[HelenHanson]

If there's already a thread, I couldn't find it.

On the eve of BEA, Amazon announced they'd hired Larry Kirshbaum, of the LJK Literary Agency, to head up a new general trade imprint. They will produce print books, and with Kirshbaum's experience and clout (former CEO & Chairman of TW, now Hachette), he will undoubtedly lure many big-name authors to the Amazon table.

Here's my post about it. There's likely to be a million more.

http://www.helenhanson.com/amazon/the-big-six-or-seven-publishers/

 

[Ryne Billings]

This sounds like good news to me.

Without a single print title ready to hawk, rumors swell that indie booksellers are planning to boycott the newest Amazon imprint. Joe Konrath laments this development, but personally, I think the Amazon juggernaut will be impossible to shun. Everybody wants to play poker with whoever has the most cash. Adding Kirshbaum to the Amazon ranks provides the literary gravitas that will draw much bigger names to the Amazon tent. But genteel veneers aside, I expect a bare knuckle brawl for business.

Definitely got a point there. How do you shun that?

 

[HelenHanson]

While it famously crashed recently, most people don't know that Amazon has one of the largest computer server hosting platforms around.  They don't make the majority of their revenue from books. 

 

[Michelle Muto]

Call me naïve, but I really don't understand why some indie bookstores would boycott authors for going with Amazon. There's no reason why they can't get books from Amazon just like they do small presses and some of the Big Six. Can someone explain?

 

[jnfr]

When Amazon began selling books online, without paying sales tax in most cases, and with deep discounting, it set off an earthquake among bookstores. That was long before ebooks. Many have never forgiven them, and can't imagine being in partnership with them.

 

[Terrence OBrien]

As sales of paper books decrease and Borders folds, independent booksellers are going to reduce their own sales to hurt one division of the world's biggest online retailer?

 

[yomamma]

I believe the article said that his focus was going to be on non-fiction and literary. Since most folks here write genre, I don't know how much it'll affect us...yet.

 

[jackz4000]

I believe the article said that his focus was going to be on non-fiction and literary. Since most folks here write genre, I don't know how much it'll affect us...yet.

Bookstores have always had the option to buy and stock a title or not. If for some misplaced reason they want to ban an AMZ imprint, they can do that. The logic is really flawed and makes no sense, but some like to rant.

 

[Paul Clayton]

I believe the article said that his focus was going to be on non-fiction and literary. Since most folks here write genre, I don't know how much it'll affect us...yet.

Literary and non-fiction... hmmm. I wonder if they're look at what's in Create Space for possible candidates? (rubs hands eagerly...)

 

[RobertMarda]

Thank you for posting this!

I read your blog and the one you referenced on Joe Konrath's blog.

Very interesting that people would react by boycotting.

 

[HelenHanson]

Very interesting that people would react by boycotting.

I think people are scared, frustrated, and bewildered. Change is never a friend to all . . .

 

[David 'Half-Orc' Dalglish]

*jumps up and down waving his email address at Amazon*

Stilllll ready to sell ouuuut over here....

 

[HelenHanson]

*jumps up and down waving his email address at Amazon*

Stilllll ready to sell ouuuut over here....

This.

And some of us stalk change

 

[bjm]

Good news. Go get 'em.

 

[BrianKittrell]

*jumps up and down waving his email address at Amazon*

Stilllll ready to sell ouuuut over here....

LOL!

 

[MH Sargent]

*jumps up and down waving his email address at Amazon*

Stilllll ready to sell ouuuut over here....

This.