Authors Behaving Badly
As Charles Manson once said, "Are people strange, or am I just crazy?" Call me naïve, but as a published author myself, I assumed other authors must interact with booksellers as courteously as I do. I've always believed intelligence and unusual sensitivity to be typical traits among those who write. For the most part I've found that to be true. But I’m also a bookseller now — my husband and I own The Well Red Coyote bookstore in Sedona, Arizona. During my four-year tenure as a bookseller, I've discovered that, for a minority, common sense among authors is not as common as you might think.
So here are a just a few of the no-no’s I've observed that the authors among you, and those who hope to be, might want to avoid:
* Don't threaten the bookseller. Even before we opened our doors, someone wrote to say, "I have many friends in that area, and I'm going to send them all to your store to buy my books. But if you don't carry them, they'll never shop there again." Now I like threats as much the next person, but that one got my back up. I decided they would sell snow cones in hell before we'd carry those books. To date, nobody has asked for one.
* Don't expect the bookseller to take a sacrifice for you. This advice is directed to the self-published and those published by presses that don't offer traditional terms to the trade. Someone emailed us recently to say she was published by a small press and asked if we could host an appearance for her. I told her to send a copy of the book, and I mentioned if wasn't available through traditional outlets, she would have to provide it on consignment at a 40% discount. For a store to take less means they must sell that book at a loss.
The "small press" turned out to be iUniverse, a self-publishing outlet that only offers a 20% discount and doesn't allow for book returns — two conditions that make it impossible for most stores to carry their books. Still, the book was well written. But when I offered to give her an appearance, she thought it was time for negotiations. "I just bought a $32,000 truck," she wrote, "I can't give you 40%. I need to make money from this book."
Okay, let me take a moment here to laugh my butt off at that idea. I wish I could say this was an isolated case, but it's happened too many times. They always seem to enjoy a more lavish lifestyle than I do and they act as if I'm unreasonable for not being willing to subsidize it (How can one universe have so many centers?) And it's always for a book that people are not breaking down the door to get. Every spot on a bookstore shelf is a space that could just as easily go to someone else. When it's a book of marginal interest, that's a gift. If they have any issue with anyone, it should be with publishers who aren't professional enough to understand how other books are sold, and price and sell their books accordingly.
* If the store needs something from you to insure your event will be a success, don't make it impossible for the bookseller to get it. One of our local newspapers will only run artwork that's of fairly high resolution. Often when we manage to line up prominent coverage in the local paper, I have to ask the author for high resolution artwork, because what's on their website is too low. Yet too often the author who was so eager to book the date will say, "Can't you get it somewhere else? I don't have time to do that for you." For me? I could just as easily transfer that coverage to the author appearing the next day. Every author should actually have a media page on their website, with good quality cover art, photos and easy-to-use biographical information. But too few do. You know who to contact at your publisher, I don't. If a publicist set up the gig, naturally, I would contact her for what I need. But if an author sets it up, who else am I supposed to ask when I need something? Why wouldn't you make it easy for me? Sometimes I suspect their resistance stems from the fact that they don't understand what I'm asking for. If you don't know what "high resolution" means, ask someone. Why cut yourself off from free publicity because you're too embarrassed to admit you're techno-phobic?
* If you don't read, keep your mouth shut. I assumed that, like me, everyone who writes is also a reader. Man, was I wrong! Incredibly strong numbers of published authors display no interest in any book without their own names on the cover. Okay, that's their business, and in my opinion, their loss. But why would anyone who hopes to sell copies of their books share that fact with the members of their audience. Yet they brag about it, displaying superior contempt for those who are so uncool as to still read. Then they're surprised when those uncool people don't choose to buy their book.
Maybe that's why so few authors buy books in the stores in which they appear. What would they do with them?
* Don't tell them where they can buy books cheaper. Some authors who do read will note for their audience all the covers of books in our bestseller section that they have read. But they don't stop there. Oh, no. They share how much less they paid for those books in Costco, the supermarket or used on Amazon. And then they're surprised when someone asks how little their book is going for used on the Internet.
