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message 51:
by
Sam
(new)
Oct 13, 2009 05:33AM
And I'll remember Aldemiro next time I go there, cos I'm bound to at some point, there's no point denying it lol :-)
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oh wow, Hay just keeps sounding better and better. Already planning a trip there ^.^
Alexandra wrote: "oh wow, Hay just keeps sounding better and better. Already planning a trip there ^.^"That's what I like to hear Alexandra :-) I reckon everyone should go there regularly, it's good for the soul I'm sure (although not so good for the bank balance but nevermind lol)
I'v just sent an invite to my friend to join the group she a real book warm too LOL!
There was a food and craft weekend the time I went in Novermber/Dec which was great to walk round too. I hope you all enjoy your time there! I know I did!
Mod
I don't know where is best to post this gruesome news about women and obstetrics in the 18C but thought it might interest readers here:-http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb...
Mod
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb......"
Hi Margaret, That is so strange, my husband was talking about this very article only yesterday - I'll give it a read....
Bit gruesome that but just to play a bit of a devil's advocate how many lives have they saved in doing that?
Happy valentimes day to all you ladies.Nick x
u ok lynne as i have chatted to u in a whilenick
Sorry Nick, have had my son and his fiance staying so things have been hectic! Will look out for you now they have gone to their new jobs in Kent.
R I P Author Dick Francis you will be missed
Hi Folks,Paul Rix here again, for all of you who like historical fiction a bit of good news. Dereck Hucklesbury, the author of 'The Apothecary' a novel set at the time of the civil war which follows the travails of an immigrant alchemist, much of the story is set in Bristol around the time of the great fire, has confirmed he will be joining us on the 'Authors on Line' stand at the Frome festival on the 11th july.
Just thought you would like to know. The line up is growing all the time, it is promising to be a good day out for all.
All the best,
Paul Rix [oldgeezer:]
Going to ask for the night off so have written it in my diary, I only live 14 miles away from Frome!
Hi Lynne,I look forward to meeting you at Frome, some of the others were saying they would come. I'll be easy to find on the Authors on Line stand. You can find out what I look like on the Authors on line web site, look in the news letter section, go back a couple of years to the '10th birthday party' there are loads of pictures including little old me!!
All the best,
Paul Rix [oldgeezer:]
Hi,Paul Rix here, yet again!!!, an IMPORTANT message for all of you planning on going to the Winchester 'do'.
Because of planned constuction work at the university the dates have been CHANGED. The NEW DATES are Friday the 25th of JUNE and SATURDAY 26th JUNE. I'll post these dates again nearer the time, just remember to change the dates in your dairy!
It should be an excellent weekend as it is the 30th festival. Don't forget Terry Pratchett is top of the bill.
Hope to see you there, all the best,
Paul Rix [oldgeezer:]
Thanks for the update will change my diary dates! guessing parking won't be very good either! lol!
Lynne wrote: "Thanks for the update will change my diary dates! guessing parking won't be very good either! lol!"Hi Lynne,
We've never had a problem parking, but then we have only ever been there as exibitors, I think you can apply in advance for a permit, check out their web site, I think it is called The Winchester Writers Conference 2010. If you get a problem, let me know and I will try to sort it out for you.
All the best, Paul Rix [oldgeezer:]
Hii did leave the group as I thought that I was putting enough into the group and I felt out of place. This last week I have found that I have missed the group and reading what you all are reading too. But most of all I missed my friend that are within the group so if you all can put up with me I would like to give it another try if that is ok lol. Sorry if I'v mest any one about.
Nick
Hey Nick, you know my thoughts already! Glad you're back...
I just cant wait just under a fortnight I will be flying home for good on the 2nd may. Be great to see all my friends again after so long.
welcome back Nick, I've been off line, moving house!! Try moving a phone number 200yards!!!We have just been given a tempory connection, I've over 200 e-mails to sort through. Happy landings [ash clouds permitting:] All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer:]
I will be offline for a bit. I flying back home 2nd may and it will be a while before I can get back online but I will be back, with loads more books to add to my book list. :) Bye all for a short time
Isn't it always! I have gone to bed with my book! TV is lousy on the weekend, all crap reality shows and repeats of all the soaps! Is it really worth the licence fee? All those tv stations and *** all on!
Aaah, Eurovision has always been a big tradition with mum and I back in Australia, so it's rather amusing to see the reaction to it over here! It was especially cheesy this year - hurrah!
aaagh shucks!! I missed it again!! oh dear what a pity, how sad. all the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer:]
as for the cheesy bit!! 'blue stilton' or 'stinking bishop'?
I am pleased to say I didn't watch any of it and I couldn't even tell you who sang for us or even what!
As soome of you have noticed I am back home yipppeee. When we got to my uncles there was two boxes of book waiting on my bed for me. One was full of some of the new James Patterson which I love reading and the other was full off mixed authors. I was like a kid let loose in a sweet shop :).
