On the Distribution Front
Posted on April 10, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 6 Comments
Here’s some nice news: The Ghost Brigades is #9 on the April Book Sense SF/Fantasy Hardcover Bestsellers list, and Old Man’s War is #15 on the same month’s sf/f trade paperback list. The lists are compiled from independent bookstores in the US.
These are nice numbers, not just because it’s nice to be on a bestseller list, but because it says to me the books are where they need to be so people who don’t hang out online can find them. The hardcover of OMW did pretty well, but it wasn’t always easy to find out in the real world; I’m sure you all remember me kvetching about never being able to find it at my local independent bookstore. I’m happy to see we seem to have cracked that particular nut. And I also like that my books are doing well for indie bookstores. Kvetch though I did about my local bookstore not carrying OMW in hardback, it’s otherwise a very nice store, and it’s nice to think my books are helping the bottom lines of stores like it.
I never saw OMW in hardcover locally– but I snagged the trade paperback at a bookstore near the Dayton Mall as they were putting them out on the shelves.
I didn’t take chances with Ghost Brigades– ordered two copies, and got them a day prior to the official release.
I got a g.c. to amazon as a work reward, and OMW is one of the books I ordered. I’m looking forward to reading it at last!
Off topic, but I was looking for a recent thread on the books to post the following.
Great books! Picked up “Old Man’s War” (in paperback) after seeing it referred to on the web and then seeing the nominations. Read it in a couple hours on the plane and enjoyed it so much that I had to go out and by “Ghost Brigade” in hardback the next day. Read that in two nights, leading to sleep deprivation and the frustration that I have to add you to my list (Bujold, Pratchett, a couple of others) of authors to watch for new releases. Write faster! And good luck with the Hugo/Campbell.
I never saw OMW at any of the local Chapters stores (essentially the Canadian version of B&N for those who aren’t familiar with it). However, I was there the other day and saw a massive number of trade paperback copies. Face out, no less.
Awesome.
Awesome.