For all you authors self-published or published by small independent publishers, who are wondering why Barnes and Noble bookstores don't put your print book on their shelves, here's the (probable) reason. It is a little-known secret that we feel is necessary to expose and explain.
Our goal in doing so, in part, is to help put a stop to all the naysayers who claim that print-on-demand books are inferior and come from self-published authors who do a poor job of publishing their own books, or from publishers who are just out to scam authors. This claim of course is not true of all self-published authors or all independent publishers.
Some authors go to great lengths to make their books the best they can be. They hire professional editors and cover artists to package their manuscript in a printed format that is both pleasing and worthy of reading. The same holds true for many independent publishers. (And by 'independent' we mean publishers who are not a huge corporate entity like Random House for instance.) But there are vanity and subsidy publishers who charge all their authors for publishing services, with plans to make money entirely off the authors instead of sales of the books to readers.
That IS NOT how legitimate publishers operate. Any small publisher can be legitimate by choosing books to publish they consider well-written and marketable. These publishers might not have the force of a huge corporation behind them, but they are nevertheless legitimate publishers who will publish your book at their expense and do what they can to help sell your book in exchange for a percentage of earnings from those sales. You just have to look carefully to make sure you find one of these legitimate publishers that is suitable to handle your book.
Now, back to the Barnes and Noble question. (By the way, this information is available on the bookseller's web site, but we are broadcasting the major points to answer this question for the benefit of authors everywhere.) It is a complicated explanation, so bear with us...
CORPORATE WAREHOUSING. Barnes and Noble warehouses all the books that can be ordered by their individual bookstores. B&N Corporate chooses which books to warehouse from the 'books in print' catalog that comes out every 180 days, or approximately every six months. Books get into the 'books in print' catalog by being assigned an ISBN and having the 'metadata' for the book (ISBN, title, author, cover image, retail price, etc.) sent to the ISBN gatekeeper, Bowker. A self-published author can either purchase an ISBN from Bowker or use an ISBN furnished by a self-service book printer like Lulu or Createspace. Depending on when the book becomes available in print and when the 'books in print' catalog comes out, it could take up to six months for a book to end up in the 'books in print' catalog.
BOOKLAND BARCODE. Barnes and Noble requires a 'Bookland' barcode on the book that is a UPC barcode for the ISBN plus the retail price of the book. If the retail price is not included on the barcode, then the book will not be considered for B&N's warehousing. Specific print-on-demand printers like Createspace DO NOT give the option of including the retail price in the barcode. In this case, B&N suggests the publisher go to a barcode provider and get stickers printed with the ISBN plus retail price, to be affixed to books before they will be ordered by B&N for warehousing.
STORE RETURNS. Barnes and Noble requires that the publisher or whatever distributor the publisher uses accept returns in case books ordered by bookstores do not sell within a given period of time. The books are then sent back to the publisher/distributor at the expense of the publisher/distributor. In the case of large publishers, books are remaindered (destroyed). Because POD printing is predicated on the idea that the book shall not be put into printed form until the book is ordered (paid for), printers like Createspace do not accept returns. If a publisher wanted to be able to accept returns, the publisher would then have to become his own distributor and order a short run of books to be available for ordering. In that case, the publisher would have to warehouse his own POD books IN CASE they might get ordered by B&N for warehousing - which totally defeats the purpose of POD and the impact on the environment. So, if you use a self-service printer like Lulu or Createspace, you're going to have to order your own books, pay for shipping, warehouse your books, then hope they get ordered by B&N - with the understanding there's no guarantee they ever will get ordered.
QUALITY CHECK. Last but not least, Barnes and Noble requires a catalog from each publisher who wants to be considered a 'vendor of record' - a book distributor where B&N can order books for their central warehouse. For individual self-published books, B&N Corporate will consider books on an individual basis. If they don't meet all the criteria above, plus pass B&N's idea of minimum quality, they won't be accepted for warehousing.
