Wicked Witch’s Simple Survey of Online Book Publishing
Target: Blog-trotters, Internet passersby, New England English Springer Spaniel Rescue, my entire address book, all those people from whom I receive massive group emails that contain dumb or funny jokes, photos, chain-link emails, or another Dr. Phil survey (I scored 48, thank you, on the latest one)–and every single name within the group email, whether I know who these people are or not.
Objective: Well, we read, therefore we should be surveyed, but I, for one, never have been, nor have I ever heard of anyone I know being surveyed about his or her book buying habits. Let’s cast our own net and see if we can draw some independent conclusions ourselves about the state of online publishing and where we should be putting our efforts and our money.
Could I ask you to take the survey and write your answers in the comment section below? Comments, by the way, don’t get posted until after I read them so I can delete the weird and the spam.
Setting the Survey Scene: There is a huge storm and outage in your area and the neighborhood goes dark about 4 p.m. Nothing connects you to the outside world: no Internet, no phones (land or cell), no satellite, no nothin’. (Where are the old kerosene lamps you thought you’d never use again? In the basement along with the board games, but it’s DARK down there.) You dig deep in the back of the utility drawer and find an old battery powered radio from which you hear that it will be several days before you will be reconnected to the outside world again in any way. O Pioneers! You allow the water from upstairs pipes to drain into the pots in the kitchen. You open and quickly close the refrigerator. (Survival: it’s all coming back to you now.) Thank goodness you have those scented candles in the bathroom and some long white candles in the drawer in the dining room; you’re going to need them. You gather your family. They are in despair, frantically pointing the TV-remote toward the TV and pressing and repressing the “Power On” button and plugging and unplugging the computer, trying to reset it. Yes, the worst has come to pass. The family will have to READ by candlelight or spend the evening sitting in a dark room, making spooky faces at each other by holding the precious flashlight under their chins or casting shadow birds and rabbits with long ears on the wall with hands and fingers until the batteries die.
- What books are you and your family actively reading that you can grab? By that I mean eagerly reading, not idly thumbing through hoping it will make you drowsy so you don’t have to sneak another shot of whiskey or drop an Ambien to reach REM sleep.
- Were any of these books from online, self-publishing companies such as the much maligned (by traditional publishers and your friendly bookstore) iuniverse or lulu? Are you even aware of these websites as sites to buy books? Now that you’ve looked, what do you think? Would you buy a book from them if the author was someone other than a self-published friend?
- Were any of your books free, online books in PDF format or had you planned to read them online, and are out of luck, on this dark and stormy night?
- Did any of your books come from seeing author websites similar to A Woman from Cairo—very sophisticated, The Kill–trailer caused my dog to stroke out, or The Alphabet of Manliness—eek, eek, brace yourself? Do websites that sell books find you or do you find them? (I’m not talking about the big guys—Barnes and Noble, Borders or Amazon. I mean authors who are attempting to attract you to their websites.)
- Did any of these books arrive at your now-darkened and chilly house because you purchased, say, directly from Random House, Simon & Schuster, William Morrow, Knopf or Rodale’s online bookstore? Have you ever purchased a book directly from the publisher’s website?
Wait! I think I see a light on down the road! Wow! A reprieve! The refrigerator is humming. Computer lights are flashing. The cell phone just beeped. Quick, try the light switches. Someone flush the toilet!
End of survey. Reminder: stock up on batteries, candles and…books.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: I’m taking the survey, too. See my answers in the first comment box!
April 14th, 2006 at 8:35 am
1. I have The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri beside the bed, but, truthfully, I haven’t started it. I’m going to take this opportunity to catch up on The New Yorker, I think.
2. I have never purchased a book from iuniverse or lulu. I don’t believe the “star” ratings or the write-ups.
3. I am reading Half Life of One online and am going to read Grumpy Old Bookman’s, How and Why Lisa’s Dad Got to be Famous, next online.
4. If I weren’t a blogger, I never would have heard of Val Landi’s book, A Woman from Cairo. I stumbled across Allison Brennan’s book, The Kill, while I was checking out other literary blogs. Maddox’s book, Alphabet of Manliness, is being buzzed all over town so I went to his website.
5. I have never purchased a book directly from the publisher via an online website.
April 14th, 2006 at 9:11 am
1. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I’m currently reading a book on calculus with considerable enthusiasm. I figure that nearly 40 years after studying the subject in college while in a post-adolescent haze (actually, that might not have been the source of the haze), it’s about time I figured out what all the fuss is about.
2. Generally speaking, I only buy a book online when I can’t locate it locally. With the coupons I regularly receive via email from Borders, it’s rare that I pay more for a book there than from Amazon, for example, when you take postage into account.
3. I emphatically don’t like reading books on a computer screen, and it’s too expensive to print out a book distributed in PDF format. Free or not, the only time I’ll read a book online is if I have no alternative.
4. Never
5. Only Rodale, and that was years ago.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Would it not be a curse in life to have a much older brother who reads calculus books for pleasure? Just ask The Wicked Witch of Publishing!
April 14th, 2006 at 9:21 am
1. One recent summer in NYC I found myself in just such a power outage. Since I keep an extensive collection of favorite novels to hand (almost all mysteries or thrillers), I used the opportunity to re-read Ruth Rendell’s Simisola by torchlight. If it were to happen this weekend, I’d probably grab something from my shelf by P.D. James, Ian Rankin or Peter Robinson.
2. None of them were from online or self-published sources. 3. None were free.
4. None were purchased as a result of seeing an author website. 5. None came from the publisher’s website.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
1. Right now I am reading Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult, and The Carnivorous Carnival (Book 9 of the Series of Unfortunate Events by Limony Snicket) to my children out loud. I just put down Princes of Ireland unfinished because it was due back at the library. But I will finish it sometime this summer.
2-4. Never bought a book from a self-publishing online organization.
5. Nope. I don’t even order books online from the big companies. I make them order it in the store. I have bought used books online, but I know that doesn’t count here.
April 14th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
1.) I am now reading “The History of Jazz,” by Ted Gioia, and would grab that book with relish under the flickering candle. If I were at my boyfriend’s house, I’d read “Moby Dick,” which I have been trying to get through for a month.
2.) I have never ordered a book from iuniverse.com com or any similar self-publishing outfit.
3. ) I did order (and pay for) a book in .pdf format from an author’s Web Site some months ago. It was a how-to book I planned to read only parts of. Reading at the computer is too uncomfortable, though, and I didn’t feel like printing the darn thing out. So it is half-read.
4.) I have never purchased a book directly from a publisher.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
How can I do that? I DON’T READ!! That is I don’t read anything past this computer screen and the last thing I read here was an e-book on building the ultimate computer. I think your writing is sphynpository. That means I laugh so hard I have to go to the bathroom.
