Yesterday, Publishers Weekly announced that Barnes and Nobel had canceled their 10,000 book order of Obama’s Challenge: America’s Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency. The book, written by Robert Kuttner and published by Chelsea Green is scheduled to be officially launched at the Democratic Convention which starts on August 25.
The reason Barnes and Nobel canceled the order, according to PW, because Chelsea Green has signed an early exclusive agreement with Amazon. The sense is that Amazon’s attempt to get a lock on print-on-demand is costing independent bookstores and authors significant money.
Hut Landon, executive director of the …read more

Angela Hoy Angela Hoy, Publisher of BookLocker and Publisher and Editor of WritersWeekly.com, and our heroine who has launched a class action suit against Amazon over the online bookstore’s insistence that self-publishers use their POD printer, BookSurge, was interviewed by Publishing Insiders along with Eric Kampmann, Founder President of Beaufort Books and CEO of Midpoint Trade Books, about the law suit and about the future of Print On Demand, Amazon, and publishing in general.
You can listen to the broadcast at BlogTalkRadio, and if you’ve got any interest in self-publishing and print on demand at all this is a must-hear interview.
Book …read more

BookLocker Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Amazon.com is the headline at BookLocker’s new blog, Amazon BookSurge Antitrust Lawsuit Clearinghouse, devoted to the suit.
The suit is, of course, in response to Amazon.com’s efforts to make print on demand publishers who wish to be listed on the online bookseller’s site use their POD printer, BookSurge, exclusively. You’ll find a series of posts about this issue here as I’ve tried to track this issue.
Here, with permission, is the whole article:
BookLocker.com has filed a class action lawsuit against Amazon.com in response to Amazon’s recent attempts to force all publishers using Print on Demand (POD) …read more

Yikes! I missed this until just now. According to Rosemary Haworth writing for PC Advisor in the UK Arts Council-funded YouWriteOn is calling for a one day strike against Amazon… today, May 1st.
The article is entitled Writers call for 1 May Amazon, eBay boycott. Amazon’s attempt to force POD publishers to use their BookSurge POD services is the reason for the strike against the online bookseller.
I don’t know why they combined the Amazon/BookSurge issue with eBay’s change in feed back policy – in my mind that’s totally apples and oranges. And yes, I’m aware the time is passed or …read more

A. F. Stewart, a writer and blogger in Nova Scotia, has started a petition aimed at getting Amazon to mend it’s ways regarding their attempt to force POD publishers to use their printer, BookSurge.
I’ve signed it knowing my signature may not mean much since it’s unclear what such an effort might mean. But it can’t hurt, and it felt good to take some action.
Thanks A.F.
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

I’m feeling conflicted about Amazon right now. I remember when the online bookstore was scrappy and innovative. In fact, one year they sent me a travel mug as a thanks, and another time they sent me something like 10 postage stamps.
We’re along way from when folks predicted founder Jeff Bezos would flat out fail. In those early ‘net days I waited each quarter hoping Amazon would come closer to making a profit so they wouldn’t disappear. I loved it when my first self-published book got listed on Amazon. And I’ve enjoyed small profits from the e-tailer ever since.
The now giant …read more

Over at Publishers Weekly, Jim Milliot reports that a major topic of conversation at the London Book Fair this month is Amazon’s continuing attempt to force POD publishers to use Amazon’s BookSurge if they want their books listed on the now gigantic online e-tailer. Jim makes a series of interesting points, including:

Although Barnes and Noble’s online service grew 10% in 2007 that still represents only 10% of Amazon’s total business.
Concerns over Amazon’s action might drive services like Google and/or MSN to start their own content delivery option.
The recognition that Amazon may be in a position, or at least getting …read more

I got this emailed response from the Washington State Attorney General’s office in response to my concern about Amazon’s change in policy regarding how they will handle books not printed by their own POD printer BookSurge:
Dear Ms. Wayman:
The Washington Attorney General’s Antitrust Division has received many complaints regarding the new “print on demand” or “POD” policy recently implemented by Amazon.com. We want to thank all of those who have brought this matter to our attention and who have provided information and insight into the questions. We appreciate the concerns that have been expressed.
We have reviewed each of …read more

According to Publisher’s Weekly, AuthorHouse (a large Print On Demand publisher) gave into Amazon’s demand they print with Booksurge rather than with, presumably, LighteningSource. The PW article is titled: AuthorHouse Bows to Amazon Pressure Over Booksurge
The post points to AuthorHouse’s Position Statement, calling it ambiguously-worded and I agree; I can’t tell what they’re doing. I suspect that AH isn’t sure yet either, but sought to reassure its author’s that everything is more or less okay.
According to WritersWeekly, which broke the story, Xlibris, another large POD publisher, refused to comment to WritersWeekly on April 17, and the day before, the National …read more

Although PODdyMouth is optimistic about the initial response of the Attorney General’s office in Washington State about the Amazon/BookSurge issue, I’m not impressed – it sounds like the usual political cya, but I’m old enough to be a bit of a cynic.
What do you think?
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