Over the last couple of years, we have seen the Aleph farce and NeverSeconds farce, two potential best sellers not on display.
Last Thursday saw the official UK publication of the eagerly awaited Manuscript Found in Accra, in the US Tuesday of this week.
The publisher having failed to set an embargo (better than actually forgetting as they did with Aleph), Waterstone’s and a few indie bookshops stole a march and had it on sale, and on display. But why not on display in the window?
Today, I had junk e-mail from Waterstone’s, usually I delete unread, but today I had a glance. Books I must read for April. No mention of Manuscript Found in Accra. Same for junk e-mail about ten days ago. I daresay publishers pay for a mention, not based on merit.
Thursday of last week WHSmith had it on display at half price, if you looked hard enough, but not on display in the window, and if asked, the staff not a clue what asking for. One store had three copies, another two copies.
I even took the trouble to speak to the manager in one of the stores and point out he had an international best seller.
Tuesday, I visited WHSmith. One copy of Manuscript Found in Accra, that was after speaking to the store manager.
Today, same store, not a single copy!
I asked a member of staff. She wandered aimlessly around the store with me in tow. No we don’t have, I will get some one to look it up. No, it is out of stock.
I am then told they have deliveries on Thursdays. Today is Thursday. And? We have not opened it up yet. And when was the delivery? This morning. It is late afternoon. And you have not yet looked at the delivery? We were too busy. I look around the store and see it is empty, staff standing around like zombies. Does your computer system not tell you what was delivered? No.
No one had a clue what I was asking for.
I walk out of the store in disgust.
We have seen many High Street chains go bust. I am surprised Waterstone’s and WHSmith are not among them. Of the two, WHSmith is the worst. The staff seem to be Asda or Tesco rejects and know nothing about books, the shops are shabby as though in a pound shop.
Last week Manuscript Found in Accra was number 28 in their charts, this week, one week later, nowhere to be seen, I wonder why?
The publishers are to blame. Writers need to take a stand. Fine you may offer my book to a chain at a big discount, but you must offer the same discount to the indie bookshops. But having said that, many of the indie bookshops (if you can find any) are crap too. I rarely go in bookshops, they are depressing. Usually piled high with celebrity crap. A very rare exception is P&G Wells, an indie bookshop in the back streets of Winchester, a joy to visit, as bookshops used to be.
Note: Manuscript Found in Accra, opened at No 2 in Barnes and Noble on day of publication. Maybe unlike WHSmith, they made it readily available.
Note: Manuscript Found in Accra, opened at No 2 on Amazon. Which only goes to show the demand and where it could be in WHSmith if they got their act together and actually sold books!
Within a space of five years we lost a quarter of all our indie bookshops. The chains are faring little better.
It is easy to see why they are failing, and it is not the internet or Amazon which are simply scapegoats for bad practices, bad businesses acumen, and failure to know anything about books.
Independent bookshops are being put out of business because we do not operate in a level playing field. The chains Waterstone’s and WHSmith are offered massive discounts which are not available to the little guys, which enable the chains to offer books at anything up to 75% off.
But even with these massive discounts the chains are failing.
A couple of years ago we saw the Aleph fiasco. Walk into Waterstone’s they did not have it on display, the staff did not have clue what it was. A book by a leading author, an international best seller, and the staff did not have a clue, the shops did not have on display.
The same happened last year with NeverSeconds, by Martha and David Payne. There can be few books that has as much publicity, it was a potential Christmas best seller, it was launched in Waterstone’s in Glasgow, and yet lucky to find a copy in Waterstone’s, the staff did not have a clue, it was not on display.
Last Thursday, the eagerly awaited Manuscript Found in Accra was published. Another international best seller from an internationally acclaimed author.
Thanks to the publisher failing to set an embargo (at least better than Aleph where they actually forgot the book was published), Waterstone’s and a few indie bookshops stole a march on Amazon and not only put it on sale, but put it on display. But why not on display in the window? No mention in e-mails from Waterstone’s, that has been published, is in their bookshops.
Last week WHSmith had Manuscript Found in Accra on display in store (if you looked hard enough) at half price. But why not on display in the window and why so few copies? In one store three copies, in another store two copies. The day before publication they did not have a clue when I asked.
Note: Manuscript Found in Accra, opened at No 2 in Barnes and Noble on day of publication. Maybe unlike WHSmith, they made it readily available.
Note: Manuscript Found in Accra, opened at No 2 on Amazon. Which only goes to show the demand and where it could be in WHSmith if they got their act together and actually sold books!
I asked in WHSmith the day before publication, as I knew it was already available. The idiot I spoke to had not a clue what I was talking about.
I tried the next day. Could not find with the Paulo Coelho books. I was about to ask, when I found it on display, and to my pleasure was on offer at half price. I asked was these two copies all they had? No they had three, and they found a third copy hidden away.
But it was unbelievable, an international best seller, on offer at half price, the first day of publication, and all they had was three copies!
I went and talked to the manager, and suggested they got in more copies and put on display.
A couple of days later, a different branch of WHSmith, with some difficulty I found they did have Manuscript Found in Accra. Two copies! I asked why only two copies. I may as well as talk to a brick wall.
Today I went back to the first WHSmith. Thinking, maybe naively, they would have ordered and got in more copies. They had one copy!
I again asked, the same idiot I had spoken to before, why only one copy. I may as well have spoken to a brick wall.
If selling something at a discount, then you pile ‘em up high, shift a lot.
An international best seller, especially when on offer, especially when first published, you have on display in the window.
If you have something on special offer, you make sure your customers or potential customers know about the offer, that way you sell more, that is why you have it on special offer. Though in the case of WHSmith I suspect it is more a case of a failing chain desperate for cash flow.
Can anyone imagine WalMart or Tesco having a product on special offer and then keeping quiet about it, just in case they might actually sell more?
Then people wonder why bookshops are failing.
It is not simply they know nothing about books, they also know nothing about business.
Note: Manuscript Found in Accra, opened at No 2 in Barnes and Noble on day of publication. Maybe unlike WHSmith, they made it readily available.
Note: Manuscript Found in Accra, opened at No 2 on Amazon. Which only goes to show the demand and where it could be in WHSmith if they got their act together and actually sold books!
Note: When Aleph was published it was a complete and utter fiasco, not on display, staff did not know. And Aleph too was an international best seller.
Readers Rest is a veritable rabbit warren of a bookshop. The type of bookshop it is a pleasure to visit, where the owner knows books. Not like Waterstone’s, a chain that sells books.
Speaking to the owner he said he has had a good 30 years, but was now losing money, cannot afford to pay the rates and has decided to call it a day. He will be closing in a couple of months. When I looked in a couple of weeks ago, he said people come in, browse, comment on what a lovely old bookshop, then walk out empty handed. Today he said, they are happy to pay three pounds for a cup of coffee, but begrudge a couple of pounds for a book.
As we were talking a customer walked in and found a book he liked. He said Readers Rest was a Lincoln landmark and he was sorry to hear from our conversation that it was closing.
It is a crying shame when shops like this close. It was not only the books, it had character, around the bookshop were quotes from books or on books.
I picked up his only two Paulo Coelho books, very sad, my last purchase from Readers Rest. Each has his distinctive pencilled price inside the front cover.
He commented The Alchemist, one of my purchases, was very popular. I said yes, Paulo Coelho a personal friend. I then told him of my experience of Waterstone’s when Aleph was published, an international best seller across Europe and yet in Waterstone’s they did not even know who the author was.
Two Waterstone’s in Lincoln, one in the market area in the old Corn Exchange, the other in the High Street.
Waterstone’s in the High Street no NeverSeconds on the shelves.
I asked, girl no idea NeverSeconds. Checked on the system, the one and only NeverSeconds they had in stock had been sold some days ago. She may have said 27 December, but I cannot be sure.
As she was quite helpfully, I explained NeverSeconds, that what was only on display was in the main celebrity garbage, Waterstone’s was a disgrace as a bookshop, and soon the chain would go under.
She did not disagree, said she was ashamed at having to walk past the rubbish on display, more suited to shelves of a supermarket, it was dictated centrally. I guessed she was former Ottaker’s (the rival book chain Waterstone’s bought and destroyed) where they decided what to order.
NeverSeconds grabbed her interest, and she said she would check it out.