Hey would you read my unfinished novel The Bridgewalkers even if I don’t have a cover letter or a marketing plan? (I never plan anything)
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Rob has been in over twenty plays on Broadway and Off-Broadway. He is currently the president of the East Hampton Arts & Culture Council.
April 14th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
How do you say in Latin:
We read, therefore, WE should be surveyed.
Nos lego, ergo…????
April 14th, 2006 at 1:35 pm
O.K, because I feel gratefully obliged to Lynne, I will take this egregiously biased, unfair–and, yes, overwritten–”survey” of behaviors, technologies, and enterprises still in seminal and laughably experimental stages, though the survey cruelly ignores the cathartic comfort said behaviors, technologies, and enterprises afford millions of the pathetic unpublished, addled by the fulminations of agents, editors, writing group members, and other gurus and gatekeepers, who agree only upon the universal SASE requirement and prohibitions against typos and telephone contact. I respond under protest.
1. Right now I’m rereading Greg Bear’s hypnotic “Queen of Angels,” Marcia Angell’s “The Truth About the Drug Companies,” and have begun Iris Murdoch’s “The Good Apprentice.” There are a few others on my table–short attention span. My wife, who won’t need three flashlights and likes candles better anyway, is reading “The Good Mother.” The “The Good” syndrome is spooky, but accidental. So’s the “Angels/Angell” thing. Really.
2. Got the Bear from my local library because I lost the paperback I bought years ago; bought “Truth/Drug,” full price, at B&N–well, O.K, with a gift card; picked up Murdoch in trade paper at Half Price Books or somewhere. I’m cheap, so sue me.
3. Obviously, all the above are traditional books from the traditional book food chain. I agree with your premise and point; I’d only consider buying a book from one of the self-pub sites if I picked up buzz or somebody pulled off a truly compelling online concept.
4. Reading from a screen, including this, sucks. Maybe Sony will get it right. No PDFs, etc.
5. No, no Web site-induced purchases at all, yet. However, I’m starting to read pulsethebook.com, for business reasons–probably wouldn’t have bit otherwise. I like FGS’s willingness to try this and I like their marketing idea for this book. If I were its author I’d be smothering my editor with kisses. (Agents don’t get kissed, I believe, except by John Irving.)
6. I’m constitutionally opposed to surrendering money directly to any publishiing company, unless it’s mine.
April 14th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
Hi Lynne,
I like your blog - as a honest to god GEEK that must read books like -”Getting the Most Our of Your Pathetic C++ Programming Skills” and “Mobile and Wireless Design Essentials for the Feeble Minded” - (with pretty pictures you can color in with a crayon) - I gotta admit my reading goes way past just escapist and into the realm of “See Dick wait for the bus with Jane - UhOh - Jane is a agent with a gun” Yep, we’re talking Robert B. Parker here. Of course I leaven my reading with Winston Churchill and Teddy Roosevelt biographies, Freakonomics, His Excellency and other really impressive stuff.
I don’t do any book downloading into emachines or buy directly from publishers - because Amazon knows my name and we have one of the worlds best library systems in King County, Wa with online book requesting and convenient library locations.
That was a great idea for stealing Lucie’s mailing list - I’m sure she doesn’t mind. Anyway I hope this was helpful (although I think not)!
Best regards,
Jim
P.S. Couldd you add spell checking to your blog so I don’t have to write with a dictionary propped in front of me
{That’s right - we still use smiley faces in Seattle - you wanna make something of it!!}
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: This is what happens when you fire off emails to other people’s group email lists. The last time I saw Jim, he was in our kitchen in Connecticut. I was 17-years-old! (I have amnesia about what was going on.) He had a vintage Studebaker Hawk–that I remember! Welcome back! Jim is a patent attorney. He just suggested I put ™ after my Wicked Witch of Publishing moniker, and I have!
April 14th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
It’s probably legamus. Have no idea how you’d say survey, let alone put it in the passive….Sarah Gay Edwards would be so disappointed in me.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Legamus, ergo, …???
April 14th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
As usual, as the token bookseller around here, I’m coming at this from a slightly different angle….so my responses will, of necessity, be different. But here goes:
1. If the power goes out, I’m prepared. I could entertain myself for weeks just on the stack I have that I’m working on (which includes Michael Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Diet,” Chuck Pahlaniuk’s “Haunted,” and the new Harper Lee bio. Because I’m a bookseller, I’m deluged with galleys, so I rarely have to pay for anything to read (and even when I do, as the store owner, I’m only paying indirectly).
2-4. As a bookseller, of course, self published authors and publishing outfits are one of the 479 banes of my existence. Thanks to these companies, it is now much easier to get published than get read, a fact that most self-published authors seem never to have considered. There’s a reason we urge authors not to use these companies (with the exception of one or two ethical self-publishing houses we know of): the companies are out to take the authors’ money, basically, and provide a bad-looking unedited overpriced product in the end. I know the technology’s advancing on these things, but how much? The crappy self-published books I see today look just the same as the ones I was turning down ten years ago. Authors can overcome these stigma, of course, if they have the talent for graceful self-promotion (i.e. getting the word out but not being a pain in the butt), but such authors are rare. We generally accept all self-published books on consignment, but our having them on the shelf doesn’t make them sell, especially if they’re riddled with grammatical errors, and are $22.95 trade paperbacks.
5. The ugly fact of life that booksellers are facing is that our fundamental relationship with publishers has changed. We used to be partners. We used to help publishers by growing their authors. We used to have relationships. Now the publishers look upon us as irritating anachronisms, and the sooner they’re able to cut us out of the loop completely, the happier they’ll be. The only thing now that the independent bookselling community has going for it is the buzz we can generate on a title.
Tough old world, right? Well, that’s my $0.02, and I would like to thank all of you who said you prefer to buy your books in an actual store. We do appreciate it.
April 14th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Jim: I live in Seattle, too, and despise smileys. Don’t please speak for me. Which is very Seattle, too.
April 14th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
First of all, because I live in an area east of Cleveland that is plagued with power outages - we average one a week lasting anywhere from a few minutes to a week - I am fully prepared to stay entertained in the dark for at the duration. I can put my hands on a flashlight in any room in this house with my eyes closed and we have three camping lanterns and a ton of back-up batteries.
1. If the outage happens tonight (please say it won’t), after a game of scrabble by candlelight, my husband would read The New Yorker and I would continue reading the two books I’m jumping between right now: “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro and “The Other Boleyn Girl” by Philippa Gregory. Next in line is “Light on Snow” by Anita Shrever and then “Flesh and Blood” by Michael Cunningham. I also have a slew of books on mad cow disease, Christianity and Islam for background for my current book, so I could sit in bed with my lantern and my tabs and dig into those.
