The Claret Murders: Pre-release Special Offer

The paperback edition and hard cover limited edition of The Claret Murders are targeted for July release at $15.99 and $25.99 respectively. Prior to that release, fans of Mark Rollins Mysteries can place an advance order for a signed copy for $9.99 for the paperback and $19.99 for the hard cover edition with free shipping and prepaid sales taxes.  Go to http://store.markrollinsadventures.com/.

The New Mystery Authors

The names of top mystery/thriller authors are changing.  As authors like Clive Cussler and James Paterson capitalize on their brand with co-authors doing most of the writing a new crop of mystery and Thriller authors are taking the lead.  Publishers Weekly’s June 25 issue included a list of top 10 Mysteries & Thrillers.  These are the new names to watch: Ariel S. Winter, Michael Kardos, Michael Sears, Julia Keller, Jussi Adler-Olsen, Charles Cumming, Stuart Neville, Dennis Lehane, Michael Ennis, and Chase Novak. 

Another Reason Authors Forego Print—It Takes Forever!

As an author, I just can’t make myself give up a print option for readers.  But every time I publish, I’m reminded why many do.  CreateSpace, an Amazon company, is handling the print and Kindle editions of my new book, The Claret Murders.  The company 52 Novels is producing the digital files for the iPad and Nook.  52 Novels turned the project around in about a week—however, we are withholding final approval until the print edition is ready.  We want to be sure that both print and digital editions are the same content-wise.  If any last minute changes (or corrections) are made in the print edition, we want the same changes in the digital versions.

 
Print is another story.  CreateSpace does a great job in terms of the final product, but they are a factory, and their assembly line only runs one way—there are no shortcuts.  I suspect the assembly line runs all the way to India and back! 

First, you deliver the manuscript in digital form—Microsoft Word. 

Then they create a mock-up of the interior.  I’m on my fourth book in the Mark Rollins Adventure Mystery series.  So you would think the mock-up would be a slam dunk.  However, my experience is that pre-mock-up instructions that the layout is to be identical to preceding works are usually ignored.  Thus the first pass fails to mirror font, margins, line letting, hyphenation, etc.  That sends the mock-up for a rework and the printer has a built-in loop.  You get the feeling that you are being punished for making a change.  Another ten days goes down the toilet. 

Once the mock-up is finally approved, you get a digital proof.  If you dare make a change (no matter how small), more time goes down the toilet. 

Once the interior is approved, you finally get a chance to provide the cover.  The cover must wait until the interior is set in stone to assure that the cover is designed properly for the binding edge.  More time! 
Next, a printed proof is produced for approval.  More time!  If the cover is done properly, the fit is perfect and there are no changes to the paper stock or color, etc., the printed proof is approved.  More time goes down the toilet before the trade paperback actually shows up on Amazon and is available for purchase.  But wait—the Kindle version isn’t available yet.

 
Now, the approval steps for the Kindle version begins—more time. 
Then, we repeat the process for the limited edition hardcover edition that will be available for author signing events.

With The Claret Murders the process continues.  We are still a few weeks away from availability. We still have steps, and more approvals to go.

 

Compare that to 52 Novels where you can have completed digital versions up and available on Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble within ten days to two weeks, and you begin to understand. 
Books don’t sell themselves.  You have to promote your works, and you really can’t until they are available for purchase.  For an author, like any other commercial endeavor—TIME IS MONEY.

E-textbooks Fall Short of Goal

According to Kaitlyn Cole with Onlineuniversities.com, e-textbooks have not yet won the hearts of students.  They still prefer traditional printed books.  She lists ten reasons in an article published on the Onlineuniversities.com blog, http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2012/06/10-reasons-why-students-arent-using-etextbooks/.

While I’m sure there are ten or more reasons, I think the main reason is a lack of imagination and investment on the part of e-textbook publishers.  E-textbooks have to go further—where no book has ever gone before!  They have the capability to deliver more value than traditional text, but so far the majority of offerings are just digital reproductions of the printed alternatives—and not as easy to use.
 
The next generation of e-textbooks will be built from the ground up for the digital world.  There will not be a printed alternative because the same value cannot be duplicated in print.