Opening my electronic mail, recently, I found as comment from a reader: “Each time I read Gothic Spring, or any of your novels, really, I’m reminded again that you are a storyteller extraordinaire.”
I’m not modest enough to bury the compliment. Writers cherish a few kind words and hope, when shared, they will encourage others to give their books a try. Of late, I’ve decided go a step further: to open a boutique publishing shop. I intend to cut out the middleman and sell my titles at a bargain price.
Going independent is an idea I’ve toyed with for some time, but the snobbery of hearing my books described as “self-published,” has prevented me. The price of snobbery is the loss of independence, however. So, I’m setting up shop. Within weeks, or a few months, I shall open the door to Rutherford Classics, a name derived from the maternal side of my father’s family.
Happily, this is an excellent time to become an independent publisher. According to writers Stefan Nicola et al, book sales have risen for the past 3 years in the U. S. and are also growing in overseas. India is a flourishing market, for example. (“Spread Your Wings and Fly, Penguin,” by Stefan Nicola, Rebecca Penty, John Ainger, Bloomberg Businessweek, 1/30/2017, pg. 18.)
Physical books are outpacing eBook sales, surprisingly. Some suggest it may have to do with the greater ease of handling paperbacks. No scrolling through a menu to find where you left off. Open the page at your book mark.
The rising price of eBooks may be another reasons why physical books are returning to popularity. Whatever the reason, the good news is eBooks aren’t replacing physical books as once imagined. They’ve become a different mode of delivery, like talking books.
Paperback or eBook, I look forward to controlling my work and passing the savings along to my readers. So stay tuned. The door to Rutherford Classics will be open soon. First out of the box will be Ballet Noir at new, lower prices.
