originally posted by Andy
Inquiring minds want to know. This is on a related note, more or less.
I've seen some of the chatter on this board back and forth about Janny's adventures in getting TK published, as well as ongoing negoiations/announcements about future contracts for future installments of the series. I guess my question is what is the scoop on why TK is not being picked up universally by all major book chains in the U.S. as the other volumes were. (I was working in a B&N back in . . . 1994? when Curse first came out, and I distinctly remember the huge (and very enjoyable) SoM coming out in about 1995.) Is it a result of going with a small publisher like MM? Is there some collusive, shadowy conspiracy (kind of like the Necromancers) out there laughing maniacally and plotting the downfall of the independent author or publisher?
I went to my local Borders in Auburn Hills, Mich. last Friday to buy a copy of Curse of the Mistwraith for a friend, because I wanted her to hopefully enjoy the book as I had. Much to my surprise, there were no copies of the book on the shelf. This from a store that usually stocks 1-3 copies of each book in a series by a successful author like Janny. Moreover, there were no copies of Ships, Warhost, or GC. There was 1 copy of FP and 1 copy of GC, both mass market. I was in a hurry, so I did not ask anyone at the store whether this lack of inventory was by design, but from my experience, unless there has been an unexpected run on back issues of the series, I suspect the store has set its inventory for the mass markets at zero. What gives?
Andy - Curse of the Mistwraith is currently out of print in the US (but not in the UK). The other missing titles, I'm not sure, at this stage. I haven't received a response to my queries.
There is no conspiracy - simply stuff. Harper Collins underwent a merger with Avon - in the subsequent firing of all of HC's editorial dept, but for one, who was on maternity leave, both Ships and Warhost went out of stock. No one noticed. By the time I realized, the new staff had to be incited to act - and by the time all that happened, eight months had passed by. The "auto reorder" by chains goes by computer sales - and eight months out of stock/no sales caused the titles to "fall off" the auto reorder list.
To get back on, readers would have to go to shops, ask to have the book special ordered, buy it - in enough quantities nationwide, to re-trigger the internal numbers.
Just about the time this would have happened - Ace merged with Roc, and reordered personnel, and Curse of the Mistwraith, a ten year backlisted title, fell OP - and changes in policy dictated no reprint from above the wishes of the SF/Fantasy editorial department.
Just stuff - corporate shifts, during times when titles need steady numbers to withstand the shocks of change.
Meisha Merlin IS Stephe Pagel, who WAS the B&N national buyer for SF/Fantasy during the heydey you remember. He knows his titles. He'd have seen the out of stock signal and manually changed the auto reorder tag…but this took hours of his weekend time, to stay current with the field, and few of today's employees Have that time to spend.
Stephe's company is an independent publisher. It is extremely arduous for a company of this size to grow the step into national distribution - he is doing it. He does not have the clout of a major corporation - nor the depth of pocket to print 1/3 more numbers of books to "saturate" the shelves…therefore, it takes time for the established bookshop protocol to take notice. It will take unparalleled reader support. I feel my series has it - but the "expectation" that all will be as it was with HarperCollins or Roc needs to be shaken out.
The advantage: you'll have the books, in quality packaging, out in timely manner (last time notwithstanding, a lot has been ironed out since then) and handled and kept in print by a company that knows what it has and will keep it available.
The people who made Curse of the Mistwraith and Ships of Merior so easily available in 1995 are all gone. I found no new blood to replace them. Readers unilaterally are not buying books in the numbers they used to for a whole lot of reasons. Corporate publishing expects a whole lot more profit per title than they used to - for a whole lot of reasons.
Not necessarily bad reasons – just stuff.
I believe in the intergrity of the story I am writing and am doing the best that I can to deliver it to readers in the best way I can find. The system is going through a "phase" which makes it hard to hold the profile of what is considered "commercial" upon ground that is constantly changing.
