I love reading. No secret there, that’s what prompted me to start writing and pursue publication. Living in New Zealand, it used to be difficult to find romance novels and like many others down this end of the world, I started off by reading Harlequin Mills & Boon stories since that was it for choice. Then something happened – I wanted more. I wanted different. I scanned shelves searching for different and discovered a love of paranormal way before it became fashionable. Ghosts, genies, shapeshifters and time-travel. There weren’t that many vampires around at the time.
I discovered Romance Writers of New Zealand and a specialist romance store right here in Auckland. I pounded away on my keyboard and wrote, targeting Mills & Boon like many of my fellow writer friends. I received rejections and realized I didn’t fit. I looked further afield and discovered ebooks. I researched the publishers and purchased some of their ebooks. I purchased more, submitted a story or two to epublishers and found a home.
That’s a brief potted history. I was thinking about the way my book buying has changed. I now purchase loads of ebooks since I’m comfortable ordering online and can get my “different” fix this way. I have a PDA to read my ebooks or use my laptop and don’t have a problem reading from the screen. I don’t hanker for the smell of paper. In fact ebooks are awesome when it comes to storage. What hubby doesn’t know won’t hurt him!
Part of being a writer is keeping up with the market. That’s expensive, and I can’t afford to buy every book I need to read. The library I belong to is very romance-friendly. I was ecstatic last year when I found they’d started to order in a lot of erotic romance. Over the years I’ve seen lots of blogs, articles etc about how people shouldn’t use libraries but should buy books and support authors. I don’t subscribe fully to that wisdom. My local library has copies of most of my books, and I’m happy with this. I mean they’ve purchased them initially so I do get one sale. My books aren’t readily available in New Zealand but readers are able to check out my books from the library and I’m building a local readership. For me, that works. These days lots of peope don’t pick up a book at all, so yes, if having my books in a library encourages people to read I’m all for it.
When I was in Hawaii recently I discovered most of the books I wanted to buy were trade paperback, and at $14 a pop my suitcases weren’t crammed quite as full of books as I’d envisaged before leaving home. I couldn’t afford it. Once I get through my to-read pile I’ll check the ebook sites online because a lot of the books I want are out in this format now. Ebooks are certainly cheaper for me down here in NZ. A mass paperback sells for between $15 – $20 and a trade paperback is around $30 – $35. This makes ebooks for around $8 (with the exchange rate) a much better deal.
I’ve also been known to visit the local secondhand bookshop but they don’t have many recent releases available, apart from Harlequin category books.
My biggest, bestest advice. For those of you who live in New Zealand or Australia I’ve discovered Fishpond (links below). Fishpond is our local version of Amazon and very good value since they’ve started discounting books. I shop there quite often these days.
So where do you buy your books? Have your book buying habits changed over the years like mine?
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September 28th, 2007 at 1:28 pm · Link
Since I’ve got the Borders Member card, I get discount coupons every weekend, so well… you guessed it, I buy my books at Borders. That is unless they don’t bring certain romance novels (mostly mid-list writers), then I buy them through BN.com. Barnes & Nobles only has great specials too, so I tend to order from them. They’re the only ones who have free shipping & handling to Puerto Rico if you order $25 or more.
When it comes to buying books, I never buy trade paperbacks. They’re too expensive at $10 – $16. Why would I pay that much money when I can pay $6.99 – 7.99 for a romance novel? There are so many paranormal romance novels available, that it’s easy to pick ones over others due to price. As a consumer, I live in a tight budget, so it’s important for me to buy as many books as I can while spending the least amount of money.
September 28th, 2007 at 1:47 pm · Link
Tempest – I signed up for a Border’s member card when I was over in Hawaii. I figure I go back now and then and can use it. They had a good buy 4 get 1 free special while I was there, which was great.
I certainly think twice about trade paperbacks, although I do buy the odd one. I know some of the Brava ones come out in mass paperback eventually and I usually wait for those or I wander off to the library.
The price of books these days certainly does nothing to encourage non-readers to change.
It’s also easy to see why lots of mid-list authors and newbies don’t sell-thru and earn out their royalties. They are often great books but the price point doesn’t help.
September 28th, 2007 at 3:55 pm · Link
Shelley, I completely identify. I see all these wonderful books each month and want them ALL! I need both more time and more money. And hey, fishpond looks great. I love Amazon, that’s where I usually buy muy paperback books.
September 28th, 2007 at 3:57 pm · Link
I buy most of my books at Amazon.de. It’s the only way to get English booksthat are not written by Stephen King here.
And since the stores tend to employ really stupid clerks these days, I buy more and more German books via Amazon as well.
I do spend the money for trade paperback or even hardcover with my autobuy authors. I’m too impatient to wait for the mass market or the German paperback (we only have one quality and that’s as good as trade, but cheaper, usually 8-10€). But I’m careful about new books – it takes a strong recommendation and a good month money-wise for me to buy a new author in hardcover.
September 28th, 2007 at 5:00 pm · Link
I live in North America so I have lots of options available to me but I’ve been into the E-books. Like you I targeted Mills and Boon right out of the gate,but I wrote to outside the box for their limited scope. I moved on to greener pastures, and I love being part of the cave with you gals. And E-books, ya a whole lot cheaper than the paperbacks that run about $10 here in Canada.
