Need to Combine Two Editions

[Ryan]

There are currently two versions of the same edition of the same book, Lay Down Your Guns, on Goodreads. The cover of the book was changed at the last minute and so the edition with the old cover (with an actual photo of the book's subject) needs to be deleted. These are not two separate editions, they are the same book. All the information on the newer edition with the actual cover used (the cover has an illustration with valley, a doctor and children) has all the correct information.

[Z-squared]

The publication date says September 10th, plus it looks like there was already a giveaway with the old cover:

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

We don't delete out-of-print covers on Goodreads. It looks like the alternate cover edition has already been correctly made. I will update it with the ISBN in the description, and the author can set the default edition by following these instructions:

https://www.goodreads.com/help/show/3...

[Greg]

I set the default as new cover. I still wonder where give away list is and don't want the old cover (one with actual photo of doctor) showing. Is there a way to make that inactive but not lose the ratings, people who have marked it to read, etc.?

[Z-squared]

There's no way to make the old cover disappear. Goodreads is like a library catalog, not a bookseller. We keep all covers so that users can shelve books on Goodreads that accurately reflect what they own in real life. However, by merging the two editions, all the ratings for both versions have been merged as well. So regardless of what edition a user is looking at in the GR database, that user will see all the reviews for both editions.

Setting the default cover just ensures that whatever version you want is the first version users see when searching for your book, as well as what version appears on your author profile. If someone shelved the old cover edition of your book, however, that user will see the old cover on his/her profile. It's a feature, not a bug. :)

[Greg]

OK, understood. The old cover was never really a cover of a physical book, but I understand what you are saying, that it's on there regardless and once there can't really be revoked from shelved books, etc. and that's good to know it's a feature. Thank you Z-squared!
Greg R. Taylor