* Don't treat a bookstore like it's a free swap meet. A surprising number of authors have discovered that they can make more money selling their own copies of their books direct to the store's customers. We learned that the hard way, when an author seized a moment alone with a customer to sell her own copy of her book for cash, rather than the ones we had stocked. But we're still surprised by how many need a reality check. A bookstore has fixed overhead expenses and also invests a considerable sum into every store event. Naturally we all hope for good sales during the event, but when it doesn't happen, that doesn't justify the author trying to pick a few bucks from the bookseller's pocket. All that guarantees is that you'll never get another signing at that store, and that your books will be shipped back immediately, robbing you of the sales of those signed copies might have garnered after the event.
Well…you get the idea. Authors should display the same level of courtesy to booksellers that they show in every other area of their lives. And if they aren't polite and considerate — they should learn how to do be.
Please understand that most of the authors who visit our store are great! They're considerate, fun and they see booksellers as their partners in the book-selling process. But the numbers of rude, thoughtless authors are higher than I would have imagined. Wouldn't you think that, if they aren't naturally courteous, they'd be more practical? It's hard to get published, hard to stay published. Why sabotage the efforts of the people who stand between you and your readers? Some days I think it would just be easier to sell "Authors Behaving Badly" videos on late night TV.
About Kris
Kris Neri writes the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, and Lefty Award-nominated Tracy Eaton mysteries, featuring the daughter of eccentric Hollywood stars, REVENGE OF THE GYPSY QUEEN, DEM BONES' REVENGE, REVENGE FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE and the latest, REVENGE ON ROUTE...
Causes Kris Neri Supports
Sedona, Arizona Humane Society
A new angle
Thanks for this, Kris. We've had a number of great posts about readings and signings from the author's point of view, but I think this is the first from a bookseller's perspective.
Huntington Sharp, Red Room
Bookseller's POV
Thanks, Huntington. It's actually not that hard to win the loyalty of a bookseller. Booksellers want author events to succeed or they wouldn't invest the time and effort and money that they require. And when authors advise patrons to support their local store, that author becomes gold in the bookseller's eyes.
Kris
Great Blog Post!
My favorite line: "Don't threaten the bookseller."
Second favorite: "And if they aren't polite and considerate — they should learn how to be."
(Don't get me started on people's manners in general!)
Thanks for bringing a sense of humor to an important topic.
Best,
Tanya Egan Gibson
Not so funny post
Thanks for posting. This was excellent advice. I don't think I needed this, but it is good, nevertheless, to consider the bookseller's needs. It is indeed difficult to imagine so many centers of the universe. You made me laugh, but it is not funny that these things have happened in your store!
Are authors this stupid?
Thanks, Kris for what would have been a funny blog--ecept that it is not. I try to believe that authors are not so stupid as just ill-informed. But your blog reminds me that some are not just stupid but also dishonest (e.g., the author selling a book for cash to one of your customers.)
Self-publishing outlets such as iUniverse tote their services by telling auhtors that "you can set you price," and promise that the profits will follow. Of course, the market is price-sensitive, and without smart marketing, not a single book will get on the shelf--let alone off it. Many other pieces of "pie-in-the-sky" pep-talks cause novice authors to be pump their chests with their own self-importance.
May I suggest that before booking an author you have him/her fill a questionaire/check list, in which you can cover your bases?
Best,
Talia Carner
it's hard to believe . . .
. . . that anyone with a book to sell would fail to understand that "the bookseller is your friend." Seems basic. : )
But in writers' defense, I think many don't have business experience and don't understand how close to the wire bookstores typically operate -- especially our beloved independent bookstores! Your post will educate more than a few folks, who will then avoid doing things out of ignorance that come across as rude. (The author who threatened you is *not* in this category! That person will have to defend him/herself!)
Thanks for taking the time to write this.
Hi Kris, I'm one of your
Hi Kris, I'm one of your local Sedona self-published authors. Thanks for displaying my books for sale on your shelves. A few have sold through your book store.
