FYI: Virtu

[truepenny]

[ETA For those of you who would, in fact, like to own The Virtu in hardback, sleary is the Hero of the Revolution to whom you should apply.]


Right now, The Virtu is out of print in both hardback and paperback. My editor is trying to get it into the POD program Ace is starting up, and my agent is making a formal protest on my behalf to Ace Books. But unless and until Ace changes their mind (or the rights revert to me and I figure out what to do to make the book available), you're going to have to look for it used or remaindered.

Yes, this also means the Google Book Settlement is, hello, extremely concrete and personal right at the moment, and I have to say, for a company whose motto is, "Don't be evil," Google is and has been behaving like, well, serious evil on this subject. Essentially, as I understand it, what Google's position boils down to is, We aren't going to respect your copyright and you can't make us respect your copyright. If you want ANY say in what we do with your copyrighted material, you have to agree that it's ours to begin with. [That would be opting in to the settlement. And please notice that this involves agreeing to Google's false premise that they can ignore your copyright in the first place.] And if you don't agree [i.e., if you opt out], well, we're going to do it anyway unless you sue us. And if you sue us, we can squash you like a BUG, little author, because we're Google and you're not. Neener neener. Opting out of the settlement doesn't actually protect your copyrights from Google, it just means that you don't agree with the deal the Authors Guild worked out. Which I don't, because it looks pretty much like signing away your birthright for a mess of pottage.

So, yeah. Dear Google, what happened to "Don't be evil"?

[ETA: And opting in ALSO tacitly agrees to the false assumption that the Authors Guild has the right to represent me. As someone pointed out on a mailing list I'm on, Google is not the only entity behaving like an asshat here.]

Comments

if it helps

[inizitu.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. And I was planning on buying the whole series this month to take on vacation with me, anyway. Maybe I'll bump that plan up a week.

[sleary.livejournal.com]

I had noticed that The Virtu hardcovers were very well-stocked at the big remainder warehouse store at my local mall. :( If you (or anyone else reading this) would like me to snag copies for you, they're selling them for $4. Shipping individual copies would cost me about $2, media rate. In the US, anyway.

I hope the POD program works out!

[midnightrevelry.livejournal.com]

Oh, you are a life saver! The Virtu is the only Doctrine of Labyrinths book I checked out of the library instead of buying, and I would be so grateful if you could send me a copy. I've already checked my local used bookstores, and can't find it in stock anywhere.

I'll PM you regarding payment and shipping.

[musicianatheart.livejournal.com]

You are amazing! The Virtu is the only book of the series that I don't have in hardback, and I have been wishing I could get my hands on one for a while. The problem is that I'm currently trying to figure out if I have enough money to get gas to drive home at the end of the semester, so I don't suppose you could hold one for me til after I start my summer job in a few weeks?

[sleary.livejournal.com]

Heh, yeah, I'm gainfully employed and can spot you $4 till then. :) PM me, or email steph at sillybean dot net, with your shipping address.

[sleary.livejournal.com]

At the risk of pointing out the obvious: since these are remainders, they bear remainder marks and might be more scuffed than new books. I will try to pick out copies in good shape, though.

[nyn17.livejournal.com]

Ohh, I've been wanting to have that in hardcover for ages! Would it be too much to ask if you could check how much a shipment to Bulgaria would cost??

[sleary.livejournal.com]

I will find out!

[uilos.livejournal.com]

I would very, very much like one please. I'd like cover musicianatheart, too, since I have the $6 and to spare. I have no paypal, but I'd be more than happy to send you a check or something like that.

They're going for something like $50 used on Amazon right now, so you may want to snag an extra copy or two for yourself.

[sleary.livejournal.com]

What a generous offer! I'll add you to my list. PM me with your address -- after you shake out your fingers!

re: Amazon... ugh, seriously? isbn.nu (http://isbn.nu/9780441014040) is your friend for finding better prices.

[uilos.livejournal.com]

That? Is an awesome website. Thanks for pointing me to it!

[uilos.livejournal.com]

Whoops, typo there: I'd alsp like to cover musicianatheart.

[uilos.livejournal.com]

Oh, I give up. I have not the typing fingers today.

[izzady.livejournal.com]

I live in Canada and don't know you, but I do have paypal and would be totally okay with paying the extra shipping, if you're willing. My e-mail is
izzy_mk (at) hotmail.com

[sleary.livejournal.com]

No problem. Would you mind sending me a private message with your mailing address? I'm trying to keep everything in one spot, more or less.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

In case you don't see my other message, I'm in Canada and can help at least a few Canucks.