2. I know this may sound weird, but I’ve never even heard of “lulu” and I’m not sure what iuniverse is all about - never looked it up online and don’t intend to. Why would I?
3. The book on the Boleyn Girl is borrowed, Flesh and Blood was used, but the rest, including a nice little stack in my closet, were all bought new. And since I’m not getting any younger here and want to preserve my vision, I would NEVER read a book online. I like to lie in bed and read myself to sleep unless it’s non-fiction (like the mad cow books) in which case, I sit at the kitchen counter to read. I like to feel the book in my hands. Also, I prefer paperback because it won’t give me a black eye if I fall asleep reading.
4. I HAVE found books through some of the weblogs that I enjoy reading. One was M J Rose whose website I enjoy - bought her book, “The Delilah Complex” and Tess Gerritsen’s book, “Vanish” as a result of reading their blogs/websites. Most of my purchases are a result of reading PW reviews, recommendations from friends or stumbling across titles on blogs that focus on writers.
5. I don’t even know how to purchase a book from a publisher’s website. Don’t intend to learn.
PS Mercifully, we don’t have a well, so with the exception of the grid failure that also shut down Cleveland’s pumping stations, we can always flush if we get bored or run out of books.
April 14th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
As I live [in Bermuda], we are often without power due to hurricanes and gale force winds. From experience, I have to admit that I would probably not read by candle or torchlight for fear of getting a migraine.
However, if forced, the nearest book handy would be my bible, followed by the latest inspirational novel I am reading…oh, wait, no, I’m all out - still waiting for that Amazon order to come in!!
Don’t have any self-published books to read yet…but I would certainly look at this market, I just haven’t yet.
I might possibly be reading an online novel - oh, would that be mine?? Yes, still checking for typos even though it’s too late… oh, yes, it’s free. Call me stupid, or desperate.
Our mark-up for the price of books here is ridiculously high, therefore we either order everything we want online or come back with suitcases loaded with books whenever we venture stateside.
I have not purchased a book directly from a publisher’s website. Never thought of it really.
Once an Amazon junkie, always an Amazon junkie. The upside is we don’t have to pay duty on books we ship in.
I think my candle is burning out…hope I was able to shed some light on the situation from this little blob in the middle of the Atlantic…
April 14th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
I’d grab “The Hummingbird’s Daughter” by Luis Alberto Urrea; I just finished Cornelia Read’s “A Field of Darkness” or I’d take that along. Also Ken Bruen’s latest “The Dramatist” and Denise Mina’s Garnethill trilogy. We have power outages from time to time in Seattle, so this is good training.
No LuLu or Iuniverse.
Books arrive at my door almost daily. Sometimes five at a time. More arrived while I was typing this; why? I blog. I write reviews on my blog. This was not my intention, but I don’t buy books anymore.
I visit author’s websites all the time and might buy a book if it hasn’t landed on my stoop before I leave the house.
Ditto for the publishers although I praise them for direct sales while I brush my teeth.
April 14th, 2006 at 6:57 pm
Hi Lynne,
1. I tend to read mystery stories and political books like the Wellstone Guide to Grassroot Organizing or Bush on the Couch. At the moment I am involved in a congressional campaign to oust a neo-con rubber stamp republican with a very decent, progressive candidate. See: www.durstonforcongress.com
2. I have never downloaded a book, but I do buy a lot of books online, either from Amazon or linked companies or from a mystery book club I belong to. I also get tempted at Costco and buy books there, mostly paper backs. I have downloaded a lot of software
3. Sorry to say I have forgotten the other questions but hopefully, I have given you enough information.
Marlene
George’s wife
April 14th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
1. I am currently reading “No True Glory” by Bing West. I have recently finished “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson and “The Assassin’s Gate” by Goerge Packer. My wife, Dot, reads the pop fiction best sellers. Some of the authors she enjoys are Dan Brown, Janet Evanovich, Lisa Scottoline, and Dean Kootz, to name a few.
2.The online store I purchase books from is Amazon. The reason being because of the discounted prices. Buying books can become an expensive source of entertainment.
3.No
4.Yes. I purchased books by Jeff Shaara and Alan Furst because of their websites.
5. No
April 15th, 2006 at 6:33 am
1. The Plot against America- Phillip Roth
De Kooning’s Bicycle- Robert Long
A Long, Long Way- Sebastian Barry
2. No 3. No 4. No 5. No
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: I think I know who this is, really! If I’m correct, The Curmudgeon has read every book that was shortlisted for the Booker, ever, including, obviously, those that won. No kidding. He is also one of the most famous birders in the world. Am I right? If yes, then his son has written To See Every Bird on Earth: A Father, a Son and a Lifetime Obsession.
April 15th, 2006 at 8:01 am
1. What books are you and your family actively reading that you can grab?
“Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of the Buddha” by Tara Brach, PhD; “The Beatles” by Bob Spitz; selections from the “Katie Kazoo” and “Magic Treehouse” series”; and “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” by CS Lewis.
2. Were any of thesebooks from online, self-publishing companies such as the much maligned (by traditional publishers and your friendly bookstore) iuniverse or lulu?
No. The one self-published book I have is from an author I interviewed 10 years ago.
3. Were any of your books free, online books in PDF format? No. No one in my house has time to print out a book or read one online.
4. Did any of your books come from seeing author websites similar toA Woman from Cairo—very sophisticated,The Kill–trailer caused my dog to stroke out,or The Alphabet of Manliness—eek, eek, brace yourself?
No. Personally, I find author Web sites good for hearing what an author is up to, but I never see anything on the site compelling me to buy their book.
5. Did any of these books arrive at your now-darkened and chilly house because you purchased, say, directly from Random House, Simon & Schuster, William Morrow, Knopf or Rodale’s?
We very rarely buy books. The two adult book mentioned above were exceptions, and one was a birthday present. We patronize the library, in part because we want our children to be accustomed to going there and doing activities there, and in part because of the cost of new books. If we do buy
books, we usually use money from birthdays, holidays, etc.
We order online from Amazon. We would order online from whoever gave us the biggest discount.
April 15th, 2006 at 9:24 am
Hey, this ‘leave a reply’ box which comes up with your name and address etc in it already is pretty neat. As I believe young people say.
1. I have just finished Michelle Lovric’s THE REMEDY, which I would recommend to anyone who reads fiction regularly. It’s a masterly and wonderful book and I will shortly be blogging about it.
