Are Publishers April Foolish?

If you've been reading other book blogs lately, whether written by readers, resellers or authors, you can't help but know that that April 1 has been designated as the change-over date for ebook resellers to cease to resell books and instead act as commissioned sales agents for five of the biggest publishers in the business. It's hard to see how anyone wins in this scenario (although some resellers will make more, percentage wise in the short term) - retail prices are expected to rise (although some prices may decline, if publishers keep their promise to lower ebook list prices to close to 1/2 the hardback price), so consumers will pay more. Authors will get less per book, as they are paid based upon the suggested retail price, not the selling price, the publishers will get less (70% of the new, lower prices) and book sales may decline (even without the $9.99 boycott movement, there are proven psychological barriers when sale prices add an extra digit and some author experiments on the low end brought substantially increased revenue as prices dropped). The resellers don't win long term, as they will no longer be able to offer sales pricing or discount/reward programs (at least, according to the blogs from several of the smaller booksellers), leaving perhaps only the range of platforms where you can read the ebook and the management of your bookshelf as their distinguishing factors when making a sale. Even the temporary increase in profit per book may be negated if sales drop (although it might be hard to do worse than losing money on the majority of sales, as Amazon has been doing; then again, they did it on shipping for many years to get customer share).

If there are books you know you'd like to read that are newly out in hardback and are on the $9.99 Kindle books book list, I'd go ahead and order them today. But otherwise, I would not panic, as the more popular books will drop into paperback prices (or at least, they will according to the publishers, who have been known to keep a book in trade paperback instead of traditional or mass market size, just for the higher prices) at some point. I did, however, pick up two books today, that I might have waited on otherwise (but only for a short while, as I have all the previous books in the series), which I've included below. One is a good deal as a pre-order and the other is at that magic $9.99 price today and I didn't want to chance having to wait until it came out in paperback (and I'm paying well over paperback prices for both, something the publishers should consider more - I think their inflated hardback prices have greatly contributed to the decline in reading).

We'll just have to keep track of our wishlists a bit better, so that we find mainstream books that drop to paperback prices. In the meantime, my Kindle has hundreds of unread books on it, most of them obtained free or at minimal cost, due to author sales and promotions, so I shouldn't run out anytime soon. If I do, there are several independent publishing houses that are not participating in the agency model, along with Random House (so far), as well as hundreds of independent authors, some of whose writing rivals or exceeds what is often on the best-sellers lists.

Silver Borne ($9.99), by Patricia Briggs

Book Description
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Black Magic Sanction ($8.65 pre-order), by Kim Harrison

Book Description
In New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison's most complex and nuanced adventure yet, bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan fights a deadly battle—mind, body, and soul

Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter—and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind . . . until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment—at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.

It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.

If you've read thru the comments on my post about "free samples", you already know that we are unanimous in our opinion of them. So, for the most part I'll ignore them completely. But, there will always be an exception and I'm including one today, simply because the sample is available today (and you can now permanently delete them), while the book itself is not. The full book is on pre-order for $9.99 and I have no idea if it will be affected by the pricing changes taking place tomorrow. On the off chance it is and you (or your kids) are a Rick Riordan fan, you may want to take a peek at the sample of the first in his newest series and place a pre-order for the full book today. I'm still behind on the Lightning Thief series, but picked up the first four while they are under $5 each, so haven't decided on getting this one (or the last in the other series).

The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid Chapter Sneak Peek! ($0.00), by Rick Riordan. Full book is a pre-order: The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid ($9.99)

Book Description
Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

Author Spotlight and a Free Book - Diane Duane

You can get a free copy of A Wind from the South (out of print), by Diane Duane, is the first (and so far only) book in her Raetian Tales series, from the author's website (and a few other sites). She is perhaps best known for her Young Wizards series, which is not yet available on Kindle.

Book Description
In the remote mountain village where she was born, Mariarta dil Alicg lives the untroubled life of a peasant girl...until, soon after a mysterious stranger's arrival, she starts to hear voices in the wind. The voices whisper strange secrets in Mariarta's ears -- promising her the power to command the stormwind, hinting at an unknown, magical heritage, and prophesying a fate marvelous past all Mariarta's imaginings.

