Reading · The Book of John

I’ve been lucky enough to have stories printed in a few different places, one of which is Guilty Crime Story Magazine, a delightful periodical which features noir, murder and mayhem.

I presume it’s a small operation, so it didn’t shock me when I ordered a couple hard copies of the ish I’m in, and discovered that it was a print-on-demand scenario.

I hadn’t seen it done like this before, but it makes perfect sense, media made-to-order, rather than a bunch made all at oncest. A smart addition to the modern publishing ecosystem.

I was just glad to see my work in actual print at all.

And on my life went.

Then, recently, I ordered Nineteen Seventy-Four: the Red Riding Quartet, Book One, originally published in 2009. I assumed that I was getting a physical book that had, probably, been either kept in storage since the original print run, or was a more recent reprint.

But when it arrived, it had the telltale signs of publishing-on-demand.

Have to admit, this confused me a little.

Black Lizard is a known brand, owned by Knopf, who has access to traditional publishing.

But this book was obviously done a little cheaper. The pages were copied and printed, that slight smeary look to the words. The covers thinner, less durable.

Not terrible. But a notable step down in quality.

I ordered some James Crumley books, also from Black Lizard, and sure enough, POD.

(Funny to me that my own work, I accepted it gratefully, but the older guys, I’m torqued about it.)

Is this the future now? That “first editions” are a relic?

On the one hand, it reads the same. It’s a book, right? Pages that turn. The experience is identical.

But it bothers me.

Not like, ruins my day.

But y’know that feeling you get when you realize something’s been lost, something most people won’t miss, but for some reason you do?

Like that.

And trust me, I know how it sounds. I was the guy that snorted loud when people talked about not wanting to read digital books, because they liked the feel of the paper or the smell or whatever.

Embrace the future, right?

Ironic, that as time passes, I find I prefer reading prose books in their physical form. (I still like comic books on digital devices. Go figure.)

There’s obvious reasons it’s better than the alternative. Out-of-print will be less of a thing, books more readily available, no matter how old or niche.

For new authors, this evens the playing field even more. If all books are print-on-demand, your book is as legit as anyone’s. You and John Grisham are doing the same thing.

(Slightly different payoffs, probably.)

I mean, in all likelihood, POD is the way you’ll be (hopefully) one day holding a physical book with my name on it.

But part of it is the cheapness. Since I paid retail price for the Crumley books, I guess I expect the “full” product, not a cheaper knockoff.

I just hate feeling like the old guy who won’t adapt.

Click the titles to get at muh stories:

Bastards of a Lesser God