Amazon.com removes Macmillan books from site!!

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kuwisdelu

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I think publishers should mimic the DVD/BluRay model Disney uses. If you shell out the $$$ for the BluRay, you get a DVD and digital download in the deal. That way you don't have to shell out extra cash for the other formats. If you don't like the film, you can give the DVD to someone else (or the download code) who might enjoy it.

If you buy a hardcover, then you should get a code that allows you to download the ebook version when it's available. That way, even if they put off the ebook availability for 6 months or so, readers don't have to shell out the extra cash for the digital copy. They can give the hardback as a gift and keep the digital or just keep both.

I've yet to see someone stand in line to have an e-book signed by the author.

I note that if you buy a Baen hardcover, inside it you will find a CD-ROM with all the Baen e-books, in multiple file formats.

One of the things we learned in 1992 with ebooks was that at least for early adapters, they tend to be book lovers and geeks.

They wanted the printed book and the ebook, and we worked with Douglas Adams to provide Last Chance to See both as a CD-ROM double set, and as the printed coffee table book.

I would guess that 40 to 50% of my ebooks I've also bought a printed book too, and for some, I have multiple copies of the printed book.

At the same time, I'm really interested in seeing a lot more quality control being built into ebooks. I think ebooks could be a lot better than they are in terms of readability and features.

I love this idea.

I wish more music companies would include a digital download with vinyls, too.
 

Slushie

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I love vinyls; I love the physical act of flipping to side b. It's a mental gear shift. Money is the perfect flip from The Great Gig in the Sky; Here Comes The Sun is a perfect change from I Want You. The continuity on my itunes library just doesn't match the actual act of getting off my lazy ass and flipping the record. I loves it. Plus, I think vinyls sound better than mp3; flac is good, though, but a little too perfect, if that makes sense.

It's like turning a page.

/ back to your regularly scheduled thread
 

CEtchison

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Looks like Rupert Murdoch is wanting to renogitate HarperCollins' deal with Amazon as well.

"We don't like the Amazon model of selling everything at $9.99," Murdoch said when asked about electronic books during a conference call with analysts on Tuesday.

"They pay us the wholesale price of $14 or whatever we charge," he said. "But I think it really devalues books and it hurts all the retailers of the hard cover books."

Link to full story is below.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100203/tc_nm/us_newscorp_amazon
 

Perks

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I'm really not an early adapter, so I've been sort of waiting to venture much more heavily into ebooks because the QA just isn't there, yet.
Ha! Me neither - usually. I resisted getting a phone with a camera in it until this latest upgrade. The Nook is the first early edition thing I've bought. Wait. Except for the Dodge Neon and the Pontiac Vibe. They were both fine, but I seriously want a cooler car.
 
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Ha! Me neither - usually. I resisted getting a phone with a camera in it until this latest upgrade. The Nook is the first early edition thing I've bought. Wait. Except for the Dodge Neon and the Pontiac Vibe. They were both fine, but I seriously want a cooler car.

Prius. With in iPod Touch . . .
 

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Prius. With in iPod Touch . . .
You know, I like the Prius. It's viability in the mountains is in question, but if that electric motor can get me up my hills without the gas assist (thereby ruining its higher purpose) I might well consider. I was just talking about this tonight.
 

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You know, I like the Prius. It's viability in the mountains is in question, but if that electric motor can get me up my hills without the gas assist (thereby ruining its higher purpose) I might well consider. I was just talking about this tonight.

New Hampshire and Maine in snow, you need the gas engine going up hill.

You need gas going uphill for long high hills, but downhill, you're charging the battery, especially every time you brake.

No smog check ever. I think there's still a federal tax break; not sure. Many states give you one, and a free sticker for tolls, in some places, parking in others, and automatic use of the carport lane in some places, even with only one in the car.
 
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Khanada

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Any news on your books, Gillhoughly? I'm a bit afraid to check in. I was a VERY good Amazon customer (though I stopped buying books there - that's been close to a year now, I think), and I'm not sure I want to tempt myself just yet while going cold turkey like this.

Thanks for that link, SummerSpring. I'm enjoying seeing stuff like that in the news. Some of those Amazonians seem to really believe Macmillan is the only one unhappy.

And Slushie -- it's been a long time since I've listened to my records, but somehow, I refuse to allow my husband to move the turntable down to the basement.
 

James D. Macdonald

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Any news on your books, Gillhoughly?

My Tor books still lack a Buy Now button.

Gil's books from St. Martin's are likewise unavailable.

See also:

Amazon Capitulated My Ass

But! Now Harper (Rupert Murdoch) wants to renegotiate those low prices for Amazon Ebooks. Is Amazon going to de-list all of News Corp? If they do ... well, in about six weeks they'll be out of the book-selling business.
 

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I really don't expect Amazon to start re-listing books until March 1, when the new terms proposed by Macmillan kick in.

I think it's interesting that Amazon seems to have only attacked the print and kindle Macmillan consumer books--as far as I can see, they haven't de-listed textbooks.
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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Trying to hit them where it hurts the most. I imagine the consumer books account for more sales than textbooks.
 

amergina

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I think it's interesting that Amazon seems to have only attacked the print and kindle Macmillan consumer books--as far as I can see, they haven't de-listed textbooks.