September 28th, 2007 at 5:55 pm · Link
Red – you’re lucky having Amazon. I’ve done a few orders through them but the postage really ramps up the cost.
Gabriele – I feel your pain. At least you have a German Amazon, which must help. As an unpublished writer we were told to check out new writers, see what editors are buying. I still do this – purchase books of new authors, but they’re more likely to be ebooks. I’ve been pretty lucky and have found some great auto-buy authors this way. I can totally understand why people don’t want to try new authors these days with the cost. A new release by an author you love versus an unknown? Yes, I can identify with the purchasing decision. In these cases the library can help, so you can try out an author for fit before plonking down hard-earned money.
September 28th, 2007 at 5:57 pm · Link
Amy – the funny thing is that I’ve come a full circle. I’ve actually written a book for one of the Harlequin lines. It’s finished and edited but I’m terrified of sending it off. I think I’m going to give it one more read through.
And yes, it’s great in the Cave. Congrats again on your new release. You, too, Red!
September 28th, 2007 at 6:45 pm · Link
My husband and I have to stretch every penny into ten dollars. We pretty much buy only used books, for which my husband has a weakness. We don’t have a credit card, so there’s no buying online for us (we only set up our internet service at home six months ago) and I don’t want to use Pay Pal. Until things change for us in the future, we’re going to have to remain library users (yay, libraries!!) and read up all the used paperbacks we’ve already got, or wait for Christmas and see what Santa brings.
However, when things do improve for us, I could see numerous ebook purchases in my future. I like the edgier stories that are given a chance in the e-publishing world.
September 28th, 2007 at 6:46 pm · Link
I was totally thrilled with the Borders in Auckland – couldn’t believe the choice there was in romance! I kept squealing
My nearest romance bookstore is about an hour’s drive from where I live so I usually shop at Amazon (and grit my teeth at the postage) Thanks for the Fishpond link, will definitely try that.
September 28th, 2007 at 7:38 pm · Link
Julia – I hear you. I absolutely adore my local library and use it a lot for research as well. I like the edgier stories as well. I’m always searching for “different”. It could be my middle name. That’s why I enjoy ebooks so much.
Christina – Fishpond NZ is AWESOME and the Australian one looks much the same. the only thing I can’t get through Fishpond are the newer EC releases. I think that’s because EC don’t use Ingrams but you’ll find just about everything else. They sell DVDs as well so maybe I see Firefly in your future?
September 29th, 2007 at 5:06 am · Link
Shelley, Amazon.de is great. They have a lot of English books in stock to begin with, and the others they’ll get from the UK and US – free of shipping. I wish I could get Swedish and French books as easily.
I’m not fond of ebooks. I spend too much time with my eyes staring at the screen already, so I want to read real books. But if I can find a way to print ebooks (I’m waiting for my new printer) I may buy some.
September 29th, 2007 at 6:53 pm · Link
I’ve fallen in love with ebooks and I REALLY want an ebook reader.
I do like print books too.
My taste has changed but it’s still eclectic.
September 30th, 2007 at 1:29 am · Link
Hehehe Shelley! Yes Firefly is definitely in my future. Especially since I found out there is a certain Nekkid Scene involved – I need this purely for research purposes, you understand??
September 30th, 2007 at 6:38 am · Link
i’m definitely an ebook fan now – having the Palm to read them from made all the difference. But i still need a “flesh and blood” book in my hands every once in awhile. Borders has become my literary stomping ground of choice, though i still pop into Books A Million and Barnes and Noble on occassion so the sales peeps don’t think i don’t love ‘em anymore.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:44 pm · Link
In Australia there is PLR (Public Lending Rights) and ELR (Educational Lending Rights). It was fought for and won by some very tough authors and granted by the Federal Government.
These rights are sent from estimates of lending being carried on by:
PLR – Public Lending Libraries throughout the country, and;
ELR – Educational institutions both primary, intermediate, higher, and tertiary and will also calculate photocopied elements for educational usage.
Zara Penney
October 1st, 2007 at 1:41 am · Link
Rhian – I love my Palm reader too. It’s the perfect size to chuck into my handbag. No more endless waiting around for me. I have a book wherever I go.
Zara – I think we have something similar here in NZ.
October 1st, 2007 at 5:55 am · Link
I’m spoiled. I get most of mine from Chapters, the Candian version of Barnes and Noble. WIth the Canadian dollar the way it is now, I’ll be ordering a lot of my things from Amazon and shipping them here. I’ll actually save money on books for once!
October 1st, 2007 at 12:35 pm · Link
Shelley – Oh, yeah, I have Borders membership card and also their credit card. With the membership card, I get weekly discounts from 20 – 30%. And every time I pay using their credit card I accumulate certain %, so when I have saved $5, they send me coupon worth $5.
As for book sizes, I’ve seen some of my favorite authors going hardcover and trade paperback. Sadly I’ve had dropped them out of my list of “Must Buy” due to the price of their books. IMHO, publishers are doing a disservice to their readers when they put out books on trade paperback size.