We received several emails asking when the move to hardcover will happen, and I can tell you honestly that I don’t know. But I don’t think it will be any time soon. 
A move to hardcover usually happens because of great sales or because the content of the book might be better suited to the hardcover edition. In our case, I don’t think the sales are up to the level where such a change will happen.
In other news, I can haz an iPad. Gordon bought one for me out of the blue. He says it’s a business expense for the convention. It was crazy and I was so happy, I didn’t even fuss about the money. It is terribly neat. Mostly I don’t get to play with it, because the kids have stolen it. The girls really like apps, and after the initial request to download some, I told them that as long as they reimbursed me, they could download fun stuff.
For the duration of a couple of days, the kids have been steadily bringing me dollar bills from their allowance in payment for said apps. At first I kept the small pile of money on the windowsill next to my chair. The pile got more and more unwieldy. Finally I got a pink paper envelope from some type of a greeting card and decided to sort it all out. I laid the bills out on the chair – for some reason kid money always looks tortured and crumpled – got my pink envelope and tried to smooth the money out.
Gordon decided this would be a good time to come back into the room. Here I am, covered in dollar bills, with my pink envelope and he’s looking at me.
At this precise moment Kid 2 slinks to my chair and drops another dollar on my lap.
Gordon looks at her and says, “Stop doing that! Your mother is not a stripper.”
O_O
heehee. I have a basket of change and bills from my girls. They buy from Itunes all the time.
Is their money all neat and orderly? Because ours always looks like it’s on its deathbed.
Congratulations on the acquisition of the iPad. And the dollar bills.
Ilona is totally not a stripper name, tho. Dymond or Ti’ara, yes. Perhaps the iPad has or needs a name…
I think kid money looking weird is just normal…
I saw something wicked cool at RWA-one author had all of her covers loaded into one of the photo apps, loaded so they’d rotate out like a slideshow. I considered getting one for just that purpose, but then I was thinking… as soon as I do? Price will drop.
Am waiting for price to drop. O.o
The slide show looks great on the iPad! The YouTube app is pretty cool, so if you have book trailers…
NOT being in hardcover is GOOD thing. Mass Market is more affordable, easier to store and you don’t have to worry about the dust jacket being lost, crumpled or damaged.
Too add to it all, I’m in Canada so the hardcovers all that much more expensive.
For example, MaryJanice Davidson’s UNDEAD series switched to hardcover back at book 7 and a couple of things resulted:
(1) I have the choice of paying $31.00 for the hardcover or waiting ANOTHER YEAR for the mass market edition.
(2) If I do cave and get the hardcover, 1-6 are still mass market which presents a shelving issue given the size difference between the two.
Admittedly for larger works, it’s not such a bad thing – like Sherrilyn Kenyon’s ACHERON. Would not like that in Mass Market given it’s HUGE. But overall, Mass Market is cheaper and more convenient to lug around – which is great for students like me who are already lugging around 5+ hardcover monsters.
Sorry to rant – the topic’s a bit of a sore spot for me.
LOL I get change, IOU’s, and sometimes “treasures” like stinky slime covered shells. She’s 8 but a least she’s learning the whole currency/barter system
Money and and Ipad ! Sounds like a dream come true. I’d strip for that. LOL
I started cracking up when I read the stripper comment! that is too funni.
My friends little boy came in my room last week and asked me what i was doing..
and I said, “im paying bills”
He then looks at me all puzzled and goes “Nenna, I wanna help”
I told him that you need money to pay bills..so what does he do..
He goes into his bedroom and gets his bank, comes back over to me pulls out two dollars and goes, “Nen, here’s some money, I help?”
HHEHEHE I almost died laughing, it was to cute..I couldnt believe he did that..
He is two years old btw..which makes it even more funni.
(p.s.) I had custody of him for just about a year, that is why he has a bedroom in my house if you are wondering
he now lives with his daddy.
LOL Where do people come up with stuff like that?
And WOW. That sounds like a lot of apps. What are they all for? 0_0
For reasons already stated, I am kinda glad you guys are mass market, though the quality of your stories is impeccable in my opinion. But shelving, budget, and heavy-no-more-room backpack are all happy that you stay in paperback.
One last thing, the unwieldy pile of money reminds me of that drawer in my mom’s closet with bags of change she periodically empties from her purse. (Purse is usually a few pounds lighter afterward) There must be at least a good $25 if not $50 or more in those bags of coins. One of these days we’ll sort, count, and split it amongst ourselves (including my sister). $$$
Sort and count that change. The last time I did it I had enough money to buy my ereader! New toy with no guilt!
If/when hubby and I have kids, I hope we’re parents like you and Gordon. Your stories of you and the kids just crack me up in the best way.
Congrats on the iPad!!! Yah for Gordon! You deserve it after all the work you have been doing!! (thanks for sharing the story of the dollar bills…I laughed right from my belly!)
As for the hardcover books…I understand that it may be a sign of “success”, however I love softcover books, the feel, the flexibility and the ease of transporting them easily anywhere! So while I hope your sales skyrocket, I Love the books as they are now!