She also checked other Waterstone’s. It was the same picture in most shops with a few rare exceptions, a single copy of NeverSeconds.
This has been my experience too, not on display, not a clue.
There has to be something very seriously wrong with what masquerades as a chain of bookshops (in reality a chain that sells books) and fails to have on display a potential best seller.
At the end of last year, the food blog NeverSeconds passed nine million hits, it featured with Martha Payne on most end of year reviews, but Waterstone’s does not have a single copy in stock, let alone NeverSeconds on display!
Together with her father David, Martha co-authored NeverSeconds, which tells the story of her blog, standing firm against the bully-boys at her local council, the trip to Malawi. For each copy of NeverSeconds sold, 25 meals for Mary’s Meals.
Thanks to the generosity of Cargo Publishing it is possible to download NeverSeconds for 99p.
Wonders will never cease, after a long search, NeverSeconds found in a bookshop. Yes, hard to believe, NeverSeconds found in a bookshop!
Last Saturday, Waterstone’s and WHSmith in Farnham. Not a clue, did not have, Waterstone’s one on order, WHSmith unable to find on system.
On Monday, WHSmith in Aldershot. Not a clue, unable to find on system.
WHSmith Godalming: No NeverSeconds, cannot find on their system. Tried on another system, found 500 in a warehouse, but that works out at less than one copy per shop.
It is worth holding off purchase of NeverSeconds or any book until 2 December. Currently WHSmith have vouchers which give 20% off any book, even books on special offer, from 2 December. This would make NeverSeconds cheaper than buying off Amazon. And remember Amazon are tax dodgers.
Waterstone’s Godalming: Is NeverSeconds by Paulo Coelho? None in stock, did have one, we sold it. One on order. I suggested they may care to order more, put on display. Helpful guy checked system, lots in Scotland, one in Guildford.
Waterstone’s Guildford: Yes, we have NeverSeconds, it is in Biography. I spotted it before the girl did. But only one.
Miracles will never cease, Waterstone’s Guildford has one copy in stock of NeverSeconds!
As I had time to spare, I sat down to flip through and read little snippets. A interesting format. Extracts from Martha’s food blog NeverSeconds coupled with Dave giving the background.
As only one, I did not buy, left for someone else to buy, but what I did do was put on the shelf on display with the cover showing.
I suggested they got more in and put on display.
On display Aleph. Only one year after publication, but I guess better late than never.
NeverSeconds, the story of Martha Payne and her food blog NeverSeconds, as told by Martha and her father David Payne, is currenty selling 300 copies a day, published two weeks ago, is already on its second print run.
Every copy of NeverSeconds which is sold provides 25 school dinners for children in Malawi through a donation to Mary’s Meals.
Martha putting finishing touches to Friends of NeverSeconds
If you wondered why a ten-year-old schoolgirl was honoured by Liberty as Human Rights Young Person of the Year or why in the same week the Scottish Herald named her Campaigner of the Year, this TED talk recorded at TED Global in Edinburgh June 2012 and the TED interview with Martha Payne will give you an inkling.
What made them think they could get away from this? — Clay Shirky
Martha Payne may only be 9-years-old, but she is already a world-renowned food blogger.
In a preamble to his fascinating TEDTalk about what governments can learn from open-source programming, Clay Shirky told Payne’s inspirational story.
In April of 2012, Scottish schoolgirl Payne started the blog NeverSeconds.blogspot.co.uk, which documents her school dinners (otherwise known as school lunches in the United States) with ratings like “number of mouthfuls” and “pieces of hair” found in food. The idea was to raise money for the charity Mary’s Meals, while at the same time showing the world the low nutritional value of school meals.
The blog quickly picked up fans. But on June 14, readers of NeverSeconds were greeted with a distressing post.
“This morning in maths I got taken out of class by my head teacher and taken to her office. I was told that I could not take any more photos of my school dinners because of a headline in a newspaper today,” wrote Payne. “I am sad I am no longer allowed to take photos. I will miss sharing and rating my school dinners.”
While Payne’s school supported the blog, it was reportedly the local Argyll and Bute Council that had decided its fate. Fans of the blog swung into action, flooding the council with angry messages. The outpouring was so extreme that the council quickly reversed its decision. By June 15, Payne’s blog was back.
