A Suggestion for Lightning Source

Given the recent Amazon attack on POD publishing, specifically LSI clients, I'm wondering if there isn't a (relatively) simple solution. After all, Lightning Source stands to lose some significant earnings (from both present and future clients) if Amazon forces a shift in the primary POD publishing arena. LSI has spent significant money already in expansions and upgrades, and they're looking outside the North American and European markets, so this can't really be seen as anything but a direct challenge.

So, why doesn't LSI set up a direct ordering site (opt-in for client-publishers) that integrates the drop-shipping capabilities they already have in place for Amazon and other retailers. Cut out the middle man. Sure, Amazon's got market share, but if a book-selling site is set up right, and seriously promoted by the many LSI client-publishers, it stands a chance of taking back some of the lost profits to both LSI and the individual publishers.

As it stands, if the Amazon rampage continues, POD publishers that don't migrate to Booksurge will only be offered by third-party sellers, with no discounts, no free shipping option, and probably an increase to the price by the third-party seller. POD publishers that do migrate face lower profits via a higher forced wholesale discount, or through increased retail pricing that decreases the number of books sold.

If LSI set up a direct-buy website for its client-publishers, they wouldn't have to give the wholesale discount to a retailer -- they could keep that as retail-side profit. There'd be no need to discount titles (which is only done by Amazon as a gimmick, anyway), but there'd also not be a tacked-on increase to retail pricing, so it would be a good site for authors to direct potential buyers. I'm sure a viable and economical shipping solution could be arranged.

With as many titles as are in the LSI system, if it were set up correctly it could help even out the POD retail playing field. Amazon's only getting away with this because of the lack of direct competition. Someone else needs to show up to play.

Amazon Sends Mixed Signals

I'm not sure what Amazon's up to right now. First, comes the news that Amazon's Booksurge department is strong-arming several large POD publishers into joining them (at a substantial profit loss) rather than sticking with Lightning Source or other printers. This has a lot of the smaller POD publishers in a frenzy, as it could pretty much ruin our business, forcing much higher retail pricing to accommodate the required wholesale discount. Or we might just need to funnel our book buyers to online stores like Barnes & Noble as our primary distributors.

Now, though, I see that Amazon has most of my titles at a 10% discount to buyers, even with the minimal wholesale discount I offer. That's a bit strange, and seems unnecessary. But, if you've been waiting to buy a POD book, now might be the time to save a few bucks...

Sneak Peak

Here's a quick look at a sample plate from the currently in-production book on Pennsylvania freshwater mussels, by Al Spoo. This is the Round Hickorynut.

Update

Scanned another classic cryptofiction/lost race novel (Vampires of the Andes), so should have six of that genre ready to go in a month or so. I'm trying to decide whether to publish these novels separately, or perhaps pair them up...

Madge the Magician's Daughter didn't come out well, when I looked at a proof, so it's out of circulation until I get time to revise it. These are old newspaper comics that were scanned by another source, so I'm limited in my ability to fool with it too much. It came out a bit too faded in parts.

The editing for Al Spoo's Pearly Mussels of Pennsylvania (working title) is coming along nicely. I'm pleased with how the color images are looking.

Am thinking about doing a short booklet, color images, of scorpions of eastern North America... if I have time...

I'm going to put out Gould's Case for the Sea-Serpent, but only recently got around to ordering a copy to get the inside cover map scans. (My previous working copy didn't have those.) Figures, the book dealer mistakenly switched books and sent it to another book buyer, so have to wait however much longer before I get the book now.

Catching Wild Beasts

Sent to the printer: Catching Wild Beasts Alive.

Humbugs of the World

Sent to the printer: Barnum's Humbugs of the World.

Earthline: A 30-Year Anthology

And another full cover, for naturalist Bob Chance's newspaper column anthology, also sent to the printer.

Madge the Magician's Daughter

Here's the wraparound cover, title just sent to printer.

Still Laying Groundwork

No new books at the printer's yet... most recently, have scanned several old cryptofiction/lost race fantasies, finished the layout for Madge the Magician's Daughter (classic newspaper comic), and sent layout for Bob Chance's Earthline compilation for proofing (just waiting for the cover, next).

I suppose I could send Madge to the printer, but I may wait and send it at the same time as Earthline. Within a month or so, should have the text for Al Spoo's work on Pennsylvania freshwater mussels and clams, and not too long after, Bill Gibbons' mokele-mbembe book.