So that's what was in the mail today, ten copies of The Serial Killer's Wife (which is now available) and the proof copy of The Calling (which is not yet available).
It's cool to have the actual physical book, I guess, though it doesn't really mean much. After all, the reason self-published writers never made much money in the past is because there is no distribution. Bookstores don't normally carry self-published books. And self-published books printed by CreateSpace? Don't even think about it. So it's very unlikely any of these self-published books will ever appear in bookstores. The only way they can be sold is a) via Amazon or b) via me hand-selling them at some conference or convention, which can become a very big pain in the ass and could, most likely, not even be worth my time.
So why even bother?
Well, because readers prefer the choice between electronic and print, that's why. And because it's not really a big deal when it's all said and done -- the print on demand aspect makes it so I don't have to rent out a warehouse or at least clear out a space in my house for extra books. If someone wants to buy the book, they can order the book and CreateSpace prints a copy and ships it. Simple as that.
I am going to try something, though, which may be successful but will most likely fail, which is to offer the option to order a copy directly through me so I can personally inscribe and sign the book. The cost would be retail (for TSKW that's $13.95) plus an extra dollar for shipping in the US, for anywhere outside the US ... email me.
So if you live in the US and are interested in a inscribed signed copy of The Serial Killer's Wife, you can PayPal me at robert (at) robertswartwood (dot) com with $14.95 and I'll ship one out. If you're outside the US, email me first to see how much more shipping will be (probably only an extra buck or two).
Or, if you're in the US, you could always sign up for five free copies that I'm giving away at Goodreads.