Today, NeverSeconds has been read by 8 million people across the globe. Payne has raised £114,840 for Mary’s Meals, and the charity has set up the Friends of NeverSeconds kitchen at a school in Malawi, which Payne herself will soon visit. Meanwhile, Payne is also inspiring students in other countries, like 13-year-old Isadora Faber of Brazil, who documented her school’s poor facilities, leading to many swift improvements.
We caught up with Payne to ask her a few questions.
What inspired you to start your blog?
I want to be a journalist and I asked my dad if I could write everyday. Dad suggested a blog and we looked at some. I like the fact there is a publish button because it’s like I’m a real newspaper writer.
Why do you think your blog posts resonate so deeply with people?
Everyone knows about school dinners. I love seeing what school dinners are like around the world. Children are sharing their photos and ratings. It’s brilliant and I have cooked some of their lunches.
How did you feel in June when you were told you couldn’t photograph your lunches anymore?
I was upset and cried because I had done nothing wrong. Some adults had got embarrassed and thought stopping me would stop them being embarrassed.
What reactions did you get after you posted your goodbye message?
There were so many messages — I couldn’t read them all. Dad said it trended on Twitter and lots of people contacted Argyll and Bute Council.
Were you surprised by the level of public support you received?
It was awesome. Although I was sad because it was unfair, I was also happy that other people thought it was unfair as well.
What does that tell you about the type of world we live in?
It says even a big Council can’t be a bully. They ignored me when I said it was unfair but they couldn’t ignore the world.
How has your blog changed since you were able to resume posting?
There are guest bloggers writing each week because I’m off school, so no school dinners yet. I am going to Malawi to visit the Mary’s Meals charity because the friends of NeverSeconds raised over £114,000 to feed children a school dinner in Malawi. I will blog everyday from Malawi if I can.
What have you learned from your blogging experience?
I don’t know why adults teach us to write and think then get embarrassed when we do it outside class. I love kids sharing their meals with me and I like sharing back. The internet isn’t just for adults — we can use it too. When everyone chips in, you can help children around the world like with Mary’s Meals.
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During her day in London, Martha visited Parliament, before the Liberty Award Ceremony in the evening. She later reflected: why do we need Liberty if we have Parliament?
We need Liberty, we need people like Martha, because there are always those who will seek to silence critical voices.We need people who will fight for what is right.
The Taliban thought they could silence Malawa with a bullet to to the brain. They were wrong, she survived, more determined than ever to fight for education for girls. Her cause was taken up by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. So far he has collected over 2 million signatures in support of Malawa, Pakistan has been forced to introduce compulsory free education for girls and boys, has doubled the education budget.
Vladimire Putin thought he could silence Pussy Riot. He was wrong. Only last week he was given a public dressing down by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
President Morsi thought he could grant himself executive powers. Those who have filled Tahrir Square in protest think otherwise.
A pathetic jobsworth in a local council thought he could bully a nine-year-old schoolgirl, close down her food blog NeverSeconds. With the help and support of her family and friends around the world including chef Jamie Oliver, Martha stood her ground. The council were forced into a humiliating climbdown, with the leader of the council issuing a public apology on BBC Radio 4 lunchtime news World at One (only that morning on the Today programme the council had tried to justify their action). The council even blatantly lied!
NeverSeconds has now recorded over 8.7 million hits. Through NeverSeconds Martha went on to raise over £120,000 for a school kitchen in Malawi called Friends of NeverSeconds, and was invited to Malawi to inaugurate the kitchen.
With the help of her father David, Martha has co-written a book NeverSeconds, which tells the story of her blog, standing firm against the bully-boys at her local council, the trip to Malawi.
For whatever perverse reason Waterstone’s in England is not stocking NeverSeconds, does not have it on display. Once again her friends are coming to her rescue, walking into Waterstone’s bookshops and demanding to know why NeverSeconds is not in stock, not on display.
Well, that’s the first print run of NeverSeconds gone. In less than a week. Special high street offers available from next week. — Cargo Publishing
The plan was Wimbledon, then Putney for a concert, but it was awful day, change of plan, Charing Cross Road, hit the bookshops, eat at Food for Thought, then Putney for Il Siglo d’Oro.
