[Lawson]

I've been looking around the site, reading some of the sample chapters and have been interested in buying a book. But then I looked at the prices. Why are your guys's books far more expensive than other books on the market?

$33 for a paperback? $22 for a paperback? At least the Erebus series was a little more reasonable at $14 [or $10 each when you buy the series].

Are POD books that much more expensive?

I find it hard to convince myself to part with that much money, no matter how much I really want to support up and coming writers.

[Erebus]

My books were published as Trade Softcovers, which for some reason always retail more than Mass Market Paperbacks. However, the maximum retail price for my trilogy novels should only be US$12:50 each, plus shipping. You can buy all three for US29.95, plus shipping. If you have seen them selling for more than this, then I can only assume that the retailers have added a higher mark up margin.

My short story paperback was published here in Australia though, and it sells for about US$6.50 as it is a mass market paperback. I really didn't think any of my books were that expensive to be honest. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Radthorne]

It is an unfortunate fact, I'm afraid, that POD books are probably always going to be more expensive. One of the main reasons is due to their very nature: since the print run can literally be one book, the publishers have to make sure they make a profit if they only sell one copy. They cannot amortize the production costs over a 10,000 copy print run. None of them knows which books will sell and which won't, so all of the books end up with a high price tag.

That's the down side of POD, which is offset to some degree by opening up the market to more new writers. But it comes at a high cost (both to the reader, out of pocket; and to the writer, who will see fewer sales due to such unreasonable prices).

I'll take a guess that the $33 book you saw may have been mine (I know there are certainly not many books out there at that price!) If so, I can offer some good news: The Road to Kotaishi has been picked up by a traditional publisher, and will be released in a new edition later this year. It should be priced more reasonably then. So, stay tuned!

Kevin Radthorne
www.kevinradthorne.com (http://www.kevinradthorne.com)

[Lawson]

I'm looking forward to being able to get your book Radthorne. Of the chapters I've read, yours grabbed me the most. I'll keep an eye out for it when I'm able to get it a little cheaper. The fault of being a poor student.

[Radthorne]

Thank you, Lawson; I appreciate the kind words.

Once the new edition is out it should also be a little easier to get, as it will be available in brick and mortar bookstores in addition to online.

Kevin Radthorne

[nicba]

Radthorne, I look forward to seeing your book in a real "brick and mortar" bookstore too. And hopefully a little cheaper than the current prices http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif.

I liked the extract from the book very much and would like to read the rest some time.

(although, I also seem to remember that reading the sample chapter on your site was a pain for the eyes. There was something about the font that you used being rather small and the colours off, or "shifted" somehow)

I also remeber that you said somewhere that you were writing a sequel? Will it be available as a non-POD book also? And can the first book be read as a stand-alone? Or is the ending a cliffhanger?


[This message has been edited by nicba (edited March 10, 2002).]

[Radthorne]

Thanks, nicba. Sorry about the sample pages on my site - they were done as images from the ebook version (which reads a lot clearer than that!), but did not translate well onto the web page. Guess I'd better clean 'em up!

I am indeed writing a sequel, which will complete the story started in the first book. The first one does not end in a cliffhanger per se, but the 'big problem' is left unresolved, to be dealt with in book 2. I think the first book can be read as a standalone, but what I've heard back from readers so far is that they want the sequel, and they want it now! So I'm writing as fast as I can...

The sequel has also been picked up by my new publisher, so it too will be available in regular bookstores as well as on line.

Thanks again, to both you and Lawson, for the nice comments.

Kevin Radthorne

[Erebus]

Kevin, that's great news about the transition from POD to mainstream. I was wondering if your new publisher would be interested in receiving queries from other POD authors, such as myself. Maybe you could email me a contact name, or advise me of their submission guidelines etc. please?

As I mentioned in the Writing section, I have just submitted my latest manuscript to TOR books for their consideration. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Lawson]

I hope they like it erebus!!!

Looking forward to seeing some new fantasy authors.

[Rocketsheep]

Hey... my books retail for around $9 Australian... funny money... but I suspect you're all a little old for them.

Who owns TOR?