There are some various other requirements, but these are the major ones that stop most small publishers and self-publishers from getting their books onto Barnes and Noble bookstore shelves. This of course does not keep the books from being sold through B&N's online retail bookstore. But it does keep them off the already overcrowded shelves of physical bookstores.
Deciding to absorb all the expense and headaches involved in trying to get a book onto the shelf of a Barnes and Noble bookstore suddenly doesn't look like a winning proposition. Instead it looks like a recipe for losing money quickly.
And that, author friends, is why your book isn't on a bookstore shelf.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
America's Galactic Foreign Legion Book 3 now available
Walter Knight’s America’s Galactic Foreign Legion – Book 3: Silent Invasion is now available in multi-format ebook at Smashwords… http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/21148
and now available in print... direct from the printer
and now available on Amazon in print... Amazon
and now available on Amazon in Kindle ebook... Kindle
and now available in print... direct from the printer
and now available on Amazon in print... Amazon
and now available on Amazon in Kindle ebook... Kindle
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Blood and Sunlight now available
Blood and Sunlight: A Maryland Vampire Story by Jamie Wasserman is now available in ebook ... https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/20511
Melanie would love to believe in fairytales but is stuck in a dead-end waitress job in her hometown, Ellicott City, Maryland, with a vampire dress-up boyfriend. Her world is turned upside-down when she encounters the real thing. She meets a wannabe vampire slayer, his father the sheriff, and finally the vampire himself, learning fairytales can come true, and evil isn't always where you'd expect.
Blood and Sunlight: A Maryland Vampire Story by Jamie Wasserman is now available in print ... https://www.createspace.com/3473254
Also available in print and ebook Kindle at Amazon. Coming soon to additional online retailers like Barnes and Noble!
Melanie would love to believe in fairytales but is stuck in a dead-end waitress job in her hometown, Ellicott City, Maryland, with a vampire dress-up boyfriend. Her world is turned upside-down when she encounters the real thing. She meets a wannabe vampire slayer, his father the sheriff, and finally the vampire himself, learning fairytales can come true, and evil isn't always where you'd expect.
Blood and Sunlight: A Maryland Vampire Story by Jamie Wasserman is now available in print ... https://www.createspace.com/3473254
Also available in print and ebook Kindle at Amazon. Coming soon to additional online retailers like Barnes and Noble!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
INTERVIEW - author David Berardelli
Official Apex Reviews Interview with David Berardelli, author of Stepping Out Of My Grave
APEX: Thanks for joining us for this interview, David. We're looking forward to sharing more about your book and other efforts with our readers.
DB: Thank you.
APEX: What inspired you to craft such an engaging, heartrending tale?
DB: Like all my books, it just came to me one day. I saw the image of a guy climbing out of a grave and just took it from there. (I can't help it. I've been seeing strange things for years.)
APEX: Given the fact that he suddenly finds himself a ghost, is it difficult for Jake to make the transition into the spiritual realm?
DB: Of course it is. He's a go-getter--a businessman who ran his own software company. He's always had things to do and lived a busy, fast-paced life. Now that he's standing in his own grave and life as he knows it is gone, he's got to face something he's never faced before. He's dead, all alone, and has no idea what to do. But even so, his mind is working just as it always has, and he finds that he's got to do something. He can't just stand there forever.
APEX: Your reviewer commended you for bringing the issue of child abuse to the forefront in the book. Was it difficult for you to broach such a sensitive topic?
DB: Yes, for the simple reason that I had a very happy childhood. My parents were always there for my brother and me as we were growing up, and we always did things as a family. But this was during the fifties, when the family unit still existed. The most frightening memories I have of those days are when we heard our parents downstairs in the kitchen, arguing. I was always terrified they'd split up, but of course that never happened. But it made me wonder how different things would have been if they had split up. I knew several kids from broken homes and even those my age all seemed much older than I was. They also seemed angry all the time. I felt bad for them because they never had the same chances I did.