I understand your feelings about consignment books and author's promotional appearances in your beautiful The Well Red Coyote bookstore in Sedona. I had owned a retail electronic toy store (Starbase Central) in Mt. View, CA., many years ago. I had consigned products as well as promotional appearances by celebrities promoting their science fiction movies. Some appearances were disasters and some were successes. Thanks for this post. It reassured me there are a few ethical authors/writers still breathing oxygen in our universe. Ben Campbell www.lulu.com/bencampbell
Are People this Dense?
I for one would be bloody grateful for a book signing. I cannot believe that anyone can be this...rude?
Especially telling folks where to buy their books for less money!
Sort of like going to a restaurant, enjoying a good meal and then telling folks, "Don't eat here!"
Thanks
Thanks, everyone, for the feedback and good suggestions. I do want to stress that most of our authors have been great. It's just that someone needed to tell those who couldn't figure it out themselves better ways to behave.
Hey, Ben! Nice to hear from you. I suppose a range of personalities is inevitable in any arena, I just didn't expect it from writers.
Kris
The stupidity of the human race...(to coin a phrase!)
Wow. Hard to believe that anyone could be that naive/difficult/rude/*insert adjective here*, isn't it? As other commenters have noted, this would have been a funny post if it weren't so sad. Very nice to hear a bookseller's perspective, though, so thank you, Kris. When I eventually get to do my own signings, I'll keep your blog in mind and be extra polite to all booksellers! :-)
Linda
www.lindapoitevin.com
www.darkangelauthor.blogspot.com
press page
A media page on the Website, what a terrific tip!
Thanks for the insider's view, Kris.
I liked this post
Having been an editor for many years, in addition to being a writer, I am not surprised at the stupidity you have encountered among writers.
It's great that you are giving us all this short course on how to behave.
Best wishes!
john
Great Post
And very timely. It's helpful to authors to know where we need to improve. I really liked the idea of having a media page. I suppose it should be obvious but apparently I missed this section of "learning to be a good author" workshop. Good post, Kris. My personal observation is that no author gets anywhere unless the booksellers are there to help us.
Martha
Great post
Hi Kris,
Nice to see you here, especially with your invaluable both-sides-of-the-table expertise.
I had a great time at my signing with you. Hope to do it again soon.
Louise Ure
Live, read, host
Live, read, host booksignings, and learn :-)
I was a bookseller for several major chains for 13 years and most of the authors I encountered were knowledgable and courteous. There were, however, a number of memorable rather incredible individuals who were much less inspiring. Considering the various ways by which people now assume the role of author, this post is a particularly good one for new writers to print and study.
Aberjhani
author of The American Poet Who Went Home Again
and Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance (Facts on File)
Media Page and gobsmacked
Kris,
I thoroughly enjoyed your witty blog. I do have a media page with hi res images on my website... but I'm not in Arizona so it's a moot point for now.
I'm gobsmacked that an author who was your guest in your store would try to jip you of your percentage on any sale she made at a function you arranged and funded. That is outrageous!!!
If you should ever decide to try a virtual signing (and if post office rates don't make it prohibitive) I should love to work with you.
Sincerely,
Rowena Cherry from Michigan, author of funny futuristic romance
Great Post
As one of those authors with publishers with 'non-traditonal' terms (but not self-published), I'm always happy when a bookstore will take books on consignment, or jump through the extra hoop to get them. It's not about me making tons of money from a signing, after all.
My local RWA chapter organizes group signings at local stores, and we try to help any way we can, down to making our own bookmarks and postcards to advertise the event.
We've had store staff make announcements over the PA system. Bring us water. Sometimes even goodies from their coffee shop. Have our books on prominent display.
On the flip side, we've been to stores where we arrive and there's nobody on site who's even aware we're coming. Or they're not set up and since we're not scheduled until 2 PM, why should they have anything ready at 1:45? They have to go find our books. Or we find all those bookmarks, fliers, etc., that we provided never got off the CRM's desk.
Again, great post. I've got those hi-res shots, but never thought to make them available on my site.
Terry Odell, Florida romance author
www.terryodell.com
Writer bookstore don'ts...
Great post, Kris -- And I wouldn't say as authors we are all that stupid--it's more a lethal mix of cluelessness and desperation.
Just a few nights ago I went to see some authors talk at a local library. A bookseller was there, and she'd set up a table with copies of the authors' books for sale.
