Monday, October 05, 2009

Counting the miles...

Okay, maybe I shouldn't! Including my trip to Oregon for a family emergency, I've logged over 7000 miles in the past ten days...

Back from Georgia and store appearances in Marietta, Atlanta, and Valdosta. Out of 60 hours from the time I departed Friday morning to my return Sunday evening, I was on the road for over 24 hours! Glad my five store appearances in November are all within three hours of home...

My virtual tour also kicked off this weekend! Visit The Book Muncher for a chance to win a free copy of Book IV. Simply Megan posted her review today and I'm visiting her blog with a guest post on Wednesday. Today I am also visiting Bookland Heights so stop by and say hello!

I've been doing bookstore appearances for five years now, and it's sad how things have changed in just that short span of time. Fewer people visit bookstores. Those that do are looking for bargains. I overheard many state that they were going to purchase this book or that for their Kindle or Sony Reader instead. Bookstores will never vanish, but I think they will continue to decline.

Although even sadder are the amount of people who pass by a bookstore and never even consider entering. Wow, in a mall, that's always been my first destination...

15 comments:

Unknown said...

That's really too bad about the decline in the purchase of actual BOOKS. To me, there is nothing like having a solid BOOK in hand while I read! Another look at just how much technology is changing the world as we've known it...

Thanks for the heads up on today's additional posts and stops! I'll be there! Going over to Simply Megan now!

Mary Cunningham said...

Sorry I missed you over the weekend. I usually try to stay out of Atlanta traffic and stay on the outskirts. At least you'll be comfy during your blog tour!

We're so happy to have to on Bookland Heights this week!

Mary
http://booklandheights.blogspot.com
http://marycunninghambooks.com

Helen Ginger said...

I've yet to read an e-book, but I can see the draw in it. I hope you at least had good sales during your tour of the peach state.

Helen
Straight From Hel

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

What a grueling schedule you’ve had lately. I hope it’s been and will continue to be a successful one. I have also been surprised by the number of people who walk by a bookstore in a mall without going in.

Marvin D Wilson said...

yeah, times are definitely changing. The e-stores are so user friendly and ubiquitous that visiting brick & mortar bookstores is phasing out - or at least way back into the bakcground.

The Old Silly

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Wait until you guys see my links for Friday - there's another book version on the horizon!

Jai Joshi said...

All that travelling can be exhausting.

I've done a store appearance in Marietta Atlanta too! It's a lovely area and the people are really nice.

I hope the family emergency wasn't too bad. Best wishes.

Jai

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I've noticed some of that, too...lots of bargain hunting. And a lot less store traffic. Maybe a lot of it is due to online bookstores and ebooks?

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

Unknown said...

I know you're right, but I still like the hard copy to read - even the newspaper which will also become extinct sooner or later as well.
Guess it's just my generation.
Happy Twirls

Morgan Mandel said...

I can't believe you're doing another virtual book tour so soon. You do have stamina!

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com

Creative Chronicler said...

As a frequent book store visitor, I have noticed the same things. People also go to bookstores to socialize more than to buy books now, plus with chains such as Barnes & Nobles and Borders, people go in buy a cup of coffee and read books while they are there and then walk out without buying them. I understand why they allow it but it really isn't helping anyones sales.

I have a huge folder of ebooks on my laptop, but to be honest I've only read one and that was for a friend so I could review her book. I'm on a computer most of the day, and the last thing I want to do is read from a screen. Plus there is just something about being able to hold a book.

Good luck with the tour!!

Anonymous said...

Diane,

I long ago gave up on bookstore signings in hopes of actually selling a measurable number of books.

I have, however, had excellent results in targeted venues (e.g., Confederate Air Force and Experimental Aircraft Association meetings for my aviation history books) and museums for historical fiction.

Otherwise, online venues tend to generate more sales more consistently. Although we sell most of our books in various e-book formats, I doubt e-book sales will capture a significant portion of sales for many years yet. Our e-books sell steadily but only account for 5-6% of total dollar sales (maybe 10% of unit sales).

We have to be prepared to roll with the new waves that pummel us along the publishing shores, but nobody can yet reliably predict the tsunami just over the horizon.

But, whatever it might be, brace yourself, because it is coming.

Walt Shiel
Publisher, Slipdown Mountain Publications LLC

Anonymous said...

The decline of bookstores makes me so sad. I don't even want to think about it!

Glad your visits went well. I've loved traveling through Georgia as well, though my visits were for fun and not work.

Nancy J. Parra said...

Wow- what a lot of hard work! Good luck with your sales and book tour- you deserve it. Sad about book stores- perhaps we need to target more libraries until the economy improves...hmmm. Just thinking out loud.

Cheers!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Bookstores just aren't what they used to be, and neither are those who enter.

Walt, that's why I visit so few stores anymore...

Nancy, if you've a history book, the library is THE place to go! For other genres, not so much...

My biggest sales now come from online and at speaking engagements.