Opossums

Opossums have thirteen nipples. Rumor has it they give birth through their nose. This is probably due to the female’s habit of putting her face into the pouch to clean it just before giving birth.

Just thought you’d wanna know.

Okay, so yesterday D and I went to the Keg. And of course, after a heavy meal, the best thing you can do is go shopping to wear off the considerable calories you just inhaled. So off to Chapters we went. If I had to pick any one thing I am addicted to, (now that I gave up Coke – sighhh – I still miss Coca Cola slurpees – sighhh –) I would pick books. I love books, always have and always will as long as I have money and my Chapters card. Heck even without that, there is still the library. So imagine my disappointment when I was browsing through Chapters and discovered that several of my fave – ie collected– authors had new books out – in hard cover. I mean seriously. I have some books I only collect in hardcover but most of my series are in paperback. So here is my rant.

Dear Mr Butler, while I adore your Dresden books, I have all of your novels in paperback and I have never seen your books in hardcover outside of the SciFi book club (which doesn’t count cause they will put any book in hardcover) (and yes, I am member of that club as well). I understand that you are now a Famous author. I can understand starting your new series in hardcover. But to come out with a hardcover Dresden book – are you seriously that cruel to your patrons? Now I have to wait – what a year, maybe more, maybe less - to read the next book because unless I order it from the library, I am not splitting my series up so I can have the 7th book in hardcover. And I am not replacing all of your books just so they are all in hardcover.

Dear Ms Feehan, I have all of your series, all of your stories in anthologies and I am a frequent visitor of your website. I love what you have done with the video trailers of the books and such. I own 23 books from your series. I am currently missing 2 books and why, you might ask, because while you may have stayed with paperback as your format, you made them “comfortable reading” size. Which means that they are as tall as a trade paperback but as wide as a regular paperback. How is this comfortable reading? I read with one hand and you are asking me to control a book that is even taller? Are you coming out with a regular version of the paperback? And if you are, when? How long do I have to be tortured with the knowledge that a new book is out and I do not have it? Do you not understand the emotional stress this causes?

It was bad enough when JD Robb (aka Nora Roberts – but much cooler) started with her series in hardcover. I now have to wait 6 months to get the book in paperback. Thank goodness, she has dedicated writing 2 books in that series a year. I don’t think I could survive waiting a whole year for the book.

Please understand that I am not asking for a lot. I have a large library (it is the reason I bought my house) and I adore it with every cell in my soul. But the spacing is very particular and I do not like having trade paperbacks with my regular paperbacks, let alone mixing hardcover with paperback. I will add to my library eventually and increase the number of shelves, just like all readers do occasionally. But until then, I have a strict size limitation to my shelves and when you mix the size of the books in a series, you get a mess and are less able to adjust the layout so more books can fit. And I certainly cannot see any of you authors advocating that I buy fewer books. So please, can we come to a consensus on this? If you start the series in paperback, then continue in paperback and if you must have hardcover, just give in and release both types at the same time. Be kind to your readers and they will be kind to you.

Thank you.