August 2017 We all know that brown is the new black and that we are now told to believe that “screen fatigue” will save the printed book; my message today however is about living under the model of a “disrupted paradigm” and relish the thought of adapting. In the work of being an independent book distributor we continually have books that don’t fit the paradigm asserted by the major houses and booksellers trained in the procedure of the monthly offer. I can’t help it. Most recently we have been disruptors with two titles and then hopefully one other which we are yet to contract. The Siren’s Call by Yvette Wroby (Malarkey Publishing) is the first disruptor. Due to certain circumstances the launch was set for 11th May – two days after our physical stock arrived. We tried to circumvent the monthly new title release by sending out special emails as well as special one off metadata sends to enable the book to be discovered. The publisher (John Harms) has been asked to stave off the media until first week of June to enable more stores to place their purchase orders. The other is the first ever Women’s Footy Almanac 2017 (Malarkey Publishing) – I think this one is going sell really well and Australia wide as the Women's Footy competition has been an outstanding consumer success – much like the Big Bash in terms of following. We have listed in this catalogue without a jacket image – the jacket image is still being painted & designed as at yesterday. The complete book will go to the printer next week and our bound stock for immediate release will be with us in two weeks for those eager consumers all over Australia. The final disruptor (which I hope we do contract) is a book titled Jane & Me - My Austen Heritage by Caroline Jane Knight. You may have read the Weekend Australian with feature articles about the 200th Anniversary of the death of Jane Austen – our book is by her only living relative. The negotiations started this week – media by Debbie McInnes, printing at McPhersons, hardback edition for the authors own purposes and we will have a C format at $29.95 This morning I sent the publisher a critical path analysis of the 10 key targets to achieve before the media onslaught from July 1st. If we get the book we will start pushing as soon as the agreement is signed – we are getting virtually a three week sell in period. By the way we will have samples at our booth at the ABA in June. “Paradigm Disruptors”- yes all around us and the fact is consumers don’t give a toss about the book trades obsession with orderly sell in models. Similarly on our web site we don’t advise putative publishers to short cut the system. “Screen fatigue” - Who comes up with these pieces of trivia? The UK publishers are suggesting that “screen fatigue” is the reason print book sales are improving. Bollocks.
The Disruptive Paradigm Who will tell the Fairfax journalists going under the chop that consumers have “screen fatigue” and there is a swing back to print? We all live in a world of disruption and we have to adjust to an ever changing world. From the backlist; don’t be caught short with stocks of Midnight Oil. The Circle tour has commenced as well as the book now appearing on the “merch” site; about time. And from a long time ago; I never thought we would have a title to offer from Stan Breeden; have a look at the 2018 Wildflowers of Australia published by Steven Nowakowski, I look forward to seeing it. And on the shortlists for book awards from truly independent publishers. Spellbound is shortlisted for the 2017 CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books; (this is another case of the disruptive paradigm – we buy the book firm sale so we have to on sell like that. The book is printed in China which is likely to be unlike many of the shortlisted titles. Waiting by Philip Salom: (Puncher & Wattmann) has been longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award 2017. Going Out Backwards by Ross Fitzgerald & Ian McFadyen (Hybrid) for the Russell Prize for Humour Writing 2017. And good news for the fans of Grafton Everest is that a fifth adventure will be coming from Hybrid Publishers in 2018. Just proves that real independent publishing is visible at so many levels – both congratulations and best hopes for these books to proceed to either award winners or shortlisting. (We are trying to also have a Miles Franklin on our list to coincide with the Miles Franklin shortlist – it will be Childhood at Brindabella (ETT – Absolute Australian Classic Publishing) and will be across printed stock, global POD and global eBook). Farewell to Books in Print and Chris Harrington and Deborah Holland who have owned the shop for the past 28 years. I have to say these are two of the nicest people you would want to meet. They have both adored their special book trade positions over the years and now go on the Bookseller Honour Roll of those who have moved to another part of life and its challenges. Farewell and I think I still owe Chris a bottle of Sangiovese from a Booksellers Conference on the Gold Coast maybe 10 years ago. Big books of the month Fabulous Phil – will have all the might and power of all those footy fellas who have written awesome paragraphs of support Best to all DJ