Amazon and Penguin are bickering, and the Kindle edition of “Changes” has been caught up in the crossfire. Fans around the world are getting email notifications from Amazon that their “Changes” preorders have been canceled.
Jim had no say in this decision, and he’s already received an outpouring of mail from fans perplexed and angered at this chain of events. We know many of you were relying on this being available on release day, and we’re every bit as frustrated as you are. We’re confident the conflict will not be drawn out much longer, but we have no way of knowing if it will be resolved in time for the book’s Tuesday release. We have no doubt that “Changes” will be available for the Kindle at some point, but whether that’s tomorrow, next week, or next month is anyone’s guess.
We hope this doesn’t unduly inconvenience you guys, and we thank you for bearing with us in this exceptionally annoying time.
Thanks for such a great series. I read all of my books on my kindle. This is the only one in the last year and a half that I planned on reading in hardcover. I pre-ordered the kindle on amazon just to start reading at midnight. I am a little disapointed that I can’t. Please keep writing Dresden books. I liked the Codex Alera series but much prefer Dresden!
Nook version please. I would rather not carry another book along with my laptop/ereader.
Thanks!
Are there plans to make “Changes” available in an Adobe Reader (.pdf) format? I hope so, that way I can read it on my computer, which is much easier on my creaky old neck and shoulders than trying to read a standard book. I plan on buying the hardback anyway for my collection, but I’d rather not be in pain while I’m reading!
Sorry about the hassel, Jim. Although I love my Kindle, I bought the hardcover version because I have been anxioulsy awaiting the release of Changes! Please keep the stories coming, I can hardly wait to read about Harry’s next adventure!!
another disappointed Kindle reader here, I too won’t reward the publisher by buying the print version at this time. i’m at a point where I will still go ahead and make my request at the library (we’re #3 in queue for Changes# for new releases just because the publisher are being greedy #IMHO)
If the extra money was going straight to Jim maybe I’d feel differently
It is truly disappointing to hear that amazon and penguin are bickering this late in the release process. I was really hoping to start reading Changes on my kindle tonight, now I guess not.
I do hope they resolve their problems soon because I have been anxiously awaiting the new twists in the plot of this series and honestly I don’t want to buy the book (not much of a collector).
I love all your books Jim, keep up the great work!
Jim,
Get a new publisher please!
thx.
p.s. And who at Penguin can we contact to express our outrage?
thx.
Like so many others, I was truly disappointed to learn the Kindle Edition of Changes had been pulled. I have the entire Dresden Files series on my Kindle. Since Amazon is selling the hardcover for a Kindle price ($9.99! Amazon’s way of showing Penguin the middle finger???), I ordered it. I do collect books but my home is no longer big enough to hold them all. That’s why I bought the Kindle. I’ve always found reading books on my Kindle to be a pleasant experience. I think the real villain in all this is Apple and their iPad. It’s allowed publishers to gain leverage over book sellers. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it’s sad when it affects the availability of an eagerly awaited title.
Like everyone else, I was terribly disappointed at the Amazon cancellation email. I’ve been reading Jim Butcher’s books for years and years. Just to throw my two cents out there, I’ll hold out for the Kindle version for a while and see what happens. I love the portability of my Kindle. I have this awful habit of walking around while I read, and this is much more fun with a Kindle than a big hardcover book. :o)
I just sent an email to Penguin via their website, not that I think it will do any good. I really don’t know (or particularly care) who is ultimatly at fault in this situation it’s just a pain in the backside to have to go through all of this again. And just for the record while the lower price for e-books is nice I have no problem paying more for them if it stops the publishers from throwing any more temper tantrums.
The publishers are fighting for their lives, just like the newspapers are. The publisher’s point of view is “we are saddled with this huge legacy infrastrucutre necessary to publish” i.e. editors, marketing, sales, talent recruitment, prospecting, printing for those that still do their own printing etc etc. They feel that the ebook sales threaten the legacy model because now a certain portion of hardback sales they would count on now go and purchase ebook versions and the channels (Amazon, B+N) rightfully expect to pay less for the e-copies because now the channel has taken on a portion of the legacy costs (advertising, point of sale delivery, channel development etc.) and saving the cost of the printed product.
