The Fate of "Returned" Books

Keli Gwyn here to talk about unsold books.

Have you ever wondered what happens to books that sit on the shelves at your favorite booksellers and don't sell?

The logical answer is that the booksellers return the books to the publishers. But, sadly, that's not what happens to all books.

In the case of mass market paperbacks, which are the smaller-sized paperbacks such as those published by Love Inspired, a different fate can await them.

If you look at the copyright page of a mass market book, you might see a box similar to the one in this photo. Unless you're a curious sort, though, you might not be in the habit of reading copyright pages and the fine print found there.

In this close-up shot, you'll see that the books might not be shipped back to the publisher. Instead, a mass market paperback might (shudder) have its cover removed, and the remainder of the book would be "destroyed."

Yes, it's possible an employee would wield a box cutter, slice that pretty cover off the book and toss the rest of it in the trash. The mere thought causes me to blink back tears. Perhaps your reaction is similar.

Why would a publisher allow an unsold book to be destroyed? Good question.

Publishers know that not all the books they print are going to sell. They factor that into their planning. Because mass market paperbacks are priced lower than the larger trade paperbacks, the publishers figure it's more cost effective to have the book sellers return the covers for credit than to ship the books themselves back.

It's sad to think of books meeting such a sorry end, but that is the nature of the publishing business. What can help is realizing that every time you purchase a mass market paperback, you're ensuring that the book will not end up lying in some dumpster "stripped" of its cover.

As I stood in our local Walmart a few days back, I saw that all five copies of my August Love Inspired Historical, Make-Believe Beau, were still on the shelves. Knowing what awaited them if they didn't sell, I grabbed four of the books and headed for the register.

Since I'm a softy and believe those books deserve good homes, I gave them away to some happy Facebook friends who will provide them.

Questions for You 

 

Have you ever wondered what happens to books that don't sell?

 

Have you ever noticed the "stripped book" message in a book?

If you were to rescue books from such a fate,
who would you give them to?

New Beginnings

Keli Gwyn here to talk about beginnings.

It's the time of year when my Facebook feed is filled with pictures of students heading off to the first day of school. I smile each time I see one, recalling the joy I felt every year when I headed off to begin a new grade.

The first day of school picture at our place looked different this year. My retired teacher husband and our daughter, who is pursuing a teaching credential, are both working as substitute teachers.

To our surprise, their first guest teacher assignments of the year took place on the same day at the same school. They got to carpool to work.

Even though they had to leave the house by 6 am, I was up with camera in hand ready to capture their departure. A surge of pride rushed through me as I watched two generations of Gwyn teachers head off.

Questions for You

Did you look forward to starting a new school year?

What new beginnings are you looking forward to?

Are You a Water Baby?

Keli Gwyn here with an admission: I'm not comfortable in the water.

I come by my fear of the water naturally. Neither of my parents was fond of being in the water. My mom summoned her courage and learned to swim when I was around eight years old. My dad never did learn.

Although I can swim, I'm not a very good swimmer. I didn't learn until I was in high school.

The first day of our swimming unit in P. E. class, the teacher told us to get in the water. Being an obedient oldest child, I did. We were then told to swim a lap. I just stood there.

I'll never forget the look on the teacher's face. She stared at me in disbelief. "You don't know how to swim, do you?" she asked. I shook my head. I'm pretty sure she was shaking hers, too.

That incredibly patient teacher spent the next few weeks making a swimmer out of me. While my friends were logging laps, diving into the deep end and having a blast, I was alone in the shallow end mastering the dog paddle. Talk about humiliating.

I took lessons at the local pool the following summer, determined to avoid future embarrassment. My parks and recreation class consisted of students half my age. I persevered and mastered all the strokes. The side and back strokes are my favorites to this day. Why? Because they don't require me to put my face in the water.

The hero and heroine of my August Love Inspired Historical, Make-Believe Beau, know a lot about water. The hero, Flynt Kavanaugh, is an irrigation engineer. Jessie Sinclair, the heroine, is working as his draftswoman. They and the rest of Flynt's team are helping design the El Dorado Canal, which brought--and still brings--water from the Sierras to the Foothills below, where I live.

Thanks to the efforts of the real men who built the canal, I enjoy water in my glass or in the tub. I give swimming pools and other bodies of water a wide berth to this day.

Questions for You

Do you enjoy swimming?

If so, what is your favorite stroke?

Are you a swimming pool person, or do you prefer lakes or oceans?

