I think I
have finished my second book, The Shadow Biography. It has been
professionally proofread and formatted; the cover has been professionally
designed, and everything has finally come together. Before publishing, due in Jan. 2027, I want
to hold a proof copy of the paperback in my hands and give it a final
once-over.
This ought
to be straightforward. Order a copy, check it, and make any adjustments with
time to spare.
But I live
in Bulgaria, and Amazon does not deliver paperback proof copies or author
copies here.
I can
register with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and use its publishing system in
much the same way as an author elsewhere in the EU. Bulgaria is a full EU
member, and although I would expect postage costs to vary, I had assumed that
delivery would at least be possible.
I wrote to
Amazon asking why it was not. Their reply simply confirmed that they do not
deliver these copies to Bulgaria. No reason was given.
Amazon has
told me that it will not send the book to Bulgaria, but I still do not know
why. I can use its publishing service from here, yet getting a proof copy means
paying to have it sent through another country. I find that discriminatory, and
the reply I received has given me no reason to think otherwise.
A forwarding
company, GGBG, could potentially receive the book in Germany and send it on to
Bulgaria. Unfortunately, problems with registration and logging in have
prevented me from using the service, and I have not yet been told why. If I
could use it, I would have to pay for both stages of delivery, along with any
applicable handling fees. Possible customs charges would depend on where the
book was sent from.
I could end
up paying roughly twice the book’s intended retail price if I asked someone I
know in the UK to forward it. I would already have paid for the copy and
delivery to their address, then face another postage bill of around €10 to get
it to Bulgaria, with possible customs charges still to come.
That leaves
me considering publication without seeing a printed copy first. After paying to
have the book prepared properly, I am uncomfortable taking that chance. Any
problems discovered afterwards would already be in a book available to readers,
and checking a retail copy would mean paying full price for my own paperback.
I am
astounded and angry that getting one copy sent here has become such an
obstacle.
Well, I have
got that off my chest, although the problem remains. I hope it can be sorted
out soon. I have begun planning my third book and would like to give it some
attention without this unfinished business hanging over the second.
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