What gives? Hard numbers. Reader demand strong enough to overwrite the "system"
Curse of the Mistwraith will eventually be reissued in the USA. I do not have a date, yet. The current performance of Hell's Chasm's trade paperback will have to carry the "system" here, meantime. Reader demand for Traitor's Knot NOW will determine the future for Stormed Fortress's availability. Computer numbers mean TODAY's picture is the one examined - ten years ago is off the edge of the scale. Two years ago is off the edge…invisible.
I've said it before: buy what you love. Tell friends and support by word of mouth. Or what you love may just not be there when you mosey in to check…computer numbers gives this industry instant feedback - and instant is what is used to determine what will be on the shelf NOW. A book may be in print, but a store will not shelve it unless they move copies. And if they don't shelve it, they won't know they aren't moving copies if readers do not special order those copies that are listed, but not there for impulse buy.
Curse of the Mistwraith is in reprint in the UK and can be had from Amazon.co.uk. Eventually it will be out in the USA - meantime, it can be found used. Starting a new reader in this series now - takes a bit more effort, but is critically helpful in keeping this series moving during this shift.
The fact Ace's seniormost editor was "forbidden" to reprint Curse of the Mistwraith last year by a newly formed "reprint committee" higher up is a shock I am still surmounting…it's caused a lag that was not in any way anticipated - but will be ironed out, longterm.
I place my care and belief in the fact that a quality story will hold its own, no matter the setbacks and fluctuations. Admittedly, yes, the times have been easier - but - Traitor's Knot is out there, To Ride Hell's Chasm's trade paperback is in the shops NOW in the USA - that's significant, and a victory - at this moment, opportunity is open to who knows how many inquiring minds? It's a chance to override the system, every minute of every day.
I DO believe that the cream rises. I place my effort in quality and integrity - keeping the same values in EVERY book I write, regardless of what other pressures come to bear. Trends and cycles notwithstanding - I place the strength of my own trust there.
It's a highly competitive industry - and there is the fact. It's the numbers you do today, and that question is one that is moving ever more rapidly into the instant.
If you want the "historical" take on how the industry evolved the way it has - look into that downloadable interview I did with the Curious Mind radio show with Jana Oliver.
originally posted by Mark Timmony
Hi Andy,
Just so you know (and anyone else whose interested) I work at Galaxy Bookshop in Sydney. We specialize in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror genre books ONLY.
Naturally as a huge fan of Janny's I make sure we have EVERY book of hers that's in print! 
We have a website and do international mail order also (as some members on the forum can atest to) so if you're looking for anything you can't find check us out at www.galaxybooks.com.au
Regards, Mark.
P.S. While our web catalogue is extensive if you can't find what you're looking for you can email me your enquiries at (email removed)
originally posted by Andy
Janny,
As usual, you've outdone yourself in your response. Thanks for taking the time to put together a fairly extensive response. It is this kind of devotion and dedication, not to mention a great piece of writing, that keeps your readers so well-fed and cared for. I'm going to redouble my efforts to spread the word to friends about this awesome series. Thanks again.
Andy
Mark - thanks so very much for providing this information.
Andy - you're welcome, and thanks for your caring.
originally posted by Anchovy
Janny
What are your views on Amazon? I have to admit to buying most of the books that I look out for (that would be yours then) there - there's only one dedicated SF bookshop in London (Forbidden Planet) (Murder One used to be brilliant but has stopped doing SF) - and FP seems to concentrate more on comics/TV+Film tieins - and also plays the most appalling music *way* too loud…
Even the big Waterstones/Borders shops don't have particularly good SF sections…
I know the only way to get this changed is to pester them - but I wonder if the whole SF market isn't going to move to specialist internet suppliers sooner or later!
Thoughts?
P.S. Anyone in London - please support the Fantasy Centre on the Holloway Road - the best second hand bookshop I've ever seen…
I do not live in the UK, and so, I don't actually KNOW what you face - but I have heard frustration from the publishing end, that the "distributors" are not well supporting their efforts…that there is in fact a gap of frustration, between what's produced, and what's supported on the shelves for consumers.
