"Swallow the Moon" is Free

Just a quick note - I was able to get the 'price match' function on Amazon US to make "Swallow the Moon" free. So the books is free on Smashwords, Sony, and Barnes and Noble was supposed to make it free via Smashwords but hasn't for some reason.

While on the subject of Barnes & Noble - I gifted a copy of 'Swallow the Moon' to someone on B&N yet my royalty statement doesn't show the sale.

I'm concerned about that.

Especially in light of these posts on The Business Rusch post on Royalty Statements and The Passive Voice post about Harlequin contracts (via Joe Konrath) I'm not sure I should trust B&N. (Amazon is fully automated - with tested and true software. B&N's site is new and full of bugs.)

It appears to me that the Trade Publishing industry is corrupt beyond all redemption. The light at the end of the tunnel is that the Department of Justice agrees.

A Department of Justice (DoJ) audit may or may not bring the shady business practices of the Publishing Defendants Five to light. I know that Kris Rusch thinks it will and Passive Guy agrees. I trust their judgement as they have been right more often that not, but I can't see how 20 years of corruption is going to be put right.

Are the Defendants Five going to correct their errors and pay back royalties? This will be to the tune of millions, if not billions, of dollars. A crushing amount of money in a good economy - which we do not have.

Most likely these 1% elites will get a slap on the wrist and a public scolding.

After all - who of the 1% has more social standing than the publishing industry? Snobbery being what it its (a social ladder that the elites must also climb) one-upmanship puts the publishing industry just under Royalty and Wall Street moguls.

I've been watching for years as the current social/political battle unfolds. It is about the 1% - the human social hierarchy that we can't explain or fight because it is written in our DNA. Writers are on the bottom of the Publishing heap - though certain ones are elevated for the masses to worship - as long as they starve like good little tin-gods. Money is the tool used to keep score - not the only tool, but a powerful one.

Fortunately (or not) I have never believed in the caste system. I'm surely too old to start now. And I have digressed enough for one day.

"Swallow the Moon" will remain free for the rest of the week. Currently people are picking up about 100 copies a day. "Badlands Rescue" and "Let's Do Lunch" will go free over the weekend. After that we'll see how long it takes the prices to reset. Most likely another week or two.

After that I'm planning on taking a very long vacation - I've got a few things to do but I'm still planning on  being a part-time farmer for the summer and camping a lot.