So I was volunteering at the book store the other day and came across tthe funny book below. Made of folded-over and stapled-together 8 1/2 by 11 pieces of paper, the publication bore its full original asking price, a seeming indication of lasting value (though my employee discount and a sale that week brought it to a more manageable 26 cents).
But the book’s retention of value got me thinking about my own foray into self-publishing. I looked up “Deuced”s ISBN number on Amazon and then entered it into the book store’s pre-screening software. (The computer tells you whether to keep a book, send it to a different used book retailer who will sell it at a lower price but give us a cut of the loot, or not keep it all; the last option meaning the book in question went into the “TG” box, which meant either “to go” or “total garbage,” depending on your level of cynicism.)
I held my breath as the computer processed the number. Was I a keeper? Processing, processing, processing (the book store computers are a bit aged). Then, finally, a response: “Keep it!” (emphasis not in the original).
The decision no doubt came from the fact my Canadian publisher insists that everyone make good money off each sale, which means they keep prices high so there’s plenty to go around. Oh, Canada, your brutal Socialism gives everyone but the consumer a good deal. My existential horror (paperback) novel bears a bloated list price of $26.50.
At my 10 year high school reunion a few years ago, I was hawking my freshly minted tome (a box of which sat in my friend’s car [I was on a book tour, with readings at the St. Paul Literacy Council and a futon shop]) and told an old classmate the price and he said, “That doesn’t sound like a independent novel.” I guess he’s not familiar with the economics of mass production.
But truth be told, it does seem like more of a $10 book. I think that’s a nice price. Hell, maybe even $5. Something nice and simple and in bill denomination. Amazon, in its infinite wisdom, now offers my book on its Kindle for a mere $7.99. I just wonder what I get off of a Kindle sale. I have this sneaking suspicion it’s zero.
Anybody have a Kindle? I hated the idea of them, then started to maybe warm up to the possiblity, then I saw the screen looks like a fucking Gameboy.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- Let’s do the Mario all together now.
EXPERIENCED, CONCEPTUALIZED WRITTEN AND (BADLY) BLOGGED
by
Per