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I ordered my own book from Amazon today, and I'm going to come out ahead on the deal when I re-sell them. Here's why.
Okay, so you have a book coming out. And you want to sell some copies to your family and friends at a book party. You've read the clause in your contract that says you get a discount of 40% (typically) if you buy them direct from the publisher. but that clause goes on to say that you won't get royalties on copies you sell yourself. (Aside: Why? I don't know. Publishers have an irrational fear that your own sales might somehow eclipse theirs and obviate the need for publishers in the first place? If only it were true!)
They'll also charge you to ship the books, usually. So say you buy 20 copies of your $15 book. You get them at 40% off, but you pay, say, $22 shipping. So you paid $202, or $10.10 per book. And you won't be making any royalties on them, so if you sell them at $15 each, you make $4.90 per book.
To avoid the no-royalties thing, I usually have Circlet Press, my company, buy the books through a book wholesaler like Bookazine. (I've also heard of authors in this area getting them via new England Mobile Bookfair. I've not done that myself though so can't speak about it.) Bookazine sells us the books at 40% off, does charge shipping (about the same $22 say), but at least I get the sales count toward my royalties. In my case that is a bit more than a dollar a book. So I'd be making like $6.20 a book. That's good!
But today I noticed that Amazon.com is selling the book for 32% off, WITH an additional 5% off if ordered in advance before the book is published. Well, that's 38% no? But of course if ordering 20 copies, I will be way over the amount needed to get Free Shipping. So I just paid $193.23 for 20 copies! I saved about $9 total over either of the previous methods, which adds another 45 cents a book to what I get to keep of the $15 cover price.
So look and see what kind of discount Amazon is offering before you nag your editor to put in an order for you at your publisher's warehouse.
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Edit: It's been pointed out I never said what book it was. White Flames, published by Running Press. I made an info page about it: http://www.ceciliatan.com/whiteflames.html
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Turns out I will be on programming at Boskone this weekend. I'll be there Friday night, speaking on a panel on Utopian Fiction, and one on Erotica. If I can find a room to do it in, we may also have a little book launch party for Best Fantastic Erotica. More champagne!
No idea what's going on with my sleeping. Three nights in a row I've had some form of insomnia, and didn't get more than 5 hours uninterrupted any of the three. So, yes, I am a zombie now.
Meanwhile, things are moving along for my upcoming book of erotic short stories, White Flames. I've returned the proofs, there is a cover design which I'll soon have a copy of I can share here, they're asking for my photo.
And anyone who wants a review copy of Best Fantastic Erotica (I mean, if you actually have a place to review it and aren't merely trying to scam a free copy), speak up now. They're mailing in a few days.
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And we are live!!
Check out www.circlet.com and see we're up and running for real.
To test the ecommerce system anyone in the US/Canada with a paypal account can now buy one of five selected titles for only $2.50 a book (okay, $7.10 with the shipping, but that is still less than half price on most of the books and a great bargain for the $24.95 hardcover of Sex Noir...) by going to the site now and looking for the "testing special sale books." The sale will run through June 1st.
And anyone who has been promising me a microfiction or an essay for Writers on Writing, your deadline is officially here.
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