Bang The Drum Slowly And Play The Fife Lowly

Sound the death march as Amazon carries Goodreads to the grave....

As a micro-publisher, I have become a fan of Goodreads as a way to connect with readers. That is what Goodreads is all about, serving as a forum for and about books, recommending books and launching new books.

Without having to pay a fee.

Amazon is all about selling, not only books but gadgets and services. It operates a publishing unit. Will they really welcome me and my small band of colleagues?

If we wanted to use Createspace, owned by Amazon, we would have gone in that direction. The production costs are outrageous, the potential royalties too small, and as a publisher we would have little control over the price and discount we wished to offer.

Will we be forced to turn to Createspace in the future if we wish to host a giveaway at Goodreads? Will Createspace users got priority over the independent publisher? Or will it be pay to play for those not availing of Amazon's publishing services?

Considering how Amazon has operated in the past, it's more than likely than they will tailor Goodreads to fit the Amazon mold, one that involves generating profits at every opportunity.

So sound the death march. Goodreads will not remain in its current state.

It will become another site for Amazon to tout its wares, to push writers towards its Kindle Direct Program and give them preference. Then if you want to promote your book, you'd have to grant Amazon the exclusive rights to publish it.

Goodreads was grand while it lasted.

Now Available:

THE KING OF THE IRISH --- "History and politics buffs will appreciate the novel’s blending of research on the real-life Cronin murder trials with fictional forays that highlight the discrimination and legal duplicity of the era." --- Kirkus Reviews

When a British spy turns up dead in a Chicago sewer, police detective Daniel Coughlin is swept up in a power struggle between warring factions of the Irish nationalists, a fight that could see him hanged for a murder he did not commit. If his politicial clout does not come through for him, he is a dead man.

Drawn from court records and historical archives, THE KING OF THE IRISH presents the infamous Cronin murder trials of 1889 and 1893 from the perspective of an innocent man caught up in a nightmare from which there is no waking. A gripping tale of political chicanery, politics and greed, the novel examines the price of loyalty and honor in a city long known for dirty politics and crooked politicians.

Also available as an e-book in all formats.