The other authors were:
Kathy Reichs 206 bones
Belva Plain The Sight Of The Stars
Karin Slaughter Indlible
James Cobb Robert Lublum's The Artic Event
Tess Gerritsen Vanish
Robert Harris Imperium
Robin Cook Critical
David Baldacci Stone Cold
Clive Cussler The Chase
Clive Cussler Dark Watch
Clive Cussler Arctic Drift
There was also 8 Readers Digest books with four books in one book. (how do I add those to my to read list)
That should keep you busy for a bit Nick! Good to have you back
Mod
Hi Zoe I like doing them but I'm more a left side of the brain person or is it right I never can remember anyway...I find I get really flumoxed by them, then I get angry, and you don't want to want know what happens after that LOL. But I will take a look at them.
Mod
Hi all,I would like to thank you all for your great support and help that you have given me throughout 2010.
I really feel confident in talking about the books and authors that I like to read or have read. I friends that are round me have told me that they have seen a great change in me too.
THANKS
NICK
Good Luck for the next year too Nick!
SAD NEWS TO ALL BUDDING READERS!Just heard ON our local newS that 40 Waterstones bookshops are going to be closed.
Nick wrote: "SAD NEWS TO ALL BUDDING READERS!Just heard ON our local newS that 40 Waterstones bookshops are going to be closed."
We now have two in our relatively small town, so I imagine one of those will be going.
Do you think it's partly due to all the books we buy online? I'm doing it more and more..it's just so convenient..but I would hate not to have a 'proprer' local bookshop!
Nick wrote: "As soome of you have noticed I am back home yipppeee. When we got to my uncles there was two boxes of book waiting on my bed for me. One was full of some of the new James Patterson which I love r..."
Perhaps a shelf of their own,I have a couple I inherited from my Mum, I haven't listed them yet, but probably will now!
Susan wrote: "Nick wrote: "SAD NEWS TO ALL BUDDING READERS!Just heard ON our local newS that 40 Waterstones bookshops are going to be closed."
We now have two in our relatively small town, so I imagine one of ..."
I feel the same as you susan. We should support our local bookshops, it is easier though to order online.
To be honest Nick, I much prefer 'real' books to either my reader or my I pad, but it's so tempting to just download. And it's often cheaper!!
Yes I too. There is something about holding and turning the pages of a real paper made book isnt there.
This will probably make me unpopular but please take into account I'm coming at this from an 'Indie' authors point of view.Personally, the sooner Waterstones go totally out of business the better as far as I am concerned.
Allow me to explain. A new book comes out, and they think they can sell X thousand copies. What they do is massively over order, some times 5 or even 10 times the number they can hope to sell, this is to get them cheaper per copy. These are always on 'sale or return', in reality most never leave the wholesalers warehouse. After about six to eight weeks they phone up,'oh we don't want the rest of what ever book'. So the wholesaler is left holding many more copies of a book than were ever sold.
The publisher, who has had to pay for printing and storage, says get what you can for them. The results are there for all to see, sagging shelves in the 'remainders' shops, 'pound shops' with 2 new paper backs for a pound. The other thing spawned by this crazy way of conducting business are the two ongoing 1,000,000 book give aways. One by Galaxy chocolate as a promotional ploy, presumably bought at waste paper prices, and another at the end of march 'sponsored' by the major publishers.
The authors will get not one penny for any of these books, remainders or give aways. The publishers will argue they paid the author for writing these books in return for ALL the rights.
Check out the figures for 2009 for every book sold, and this includes P.O.D. and remainders there were between 6 and 7 recycled!!!! and this is U,K only.
So who pays to subsidise Waterstones? on the surface it is the publishers, and to a point this is correct but the reality the only costs they can cut are the editing, the quality of the paper/printing and what they pay the poor old author!
As for 'Indies' they claim 'your book is available in all of our stores', technically they are correct, getting an assistant who knows how to order a P.O.D book is at best a lottery. If you get lucky you will then be expected to pay the full price up front and be told, quite wrongly it will take weeks to get! In fact it takes two to three working days longer than a mainstream. I have even been told a P.O.D book is out of print when it's not, simply because it has shown up as 0 stock and they don't know what I.P or M.D mean [in print or manufactured on demand].
They also have a policy of not stocking a P.O.D title, no matter what reviews or awards it may have got on anything other than a local basis, citing supply problems. This is total BS, even if you arrange a short run printing for an Indie book, and agree to sale or return after eight weeks they still won't stock it because you won't let them have the book for less than it costs to print! They would still make £3 on a £7 book!! which they won't pay for for 90days after the end of the month following the date of receipt of invoice, in effect 4months after you the reader has paid for it!
So I say YIPPEEEEE! WITH ANY LUCK THEY'LL TAKE A LOT OF THE MAINSTREAM PUBLISHERS WITH THEM. They have to be in cahoots, as all they have to say is NO to sale or return, or put a say 10% cap on the order.
