Books you gave up on ever being ebooks

[mitford13]

When people outside the US look at the dot com site (without blocking their location) they’re normally shown what kindle books are available to them, not what’s available to US customers. Even if their country has its own site.

[DNSB]

I used a Tor connection with a relay located in the US for the connection to Amazon.com. My Amazon account shows me as being a Canadian customer so it doesn't seem to matter where my IP geolocates.

[mitford13]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I used a Tor connection with a relay located in the US for the connection to Amazon.com. My Amazon account shows me as being a Canadian customer so it doesn't seem to matter where my IP geolocates.

Yes, I should have been clearer.
Some people outside the US think that what they see in Kindle books on the dot com site is what US customers see. That is not the case unless you go to extra lengths to block your location and completely log out/disassociate from your account. If Amazon knows where you are they will show you your availability. The dot com site is not solely the US site. I use Private mode on my iPad if I want to quickly just see an international price.

[svenlind]

Originally Posted by mitford13

When people outside the US look at the dot com site (without blocking their location) they’re normally shown what kindle books are available to them, not what’s available to US customers. Even if their country has its own site.

I did see a Kindle edition priced $10.97. I didn't try to buy it.

Being from Denmark I quite often experience that a Kindle book is not "available for purchase". But when I can buy a book I believed that everyone in US could buy it. Pierre Boulle is French so there are probably some strange rights involved.

The Bridge On the River Kwai is available as an epub in a Danish bookstore.
Their English epubs are ADE protected. I don't know if they sell outside Denmark, but here is a link
Edit. The price in Danish crowns is about $10.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Yep. I think that many times, once the author dies, the estate simply isn't all that interested in keeping the books in print unless we are talking a major hit. Way back when Jim Baen was active on his web board, he mentioned that most books earn most of their money within the first or two year of publishing. Authors with a big backlist that keep writing, can get a steady flow of money from readers who discover the author, then buy the backlist. Jerry Pournelle once referred to his backlist books as his 401-K.

But once the author dies, for the vast majority of authors, there just isn't much incentive to get the book out in ebook form.

Once an author dies, interest to read that author's books can peak.

[JSWolf]

Bridge on the River Kwai is £4.16 at eBooks.com in the UK.

[Stingo]

Funny how releases are often so inconsistent. A book on Greek philosophy called Paideia only had volume 3 released on the kindle. It has been years and there is no sign of volumes 1-2.

[Dr. Drib]

Well, hell!

I'm starting to get tired of waiting for "Islandia," by Austin Tappan Wright.

Somebody get me a scotch on the rocks! *



* I am not advocating drinking alcohol to minors who may be members of M̶o̶b̶i̶l̶e̶p̶r̶o̶g̶r̶a̶m̶m̶e̶r̶ Mobileread.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Well, hell!

I'm starting to get tired of waiting for "Islandia," by Austin Tappan Wright.

Somebody get me a scotch on the rocks! *



* I am not advocating drinking alcohol to minors who may be members of M̶o̶b̶i̶l̶e̶p̶r̶o̶g̶r̶a̶m̶m̶e̶r̶ Mobileread.

That's an interesting case. The author died in 1931 and wasn't published until 1942. That's one that I suspect won't be available until it hits PD.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

That's an interesting case. The author died in 1931 and wasn't published until 1942. That's one that I suspect won't be available until it hits PD.

Ah, but I'm willing to pay for it.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Ah, but I'm willing to pay for it.

I guess you could always email the grandson, Tappan Wright King. I'm assuming he's the literary heir.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tappan_Wright_King

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I guess you could always email the grandson, Tappan Wright King. I'm assuming he's the literary heir.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tappan_Wright_King

Thank you for the info. I'm going to think about that.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Thank you for the info. I'm going to think about that.

I'm not the type of person who is always writing to my favorite authors and such, but you never know. Perhaps contact one of the magazines he use to work for. Some authors have blogs or web pages. Worse thing that can happen is he gives you the cold shoulder.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Once an author dies, interest to read that author's books can peak.

Depends on the author. Really (without using the internet), can you tell me when Jack Chalker died? Or Fred Saberhagen? Or Brian Daley? Or Jack Lovejoy? Sadly, many (most?) mid-tier authors die with very little attention or fanfare.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Depends on the author. Really (without using the internet), can you tell me when Jack Chalker died? Or Fred Saberhagen? Or Brian Daley? Or Jack Lovejoy? Sadly, many (most?) mid-tier authors die with very little attention or fanfare.

I suspect that's true of most authors. There aren't very many who get a mention on national news when they die. Fandom spreads the news if you are a fan, or perhaps they have an online presence.

For the most part, someone who sells enough books to spark a boost in sales when they die, likely already has most of their books in ebook format. For the most part, the books we are talking about in this thread tend to be semi orphaned works. I suspect that the vast majority of books mentioned in the thread would be in PD under the previous 28 + 28 rule.