One of the authors plumped a stack of her own books on the same table and, to the first patron who came alone, offered to sell a book "at the same discount that bookstores get." That poor bookseller just looked on in disbelief.
Okay...cluelessness, desperation, and perhaps a colossal amount of sheer chutzpa.
Hallie
www.hallieephron.com
Great post! The struggle of
Great post!
The struggle of independent bookstores to stay afloat has really hit home here in the Bay Area. For me, it's been such a poignant experience, to have my first book out at a time of so much turmoil, with local stores like Cody's and Stacey's closing, others changing hands.
I've had great experiences doing readings at local stores, and I'm grateful to them for hosting me. I've come to understand that they are taking a risk, when they offer a slot to a new, unknown author (even one who brings along an accordion :-)
The only experience that left a bad taste was with one store. They proposed a new, less desirable arrangement, one they were starting to offer to certain authors. I would supply books on consignment, sell for the cover price, and give 50% to the store. (Note: I have a legitimate publisher, a university press, with the standard author discount of 40%.)
So, I would have ended up paying customers to buy my book. I did consider this somewhat unorthodox arrangement. After all, I spend money on book promotion in other ways, right? But my publisher thought it wasn't right, so I politely declined. Fortunately, the five events I did at other local stores all went well.
More authors should join their regional independent bookseller associations as associate members, as a sign of solidarity. (Here, it's the NCIBA, which I joined.)
Thanks again for the great post!
Too true!
Hello, Kris! What a funny post. LOVED visiting your store, and hope I didn't behave badly. [grin] Is that wonderful veggie restaurant still in the same building?
Sometimes the attendees at booksignings are not on their best behavior. At one of my signings a self-published author set herself up in the back row and tried to sell her books, for cash, to my audience!
Best to Joe!
Marcia
Great Advice
I posted it to my Facebook group.
I would like to say the behaviors you describe surprise me. But they don't. Writing and marketing require two whole different skill sets, and i think it is a pretty deft player that can dance well in both. That does not, however, condone a basic lack of manners, logic, common sense or gratitude.
Naseem Rakha
THE CRYING TREE Broadway Books July, 2009
http://naseemrakha.com
Thanks
Boy, I'm connecting here with so many people I know! Hi, Martha, Louise & Marcia. Yes, Marcia, the yummy vegan restaurant is still in our building. A good reason to make another trip.
Terry & Blair, thanks for offering insight into the flip side, booksellers who could use better sense and/or manners. As an author, I've hit a couple of those, too. And when I read some of the posts in our indie bookseller forum, I wonder about some of them. I guess there's enough questionable behavior to go around.
Rowena, sorry, but we don't do virtual signings. One reason why people come into bookstores IMO is to connect in person with the authors there. Cyberspace is great in so many ways, but I don't think it adds anything to the author appearances in bookstores.
Actually, we rarely do classic signings or readings, except with major authors. We ask most of our appearing authors to present workshops -- nonfiction authors present programs on the subjects of their books and most fiction authors present writing workshops. Since absolutely everyone in our town seems to be writing, writing workshops have proven to be great draws. We have disappointing turnouts now and then, naturally, but not often anymore. Our customers really seem to appreciate the workshops.
Aberjhani & Halle, thanks for sharing feedback on your experiences. Halle, "cluelessness and desperation" are probably the primary motivators for what some authors do. I've been in situations similar to the one you describe, and I've kicked myself later for not anticipating, and not knowing how to react. You don't want to make a scene in front of patrons, and it's not always easy to take the author aside. And some, such as the one you described, probably wouldn't care. I suppose the one benefit of having these experiences with clueless authors is that I never make the same mistake twice, and now I anticipate many more possible problems.
Kris
Me, me, me, not so good!
What a great post...I laughed my butt off, too, at the outrageous behaviors you've encountered from authors. It's a shame these self-absorbed, rude, and borish types take up your precious time. Don't they realize they can write all they want just for themselves, but if they publish, surely they can see they need to show respect for others. Can't wait to get to Sedona one day to visit your bookstore - we need more people like you...sorry to hear people have treated you so badly.
