Publishers Weekly's Take on U.S. Lawsuit Against Apple and Publishers

In a March 12 post I mentioned the possible lawsuit against Apple and five large publishers by the U.S. Dept. of Justice, with a link to a New York Times article. This week I want to share a fascinating podcast from Publishers Weekly with you about that lawsuit, which U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced last week. Amazon is deeply involved/affected by all of this as a major bookseller, as well.

Below is a link to the Publishers Weekly article in their Beyond the Book feature, and podcast:

http://beyondthebookcast.com/pw-041312/

Go to the bottom of the article to click the arrow above 'PW Preview' to get the podcast. The first ten minutes are an interview with PW's Andrew Albanese, in which he discusses the DOJ's case against Apple and five publishers and gives his educated opinion on what it all means, and its implications for Apple, the traditional publishing world, and Amazon. One of Albanese's most interesting conclusions: this lawsuit isn't really about achieving fairness to save consumers money, or about going after the publishing industry (in Albanese's opinion) nearly as much as it is about going after Apple, which the DOJ has been eyeing for a while. (The remainder of the podcast, if you choose to listen, is about PW's current book reviews.)

Enjoy . . .

~ Linda

The Moment Seizing You

Our writing is an immersion into another world, one which we create, be it frightening, fascinating, heartfelt, or otherwise. It often demands more of our attention than we can give it, seizing our sleep and our every waking moment. But, there are times when life seizes us in much the same way. Forcing us to make time for it, to slow down and live it, to enjoy the company of those around us.

Today our critique sister Karlene has been seized by life and isn’t able to drop by and blog for us today. She is healthy herself but is at the side of a loved one who needs her. If you can spare some good thoughts or energy, she and her family could use them about now. You’re in our thoughts Karlene!

Karlene is the author of the outstanding new thriller, Flight For Control available through Jetstar publishing in hardback, paperback, and ebook formats.  

Getting The Reader On The Edge Of Their Seat

No matter what genre you write it is always good to get the reader on the edge of their seat, flipping pages late into the night. But how do we do this? Is there a touch of magic to it, a secret coveted by the bestsellers? Not really. When you get down to it, it's pretty simple. Writing a page turner is all about infusing it with tension. Easier said than done, I know. Allow me to demystify it for you a bit.

The world does not have to be in peril for there to be tension in your novel, nor does anyone's life have to be at stake. Though if that's in there too, that's all well and good. The kind of tension I'm talking about is simpler than that. For young adult writers it can be the girl who is sweating as the boy she's crushing on sits down next to her on the bus. She may start biting her nails, fidgeting with her hair. Her heart will be racing faster, she'll be worried about how she looks, smells, what she wore. The tension could be as simple as will he talk to her before the bus comes to her stop.

To put it another way, a woman is sitting waiting for her husband to come home. When he does she hears the car door slam, followed by the front door, his lunchbox clatters to the counter making a terrible ruckus. He curses as he removes his shoes and throws his keys on the table. Immediately we know something is up and we're wondering what is going to happen. The big tension in the book is what makes people pick it up and take it home. But it's the micro-tension on every page that keeps them reading and will make them buy the next book. Tell me, how do you add tension, conflict, or interest to your writing?

~Heather

Amazon's Arc

Hardball pricing tactics, combined with market dominance, have made Amazon the elephant in the room that no one can avoid talking about any more.

As writers who hope for publishing support, we despair over what Amazon's cut-to-the-bone pricing is doing to many traditional publishers and to critical parts of publishing itself; and at the same time we love the advantages that can be gleaned by working with the behemoth. Now that Amazon's not only the biggest online bookseller for all books and huge venue for indie-published books, but has established its own substantial publishing imprints, it is a player in our world like never before.

Personally, I share the belief that a shakeup was overdue in the traditional publishing industry, but like most people, I sure don't want to see the loss of quality or of opportunity for meaningful editing, distribution, and publicity that are the innards that make publishing good, not only for writers, but for readers.

The past decade, since the tsunami of digital publishing hit, has been a wild ride, and promises to continue to be for a while. Amazon is, of course, key to the tsunami, and there's still no telling exactly how the sea change will leave the beaches it crashes over. What will survive and grow stronger? What will be nothing but beach detritus when the waves recede? There are signs that many of the traditional publishers will not, after all, be detritus. Hooray! I believe that if they maintain a strong competitive presence, we writers and readers will eventually end up with the best of both worlds.  But before we get there, we've still got some serious undertows to deal with. One way of knowing what those might be is to keep up with what's happening with Amazon in the book world.