APEX: You also touch on a host of other issues throughout the course of the tale. How did you ultimately decide upon the specific topics that you chose to address in the book?
DB: Actually, the decision wasn't exactly mine. My characters let me know what they intend to do as the story comes out. I have no idea what's going to happen once I start writing. For me, writing a book is like sitting in the back seat while a couple of strangers drive me somewhere. I just close my eyes and let them take me there. They've never let me down yet. (Hopefully, they never will.)
APEX: What kinds of responses have you gotten to the book thus far?
DB: I've only received a few comments, but they've all been favorable.
APEX: Is there a central message that you'd like readers to take away from the story?
DB: I want my stories to be fun to read and I always try to inject as much humor as possible into them. I'm generally a die-hard optimist who likes to see a happy ending in everything. I also believe in life after death, and that nothing good ever really dies.
APEX: How has your publishing experience been thus far with Penumbra Publishing?
DB: Positive and helpful in all aspects. Pat Morrison and the people at Penumbra are very nice and extremely professional, and I hope to work with them again very soon.
APEX: You are quite the prolific author. Please share more with our readers about your other writings.
DB: I've been living in my head since I can remember. I was writing full-length novels when I was fifteen. My two novels, STALKERS and HIDDEN PREY, were published about fifteen years ago as ebooks when I was writing suspense. My novel, THE APPRENTICE, is another "guardian angel" story, although very different from GRAVE. It was inspired by an incident that happened to me years ago, when I was living in southeastern Ohio. WAGON DRIVER is a doomsday story taking place in this country just a few decades from now, when lethal injection, used to control overpopulation, goes amok. I self-published my detective spoof, FUNNY DETECTIVE, which is available through Amazon. I might turn it into a series if it ever catches on. I've also written a trilogy titled DEMON CHASER, about two recently dead people who escape Hell and are pursued by demons here, in America. These books are, in my humble opinion, my most humorous. I will gladly turn it into a longer series as well if my readers want to see more.
APEX: What are your long-term writing/publishing aspirations?
DB: Right now I'm presently working on four books and have several more waiting in the earlier stages. These are books I wrote years ago. I'm fine-tuning them now as I continue to learn and improve my craft.
APEX: How can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
DB: I'm presently maintaining two sites: http://www.writersownwords.com/daemons/ and http://www.davesdemons.weebly.com
APEX: How can they contact you directly?
DB: davesbad1@yahoo.com or: davesbad1@earthlink.net
APEX: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
DB: I'd like to thank you for your terrific review.
APEX: Thanks again, David, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
DB: Thank you, too.
APEX: Thanks for joining us for this interview, David. We're looking forward to sharing more about your book and other efforts with our readers.
DB: Thank you.
APEX: What inspired you to craft such an engaging, heartrending tale?
DB: Like all my books, it just came to me one day. I saw the image of a guy climbing out of a grave and just took it from there. (I can't help it. I've been seeing strange things for years.)
APEX: Given the fact that he suddenly finds himself a ghost, is it difficult for Jake to make the transition into the spiritual realm?
DB: Of course it is. He's a go-getter--a businessman who ran his own software company. He's always had things to do and lived a busy, fast-paced life. Now that he's standing in his own grave and life as he knows it is gone, he's got to face something he's never faced before. He's dead, all alone, and has no idea what to do. But even so, his mind is working just as it always has, and he finds that he's got to do something. He can't just stand there forever.
APEX: Your reviewer commended you for bringing the issue of child abuse to the forefront in the book. Was it difficult for you to broach such a sensitive topic?