The consumer IS the final line. If you fail to push for what you want, that gap cannot be reconciled.
Online sales may help this - but where will you browse for new material??? And how will new readers find things they haven't read before? This is the interesting question that must be "solved" - and how readers handle it - there lies the future.
originally posted by max
If any one is looking for copies of books in the US, there are copies of lots of stuff [used] at Powells city of books in Portland, Oregon. and also saw some old copies [at least 5 of them] at the bookstore in the outlet mall of Seaside, Oregon. I can look up Phone numbers if you are interested.
originally posted by Anchovy
I guess I'm in the lucky position that I can afford to buy books without actually seeing them in my hands - so I have been known to buy books recommended in the "people who bought the book you are just buying also bought" section…which is as likely to get to something i'll like as random browsing!
I think my biggest frustration at the moment is that you can't buy "single" books anymore - everything is the "first in a stunning new trilogy" etc. Don't get me wrong - I love WoLaS and wouldn't miss the rest of the series for the world…but there are a lot of authors whose books I see and end up thinking that they'd have been better with the story over 2 books rather than 3.
originally posted by Trys
Amazon also has a 'Search Inside the Book' feature that publishers can use to have a number of pages from the beginning of the book included on Amazon's site. When this is done searches done on Amazon will actually use the text of the book.
Trys
originally posted by Neil
I buy more and more on line simply because I can usually find what I'm looking for…Fantasy fiction is not "main stream"…and, yes, even in London you see the same books/authors in each shop…
However, browsing in shops/second hand shops for books means you stumble on books/authors you had forgotten about…the internet cannot find you stuff you have forgotten (yet…)
The forbidden planet has for many years (before the internet took off) been the place to find stuff in London…I often bought US imports to read books that had not yet been published in the UK.
I shall try to find the "Fantasy Centre" on the Holloway Road…been living in London since september…still finding my way aroud…
originally posted by Anchovy
see
(link removed)
Just make sure you are not in a rush - and do make time to talk to the owner - what he doesn't know about SF+F probably isn't worth knowing!
originally posted by Lyssabits
Although it may be harder to "browse" on Amazon, I actually find it a lot easier, like a previous poster said, to be reminded of old favorites. I read so many books at my public library when I was a kid, and Amazon is the only place that has allowed me to track some of these old books down, either because they've been reissued but the bookstores don't carry them in large enough numbers for me to ever find them, or because people sell their used books there.
Also Amazon's recommendations have been shockingly good for me. From time to time I'll browse through books they recommend and buy some random selection of books and hope I get lucky. Nearly every one of these fishing expeditions has born fruit. In one case, I found an author who had something like 8 books out, but I'd only purchased the first book, in case it flopped. It turned out to be addictive and I tried to get the next one from a store, I was jonsing so badly for the next one I couldn't wait for shipping. I went to 4 stores and they carried a couple of copies of the book I already had and the latest of the series, but none of the middle titles.
Probably the best part about Amazon that cannot be argued is its unlimited shelf space. There are so many books competing for space in the brick and mortar stores, they really can't afford to devote much space to non-best selling authors or to books that are several years old, still in print, but never were stellar sellers. I'm so happy that there's a way for me to find these old books without having to comb all the used book stores on the penninsula. That's not to say that I don't still frequent these stores. Know Knew Books and Another Change of Hobbit have been vital to my quest for books I read long ago and would like to read again… but it was Amazon that came to my rescue in my completely nerdy and anal quest to find a hardcover edition of Curse of the Mistwraith. I scoured every used bookstore I came across and always faithfully checked for reissues or forgotten copies that ended up in the bargain bins at the big chains. And I was looking only a couple of years after the thing came out
originally posted by Trys
I'm now using Amazon to identify SF/F books to buy and then going to Clarkesworld.com to buy 'em, thereby supporting an independent businessman.