Good for Mr Mack, it's well deserved. I think you're missing the point JD, I wasn't doubting the popularity of the Trek Fiction line, as I assume others weren't either. The books are still being wrote, money is still (probably just about) being made on their sales which proves there is some popularity about them. What I highlighted and others have commented on, is that it's seemingly less common to buy a Trek book from a bricks and mortar shop. I myself "picked up" all three Cold Equations from the Book Depository and it would be interesting to discover what the percentage of sales are at the moment regarding internet sales vs brick and mortar sales. As a side, that NYT bestsellers list, does that just include sales from North America or does it take global sales into account?
Let's think this through OK? You would rather spend the gas money at $3.60 a gallon there and back and save $80 cents with your member discount instead of paying the 80 cents and getting free shipping worth $2.98 direct to your door and no gas expense? You see where I'm going here? What you are saving in member discount and what you are spending on gas it is likely that you are actually spending more going to the store. Plus if you pre-order it online it arrives usually before the release date. Seems like a no brainer to me! Kevin
^Well, that depends on the distance, doesn't it? If his car gets, say, 20 MPG in the city, then the store would have to be 10 miles away in order for the round trip to expend a full gallon of gas. But he said it was his local store, suggesting something closer. If the store is less than 2.2 miles away, then the gas expense is under 80 cents, and thus the book costs slightly less than it would if purchased online, even with free shipping. And if gas prices fall, it would cost even less. (Not to mention that if it's within a mile or two, you could walk or bike there.) Plus there are other advantages to visiting a brick-and-mortar store -- the opportunity to browse and stumble across interesting books you wouldn't have found otherwise, the enjoyment of the store's ambience, maybe the relationship with its staff if you're a regular, the support for an endangered institution, etc.
I like browsing the bookshelves at Barnes&Noble I've started reading some new scifi books by Ben Bova.His Mars trilogy was well written about living and working on Mars and how exciting Space Exploration can be. The clerks have been really helpful when it comes to finding some of the new Startrek novels or ordering other books that they don't have in their store.I like my local bookstores.
I understand your point. However, trips to B&N are seldom straight-there-and-back, but usually part of a series of stops/errands, so it's hard to say how much gas is used to only go to B&N. And I'm sorry if I left the impression that it's entirely a monetary consideration. I LOVE bookstores. I love browsing through shelves of books, both in bookstores and in libraries (which we usually visit once a week). My wife is the same way, and we've infected our kids with the same affection. Getting us in the actual store can lead to purchases, though sometimes delayed. There have been instances when we look at something in the store, go home, do some research, and then purchase online. (A Rosetta Stone language set, for homeschool purposes, comes to mind.) The store is about 3-4 miles from home, so it's not a pilgrimage. Plus, it's now the only non-used book store in town that isn't a university/textbook store or a religious book store (as far as I can discover, to my shock). The local WalMarts and drug stores don't carry Star Trek books. So, I'm trying to support the B&N store, in hopes it won't close its doors. But by not carrying new Star Trek titles, I don't have that monthly imperative to swing by their store regularly; it becomes more of an irregular stop. Thus, my spending in their store also becomes more irregular.
Try Walmart online. That's where I buy new Star Trek titles now, at 25% or more off and get free shipping to the store. I'm in the store once or twice a month anyway, so . . .
When I asked a B&N employee over the phone if the one new Trek book per store was because of "this thing" between them and S&S, I was told an emphatic "no." They don't even have the courtesy to be truthful to the customer about negotiating over more money. That is not a issue. The nearest B&N is just a few minutes away. Besides, gas is going to get used up either way. There are no more book stores besides B&N. At least around here. I was under the impression that B&N was the only chain of book store that remained in the country. And department stores never sold books here. Walmart used to carry them and that's where I went to buy them, but they stopped carrying them at least eight years ago. B&N is literally it, which is what is so frustrating about this. I've never had to pre-order, which I guess is besides the point here since B&N will not do it for Trek books because of this feud. I've always been able to pretty much walk into a book store and get what I want. You'd think B&N would keep the same amount of books on the shelves during these negotiations, but all this will do is drive people to online. And since I apparently don't buy enough from Amazon right now, I still have to pay S&H. Which makes that book $13 for now. And I'm not a part of the B&N membership and probably won't be after this because why bother if it's going to be such a hassle to even locate the book that I want?
B&N's corporate offices are notorious about not communicating information to their store-level employees. It's more likely the bookseller you spoke to had no knowledge of B&N employing any 'tactics' (like reducing the quantity of orders) during their negotiations with S&S and hadn't heard of the situation until you asked about it.
No, not the only one, though maybe the only nationwide one. There's also Books-A-Million, which has a couple of hundred stores in the south, northeast, and midwest US and is the second-largest surviving bookstore chain. In my part of the country, there's a local chain called Joseph-Beth Booksellers that has four big stores in Ohio and Kentucky -- although it used to have more stores and has weathered a bankruptcy filing in recent years. I'm sure there are others holding on as well.
Your part of the country? What part of the country are you from? I'm originally from central Kentucky and have shopped the Lexington Joseph Beths many times. You wouldn't happen to be another country boy would you? - Byron
I'm from Cincinnati. In fact, when the Cincy Joseph-Beth store first opened, I lived just a couple of blocks away from it. I'm a few miles farther away now. Oh, and the J-B publicity guy has talked to me about the possibility of arranging a signing event for me and other regional SF/fantasy authors at the Lexington store. Nothing solid yet, but hopefully it'll come together before long.
Too funny. I lived in Georgetown and worked at the Toyota plant there before transferring to Indiana 15 years ago. I was just down the road from you. Of course, I didn't know anything of you then... Keep us informed if you head to Lexington. I could always plan a trip in to visit Mom & Dad. I'd love to get you to sign a book. Well, how do you sign an ebook? - Byron
Okay, personal crisis over.. for now. First location again did not have Devil's Bargain (despite the computer implying that they did), but they were actually able to call a second nearby location and found a copy. And I was able to pick it up the same day I finished Allegiance in Exile. I almost had to start reading a non-Trek book! Fair enough, but doesn't seem very fair to the employees.
One idea (that I'm shameless stealing from... I believe Terri Osborne) is to simply make a binder of printed cover images.
Actually, I did that first. Terri then nicked the idea and ran with it. Cover on one side of a white unlined index card, marketing copy and/or contact details on the back.
^So that is OK then. I've had that idea before, but wasn't sure if it would be considered OK. Although if I did it, it would probably be on a sheet of regular white paper or photo paper so I could frame it.
This. I was really just kidding with my question. I think what I would do would be to have the author sign a blank sheet, scan it, and then insert it in any of their books that I had. - Byron
A little OT, but I went into a "Books-a-Million" for the first time today. They have "Star Wars" titles separated out at the end of SF, but "Trek" books are integrated in with the other SF by author's name. WTF is that all about? It's "Franchise Discrimination", I tell you.