As someone who helps their spouse deal wihth booksotres, I ahve to say that learning how inefficient bookstores are, how little dedication on the highest levels etc has been a huge learning curve.
Want you book to get in a bookstore? Well, first call to find out who the book reader is. Then you learn that that person only comes in the store on alternate Weds., from 2:05 Pm to 3:45 PM.
Call 'em at that time, and eventually, after a six month period of calling, they may not be at lunch or in a meeting. You chit chat and sell them on the books yo represent They cheerfully agree to look over the book(s) you represent. You send them the books.
Six weeks later, as requested, you call back. You ask if they got the books and if their reaction was favorable.
Most of the time the reaction is: Have we spoken about these books? And I don't remember if we spoke, or if I asked you to send me books, or if I read them.
Meanwhile, Amazon takes any and every authors' books. Sells them 24/7, even while we sleep. The delivery to customers is free or very cheap. And we in the book business are treated rather decently, not as an afterthought.
On Saving the St. Mark's Bookshop (From Itself)
As someone who helps their spouse deal wihth booksotres, I ahve to say that learning how inefficient bookstores are, how little dedication on the highest levels etc has been a huge learning curve.
Want you book to get in a bookstore? Well, first call to find out who the book reader is. Then you learn that that person only comes in the store on alternate Weds., from 2:05 Pm to 3:45 PM.
Call 'em at that time, and eventually, after a six month period of calling, they may not be at lunch or in a meeting. You chit chat and sell them on the books yo represent They cheerfully agree to look over the book(s) you represent. You send them the books.
Six weeks later, as requested, you call back. You ask if they got the books and if their reaction was favorable.
Most of the time the reaction is: Have we spoken about these books? And I don't remember if we spoke, or if I asked you to send me books, or if I read them.
Meanwhile, Amazon takes any and every authors' books. Sells them 24/7, even while we sleep. The delivery to customers is free or very cheap. And we in the book business are treated rather decently, not as an afterthought.