Do you know if the terms for selling textbooks are different than for consumer books?

I also note that Amazon doesn't seem to hold to the $9.99-or-bust ebook rhetoric when it comes to textbooks.

Of course, there's a captive audience there. You don't buy a textbook generally because you *want* to. You buy it because you have to have *that* textbook. So it's not like a reader can forgo that book or wait until the price drops.
 

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Do you know if the terms for selling textbooks are different than for consumer books?

I also note that Amazon doesn't seem to hold to the $9.99-or-bust ebook rhetoric when it comes to textbooks.

Of course, there's a captive audience there. You don't buy a textbook generally because you *want* to. You buy it because you have to have *that* textbook. So it's not like a reader can forgo that book or wait until the price drops.

I don't know. It's a good question--and I suspect fairly complicated. Printing/licensing costs for textbooks are actually higher, but yeah, they know they've got a captive audience. Also, wrt pricing textbooks, as odd as it seems many faculty have no idea at all what students pay for a textbook. The faculty member gets free copies.

Here's what little I do know:

I know that the textbooks I've worked on as me, vs. as a ghost writer for a Big Name Prof, I receive a fractional royalty based on the percentage of total words and my total words.

I do know that big bookstores can negotiate with textbooks sales folk--UCLA's bookstore is owned / operated by the ASUCLA, a student corporation, and they do negotiate about texts for large lecture classes and that they know will be used in more than one such class. They also pass those discounts on to students, but I honestly don't know whether author royalties are based on the negotiated price or the reduced price.

Academic publishing, whether textbooks or scholarly, is outside of the ordinary mainstream publishing in a lot of ways. Most academic authors, scholarly or textbook, don't even have agents. Scholarly books for a non Big Name don't have advances, and sometimes, don't even have royalties.

Scholarly journals rarely pay anything. Some may charge a set up fee for images or difficult typographic stuff.

Copyright is usually not assigned to the author, though academic presses publishing scholarly books, and scholarly journals are usually cooperative about reassigning copyright some time after the initial publication.
 

Gillhoughly

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Bloody hell (on Amazon dragging their heels).

What annoys me (among other things) is that while no one makes anything from the new book sales disabling, Amazon STILL GETS MONEY FROM 3RD PARTY SALES.

I don't know why they're willing to shoot themselves in the foot by continuing this nonsense. They lose 10 points on the stock exchange, piss off 1000s of writers, and continue to lose money daily from the new sales.

What's this delaying thing? Holding their breath until they turn blue?

Does anyone have a current fax number for Jeff Bezos? I tried to send him a few thoughts today, but 206-266-7010 doesn't work, so is 206-622-2405 viable?

Gakked from a letter I found online that has nothing to do with this issue.
 

James D. Macdonald

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Elsewhere on the web: Dear Crazy Paranoid People...

Pass it on.

I wonder if Bezos ever heard the saying, "Never argue with a man who buys ink by the barrel"?

What's this delaying thing? Holding their breath until they turn blue?

Yeah. It's like they're all two years old over there in the Amazon boardroom.
 

James D. Macdonald

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SFWA removes Amazon.com links from website

Due to Amazon.com’s removal of many of our authors’ books from its ordering system, we are removing Amazon.com links from our website. Our authors depend on people buying their books and since a significant percentage of them publish through Macmillan or its subsidiaries, we would prefer to send traffic to stores where the books can actually be purchased.

To that end, our volunteers are in the process of redirecting book links to indiebound.org, Powell’s, Barnes and Noble, and Borders.

Many authors are being hit hard by this, so we encourage you to seek out new places to find their books.

Edited to add: It is worth noting, that if a book is only available on Amazon, we are leaving the link in place. Our goal is to make sure that it is possible to order our members’ fiction. Hurting authors to make a point about a publishing model is bad business, for anyone.
 

Twizzle

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I don't know. It's a good question--and I suspect fairly complicated. Printing/licensing costs for textbooks are actually higher, but yeah, they know they've got a captive audience. Also, wrt pricing textbooks, as odd as it seems many faculty have no idea at all what students pay for a textbook. The faculty member gets free copies.

Um, hmm. Trying to remember where I saw it. But the last few days while these two have been feuding, didn't Apple lock in something regarding textbooks?

ETA-sorry, yes. ScrollMotion. I saw it on PW Lunch and WSJ. off topic again, sorry.
 
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Momento Mori

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Mrs Scalzi's views intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to her newsletter or journals. :)

MM
 

Shadow_Ferret

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OK. I'm always a little slow on the uptake with these things, but whose side was I supposed to be on? Amazon didn't want to raise the price of eBooks from $10 to $15.

To me, that's good for readers. I don't want to pay that much for an eBook. It's ELECTRONIC for gosh sakes! Can't tell me the cost of production has gone up nearly 50%. Frankly, I think $10 is outrageous to pay for a bunch of electrons.

And the extra $5 ISN'T going to raise how much the writer gets. It's all going into the publisher's coffers.

So from my standpoint, Amazon was in the right.

Am I misunderstanding this?
 
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