The Digital Landscape

JA Konrath gave the greatest blog the other day. And man, after tangling with a particularly nasty associate at a bricks and mortar chain bookstore I have to wonder, what in the world is the print world thinking by shunning and refusing to accept e-books as a part of a workable future.

FACT: E-Readers have changed the way people get their reading material.

FACT: Authors still want the traditional print deal. The one with the advance. The one that allows them to eat.

FACT: They also want to be published and the e-book world allows more room for the talented pool to swim together.

FACT: Indie and Small Presses have taken advantage of this new technology and some are thriving quite well.

FACT: The big six are still lumbering along thinking they can out spend and out last this latest 'craze'.

Listen, I don't mind being told your publisher needs to go to our homepage and do x, y, z but when I am snidely asked if I'm the publisher and then told in a condescending manner it's easy to do I get pissed. And when I get pissed I let everyone know about it.

I've always wanted the print deal. I've always wanted to hold a print book in my hand and say a publisher picked me and my story because it was so compelling they couldn't put it down. ow, so far my stories are too short. But I'm working on that. But when the bricks and mortar stores can't see the writing emblazoned on the wall and learn to embrace the change it's absolutely maddening. I guess if they don't change their tune I'll be continuing to support the indie bookstores locally that they ate up in the nineties and support my fellow electronically published authors as we try to sell our books and reach out to fans either through the internet or in person.

Folks I've been very blessed this last year. 3 contracts, a slew of connections, some new friends made, and I have a very top heavy first half of the year. January, March, April, and June all feature events in person. And I'm debating the Muse Retreat in November, so, go figure. I think I've earned a booksigning at this store, but you know I have history with them that ain't so good. But that's fine. What goes around comes around and I'm a firm believer that when you do bad bad comes back on you. I'm not going to sit and wait for it to happen but I won't be surprised when it does.