That Borders Bankruptcy

Well, not like everyone didn't see that coming.

There's been a lot of interesting chat about this on the Internet. There's some blow back from smaller booksellers who are bitter and say that this is nothing more than the chickens coming home to roost. That they are now the victims of amazon's scorch and burn approach to book selling and how does it feel? I see both sides because a lot of people are now losing their jobs and good luck finding a job in this economy. I also learned something new: that Borders, for all it's big boxishness, was something of a champion for the fiction trade paperback writer. The kind of writer who is kick-ass but needs someone biggish like Borders to help them make their name. Another note, my book critique group meets in a Borders twice a month and that store is closing. We're going to have to find another venue, which isn't the big issue, but we've been meeting there for years and I can't help but think of those employees who I greet every time I walk into that store.

For me it personally sucks because I'm on the verge of trying to shop a book. It's not a mystery but it's about the mystery writing world and being a no name, and although there are autobiographical elements in it, it's NOT autobiographical. It takes Elizabeth Bennett and makes her a writer and takes Mr. Darcy and makes him a publisher, and social comedy ensues. I went into writing this knowing it would be a tough sell, but I had a blast writing it, and it's a fun romp (truly, it's a decent read) and now it will be an impossible sell. Because publishers are already struggling and Borders' survival is questionable even when pared down to the nubs and there is debt. OMG, there's debt. Publishers are now carrying Borders' debt and they are going to even be more loathe to take chances. For all of us writers with books to shop this can't be a more horrible time.

Maybe I should just save myself a lot of energy and angst and self-publish it.

Sigh and damn.