Sunday, July 17, 2011

Book In Hand

Most authors remember the thrill of holding their first book in their hand.  The UPS guy delivers that box packed with unmarked, perfectly new and untouched books with your name as the author.  They even smell good.  It was thrilling.

Today my sixth fantasy romance novel, Tiger's Mate, was released in ebook in April and today it came out in paperback.  I'm thrilled to have another one of my books in print and I'll be ordering some copies for myself tomorrow.  My publisher, New Concepts Publishing, is a small, but successful and well-established publisher.  Like most small, independent publishers, you won't find their books in the big stores.  Borders (if they're even in business later this week)  won't set up a signing for my romance novels.  With independent bookstores on the endangered list, it's more and more difficult to find venues to sell my print books.  That used to bother me.

I've grown past my need to see my book gracing the shelves in a bookstore, though I still love that, and come to the realization I make more money off the sales of ebooks.  And I don't need to search across three states to find a bookstore willing to set me up at a table inside the front door. The number of print books I'll sell won't pay my son's college tuition next year but each one is an extra little treat. I hope some people put it on their 'keeper' shelf.

As an author, do you see more of your earnings from ebooks or print?  Do you have a 'keeper' shelf for the books you want to keep and reread over and over again?

11 comments:

Jamie Gibbs said...

I expect that eBooks make independant publishers and their authors a lot more money than print copies, and given the current changing climate, that's a good thing.

As for 'keeper' shelves, I am currently building a shelf of self published and independant published novels (I suppose it's my 'hipster' shelf, hehe). I have been tempted with a 'best of' way of organising, but I prefer my books in height order; anything else makes me feel awkward :P

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations! And yes, most of my sales come from eBooks. I'm all right with that!

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

I have a keeper shelf for the books I love to reread. These are books I learned the hard way never to lend.
I'm not published but I don't think it would bother me to know most o my revenue came from e sales.

Jemi Fraser said...

Congrats!! :)

I do have a keeper shelf .. actually shelves ... okay bookcases. But lately I've bought a ton more ebooks than print books!

The Happy Whisk said...

Congrats on getting that book in your hands. Very cool.

I'm sorry your Borders won't help you. The one we go to just had a local guy there a few weeks back.

Why did yours say no?

Maria Zannini said...

Most of my royalties are from digital.

And I don't care where it comes from as long as I get paid. I'm just mercenary that way. :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I just hope my Borders is still in business this week. I enjoy their coffeeshop. None of the independent stores near me have a cafe to sit and enjoy the atmosphere.
And I agree with you, Maria. I really like getting paid.

Anonymous said...

I give most of my books to Friends Of The Library. They sell them and the proceeds go to the library and other community events.

And I definately make more from ebooks than print books.

The Happy Whisk said...

But if they do stay open, why wouldn't they let you do a signing there? Ours is always so welcoming to that sort of thing.

Yours is not?

Cate Masters said...

Ebooks provide a higher percentage of each sale to authors, so I make more from ebooks also. I suspect that's true for most authors pubbed with epresses.
My husband made me a huge bookcase for all my books. Their presence adds something to a room, like a gathering of friends.

M Pax said...

Haven't yet had the pleasure of my first book in print. Congrats on the new release. :)