Censorship
I need to tell all of you that Amazon has informed my publisher that they will no longer offer Eighteen Months for sale. They say the book, which they have sold for almost 7 months, violates their "content guidelines."
That means, at this point, that Eighteen Months is only currently available on Barnes and Noble. My publisher assures me that Eighteen Months will be available from another publisher within a week. Sadly, that's likely to result in a 25 - 50% price increase.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW TO OBTAIN Eighteen Months IN KINDLE FORMAT AS SOON AS I KNOW.
In the meantime, you might contemplate what this heavy-handed, unclarified (though we did ask why) action by Amazon means to your ability to read what you want.
Of course, GR is now owned by Amazon. I have no idea whether or not this blog post will last more than a few minutes.
That means, at this point, that Eighteen Months is only currently available on Barnes and Noble. My publisher assures me that Eighteen Months will be available from another publisher within a week. Sadly, that's likely to result in a 25 - 50% price increase.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW TO OBTAIN Eighteen Months IN KINDLE FORMAT AS SOON AS I KNOW.
In the meantime, you might contemplate what this heavy-handed, unclarified (though we did ask why) action by Amazon means to your ability to read what you want.
Of course, GR is now owned by Amazon. I have no idea whether or not this blog post will last more than a few minutes.
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S.J.
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Apr 08, 2015 07:28AM
Amazon has also banned two of my books, without explanation. I think that there is a lack of adult supervision in that organization. I cite as proof what happened to a third book of mine that they had also banned. Shortly after the book was banned, an audiobook version of it came out. Amazon promptly listed it, and shortly afterwards realized that there was an ebook version, which they also added. No one at Amazon seemed to be aware that they had previously banned that book.
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S.J. wrote: "Amazon has also banned two of my books, without explanation. I think that there is a lack of adult supervision in that organization. I cite as proof what happened to a third book of mine that they ..."Thanks for your note. When this happens, you feel pretty much singled out. I had to guess at what the problem was because Amazon wouldn't be specific, of course. So now, with my publisher's input, it's been resubmitted. I'll see if they take it with the few changes. If not, I may withdraw all my books from them.
They have all the power and small or indie authors and publishers have none. Maybe we should form a union ...
Amazon has become the Blob of the internet, absorbing anything it wants. It doesn't have all the power, but it does have a great deal of it and seems to use it arbitrarily. Don't feel singled out. I'm sure that they treat lots of people like garbage.Barnes & Noble sells books, and have not censored any of mine.
S.J. wrote: "Amazon has become the Blob of the internet, absorbing anything it wants. It doesn't have all the power, but it does have a great deal of it and seems to use it arbitrarily. Don't feel singled out. ..."Yes. B&N still offers Eighteen Months. I sent a revised version to my publisher which they will post on B&N and on Amazon. Unfortunately, for every book I sell on B&N, I sell 12 on Amazon.
That may be true, but if Amazon bans a book you sell more of it on Barnes & Noble. Amazon sells a lot of stuff. I don't think sales from books represents a large part of their income, so they treat that area carelessly. As I've said, there is a lack of adult supervision there.
There was once a time when Sears dominated in retail sales. That time is gone, along with Woolworth's, Gino's (a hamburger chain) and other former players. Today, even McDonald's is floundering. The same may well happen to Amazon.
Five of my ten novels have been banned on Amazon, which effectively removed two thirds of the already small income I got from my books. Sales on B&N didn't make up the difference. In fact, sadly, they have stayed very much the same at very low indeed. Perhaps I wouldn't mind so much if there was any consistency in the way Amazon decide which books to ban but the whole process appears to be completely arbitrary, and as they won't indicate any reasons beyond the "didn't meet the guidelines" reply and won't answer questions or enter into any discussion it is very frustrating too.
Lindsey wrote: "Five of my ten novels have been banned on Amazon, which effectively removed two thirds of the already small income I got from my books. Sales on B&N didn't make up the difference. In fact, sadly,..."That's awful. As I've researched this, it appears that Amazon's move into higher levels of censorship was brought on by something that happened in the British parliament about 2 years ago.
My novel, Eighteen Months is now back up on Amazon, with some small changes. My publisher suggested them. They sent me a link to a book that I found very helpful in negotiating Amazon's uncertain, imprecise, confusing, arbitrary, unfounded, and ridiculous "hidden" standards. It's $2.99. Here's a link for the US Amazon site:
http://www.amazon.com/Violation-Autho.....
and the UK Amazon site:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Violation-Aut...
This was VERY helpful to me, and allowed me to get Eighteen Months back up on Amazon with minimal changes.
That said, if anyone wants to form a writers union to stand up to Amazon, sign me up!
Lindsey wrote: "Five of my ten novels have been banned on Amazon, which effectively removed two thirds of the already small income I got from my books. Sales on B&N didn't make up the difference. In fact, sadly,..."BTW, Lindsey, your note reminded me that I totally forgot to write a review for your excellent novel, Gestapo Girl. I've now corrected that oversight. Please forgive me for being late. Let me know where else you want me to post it.
