From: taia_a@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz (Second Genyosha)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: Re: Question for Stephane or anyone who can answer....
Date: 26 Jan 1993 23:21:36 GMT
Organization: Wellington City Council (Public Access), Wgtn, Nz
Reply-To: taia_a@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
NNTP-Posting-Host: kosmos.wcc.govt.nz

In article <C1ExCs.IGr@newsflash.concordia.ca>, kgnome@cs.concordia.ca (MATIS stephane) writes:
>In article <1jvutfINNcm3@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> as298@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Stephen E. McGinnis) writes:
>>To Whom Ever Knows The Answer......

   [ Why ROC publishs the Battletech novels instead of FASA ]

>	1. ROC made deals with many game companies to print and
>distribute their novels. This cut costs, expanded the audience and gave
>the authors more money. (Probally lots more)

 ROC is indeed trying to get a piece of the RPG/novel market. They sell
Shadowrun, Battletech, Dark Conspiracy, Dangerous Journeys and I think
Renagade Legion there may be more. The reasons for this is twofold.

 First, unlike games, novels in the publishing industry are returned when
they don't sell. When a novel is marketted through a "game supplier" they
are treated as any other game product. A store owner sees the novel as a
"book" and returns it like he would any other book that doesn't sell. The
supplier gets angry cause he doesn't want the book and the store owner
gets angry cause the supplier won't credit him for the returned book. It
doesn't help when it's common practise to just send the front cover back
and the supplier receives a multilated cover of a book back!

 [ NOTE: A book without the cover is a ripoff of the publishers and author.
    AS the storeowner receives the "credit" for the unsold book! then sells
    it to someone at a reduced price! If you see this, report it, it's
    called "theft!" ]

 Secondly, reprints are now possible! With game companies they have no desire
to reproduce an old product such as a novel. Publishers see this as part of
their business and reprint books for several years in a row or reissue them.
Plus the publishers such as ROC which is part of Penguin have a huge market
available to them and can ship worldwide. For me in New Zealand, I can now
order a Battletech book and get it within a month! Compare this with the
year long delay I had to receive "Lost Destiny" and you can see the advantages
in this system. Also authors have a better time with payments etc, though
there are always problems with this :)
 The release of the "Grey Death Legion" is great for many as it was very
difficult to get "Mercenary's Star" and "The Price of Glory" due to poor
distribution. I expect that the "Warrior" trilogy, "Blood of Kerensky" trilogy,
"Wolves on the Border", "Heir to the Dragon" and "The Sword and the Dagger"
to all be reprinted in time. Assumming that the authors want the money that
is?

 I heartly approve of this arrangement as the corner bookstore can get me my
Battletech novels with little effort now :) *joy* and if I preorder them I
can get them about a month after the US release date and at the US price :)

>	2. My game store receives the new novels without a hitch...
>which means that your game stores' supplier is being "stuffed" by his
>supplier ...

 There should be no problems with your supplier, if there is just get your
store to order through ROC/Penguin. They will be more than happy to add
another cilent to their lists :)

>	4. All in all, these things are good for FASA ... IMHO.
>| Stephane I. Matis               |  /   \_BATLLETECH  /\__\ Viva NeXT! 
>| E-Mail : kgnome@cs.concordia.ca |  \___/   \___/     \/__/ NeXTSTEP 3.0!
>+---------------------------------+       Wolfnet Operative & NeXThead 

 I agree, a good deal all round! Very professional! What's best it's even
good for us buyers and that's what matters in the end ..IMAO!

This has been....
 Tony Taia                 (Chu-sa of the Second Genyosha)
 TAIA_A@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz  **Join the DCMS see the Inner Sphere and kill it**
3055-3067: So little time, so many Clan meks to kill! Pussycats -1/2 price :)
**Noone knows what I know, so you know that what I know is only mine to know**
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha