Friday, January 08, 2010

Do Your Part

Point to ponder---Remember, only you can prevent so called "reality stars" from making fools of themselves. Save them by reading a book this week.

I'm doing my part by currently reading "Doubleback" by Libby Fischer Hellman. I am enjoying it very much.


I'm about eighty pages from the end in an ARC recently provided by owner PJ Nunn of BreakThrough Promotions. The book has been out awhile, but if it wasn't for PJ Nunn, I probably wouldn't be reading this sequel to the very good "Easy Innocence"



because BLEAK HOUSE, the publisher, has decided to no longer provide print copies of their ARCs.

Yes, I am serious. Like all bad ideas, this one is probably highly contagious, causes all orifices to weep, drool and dribble, creates projectile vomiting with low back pain, and the infection spreads easily from business to business. Unfortunately, there is no shot to inoculate anyone from business stupidity.

(There are federal bailouts, but, that is another rant.)

If you want to read a book via a PDF, they will gladly provide an ARC review copy. But, if you are a reviewer like me who wants and NEEDS the print copy, the new policy is worthless and makes their books impossible to review in advance of publication.

A stunningly stupid decision as far as I am concerned and one that I think long term they will regret. Seems to me, considering the sad state state of publishing today, the folks in charge at Bleak House would want to do everything possible to get their books out to reviewers so that they can be reviewed. I made this argument in a letter back to them awhile back and never heard another word.

It is too bad as they were always a publisher I could count on to deliver quality books that appealed to me. With the ongoing cutbacks at my local library system, getting their books once I know about them will be increasingly difficult. Hopefully, they will change their minds one of these days.

Kevin

2 comments:

Terry W. Ervin II said...

Sometimes it seems corners are cut to save a little bit of money, but in the long run the decisions hurt incoming revenue (although a bit delayed)...it seemed like a good idea at the time. And it's not always so easy to just switch back and have things run as smoothly as before. But one can hope.

Kevin R. Tipple said...

They changed ownership/management and I guess that was their first bright idea to save money. I hope they get smart and change it back.