Re: Authors Behaving Badly
I read with amusement the piece on the clueless writer. I, too, am a bookseller and have experienced nearly everything Kris mentioned. Two weeks ago this local writer took the cake though! It was her second visit and she was supposed to be doing a writer's workshop. It was anything but, however! She directed me to turn the music OFF. Then she proceeded to complain about how our book dealer won't carry her work.I had wish I had a penny for every time she used the pronoun "I"! One of my customers complained about her booming voice and she had the audacity to speak for THREE HOURS! She was slotted for ninety minutes. We have a cafe but she sent her husband out for "real food" to use her words! She made me rewrite the check I wrote her for the three books we sold because she didn't want her publisher to think she was "selling books out of the back of her car!" It was all I could do to hold my tongue!
Your blog
I found this both funny and true. Authors should realize that, in these times of mega-bookstore-chains and e-marketers, the independent bookseller with literary taste is an endangered species. Treat them well (buy a book there, at least!) and they'll treat you well.
At the Risk of Getting Ahead of Myself
. . . your advice will be well taken when my book comes out, in whatever form it is birthed. I once sold a magazine I worked on to a few bookstores in San Francisco and found that polite professionalism with a dust of easy charm worked every time.
My wife and I spent part of our honeymoon near Sedona, up Oak Creek Canyon, an experience that leads us to often sigh in tender nostalgic memory. Sadly, I think it was before you opened your store.
AWESOME.
The more stories I hear about strange authors, the more I understand why so many people in the business approach us with a wary eye. But seriously--"I just bought a $35,000 truck"? Really?
I'm kinda stunned. But I'm kinda not.
This blog ROCKED.
www.as-king.com
Bookseller says "DITTO!"
You're speaking the truth here, honey! You've brilliantly articulated all-too-common offenses.
Culprits are not reading industry blogs, however, any more than they're reading other people's books, and they come into the bookstore expecting to be treated as "customers," when at that point, they are the seller and the bookstore is the "customer." Sadly, we're mostly talking about local, self-published authors, who can be much more demanding than successful writers on publisher-sponsored book tours.
But the savvy can learn from the mistakes of the clueless. When savvy writers present themselves as sympathetic to the goals and concerns of the bookstore, it brings smiles to the faces of booksellers everywhere.
WOW!
I'm really shocked at this behavior. I wouldn't have expected authors to behave this way....Thanks for sharing! Elissa
Bravo!
Great post.
As a favor to a local indy store owner I once did a dual signing with a new author and she engaged in just this type of behavior. Unfortunately, she wasn't interested in any advice I gave her that afternoon, and persisted in her "divaness".
Oddly enough, she hasn't been back to that store for an event since.
;)
M. R. Sellars
I find it hard to believe
I find it hard to believe that anyone who wants to sell their book would behave like that :) I always try my best to be polite and professional.
On the other side of the coin, when I approached my three independent local booksellers, (while buying books from their stores, which I did regularly (LOL)) I was told that none of them would be interested in having me do a book signing or a reading or a workshop because their clients didn't read 'my kind of books'. (I write romance for Kensington Aphrodisia and other relatively well-known publisherss). None of them would even let me leave bookmarks.
As an author this was somewhat disappointing. Luckily my local Barnes & Nobel were pleased to have me come by and we sold quite a lot of books.
I've visited Sedona a couple of times and the only bookstore I went in there, didn't even have a section for Romance, (although I spotted mystery, science-fiction and thriller), which would perhaps indicate a lack of interest from the locals or a lack of interest from the bookseller.
Would you say that it is harder for a writer of genre fiction, particularly romance, to get interest from smaller booksellers or was I just unlucky?
Wonderful post - and it may
Wonderful post - and it may (or may not) amuse you to learn that authors behave the same way the world over.
Most popular misconception seems to be that booksellers cannot return signed stock (I wonder who started that one?) which means we get a bevy of authors coming in unannounced demanding to sign all copies of their book we have in stock, then coming back a month or so later to do the same thing again and being all put out when the copies they previously signed are still sitting on the shelf... I've been berated for "not working hard" enough on hand-selling their book. Like that would make me want to work harder on pushing it?
