Well, it’s only taken me about six months, but I’ve sent the e-book version of Making Friends with the Crocodile out into the world once more. I expect you thought I’d never get around to it.
Actually, I expect you’d completely forgotten about it. I unpublished both my books from Amazon back at the end of February (this post explains why) and since then I’ve explored a number of platforms, and most of them came up short. I’ve gone with Draft2Digital for the e-books, since I can specify they do not appear on Amazon, although even now I’ve an issue with how my second book will be labelled. It means the e-book is now available on a number of platforms, such as Apple, and this link will let you choose one of them.
It seems impossible, though, to find a publisher that doesn’t automatically offer the physical books through Amazon. Much the same as anything one sells anywhere today, either online or offline, can reappear on Amazon and there’s nothing one can do about it. Short of becoming a publishing house myself, I don’t think I can avoid it.
And before you ask, no!
I’ll now have a last scout around the internet to see if I can find a platform for the paperbacks that don’t sell through Amazon, but I suspect I’ll be unlucky. In which case I’ll probably stick with Draft2Digital and ask you nicely, should you buy one of my books, not to buy it through Amazon.
About Making Friends with the Crocodile:
‘There is an Indian proverb: If you live by the banks of a river, make friends with the crocodile.
Set in India, this is a novel about the corrosive relationship between a mother and daughter-in-law, and the contempt in which that society still holds women. Siddiqa’s son has brought his new wife, Naira, to live with them, so Siddiqa is no longer the lowest in the household, for she now has a daughter-in-law to assume that role. But when Naira accuses one of her husband’s friends of sexually assaulting her, all their lives begin to spiral out of control.’
Mick Canning 
Best of luck with it Mick. I think you’ll have problems trying to stop publication on Amazon.
Hugs
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Thanks, David. Yes, I can’t currently see a way of the paperbacks not being on there, although the e-book definitely isn’t.
Hugs back.
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Love the proverb. It certainly would apply equally here, although the substitution of ‘alligator’ for ‘crocodile’ would be needed. It makes for a great title, too.
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Thank you. It just seemed such an appropriate title for the book.
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Sounds like a winner, Mick!
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I do hope so, Pam.
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🙏
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Oops, sorry, my comment landed in the previous post – my bad. 🙂
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A lot of wisdom in that proverb. Hope you are doing well.
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Thanks, Arv. And yes, I’m fine. Just a little bit quiet on the blog front at the moment. Hope you’re well too.
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I’m good, Mick. Enjoy the break 🙂
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Congrats! I have a paper copy of your book, and it is very good.
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Thanks so much, Ann. Spread the word!
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Hi Mick, my lovely publisher, Anne Samson from TSL Books, allows authors to chose Amazon or not. She publishes through Lulu.com and is wonderful to work with.
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If you are interested: https://tslbooks.uk/
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Just to get a sense of things, Robbie, without my asking what you paid, what sort of fees should I be looking at if I did go down that route?
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Thanks, Robbie, I tried Lulu and found I just couldn’t get the book to format, despite their guidelines. And their ‘help’ was worse than useless.
I haven’t contemplated trying a paid publisher because I don’t feel I can afford one.
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Great, would be happy to read. But I can assure you being an Indian woman, daughter in law and working mom, status of women has not only changed in India, but in most of the leadership is women. I have lived in four country now and I am happy to tell you, India is doing much better. This kind of situation is not unique to India, but more or less in all societies, specially in a particular religion so. Looking forward to reading it and all the best 😊
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Thank you! Yes, things are changing. Slowly, but they are changing. And no, the situation is certainly not unique to India. I set the story there since I spent much time there and saw a lot of the way society worked where I stayed. There are far worse places, and here in the west things may be better but they are still nowhere near as good as they should be. I have been encouraged to get good feedback from readers – including Indian women – so I think (I hope) what is depicted is reasonably realistic. If you read it I shall be very keen to hear what you think!
Best wishes.
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For sure
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Pleased to hear that you are putting your book out there again but how irritating that everything ends up on Amazon. You can’t get away from these huge corporations can you, they get their tentacles into absolutely everything. We try to avoid them but it’s pretty much impossible.
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Very difficult, Jonno. A case of damage limitation, so to speak.
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Best wishes for an Amazon-free publication. They do seem to an unhealthy monopoly on such things. So many problems cross borders these days, beyond the power of individual nations to tackle them, but maybe that’s another story …
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Thanks, Dave. I’m still not sure if I can completely avoid them for the paperbacks, but at least the e-books have.
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Amazon has far too much power in many areas, including book publishing. I’m proud of you for trying to steer clear of them and I hope you sell a million copies!
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Thanks, Jill. Just a few now and again would be good!
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Good luck Mick.
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Thanks, Rupali.
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