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The Golden Pencil: The Freelance Writer’s Resource

August 20th, 2008

Obama Book - Is It Part of Amazon / BookSurge Fallout?

Yesterday, Publishers Weekly announced that Barnes and Nobel had canceled their 10,000 book order of Obama’s Challenge: America’s Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency. The book, written by Robert Kuttner and published by Chelsea Green is scheduled to be officially launched at the Democratic Convention which starts on August 25.
The reason Barnes […]

By Anne Wayman -- 1 comment

June 3rd, 2008

Angela Hoy Talks About Amazon/BookSurge

Angela Hoy Angela Hoy, Publisher of BookLocker and Publisher and Editor of WritersWeekly.com, and our heroine who has launched a class action suit against Amazon over the online bookstore’s insistence that self-publishers use their POD printer, BookSurge, was interviewed by Publishing Insiders along with Eric Kampmann, Founder President of Beaufort Books and CEO of Midpoint […]

By Anne Wayman -- 0 comments

May 22nd, 2008

BookLocker Begins Class Action Against Amazon

BookLocker Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Amazon.com is the headline at BookLocker’s new blog, Amazon BookSurge Antitrust Lawsuit Clearinghouse, devoted to the suit.
The suit is, of course, in response to Amazon.com’s efforts to make print on demand publishers who wish to be listed on the online bookseller’s site use their POD printer, BookSurge, exclusively. You’ll […]

By Anne Wayman -- 5 comments

May 1st, 2008

Boycott Amazon?

Yikes! I missed this until just now. According to Rosemary Haworth writing for PC Advisor in the UK Arts Council-funded YouWriteOn is calling for a one day strike against Amazon… today, May 1st.
The article is entitled Writers call for 1 May Amazon, eBay boycott. Amazon’s attempt to force POD publishers to use their BookSurge POD […]

By Anne Wayman -- 0 comments

May 1st, 2008

Petition to Stop Amazon / BookSurge Monopoly Attempt

A. F. Stewart, a writer and blogger in Nova Scotia, has started a petition aimed at getting Amazon to mend it’s ways regarding their attempt to force POD publishers to use their printer, BookSurge.
I’ve signed it knowing my signature may not mean much since it’s unclear what such an effort might mean. But it […]

By Anne Wayman -- 0 comments

April 29th, 2008

What Should We Do About Amazon?

I’m feeling conflicted about Amazon right now. I remember when the online bookstore was scrappy and innovative. In fact, one year they sent me a travel mug as a thanks, and another time they sent me something like 10 postage stamps.
We’re along way from when folks predicted founder Jeff Bezos would flat out fail. In […]

By Anne Wayman -- 4 comments

April 29th, 2008

Concern About Amazon / Booksurge Builds

Over at Publishers Weekly, Jim Milliot reports that a major topic of conversation at the London Book Fair this month is Amazon’s continuing attempt to force POD publishers to use Amazon’s BookSurge if they want their books listed on the now gigantic online e-tailer. Jim makes a series of interesting points, including:

Although Barnes and […]

By Anne Wayman -- 0 comments

April 24th, 2008

Washington AG Says Talk to Feds About Amazon and BookSurge

I got this emailed response from the Washington State Attorney General’s office in response to my concern about Amazon’s change in policy regarding how they will handle books not printed by their own POD printer BookSurge:
Dear Ms. Wayman:
The Washington Attorney General’s Antitrust Division has received many complaints regarding the new “print on demand” or […]

By Anne Wayman -- 4 comments

April 21st, 2008

AuthorHouse May Have Caved to Amazon Re Booksurge

According to Publisher’s Weekly, AuthorHouse (a large Print On Demand publisher) gave into Amazon’s demand they print with Booksurge rather than with, presumably, LighteningSource. The PW article is titled: AuthorHouse Bows to Amazon Pressure Over Booksurge
The post points to AuthorHouse’s Position Statement, calling it ambiguously-worded and I agree; I can’t tell what they’re doing. I […]

By Anne Wayman -- 5 comments

April 11th, 2008

Washington’s AG Offers Initial Response to Amazon/BookSurge Issue

Although PODdyMouth is optimistic about the initial response of the Attorney General’s office in Washington State about the Amazon/BookSurge issue, I’m not impressed - it sounds like the usual political cya, but I’m old enough to be a bit of a cynic.
What do you think?
Write well and often,

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By Anne Wayman -- 1 comment