There are some writers that have bugged staff members so much that they will hide when the writer comes to the store. Most unwise.
Too True
Can't tell you how often, when I go into a bookstore to sign stock, the bookseller will comment, "Wow. You're so nice. We had [fill in with famous author's name] here a while back and he was so mean!" Since my book is humorous, I'll usually respond with, "Did his being mean sell books? I can be mean." They laugh and tell me, "Actually, no. We have to carry them, but we don't handsell them."
Misery loves company?
Gail and Ellen, I don't know whether I'm glad to hear other booksellers face the same problems, or not. I think I'd rather regard our divas are aberrations.
Kate, I'm sorry you've had bad experiences with some booksellers. We do have a section for romance in our store, but it's small, since it doesn't sell well for us. I wish it did -- I've heard of bookstores that can pay the rent with the latest romance releases. Smaller still are our sections for True Crime, Westerns and Horror, since those sell in even fewer numbers.
Booksellers can't change the reading tastes of their customers. It's a good bet when you don't find some category represented in a particular store, or very little of it, it's a reflection of that store's customers' buying habits. Fortunately, all independent stores are different.
Kris
Re; Authors Behaving Badly
One humorous note I'd like to add...in the three years I have been open, one of my friends who is a noted biographer, gave me great advice-she said every time I get one of these bozo writers in acting like divas I ought to write the experience down and email it to myself so that later, when I write my memoirs, I'll have plenty of material.
That file has about 20 notations so far-we have been open just three years!
Cheers!
Gail
It's even funnier coming
It's even funnier coming from somebody who started on the other side: Wait, all those horror stories booksellers used to tell us about us were TRUE!?
My first signing at Barnes
My first signing at Barnes and Noble was a consignment deal, but it worked so well, they asked me back for a second round a couple of months later under "mornal" protocol, when a semi-famous author was delayed a couple of days due to bad weather. (Yet another advantage of being an Alaskan author). The second signing, they put me right in front of the Starbucks coffeshop so everyone HAD to pass me on the way to their fix. Whoever set up that store really knew what they were doing. :) I probably got quite a few "sympathy sales" as well, since Fairbanks is a small town, and just about everyone knows everyone.
If I were to do a signing out of my home town, I'd be sure to bring a few "ringers" aka "groupies" to swoon around your booth. Sort of like putting a few seed dollars in your tip jar. :)
I AM behaving badly now, aren't I?
Eric
A Winner
Hi Chris,
I discovered this post through Lynn Henricksen's link and I felt like standing up and cheering after I read it. As a former bookseller, AND an author of a book published by a small press (which does give standard terms to booksellers, thank goodness) I am consistently amazed at how little writers actually know about the mechanics of their own industry. Or even how to exercise simple professional courtesy.
My latest experience was as a speaker, when I had one writer come up to me and say, "I'm not coming to your break-out session because the one across there's another one at the same time that's better for me, so can I have lunch with you,and then you can just tell me what you're going to say?" Getting back to something you wrote, that very same day, one of my co-panelists actually bragged about the fact that he never buys other writers' books. I cringed when he said it.
As far as bookselling, it's simple math that a bookseller cannot stock every book published, even if they wanted to. And if their business sense tells them a book is not going to help pay the electricity bill, they are well within their rights, in fact it's their responsibility not to carry it.
So, Here are some things that I do when I ask for an event:
a) I offer consignment, if the seller prefers it that way.
b) If the seller prefers to go through a wholesaler, I ask how many sales does the store need to make worth their while? The number is usually much lower than one would expect, and I guarantee that number, even if I have to purchase some of the books back myself.
c) I also go to offsite events on a bookseller's behalf and NEVER sell books on my own. So for example, if I'm appearing at a school and they ask me to bring books, I find the local bookseller and ask if they'd like me to bring their receipts. And as I sell each book, I have a volunteer write up a receipt for the bookshop and then the publisher sends them an invoice. (one advantage of having a small publisher) And in the case where no matter how much my publicist and I marketed and advertised, the turnout is low, I am sure to ask that bookshop first if they'd like me to do this, so they can make-up for the disappointment.
d) I make my events special in some way, so that people will stop in, even if they have no intention of buying. Traffic in the store is always welcome. They might not pick up my book, but they could buy another.
e) I never think in terms of making money- I think in terms of selling copies and getting the word out about my work.
f) I am sure to mention my local bookshops in any articles I write wherever it can be appropriately mentioned.
and g) I say, "Thank you." (My mom taught me that.)
