For most of my life, I only had the vaguest idea that books were published by different publishers, and that this had an effect on how they were marketed and perceived in the world. If you had said to me, four years ago, “I am published by FSG, and FSG is owned by Macmillan,” I would have shrugged. It would have meant nothing to me.

So I am published by FSG, and FSG is owned by Macmillan, which means that I, like many writers (how many? I don’t know…tons?) discovered this morning that my book couldn’t be purchased on Amazon. That’s because (if you don’t already know) Amazon wants to keep e-book prices at $9.99 and Macmillan wants to be able to charge whatever they want for them, which is about $12.99-$14.99 for adult new releases. I own a Kindle (though I don’t really use it for reading novels unless I’m traveling. I use it for personal documents) and it is nice to have books cheap. But it’s a little silly for Amazon to imply they’re driving for a $9.99 per book price because they’re looking out for their customers. They’re doing it because it’s a better way for them to make money. Amazon has said the Kindle is a “mission,” and of course it is: it’s a mission to sell Kindles and Kindle-only e-versions of books. It’s a mission to make money. That’s Macmillan’s mission, too. That’s really all there is to it—until Amazon decides to use its very extensive power to ban all Macmillan books from its website. And not just e-books. All VERSIONS of the book. Until Amazon updates its site, you can’t buy any Macmillan books.

Honestly? I have no idea how much publishers need to charge to make an e-book profitable, nor what prices Amazon needs to sell e-books at in order to make the Kindle “mission” profitable. I’m fine with the CEOs of Macmillan and Amazon fighting it out, because that’s capitalism. But I’ve got to say that it’s bullying of Amazon to pull Macmillan books. If Amazon really feels that it’s up to the customer to decide whether s/he wants to pay $14.99 for a bestseller, why didn’t Amazon just agree to Macmillan’s deal, or at least let customers decide?

Of course, I’m biased, and I’m just a cog in the machine. But, you know, it’s my machine!

On an interesting side note, I found out most about most of this via Twitter, and possibly my favorite tweet was my pal Mordicai’s, which was along the lines of “I have a monopoly on all the tweets I make.” Which—if I understand him correctly—is a wry look at Amazon’s claim that they have to eventually cave to Macmillan and put the “buy” buttons back on M. books because Macmillan has a “monopoly” on their titles. Which is technically true—no one else can publish Macmillan titles. But that’s because Macmillan bought them. It’s their property. Saying Macmillan has a “monopoly” on their titles is painting things rather scarier and grander than the truth. It’s like saying I have a “monopoly” on my house because I own it (N.B. this is just an example. I don’t own a house). Or that the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a monopoly on Van Gogh’s Self Portrait with a Straw Hat. Well, yes, because they paid tons of money for it.

Anyway, it’s all been very interesting. If you’d like to read more about the Amazon-Macmillan throwdown, I recommend John Scalzi’s blog.

In other, more personal news, I finished a new book! “Finished” meaning I finished the first draft. I’m pretty excited about it. It’s very different from the Kronos Chronicles.

Also, I was excited that Rebecca Stead won the Newbery for her fabulous When You Reach Me. It’s always good to see beautiful books win.

I’m back to teaching—Shakespeare and Children’s Lit (separate classes, though one could imagine a course so called). This week it’s the sonnets and fairy tales. I have a great job.

Otherwise, I’ve been reading Wolf Hall, the historical novel about Thomas Cromwell. I’m enjoying it so far—though not quite as much as Too Much Happiness, Alice Munro’s latest short story collection. I love Alice Munro. I read her stories and want to die, they are so good.

From time to time, I also page through the Paris Review’s interview collection. I’m not sure if it’s available for purchase or not yet. I think so? Anyway, it’s a must, I think, for writers. The interviews are fascinating! Did you know Toni Morrison writes just before dawn? The Stephen King one also convinced me that that man is a force. Very funny, too. I’m currently reading Marilynne Robinson’s (I loved her Gilead), and I rather liked this:

INTERVIEWER: Does writing come easily to you?

MR: The difficulty of it cannot be overstated. But at its best, it involves a state of concentration that is a satisfying experience, no matter how difficult or frustrating. The sense of being focused like that is a marvelous feeling.

Yes!

Note that I haven’t been reading much in the way of middle grade or YA….except Megan Whalen Turner’s Conspiracy of Kings. It was good! But now I feel a little lost…if you’ve got any children’s/YA suggestions, let me know.

Oh, yeah! And I think Cabinet of Wonders is available in paperback now, or should be. My cousin spotted one at her son’s book fair (yay Scholastic Book Fairs! I loved those things when I was a kid). But, you know, I guess it won’t be available on Amazon. Until they replace the buy buttons….