2. I do occasionally read books from the likes of iUniverse and Lulu and have found them passably good. (Though some that I haven’t bothered to read are clearly not so good.) Not notably different from mainstream publications, except perhaps not always so professionally designed, proofread etc. They tend to be books which no mainstream publisher would do because they are a little weird, limited field of interest, not ’sexy’. Have not yet found an absolute stunner among them but the day may come. And why not? Every publisher in London — except one — turned down Harry Potter. So the likelihood is that one day soon a new Harry will turn up from Lulu. It may take ten years and it may — no, will — be a needle in a haystack, but it will be there. I don’t go browsing on the Lulu-type web sites — much — because in my experience they don’t lend themselves to useful browsing. I prefer to find recommendations elsewhere.
3. I do read books in free PDF form, but if I want to give it my full attention I print it out. Or ask for/buy a paper copy. I had an email today from a guy who uses a PDA (which I think is some kind of handheld reader???) and he asked me for an RTF file or Word file of a free book that I am offering (go to the blog for details). So there are people out there using screens for some serious reading.
4. Yes, every now and then I find a book, on an author’s website, that I really want to read. I suspect that the percentage of visitors who read a book which they find on a web site is very small. Maybe one in a thousand. And they will try to get it from a library first.
5. Publishers web sites are not wonderfully friendly places to visit, because publishers generally are still fairly clueless about this new-fangled internet thing. Even though they can afford top professional advice. So I have never bought a book direct from a big publisher’s online presence. I have bought direct from small, unknown online firms.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Michael Allen’s blog, Grumpy Old Bookman, is rated one of the top ten literary blogs, worldwide. by The Guardian. He also owns Kingsfield Publications, a small press in England. His latest book, the one I am reading online next, is How & Why Lisa’s Dad Got to be Famous.
April 15th, 2006 at 10:25 am
Hey Lynne,
Interesting survey, heading toward an overview of POD article, I’m guessing.
1. I’m reading two manuscripts of books that won’t be published for months. I’m also reading Tom Groneberg’s One Good Horse, which I like a lot thus far even though I have no particular personal motivation to be drawn to a boom about ranching in Montana. It’s a keeper, though. If the lights do go out, I’m not sure what I’d pick up. Maybe something else entirely.
2. I’m not reading anything from online or self-published companies. I have occasionally in the past, though mostly things written by friends or that even more dangerous creature known as FOaF (friend of a friend). I would be unlikely to buy a book from them because it’s nearly impossible to cull a good one from the enormous herd without prior personal knowledge of the author (thus, friend or FOaF).
3. Nope.
4. Generally they find me by emailing me and announcing their presence in the world. Sometimes I check out the sites, but a site has never sold me a book.
5. Never.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Bob Gray worked as a bookseller and buyer at Northshire Bookstore in VT from 1992 - 2005. Northshire is one of our leading independent bookstores. He is now plying his trade as a bookseller to handsellers, which means that he helps independent book stores buy the kind of books that readers want to read. He lectures. He writes. He has been interviewed by Publishers Weekly, US News & World Reports, USA Today. He is amazing! Check out his blog at Publishers Marketplace http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/shire15/.
April 15th, 2006 at 10:59 am
All reading material is purchased (in person) new and used at Powell’s City of Books. I can check their inventory online (www.powells.com) before venturing down the hill.
When the power goes out, I’ll pick up one of those unread Christmas and birthday gift books received from my adult sons:
A Short History of Philosophy
Is there Sex After Sixty?
Life’s Imponderables
Living Frugally to Enrich Your Heirs
The Cluetrain Manifesto
You said (after the lights come on): “Someone flush the toilet!” Out here in the west we still favor the one-piece gravity siphon design first marketed in England by Thomas William Twyford in 1885. Electric toilets are considered a luxury as well as a potential shock hazard.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: By his own admission Ron (Ransom B. Green to me) has been “a photographer for over 50 years,” starting no doubt with a few naked high school girls. Recent awards include third place in the 2004-2005 Nikon International Photo Competition, first place in the 2004 Ivory Bill Photo Contest, second and third place in the professional division of the 2004 International Spider Awards, as well as being a finalist for the 2004 National Wildlife photography competition.
April 15th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
How about:
Legamus, ergo, emomus.
We read, therefore, we buy.
April 15th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
1. I’m reading Philip Wylie’s THE PARTY, a mid-60s paperback reprint of his 1929 novel BABES AND SUCKLINGS.
2. I actually bought one iUniverse title, Jonathan Widran’s Hooray For Holly-What, after a friend gave me a flyer she had pulled from a UCLA campus kiosk. I went to the iUniverse web site and read the free sample, which I liked. But the price for such a thin book put up too much sales resistance in me. I didn’t order the book until a couple of years went by and I had a $20 gift certificate from B&N. That just covered the cost of this overpriced, thin paperback.
3. No.
4. I’ve clicked on the links to author web sites that I’ve seen on Grumpy Old Bookman and Poddy Mouth, read some free samples and have departed said sites without any desire to read the rest.
5. I’ve never purchased a book directly from the publisher.
April 15th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
Even better–Respiramus ergo legamus. We breathe, therefore we read.
April 16th, 2006 at 3:20 am
Er, participating in this survey is a somewhat surreal experience for me, but here goes.
1 My wife is reading Paul Theroux’s “My Secret History“. I asked her how she was getting on with it and she said, “The hero’s a shit with absolutely no redeeming qualities. So there’s hope for you yet.” I’m working my way through the complete Evelyn Waugh canon in search of a joke of his that I quoted in my blog some weeks ago.
2 Would I buy a book from an online, self-publishing company? If I could read the first chapter online and really liked it, then possibly, yes.
3 No. Apart from my own online novel which right now I can’t bear to look at.
4 No.
5 No. Mostly I buy via Amazon, although I do enjoy browsing Waterstones here in the UK. I love owning books, which I guess is a little ironic.
April 16th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
With all of the Latinizing going on at the Witch site, the perfect word for describing your blogging quest in one word might be (the somewhat controversial term) imprimatur. “Let it be printed.”
All of your devotees seem to possess insanabile cacoethes scribendi.
April 16th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Ron, I don’t think we’re devotees. We’re participants - equals in aother words. And why would do we need to be cured?
April 16th, 2006 at 4:28 pm
1. River Run Red - The Fort Pillow Massacre, Return to Wild America
2. No for current books on list above. I tend to search Google by subject - often a very narrow, historical subject. If someone has self-published such a book, I may buy it. (I’m actually planning to do so in the near future, in fact.) Any info additional info on their own site or the publishers will help in may decision.
3. No, but I’ve read several historical tracts that way, and parts of a historical novel, and I will be happy to download if it fits my subject of interest.
