Greetings, folks.
The day I really didn’t want to come has. Ingram has essentially priced everybody out of certain formats of books, and in my case, the 4.25×7 ones are the victims.
Here’s the reality of the situation: the 4.25×7 costs $10-20 more per title to purchase than the 6×9 edition.
People, and rightfully so, just do not want to buy books that expensive without them being a hardback.
So, I will gradually be phasing out the 4.25×7 editions. Series that are already printed in 4.25×7 will continue to be printed in 4.25×7. This will allow collectors to maintain their same trimsize collections.
New series and series that have not yet had 4.25×7 editions made will not be getting them.
Exception: Audrey Greene. She will immediately be stoping 4.25×7 editions. (Sorry. I have too many books planned, and so far, only one has been done in 4.25×7.)
So, what’s going to happen with library distribution?
If readers are going to have to pay out the nose for B&N access, I will at least offer them hardback editions.
I know this is going to disappoint a lot of people, especially those who like having all the same trim size for an author, but the pricing for these books is absolutely NOT sustainable.
Take Playing with Fire for example:
4.25×7 on Barnes and Noble: $26.99
6×9 on Amazon: $14.24
And frankly, I am going to think long and hard about not continuing the 4.25×7 because the trade editions are so much cheaper that each buyer could just buy 2-3 books in 6×9 for every one in 4.25×7.
It literally might be cheaper to just replace the books in 6×9.
Which is why I’ve been pushed to make this change.
But, in good news, hardback editions are coming.
In better news… I have something to show you.
To start the show, there will be a special edition hardback of the Cindercorn books (Playing with Fire, Burn, Baby, Burn, and the Flame Game) coming.
This is a draft edition of the cover to show concept; it’s nowhere near done, but it’s exciting enough that I’m hoping you will forgive me for the super bad news on the mass market trim size front.
Trade hardback editions will be super slow to bring to market, as they’re something we’ll be doing on the side. All hardbacks will be done in 6×9 edition, and POD vendors permitting, I may do a super pricy foiled/etc edition of some books. (The fancy editions would be not distributed to all book sellers, where the less fancy editions would be available at all major retailers.)
So, this is an unfortunate reality… It’s just too expensive to continue Mass Market, and if I’m going to ask that sort of price, I may as well ask for more and give people nice hardback editions instead.
Once again, I’m so terribly sorry about this, but… it’s just not worth the price to put them into market on this trim size.
At least it’s not all bad, right?
Sorry you had to deal with that, but the new pricing is crazy. What are they thinking? Unless it’s let’s price the smaller size so we don’t have to make this size any more. Personally, I like the 6X9’s better. They have a good-sized font and with my “post-cataract and post-retina tear repair surgeries” in both eyes is important.
Honestly, this is why i moved to digital e-ink; I can adjust the size for when my eyes are being particularly naughty.
I so get that. I gave up on the smaller books and just get the larger ones as I like them better. For price and for size.
Thank you Thank you Thank you for any print editions you will put out. I can’t read e editions so I live for the print editions. I also order them for my bookstore and gifts. I am grateful for all your books in any paper kind you choose that I can buy.
Sue Pollington
Hopefully the majority of people that read your books are like me and are just happy to read in whatever form the story comes out
Let’s just say some are and some aren’t and leave it at that lol
I am very grateful for your efforts to publish in print for those of us with vision problems, no matter the size. I’ll continue to purchase the digital versions to support you, but I snap up the print editions as fast as I see they are available and re-read them often.
Obviously you need to do what makes the most sense. I would like to comment that I work with my local library sorting books and working the book sales. People love trade paperbacks. We sell many more of them than mass market books. We get in very few hardcover fantasy and si fi. Perhaps people keep them longer. I am looking forward to anything you write! Regards to the cats. Anne Luree
I sell trade paperbacks through Amazon, and Ingram has idiotic rules.It is what it is what it is.
And yes, people tend to keep their hardbacks. Trades are cheap and meant to be disposable.
Love the Cindercorns trilogy cover 😍
Thanks for the update. I prefer the larger paperbacks, so it’s a “YES” from me. I love, love, love the gorgeous Trilogy. It looks gorgeous xxx
I like the Mass market, but am buying the trade because I can’t afford the smaller books any more. I just want to keep getting your books. I will just keep getting them in trade. They still fit on my book shelves.
😭😭😭😭
However…. Special edition hardbacks make up for it, but ugh. I stopped buying the 6×9 and have almost everything in mass market now.
Ok back to the special hardbacks… when?? And can I order now? Any thoughts on a kickstarter to fund from a cool printer?
Yeah, the price just became SO prohibitively expensive and I have zero chance of gaining back the costs from having the print covers made 🙁
I don’t know when, it’s as time allows. We’re not even done making the spread. And we can POD from a cool printer, it just costs more.
I won’t be doing another kickstarter. It stresses me out way too much.
I love 💕 the Cindercorn cover!
I buy most of my books now digitally but still buy some hardcover books for my “collection” 🥰
Would you or have you ever offered signed books?
This would be something I would be interested in buying!
In the past I have, but I probably won’t moving forward; I’ll probably attend a con every few years, but that’s about it. The kickstarter I did just about killed me mentally/emotionally. (Never ever ever again.)
Huh! And so, once again reality has reached out and slapped me upside the head. It’s an obvious decision to make, but something I’d never have guessed at.
I love all your books and I am currently listening to them again for the 4th time after rediscovering you again on Kobo. I love how your narrators bring the characters to life and I like being able to listen while working on projects. But this post convinced me to bug my niece a paperback copy of Playing With Fire to introduce her to one of my favorite authors! Thank you for all the time and effort and love you put into creating these unique worlds!