You can read the basic FAQ here, but here are answers to a few more frequently asked questions:
1. Why are covers different in the US and other countries?
Generally speaking, each country has a different publisher, and that publisher chooses its own artwork for the covers.
2. Can I get a signed book, bookplate, etc?
Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to sign individual books or send out bookplates (or other materials) on request at this time. But I try to host plenty of contests and blog tour spots to let folks have a shot at Dark Elite and Chicagoland Vampires swag. You can also visit the store to buy CV and DE gear.
I can send out bookmarks in bulk to bookstores, so feel free to ask your local bookstore to send me an email request.
3. Why are your e-books sometimes more expensive than your published books? Can you make the e-books cheaper?
I can hear your frustration through the Interwebs! That said, the publisher and retailer set the prices of the books, and I have no say in those decisions. (Nor would I want to! Too much maths!)
Generally, as I understand the system, e-books often are lower in price than print copies. In some circumstances, however, a retailer might provide an extra discount on the print copy of the book that makes it appear that the e-book version is “more expensive” than the print version. (Thus, even if it appears the Kindle version of a book is “more expensive” than a paper copy at Amazon, this is actually because Amazon provides a discounted copy of the paper book. The Kindle version would still, for example, be cheaper than a paper copy purchased at a brick-and-mortar bookstore.)
More importantly, e-book sales are only a small fraction of a publisher’s current sales. (From what I’ve seen on the Interwebs, somewhere between 3-5%.) Yes, that fraction is increasing, but publishers still have all the overhead associated with actually publishing and printing the book–paying the author, paying the editors, office and overhead costs, typesetting, cover art, printing, advertising, servers and ‘lectronics, web hosting, etc. The only chunk of that not associated directly with e-books is the printing bit, and when 92-97% of books are still sold in paper form, publishers still have all those costs anyway.
That said, it’s quite possible e-book prices will drop in the future if (when?) e-books become a bigger chunk of the market. (Who remembers how much VCRs used to cost? Now I think they give them away with the purchase of soup.) 🙂
It can actually be quite interesting to check out the different country editions. Each publisher markets the book for it's audience (that country's population), so it's like a mini culture study. ^__^
Thanks for the FAQ!
What is actually the most frustrating when you don't live in the US or in Canada is the fact that you can't buy the e version of the book! At any price! You can order the print copy in the US or in your country quite easily with a slight delay but not the ebook. Which I find simply ridiculous and backward…not that I'm blaming the authors! 😉