[izzady.livejournal.com]

That would be awesome, if that works out!

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

I'm in Winnipeg, and I know where there are still a few remaindered copies. if you and sleary would prefer not to have to deal with customs, I can snaffle one. renfox@lenorarose.com

copy of virtu

[(Anonymous)]

I would love to get a copy of the virtu. Please e-mail me at bert1310@charter.net and we can work out payment and shipping. THanks so much!! Marti

[suemichave.livejournal.com]

i am in australia, have paypal, is it possible to get a copy sent? postage is usually around $10 i think.

[sleary.livejournal.com]

Hi there! Yes, I just got a fresh box from the bookstore. I'll double-check the shipping cost. Please send me your name & shipping address at steph at sillybean dot net (or in a private message on LJ). Thanks!

[ckd]

Another option: Fictionwise has all four books of the series in both eReader and Mobipocket formats, so it's possible to get a new (and royalty-paying) copy.

[mcurry.livejournal.com]

One choice on Google Reads, assuming you don't want them doing the various things the settlement says they can do with your materials, may well be to opt into the settlement, opt your works out, and then file a written objection to the terms of the settlement (see their FAQ for how to do all of that). Apparently you can also opt out of the settlement and, while doing so, ask that your works not be digitized/displayed, but in that case Google won't be legally obligated to follow your wishes, though they've indicated that they intend to.

While I was (and am) in support of the part of Google Reads where they were just going to scan books so as to have excerpts of them appear in searches, the bit in the settlement where they apparently get to decide when a book is no longer "commercially available" and then, within an unreasonably short period of time, make it available in its entirety as a POD version, is bad stuff. Hopefully the people who are challenging the details of the proposed settlement will be able to get substantive changes made to it, starting with the ridiculous May 5th deadline..

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Which would be a better thing to do, in terms of making my voice heard and protecting other authors, etc. etc. But--and this is what REALLY grates my cheese about the whole thing--why is this MY job? Why is Google getting to start out the game three steps ahead?

(And I know the answers. It just really does make me mad.)

It's a similar thing with the no-call lists. Why is "opt-in" the DEFAULT when no one in their right mind would sign up to be harassed and pestered by telemarketers?

(And, yes. Because they can get away with it.)

Grumble bitch complain.

[mcurry.livejournal.com]

I personally think the short-sighted AAP totally used the Authors Guild as their patsy in this one, in order to get the lawsuit class action status (which it still shouldn't have, given the relatively small number of authors who are actually members of the AG). The reason it's short-sighted is that it's getting them a cut of Google's ad revenue today while threatening their business model down the road. They apparently don't think they should care about some of what Google plans to do with things that go out of print, as they consider it to be the author's problem, but that just proves they have become incapable of playing the long game. It's the same great reasoning that makes then chase blockbuster books instead of nurturing and maintaining a reliable mid-list.

[maki-to13.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard of the Google Book Settlement. I'll have to look into that and whatever the hell it's about.

A friend of mine has all the DoL books in hardback in very good condition, if that helps. I suspect they shall be rather valuable in decades to come.

Oh!!!! My B&N had a streak of awesome to put a small pile of Corambis in the new release section of the SF/F area. Over the past few weeks I've seen the pile getting smaller! Perhaps there's hope after all!

[clhollandwriter]

Somewhat typically, The Virtu is the only one I bought in paperback instead of hardback. Oh well, at least I can read it.

Ace and Google suck. >:-(

[cassandraterra.livejournal.com]

When did this happen? I'm so shocked! I had not idea that The Virtu was out of print.

Bad Google! No cookies!

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

The Times informs me that the Justice Department has opened an antitrust inquiry into the whole thing: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/technology/internet/29google.html?hpw

If I were a Googler, I would be telling myself that copyright is in itself evil, and thus the Google Book Project is not evil, since it's telling copyright where to shove it. Which is an argument that I can understand, and the Project as originally envisioned seems to have had potential. But they're screwing up the execution by the numbers if they're going to try to defraud living authors and/or copyright-holders under the cover of the law.

[glasshouses.livejournal.com]

It amazes me that part of a series would be in print and part of it not. This happened to Jim Grimsley as well. Two sequels to his amazing Kirith Kirin are in print (one just released) but KK itself is not in print.

Morons.

[pitselly.livejournal.com]

Google is evil on many levels (http://www.google-watch.org/gmail.html); I'm sorry it's giving you (or anyone) trouble. Don't be evil my ass.

