Just on your laudable point of driving to a shop to buy a book, when The Bruno Cookbook I wrote was published in Europe in a German edition, in Switzerland, Germany and Austria it sold over 125,000 in hardback just in its first year. This was greatly due to the fact that undercutting book prices, as Amazon does, is not permitted in those countries due to national fixed book price laws. This means bookshops (all independent) must each compete for a buyer's custom. So they run Meet The Author evenings of book readings accompanied by content-related entertainment - music or (in the case of a cookbook) feasting and dancing. They make going out to a bookshop an alternative to going to the movies or theatre or a restaurant. For anyone who doesn't want to support the hugely wealthy and restrictive Amazon, Bookshop.org in the US and Bookshop.UK are online bookselling platforms that support independent bookshops by directing online book sales to them. Both shops and authors better survive from works being sold at full cover price.
I became very lazy when it came to ordering books online; the temptation that they would arrive the following day was often too great. But Waterstones opened not far from me recently, and the buzz people seemed to get, including me, of simply looking through the shelves, discovering more books and being asked by an assistant Can I help/What are you looking for was a delightful surprise. Perhaps as a country, we should do the same as others, by not undercutting book prices. We have a lot to learn. Congratulations on your book sales. That's an amazing result.
The European book sales were so very much due to the efforts bookshops must make to secure custom. If we could get out from under the Amazon yoke, we'd all benefit. Those two online options that drive sales to independents are useful for anyone who finds it easier to order online and is prepared to wait a bit for a delivery.
It also doesn't help that we have become a slightly impatient society, wanting everything at the flick of a switch or, in this case, the press of a button.
Good advice Lynn. I thought that the other day and quickly backed everything up.
What a fun roundup, Lynn! And yes, a real life bookstore is so much nicer than online!
There is nothing better then holding a real book in my hands while standing in a bookstore surrounded by stacks of others.
Lynn, I have Noise. Would you like me to send it to you? less noise for me…
Ahh thank you so much for the mention, lovely! 🥰
And thank you for the reminder to do the backup - I keep meaning to and it sounds like the glitch is happening more often lately.
Just on your laudable point of driving to a shop to buy a book, when The Bruno Cookbook I wrote was published in Europe in a German edition, in Switzerland, Germany and Austria it sold over 125,000 in hardback just in its first year. This was greatly due to the fact that undercutting book prices, as Amazon does, is not permitted in those countries due to national fixed book price laws. This means bookshops (all independent) must each compete for a buyer's custom. So they run Meet The Author evenings of book readings accompanied by content-related entertainment - music or (in the case of a cookbook) feasting and dancing. They make going out to a bookshop an alternative to going to the movies or theatre or a restaurant. For anyone who doesn't want to support the hugely wealthy and restrictive Amazon, Bookshop.org in the US and Bookshop.UK are online bookselling platforms that support independent bookshops by directing online book sales to them. Both shops and authors better survive from works being sold at full cover price.
I became very lazy when it came to ordering books online; the temptation that they would arrive the following day was often too great. But Waterstones opened not far from me recently, and the buzz people seemed to get, including me, of simply looking through the shelves, discovering more books and being asked by an assistant Can I help/What are you looking for was a delightful surprise. Perhaps as a country, we should do the same as others, by not undercutting book prices. We have a lot to learn. Congratulations on your book sales. That's an amazing result.
The European book sales were so very much due to the efforts bookshops must make to secure custom. If we could get out from under the Amazon yoke, we'd all benefit. Those two online options that drive sales to independents are useful for anyone who finds it easier to order online and is prepared to wait a bit for a delivery.
It also doesn't help that we have become a slightly impatient society, wanting everything at the flick of a switch or, in this case, the press of a button.