Dragaera

Used books (was Re: Issola Spoilers vs. Orca Spoilers)

Sat Mar 22 02:33:28 PST 2003

> > >>For the record, I heartily approve of used book stores, and buying
> > >>used books.
> > >Thats a refreshing attitude. Too bad many of your fellow authors
> > >disgree (not me, though).
> >I'm sure some do, but I must say I've never actually noticed one
> >disapproving of the used book trade.
>
> Michael A. Stackpole comes immediately to mind:
> http://www.stormwolf.com/essays/msused.htm
>
> He seems a decent guy other than that, and he writes okay (not great, but
> perfectly readable and fun) fantasy novels in addition to his BattleTech
> and Star Wars stuff.
>

    The differenence was that Stackpole was not against used book sales
because they hurt his pocket book (though he does point out that writers
don't make that much money, and after FASA screwed him on his royalties he
does deserve it), but because of his publishers who were not printing more
than a few thousand copies of his stuff.  Stackpole discouraged people
buying his original fiction novels (not necessarily his Battletech or Star
Wars stuff) because his publishers didn't believe that his audience would
crossover to original works.  However, with the help of his fans the
publishers were "convinced" that they were in error, and the works are being
republished.

    And though I don't really want to start another author debate, I think
Stackpole deserves more than just an "okay."  Admittedly he lacks the sort
of unique flair that makes Brust's stuff so great, but everything I've read
of Stackpole's has been very solid and very good, with a healthy dash of one
of the most important factors of story-writing, coolness.

AkodoBob
-Stackpole Rocks