Fair’s Fair “For Book Lovers”

Over 21 years and more enthusiastic than ever!2009 turned out to be our second best year ever! It was only exceeded by 2008 and 2008 would have been even better except sales stalled slightly in the fourth quarter after the world became aware how the blind greed of people focused primarily on money can wreak havoc.If you measure your value in dollars and cents you are unlikely to be connected to the book business for very long. Ours is a business where a lifetime of consistent effort will seldom produce very much in the way of financial rewards. Considering this, it is a little hard to understand the envy outsiders feel (and quite often express) toward us book store operators.Maybe we emit a special pheromone for deep contentment, unbelievable commitment, finding nirvana, or soul enriching happiness.Even a large internet host has expressed some negativity about the sustainability and future prospects of the book business (and all they do is provide a venue to scoop the cream off everyone else’s time consuming and labor consuming efforts).

This last year’s search for the shiny penny that will allow everyone in the book business to fool themselves into thinking they can remain asleep turned out to be the e-book.

I love gadgets as much as anyone and after researching as much about the e-book as I can – I like it! Unfortunately those processing the content (corporations  with publishing companies and their ilk among their assets) seem determined to stay on board and continue coasting until the last last straw finally slips through the fingers of their do-as-little-as-necessary hands.

I think the e-book will be a catalyst to revive the book business … eventually

Someone, who is probably not presently directly engaged in publishing, will eventually come along and rejuvenate the book business using the e-book as a valuable tool in their arsenal – but it won’t be the existing publishing business as we know it – they have been fast asleep too long while the world has changed around them.