilter. Titles like John Grisham's Ford County, Stephen King's Under the Dome, and Barbara Kingsolver's Lacuna were supposed to be big sellers for EVERYONE this holiday, not just for the retailers who are going to lose money on them. Having read both Under the Dome and Lacuna, I was looking forward to being able to sell them as stellar novels to my customers with confidence that they were worth the cover price (or the 30% discounted price once they hit a bestseller list). Now I am going to have to convince my customers that they should give us their business as well as that a $9 hardcover is not the new standard.

How can an indie compete with that? Well, many of us are considering jumping on the bandwagon and buying them at Walmart, et al, rather than the publishers. Very scary. But what are we to do? We buy them wholesale for 46%. If we can buy them at considerably lower than that at one of these idiotic retailers, why the hell not? My issue is that I am torn between trying to make a profit this holiday and taking money out of my beloved sales reps' pockets. If I cancel my orders for these titles, titles that my reps are counting on to have great sales and help stabilize the market and therefore provoke more reorders, how is that going to affect them? And let's say that half of their indie stores cancel their orders and get them from Walmart, how much money are the reps going to lose? How much money are the publishers going to lose as a result? Will people lose their jobs? These are scary thoughts in an already shaky industry. But, if it forces people to take a stand against these kind of predatory pricing practices (thanks ABA for giving me this phrase), is it worth it? If the publishers would be willing to finally admit that the big boxes aren't playing well with others, would the industry change? Would we adopt a similar policy to some European countries that disallow pricing below wholesale (therefore making a slightly more level sales field)?

Another big question is what do the authors think? Does Grisham care whether his book is sold at $9 or $26? Or does he just care that it sold at all since he gets paid regardless? If it were me, I would be livid. It's like being told by your boss that you are doing a great job and are invaluable but that you need to take a 40% paycut because someone feels trying something new. "Take one for the Team" in essence. And the hilarious thing is that these authors aren't lightweights, they are some of the most popular and powerful authors in the marketplace today. I would be curious to know their opinions.

These are all very serious questions to ponder. Maybe all of us indies should band together and send an open letter to the affected publishers. Something that may convey the collective terror and dissatisfaction with the current state of the business.

Sorry for being MIA . . . childbirth is a big deal.

So sorry for being MIA for the last few months. The last trimester of pregnancy coupled with an unruly 3 year old and ultimately childbirth left me a little tattered. But, I'm back and more sleep deprived than ever to rant and rave about all things book buyer related.

Soulless, My New Obsession

Listen up all of you steampunk fans: Gail Carriger's Soulless is your new obsession. Just out last week from Orbit Books (one of my true loves) in mass market paper, it's a fast read and cheap to boot. It's also the start of a series, aptly titled the Parasol Protectorate. Just imagine if Jane Austen, Emily Post, and Bela Lugosi had a lovechild. Voila! Gore, but with gloves on and a chaperone.

The story centers on Alexia Tarabotti, a whipsmart firecracker of a character. She inhabits Victorian London but in a world vastly different than our own: Vampires and Werewolves, amongst other things, are a part of civilized society. Alexia becomes very rudely involved in a vampire murder and is then thrown into the company of the (AMAZING!) Lord Maccon, who just happens to be a close associate of the Queen, as well as a strikingly handsome werewolf. Hijinx of the best kind ensue: espionage, flamboyant vampires, uninvited advances, and streetside groping, oh my!

Alexia is my new favorite character in fiction right now. She breaks the mold much like Austen's beloved Elizabeth Bennet (sp?) did because of her unwillingness to be anyone but herself. She is on the verge of becoming a spinster and has nothing left to lose by becoming involved in the paranormal underworld (she's already soulless!) is smart, sassy, has no "filter", and is a refreshing new voice in literature. Think Sookie Stackhouse with a corset and shot-filled parasol.

There is nothing like it out right now (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters may come close but not quite) and I dare you not to giggle like a schoolgirl (and guffaw like a loon) when you read it.