(Swimming pool credit here. Canal image is in the public domain)

The Courtship Charade


As a draftswoman in a man’s world, Jessica Sinclair causes a stir as her new male colleagues vie for her attention. And the company manager has an ultimatum: fake a courtship with her boss, Flynt Kavanaugh…or lose her job. But pretending to be smitten with the handsome engineer unleashes a real, complicated attraction—and could reveal the past she hoped to keep hidden.

Jessica is certainly the best person for the job. But as their make-believe romance escalates, Flynt knows that’s not the only reason he wants her on his team. However, with his past shrouded by a shameful secret, Flynt has always focused his ambitions on building a career, not a family. Now he has designs on Jessica’s heart, but can they trust each other with the truth?

Copyright © 2016 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover art and cover copy text used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited.
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Messy Manucripts

Keli Gwyn here to talk about making messes. Not just any messes, mind you, but messes of the manuscript variety.

I'm racing to meet a July 25 deadline for my fourth Love Inspired Historical, Her Motherhood Wish, which will be released in March 2017.

Until a couple of days ago, the manuscript was a mess. I have a hunch some of my fellow authors can relate.

I handed that messy first draft to my bright, beautiful daughter, who proofreads for another author, too, and is a line and copy editing whiz.

When Adriana completed her editing pass, I was reminded of a recent "catastrophe" she experienced when she accidentally flung cat food all over the bathroom floor--and counter, too. She had lots of little pellets to pick up; I had lots of little oopsies to address.

Adri returned the story full of notes telling me (nicely) about the many niggling ways I'd muffed up. Things like the heroine being blindfolded by the bad guy but not bound. Can you say oops? I'd made poor Callie look pretty clueless, since she could have just reached up and removed the bandana blocking her vision. Not to worry. That mistake has been corrected.

I'm happy to report that I've cleaned up the manuscript. There are only a few fixes left for me to make. I'm on track to hit "send" Monday. A huge sigh of relief will follow.

Questions for You

Think back to a time when your plate was overfull or your life got a bit messy. How do you handle such times? What works well for you when you're feeling overwhelmed? This fuzzy-brained, deadline-pressured writer welcomes your wisdom.

My Type of Surprise!

Keli Gwyn here to talk about unexpected gifts.

As I entered the lobby on a sunny Sunday morning early in the new year, a fellow member of our church family stopped me and asked if I'd like an antique typewriter. It took me all of two seconds to say "yes!"

Little did our friend know that the historical writer in me had been pining after just such a typewriter since I began actively pursuing my writing career ten years ago. I would often stop in front of the antique stores in town and gaze longingly at the models in their front windows that would come and go over the years. The hefty prices being asked for them were well beyond my budget.

Lo and behold, God chose to give me this desire of my heart via the generosity of a friend. My husband helped the gentleman heft the 1920s typewriter into the trunk of our car after the service, and we took the beauty home, where it now occupies a place of honor in my office.

One look at this piece of history, and I'm swept back in time. I remember my days in typing class pounding out endless fjfjfj and jkljkl exercises. Although I didn't use a machine as old as this, seeing the typewriter helps transport me to my story world, as well.

When is the last time someone surprised you with an unexpected gift?

Do you have memories of typing class?

Adventure Awaits!

Keli Gwyn here to talk about adventure.

Seventeen days from now my husband and I will be traveling to Austria to visit our daughter. Adriana has been working there as an English-language teaching assistant.

We haven't seen our gal since she left a year ago. To say I'm eager to see her would be an understatement. I've warned Adri to brace herself because the moment I spot her in the Vienna airport, I'll come flying at her.

Carl and I will spend three and a half weeks with Adriana, much of it in Austria. We'll start off in Vienna, where we'll see sights such as the beautiful Schönbrunn Palace pictured below.

We'll take a few days to travel to Nürnberg, Germany, where we lived early in our marriage. Adriana was born during our time there, and we still have German friends in the area.

I'm a homebody, so preparing to leave home isn't easy. However, once I arrive at our destination, I usually end up having a great time. I'm sure that will the case next month.

One of the things that will enable me to relax on this trip is knowing that the draft of my third Love Inspired Historical, my first written on deadline, is done. I sat nose-to-screen for six weeks, but what a reward I have to look forward to: I get to see our gal. I'll admit that visiting Europe will a nice bonus.

• • •

Are you an adventurer, or is leaving home hard for you too?

What adventures have you embarked on lately?

A Hiking High

Keli Gwyn here talking about hiking.