Mariarta's search for the truth about the beautiful and terrible creature attempting to possess her body and soul will lead her into hidden domains of sorcery both dreadful and wondrous, and finally embroil her in the growing rebellion against her land's cruel Austriac oppressors. But not before Mariarta comes face to face at last with the immortal Lady of the Storms, and challenges her to one final battle for control of her life, her soul, and her destiny...

Here are some download locations for the free version:

• Mobileread - (nice PRC format, load right onto the Kindle)
• Raetian Tales website - PDF, LIT and PDB formats
• Author's website - has disclaimer of limited time availability (but it's been free for some time); PDF, LIT and PDB formats, with Kindle version "in the works"

I'd recommend the version at mobileread for those with a Kindle.

Ms. Duane has also started re-releasing some of her backlist books in ebook form. A few of these are in the Kindle store and a couple of others are at Smashwords. I'd ignore the special order buttons on the author's website, as these lead to yet another purchase choice (and I like to keep my purchases at as few ebookstores as possible). Here are a few of the titles that are currently under $5.

Start Trek: Doctor's Orders ($2.79)

Book Description
When Dr. McCoy grumbles once too often about the way the U.S.S. Enterprise™ ought to be run, Captain Kirk decides to leave the doctor in command while he oversees a rountine diplomatic mission. Kirk beams down to a strange planet nicknamed "Flyspeck" to negotiate its admission into the Federation, leaving Dr. McCoy to enjoy his new authority.

However, the doctor soon learns that command is a double-edged sword when Kirk disappears without a trace. Desperately trying to locate his catain, McCoy comes under pressure from Starfleet to resolve the situation immediately. Matters go from bad to worsewhen the Klingons arrive and stake their own claim on Flyspeck

Then another, more deadly power threatens them all, and suddenly Dr. McCoy and the Starship Enterprise find themselves pitted against an alien fleet in a battle they have no hope of winning.

Star Trek: The Romulan Way ($2.80)

Book Description
hey are a race of warriors, a noble people to whom honor is all. They are cousin to the Vulcan, ally to the Klingon, and Starfleet's most feared and cunning adversary. They are the Romulans -- and for eight years, Federation Agent Terise LoBrutto has hidden in their midst.

Now the presence of a captured Starfleet officer forces her to make a fateful choice -- between exposure and escape. Between maintaining her cover -- and saving the life of Dr. Leonard McCoy.

Here, in a startlingly different adventure, is the truth behind one of the most fascinating alien races ever created in STAR TREK -- the Romulans.

The Door Into Fire ($2.99) is now out of print (but you can pick up a "new" copy for $130 HERE at Amazon!). I've used the new cover at Smashwords for the blog post, but you might want to check out the cover of the original paperback to see how Tor marketed the book in the mid-1980's (there are some reviews there, as well).

Book Description
The only man in centuries to possess the Power of the blue Flame, Herewiss cannot use or control it. With his dearest friend, the exiled Prince Freelorn, and the unearthly creature called Sunspark, Herewiss searches the forbidden Waste to find a legendary Keep full of doors into other worlds -- desperately seeking the one that will make him whole... (A two-time John W. Campbell Award nominee)

The Door into Shadow ($3.99), the sequel to The Door Into Fire is also long out of print (there are some "new" copies (at $79.49) and reviews, HERE).

Book Description
Second of Diane Duane's "Middle Kingdoms" sequence, sequel to THE DOOR INTO FIRE. The quest of Freelorn Ferrant's son, exiled prince of Arlen, continues as he and his people push eastward across the Middle Kingdoms in pursuit of his lost throne. But his companion, the warrior and sorceress Segnbora, brings her own possibly deadly agenda to the search...

It looks like The Door into Sunset will be coming to Smashwords soon -- so if you get hooked on the series (which totals four books), you won't have to pick up that $189.25 "new" paperback someone is trying to sell at Amazon.

Free Book (PDF) - Living Fearlessly

As part of a promotion for Sheila Walsh's latest title from Thomas Nelson Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God ($9.99), you can download her book Living Fearlessly (out of print; Zondervan) for free in PDF format from ChristianBooks.com.

