Books - Library loans

The Irish Public Lending Right statement has arrived in the inbox. The earnings are not great, but what is interesting to me is the number of loans.

All six of my westerns (by 'Ross Morton') are represented in the Irish and UK libraries:

Death at Bethesda Falls
Last Chance Saloon
The $300 Man
Blind Justice at Wedlock
Old Guns
The Magnificent Mendozas

For 2015 They have clocked up between them 217 loans.

Not many, true; by averages that suggests that 36 people have read each book.
In truth, it shows how averages can be skewed.

Book - loans
Blind Justice - 69
Last Chance Saloon - 39
Old Guns - 46
The Magnificent Mendozas - 24
Death at Bethesda Falls - 29
The $300 Man - 10

It's heartening to know that the oldest, Death at Bethesda Falls (published in 2007) is still finding a readership.

The loans in the UK libraries are considerably higher; that statement comes out in the new year.

5,000 readers can’t be bad

I’ve just seen this year’s Public Lending Right statement and it makes interesting reading. Not so much for the payments, which are most welcome, but mainly for the numbers of people who have read my books. I’ve said it before, we write to be read, not to attain riches.

This year’s figures are based on the British Library collecting loans data from a changing sample of UK public library authorities. This year’s payments are based on loans data collected from 36 library authorities across the UK during the year July 2014 – June 2015.

It was good to see that paperback Write a western in 30 Days and fantasy hardback Wings of the Overlord are now in libraries and have been borrowed. This is the first time they have shown up since being published.

 

The other loans are exclusively for my Robert Hale westerns:

The Magnificent Mendozas – 100

The $300 Man – 975

Old Guns – 1638

Blind Justice at Wedlock - 816

Last Chance Saloon – 785

Death at Bethesda Falls – 581

That’s a total of 4895 readers (unless some borrowed a book more than once!)

Of course that is only the tip of the readership iceberg; one must assume that libraries not in this year’s sample will also have loaned these books. That’s gratifying to a writer, to know that my books have been read by in excess of 5,000 readers. 

My latest western, The Magnificent Mendozas was only registered in 2014; it’s nice to know that my first book, Death at Bethesda Falls is still finding readers.

Now, if only libraries would stock my crime and suspense books!

Viz:

Spanish Eye

Catalyst

Blood of the Dragon Trees

Sudden Vengeance

Libraries can’t stock The Prague Papers, The Tehran Text, Catacomb or Cataclysm as these are currently only in e-book format.

New paperbacks and hardbacks should be registered with PLR before 30 June this year to be included in the 2017 sample: www.plr.uk.com.

Robert Hale closes its doors

I’ve just read some sad and bad news, posted on fellow author Gary Martin Dobbs’ site http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com

Gleaned from The Bookseller, it seems that Robert Hale Ltd ceased trading as a publisher on Tuesday (1st December). The company will remain in business for the "immediate future" as it begins the process of calculating royalties and closing the company.

Hale was founded in 1936 and has been a staple supplier of books to British libraries. A combination of circumstances have led to this ‘end of a British institution’ – closures of local libraries, reduction of funding for local libraries, the e-book revolution that Hale never quite grasped until too late, and the Hale dynasty’s wishes to realise their assets.

Already, ten people from the business have been made redundant; others will follow, apparently, when the company is wound up next spring. Hale's lists and imprints - NAG Press, J A Allen and Buried River Press - have been acquired by fellow independent publisher The Crowood Press in Wiltshire.

It seems that Crowood will continue to publish Hale’s westerns, though it’s too early to say whether that will continue beyond the contracted titles. I hope it does, as there are a lot of western readers out there who rely on new library editions. Hale published my first novel Death at Bethesda Falls in 2007 – and another five subsequently – and I found them to be helpful, professional, and approachable. I had planned to write a couple more westerns next year, once I'd completed works in progress on three different series.

Gill Jackson, managing director of Robert Hale, told The Bookseller: “It is a sad time, but we are delighted that our lists, including our forthcoming titles… have been acquired by The Crowood Press. It is hoped that our authors will be as happy with Crowood as we like to feel they were with us. Certainly we have enjoyed the pleasure and privilege of being associated with so many wonderful writers.”

John Dennis, chairman of Crowood, said that he was "honoured" to have the Robert Hale imprints on the Crowood list. He added that distribution would pass to Grantham Book Services and all orders should be transmitted to them.

Their respective websites still need updating: Robert Hale will not be accepting any more submissions..

I’m deeply saddened that Robert Hale has gone. The firm leaves behind an enviable record and a proud tradition stretching over almost eighty years.