We're privileged to have a great place to walk right here in our community. I've logged many miles on the El Dorado Trail. The sections I walk are striped and paved just like the one in the photo below.

This summer I got a hankering to take my walking to a new level.

My husband retired at the end of last school year. While I've been camped in front of my computer cranking out words, Carl has been heading up to the Sierras to go hiking. He returns with glowing reports of the places he's explored.

Feeling left out, I decided to accompany my guy when I can, using hikes as a reward for getting my words done for the week.

We headed up to an alpine lake a week ago. And I do mean up. According to my Fitbit, we climbed the equivalent of 84 flights of stairs that day.

But oh, was the effort worth it. The wildflowers were in bloom! I whipped out my camera and snapped picture after picture.

Hiking enables me to get exercise, spend time with my guy and enjoy the beauty of our majestic mountain range. Talk about a high!

Do you enjoy walking or hiking?
If so, what are your favorite destinations?

Endings

The final pages of a good romance have me racing to reach The End. When I do, I close the book and heave a satisfied sigh.

And then I feel a strange sense of loss. After all, I've spent hours with the couple, getting to know them. At times I feared for them. Other times I cheered for them.

But they've reached their Happy Ever After, and I must move on to the next story.

The same is true in my writing world. I work hard on a story, wait a year or more for it to hit the shelves and then enjoy the joyful frenzy that is release month.

My first Love Inspired Historical was officially released on June second. I participated in a successful Book Release Party on Facebook along with the other June LIH authors, hosted a highly successful look Book Launch at the very rail depot where the hero and heroine in Family of Her Dreams met, was a guest on sixteen blogs, gave away many copies of my books and met lots of enthusiastic readers. I was crazy busy, but I had a blast.

But now the month is drawing to a close. The June titles will still be available online, but the focus will soon shift to the July titles.

My book's time in the spotlight is over, but I have a host of happy memories. Reality has returned, with my days spent working on my next story in solitude, but I'm content. That is the ebb and flow of a writer's life.

How do you feel when something you've anticipated for a long time is over?

Getting a Fresh Start

Keli Gwyn here to talk about new beginnings. I'm experiencing my exciting start as a Love Inspired author this month. My first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, will hit shelves any day now. Be sure to see the giveaway below.

I've been though the thrill of a book release before. Barbour Publishing released my debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, in the summer of 2012.

Three years passed between my first and second contract offers, in which I felt like a One-Book Wonder. I came to dread the question, "What's next?" I'd give the eager reader a polite smile and assure her I was working on a new story I hoped would soon find a home.

It did!

On a memorable day in December 2013 my agent, Rachelle Gardner, called to tell me my dream of writing for Love Inspired Historical had come true. I did some serious happy dancing.

A First Sale is an incredible experience, but my second sale made me every bit as happy. I fell in love with the sweet Harlequin romances of the 70's when I was a teen and dreamed of writing stories like them. Here I am forty years later doing just that.

Some things are worth waiting for. That's a lesson Tess Grimbsy, the heroine in my first LIH, Family of Her Dreams, has to learn. She arrives in the small town of Shingle Springs, California eager to land a job as Spencer Abbott's housekeeper. The trouble is, she was dismissed by her previous employer.

Recently widowed with two small children, Spencer needs help, but he's hesitant to welcome another woman into his home. Even so, he gives Tess the opportunity to show him what she can do.

Tess embraces the fresh start she's been given, pouring her heart into caring for Spencer's two young children and his home. Along the way, she develops feelings for her grieving employer, but he's not ready to marry again. Will he ever be? And would he even consider her if he was?

I'm giving away an autographed copy of Family of Her Dreams
to one blog visitor with a US address.

To enter the drawing, leave a comment
with your answer to the question below.

 What fresh starts have you experienced in your life?

  

I'll choose a winner tomorrow and post the name here.

Be sure to leave your email address when prompted so I can contact you if you win.
Please don't leave any personal information in the comment itself.
We don't want spammers to get it and trouble you. 

 

A Family to Cherish

Headstrong Tess Grimsby loves her new job caring for the children of a recently widowed man. But she never imagined that she’d fall for her handsome employer. Yet Spencer Abbott is as caring as he is attractive, and Tess can’t help but feel for him and his family. Though, for the sake of her job, she’ll keep any emotions about her boss to herself.

Between his stationmaster responsibilities in a Gold-Rush town and trying to put his family back together, Spencer has his hands full. He soon finds his new hire’s kind personality warming his frosty exterior. But could he ever admit to seeing her as more than just an employee?

Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover art and cover copy used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited.
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Love Inspired at the Library

My name is Keli Gwyn, and I love libraries. I have a hunch I'm not alone.

Since the author copies of my first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, arrived recently, I'm busy thinking of ways to spread the word about my story.

Promotion can be fun, especially when it involves giving away copies to eager readers. (Heads up! I'll be offering an autographed print copy two different times next month when I post here at Love Inspired Authors.)

Since Family of Her Dreams is set here in California's Gold Country where I live, I'm sure local folks would find it interesting. But how can I get the book into their hands?

I asked myself where avid readers hang out. The answer was easy: at the library.

When my debut novel released, our local library was happy to add copies of my book to their shelves. A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California was a full-size trade paperback, so they had no trouble accepting it. I wasn't sure if they would accept copies of my LIH, though.

Having learned that it doesn't hurt to ask, I marched into the library with a copy of my shiny new book in hand. I asked the librarian who oversees their author events if they would shelve copies if I were to donate them.

To my surprise, the answer was yes! It turns out they have a new section just for the smaller mass-market paperbacks. Of course I had to visit the section and see if I could spot any Love Inspired titles

Sure enough I did! Sherri Shackleford's August 2014 release, The Cattleman Meets His Match, was on the shelf. There are several more Love Inspired titles in the collection, but they were all checked out.

Now that I know my library carries the LI titles, I'll be donating copies of those I've read so others can enjoy them as well. The more readers we can introduce to Love Inspired, the better, right?

Does your local library shelve books from the Love Inspired lines?

Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Following Your Favorite Authors on Amazon

Keli Gwyn here with a confession. I can be slow at times. That's especially true when technology is involved. A cyber whiz I'm not.

Since the release of my first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, is getting closer, I thought it would be wise to update my Amazon author page. After all, June will be here before we know it.

I typed my name in the search bar, and up came my beautiful cover. Doesn't the Love Inspired design team do great work?

I clicked on my name. My author page appeared, complete with my smiling face.

As is often the case when I revisit a profile page after some time away, I discover things have changed, usually for the better. That was the case this time.

Just below my picture, there is now a "follow" button. I clicked it, not sure what would happen. The word "follow" became "following." That was it.

Or so I thought.

A few weeks went by, and I received an email telling me that Keli Gwyn has a new book coming out. Yup! Amazon was telling me about my upcoming release. How cool is that?

I've since become a fan of the "follow" button. I've visited the Amazon pages of my favorite authors and clicked away. I'm eagerly awaiting a flood of emails letting me know when more of the stories I love will be available.

Did you know about the Amazon "follow" button, or am I the last person to figure out how this nifty feature works?

Losing Time

Keli Gwyn here stifling a yawn.

I don't know about you, but the transition to Daylight Savings Time causes me to be as sleepy as Dorothy and her pals were when they traipsed through the poppy field on their way to Oz.

I spent much of Sunday afternoon forcing myself to stay awake when all I really wanted to do was follow my cats' lead. Our furry fellows found a warm spot in the front window and dozed off.

In order to stay awake, Gwynly and I took a walk on our local hiking trail. That worked well.

But then I got home.

I sat down to prepare my post, but the combination of the California sunshine streaming through the window and my comfy chair nearly lulled me to sleep. Only by force of will was I able to keep from nodding off.

What is it about Daylight Savings Time that makes me so sleepy? Does just knowing I lost an hour cause my eyelids to droop?

I've lost far more than an hour's sleep while writing or while reading a great story written by another Love Inspired author and been fine the next day. So, I  wonder, is my sleepiness all in my head?

What do you think? Is the fatigue some of us experience when Daylight Savings Time begins real or imagined?

I'm eager to hear what you have to say and will respond to comments. Providing I haven't sneaked off to take a nap that is. :-)

Colorful Characters

by Keli Gwyn (@KeliGwyn)

I love creating characters. Some could be classified as colorful, in the lively, interesting or exciting sense of the word, but that's not what I'm talking about today.

The colorful characters on my mind are those who love color--in some cases a particular color.

Men in the Victorian Era, the period my stories take place, had few color choices. They wore a lot of black and white, which can get pretty boring.

Women, on the other, enjoyed the expanding array of fabrics and colors available, enabling me to have fun clothing them.

Tess, the heroine of my first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, coming June 2015, loves blue. It's pretty much the only color she wears. I have a hunch that's the color she'll be wearing on the cover that's currently in the development stage.