Book Description
This book takes a poignant look at our fear-based responses to life, inviting us to live out the glorious paradox of giving up control in order to "fly" free.

Imagine what it would be like to look your fears in the face and refuse to let them keep you from living freely and fully. Think how your life would change. "God gave me the challenge of writing about fear in order to teach me how to live without fear," writes Sheila Walsh. "I was afraid of so many things. I was afraid to give an unconditional Yes! to God. What if he brought me to a darker night than I would be able to bear?" If you, like Sheila, have struggled with the seeming conflict between God's promises and life's sometimes shattering realities, you'll marvel at the refreshing honesty and insight in this book. Stripping away faith's candy coating, Sheila points the way to living with both your eyes and your heart open. With heartfelt candor, she articulates the fears and exposes the lust for control most of us avoid facing. And she points beyond them to the truly abundant life. It's not a life of unquenchable smiles and Superwoman faith. It's more real than that--and more powerful, and more joyous. Join Sheila on a journey that begins with Telling the Truth and proceeds through Facing Your Fears to your destination--Finding His Peace Along the way, the moving, gut-level stories of fellow travelers will inspire you not to retreat from life but to embrace it with open arms. Living Fearlessly helps you discover a faith that transcends the quest for security in an insecure and broken world and rests instead on who God is. His unchanging character--not life's changing circumstances--is your foundation for peace and joy. It's the key to loving well and living free, giving and receiving wholeheartedly in your relationships, and resting on God's strong grace in the face of your weaknesses. Living Fearlessly will help you loosen your grip on life--so you can receive life back with open hands from a faithful Father who loves you beyond anything you can imagine.

Author Biography: Sheila Walsh is the creator of Children of Faith and the Gnoo Zoo, a ministry to children that communicates God's love for them. She is the author or coauthor of several books including "Honestly", "Gifts for Your Soul", "Living Fearlessly", and "The Best Devotions of Sheila Walsh". As an accomplished musician, Sheila has recently released the CD Love Falls Down ($9.99 MP3). Sheila, her husband, and their son, live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Click HERE to get the free book. It's a bit hidden on the page - click on the link titles Sample Pages (PDF); you'll get a sample of the new book, at the end of Living Fearlessly (in it's entirety).

Most Useless Freebie and Most Outrageously Priced Bundle on Kindle?

As most of you know by now, I oppose the move by some publishers to put single chapter free "books" in the Kindle store, as they already have the ability to mark the portion of their book that is downloaded as a sample (it's a feature of the mobi format, which few in the DTP side take advantage of). Having any title available for free, however, gets the author and title more attention, as it turns up in searches that sort by price and can even catapult an author into the Kindle "bestsellers" list. It can also backfire and garner so many 1-star reviews that a few authors have had to ask Amazon to decouple the free title from their higher priced full volume, so that the bad reviews don't show up there. Today's freebie, however, doesn't give you the intro and chapter one, but chapter two of the book. Perhaps the $9.99 full volume will give you the intro material missing before what looks like a short biography of a female serial killer. Of course, they could have set the sample to give you the same amount of material, including all of chapter 2 (I've had up to four chapters in some samples, while others never managed to get past the preface), but that would not have gotten them any of the publicity they'll get from a "free book" being offered.

The other listing I'm highlighting today is one that was recently promoted on the Kindle blog, a compilation of nine titles from Jean Plaidy. A (deceased) UK author whose backlist has been re-released on the Kindle (presumably by heirs or her estate), at fairly high prices (discounted to $9.99 on the Kindle). This bundle claims to be the "complete Tudor" series, but the Fantastic Fiction site lists 11 titles, mostly written in the 1940's and 1950's (and one in 1982). The titles listed in this omnibus, however, don't match up to the list for the Saga (and one title has apparently been changed for the US market, as I don't see To Hold the Crown even on her credits page. All that aside, the biggest problem I have is with the pricing. In keeping with setting the list price of the individual titles at $13.95, the list price for the bundle is $127.65 - which actually works out to $14.18 per title ... a surcharge for the convenience of having the bundle (assuming, of course, that the bundle also has a good table of contents). The standard 20% discount given to Kindle titles that are over the cutoff for automatic discount to $9.99 results in a pre-order price of $102.12 for this bundle; yet, you can buy the nine individual titles (all of which are already available in the Kindle store) for $89.91.

