[From the Archive] Support Your Writers

Merry Christmas Eve – I totally meant to do this yesterday, but goobered. However, I have a couple of bits of news to share on top of this…

January 14, 2012 – I will be participating in a new Comic Book show – The North Texas Comic Book Show. This is their 2nd event. I’m their first non-comic book author/dealer. I’m new territory for them. The show is at the Arlington Hilton on Lamar near 360 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and features Sam de la Rosa.

4 Star Stories.com will be featuring my story Knock Down, Drag Out this quarter – it should go live sometime today. I’m story #2. I’ll get a direct link when it does goes live.

And now for the archive post — which is about the 2010 Amazon/MacMillian Kerfuffle, but echoes the newer kerfuffles going on with Amazon…
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As the Amazon/Macmillan trauma is winding down, and yet still getting started, it’s time to see some other aspects of this situation. The economic impact comes to mind, as I head out for my second convention in two weeks.

Many readers failed to grasp the economic impact in the war between Amazon and Macmillan isn’t just two corporations going at each other. This personally impacts many of the authors you know and love. When Amazon took the “buy” buttons off the print and ebook copies of Macmillan’s titles, it affected the sales of every author in that house. Now many of the top tier and bottom tier authors won’t be affected by this. Who will be affected most dramatically are those authors known as “Midlist” and these are probably the authors you know and love. They’re the heart, the soul, and the backbone of these companies. They’re also the ones deemed “expendable”. They sell enough to be profitable, so they’re not losses to be deducted from taxes – but they’re not so stellar that they’re untouchable.

And as with any corporate institution, in six months, this war will be forgotten by Macmillan and Amazon. When the accountants go to look at the numbers, all they’ll see are sales dips and won’t care why. Some of these authors will not have their next book picked up – hopefully it’s not in a series you were reading and stuck somewhere in the middle.

Why do I bring this up? If you like an author – and have the means – please continue to buy books wherever you can. I’m pushing my limits to attend to conventions in two weeks to promote new work (as well as old) because – as a writer – I’m all I have. Most of the writers you like that are about to feel the effects of last week probably also have day jobs – like I do. But it’s never enough.
We all appreciate the solidarity and support the fans, organizations, and other writers have given the Macmillan authors in this time of crisis – but remember, this is just a battle in the war. The other publishers may have this happen to them as well. No writer is out of the woods – whether it’s a Big Name Author, Midlist, Small Press, or Independent – when one company is hurt, we’re all hurt. Please help us continue to tell stories the same way you’d help disaster victims. With your wallets. Buy books.

Tags: 4 Star Stories, Amazon, Archive, North Texas Comic Book Show