DB: Yes, for the simple reason that I had a very happy childhood. My parents were always there for my brother and me as we were growing up, and we always did things as a family. But this was during the fifties, when the family unit still existed. The most frightening memories I have of those days are when we heard our parents downstairs in the kitchen, arguing. I was always terrified they'd split up, but of course that never happened. But it made me wonder how different things would have been if they had split up. I knew several kids from broken homes and even those my age all seemed much older than I was. They also seemed angry all the time. I felt bad for them because they never had the same chances I did.
APEX: You also touch on a host of other issues throughout the course of the tale. How did you ultimately decide upon the specific topics that you chose to address in the book?
DB: Actually, the decision wasn't exactly mine. My characters let me know what they intend to do as the story comes out. I have no idea what's going to happen once I start writing. For me, writing a book is like sitting in the back seat while a couple of strangers drive me somewhere. I just close my eyes and let them take me there. They've never let me down yet. (Hopefully, they never will.)
APEX: What kinds of responses have you gotten to the book thus far?
DB: I've only received a few comments, but they've all been favorable.
APEX: Is there a central message that you'd like readers to take away from the story?
DB: I want my stories to be fun to read and I always try to inject as much humor as possible into them. I'm generally a die-hard optimist who likes to see a happy ending in everything. I also believe in life after death, and that nothing good ever really dies.
APEX: How has your publishing experience been thus far with Penumbra Publishing?
DB: Positive and helpful in all aspects. Pat Morrison and the people at Penumbra are very nice and extremely professional, and I hope to work with them again very soon.
APEX: You are quite the prolific author. Please share more with our readers about your other writings.
DB: I've been living in my head since I can remember. I was writing full-length novels when I was fifteen. My two novels, STALKERS and HIDDEN PREY, were published about fifteen years ago as ebooks when I was writing suspense. My novel, THE APPRENTICE, is another "guardian angel" story, although very different from GRAVE. It was inspired by an incident that happened to me years ago, when I was living in southeastern Ohio. WAGON DRIVER is a doomsday story taking place in this country just a few decades from now, when lethal injection, used to control overpopulation, goes amok. I self-published my detective spoof, FUNNY DETECTIVE, which is available through Amazon. I might turn it into a series if it ever catches on. I've also written a trilogy titled DEMON CHASER, about two recently dead people who escape Hell and are pursued by demons here, in America. These books are, in my humble opinion, my most humorous. I will gladly turn it into a longer series as well if my readers want to see more.
APEX: What are your long-term writing/publishing aspirations?
DB: Right now I'm presently working on four books and have several more waiting in the earlier stages. These are books I wrote years ago. I'm fine-tuning them now as I continue to learn and improve my craft.
APEX: How can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
DB: I'm presently maintaining two sites: http://www.writersownwords.com/daemons/ and http://www.davesdemons.weebly.com
APEX: How can they contact you directly?
DB: davesbad1@yahoo.com or: davesbad1@earthlink.net
APEX: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
DB: I'd like to thank you for your terrific review.
APEX: Thanks again, David, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
DB: Thank you, too.
$2.00 OFF All Our Books Direct From Printer
Who doesn't like to save money on books?
Now for a limited time get great summer reading by ordering our books direct from the printer with a $2.00 discount on each title!
Pick out the title you like, click the URL, and use this discount code...
2AP9MA2V
...to purchase! Buy more than one book by adding to your shopping cart at the printer's web site, with secure online purchasing using your credit card!