The Quest for Never Seconds continues.
I started with the secondhand bookshops. I did not expect much joy, but you never know, I might strike lucky and pick up a review copy.
No such luck, nor did I find Hydrogen Sonata which I had hoped I might find.
Next stop Blackwell’s. Unlike Waterstone’s which is a sick joke, Blackwell’s is an excellent bookshop and I rarely leave empty handed or I find must have, to keep an eye out for. But no time today for browsing, I was on the quest for NeverSeconds.
I spoke to a couple of guys. To be fair, it was not their area. Neither had heard of NeverSeconds. But they were helpful, and agreed it was a book they should have in and on display and they would get onto it. Something Cargo Publishing must follow through on.
I noticed they had Nook. First I realised Nook was in UK was the day before when I walked out of Godalming Station and saw a large hoarding for Nook. Until I saw it said Nook, I thought I was looking at a Kobo.
In Blackwell’s, first time I had seen a Nook. Very cheap and tacky, not the quality of a Kobo. Like a Kobo advantage over Kindle is that it reads ePub Open Source format.
The guys I was talking to knew to use Calibre to manage an e-book library, but both said books were better. I agree.
Next stop Foyles, Bookshop of the Year 2012.
In the 1980s I used to practically live in Foyles. A bookshop of character, the world’s largest bookshop. It had almost every book you could wish to find. But do not ever expect the staff to know, as they never knew where anything was. That was half the fun of visiting Foyles.
Oh but how it has changed, and not for the better.
Did they have NeverSeconds? I asked several members of staff. None had a clue what I was talking about. All were able to tell me, yes, we had one copy, we sold it today.
I eventually found the appropriate section, food writers. I asked. Sold today. I was told what size it was, because I asked the person who had actually seen a copy what it was like. It seemed rather small. I picked up a book, literary fiction size, and asked this size?
I could not believe the reaction I got. The woman was bloody rude. I am not continuing this conversation, I have already told you the size. I told her her rudeness had been duly noted.
I went downstairs and complained to a manager. He knew who I was talking about. I expressed surprise they did not have NeverSeconds on display, a book that had had masses of media attention. I think he got the message. Something Cargo Publishing need to follow through.
Foyles also were flogging Nook e-book readers.
Lessons have not be learnt from Borders who spectacularly went bust. In 2011, they did a deal with Amazon, they outsourced all their e-commerce to Amazon. It smacked of desperation, as does Waterstone’s selling Kindle, and simply handed on a plate their customers to Amazon. Too late in the day, Borders tried to claw back, but they were too late.
Yesterday I contacted Daunt Books, had they got NeverSeconds? They have not had the courtesy to reply. Nor has One Tree Books, Bookshop of the Year 2010, who I contacted a few days ago, had the courtesy to reply.
NeverSeconds, the story of Martha Payne and her food blog NeverSeconds, as told by Martha and her father David Payne, is currently selling 300 copies a day, published last week, is already on its second print run.
Every copy of NeverSeconds which is sold provides 25 school dinners for children in Malawi through a donation to Mary’s Meals.
Aleph and The Alchemist joint No 7 (in non fiction chart)
Wonderful display of Paulo Coelho books in window of Libreria Palazzo Roberti
HarperCollins have produced a rather tacky video to promote that Aleph is now available in paperback.
This appalling New-Age-light video from HarperCollins merely serves to reinforce the worse prejudices from critics that Paulo Coelho is a pedlar of psycho-babble and pseudo-crap.
In many ways it is much worse than the critics. At least with the vicious personal attacks by critics masquerading as book reviews, the intelligent reader can see there is something wrong, wrong that is with the critic not the books or author.
Had I never read Paulo Coelho, this awful video would have put me off Paulo Coelho for life, or at the very least it would have taken a lot of persuading for me to have picked up and read one of his books.
I learnt Aleph was out in paperback on passing through an airport and finding it on display on a book stand. It was joint No 7 with The Alchemist. Odd though, I thought, in the non-fiction chart.
The Alchemist has a new cover. This I discovered on meeting and chatting with a man who like me was in transit between terminal buildings and waiting for the shuttle. Strangers passing by in brief encounters.
