I finally got around to checking out one of the advertisers here, CreateSpace. At first glance it appears CreateSpace was perhaps set up to compete directly with Lulu.com – unless you want premium services, there are no fees to upload your book, etc.
What I didn’t realize until I got to the bottom of a page is that the company is owned by Amazon, the giant online bookstore.
Because I’ve been following Angela Hoy’s Booklocker lawsuit against Amazon for insisting self-publishers use Amazon-owned BookSurge if they want to be treated well at the online bookstore, I sent her a quick email …read more

Okay, I’ve sent an email, signed a petition and helped spread the word about Booklocker’s suit against Amazon. All those will help, and if I’m willing to back them up by shopping with someone else, I’d really be on track. I’d put off that decision, knowing how easy it is to shop at Amazon. Plus, for me, there’s the whole business of affiliate income. I don’t make a ton, but enough to buy a tank of gas now and again.
Today push began to come to shove. I was working on my own book (!) and wanted to buy and review …read more

SPAN, the Small Publishers Association of North America, has publicallty taken a position in favor of Angela Hoy’s BookLocker suit against Amazon for its insistence that small and self-publishers use Amazon-owned BookSurge for printing if they are to receive favorable listing on the online retailers sites. The announcement, titled
Amazon/BookSurge Antitrust Lawsuit Campaign describes how and why their Board of Directors voted to support the class action antitrust lawsuit, BookLocker.com, Inc. vs. Amazon.com, Inc.
But they went much further than offering support; they also started a campaign to “generate public pressure to compel Amazon to reverse its policy.” Included in that …read more

Angela Hoy’s Amazon BookSurge Antitrust Lawsuit Clearinghouse points to an article at Investor’s Business Daily by Doug Tsuruoka called Amazon Deals Have Short Shelf Life.
The gist is many of the retailers who have partnered with the online bookseller are unhappy and are leaving Amazon to start their own etailing websites. The only publisher mentioned is Borders, and there’s no indication in the article that this trend has anything directly to do with the callous way Amazon is is forcing POD publishers to use Amazon-owned BookSurge. And there may not be a connection.
But it’s tempting to at least wonder if …read more

The blog, Amazon BookSurge Antitrust Lawsuit Clearinghouse, run by Angela Hoy who has filed suit against Amazon over it’s policies regarding self-published authors, has a post called: Amazon Showing Its Power in the UK; Stephen King affected
It points to an article in The New York Times that gives a startling overview of Amazon’s policies in Europe and what some of the thinking about those policies is. It’s worth a read.
Then come back to the blog entry and read at least some of the comments. Some powerful words there.
Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing – a resource for freelance writers …read more

I sent Angela Hoy, who has initiated the lawsuit against Amazon.com over their insistence that self-publishers use BookSurge an email – here’s our exchange:
Angela, how can I and thegoldenpencil best support you and the lawsuit against Amazon?
A
Hi Anne,
Please just help spread the word. :)
Angela
Do you have a website, blog or mailing list? Are you willing to help spread the word? Tell us about it.
Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing – a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision – for those who want to get a book written.
Image from http://www.sxc.hu