Seriously? Amazon may be the root of online evil.

As I am beginning my day today like I do most days with a quick check of my email, I stumble upon a snippet of an article in Shelf Awareness about how if North Carolina successfully passes a law mandating that online retailers collect sales tax from their "marketing affiliates", whatever that means, and only 4.5% mind you . . . most states hover around the 7-8% mark, then Amazon will pull all of their business out of the state. Seriously, are you kidding me? EVERY OTHER TRADITIONAL RETAILER COLLECTS SALES TAX! QUIT BITCHING AND DO IT! I may be young and I may not have all of the information, but how can collecting sales tax (which is something that has been going on for decades without much of an issue until the online age) be "unconstitutional"? If you are getting paid for goods (or for referring said goods and get a commission), then sales tax should be collected (garage sales are probably the main exception even though you technically are supposed to claim that on your return, but who really does?). The online retailers have made BILLIONS of dollars in the last decade and the states deserve their fair share. The rest of us have been dutifully paying sales tax every month, why shouldn't they? Sales tax is a vital source of revenue for the state economy and frankly, the online retailers who complain that it will bankrupt them to have to pay it are being short-sighted and selfish in the long-run. I understand that having to shell out more money for another random expense is hard in this economy but this money is what fixes our roads, pays for our schools, feeds those who can't feed themselves, pays unemployment, and generally allows the states to operate. Amazon, by complaining that this law is unconstitutional, is basically going to force other NC retailers out of business because it will not allow them to be a part of their referral program, which constitutes much of their business. This in turn, will cost the state money because these people will then be a strain on their economy. The ripple effect is enormous.

But the biggest problem isn't this issue with North Carolina. The biggest problem is that most of these online retailers haven't been collecting sales tax for years and if the states don't choose to enforce or even enact a sales tax law, it will continue to go uncollected. But my favorite part of the whole scenario is that when the states do try to put a law into effect, all of the retailers immediately cry foul like the states are trying to do something that is unreasonable rather than something that every other retailer that happened to decide to do business in an actual store has been doing since forever. It's just ridiculous. If this issue isn't resolved there is never going to be any sort of level playing field, no matter what the industry and no matter what the state of our economy.

This rant is obviously coming from the perspective of an independent bookseller. Our industry is in DIRE straits right now partially because of the lack of a level playing field: stores closing every day, discrepancies in publisher discounts between smaller retailers and giant chains, an industry that is dominated by "bestsellers" that more often than not lead to returns, etc. And the biggest thing that we can do is to try to protect ourselves.

Orbit books, how I love thee

I'm not a poet but I am mildly obsessed with Hatchette's (actually the UK's) Orbit science fiction imprint. 80% of what I read last month was theirs and I don't regret it. Now, let's be honest here, I am not a scifi expert, nor am I going to be in the next few years (I'm only 27!), but I do know the difference between scifi that has the possibility of appealing to a mainstream audience, and scifi that has no inclination to do so at all. Orbit is one of those imprints that is going to suck in people that don't normally read SFF and keep them coming back for more. With the broad range of authors that they represent, and the cutting edge content, Orbit will be around (hopefully) for a long time. And the best part about it, is that the people that work for them are PASSIONATE about their jobs! I had the luck to meet Alex Lencicki at BEA 2 years ago and was so surprised because he was one of the few publisher people who was actually excited to talk to a bookseller like me who wasn't there to place an order or who wasn't there to schmooze. He was genuinely happy to talk to a fellow fan of the genre and was even happier because I was familiar with the catalog (I had ordered the books before I left for NY). I have also gotten the privelege to have some great email correspondence with Nadine Pirogow through the Orbit Report newsletters and the subsequent trivia contests that I can't stop entering!