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 1: Feeling Lucky, by Walter Knight
(Humorous Sci-Fi Military Adventure)
https://www.createspace.com/3420721
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 2: Reenlistment, by Walter Knight
(Humorous Sci-Fi Military Adventure)
https://www.createspace.com/3444673
Angel's Oracle, by Gary Bolick
(Southern Literary/Historical)
https://www.createspace.com/3438793
Crystal Clear: Storm Ryder, by Dana Warryck
(Science-Fiction Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3398252
Dominatrix-Online.com - Mistress Blackheart: Policeman's Prerogative, by Dallas White
(Humorous Contemporary Erotic Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3366258
Heart of Steele, by Kessa Stranberg
(Contemporary Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3423734
Last Flight Home, by Robert Wetherall
(Corporate Aeronautics Saga)
https://www.createspace.com/3458074
Lucifer's Last Lover, by Dana Warryck
(Supernatural/Paranormal Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3397778
Parallel Triangle, by Sandy Hyatt-James
(Science-Fiction Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3469024
Pixie, by Willa Kaye Danes
(Fairy Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3404255
Stepping Out of My Grave, by David Berardelli
(Paranormal Ghost Suspense)
https://www.createspace.com/3431470
Talk of the Town, by Lucille Naroian
(Contemporary Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3449774
The Cat's Fancy, by Gwynn E. Ambrose
(Contemporary Humorous Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3448117
The Protectorate: Patriarch, by Dana Warryck
(Vampire/Paranormal Erotic Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3397731
The Realms of Beliar: The Sword Myndarit, by Andrew Arrowsmith
(Epic Fantasy)
https://www.createspace.com/3456785
Unforgettable, by Lucille Naroian
(Contemporary Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3408911
Now for a limited time get great summer reading by ordering our books direct from the printer with a $2.00 discount on each title!
Pick out the title you like, click the URL, and use this discount code...
2AP9MA2V
...to purchase! Buy more than one book by adding to your shopping cart at the printer's web site, with secure online purchasing using your credit card!
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 1: Feeling Lucky, by Walter Knight
(Humorous Sci-Fi Military Adventure)
https://www.createspace.com/3420721
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 2: Reenlistment, by Walter Knight
(Humorous Sci-Fi Military Adventure)
https://www.createspace.com/3444673
Angel's Oracle, by Gary Bolick
(Southern Literary/Historical)
https://www.createspace.com/3438793
Crystal Clear: Storm Ryder, by Dana Warryck
(Science-Fiction Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3398252
Dominatrix-Online.com - Mistress Blackheart: Policeman's Prerogative, by Dallas White
(Humorous Contemporary Erotic Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3366258
Heart of Steele, by Kessa Stranberg
(Contemporary Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3423734
Last Flight Home, by Robert Wetherall
(Corporate Aeronautics Saga)
https://www.createspace.com/3458074
Lucifer's Last Lover, by Dana Warryck
(Supernatural/Paranormal Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3397778
Parallel Triangle, by Sandy Hyatt-James
(Science-Fiction Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3469024
Pixie, by Willa Kaye Danes
(Fairy Fantasy Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3404255
Stepping Out of My Grave, by David Berardelli
(Paranormal Ghost Suspense)
https://www.createspace.com/3431470
Talk of the Town, by Lucille Naroian
(Contemporary Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3449774
The Cat's Fancy, by Gwynn E. Ambrose
(Contemporary Humorous Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3448117
The Protectorate: Patriarch, by Dana Warryck
(Vampire/Paranormal Erotic Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3397731
The Realms of Beliar: The Sword Myndarit, by Andrew Arrowsmith
(Epic Fantasy)
https://www.createspace.com/3456785
Unforgettable, by Lucille Naroian
(Contemporary Romance)
https://www.createspace.com/3408911
Saturday, July 24, 2010
REVIEW: Stepping Out of My Grave
www.apexreviews.net
Stepping Out Of My Grave
David Berardelli
ISBN: 9781935563174
Penumbra Publishing
Reviewed By Chelsea Perry
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 5/5 stars
While taking an innocent trip to the mailbox one day, Jake Mild’s existence is turned completely upside down: after being struck down by an out-of-control truck, he awakens – in spirit form – in an open grave. Unsure of what to do next, Jake begins to rush home – but on the way he crosses paths with Sierra, a young girl with a black eye, busted lip, and other signs of being beaten. Deciding to follow her home instead, Jake soon explores the depths of his surprising new spiritual powers – but will they be enough to help an innocent little girl in desperate need of protection…?
