🚀 go-pugleaf

In a message dated 5/5/99 5:04:19 PM EST, Price100@AOL.com writes:

>
>  You know, this just struck me after reading this directly after reading
>  another list on which they complained about romance reissues.  Readers are
>  consistently outraged when out of print books are repackaged and reissued,
>  yet they also complain when they can't buy our backlist.  How do other
> genres
>  keep old books on the market without occasionally updating them?  Do their
>  readers complain about the reissues?  Essentially, romance reissues ARE
>  classics, even if the publishers don't write "RITA award winner" across the
>  front.  How should they be packaged to show they're reissued classics
> without
>  causing complaint?
>
>  Patricia Rice
>  VOLCANO, Fawcett, 8/99
>
>
Pat,

Apparently the big problem with this, according to my friendly bookstore
clerk, is that readers have bought the same book twice.  They believe the
publisher deliberately deceived them by putting a new cover on the book, not
noting anywhere on the cover that it is a reissue, and/or having confusing
info on the copyright page.  This could all be eliminated simply by putting
something to the effect of: Romance Classic on the cover or put the awards it
won on on the cover or even a quote from a review that refers to when it
first came out on the cover or first page.  It would not deter me from the
buying the book at all.  I would rather buy a really good book from ANY time
period than a lousy recent release.  And personally I do not enjoy crawling
through UBSs and the internet looking for OOP books, especially a book that
should never have gone OOP!  If a reader is rushing through a bookstore,
having those awards plastered on the book at least tells you that enough
other people liked it that it is worth giving a try.  The most worthless
phrase on book covers at this moment is "New York Times Bestselling Author".
I was at Borders today and I can't tell you how many books had this on the
front cover.  Have any of you authors ever tried badgering the people at your
publishing company to try and get ANY improvement on what is put on your
covers?  Have you ever asked them to reissue with a RITA sticker blazing
across the front, announcing your award?  There is a lot of room for
improvement.

BTW, got the new KGS book today and hope to read it soon!

Carol