The way that Orbit is operating is the way that imprints should be allowed to work. The website is a plethora of information about all of their authors (and links to virtually any SFF site, blog, reference, you name it) and their work and they are EXCITED about it. And the best part is that the website is actually functional meaning you have a really good chance at finding the info that you want without wanting to do violence to your computer. They actually want to talk to people about it. How is that not a good business model? Too many people that work in publishing have lost sight of what really drives the industry: the readers. And oftentimes, booksellers, especially independent booksellers, are the driving force behind the readers. Orbit hasn't lost that drive to connect and I hope they never do.

My current favorites for the season:

*Best Served Cold -- Joe Abercrombie
*Fall of Thanes -- Brian Ruckley (Thanks Nadine!)
*Red-Headed Stepchild -- Jaye Wells
*Hand of Isis -- Jo Graham

And don't get me started on the fall. My reading list is already too long and I am not going to have time to do it once my second kid comes in October! Too much great stuff!

Fall Already!?!

Does anyone else feel like the ordering seasons are right freaking on top of eachother? I feel like I just got done ordering Summer (which in some cases I did!) books and already I have to think about things that are coming out in December . . . some of which are the paperbacks for things that aren't even out yet! How am I supposed to know if I want something if I have NO IDEA how it did the first time? And the publishers complain about all of the returns. Maybe it wouldn't be such an issue if we actually had more than 10 minutes to see how a title does before we have to buy it in 3 different formats. I love the book world and I love my job, but this is one of the most irritating quirks. I hate to buy a title just to return it because I am of the mind to be prepared just in case something hits.

Not that I'm not excited for the fall, particularly for Stephen King's new one (I know, I am a total sell out, but seriously, he is guaranteed to please in my world . . . especially when I am in the midst of childbirth which I will be with this new one) Under the Dome and Diana Gabaldon's Echo in the Bone. I know, they are at hilariously opposite ends of the spectrum but both authors are able to entertain me for hours on end without me feeling like I have wasted my time and since both titles will probably be over 1,000 pages, I feel like I am going to get my money's worth as well. I am also excited for all of the little gems that are sure to be hiding in the catalogs. I love sniffing out first time authors or respected midlist authors that are new to me (which, given that I am 27 isn't that hard even being a buyer and having access to all of the titles that I do).

I just get so excited and so depressed in the same instant when the next season's catalogs start showing up from UPS and FedEx. I can't wait to see what is in them but then I realize how much time it takes to put all of the orders in and lose some of my interest. That is why I can't wait for Above the Treeline's Edelweiss to launch. For someone like me who buys all of the adult and all of the kid's books for a 10,000 sqft. + store, it's a big undertaking because I input all of my orders every season. If Edelweiss allows me to order, section, and import it all into my POS without having to spend hours with a 10 key, I am all for it. I will change my whole routine not to have to put catalogs in. I stacked them all up once to see how tall it was when I had them all ordered for the season and it was as tall as I was (I am 5'2" if I'm lucky). That's ridiculous! At least with e-catalogs I won't have to worry about them falling over on me . . .

Did I mention that I love my job?

Comfort Reading

What makes us want to reread a novel again and again? And what makes that list? I have a very small list of things that I will read again and again and there is no rhyme or reason to why I will pick them up other than I can let the book fall open anywhere and read with no confusion. I have read HUNDREDS of phenomenal books but have no desire to read many of them again unless I would need to for bookclub or something. Some of them are just too brutal or emotionally taxing to be able to read again and again for comfort. Because that is why we reread things right? For comfort, familiarity. It's like visiting old friends who have known you since childhood: there are no pretensions and you can let it all hang out without the threat of consequences because they have probably seen all the nasty stuff and still love you. Most of the books that I will reread happen to be a part of a series like Harry Potter, Twilight, Outlander, Lord of the Rings, Dark Tower, etc., which makes the promise of escaping my life a guarantee once I crack open the first book (or sixth). The best part is that I won't get heartburn from reading a 5,000 page series like I will if I eat a huge and very comforting BLT.