[raeraesama.livejournal.com]

Ah man, that sucks. :C I better tell my friends to buy the books NOW while they're still in stock.

[gerbilicous.livejournal.com]

Is it only the Virtu going out of print? But, how are new readers supposed to read the series without the Virtu? It's not like you could jump from Melusine to The Mirador without, you know, that giant hunk of story and resolution in between.

Gah, publishing. Very heartfelt condolences.

Now I feel pretty good for having 2 copies in hardback (yay for double Christmas gifts!).

[gerbilicous.livejournal.com]

** and by "feel pretty good" I mean "I am glad I have 2 copies in case something happens to one of them, since they will now be harder to get and I can not be without my full series" not "I predicted this would happen" - stupid not being able to edit comments T__T

[clhollandwriter]

Actually, thinking about it, this is a really arse-backwards piece of marketing. Ace "we won't number our books in case it puts readers off buying a series, just hope they like it and pick up the rest of the books" is deleting the second volume of a series two week after the final volume is released. Obviously the left hand has no idea what the right is doing.

Google ~= Earth logic

[blue-underwing.livejournal.com]

Powell Book's is offering 3 different e-versions:

http://www.powells.com/biblio?PID=26490&cgi=product&isbn=0441014046

And Amazon is also pushing a Kindle version.

Since an e-book going out of print boggles the mind, by what possible metric can Google claim the book is "otherwise unavailable" and so they get to make their own e-book version. An e-book is an e-book and I'll bet the adobe version from Powell's is cleaner than a scanned pdf.

file objection?

[(Anonymous)]

I may be coming into this late, but is it too late to file an objection to the settlement? Usually with class action settlements, there's a proposed settlement, notice is sent to class members (which you are unless and until you opt out), and class members have a period of time in which to file objections to the settlement (and/or to opt out - from what I've read, the current opt-out deadline is Sept. 4, but possibly the LA Times writer doesn't know the difference between opting out and objecting). Then there's a fairness hearing where the objectors have a chance to talk (preferably through attorneys). Only then, if the Court approves the settlement after hearing the objections, does the settlement go into effect (possibly with additional time to opt out).

It looks like the fairness hearing for final approval of the Google books settlement isn't until October, so you might still have time to file an objection. There's still a chance (especially with the justice dept breathing down google's neck re "orphan" book monopolies) that the settlement won't be approved.

Every objection counts - one of the things the Court looks at when it decides to approve a settlement is the percentage of class members who file an objection. So, even if 80% of authors complain about the settlement privately, if only 2% file objections, the evidence at the fairness hearing will show that 98% of authors approve of the settlement.

some stock in Canada

[clairification.livejournal.com]

There's some remaindered hardcover stock of both Melusine and The Virtu in Canada, at a few of the Coles, Indigo and Chapters stores. (I work for them.) Both books are sold out at most locations but Canadian readers can check online to see if stores in your area have a few left. Unfortunately, there aren't any available for order online any more... but fortunately, that is because they sold out quickly, because my customers liked them.

[oceruleanskies.livejournal.com]

Good luck battling ACE, and of course I just could look it up on the internet, but what is the Google Book Settlement? WHy do THEY have the rights to author's book? Isn't it 70 years after the passing away of an author that the rights become publicly available?

A Naive Question Possibly Deserving A Heavy Brickbat

[oceruleanskies.livejournal.com]

If the rights of your books revert to you again, and you cannot find a way to have it published by bulk, is there some method to have it published On Demand? So per personal order, a printed book?

[(Anonymous)]

Ooh, nasty. You have my absolute sympathy and I have a nice copy of Virtu I bought last year. I don't buy many new books, yours are worth it to have them all in the same format.

- Chief

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Was Melusine also out of print, then? If not, Ace has a serious problem with logic.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

No, Mélusine is still in print in paperback.

[girlpunksamurai.livejournal.com]

Oh man...looks like I'd better race off to a nearby bookstore

As it is, I couldn't find any of your books at the closest Barnes&Nobles; I was seriously not happy >.<

As for Google and the Author's Guild doing the evil deed? Yeah...some palms were greased. Someone high up in the guild is now somewhat richer than they had been, I'd bet hard money on it. Now that scanning stuff I'm fine with as it pertains to say, history books or essays but books from current fic/non-fic is another thing and this is nothing short of thievery -_- Don't Be Evil-which apparently pertains to everyone but them.