The publishers absolutely are going to lose this battle. Look at record stores, CD sales etc in the days of itunes and Amazon MP3 downloads. They will hold their breath, kick, scream and berate, but ultimately the authors, like the artists, will learn that they control the power in this equation, and as contracts renew or expire, the authors will be able to exercise more power in the equation.
I have the third edition of my own book listed on Amazon in hardcopy. I also have it listed in the Kindle store. I can publish direct to Kindle with almost zero additional work, because I am not wrapped up in a publishing contract like I am sure Jim is, one he probalby signed years ago when Kindle was a gleam in someone’s eye. I am lucky and have that freedom, now I get sales that just kind of show up, and I gladly take the $2.39 less per sale because I don’t have printing and fulfillment costs.
As the cycle moves forward, more authors will realize what the music bands realized, that legacy development/delivery channels are no longer the only game in town. It will take a couple of years and some time for authors to either run out exisitng contracts or renegotiate.
In the meantime, we all get caught in the middle.
I think this is all due to the publisher’s greed. They want people to buy the hardcovers, more money. E-books are cheaper to produce, therefore we should pay less. i hope this is not a trend, I don’t like it. E-books should be almost all profit. We also don’t get to swap books or trade them in for cash or trade. I love my kindle, but hate all the politics involved in the amazon /publisher war. Love your books and have read every one. i will not buy the print version, even though amazon is selling it for 9.99. It’s the principle. hope this is resolved soon.
I buy both. Lately, the Kindle version allows me to read the book the day it’s published while Amazon and UPS (who will not deliver after working hours, and refuse to leave the package at my door) take five+ days to deliver my hardback.
I depend on the Kindle. The product works, until today.
I wish I had been given more notice, so I could patronize other stores that can actually deliver a book on the day it’s published.
Jim, thank you for publishing on the Kindle. I really appreciate your allowing your work to be published in this new and risky field.
I absolutely love your Dresden series–my favorites. I’m so disappointed that Changes has gotten caught up between Penguin and Amazon. I have vision problems and will either have to wait for it on my Kindle DX or buy the hardcover and read a few pages every few hours. It’s a shame these big corporations are so greedy and forget the loyal customers they are hurting. I’ll definitely be emailing both companies with complaints.
Thanks, Jim, for all the great hours of reading you provide all your fans.
Unfortunately I will not be buying the book until it becomes available on the Kindle. Even then, I wont be buying unless it is less than the current $9.99 hardcover price. I’ll have to wait and borrow it from someone.
It’s a shame authors are getting caught in the middle of this situation.
I will not purchase the hardback version. I will also boycott all of penguins books. Real shame though, Jim is my favorite author and i’ve been waiting for this book for awhile. Hopefully it will be released on the kindle.
Jim can vote with his feet and not renew his contracts with Penguin. That’s what lawyers are for. If you look at the vast Dresden empire – perhaps he could do it.
To be clear, this is a result of the so-called “Agency” model. The idea is that the publisher will set prices, not the bookstores, for eBooks.
There are no copies of Changes available as eBooks, as far as I can tell, because Penguin is being heavy handed in their “negotiating” a new agreement with everyone.
What brought this on? Many things, but mostly the iPad and Apple’s generous agreement with the publishers. They are going around and making sure no one else can sell a book for less than they do at the Apple store, which is higher than the $9.99 (spoiled) kindle users have come to expect.
Jim,
I’ll buy your book as soon as I can get an ebook, as long is it is less than $50. Oh yeah, if it is $49, I’d prefer to pay you directly….
Edward
I was really looking forward to reading the new book–i finished what i was reading today so i could start it right after work tomorrow. I am disappointed i will have to wait and read something else. I won’t buy the paper version anymore–i love my kindle. Publishers in general need to get over the ebook issues–i used to pass books around all the time. Now with the kindle, i can’t, so i don’t know why they are fussing over the price all things considered. I will faithfully wait–love everything you have written Jim–thanks!