Stepping Out Of My Grave is an engaging, heartrending tale. Skillfully crafted by author David Berardelli, the paranormal suspense thriller/compelling human interest story tackles a range of different topics, chief among them the devastating effects of child abuse. Unfortunately, most – if not all – kids like Sierra don’t have the benefit of a “guardian angel” such as Jake to watch over and protect them from harm, but at the very least, Stepping Out Of My Grave successfully pushes the issue of abuse to the forefront, encouraging readers not to turn a blind eye if they – like Jake – happen to cross paths with a hapless bruised and battered child one day.
An entertaining mix of drama, action, and well-honed suspense, Stepping Out Of My Grave is a highly gratifying read. Kudos to Berardelli for crafting such a rewarding tale of the “better angels” of our nature.
Stepping Out Of My Grave
David Berardelli
ISBN: 9781935563174
Penumbra Publishing
Reviewed By Chelsea Perry
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 5/5 stars
While taking an innocent trip to the mailbox one day, Jake Mild’s existence is turned completely upside down: after being struck down by an out-of-control truck, he awakens – in spirit form – in an open grave. Unsure of what to do next, Jake begins to rush home – but on the way he crosses paths with Sierra, a young girl with a black eye, busted lip, and other signs of being beaten. Deciding to follow her home instead, Jake soon explores the depths of his surprising new spiritual powers – but will they be enough to help an innocent little girl in desperate need of protection…?
Stepping Out Of My Grave is an engaging, heartrending tale. Skillfully crafted by author David Berardelli, the paranormal suspense thriller/compelling human interest story tackles a range of different topics, chief among them the devastating effects of child abuse. Unfortunately, most – if not all – kids like Sierra don’t have the benefit of a “guardian angel” such as Jake to watch over and protect them from harm, but at the very least, Stepping Out Of My Grave successfully pushes the issue of abuse to the forefront, encouraging readers not to turn a blind eye if they – like Jake – happen to cross paths with a hapless bruised and battered child one day.
An entertaining mix of drama, action, and well-honed suspense, Stepping Out Of My Grave is a highly gratifying read. Kudos to Berardelli for crafting such a rewarding tale of the “better angels” of our nature.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Kindle Sales
Amazon.com reports that Kindle sales through July 2010 are triple Kindle sales for all of 2009. In the last three months Amazon Kindle sales surpased hard cover sales at a 143 to 100 ratio. And, the price of the Amazon Kindle eReader has dropped from $259 to $189.
This means a Merry Christmas for small publisher and their authors. I sincerely hope everyone gets an Amazon eReader for Christmas this year because finally small publishers can compete on an even playing field with the large publishers.
Large publishers can easily get their books on brick & mortar book store shelves by agreeing to take back all unsold copies, creating a monoply for a select few publishing houses. Small publishers cannot take back unsold books because their books are print on demand (POD), and so are locked out of large market book stores.
But with Kindle, both large and small publishers compete on equal footing because everyone shops at the same place online, and prices are competetive. Move over big dogs from New York City. Kindle is the future.
I have noticed Kindle sales of my America's Galactic Foreign Legion series increase quite a bit, a pleasent surprise I did not see coming.
Merry Christmas,
Walter Knight
This means a Merry Christmas for small publisher and their authors. I sincerely hope everyone gets an Amazon eReader for Christmas this year because finally small publishers can compete on an even playing field with the large publishers.
Large publishers can easily get their books on brick & mortar book store shelves by agreeing to take back all unsold copies, creating a monoply for a select few publishing houses. Small publishers cannot take back unsold books because their books are print on demand (POD), and so are locked out of large market book stores.
But with Kindle, both large and small publishers compete on equal footing because everyone shops at the same place online, and prices are competetive. Move over big dogs from New York City. Kindle is the future.
I have noticed Kindle sales of my America's Galactic Foreign Legion series increase quite a bit, a pleasent surprise I did not see coming.
Merry Christmas,
Walter Knight
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