4. Not directly, but I have found some interesting sites via a subject search, as noted above.
5. No for the specific books noted. I have done so in the past from Academic or small publishers.
April 16th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Ron doubled back to give us his translation of insanabile cacoethes scribendi:
“An untreatable passion to write.”
April 16th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
I am currently reading Dr. Wayne Dyer’s, The Power of Intention, purchased at Barnes and Noble. Next time will try Amazon.com.
Lots of books from Library: How Quantium Physics Can Change your Life – Dr. Quantum Presents: A User’s Guide to Your Universe by Dr. Fred Alan Wolf, Animal Talk and How to Communicate with Animals by Penelope Smith.
PS My daughter is an illustrator for an upcoming children’s book about a little girl with cancer and her passing.
Donna
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Here come The New England English Springer Spaniel Rescue folks! Thanks. Donna! Donna is from Massachusetts.
April 17th, 2006 at 6:09 am
Hi Lynne,
Here are my answers:
1. The Int’l Warmblood Horse (a Worldwide Guide to
Breeding and Bloodlines), by Wallen, Kidd and Clarke
2. no 3. no 4. no 5. no
Hope that helps and Happy Holiday to you
Cindy Theran
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Cindy is a member of New England English Springer Spaniel Rescue, too, in Connecticut. Thanks, Cindy.
April 17th, 2006 at 6:11 am
What books are you and your family actively reading that you can grab? TRINITY. Were any of these books from online, self-publishing companies? NO. Were any of your books free, online books in PDF format? NO. Did any of your books come from seeing author websites? NO. Do websites that sell books find you or do you find them? NO. Did any of these books come from Random House, Simon & Schuster, William Morrow, Knopf or Rodale’s online bookstore? NO. Have you ever purchased a book directly from the publisher’s website? NO.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Another New England English Springer Spaniel associate from Massachusetts. Thanks,Cece.
April 17th, 2006 at 6:52 am
My goal is 50 comments! I’m up to 34!
Interesting so far, yes? I’m not seeing anything from “The New York Times Book Review Best Sellers,” April 16, 2006. What’s up with that? No Kellerman, Patterson, Steel? Interesting…and perhaps significant.
April 17th, 2006 at 9:16 am
1. Currently reading: Non-fiction: The English Warrior from Earliest Times until 1066, by Stephen Pollington, published by AS Books. Fiction: The Claiming by Octavia Randolph (online), and The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay, Earthlight/Simon & Schuster.
2. None of these, though I have another on the TBR list that is.
3. Yes, The Claiming is online at www.octavia.net. I’m out of luck though, as there’s no PDF and HTML is a pain to print out, so I’ll have to wait for the power to come back on.
4. Yes, in fact all three of them came from the net in one form or another. I found Octavia’s site first and then read her book. I ordered Stephen Pollington’s book direct from the publisher after finding their site and reading their online catalogue, and The Lions of Al-Rassan was recommended to me by a commenter on my blog. I find websites, they don’t find me. I can only remember one instance of being on the receiving end of a promotional email and I had already heard of the book in question via a website or blog.
5. Never from any of the big publishers; I find their sites hard to navigate and I order from a bookshop instead. Yes from small specialist publishers such as AS Books.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Thanks for coming by from the UK, Carla. I see you’ve got a book published by Lulu, Ingeld’s Daughter, and we can download or see the first chapter at your website.
April 17th, 2006 at 10:57 am
1. We wouldn’t necessarily read-we’d pull out the battery operated DVD player or IPOD (we love listening to National Public Radio which you can now download). Although the book I’m reading “Captivating” by John Eldridge, wouldn’t be of much interest to my husband (Rosie loves it too! She ate the covers off the book but the spine is still holding!). I love murder mysteries about dogs (melanie travis) and caterers (Joanne Fluke and Diane Mott Davidson), and he tends toward the Robert Ludlum or Dirk Pitt type adventures. We also love David Baldacci.
2. We’re too cheap to buy-we use the library! (how many books have you read more than once???) And my husband, who has a 45 minute commute, is addicted to books on tape.
3. Y2K cured us of lack of electricity. We have a wood stove (which we love!) and cast iron casserole dish for the top, an old fashioned lamp that burns kerosene), a 2 burner camping stove with little propane tanks, down comforters and 2 dogs that sleep on the bed and keep us very warm! Oh, and I forgot the generator. I know there’s something called “yankee thrift”, but there should be something called “Yankee preparedness”– it’s not just the boyscouts who are prepared!
(Now aren’t you sorry you asked???)
Cassie
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing: Another ESSRESCUE volunteer. Wow, remind me to go to her house in Massachusetts if the electricity fails! Thanks, Cassie!
April 17th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
A confession: I also have a copy of Marley & Me by the bed, but can’t bear to read it yet because of the death at 14.5 years of–you guessed it–my English Springer Spaniel, Toby.
I’ve also read the entire Patrick O’Brian series.
Are we sure everyone is being totally honest about ALL the books by the bedside that we might read during a blackout? We’re not just mentioning the highbrow books?
April 17th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
Okay, okay. I have 350 Best Sex Tips Ever tucked under my mattress. You don’t even wanna know what tip #48 is….
April 17th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Full disclosure: I gobbled down the entirety of Stephen King’s “Cell” on a four hour plane ride. Everybody has to have some junk food in there somewhere. My wife Sally is completely addicted to vampire and supernatural chick lit. I do read the occasional NYT bestseller, and am not afraid to admit it. (Especially since authors like Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, and Richard Price have showed me that commercial fiction doesn’t have to suck.) But, yep, those are real books in my pile (though it’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma,” not “Diet” as I said above). There are also some wacky horror novels. We booksellers get so jaded by “me too” crap, and those of us who can’t read a book a day like my wife can, have to be discriminating.
April 17th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
“Let fly” with the truth!
April 17th, 2006 at 8:20 pm
1. What books are you and your family actively reading? Hubby is FINALLY reading The DaVinci Code (had to wait for it to come out in paperback so he could tote in on business trips); I am currently reading Mine! by Jean Donaldson — a book on how to handle resource guarding in dogs
2. Were any of these books from iuniverse or lulu? No, wasn’t aware of the sites. Don’t know if I would buy from them…..
3. Were any of your books free, online books in PDF format? No.
4. Did any of your books come from seeing author websites? Sort of — the Jean Donaldson book came from the San Francisco SPCA where she works.
5. Did any of these books arrive at directly from Random House, Simon & Schuster, William Morrow, Knopf or Rodale’s online bookstore? No. I buy a ton of books, but have never purchase directly from a publishers website. I generally buy on-line via B&N, Amazon, or Dogwise. Frequent the local B&N regularly — a few hours of browsing there is often part of “date night” with hubby.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: From the state of New Hampshire, another ESSRESCUE member drops by. Thanks, Lynda!
