My books are on Ingram now! Hooray!!! Well, not all of my books, only Rosehead and Irkadura, and you will understand the significance of the image above shortly. So, what does this mean and why is this important? 

Many of you have asked for my books to be in libraries and in bookstores, but since I'm an indie, I had to figure out how to do it myself. So the first thing I did was I got extended distribution on CreateSpace. Several of you have requested my books in the libraries, and they have happily bought copies, and you sent me pictures! Yay!!! A bookstore I did a reading at sold my books! Double yay!!! I thought I was done.

Nope.

The first bookstore that sold my books was Third Place Books, but they sold them on a consignment basis. They could've sold my socks under the same arrangement. The second bookstore that sold my books was Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane, and they were the ones who told me to get my books on Ingram as, they said, "your books don't have a discount." I had no clue what it meant, until I researched it. Turns out, for bookstores to make a profit they have to have a discount (duh!), preferably 55%. This has escaped my very smart head. Not only that, they like to use their familar distribution system that they've been using for years. Ingram. 

So I got on Ingram. 

Well, I started the process of getting on Ingram. One of you suggested Itasca Books distribution service to compare, and after waiting for a response from them for a couple weeks, I got a letter with fees that I couldn't afford. Ingram was my fate. 

The process of uploading everything there was very simple (albeit a bit slower), and the cost for ordering proofs and such only a couple dollars more (though I did have to pay for separate ISBNs and such), so I approved the digital book files and went on my Amtrak trip, knowing that when I return, I'll get the printed samples in the mail. The picture of books printed via Ingram vs CreateSpace is what you see above.

Let's look at it closely. 

On the left are books printed via Ingram, on the right via CreateSpace. You will see that the pink is pinker and the color less pronounced in the Ingram versions of the books. The interior paper is lighter cream, and I particularly love the quality of the font: the ink is crisp and thick, so that when you look at the pages at an angle, the letters shine. But I'm a bit vexed by the covers. I like the darker CreateSpace versions better. 

I also had to buy separate ISBNs for these versions via Bowker, like I mentioned already, and that was pricey. Plus I had to pay the one-time stocking fee on Ingram as well.  

So, what does this mean? 

IT MEANS THAT YOU CAN GO TO YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE AND ASK FOR COPIES OF IRKADURA AND ROSEHEAD! 

I EXPECT YOU ALL TO RUN AND DO IT RIGHT THIS MOMENT. OR ELSE. 

(You can ask in any bookstore. Anywhere in the world. For real.)

I know many of you have been waiting for it. I'm sorry it took me forever! But now that I know how to do this, The Badlings will go there as well, and TUBE, and all my other future books. (By the way, new condensed one-book version of Siren Suicides is coming, as well as Blue Sparrow 2, and Rosehead as audiobook.)

This doesn't mean that I won't publish via CreateSpace anymore. I will. I will simply stop my extended distribution there and switch it to Ingram. 

Overall, guys, I'm all excited and everything, but I'm not fully sure how this works. So go ahead and test it. Ask for Rosehead and/or Irkadura at your local bookstore or library and tell me what happens. Deal?

Oh! Almost forgot! Remember that awesome bookstore I stopped by in LA before leaving for Seattle? The Last Bookstore? Guess what, they want to sell Rosehead and Irkadura! I will be shipping them a few signed copies to try and see how they sell. So if you missed me in LA, go get your copy at The Last Bookstore! Bug them! Tell them you want them! I believe in you. You can do it.

Thank you. I love you. You inspire me every day to write.  

Onward.