accepted.
One of the self-published authors used the small-press guy's rant as a
springboard for extolling the virtues of being your own publisher, citing total
control and other aspects.
Someone asked him how many copies of his book were sitting in his garage,
waiting to be sold, and how many copies had been sold. The self-pubber's answer
was rather vague, but it didn't actually seem evasive; in fact, it seemed to
Cade that the guy had simply been unprepared for the question and really didn't
have the actual numbers at hand.
A guy in the fourth row asked if epublishing could be considered a valid
form of being published.
Donovan took that question, too, and opined that -- as far as he was
concerned -- 'real' books were made of paper. It was a wholly predictable
response from a guy who made his living as a paperback publisher.
Cade raised a hand, and when called upon said, "Since 1999, I've paid taxes
on nearly thirty thousand dollars that came from ebook sales on the Internet.
How are books that people pay for and read not 'real' books?"
Glancing to his left and right as if for solidarity with the others of the
panel, Donovan said, "Let's make one thing clear, sir; you've been selling
computer files, not books."
"That's why they call them 'e'-books. My question stands."
The moderator said, "This is off-topic. This panel is about 'Women of
Science Fiction', not methods of publishing."
"You could have said that earlier," said Cade, "When the second or third
question wasn't about 'Women of Science Fiction' and before thirty minutes were
spent on off-topic topics. Let Mr. Donovan answer my question, if he will."
"He won't," said Donovan. "She's right; this is off-topic and we should get
back to the reason for this panel."
Cade's chuckle earned him a curious glance from Mandi and a few others
nearby as the moderator, herself, rather ineptly tried to manufacture a
topic-related question to force the panel back on track and get it rolling
again.
As Mandi and Cade headed back to the escalators, she said, "Only one percent
of manuscripts being published doesn't offer authors much hope of making a
living from their work."
"Those people want to see their name on a paperback. For them, it won't be
about money unless they get published. Most of them don't even have a realistic
concept of how much -- or how little, actually -- published authors truly earn