April 18th, 2006 at 9:05 am
1. What books are you and your family actively reading?
Me: White Skin Man by John Barlow; Malcolm: History of Britain part 3 by Simon Scharma; Cathy: Piratica by Tanith Lee; Jenny, Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones.
These are all being read avidly — the Tanith Lee because a sequel is just out and Cathy is reminding herself of the first book; and Castle in the Air as it is a sequel (sort of) to Howl’s Moving Castle. This is not being read as avidly as HP6, which was Jenny’s last book (read for the nth time). Malcolm’s Scharma project has been ongoing for quite some time, but he’s definitely been absorbed by it.
2. Purchased from online/self publishers? Yes, sort of, in that John Barlow visited my blog out of the blue. I had not heard of him before so looked at his blog and liked the sound of his books, so I bought one via Amazon UK to try it out. Rest of the books in (1) are conventionally purchased.
3. PDF/online? No. I am NOT going to read anything book length online, heaven forbid! I would pay to read it in print if I wanted to read it. Books are cheap! Have got M. Allen’s latest in the Amazon basket rather than reading the installments on his blog.
4. From seeing author websites? Not this particular set, but I buy a lot of books via my travels on the internet. For example Val Landi sent me a comp. (print) copy of “A woman from Cairo” after I wrote on his and my blog (Petrona) about it. I am pretty sure I bought The Kill — if it is the book I am thinking of, it is one I found via a blog and purchased via Amazon but have not read yet. I have loads of books at home that I’ve bought via Amazon or Amazon seller that I’ve discovered by a blog or web search (eg Grumpy Old Bookman by Michael Allen), or had recommended to me by a blog “friend” eg Frank Wilson (Books, Inq.) or Dave Lull.
I have not yet bought from Lulu and the like, but probably will!
5.No I have not purchased a book directly from a publishers’ website! But I was tempted by the Macmillan New Writers website which is pretty neat, has what looks like good e-commerce and has a very good deal on the books.
Re. online purchases, if I see a book on an online site, I will always check on Amazon before buying.
Final comment: I would have no problem in the scenario you describe as far as books are concerned as I have massive piles of unread books all over my house, in my shelves and everywhere. They are mostly purchased via Amazon or via local bookstores. I also know exactly where my candles are kept! (I am old enough to remember the UK miners’ strike and so I do make sure I have a non-electric light source to hand). I would be very happy, so long as the light source lasted, to dig in with my books and wait for rescue, and not mind at all if it took a good while to arrive.
April 18th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
1. I’m afraid I would hog the light with The Tale of Genji - by The Lady Murasaki (research), Kid - Simon Armitage, The Wessex Tales (The Withered Arm) - Thomas Hardy, Geisha - Liza Dalby (research).
2. No.
3. No, but I am interested in a few, if I can squeeze them in. I agree with the comment about comfort and would like to see an easier format.
4. Have picked up many books from other blogs and author sites and buy regularly from the biggies
5. No.
PS I have an English Springer Spaniel by the name of Zachariah Hornberg the Third (’Useless’ for short!), totally rescued, totally mad!!
April 18th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
The best I can do today is
“lectitare est contemplari”
which might horrify Cicero, but loosely translates as “to write is to reflect upon.”
April 18th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
Semper ubi sub ubi.
“Always where under where.”
Huh, huh, huh.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Such a knee-slapper!
April 18th, 2006 at 8:54 pm
I’m reading the latest history of the Peloponesian War, 431-404 BC, “A War like no Other” by Arthur Herman, and if the hurricane continues will progress to Thucydides and Herodotus, being in the throes of a classics revival. I never download books nor have I bought self-published ones, except for Sue Seidman’s “The Pet Surplus”, in paperback, feeling obliged. She presented us with a hardcover copy.
April 19th, 2006 at 10:50 am
I’m not a religious person at all but, regardless of whether one is or not, one could never go wrong without have one of several of the greatest Print-on-Demand books on hand: a Bible, Torah, Quran–any of the great faiths. No matter what destrucution befalls our old earth, you’d probably be able to find one in the ashes.
Good reading for a fading evening that lasts well into the night…”He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters…” I could last a long time with that.
April 19th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
To aid Lynne in her quest for 50 responses, I’ll add some comments that aren’t supposed to be made in “proper” literary circles. I can’t afford to buy books at all, much less self-published ones, and so in the event of disaster, I’d just have to jimmy the lock to the local library.
But, having no books on the market at all myself, I feel in a safe position to suggest that the many nay-sayers (about self-publishing) keep an eye to history. I’m sure there were monks who cursed Gutenberg for making books so easily printed as well. That said, however, and acknowledging much of the mediocrity that is self-published, I have to add that our traditional publishing houses seem to be doing their level best to help self-publishers by fawning over the likes of Tucker Max, Kotzwinkle, Maddox and the multiple get-rich/wise/happy/orgasmic-quick gurus showing up on the best seller lists. We could, of course, merely blame the buying public for that, but then my hound will (and has) eaten entire rolls of toilet paper if that’s all he has within reach.
Frankly, if I were iUniverse and Lulu, I’d be excited about what’s going on in the, um, traditional publishing world. They’re making self-published books look better and better every day. One couldn’t do much worse. Take a look at Amazon if you have doubts.
And if the lights go out, take your pry-bars to the library.
April 19th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
Hi, I’m starting to analyze the comments. I should be ready with a new posting tonight or tomorrow morning.
Stragglers need to make their comments soon!
Thank you EVERYONE!
April 19th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
Hmmm….
Since we appear to be embarking down a path paved with Latin puns (”Semper ubi sub ubi”), I’ll toss in my all-time favorite:
Cogito, ergo spud.
“I think, therefore I yam.”
April 20th, 2006 at 12:47 am
1. The Runes of the Earth (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Book 1) by Stephen R. Donaldson and John Scalzi’s The Ghost Brigades are my current reads. My SO has a couple of Alzheimer books going, but I don’t see her making much progress.
2. No. No.
3. No.
4. No. Yes, on occasion, author’s web sites will tip the balance.
5. No. Yes, I have purchased direct from publishers.
April 20th, 2006 at 6:20 am
No More … Haud Magis
Finished … Perfectus!
April 20th, 2006 at 8:35 am
I usually have more than one book going on at a given time. My most favorites are always handy.
1. I am reading Skystone by Jack Whyte. A book on the years leading up to King Arthur. Right now the first book is on two Roman soldiers living in Britian around the time that Hadrian’s Wall was over run. It’s pretty fascinating look at the Roman life and military life.
1a. Listening to on cd at work “The Outlander” series by Diana Gabaldon. A historical romance series on the Jacobite uprising in the Scottish Highlands in the 1740’s.
1b. Eagerly awaiting Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher. I’m rereading the series at the moment. Also awaiting the newest from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, the next in the Undead and Unwed series by MaryJanice Davidson, and finally a small author Shanna Swendson has a second book coming out. These are all in the ‘que’ to read and I will probably purchase all of them from different places.
2. Proven Guilty is coming thru an odd venue. Jim, the author, lives in Kansas City. He is having a ‘virtual signing’. I ordered the book thru a small book store near him. He will sign it and personalize it before it’s sent out. They are having a wonderful response to the this. If you want to check it out - here’s the link.
http://www.dogearedhalf-pricebooks.com/virtualsigning.html
I’m using the library more and more. The Outlander is all library loan, the Jack Whyte series I borrowed from a friend at work and the library.
I know of the smaller self publishing places and I might buy one from them. I know a smaller author who is having his second book being released by one in a couple days. I havent’ been able to find it thru the library system yet.
3. Free? Besides the library? No, not since the days of working at hte bookstore and getting some ARC’s. I have purchased on E book a couple years ago. I didn’t like reading it that way, I went and purchased the book in softcover. There is something about physically holding the book that I like.
4. I have not had an author find me or a book selling store find me. Personally, that would REALLY bother me to get spam or junk mail like that. It’s to pushy. I bought from one bookstore once, a smaller co. and they send me notices all the time, even after being asked to stop. I won’t purchase from them again. There are lists and book review sites now to help me search for new things.
I found the Harry Dresden series(Butcher’s), one of my favs, because I was someplace and saw the audio books, they were read by an actor I like. I dished out the $40 for it and then was hooked on the series.
I frequent the websites of two authors, Jim Butcher and Janet Evanovich. Also joined the email group for Butcher, there are quite a few published authors in the group and librarians. IT’s been the best way to hear about books.
5. I don’t think I’ve bought directly from a publisher before.
April 20th, 2006 at 11:36 am
1. hahahaha. I read a book a day. Today’s book: Going Postal by Terry Pratchett. Definitely eagerly reading it. Husband’s in the middle of Crichton’s State of Fear, older son’s in the middle of Atlas Shrugged, younger one’s in the middle of 3001 by Arthur C. Clarke. Daughter’s reading Roommates by Whitney Lyles. IOW, yes, we all read.
2. Nope.
3. Nope.
4. Well, usually the book comes first, then the website. One exception: I read Tod Goldberg’s blog first, then went out & bought all his books. The Crusie/Mayer blog whetted my appetite for yesterday’s book, Don’t Look Down, but I’d have bought it without it.
5. I do get a bunch o’ books directly from Berkley/Jove and NAL, but that’s because they lurrrve me–I don’t buy them.
April 20th, 2006 at 11:47 am
What books are you and your family actively reading that you can grab? Them: the Amelia Peabody mysteries - Elizabeth Peters
Me: Damn near anything from Sun Tzu to Dean Koontz
Were any of these books from online, self-publishing companies such as the much maligned (by traditional publishers and your friendly bookstore) iuniverse or lulu?
Nope.
Are you even aware of these websites as sites to buy books?
I’d heard of them
Now that you’ve looked, what do you think?
Nope
Would you buy a book from them if the author was someone other than a self-published friend?
Not even then.
Were any of your books free, online books in PDF format or had you planned to read them online, and are out of luck, on this dark and stormy night?
Lots of ebooks, but those are to kill time at work.
Did any of your books come from seeing author websites similar to A Woman from Cairo—very sophisticated, The Kill–trailer caused my dog to stroke out, or The Alphabet of Manliness—eek, eek, brace yourself? Do websites that sell books find you or do you find them? (I’m not talking about the big guys—Barnes and Noble, Borders or Amazon. I mean authors who are attempting to attract you to their websites.)
Nope, not big on buying books online other than out of print ones on eBay.
Did any of these books arrive at your now-darkened and chilly house because you purchased, say, directly from Random House, Simon & Schuster, William Morrow, Knopf or Rodale’s online bookstore? Have you ever purchased a book directly from the publisher’s website?
Nope.
Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing ™: Sounds like you have a great job!
April 20th, 2006 at 11:53 am
Must amend my post, I ended up buying a book about 10 min. ago from Archebooks Publishing.
April 20th, 2006 at 11:58 am
1. What books are you and your family actively reading that you can grab?
~~ I’m pretty much the only person who reads in my immediate family and I read whatever recent paperback book I have purchased. (usually romance, sci-fi/fantasy or paranormal romance)
2. Were any of these books from online, self-publishing companies such as the much maligned (by traditional publishers and your friendly bookstore) iuniverse or lulu?
~~ None were from online self publishing companies. I have purchased from online stores in the past (such as amazon). I need to browse the sites mentioned to see if I find anything of interest.
3. Were any of your books free, online books in PDF format or had you planned to read them online, and are out of luck, on this dark and stormy night?
~~ I don’t read anything online. I can’t curl up and read so it’s just not comfortable. If possible, I will download the (free) book to my Palm130 and read it there. I normally buy paperbacks so power outage is no problem.
4. Did any of your books come from seeing author websites similar to A Woman from Cairo—very sophisticated, The Kill–trailer caused my dog to stroke out, or The Alphabet of Manliness—eek, eek, brace yourself? Do websites that sell books find you or do you find them? (I’m not talking about the big guys—Barnes and Noble, Borders or Amazon. I mean authors who are attempting to attract you to their websites.)
~~ Never heard of the books you mention, but then they don’t sound like books in the genre of my interest. Amazon does an amazing job of reccing me books. I usually look for an author’s books myself after I have discovered them by browsing in a book store or at amazon.
5. Did any of these books arrive at your now-darkened and chilly house because you purchased, say, directly from Random House, Simon & Schuster, William Morrow, Knopf or Rodale’s online bookstore? Have you ever purchased a book directly from the publisher’s website?
~~ I have never purchased directly from a publisher. I would be interested if there was a discount involved and shipping didn’t void the discount.
One last comment. I do not purchase eBooks any more. I was so excited to have purchased my Palm130 ’cause I was going to read “everything” on it but I found that the prices are usually exactly the same as a paperback or hardcover, which brings me to my biggest problem about eBooks. I cannot share or give the books away. Since the eBooks are secured for use ONLY on my Palm, I cannot lend them to my friends or give them away when I am done so the money I spent for a eBook is a waste. Therefore, I purchase paperbacks (i rarely purchase hardcovers) and can usually get a good discount from Waldenbooks (25% off), have found Amazon to have good prices (and free shipping incentive) or I buy used books. I can then easily share, give away or donate to my local library.
April 20th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Hi Lynne,
Sorry I’ve taken so long to respond; I didn’t figure I met the book buyer criteria you may have wanted for your sample population. I fit in random readers I would guess but not much of a book buyer anymore. I bought 100’s from the 60’s till the 90’s so am going back and either rereading or reading for the first time many of them–mostly nonfiction.
I will try to answer you survey however:
1. Right now I’m reading “Men to Match my Mountains“, Irving Stone. Just finished Darwin’s Dangerous Idea” Daniel Dennett and before that Goodwin’s Team of Rivals. Did wedge in the DeVincie Code (gift). All of the others I got from the local Library (mostly form the Exchange/Loan program). I have Meecham’s “American Gospel” on order for my next read. Much like your brother Mark, I’ve gone back to read (study) a few college texts. Not being a masochistic however (I hated friging Calculus) I periodically pick up my favorite “Geomorphology” by Lobeck–a classic–and several of my books re: Evolution–ammo to lambaste the morons supporting the stupidity of Intelligent Design.
2. Nope none from on-line. Hadn’t heard of iuniverse or lulu. Have search the web for a few books that are out of print for gifts. Probably would not unless from a friend publisher.
3. Nope, none. Would not read from the computer–too cold in this room and read mostly in the winter–in bed!
4. Nope; got interested from telly interviews with the author or current activities. Websites I’ve queried occasionally get back to me but no authors have.
5. Nope–inter-library loan is my main source. None from a publishers website.
Hope this might help in your survey but doubt it.
Please say hello to Mark and Lucie and Buff as well.
DK Halling
February 19th, 2007 at 11:13 am
1. What books are you and your family actively reading that you can grab? Histories, mysteries, and sf&f, mainly. Charles de Lint, Tapping the Dream Tree, e.g.
2. Were any of these books from online, self-publishing companies such as the much maligned (by traditional publishers and your friendly bookstore) iuniverse or lulu? Have not done that, might buy a webcomic on paper if it were printed at lulu.
3. Were any of your books free, online books in PDF format or had you planned to read them online, and are out of luck, on this dark and stormy night? I read ebooks in Mobipocket format on my handheld. I’m a geek, what can I say? I get some free, I buy others from Webscriptions.net and other places.
4. Did any of your books come from seeing author websites similar to A Woman from Cairo—very sophisticated, The Kill–trailer caused my dog to stroke out, or The Alphabet of Manliness—eek, eek, brace yourself? I’ve bought a couple of books through the Amazon links on author websites, such as Julie Czerneda’s and Elizabeth Moon’s.
5. Did any of these books arrive at your now-darkened and chilly house because you purchased, say, directly from Random House, Simon & Schuster, William Morrow, Knopf or Rodale’s online bookstore? Have you ever purchased a book directly from the publisher’s website? Yes, from Baen Books.
February 20th, 2007 at 8:14 am
As a researcher, I would be truly interested in a compilation of these data, indicating any trends you observe and any conclusions you draw. Thank you!
naa
February 27th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Well, it has been almost 2 years since you posted this, but i just found it, so I’ll add my data point, categorized under “Internet passersby”.
1. Of course, in the last two years or so we’ve read dozens of books. But the latest batch of stuff we’re in the middle of includes
The Ghost by Robert Harris
A (very thick) book on the first 25 years of Saturday Night Live (I don’t recall the title offhand) (this book is checked out from the public library)
One Knight Only by Peter David
Volume three of the collected Journals of L.M. Montgomery
…and if these don’t last us through the blackout, we have about 66 feet of bookshelves with more books (naturally, this doesn’t include the kids’ books… um, or the boxes in the garage… did I mention that our house is something of a firetrap???)
2. I was aware of Lulu and have a couple of items I’ve been looking at from them, but haven’t bought… yet. I did buy a series of books published through Cafe Press (two volumes left to go) by an author whose previous work I have enjoyed very much (J. Michael Straczynski) and my only complaint so far has been that the covers curl badly.
3. I tend not to read online books that I can’t download to my own system (and if it can be read online, it can be downloaded), so the download takes precedence. If it is downloaded, I can read it on my laptop - which has batteries, just like the flashlight has batteries…it would be a while before I was out of luck reading e-books.
Recent e-book acquisitions include the Sue Grafton books (a couple of which I have already read), The Jumper trilogy by Steven Gould (Saw the movie less than two weeks ago, and I tore through the trilogy since then - the books are superior to the movie, naturally), and Old Man’s War by John Scalzi (the only one that was a free download from the publisher, and I have already read it since downloading). So I would have some e-books to read, and a way to read them (until the batteries ran out).
4. The books by JMs printed by (and ordered from) Cafe Press were linked from his own site, which is how I got to the ordering page on Cafe Press. So unless question 4 is about e-books, the answer is yes, I have purchased because I saw info about the book an author’s website, but it is the only author so far. Generally, though, I read only authors I know about already or that have been recommended to me via my “social network”. I haven’t (so far) depended much on author websites.
5. I have never received a physical sample from a publisher due to having ordered from them directly. I have (in the past) received physical samples for other reasons (most recent was attending the Texas Book Festival, where one publisher was passing out copies of The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry; other examples are primarily from when I was managing a bookstore nearly a decade ago, when I was on a couple of comp lists… in fact I am *still* receiving an industry magazine on comp).
So - here’s my summary $.02 :
I am actively in the process of turning my “dead tree” library into bits. As I get closer to making this happen, I have a plan to make sure I can read even in a blackout - UPS (uninterruptable power supply, not the delivery company), additional batteries, and the like. But I have had to move all that paper a time or two too many already, and (when I am done moving to digital from paper) I can carry the entire library and a laptop to read it on in a backpack that still has room for other stuff…. like a couple of paperbacks.
I won’t wean myself from paper entirely - some physical volumes have sentimental value, plus (even though I only fly a couple times a year) at this point the 20 minutes or so each of takeoff and landing time require that all electronics get turned off, so paper comes in handy at those points.
As for self-publishing… I like the authors I like. If they stopped publishing through a publishing company and self-published all of their remaining works, I wouldn’t bat an eye buying from the authors directly. Used to be, publishers were gatekeepers to the bookstore market… now they are gatekeepers in a world with fewer and fewer fences. From here on out, “major” publishers are becoming more and more irrelevant… if they want to survive, they could carve out a niche as a bush league, places to develop undiscovered talent, before they move on to the major leagues of self publishing. (I believe this to be true of both books and music). They can lead, follow or get the hell out of the way, but anything other than leading the way exposes them to increased risk of extinction. The industry’s copyright battles against the most effective marketing tools in existence shows signs of being dying spasms.
Your mileage may vary.