The sooner this current crop of crooks go under the better for everyone! authors and readers alike. You, as readers will be able to choose your books rather than have a few people deciding which you should chose from, based on how much money they can make out of it as opposed to how good the book is. Authors will then be judged on merit, the good ones will flourish.
Okay, I'm an 'Indie' author, but I dare put my current book beside ANYONES in a similar genre. At best I am an okay author, but I know some 'Indies' who are brilliant, Carrie King, David Elliot, Sue Rule to name a few.
With any luck by the end of the year we will have something to replace the current rip off system. I for one won't shed a tear at the demise of Waterstones, I might even have a little tipple and I 'beat the booze' 40 years ago!
All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]
No, tell us what you REALLY think!! Only kidding Old Geezer - I can see this is a subject close to your heart. It must be extremely frustrating as an independent author to come up against such obstacles as this. I came across a really insightful piece in a magazine a few months back which examined how books are presented in bookstores, essentially everything such as window space or promotion in their recommended books is bought and paid for - it was quite an enlightening article.
I can see where you're coming from Old Geezer but I have a question, if Waterstones/HMV does go out of business who or what will replace them? At the moment I can only see them being replaced by the supermarkets which are probably just as bad if not worse or by some other big bookchain. As much as I love my local independant book stores (which are always my first stop on any book purchasing trip) very often they haven't heard of or are unable to get hold of books that larger companies can. And trying to find such things on the internet is a nightmare and lets face it, internet book sales are dominated by Amazon, Play etc which I'm sure are also as bad as the big highstreet chains.
Hi Em and Sam,Frustrating doesn't get near!! the whole thing is such a stitch up. Thanks for the tip about the article, I am aware of that as well, but I had to leave quite a lot out otherwise I would still have been typing. You're not talking hundreds, to get your book displayed 'front of house' you are talking tens of thousands of pounds PER WEEK!!
As well as all of this 'mainstream' publishers fight tooth and nail to stop publicity in the media for Indies, which is coincidentally mainly owned by the same clique, it is quite a problem.!!!! Out of curiosity, apart from Terry Pratchett winning the general fiction award, did any of you hear anything in the media about the 'Brit Writers Awards' at the 02 arena back in June.
Dan Smith, a mainstream G.R author made it to the top 6 [well deserved Dan] As far as I could tell ALL the other prizes went to 'Indies' and not a peep! The media were all there, but kept a low profile when 'Indies' started winning.
As for Sams comments, there is No reason your local book store shouldn't be able to get any particular title, as most use either Gardeners or Bertrams as wholesalers, the same as Waterstones, Smiths etc.
Although Smiths policy is only to stock 'celebrity' titles and 'remainders'.
As for the super markets, I have only ever had dealings with Tesco, so I can't express an opinion on them. As for tesco, yes they drive a hard bargain, and can be quite long winded over it. However they realise everyone has to make a living so you do get something out of any deal, not a lot, but something. Also to their credit if they order say 5,000 then they are buying 5,000 and the check is on it's way a few days after they are checked into Tesco's warehouse.
As for what takes the place of the current crop of crooks. Borders, in the States are trying a new way.
I saw a piece on tele a week or two back, on CNN I think, one of the american channels anyway.
There were three new stores kitted out with booths were people could browse ebooks and down load them if they wanted. There were all the usual best sellers at the front of the store, a selection of reference books. At the back of the store was what was in effect a library, with several thousand titles, chairs, comfy ones! coffee available, were customers could sample some of the books in comfort.
The M.D. was quite up beat about it, reaction had been good, and he seemed to think this or something very similar was the 'way forward'. The books in the browsing section were not available in store, but the promise if you bought one it would be instore in a week or delivered to your address in ten days, obviously plus postage.
It sounds like a plan. Of course it depends on the deals done but it should open the door to at least the best indies via the 'browse then buy' section, which occupied about half the store.
No doubt there will be problems, but at least someone is trying to do something. It did cross my mind that the 'boss' on the program was young enough to have learnt to use a computer at school rather than a stone tablet!
All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]
I'm glad to hear that Tesco haven't lived up to their reputation when you've dealt with them as there have been many complaints from other sectors about them forcing prices down (amongst other things).The problem I've come across in the independant stores that I use is when I've come across a book on GR (either through the giveaways or recommended to me by the author or other users) that I want to get, I've gone in and asked if they could get and they have either never heard of the book or can't order them in singles but can only wait until X number of people ask for it. This number is never very high but some of the books I want to try are not widely known (the medias fault, I know) and they haven't got the capital or space for that matter to be able to buy books in on the off chance that'll they'll be able to sell the rest.
I'm glad to hear that there are some companies trying to make a difference in the world of the bookstore though. Didn't Borders have some stores over here that went bust, I'm sure we had one here in Cardiff for awhile.
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