I have determined that I will not deal directly with bookstores.
I am discussing book sales with one bookstore; Farley's Book Shop in New Hope. We have not finalized any arrangements to sell the books, but I am inclined to give them the exclusive right to sell the books, until such time as I have finished the entire collection of Illustrated Storybooks.
I will of course be setting up my Sales Office at the Studio and moving forward with the online Shopping cart. I will service orders received via those outlets. Bookstores wishing to carry the books will need to come to me and the only terms I will accept are those outlined in my order form. I will NEVER consider consignment under any condition, so don't even suggest it, or I will ban sales to you. If that sounds harsh, you can thank the disrespect that certain bookstores have proffered.
This is a result of numerous factors. Firstly, I need to finish the remaining books in the collection and I feel that I cannot get distracted, or spend resources, trying to convince booksellers to carry the books. Secondly, with the remaining books needing to be finished, I cannot be required to manufacture large quantities of books or tend to the idiosyncrasies involved. If an order comes into my studio as a result of a buyer coming to the office and submitting a paid-in-advance order, and returning to pick up that order, then I will accept and fulfill that order. I am set-up to manufacture. Otherwise, I will be looking for another publisher to pick-up manufacturing and distribution on a large scale for the general market. I will also consider developing relationship with Sales Reps, if there is anyone wanting to do that. My taking on sales and distribution, on top of the other work I need to do, is too much for me.
I very much need to stay in the areas of work that I have set up in the studio. You can see those areas in other discussions. In particular, working on the theatrics of the project and moving forward with illustration and animation.
So are the facts I have now come to realize.
If you are a potential investor in The Elder Gnomes Joint Venture and your specialty is Publishing, Marketing, or Distribution, there is a Board Position for that. Talk to me about that. AG
