did you know this could happen?

Okay, I'm going to be vague here...

I was having lunch with a teen-writer friend the other day. His new book was recently released to great reviews. (It's a fantastic book; I wish I could reveal his name so I can adequately promote it here!) Also, his first book was published last year and is still selling very well.

Anyway, this writer was a little "down in the dumps" because a certain large bookstore chain has REFUSED TO SELL HIS BOOK.

Why?

Too much violence? Too much gratuitous sexual content? Too many four-letter words?

Nah.

So why won't this unnamed bookseller stock this title in any of their NUMEROUS stores?

Simple. They don't like the book cover, that's why!

Again, I wish I could show you the book because you would see how appealing the cover is, how inviting, especially to the teen audience it was designed for. But some sales representatives somewhere decided the cover is not "enticing" enough and, therefore, not worth stocking on the shelves. Of course, the book can be "special ordered," but doesn't that remove a large chunk of sales that would have been otherwise generated by the "browsing public?"

I know. The argument could be made that a bookstore has the right to sell whatever book it chooses. True enough. But did you all know that a few people can make this kind of decision, one that can severely affect the life and success of a book? Shouldn't a book be given the right to sink or swim on its own merit? And, more importantly, should a book cover be the determining factor for refusing to carry a book nationwide? (Why not order a few books per store and see how they sell before taking such a drastic action?)

It just seems like such a shame that this book is not being given a fair chance.

Am I the only one who never knew this could happen?

~Coe~