An article about a current development was published last week in Amazon's home town of Seattle, in the Seattle Times newspaper. Worth a read all the way through, but to summarize what's in the article about recent developments in what I like to call the Amazon Arc of Influence, consider:

• early 2010: Amazon removes 'buy' buttons from MacMillan's titles (see Standoff with publishers section of article). Amazon ended up rescinding that action, but it set the tone for what was to come
• February, 2012: the Independent Publishers Group (IPG) debacle—Amazon pulls 5,000 IPG titles from its sites because IPG won't accept Amazon's pricing terms
• Currently: small publishers are feeling the pinch big-time from Amazon, even more than previously. They can't afford Amazon's pricing demands and those who are dependent on Amazon for the majority of their sales face possible closure

According to the article, Amazon's pricing cut demands to publishers are often made by email, with no personal contact information provided, leaving almost no room for discussion. A lot of the resulting  anger and frustration is coming not only from the impossible bottom line being demanded, but by what is felt as an offensive and overly aggressive attitude from Amazon. And, of course, Amazon does not seem to hesitate to cut off anyone from its distribution network if they don't comply with the pricing cut demands.

Feeling conflicted about all this? Remember, it's good to stay abreast of what's going on in the industry—it may allow you to take advantage of publishing opportunities, or at least tread water while we wait for the waves to recede. If reading the Seattle Times article adds to your angst, be sure to go to the Amazon logo and its parody next to the Standoff with publishers section and play with the logo—move the little orange bar left and right to see how some publishers are venting. :-)

Yet, I believe many new indie-published authors have had good experiences from working through Amazon and other digital publishers/distributors. Are you one of them? Where do you think writers will find their comfort zone in all of this?

~ Linda

"The novel is an event in consciousness. Our aim isn't to copy actuality, but to modify and recreate our sense of it. The novelist is inviting the reader to watch a performance in his own brain."

George Buchanan

 

My brain is a scary place to be. Would you like to join me? Flight For Control, where fiction mirrors truth. 

Happy Easter! 

 

 

Enjoy the Journey and your Holiday Weekend. 

 

XOX Karlene

What To Write

Some say write what you know, others say write what you love, even more say write what sells. Who do you listen to? This is a question I have often pondered and I've written novels for all the reasons above. However, I just finished editing (for the thousandth time) the first novel that I have written about something I feel deeply passionate about. And I've got to tell you, that's the only way to go people. Only when you finish a novel that is written from your heart and soul, can you truly understand the power of such a thing.

Will my readers love it as much as I do? I don't know. But what I do know is that it resonates with something deep in me, something I had to write about and had to share. And there is power in that, so very much power. It is a bit dark, has some violence and difficult subjects, but it is honest and fearless. It is the best thing I have ever written. That right there is worth every moment spent sweating over every word. Sales are lovely and they pay the bills, but that feeling, that's forever.

So I say write what's in your heart. If it sells that's fabulous. If it doesn't, it won't matter because you will have written 'the' book.

~Heather

Coming in May of 2012, To Ride A Púca, a YA (recommended for mature YA and adults) historical fantasy about the last of the druids in ancient Ireland.

Invaders are coming to take what isn't theirs, again.

Neala wants to stand and fight for her homeland, but as one of the last druids, she may be standing alone.

Cover Reveal! TO RIDE A PUCA by Heather McCorkle

I am thrilled to be among the people participating in my wonderful blog partner, Heather's, cover reveal of her new book. Nothing I can say will top what she's put together for all of us, so without further discussion, here it is:

Heather: I'm so excited to share the cover of my young adult historical fantasy novel, To Ride A Púca, with you. I've been waiting for so long to reveal the news and the cover that it's been driving me crazy! This novel is special to me, as many of you know, because it felt like my heart and soul has gone into it. It isn't a part of the channeler series, though it is a tie-in novel as it's about one of Eren's ancestors. This is a stand alone of a very different flavor and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Here is a bit about it:

Invaders are coming to take what isn't theirs, again.

Neala wants to stand and fight for her homeland, but as one of the last druids, she may be standing alone.

Persecuted, hunted down, forced to live in obscurity, the druids have all but given up. Can the determination of a girl who has barely come into her power bring them together? Or, just when she finally finds her place among her kind, will they end up losing a homeland their very magic is tied to?

This novel is intended for mature teens and adults as it contains some difficult subject matter. 

I had to throw that warning in because I had one person who was disturbed by some of the subject matter in The Secret Of Spruce Knoll. To Ride A Púca is a much darker novel than Spruce Knoll and will certainly not be appropriate for some readers. Slavery, oppression, and violent situations are within this novel. It certainly falls under the dark YA catagory. But it is also about hope, love, and belonging. It releases this May! To add this novel to your Goodreads lists click here. To pre-order a signed hardback (to ship at the end of May), click here.

What a gorgeous cover, Heather, and what an exciting prequel to your channeler series. Very cool! Thank you for sharing.

~ Linda