Friday of last week, I checked Waterstone’s in Guildford. No, Aleph was not on display. It was not on display in the window, not on display in-store. At least it was on display on the shelves after I passed through.
Same story, Waterstone’s in Lincoln, Tuesday of this week. No Aleph on display.
What is wrong with Waterstone’s?
Last year when Aleph came out in hardback, it was not on display in Waterstone’s
If nothing else an opportunity for independent bookshops. But will they grasp the opportunity? On past track record, the sad reality is no, which is one reason they are all going out of business.
One, Libreria Palazzo Roberti, located in a former palace that was once owned by the Comte Roberti where Napoleon slept the night, was a delight to visit. As one wandered around one could see the love of books. Wonderful enticing book displays.
I mentioned Paulo Coelho was in Bassano del Grappa. When I passed by a couple of days later, Libreria Plazzo Roberti had a wonderful display of Paulo Coelho books in one of their windows. Somehow I cannot imagine that happening with Waterstone’s.
Guildford has an annual book festival which takes place mid-October. Pass by Waterstone’s and you would not know, as no mention of the Guildford Book Festival. Sour grapes because they are not the official festival bookseller.
But please do not let the tacky HarperCollins video put you off reading Aleph. It is excellent and highly recommended.
Aleph is available in paperback the UK now, in the US in June.
Wonderful display of Paulo Coelho books in window of Libreria Palazzo Roberti
Mio browsing her favourite writer Paulo Coelho in Vicola Gamba
Libreria Palazzo Roberti
Incontrarsi, sfogliare, leggere, un piacere da riscoprire nella Libreria Palazzo Roberti.
Un ambiente accogliente, con sale di lettura, terraazza e giardino.
There are four independent bookshops in Bassano del Grappa (maybe more).
One along a narrow lane between the old wooden bridge and the river.
One next to the bridge.
One straight up from the bridge, about half way up on the left.
One up through the two squares, then carry on up through the street that leads out, about halfway up on the right.
The one in the narrow lane appears to specialise in art and philosophy. No books by Paulo Coelho.
The one by the bridge has a stunning view of the old wooden bridge out the rear window. By the window a good selection of books by Paulo Coelho.
Vicola Gamba is a lovely little coffee shop cum bookshop half way up the narrow street leading from the bridge. Wide selections of teas and fresh-crushed fruit juice. By a table at the rear a good selection of books by Paulo Coelho. The sign on the wall, a steaming tea cup on a pile of books.
Libreria Palazzo Roberti is a bookshop in a former palace where Napoleon once spent the night. It is a family owned and run business and what immediately strikes one as one wanders around is their love of books. Wonderful enticing book displays.
Libreria Palazzo Roberti puts bookshops to shame in England. Not that there are many left as between them the publishing industry and Waterstone’s seem determined to kill off the book trade. In the last few years we have lost a quarter of our independent bookshops.
In England one would not find a bookshop like either Libreria Palazzo Roberti or Vicola Gamba. For a town the size of Bassano del Grappa one would be lucky to find one bookshop, let alone four happily coexisting.
The reason for this lack of bookshops is that books have been turned into a commodity. A fast buck, the latest blockbuster best-seller. Books are heavily discounted to Waterstone’s but not to independent booksellers, thus not a level playing field and they are being driven out of business by blatant unfair competition.
I had a very interesting conversation with a helpful and charming lady in Libreria Palazzo Roberti. I mentioned to her that Paulo Coelho was in Bassano del Grappa and suggested they marked the occasion with a window display of his books. When I next passed by, they had a wonderful window display of Paulo Coelho books.
Waterstone’s, by contrast, has corporate determined and controlled book displays. Very depressing to visit.
Aleph by Paulo Coelho is now out in paperback in England. Waterstone’s do not have Aleph on display, either in-store or in the window. Nor did Waterstone’s have Aleph on display when it was published in hard back, September last year.
The handrails on the stairs in Libreria Palazzo Roberti are attached to the walls by snakes. The top floor is a salon used for music recitals. Out the back a lovely little garden. The front of the building is impressive too.
At the weekend there was a trio playing from across the bookshop: acoustic guitar, double bass and violin.
