Monday, January 18, 2010

Delayed eBook Release - The Swan Thieves

The Swan Thieves: A NovelA big controversy is heating up in the ebook market - delayed ebook releases by the publishers, who say that low priced ebooks are cutting into the high-margin hardcover profits. Big publishers today keep shooting themselves in the foot these days, and frankly, I'm pretty content to sit back and watch them collapse. In cases like this, I smack my forehead and think, why? Let's use Elizabeth Kostova's The Swan Thieves as an example. I see a blurb on this book and go, "Ooh, that sounds interesting!" I have not read The Historian yet, but The Swan Thieves sounds like it's right up my alley (I love art history). So I amble my way over to the Sony eBookstore and my search comes up empty. Hrmm, that's weird, I thought it was out already. Well, yes and no. The publisher is delaying the ebook release for three months, so more people will buy it in hardcover.

Here's where I have a problem: I would never have bought this book in hardcover. I don't buy any hardcovers actually, unless they are used or on the bargain table. The one thing I love about ebooks is that I can buy a book that's out in hardcover, for about the same price as a trade paperback. I'll even pay a little bit more of a premium on one if I don't want to wait til the price drops to $9.99 (I did this recently for Karen Marie Moning's Dreamfever, and if you've read this series you'd too pay the extra $3 to have it a few days sooner). But now I'm stuck. I refuse to purchase this book now, because I want to make a point. Usually in circumstances like these, I'll email the publisher stating my thoughts, and pointing out that I bought the book used (no profit for them) or skipped it all together. I've never gotten a return email.

Now, a group of people have tried a different tactic - they are leaving one star reviews on amazon.com expressing their displeasure (article here). I'm torn on this tactic. On one hand, people use amazon reviews heavily to decide whether to read a book or not (I recommend using a site like GoodReads instead), not to mention that it also affects the author, not just the publisher. On the other hand, I can see this as being very effective, considering the clout that amazon reviews have and the amount of press it's getting.

So what do I do while publishers get their act together? Read something else! I picked up The Historian at a book sale last week, although I have no idea when I'll get to it. But since I'm in the mood for some art history, I picked up The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century by Edward Dolnick (and it's available in ebook!). I can't think of a good alternate read in historical fiction, so if you think of one post it in the comments!

7 comments:

  1. Sounds pretty good, Jessica. I'm not happy about being treated like the red headed stepchild because I'm picky about my reading delivery method, but at the same time, I have enough on my TBR mountain to keep me busy for years - a three month delay won't kill me. Most of the time I have at least that much delay before I can afford to get the book anyway. Until the publishers see that this tactic doesn't work, I can be patient. Unless it's Dresden Files. THEN - well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty!

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  2. Oh man, if they did that with "Changes," heads would roll! No one comes between me and my Dresden books!

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  3. I agree with this sentiment completely. I rarely buy new books (I usually get them from the library) but since I bought my e-reader just a week ago, I've purchased over a dozen new ebooks from new-to-me authors! The MobileRead forum has several forum topics that have contributed greatly to both my purchases and an ever-growing "wishlist". Delaying a book's e-release is definitely *not* going to influence me to purchase a paper copy.

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  4. My Wal-Mart has it for $5 which really makes me mad because holding hardbacks makes my hand hurt like hell. Now I am pissed and they can keep their darn book. What point are they trying to make at $5 for a hard back but no e-books?

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  5. Publishers are only hurting themselves and the authors they purport to represent with actions like these...

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  6. My problem is that I never bought hardbacks anyway--and if I go to Amazon and find they only have hardback and there's no cheap used copy...I'm very likely to forget about the book ENTIRELY by the time it shows up in ebook or mass market.

    I am not going to write down a title by an author I've never heard of--not and remember to come back and look for it later...

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  7. I must say nice work guys .keep up with your good work. We always look forward to your work.

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