Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Stop publishing my favorite authors in hardcover... PLEASE!!! - redux

I originally posted this in February, and am now reposting it, because Jazz had a post up over at Sanctuary's Finest about Natural Born Charmer, which is coming out next month (yay!), in hardcover (boo!).
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Can I say how annoyed I am at the trend of mass market authors suddenly coming out in a continuing series in Hardcover? Stephanie Laurens' latest Cynster novel, The Truth About Love, is finally being released in paperback. It was released in hardcover last year, but I couldn't buy it and had to wait. I'm happy for her that she has "made it" to the "big time", but I feel like it does a disservice to her readers, namely... me. Because... don't you know it's all about me?

I also understand that it isn't the author's decision, but the publisher's, yet still I find myself annoyed. It means that, because I have a crappy library, I have to wait for the paperback release of my beloved authors' books, so at least 6 months or longer after everyone else is already talking around the watercooler. Because as much as I love Stephanie's books, I cannot afford to feed my book habit if I buy hardcover. Imagine if you had to wait 6 months for the DVD release of Survivor or American Idol or The Amazing Race, or whatever reality show floats your boat, to find out who won and how they accomplished it, but so many of your better off friends already knew because they got to see the sneak previews.

It's happening to many of my favorite authors. While I guess that means I know quality when I read it (patting self on back), it also means that I am deprived of reading my favorite authors for months on end. Suzanne Brockmann, Carly Phillips, Cherry Adair, and now Stephanie Laurens and too many others to name. I am praying that some others don't fall prey, but I can see the beginning of the end of my release day purchases of Lori Foster, Lisa Kleypas, and Julia Quinn, too. Waaaaaaa *wallowing in the self pity of a woman married to an underpaid yet highly respected teacher*

I'll be interested to see if the rest of you feel the same way - torn between the desire to celebrate and contribute to an author's success, and the desire not to pay a fortune for an addiction. Now I understand how cigarette smokers feel about the incredibly high taxes suddenly charged on their next fix of lung-cancer producing, highly-addictive cigarettes. Damned resentful! I just can't afford to pay the high tax on my own addiction. No wonder many of my smoking friends are finding the strength to quit because they don't want to pay the exorbitant cost of a pack of Marlboros. Thank goodness there are other paperbacks out there to see me through until my faves are available for the monetarily challenged, or I might just have to quit smoking, too. Now, now, I don't smoke, but you get the point.

So please, oh please, Mr. Publisher on high, stop killing me with anticipation! Give me my release day release! Or at least, send a copy to the Simi Valley library!

11 People Gabbed:

Anne said...

Wow. Yeah, it's coming out in hard cover... possibly six months later in paperback. maybe it'll be out in ebook format? But then it'll cost the same as the hardcover price pretty much so you might as well splurge. Crap. I'll HOPEFULLY get mine from the libary (NATURAL BORN CHARMER) but my library is cutting back lately it seems so I may just have to wait til this one comes out in paperback because I absolutely canNOT afford hardcovers. Bummer.

Anonymous said...

Guess what? My books will be out in paperback from now on. Cross My Heart in July, Sealed with a Kiss in Oct. No hardcover.
Best wishes,
Carly
www.carlyphillips.com
www.plotmonkeys.com (blog)

Anne said...

Wow, Carly Phillips was here! Woo freaking hooo!!! I'm soooo glad at least one author out there isn't doing the hardcover thing. Whew. I mean, I get that it gives the author more cashola from the sales, but it's hard on the reader to be able to try to be able to afford hardcovers whether from one author or twenty. They are seriously pricey.

Welcome to our little blog, Ms. Phillips!!! What an honor!

Lori said...

Yipee!!!!!! I am so gpad to hear this! Thank you so very much for that most excellent news, Carly!

Holly said...

WOOHOO! That's very exciting news from CP. :)

I can't tell you how much it bothers me when PB authors suddenly go to HB.

I'm poor people! Help me out here!

reviewer said...

Hard cover looks better on my shelves, so if I have a choice then I always go with the hc.

Kristie (J) said...

When this first started I was kind of annoyed, but then my TBR pile started growing and for the most part it isn't that long a wait for them to come out in MM. The only author I can't wait for now is JD Robb. Linda Howard was on that list for a while too and I have a number of her hardcovers, but now I'm just waiting. I am happy for the authors though. It is a feather in their cap I think.

Kristie (J) said...

Oh - and I meant to post earlier on this - I just adore your colours!!! I love both of them and they look so nice together!

Lori said...

Thanks, Kristie! I was thinkin' the purple in the background is a bit much for me LOL. But I know how much Anne adores these colors :) And it matches our banner, so... converting over to the new blogger was enough of a PITA without trying to find a better color scheme.

Anne said...

You know, Lori, you can use a different color if you want... any that go with the picture... turquoise? LIke the color of the post font? Hmm... have at it. I'm not picky... and it's your blog too! Do what you want, anytime... you know I'm not that way.*G*

Linda said...

I actually prefer reading paperbacks. They aren't as heavy as hardcovers and since I read for hours on end, my hands get tired after a while. Also when I travel I can carry more paperbacks than hardcovers as they take up less space. Unfortunately, I also crease the spines of paperbacks which weakens the book. *sigh*

It bothers me too that new paperbacks now cost what I used to pay for hardcovers. 'Course I'm over 50 so I say stuff like that about a lot of things these days. LOL

Linda