Anna Simpson, a member of IWSG, wrote a post about another publisher biting the dust. She's feeling some of the same frustration I went through last year when two of my three publishers closed. Stop by and give her some encouragement. It's a tough business.
Peace flourishes when reason rules. American Proverb
Wednesday is International Day of Peace. If the above proverb is true, it makes sense that there is so little peace in the world because there certainly is little reason. Some days I feel like there is a viral infection spreading across the globe. It causes the loss of common sense, human decency and any sense of compassion for others."Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." H.G. Wells
Don't forget that Thursday, the 22nd, is the Autumnal Equinox. The days are really getting short and fall will be here for real.
"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." George Santayana
Went to a street craft show in local town with my daughter. It was a lot of fun though the two of us mostly looked. We each only bought one thing. The two of us have become real conservative in our purchasing of 'things.' Except for books. We always buy books.
And I need to add a happy thought today. Books!
What do you think of Amazon's stores? Do you own any Amazon electronics? Do you think peace will overtake Earth on Wednesday? Have any of your publishers closed recently? Is there a 'thing' you buy whenever you can like I do with books?
41 comments:
Had no idea Amazon was opening up physical stores. Wow.
Also, that street craft show sounds awesome. Glad you and your daughter were able to enjoy browsing it together!
I still think it's crazy they are opening stores. I'm still not buying a Kindle.
You got that right there is so little reason now. Everyone seems so screwed up anymore.
I remember Anna's post. It's sad when we lose publishers.
I'm going to Pin that Minion meme right now.
I wish peace would take over Wednesday along with reason. Wouldn't that be a treat!
As for Amazon, I do buy from them and I own a kindle (which I admittedly enjoy quite a bit) but from my perspective it almost seems like they planned this all from the beginning: outprice everyone else until they're gone, then step in and take over.
It would be nice to see peace inbtge world, but its not coming soon I fear. How tun with the street fair. I like to look at the stuff there, but rarely buy anything. I do like to buy a lot of ebooks it seems.
Betty
Who took a picture of my TBR pile?! :o
Other than books, I don't buy many "things." I do like office supplies though. :)
The craft show was fun, strolling arm in arm and noting again how alike our tastes are.
I do love my Kindle but if I could have an iPad at that same price I would. I know you're an Apple guy.
It seems there's a publisher disappearing nearly every week. It is sad. I know you like all things Minion.
I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon did have such a plan. And it's working. I love my Kindle too.
I like looking at craft fairs also. Even though so much stuff is really cool or even useful, I don't like to fill my house with clutter so I refrain from buying.
I love those office supplies too but alas, ink pens last a long time and I seldom need anything. Darn!
Hi Susan - Amazon it seems is creepy crawling right over all of us for everything - I'd like to avoid them ... but would find it difficult ... especially at the moment.
Wonderful snippets in here ... jelly brains - so many out there.
World Peace Day - wish we could have it ... cheers Hilary
Surprisingly, I don't have an Amazon device, at least not yet.
re: reviews
This doesn't surprise me at all. When I want to get opinions on something before I buy it I always check Amazon. They seem less likely to be dominated by the 'friends and family' reviews.
Yep, common sense is about as common as aliens walking the streets these days. So peace is a long ways off, if ever. Amazon continues to rule all it seems.
As a friend of mine once wrote in a Christmas card, "Peace on earth (and broccoli on Mars.)" As long as we humans takes stands that "my way is the only way" there will be conflict. If we can learn to love diversity and accept differences only then will we have a chance at peace.
Amazon's kind of a double edged sword. They do have a lot of great deals, and I'll admit, if I want to buy anything, I just check out Amazon reviews. Not only are they (most often) brutally honest, but they're high in number.
It's sad, though, when small businesses (and small publishers) have to close as a result of that.
It makes sense that most people pay attention to Amazon reviews since they're the biggest market. And 2016 does seem to be a bad year for common sense. Just look at who's running for president...
It's unnerving that one company can have so much impact. Wonder when that will change? We have a chainstore in Canada called Chapters. They're responsible, in part, to the closure of many independent bookstores. Makes me feel sad. So, I've decided to focus on the positive. Life is good, I am grateful. Off to visit Anna.
Didn't know they had opened any stores. Must only be in the States. I do own a Kindle which I love even though it was one of the first.
Jelly brains ... I'm going to remember to use that one. What fun to explain if someone asks what I mean.
I actually check it more for videos than I do for books. I always try to read 5 star and 1 star to get a feel.
Maybe like Independence Day, we need the aliens to invade to bring us together.
So very well said. There is so little tolerance for any one different in appearance or beliefs.
Like most writers, Amazon is where the sales happen. We're trapped in the jaws of the monster.
Yeah, we don't have to look far for examples, unfortunately. It's kind of scary.
I've heard that Kobo sells more ebooks in Canada than Amazon. Don't know if that's true. Amazon makes so much of their money selling things other than books.
It is only in the States so far. I love my Kindle too.
As a Masters in Publishing student, Publishing is NOT dead, so don't despair. Pundits will shake the screen as much as they can to make the news sound urgent, but, while publishers are reshaping the WAY they do business, business is FAR from closing down. :) There's room for everyone out there!
I'm encouraged by Ariel's comment. I'm sure publishers have been caught napping and are yet to embrace the new paradigm of publishing. No Amazon stores in Oz. And I, too, always buy books. :-)
I hear you with the viral infection. I've become very insecure relating to to where all this "lack of human decency" is going to end up. There seems to be a complete lack of caring for others. But then I have to remind myself that the bad stuff is what make news. The genuine, kind and caring things that occur, well, we just don't hear about them.
I don't own a Kindle, rather read an old fashioned book or paperback.
Great interesting post to read Sysan.
Yvonne.
I've had to curb my enthusiasm for book buying but, of course, have not stopped entirely. I just ordered two more books from....you guessed it....amazon.com.
I still will never own or use a Kindle, but there's nothing stopping Amazon, is there!
I suppose if they do have more stores, with even some books, it will hopefully get some kids into reading... One can only hope:)
I've got a kindle... I suppose though, my Amazon addiction is the effortlessness of the whole thing. I sit at home, order it, and it shows up at my house. I can't see being interested in a physical store. If I am going to a store, I am going to choose an independent bookstore.
Ooh! I forgot all about the equinox.
We have a bunch of Kindle Fires at our house, but my wife and I are the only ones who actually use them to read books! I doubt if Amazon will ever open a store in the Detroit area. That's okay, I'd rather stop by a locally owned bookstore anyway.
I can't believe that today is the first day of Fall. Bummer. I feel like summer just got away from. Again.
I have a Kindle that I rarely use. I usually end up using my table instead.
I so rely on Amazon for books that I kind of forget it stocks everything else in the world, too, so it's not that surprising the store wouldn't hold books. Sounds like it will just be another version of the Apple store.
It would be good if people used reason more instead of being zealous about things that cause divisions and fighting.
Being in publishing, I know exactly what Amazon has done recently to put many of the small publishers out of business. And unfortunately it is getting worse not better.
Peace may not have overtaken the earth, but that doesn't mean we stop hoping, praying, and most of all, working for it.
What I enjoy about Amazon reviews is that there's often (for what I'm looking at anyway), people who will post and other who will answer, questions. That's helpful to me.
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