I think it's stinky that Amazon has stopped selling Macmillan books directly, in protest over Macmillan's request that Amazon raise the prices of ebooks (from 9.99 to around 15).
I'm rather fond of many Macmillan books--I just reviewed two I liked very much, in fact-The Crow Girl and Eidi, published under their Farrar Straus Giroux imprint. Macmillan is also Henry Holt, St. Martin's Press, and Tor.
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I was just following this on John Scalzi's blog -- when Tor disappears, there's a distinct hole in the science fiction universe.
ReplyDeleteGood grief, Macmillian, this was not one of your better ideas... thank goodness for Marketplace books.
Leave it to you to explain why my Runaway books are only selling as "used" on Amazon as of this morning! (I was really confused.)
ReplyDeleteWow! That's big news. I read books from a lot of Macmillan imprints. Seems to me that both parties (Amazon and Macmillan), not to mention authors and consumers, are losing out right now.
ReplyDeleteYep, both FORTUNE'S FOLLY and PRUNELLA are gone, and from what I understand (from other authors in the same predicament) some or perhaps all the preorders have been deleted.
ReplyDeleteI'd personally rather people buy from Powell's or good local indies, but still. It's hard enough when the chains pass books over (or only keep them on the shelves for a few months). I'd like to think this will drive people to other channels, but I suspect what it really means for us authors is lost sales (if it continues).
Yeah, I agree Deva--it's not fair to the authors. I hope they just play this game for a day or so...
ReplyDeleteNo! No, no, no, NO! Some of my favorite authors are Holt books... and Amazon is the only way I can buy many books (because my local bookstores are very lacking in the children's and YA department). How am I going to buy them now. :(
ReplyDeleteI agree, let's hope this is only temporary.
I like a lot of Macmillan imprints. My favorite is Farrar Straus Giroux.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with Macmillan price increase request. Sometimes Amazon gets very how long can we go with the prices.
Which is great for the customer but what about the person who made the product?
Hopefully this will end soon. Though Amazon pulling all of Macmillan's books seems like such a bully move.
Maybe the two can meet somewhere in the middle say $12.50
Thanks for letting us know about this Charlotte.
Amazon caved! yay! They have to understand they can't bully everyone into rolling over to their below-cost pricing edicts that screw all the people who do all the work (authors, editor, copyeditors, proofreaders, etc). Here's the link if you want to read about the update:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/31/AR2010013101774.html
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