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Some of you folks might have seen other authors posting about the crushing effect the pandemic has had on book sales.
Everyone thought people stuck at home would buy MORE books, but that isn't what's happened.
Everyone thought people stuck at home would buy MORE books, but that isn't what's happened.
Truth is, most people lost their incomes. Many people in the publishing industry have been laid off or let go outright, resulting in many titles being delayed for months or longer.
Worse, the supply chain for book production and sales has all but collapsed. Printing companies are running out of paper; trucking companies that move paper and books are losing drivers; many retailers, both virtual and brick-and-mortar, who used to sell books are now closed.
The result has been a calamity for publishers and authors. Some folks thought readers would embrace eBooks and bypass the paper/shipping problem. But that hasn't happened. For all the talk of eBooks supplanting print, the dead-tree format remains the dominant format for sales.
What has all this meant to me? My sales have been slammed, just as many others' have. I'd like to say "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," but that's not really true anymore. Truth is, my sales could use a bit of help, too.
Tuesday, May 12, is my birthday. I would be grateful if, on that day, anyone reading this who hasn't already bought a copy of my fantasy-thriller The Iron Codex would please buy a copy in any format from the retailer of your choice: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781466890855
If you already have The Iron Codex, then I'd be grateful if, on May 12, you'd pre-order a copy (in any format, from any retailer) of my upcoming Dark Arts series finale, The Shadow Commission (coming Aug. 11 from @TorBooks): https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765383235
Not to be too melodramatic about it, but my future as an author of original fiction might well depend on this. So any support you can find it in your heart (and finances) to provide at this time would be potentially career-saving. Thanks for reading this far. ~ Dave
