Seattle indie bookstore snubs Amazon-published author

[Doug Pardee]

The Seattle Mystery Bookshop has refused to host an author signing because that author is now being published by Amazon's new Thomas & Mercer imprint.

We cannot do anything to support, help or benefit Amazon. They're the enemy of independent bookshops and aiding them in any way - mainly ordering their books and selling them and promoting them - would be suicide. Things are tough enough without cutting our own throats. ...

I don't doubt that they're doing good things for you authors. It is fully within their interest to do so. ...

Neither of us will change our minds. I'm the owner of the Bailey Brothers Building and Loan. You are working for Mr. Potter. And Mr. Potter is always buying.

ref: http://seattlemysteryblog.typepad.com/s ... dding.html

[Mira]

Wow.

They are calling Amazon, Mr. Potter??

What do they call the Big Six publishers? I guess it's different if the monopolitic capitalist is in your corner and making YOU money.

Anyway, Amazon isn't the enemy. E-books are their enemy. If Amazon hadn't come on the scene, it would have been Apple or someone else. E-books will replace paper books, and it's not something a bookstore can change simply by refusing to allow an author a signing. Not even if all the bookstores in the whole world gathered together and agreed not to host author signings, which is probably their hope. All they are doing right now is alientating authors and missing out on book sales.

On the other hand, I do feel for them. They are in a painful position and it is likely to get worse.

[Holly]

I have a writer friend who feels like this bookstore does... but it's just plain goofy.

Sorry, little bookstore, but I'll bet Amazon carries every single book on your shelves. It's too late. Society has morphed out of your control.

I bought a Kindle today so I can proofread my ebook (evil laugh).