Kelly asked, "I'm curious if you have any insight into how POD books are really perceived by book store managers and others "in the know" in the publishing world. I once had a book store manager tell me that she would not allow POD authors to hold signings in her store.

Isn't this realted to prejudice in general. People are judged by their weight, their color, their relgion, whether or not they smoke. Books are judge by their cover, the press they are printed on and if a typo is found within its pages.
As the major publishers use POD presses--and they are doing that more and more,by the way--there will be less prejudice about them. And POD should not be confused with subsidy publish. Everyone is doing that. POD just means the book is printed on a press that doesn't require miniumum runs to make them profitable. So, on a POD press, a printer can run off one copy or thousands.

Now, about those bookstores. There is a wonderful book out (Google it!) called Bookstores are the the best Place to Sell Books or something like that. It is right on. Bookstores insist on the right to return books (one of the beefs they have with POD presses is this returbable issue). Bookstores don't pay freight. Bookstores have so much compeition for each book within their walls that your book may not even be seen. Enter (sorry about this) THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER that teaches authors not only how to promote but talks about other places and ways to SELL books. I've yet to figure out why authors are so eager to prostrate themselve for a horribly unsatisfying book signing or placement of their books! There are many small bookstores that WANT you and will promote the heck out of you. Also think about catalog sales, corporate sales, coffeeshop and other retail sales, selling online, etc. etc. Details are in FRUGAL, Boomers. We shouldn't sit and take bad treatment from our publisher, our publicist or bookstores. We can take our own future (and that of our book)into our own hands.

Whew! What a soapbox!!

You guys! I will be in Palm Springs this week. I'll check back and answer questions when I get back on Dec. 6th. Dotsie may be kicking me off then but I'll try to make up for the lost days, if she'll let me.

Love,