What's with Harper Collin's ebooks?

So first of all, I'd link directly to HarperCollin's own ebook site (the site previously known as Perfectbound but which appears to have undergone a rename) but since it is almost as hard to navigate as the Time Warner/Hachete site (*boo hiss*, very bad navigation), I won't.

Instead, I'm going to link to fictionwise and ask why it is Harper Collins think we ebook readers don't like cover art?

compare and contrast:
http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?a=jump&id=281730&u=/ebooks/eBook39414.htm
and
http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?a=jump&id=281730&u=/ebooks/eBook39413.htm

Spot the price difference? no? that's because there wasn't one. Now H.C. are probably looking at giant-ish profits for these coverless books, because they're backlist titles that, in print, are well past their 'prime time' sales wave. But, not content with that, they've decide to scrape a tiny bit more profit by removing the cover art? Well :-p to you, HC: if you want to remove the covver art, you can remove a few $, too, please. As it is, I'm not buying - there are plenty of good books by other publishers - big and small - that do care about what they're selling.

And also...

Did I mention Issue 5 of Enchanted Ramblings was out?
No? Well I was on holiday :-)
Download it from the home page, and enjoy:
http://www.enchantedramblings.net/

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum...

Oddly, on logging into blogger, I see the last modified date against this blog is 25th July. Odd, since I've not logged in since the beginning of the month... I'm going to have to hunt for dodgy hack attack links, I think...

Anyway. There seems to be a trend in a number of the communities I lurk, and occasionally contribute, to. That trend being writers wondering where their sales have gone - or, perhaps they are responding to an article in Writers Weekly, that seems to ahve everyone in a tizz :-)
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6353274.html?text=500
- Not sure if that is the original one, but it's nice and snappy to link to.

I have an inkling that the Summer might have something to do with slightly lower sales than normal right now ~ at least in ebook sales. I mean, I'm more likely to want some paperbacks to take with me into the garden/beach, than an ebook, right?

I took a peek and the IDPF reported 2005's figures as
Q1: 486,611 ebook units sold
http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/statistics/Q12005.htm
Q2: 484,933 eBook units sold
http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/statistics/Q22005.htm
Q3: 408,471 eBook units sold
http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/statistics/Q32005.htm
Q4: 312,949 eBook units sold (deduced from years totals) *** Going to have to ponder on this, i think!!!
http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/statistics/2005.htm

2004
Q1: 421,955 units sold
http://www.idpf.org/pressroom/pressreleases/q104stats.htm
Q2: 356,568 units sold
(deduced from claim of 36% increase in 2005, above)
Q3: 419,962 units sold
http://www.idpf.org/pressroom/pressreleases/2004bestsellers.htm
Q4:~ 494,479 units sold (deduced from "eBook units sold remained even with 2004")
http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/statistics/2005.htm

Meanwhile, this (seasonal?) panic has sprung forth with some interesting gems....

The most lovely Angela of Samhain (sounds quasi-medieval, doesn't it? :-)) has written a fantabulous blog on promotion/awareness. Now, I have to say that I'm currently classing myself as a 'dabbler' rather than 'aspiring author', but when that changes, I'll be returning to this thread:
http://nicemommy-evileditor.com/blog/2006/07/25/promo-whore-no-more/

Elsewhere...
10 Things Savvy Writers Can Do to Maximize Profits (Part 1 of 2)
http://litlawblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/10-things-savvy-writers-can-do-to.html

The one's mainly telling you to work hard and avoid alcohol - sound advice hehe :-)
http://www.storytellersunplugged.com/2006/07/professionalism.html

Finally, and most nuts-n-boltsy -
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2006/05/promotion-biased-account-of-cost-vs.html

Contest time

Well, at long last the romance junkies writing contest is up, at:
http://www.contestjunkies.com

Ten entries up this week, 7 of which are contemporary. Go take a peek, take a read and cast a vote. You don't need to give your email address just to leave a rating...

There'll be more entries each week, until September. In theory, at some point I should have a chapter up. Not sure when, and the rules say I can't say if I do spot it. Who knows, perhaps it's one of those there already???

:)

Success!

... Not mine, Neil Gaiman's - read and weep the intro to this interview, then read and appreciate the rest, cuz I say so ;-)

http://www.scifidimensions.com/Jul06/neilgaiman.htm