Paperbacks and Canadian Authors

 

While I was anxiously awaiting for the delivery of my newly published book Conflicted Hearts, my brother asked me for a copy about a week ago and I told him I didn’t even have one yet for myself, other than a proof copy. I spend most days with the exception of one or two days a week at the most, at home working on my new books that I am writing. Of course, the one day of the week I went out yesterday to take my husband to the doctor’s office and to buy a new laptop, my books had come while I was out. Or let me rephrase that, the postman had come to my door with them but didn’t leave them behind. I was puzzled at this as I pulled the tag off my front door with the notification to go to my local post office and pick them up. It didn’t dawn on me until this morning why the books weren’t left on my porch and as I went to recheck the notice, I turned it over and discovered there was a customs tax I was required to pay for $15.00.

I found it a bit exorbitant that as a Canadian author having my book published in the United States, that the cost of each book for an author to purchase for herself becomes quite costly for us with all the add ons. Yes, we get a slightly discounted price for buying our own books but that is only the beginning. The shipping to Canada charges are monsterous and then let us not forget those charges are all in U.S. dollars and then are converted to Canadian dollars worth less, on our Visa cards also with an added surcharge, courtesy of Visa and then Canada customs gets their grubs on us deciding that we should have to pay yet another charge to allow our items into Canada.

So in essence, my $53.00 order became $110.00! I’m just saying, that is pretty steep. Is it any wonder why many Indie authors don’t opt to get involved with paperbacks when self-publishing? Where is the justice?

I just thought I’d use my space here to vent. All feedback is welcome!