******AMENDMENT**********
Sorry everyone….I put in H/S lines but that’s not what I wanted to say…my mistake. No I haven’t heard that they are pulling categories…I apologize for freaking anyone out!!!!!
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I’ve been pondering the news I’ve heard about Walmart pulling romance books out of their stores. They will only be selling best selling authors.
So what happens to the rest of us? Those who have just begun or those who have been cruising along with 3 or 4 books out trying to build their good name. Those are the authors that will suffer.
Will readers realize their books aren’t available at Walmart anymore and go elsewhere to get their romance fix? I hope so. I hope sales don’t plummet and take authors like me with them…down, down, down to the deep dark of career ending hell.
Ah, hmm, I digress…
This got me thinking about all the wonderful authors I love that I think should always be at the top of the heap, and not cruising along the middle. Authors that should be on ‘lists’. Authors that should be signaled out as best-sellers. I have crushes on these authors, because I believe they deserve to be on top. That they’ve written stellar book after stellar book and their names should be on every damn list available.
Are there any authors that you love who you think haven’t gotten their due yet? If you could help push that book up the charts, which one would it be?
*I just wanted to mention a book I’ve read recently that I think everyone should buy…STRAY by Rachel Vincent…check it out!*
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I’ve had my head buried in rewrites and can’t believe I missed this news entirely. I’ll need to find an article because I can’t figure out why Walmart would pull those books. Every single time I’m in the book area of that store, there’s someone buying a romance. Those are the books that go first!
Of course, I don’t know if all Walmarts do this, but the ones here moved all the books to a room “after” the cash registers. If you don’t remember to get your book before you shop, then you have to go back through those long lines again. I was stickering local author books and the man who stocks that room told me that sales had gone down horribly when they’d moved the books from the general area. Not too smart.
I’ve asked romance fans in the area where they buy books and they all said Walmart because the prices were good. Argh. Not good news.
Oh, I’m glad you liked Stray!
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Hi Vivi!
I have TONS of favorite authors who are not currently at the top of the stack. People who I would love to see on a huge bestseller list. Just a few I could mention are: Bonnie Vanak, Shelby Reed, Joanna Wylde, Marly Chance (come on, Marly, write another darned book), Marliss Melton and heck…I’m forgetting a bunch of others.
Denise A. Agnew
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I hadn’t heard this news about Wal-Mart, but I’m bummed! Lots of readers get their books there, and this narrows their options considerably. I got my start with a contemporary romance that was part of a Wal-Mart exclusive line (from Zebra Books) almost ten years ago, so they really were big supporters of romance at one time, at least.
I wonder where the go-to place for readers will be now?
Lisa 
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Oh, man. I didn’t need to hear that. 
by Gail Barrett
on June 4th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
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I think it’s sad, because those books are among the few things I buy at Wal-Mart, and I used to work there for a whopping 3 months several years ago.
On the bright side, I know a lot more people who shop at Target or Meijers, so maybe they will start/continue to carry these books, though they are usually located in the back of the stores instead of near the front where Wal-Mart has them.
by Stacy ~
on June 4th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
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Target and Walmart have changed their book policy. They are both concentrating on bestsellers. My local Walmart has already shifted the books. It looks like a fire went through the place there are so few options left. They did have a rack specifically for Harlequin category releases, but the new single titles were nowhere to be found. 
by Jordan
on June 4th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
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This isn’t true for category, unless you’ve heard something different. A check with marketing through an editor today says it’s not true.
by Alison
on June 4th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
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Target has gone to a store-by-store basis for category…some stores that lost their books are getting them back, some aren’t. The big super Targets mostly are selling H/S books.
As for Walmart, see Alison’s message above.
The point is this…will it hurt authors? Yes, of course. But the bottom line has to be that the sales must not have been that great or Walmart would never have dropped the titles. I just hope the publishers say…okay, this venue didn’t work for us selling our books…what will? What do we need to do at the remaining booksellers?
I buy almost exclusively from Borders and Barnes & Noble. Both are close to my house and I get a discount/rewards. At Borders, I can order from their online store and then pick up my book myself in a few hours. I will also buy at Target, if I happen to think of it. Of course, I shop online since I have the membership with Amazon that gives me free shipping.
I’ve never been convinced that Walmart was the best venue for our books and I can’t imagine the publishers are just going to let the loss of a major buyer go by with a shrug. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, they do in response.
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Sorry for the fire everyone….I typed in H/S lines when really that’s not what I wanted to say…
I amended myself. Wow, a first for me. I’ve never been amended before. 
by Vivi Anna
on June 4th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
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Have to wonder if that’s a States only deal or will it affect us Canucks too?
by Lis
on June 4th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
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I rely so mush on my walt-mart visit to get my bi-weekly supply of books.
by Paula
on June 4th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
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Well, I will be the first to say that I don’t shop at Walmart. I go to K-Mart and Barnes & Noble. You will be happy to know that both of these stores in my town have gobs of romance books! I mean a lot! That is where I buy all my books. If it isn’t at K-Mart then I go to Barnes & Noble. If Barnes & Noble doesn’t have it in by chance they are happy to order it for you.
We have a lot of romance readers in our area because I have noticed that the book racks in those areas have empty spots. Yeah for you guys! Actually I think in Northern Indiana we need books like that to brighten our gloomy days in the winter. As for me that is my favorite genre. I do read mysteries, fantasies and some paranormal but romance and comedy is my favorite!
by Michele L.
on June 4th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
