Bravo for Sourcebooks

I had heard on the 'net that small publisher Sourcebooks had reprinted some old Laura Kinsale titles under their Casablanca (romance) imprint. The first thing I did was go looking for these.

The info is a little confusing. Amazon lists the books as available but I'm in Canada so I'd rather not pay the shipping if I can help it. Amazon.ca lists them as available October 1/08, "available for pre-order". Imagine my surprise when I wandered into my local Chapters here in the 'burbs and found each of the books, two stocked copies of each!





Midsummer Moon - Here's the link




Seize the Fire - Here's the link




Prince of Midnight - Here's the link

This comes very timely for me, as I just listened to a workshop this morning on the RWA conference CD that sort of irritated me. It was an agent/editor panel, and one of them (I have no idea which) said she would not consider a Restoration setting because, paraphrased: "You need to be writing to the mass market. Your readers are buying your books in Walmart. If you're not writing to that person, no one will publish you. You have to write to the mass market."

Ah, the eternal conundrum. There are many fine books sold in Walmart, but Laura Kinsale's will not be among them. And there is no arguing with profit but it's refreshing, just once, to see something targeted to the discerning reader who is happy to spend her money on something she actually wants. I may not be the majority, but I do spend a lot of money a year on books.

So - thanks, Sourcebooks. And thanks, Chapters, for stocking these. A lot of us who have had no choice but to stiff our favourite authors by buying on Ebay thank you.

A suggestion, though: A mention on Casablanca's website wouldn't hurt. Actually, more content on their website altogether. Oh, and Kinsale's site appears to be un-updated since 2006.

'Cos this IS the digital age. Even if I am about to turn off my computer and go read.