Local Author Adventures - Part Two (booksellers)

While "self-published" might strike fear into reviewers' hearts, it seems the phrase "Local author" does the same to booksellers.

I just had a very depressing discussion with a local independent bookshop. I went in at the arranged time and went up to the lady behind the counter.

"Hi, I'm X, I made an appointment to discuss my book." I was surprised when her face fell, and then set into an apologetic expression.

"We don't stock POD books." I blinked slightly.

"That's fine. It's sale or return. Usual trade discount." She looked rather sceptical.

"Well, that's good but you'll need to arrange a distributor."

"It's with Central Books. You can order through Nielsen." I was absolutely stunned by the smile I got, as she headed behind the counter and asked for the ISBN. I handed my book across (having brought the copy all that way I wasn't wasting it) received a sunny grin in return and was shortly afterwards standing outstide bewildered with my media kit untouched and several books ordered. It was surprisingly painless.

The depressing converstaion followed that one, when I asked, during a quiet spot why booksellers react like that to local authors, and got the bookseller's side of it. Not just books without ISBNs, but stories of ring-bound home-printed manuscripts complete with coffee stains, the proud mother who wanted the bookshop to let her daughter personally sign her name in crayon in each of their books ("because she'll be famous one day!"), or the person who thought that 1% (one percent) was enough of a margin for a bookshop to buy his book outright with no returns. Then there was the person who wanted the bookshop to take part in their latest money making scheme - printing out e-books they had downloaded which they wanted the shop to sell for them. Unfortunately they hadn't written the books in question...I didn't have the nerve to ask what she'd said to that individual - her expression said quite enough.

Apparently "author" has a very flexible definition. It's certainly given booksellers a range of horror stories.

Please, be kind to your local bookshop. There aren't enough of them left.

Local Author Adventures - Part One

I've run a few unexpected events into since I took on the dread label "Local Author" and started promoting my book. The pseudonym preserves a lot of privacy, but even so there have been quite a few surprises. I might write a few more in this series - depending on how much is worthy of blogging.

I hadn't actually considered that being a local author means forging a business relationship with stores you've been frequenting for years. Suddenly you are a supplier as well as a customer, but also a customer at the same time, which can lead to some very odd encounters.

Walking into your local bookshop as a known author for the first time after they've ordered your book, the staff seem strangely on edge as you walk towards the counter. The thoughts are on their faces: are you going to ask about your book, the display, whether it will get an end cap etc. They must get that a lot - the stories of authors turning books face out, putting them on end caps and even reverse-shoplifting their books into the store are legion.

"Hello," I said "Do you have [biography of sportsman]?"

There was a interesting moment of confusion and relief and then a broad smile and directions.

I may write, but it doesn't mean I gave up reading.

(It also doesn't mean that when my book comes in I won't go and buy a copy - just so I can add the receipt to my scrapbook.)