Out of 31 events and 16 bookshops that I have had dealings with this year, I've only had two bad experiences that I would like to point out as devil's advocate:
a) a bookseller informing me that if we wanted an off-site bookseller from his shop to attend an event ( an event where there were going to be 200 attendees) I would have to pay him 100 dollars an hour on top of any money he made selling the book.
and
b) a bookseller sending an email saying that despite the fact that she'd been ask to order the book by a number of customers, she hated carrying it because it really wasn't to her liking.
The bottom line is- in every business there are insensitive, self-centered people. You gotta laugh!
Thanks for this post again!
Patricia V. Davis.
A Winner
Patricia, since you've been a bookseller yourself, you know you're absolutely a bookseller's dream author! I wish all authors had a bit of experience working in bookstores because it would teach them so much about the tough business we've chosen. I wish I'd worked in one before I first got published. If only it were required internship for all of us.
As to the two booksellers you mentioned, all I can say is that there are instances of clueless folks running bookstores. I can only conclude that bookseller "a" didn't want to do it, for whatever reason. But he should have been straight with you. We love off-site events, especially large ones like yours, even if they stretch us thin, because it's like adding an extra day's income to that month. Sometimes, though, if the publishers involved won't give standard discounts and the authors won't provide books on consignment, we have to decline. But we're always honest with the author/s or organizers if we have to decline, and they always seem to respect that.
Regarding your other clueless bookseller, while independent bookstores pride themselves on their independent selections, I don't believe the bookseller's job is to change the reading tastes of her customers, or to look down on those customers' choices. If we let them, our customers will point us to books that will richen our selections.
Yup, there are instances of booksellers behaving badly, too. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thank you
Thank you for responding, Kris, and for the FB 'friending.' Your blog here is delightfully written and informative, and I am so glad Lynn had a trackback to it on her Redroom page!
Best wishes,
Patricia
Excellent post!
Hi Kris...
Thank you for a great post.
I agree that authors need to exercise courtesy and common sense when partnering with bookstores for workshops and signings. But of course it's a two-way street. Some bookstores treat authors (of just about every level of success) like necessary evils: no promotion of the event, an attitude of mere toleration toward the author, not enough of his or her books on hand, or not the most current one, etc.
Your store epitomizes the way events should occur, as I found out when I signed there. A local reporter interviewed me, thanks to your encouragement for him to do so; the event was well promoted, and I thought well attended; everyone there was courteous; you had a good stock of my books...on and on. Thank you!
I hope authors read your blog and take heed. You treat us with respect, and it breaks my heart to think some of my colleagues don't return the courtesy.
Take care,
Robert
Thanks!
Thanks, Robert. It certainly is true that some stores really don't support their authors that well. I do understand - author events are expensive and time-consuming, and sometimes no matter what the store does to promote it, the turnout isn't great. But if stores don't want to put in the effort, they shouldn't bother.
Thanks for your kind feedback on our efforts. I do want to stress that most of the authors who come to us, like you, are just great!
The behavior you've
Kris,
The behavior you've described, depressing and shameless most assuredly, is part of an overall decline (or should I say degeneration) of civility and decency in modern culture, centered as it is on materialism and "me-ism" (What's in it for me?) You might think that the more literate and educated among us would set a better example but the reality is elite groups like these sometimes are the most egregious and selfish offenders. This whole trend is nothing new. As Chaucer wrote, speaking of the privileged of his time (nobility classes, clergy, etc), "If gold rust, what shall iron do?" And we wonder why people take advantage of government programs like food stamps!!! No brainer! They're just following the examples of elite behavior they see occurring all around them.
When decency becomes unfashionable or , worse yet, a subject for ridicule by the "sophisticated", you know a civilization or culture has entered its final stage, namely, decadence.