crushedAs of midnight Monday/the very beginning of Tuesday, Amazon has been shipping copies of Discount Armageddon. Consequentially, Barnes & Noble is doing the same thing. I haven't been saying anything because DAW is trying frantically to fix it, and I didn't want to drive sales to the sites which have chosen to release my book early. (I don't blame B&N for reacting when they saw that the book was on sale; they're a business, after all. But it's not helping my stress level any.) Please, please, do not buy my book early. I know it's hard. I know that the urge to have the shiny thing now is strong within us. I've ordered dolls from Japan and Australia, and DVD sets from Canada and the UK, for just this reason. But those things were legitimately released in the regions where I was ordering them, and Discount Armageddon has not been legitimately released anywhere at all. Please wait until March 6th. Don't punish independent bookstores, and local brick and mortar stores, for some computer's hard-to-fix mistake. Please. I am literally begging you here.
It doesn't help that so much of a book's success is measured by their first week. I've basically thrown up every time I thought about my week one numbers (including just now), because these early sales could mean the difference between a series and an accidental duology. It's unlikely—DAW is very loyal, and they stand by me—but it could happen, and I am very much worst-case-scenario girl when I'm this flipped out. So please. Do not buy early. Wait until March 6th.
And then there are the ebooks.
Both Amazon and B&N have put the physical edition of Discount Armageddon on sale, but are still holding the electronic edition for the actual release date. People who receive their physical books early are reaping the benefits of a fortuitous, author-breaking error. People who have to wait for their electronic books are not being denied anything; they're doing what was supposed to happen in the first place. This has not stopped the exciting emails from rolling in. They mostly stopped after the first day, but on that first day, I was called...
...a bitch.
...a whore.
...a cunt.
...stupid.
...greedy.
...ungrateful.
...narcissistic.
All of these were mix-and-match, with "greedy," "bitch," and "cunt" being the most popular. "Greedy bitch" was the most common, followed by "stupid bitch," "greedy cunt," and "stupid whore." One person kindly suggested that sexual violence would be the appropriate response to my forcing Amazon to withhold ebooks. Another offered to slap the stupid out of me. And several stated that they would now be pirating all my books, because I had given up my right to their money (I had a right to their money?).
See, apparently, the ebooks are being withheld because I, personally, am trying to force everyone to buy my preferred format (physical). So sexual threats and relentless abuse are totally acceptable, because it just shows me the error of my ways.
I have nothing to do with the books being available early. I wish they weren't.
I have no control over whether the electronic editions are available early. I'm glad they're not, but it's not because I'm a greedy bitch; it's because I don't want any editions available early.
I am literally sick with stress, and this is not in any way helping. Please, don't buy my books before their actual release date. Please, don't place an order with a site which is offering my books before their actual release date. Please, don't call me horrible names because you can't have what you want the second that you want it.
Please.
(Because it must be said...comment amnesty. I'm already crying hard enough.)
February 24 2012, 07:33:47 UTC 5 years ago
I'm boiling with outrage at the way people treat other people. Stuff like this makes it hard to remember there are good people out there who do and say good things.
I live in New Zealand and there is no local bricks and mortar store where I can buy US books on their release date. Is there a way I can help with sales numbers?
I hugely prefer ebooks for ease of reading and purchase from this part of the world. Is there any best way to buy the ebook that helps you (and my other favourite authors) with their sales numbers? Does buying the ebook help at all?
My only really affordable way to buy paper books is through Book Depository due to their free shipping (or otherwise I'm likely to be be paying more for the shipping than the book and I can't afford that). If I do that on release day, does that help? Because if it does, I can do that.
Can anyone reading this thread answer these questions? I realise Seanan might not be wanting to read the comments or reply to them; a feeling I totally understand. I'd really like to know the answers so I can help authors rather than hinder them, and it's hard to know the best way to do it.
P.S. If you do see this, Seanan, I absolutely love hearing you and everyone else on the Squeecast. I love it.
And more virtual hugs from another total stranger if you would like them.
September 25 2012, 01:05:12 UTC 4 years ago
Honestly, the fact that you care makes all the difference in the world to me.
<3