Have fun…enjoy the business related expenses!
Congrats on the new shiny and welcome to the dark side.
LOL. Yes, kid money is scrunchy. Sometimes it’s not even money … or maybe that’s just *my* kid. >.>
my mom’s money always looks like she used it to garden with.
Any one else ever have a dollar bill that had been used as a gum wrapper? I worked at a convenience store for a while and I swear a gaggle of middle school girls would come in, hand us the money and there would be gum stuck to it. O.o
Gordon looks at her and says, “Stop doing that! Your mother is not a stripper.”
LMAO! hehe great timing.
I live in Silicon Valley where the best way to get some hot girl to paw you is to take a prototype iDevice, wear an Apple badge, and jam that sucker in the pocket of the tightest jeans you have. Right now a white iPhone 4 would probably get some fliratation.
haha, *lol* I love the image with the money!!! *giggles*
LOL! Great story^^ And congrats on the new shiny
The Ipad is very cool. My husband bought one for “us”. I barely get to use it. I don’t fight him since I have the kindle and can read books. However, I am going on a trip with some friends and the IPAD is coming as my computer access.
I played texas hold’em on the ipad when hubby sleeps
On the stripper comment…too funny.
Haha great story! Congrats on the new toy too – when you eventually get to use it that is!
Bwahahaha!
SO something a husband would say!
Congrats on the iPad… I love mine. I wish someone would give me $ for the apps I download. I get carried away.
FYI the game Angry Birds for the iPad is SOOO fun! A must get, for sure.
Also, I wish to share a fun saying I picked up from the internet years ago that seems appropriate when discussing kid money: “Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things.” It also fits less kid friendly situations, AmIRite.
Instead of the kids bringing you money for the purchases. You can set up an iTunes allowance. Also, I think you can use iTunes gift cards to purchase music and apps.
Heh, nice one, Gordon.
FTW Gordon — lol; after all, timing is everything. Reminds me of when my brother and i were younger and our doggie had come back from groomers — are male was very interested in her and was sniffing all over and my brother says, “Stop that, Brandywine isn’t that kind of dog!” Stop that Kid2, your Mom isn’t that kinda Mom!
Truly enjoy the blog — brightens my day — right along getting an email from hubby while he is in Afghanistan. Just never know what will show up in the email box!
Y’all keep on laughing — beats the heck out of the alternative.
Can you tell I just woke up — finally got about 4 hours of sleep after not sleeping for over 36 hours.
*Are should’ve been Our
*Right along getting should’ve been right along with …..
LMAO!! The stripper comment is so funny! Congrats on the new ipad you lucky woman! Btw, my sister texted me earlier that she went book shopping yesterday (in Bangkok) and all 3 bookstores she went into have your books on their shelves!!
There is something so innocent and timeless about kid money. I think it’s a right of passage in childhood, to stuff your money in a pocket, like you would a cherished stone or shell. It’s an instant smile to see a kid unload money in front of the cashier, they have so many unique hiding spots. (Hugs)Indigo
REASONS for you not to go to Hardcover:
1. I has a Nook…Nook often gets hardcover releases months later were as publishers seem to be willing to pop out the Ebook version of a paperback pretty quick.
2. Hardcovers really don’t sell for that much more (after the huge rebates most get), and I hate finding room for them …Did I mention I switched over to a Nook…lots of books under a l lb in weight…(This instead of the 70 boxes of Hardbacks I moved when I got the house.)
It cracks me up when the both of you are battling, i see were the Kate and Curran jabs come from. There was a day when Gordon you posted on facebook a university study on sex. Well i was not for one and all and then Ilona threatened to take away your internet because of all the comments. It was the high light of that week for me. And this morning the comment “You mother is not a stripper” I loved it.
LOL that is too funny! So awesome that you got an iPad!
hehe great story to read first thing in the morning.
BAHAHAHAHAHA What a lovely surprise:) Don’t even get me started on sharing stuff with the kids though– all this morning I’ve had a Castlevania page up so that my 16 year old can keep running over here and tell me to pull it up so he can look . Yeah, that helps me get work done. LOL Or when my 17 year old is sitting here laughing hysterically at crack.com, or expanding his knowledge on wikipedia and keeps saying “just another minute mom, one more minute…” They actually have one of older computers with online access but “it’s so fricking slow”. I am such a sucker for my kids. Geesh.
Oh, that was funny. As soon as Ilona said she was covered in money I totaly saw the striper thing coming. It must be a male thing.
Congrats on the new career of stripping. I just hope next Gordon doesn’t come home with a stripper pole as a prezzie. {altho I hear they are great exercise
}
Congrats on the ipad. Angry Birds and Zombies vs Plants!!! I stayed all night TWICE finishing Zombies vs Plants the first time thru. Nice that you can keep playing it after also. Good bargain.
I confess to being one of the I-want-a-Hardback people. Looks much better on the shelf, last longer. Still I always do audio also with your books so the Paperbacks don’t get beat up TOO badly. Sometimes you just gotta read over listening.
Praying to the audio gods BM comes out in audio on release day!!