So, tell me. What do you think of these free chapters pretending to be books? Do you want me to include them in my blog when they show up? Or ignore them, as I have been doing?

What about bundles with negative discounts or high priced backlists? In this author's case, I don't see mass market paperbacks at a discount (no doubt due to being a UK author, although I also don't see any import paperbacks; were this a US author, the lack of a lower priced book option would be negative indicator of popularity, especially after 60+ years in print, that might indicate that >$10 list prices are not such a great idea). But I've seen the same type of pricing attempted for some US authors -- asking much higher prices for ebooks that their (current, in-print) paperbacks are selling for. Do you buy these (to me) overpriced backlist titles?

The Devil's Rooming House: The True Story of America's Deadliest Female Serial Killer - Free Preview Chapter 2, by M. William Phelps

Book Description
In the second chapter of this tense account of America's most prolific female serial killer, the deadly heat wave of 1911 is engulfing the Northeast. In that suffocating heat, reporter Carl Goslee finds the first concrete evidence to confirm his suspicions, and faces a fierce backlash as he pursues the story.

The Complete Tudors: Nine Historical Novels, by Jean Plaidy

Book Description
The nine Tudor novels by beloved novelist Jean Plaidy are now available as one complete series spanning sixteenth-century England. This exciting collection includes a brand-new character guide, along with reading group guides for seven books. Read all nine novels in order for the first time digitally and delve into the lives of this fascinating dynasty—full of intrigue, betrayal, marriages, and deaths, in a complete package, never before available.

To Hold the Crown
In this sweeping tale of marriage and power, love and heartbreak, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York’s troubled ascension to the throne of England ultimately launches the Tudor dynasty.

Katharine of Aragon
Katharine of Aragon held her husband Henry VIII’s affection—but only for so long.

Murder Most Royal
One powerful king. Two tragic queens. Sophisticated Anne Boleyn and innocent Catherine Howard meet with the all-consuming—and fickle—passions of tempestuous King Henry VIII.

The King’s Confidante
The King’s servant, but God’s first. The English lawyer Sir Thomas More rises to become King Henry VIII’s most trusted advisor, but his refusal to recognize Henry as the supreme head of the Church of England ends his political career . . . and leads to his trial for treason.

The Sixth Wife
Dangerous court intrigue and affairs of the heart collide during the story of Katherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII’s six queens.

The Thistle and the Rose
The story of Princess Margaret Tudor, whose life of tragedy, bloodshed, and scandal would rival even that of her younger brother, Henry VIII.

Mary, Queen of France
The story of Princess Mary Tudor, a celebrated beauty and born rebel who would defy the most powerful king in Europe—her older brother.

For a Queen’s Love
Power-hungry monarch, cold-blooded murderer, obsessive monster—who could love such a man? Set against the glittering courts of sixteenth-century Europe, the Spain of the dreaded Inquisition, and the tortured England of Bloody Mary, this is the story of Philip II of Spain—and of the women who loved him as a husband and father.

A Favorite of the Queen
Torn between her heart’s passion and duty to her kingdom, Elizabeth I must make a decision that will shape her country and place her name in history forever.

Game of the Day - Build-a-lot 3

Amazon's Game Download of the Day is a $2.99 download of Build-a-lot 3: Passport to Europe (normally $6.99).

Book Description

• Restore Many Different Houses.
• Paint And Landscape To Increase Curb Appeal.
• Play Campaign Or Casual Mode.
• Construct Service Buildings.

Build-a-lot 3 is your passport to fun! Travel all over Europe as you restore rundown houses, develop friendly services and beautify neighborhoods with picturesque landmarks. The changing needs of the neighborhood will definitely keep you busy--you may need to brave the rain and snow, deal with noisy neighbors, or even put out a small fire to get the job done on time! Pack your bags and let the fun take flight in the exciting sequel to Build-a-lot 1 & 2!