Ah, to go back twenty years to that golden era of bookselling. Neighborhoods each had their own bookstore, newspapers did extensive book reviews, Amazon was a big river, Barnes and Noble was that huge store you visited in New York City and the internet ... just a twinkle in Al Gore’s eye. But it isn’t 1989. Never will be again and the book industry as we knew it twenty years ago, let alone last year, no longer exists. Mega-stores, Kindle, POD; a whole new lexicon has appeared. And, I’m afraid, we are heading towards the abyss of exclusivity. Here is my personal story in that realm.

Just in the last six months publishers including Chelsea Green and Globe Pequot Press signed exclusive agreements with Amazon.com to release both fiber-based books and e-books. We independents were aghast, the ABA wrote letters of protest, bookstores boycotted Chelsea Green. Where’s the level playing field we asked (as if it has ever been level?), how can we compete? These were political titles, with short shelf lives and at least in my corner of Utah, there was NO demand. No big deal but a warning shot across the bow. What will we do when Stephanie or J.K sign an exclusive?

Robert Fulghum (EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN) lives in Moab part-time. He’s sold over 7 million books. He’s a big deal and he only writes non-fiction. Or so we thought. About 5 years ago Robert plopped down a tome in 5 volumes, “Read this, let me know what you think? It’s a fictional piece I’ve been working on.” About a month later we talked. Third Wish had it all. Compelling characters, a love story, culinary, fine art and musical treats, a tour of three cultures. “Robert, this will be a tremendous Book Club pick. Women, especially will love it! When does it publish? How far apart will you publish each volume?” I gushed. Silence. “Well, actually my publisher won’t publish it,” Robert replied, “I’m insisting that the artwork is in color and that a CD of the music is included. So I’m going with Amazon.” Long silence. “Becker and Mayer, they published those Griffin and Sabine books originally is designing it and Amazon will publish and exclusively distribute it, both in hard copy and on Kindle.” Longer silence. Visions of book release parties go flying out the window. How can he do this to ME, I mused. I took it very personally and told him how upset it made me feel. “Well,” he quietly replied, “I did write into the contract that you could sell the book.” “What’ya mean I can sell the book,” I asked. “What about all the other independent bookstores in the country?” “Queen Anne Books in Seattle can sell it too,” he boasted. After I calmed down a bit, we talked more about the whys and whatnots and he explained that he saw this as the only way he could publish the book the way he wanted it published, save self-publishing it.

But it put me in a quandary. Should I sell the book? Should I go ahead with a release party? What do I tell my peers in the book world? What do I tell Robert?

Ultimately we did a release party. Robert read, Cosy Sheridan (who wrote original music for the book) sang and Peg Dougherty (artwork) explained her process. Coming in at 6.2 pounds it is indeed a tome---and still very good. Robert says Amazon is going back for a second printing. And most of the United States knows nothing of the book ... unless of course, you’re surfing the net ...