Blue used to be my favorite color, too, but as you can see from this picture of my closet, purple has captivated me. I wear all shades, from a deep violet to a light lavender and from a bold fuchsia to a muted mauve. I throw in black as my base color.

How about you? Do you wear a variety of colors, or are you partial to a certain one?

The Thrill of a Terrific Title

by Keli Gwyn

After months of waiting, my first Love Inspired Historical has a title! Family of Her Dreams will be released June 2015.

My story was contracted this past December. For nine l-o-n-g months I waited to find out what it would be called. I wondered if it the title would be one of those I'd suggested, if it would fit the story and if I'd like it.

The answer to all of those questions is a resounding yes.

I sent my editor over a dozen possible titles. She shared the list with the Love Inspired team. They picked one of them. Since choosing titles isn't my strong suit, I was surprised and pleased.

My story is about a woman raised in an orphanage since the age of three. All her life she's dreamed about one thing: having a family of her own. Family of Her Dreams does an excellent job conveying that.

I not only like the title. I love it! As my writing partner said, the words family and dreams are "evocative and powerful." I agree.

I've long been a fan of Love Inspired and have admired their titles and covers. They do such a great job with both. I have one and can't wait for the other. It won't be long now.

Of all the Love Inspired titles you've seen, which stand out as your favorites?

Walmart's Book Stockers

by Keli Gwyn (@KeliGwyn)

I'm a book stalker. I'm guessing you might be, too, based on the many comments our wonderful blog readers left on my post last week about Walmart's Book Department Shrinkage.

Like many of you, I eagerly anticipate the arrival of the latest Love Inspired titles at Walmart and get excited when they show up.

Have you ever wondered about the book stockers who make book stalkers' days? I did. I wanted to know who Walmart's book stockers are and when they fill the shelves.

I decided to find out. What I discovered might surprise you. It did me.

When I began my search several years ago, I assumed Walmart workers shelve the books. Not so. Walmart uses a book supplier: Anderson Merchandisers®.

Every Tuesday our local Anderson Merchandisers representative shows up at my local Walmart and replenishes the book department. She's pictured below.

Over the years I've made friends with this lovely young lady and have learned a lot from her.

• What books are stocked is determined at a corporate level.
• She can request a certain book be reordered if it's selling well, although her requests aren't always honored.
• She has to remove and return unsold books when their shelf time is up in order to make room for the new titles.
• She has to work quickly because she stocks the books at a number of area Walmarts.

If you happen to be in your local Walmart's book department when it's being stock, I suggest introducing yourself to the representative. You could learn a lot and make a new friend.

❤❤❤

The cover for my first Love Inspired Historical has yet to be designed, but I did get my official release date recently: June 2015. You can be sure that when June arrives, I'll be stalking Walmart's book department. :-)

❤❤❤

How often do you visit the book department at your local Walmart?

Have you ever been there when the book were being stocked?

Have you ever talked with the book stocker?

Walmart Book Department Shrinkage

by Keli Gwyn (@keligwyn)
Every time I visit my local Walmart, I head straight for the book department. I can't help myself. I love books.

When I reach the aisle, I start off at the Harlequin section. I never tire of seeing my fellow Love Inspired authors' books showing off their pretty covers.

This past week when I made my routine visit, I turned the corner, took one look and ground to a stop. Why? Because the department I know and love had undergone changes.

The first thing I noticed was that brand new signs directed readers to the various sections. That made my day because I figured Walmart wouldn't invest in new signage if they planned to remove the department.

After I'd oohed and aahed a bit, I noticed more changes. The first was that Harlequin's section was well stocked, with the Love Inspired books in their customary spots.

Moving along the aisle, I was met with an unpleasant surprise. Although the new signs indicated two sections of Inspirational titles, only one actually held them. The other was filled with mainstream novels. Well not completely filled. There were a number of empty spots.

Moving down the aisle, I noticed that Romance & Fiction had also been reduced to one section, again with noticeable gaps.

A quick glance across the aisle showed that magazine section wasn't exempt from the shrinkage taking place. Either that, or there had been an unprecedented run on magazines.

What do these changes tell us? That the inevitable is taking place: more and more people are opting to purchase their books online or in digital formats, meaning fewer print books are available for sale in brick and mortar stores.

Another thing it tells us is that Harlequin is weathering the downsizing better than most. Readers of their three Love Inspired lines will be able to find their books in select Walmart stores for some time to come, which makes this reader happy.

❤❤❤

Where do you usually make your Love Inspired purchases?

Have you noticed changes in your local Walmart's book department?