JamesO has recently pointed out that there’s a paperback copy of Cold Granite currently for sale in the used section of Amazon. The thing’s not even out for another month and a bit, but someone’s already flogging it second hand. Now the only way they can have a paperback of the book is if it’s been given to them by HarperCollins for review, or as part of the pre-order sales thing so bookshops know what they’re getting into. Either way these things are marked with ‘Not For Resale’ in dirty big letters.
I know there’s been a lot of debate prompted by Lee Goldberg about people (read Amazon) selling second hand versions of books alongside new ones – why buy a brand new book (even if it is heavily discounted) when you can get one for much cheapness second hand?* – but it does hack me off that someone’s out there flogging a copy of a book that doesn’t even exist in the shops yet. My book.
I suppose the only upside is that whoever they are, they’re charging more than double what Amazon are asking for a brand spanking new virgin hardback. Even so, the cash isn’t going to go anywhere near my mortgage, electricity bill, telephone bill… you got any idea how much beard-trimmers cost?
*Well, how about, if you buy a second hand book instead of a new one it doesn’t count towards the author earning out his or her advance and jeopardises their chances of making a career out of it (perhaps not true of Big Name Authors, but then most of us aren’t), for new and mid-list authors every sale counts.