Forget Consignment

With Perilous, I was so anxious to get my book into bookstores that I toted it everywhere, offering it on consignment to stores. I just knew the book would sell like crazy and the bookstore would be asking me for more within a week.

It didn't, and here's what I realized: I'm an unknown author. Nobody's heard of my book or me. When they walk into a bookstore, I am not the one they're going to take a chance on.

The next thing I realized, even if my book sold, getting money from those bookstores was like pulling teeth. None of them simply wrote me a check and mailed it because my book sold. Every one of them waited for me to contact them and ask for my money. Some of them waited until I contacted them several times. And sometimes when the check finally came, it wasn't the agreed amount. Now I have a list of bookstores that I'm supposed to call every month and see how my book's doing.

This is a lot of hassle with very little return. And the more I think about it, the more it frustrates me. Nobody does this. No store anywhere gets product for free and only pays for it when it sells. Why should I have to put up with this?

So I won't. If a store doesn't want to pay for my books straight out, I don't care if it stocks them. No more consignment for me. I've given away dozens of books that are sitting on shelves in stores. What a rip off.

With that in mind, it's time to give away another ebook! The winner from yesterday's blog stop is Angela Ackerman! Tell me which book you'd like, Angela, Perilous or Altercation, and I'll get it to you!

Today's stop is here at the YA Highway. Same rules apply. At least 10 comments and we'll have a winner!