Yes, most of the money I make on my writing projects goes to support my book-buying habit...
This morning while browsing Fay Sampson's website, I noticed she has a new book out. One I've never seen mentioned anywhere else. Hmph. The Land of Angels, about Queen Bertha of Kent and the coming of St. Augustine of Canterbury, as her website reports, was published on July 31st by Robert Hale. Given that her earlier The Flight of the Sparrow went out of print before I could buy it, and it took me five more years of searching before I found a copy of the darn thing, I went right to Amazon UK and ordered her latest. Despite the outrageous price, which included a £1.99 "sourcing fee" because it's a special order. I almost suspect it's out of print already, because Hale novels normally aren't this hard to obtain...
Did I mention it has a really cool cover?
To assuage my guilt at the £2.99/book shipping price plus the £3.49/order shipping price, which I'd be paying regardless, I added a copy of Edward Charles's In the Shadow of Lady Jane to my shopping cart.
Now I just have to wait until mid-October until my books arrive, and my credit card gets charged the $80 or so I paid for both of these. I must be nuts.
About Me
- Sarah Johnson
- Collection management librarian, readers' advisor, avid historical fiction reader, NBCC member. Book review editor for the Historical Novels Review and Booklist reviewer. Recipient of ALA's Louis Shores Award for book reviewing (2012). Blogging since 2006.
I hope you enjoy them! I'm surprised that In the Shadow of Lady Jane had to be ordered from the UK. Isn't it readily available in the US? I thought Macmillan New Writing had global distribution, being part of Macmillan.
ReplyDeleteIt's listed at Amazon.com, but from Marketplace sellers only, and their price was higher than the Amazon UK one. I'm guessing (based on their catalogs) that the only Macmillan UK titles that have global distribution are the academic ones. On the other hand, I was told Hale had global distribution, but the Sampson appears not to be available in the US either.
ReplyDeleteFortunately for my finances, Amazon UK doesn't care for my debit card, so I have to confine my UK purchases to my credit card, which keeps me on a tight rein. (But I manage to slip free once in a while, and hubby gave me an Amazon UK gift certificate last Christmas. Good hubby.)
ReplyDeleteInterested in seeing what you think of In the Shadow of Lady Jane.
Being on the right side of the Pond, I have a copy of Lady Jane and will probably review it in the autumn, if anyone is interested.
ReplyDeleteYou're not nuts, Sarah. I've done the same thing with Robert Goddard's novels ever since I came across "Past Caring." I order them sight-unseen from Amazon.uk. Interestingly, Hale published "Past Caring" and you often see the first edition on Alibris for a thousand bucks or so. I have the St. Martin's first edition which is supposedly worth $500 or more. (On a somewhat more depressing note, my own first novel is available for $7.50 from Amazon wholesalers. Sigh.)
ReplyDeleteSusan - I think I have a gift certificate for the Good Book Guide, come to think of it. Hmm. But they don't have the Faye Sampson in their catalog for some reason, so I had to opt for Amazon.
ReplyDeleteCarla - sure, I'd be interested in a review once you get around to it!
John - Robert Goddard's a favorite of mine, too, though I didn't realize a first edition of Past Caring was worth so much. (I just checked, and I don't even own a copy! I know I've read it, though.) Didn't realize you'd published a novel. I sympathize on the Amazon seller thing.
Hope the books are a joy. I'm glad I'm not the only one who blows the budget at Amazon. I broke down and signed up for the "free shipping all year" offer, for which free means $79. But I get everything so fast...
ReplyDeleteI hope so too! I haven't signed up for their $79 offer, but if I bought enough from them, I'd be tempted. Instead, I have a credit card that gives me Amazon certificates as rewards...
ReplyDelete