bookpublishing

So a certain publisher I know quite well is publishing the first Michelle Obama and the first Cindy McCain biographies. To hit the market early, the Globe Pequot Press decided to release both books as Kindle e-books prior to their paperback releases in November. Seems like a good idea to me: GPP beats any other publishers working on Obama/McCain books, they get out there before the election, and they hit the e-book craze while also profiting from the hot topics revolving around the election.

Of course, booksellers might not be so pleased that GPP is offering Amazon exclusive content. In August, Barnes & Noble canceled their 10,000 order of Obama’s Challenge because it was offered as an e-book prior to the paperback’s release in order to punish the publisher. That was a rough blow and could be devastating for GPP if B&N follows that same example. No word yet on B&N’s response.

One independent bookseller, however, has already complained. Jane Jacobs, buyer for Porter Square books in Cambridge, Mass., reacted to yesterday’s news from GPP:

Jacobs said she ordered paperback editions of both books, and was informed that the one shipped after the election would be that of the winning candidate’s wife. “That was a strange enough decision in itself,” she said. “But I made it and ordered 12 each.” Now that she knows Amazon will sell both books as Kindle e-books two months before she would have one of them in her store, she has cancelled her order. “I feel like I have been cheated,” Jacobs said.

Sorry, Jane… but you’re kind of a whiner. Don’t get me wrong–I understand that the indies are having one hell of a time dealing with the many discriminations they face in the industry. It is really tough to be an independent bookseller these days. But, I don’t think Porter Square books’ decision is going to have any effect on publishers who want broader access via Kindle and Sony Reader e-book opportunities. So GPP loses out on a whole $180–less even considering the profit after the cost of manufacturing and distributing the paperback copies. GPP should expect to make a whole lot more than that on the sale of the Kindle versions of these books, despite the fact that this decision is clearly not a money-making venture. Porter Square Books actually did the Globe Pequot Press a big favor by helping them make industry news two days in a row.

Of course, all that I just said would be completely irrelevant if B&N decided to cancel their order for either book. But the fact is that this marketing strategy by leading publishers is not going to end despite B&N’s boycotting threats. Tough though since there doesn’t appear to be any good solution for booksellers (who aren’t Amazon). Right now it’s not a big effect, I imagine, since most Kindle owners are pretty hard-core book lovers who still want a paperback copy. The number of Kindle owners who will choose to buy these Obama/McCain bios in e-book version instead of paperback I imagine is very limited in Porter Square Books’s market. But hey… boycott all you like! I am curious to see how it all plays out.

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