In my email news bag this morning, thanks to Query Tracker, I was able to see the national list of Borders stores on the hatchet list for closure. Thank goodness, none were listed within the state of Maine. In truth, I don't know how many Borders Bookstores are located in Maine. I do know the one in Bangor is a treasure. It would be such a loss to have that one close. I have also heard wonderful things about the Borders Bookstore located in San Diego, CA. That one wasn't on the list either. The closest one to San Diego on the list is in El Cajon. Too bad. El Cajon needs as many places of literature and art as businesses will bring into the area.
****
Another piece of Internet news this morning was that the state of Texas decided to go after Amazon for $270 MILLION in taxes. It seems Amazon.com's distribution center has been located in Austin, Texas. Perhaps it should be noted that the state of Texas does not have a state income tax. For sure it should be noted that it was also reported that Amazon is moving its distribution center OUT of the state of Texas.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
WHAT HAPPENS TO WRITERS WHEN MAJOR BOOKSTORES GO BUST
From today's email came this missive from Josuha Bodwell, President of Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance (MWPA). As a writer trying to get that first publisher book, the news about Borders is pretty devastating. Are we all doomed to write only for e-books and Amazon.con?
***
HELLO ALL,
As I drove to Bangor earlier this week (the MWPA is co-sponsoring the Bangor Book Festival in October!), I listened to the radio squawk news of the pending Borders bankruptcy. The news made me cringe at the thought of how many small presses, publishers, and therefore writers would lose their hard earned dollars.
Later in the week, Publisher’s Weekly put numbers to how much Borders owes:
“Publishers are on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars led by Penguin Group (USA), which is owed $41.1 million, followed by Hachette at $36.9 million, Simon & Schuster at $33.8 million, Random House at $33.5 million, and HarperCollins at $25.8 million.”
The trickle-down effect of these losses—if in fact these publishers are not paid back by Borders—could have a serious impact on authors and writers hoping to be published—I don’t think devastating is too strong a word.
Then I came upon this other headline in Publisher’s Weekly: “Bookstore Sales Fell 1.4% in 2010.” An ominous tone?
Well, I was surprised to read the story and find that total bookstore sales equaled $16.50 billion in 2010. Billion. That could hardly be considered bad news, right?
Out of curiosity, I did a little research and found that 2010’s annual movie ticket sales totaled $10.65 billion—about $6 billion less than 2010’s bookstore sales. Pretty interesting, ay?
Wouldn’t conventional wisdom have us believe that far more people go see movies than read books today? I mean, aren’t we inundated with pundits bemoaning the death of books and reading? Well, this news about bookstore sales figures made me think of my favorite line in the book Freakanomics: “Conventional wisdom is often wrong.”
I was buoyed by the bookstore sales figures. And I hope you are, too. We know that things in the book business are changing. And quickly. But beyond that, very little can be assumed. So let’s keep faith, okay?
In the meantime: buy local.
***
HELLO ALL,
As I drove to Bangor earlier this week (the MWPA is co-sponsoring the Bangor Book Festival in October!), I listened to the radio squawk news of the pending Borders bankruptcy. The news made me cringe at the thought of how many small presses, publishers, and therefore writers would lose their hard earned dollars.
Later in the week, Publisher’s Weekly put numbers to how much Borders owes:
“Publishers are on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars led by Penguin Group (USA), which is owed $41.1 million, followed by Hachette at $36.9 million, Simon & Schuster at $33.8 million, Random House at $33.5 million, and HarperCollins at $25.8 million.”
The trickle-down effect of these losses—if in fact these publishers are not paid back by Borders—could have a serious impact on authors and writers hoping to be published—I don’t think devastating is too strong a word.
Then I came upon this other headline in Publisher’s Weekly: “Bookstore Sales Fell 1.4% in 2010.” An ominous tone?
Well, I was surprised to read the story and find that total bookstore sales equaled $16.50 billion in 2010. Billion. That could hardly be considered bad news, right?
Out of curiosity, I did a little research and found that 2010’s annual movie ticket sales totaled $10.65 billion—about $6 billion less than 2010’s bookstore sales. Pretty interesting, ay?
Wouldn’t conventional wisdom have us believe that far more people go see movies than read books today? I mean, aren’t we inundated with pundits bemoaning the death of books and reading? Well, this news about bookstore sales figures made me think of my favorite line in the book Freakanomics: “Conventional wisdom is often wrong.”
I was buoyed by the bookstore sales figures. And I hope you are, too. We know that things in the book business are changing. And quickly. But beyond that, very little can be assumed. So let’s keep faith, okay?
In the meantime: buy local.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
JANET CHAPMAN BOOK SIGNING AT BORDERS BOOKSTORE
Janet Chapman, Romance writer, conducted a reading and book signing at the Bangor, Maine, Borders bookstore last Saturday, January 29. She had fans showing up from as far away as Presque Isle, Maine and New Hampshire - long drives for all, especially during this winter when the daytime high temperatures have hovered at 20 degrees.
Janet, who lives in one of the small communities outside Bangor, was at first unbelieving that the people were there just for her - thinking they must have been in the store and just stopped by the table on the second floor that the Borders' staff had set up for her. NO, those people made it quite clear, they were there for her. Good thing she wasn't scheduled before 3pm. The people from New Hampshire must have started out very early or driven up the day before. and Presque Isle isn't much closer.
Darn good thing Borders decided to have some of Janet's books sent overnight via Federal Express.
On the other hand, the Borders' staff have always been more than supportive of the Writers Group this writer belongs to. And they never complain if we want to carry our coffee (from their cafe) with us as we roam the bookstacks, or need help finding a reference book. It's practically a personal library with snacks, WiFi and comfortable chairs - and heat. No small benefit this winter here in the too-much-snowy north.
Janet, who lives in one of the small communities outside Bangor, was at first unbelieving that the people were there just for her - thinking they must have been in the store and just stopped by the table on the second floor that the Borders' staff had set up for her. NO, those people made it quite clear, they were there for her. Good thing she wasn't scheduled before 3pm. The people from New Hampshire must have started out very early or driven up the day before. and Presque Isle isn't much closer.
Darn good thing Borders decided to have some of Janet's books sent overnight via Federal Express.
On the other hand, the Borders' staff have always been more than supportive of the Writers Group this writer belongs to. And they never complain if we want to carry our coffee (from their cafe) with us as we roam the bookstacks, or need help finding a reference book. It's practically a personal library with snacks, WiFi and comfortable chairs - and heat. No small benefit this winter here in the too-much-snowy north.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
