THE DEATH OF THE BOOK STORE Musings of a Book Lover and Budding Writer

THE DEATH OF THE BOOK STORE

Musings of a Book Lover and Budding Writer

By

VIKRAM KARVE

A few days ago, when I was walking down Tilak Road in Pune, my childhood friend hailed me while getting out his car (He is a businessman and runs a successful enterprise).

“Come,” he said, “let’s have a cup of tea in my office.”

It was 9 AM and his agency was opening for the day. We sat in his plush office and he ordered a cup of tea for me.

“So, you have become a writer!” he said, “I read all about you in the DNA on Sunday.”

“Well, yes,” I said. The Sunday Supplement of the DNA Newspaper had featured a nice write-up on me, and COCKTAIL my latest book of Short Stories about Relationships.

“The moment I saw your photo, I read the article and showed it to my wife and kids and told them you were my brilliant classmate in school who went to IIT and then joined the Navy. Now you have become a full time writer. I like one thing about you. You always do something different – first the navy, then a professor and now a writer. You wrote a book about food also, didn’t you? I remember you gave me a copy when I came to your place in Mumbai.”

“Yes,” I said, “Appetite for a Stroll.”

“You must give me copy of Cocktail too.”

“No free copy this time,” I said, “You will have to buy the book. You are a rich guy and this Cocktail costs much less than the Cocktail you sip every evening.”

“Come on, yaar, it is not about money. I just do not have the time to go shopping in bookstores. I work 24/7 and whatever time I get off I like to relax at home or at my club.”

“You’ve got an internet connection here?” I asked pointing to his PC Monitor.

“Of course, can you do business without internet?”

“Come on, order the book online,” I said.

“Hey, I am quite scared of using my credit card online, especially to an unknown site,” he said.

“No problem,” I said, “Flipkart will send you the book Cash on Delivery – you pay the courier when he gets the book – like the earlier VPP.”

It was simple. We opened the flipkart website, he ordered the book cash on delivery, immediately got an SMS with a code, confirmed his order. Three days later my friend gave me a call that COCKTAIL had arrived and he had already read a few stories and liked them.

It is thanks to the internet that my book COCKTAIL has reached so many readers – via Flipkart and Indiaplaza. A few copies were ordered via dial-a-book too and those abroad have been able to get their copies by ordering via the publisher’s website.

For a newbie author like me, it was quite easy “marketing” my book. Again thanks to the internet. I did it on Social Networking sites like Facebook, Orkut, Twitter and Linkedin, I sent emails to my friends and contacs, I wrote about my book on my blogs on blogger, sulekha and wordpress, I put it on my yahoo groups and google groups, various alumni networks, and then I sent SMS to all my contacts and friends.  It was easy – I just had to give them the links to flipkart, indiaplaza and other online bookstores to click on and order COCKTAIL online. The results have exceeded my expectations. Maybe because of the sheer ease and instantaneous speed of ordering online (and the fact that you could do it sitting right there and then), the convenience of getting the book delivered to your doorstep, most of my friends have procured a copy of COCKTAIL. Well, COCKTAIL has been reviewed online too by some book review and booklover websites and this too must have boosted online sales.

I wonder how many copies of COCKTAIL have been sold across the counter in bookstores. I do not understand the intricacies of book distribution (the “business model” or “supply chain”) but the fact of the matter is I have not seen the book prominently displayed in those elite bookstores like Landmark or Crossword where I go to browse once-in-a-while. Whenever I ask the publishers, all they tell me is that they have sent the book to the distributors and it will take time. The sheer lethargy of the system is quite frustrating, as any author wants his or her book to reach the readers as early as possible. I feel helpless and hapless before the “system”. I do not know whether it is true, but a well-wisher told me that you have to give a “mamool” to have your book displayed prominently, otherwise they will just “bury” the book in the shelves somewhere where it will take some effort for a browser to locate and find. Of course, I did not believe him and I wait patiently for COCKTAIL to become a “bestseller” and get its well-deserved pride of place. Until then, Dear Reader, in case you want to buy from your favourite bookstore, dig deep and you will find!

A friend from Goa tried to get the book from his favourite bookstore. They told him they would get the book but he is still waiting for his copy. Readers from Assam, Kerala, Orissa, Kolakata, New Delhi, all over, even abroad, want to buy Cocktail but do not find it in their nearest bookstores. I am convincing them to buy the book online on Flipkart, as they give discounts too.

By the way, a smart young friend told me that she browses in bookstores, selects her books, the goes home and orders the books online because of the discounts.

Convenience, speed and transparency make buying books online via the internet an attractive option as compared to going all the way to bookstores and then discover that the book you wanted is not available. You can order anytime, anywhere, at home, in office, and get your book delivered anywhere you want, even at the remotest corner of the world. I can foresee that initiatives like ordering a book on phone or SMS from dial-a-book and ring-a-book are going to become popular too, especially with the trendy youngsters.

E-Books and E-Readers like Kindle, iPad, Nook, Wink etc are becoming popular day by day and soon we will be downloading ebooks from virtual bookstores and online elibraries via the internet. I foresee a situation, in the near future, where authors will be able to directly sell their ebooks to readers via the internet – this would be literary utopia – a seamless interface between the writer and the reader.

Will all this eventually lead to the death of the traditional bookstore? With advances in Information Technology and as the reach of the internet proliferates, will the existing book distribution model need to change to keep up with times and to meet the challenge of online book marketing on the internet via online bookstores and also new innovations like dial-a-book? Will eBooks become more popular that paper books?

COCKTAIL has been a learning process for me. I have experienced first-hand what I once read somewhere – writing a book is much easier than publishing it and selling it. I never imagined that it was the author would have to put in so much effort to sell his book – I thought that an author just has to write the book and everyone else would do the rest.

Now I am writing my novel and I am not going to forget what I learnt from COCKTAIL experience. My first draft is over, but I am not going to hurry, for hurry burry spoils the “curry”. I am going to take my time, complete the manuscript and find a good literary agent who will guide me and help me get a good deal, with a reputed big publishing house, maybe with an international publisher. And of course, I will keep the Ebook option very much in mind! Meanwhile, let me explore whether COCKTAIL can be made into an Ebook.

Thanks for reading all this, Dear Reader – do comment and tell us your views – and don’t forget to order your COCKTAIL

http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme

I promise you that you will thoroughly enjoy this delicious heady and exciting COCKTAIL and you will be happy to have this book on your bookshelves.

                                                                                       

Cheers and Happy Reading

With Warm Regards and Best Wishes

VIKRAM KARVE

Author Bio Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures(2008) and is currently working on his novel. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 14 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Vikram Karve Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm 

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

            vikramkarve@gmail.com

COCKTAIL : Short Stories about Relationships By VIKRAM KARVE

http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme

http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/fiction/cocktail_by_vikram_karve.html

Foodie Book:  Appetite for a Stroll

http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

Book Synopsis

Relationships are like cocktails. Every relationship is a unique labyrinthine melange of emotions, shaken and stirred, and, like each cocktail, has a distinctive flavour and taste. The twenty-seven stories in this collection explore fascinating aspects of modern day relationships: love, romance, sex, betrayal, marriage, parenting and even pet parenting. You will relish reading these riveting cocktails of intermingling emotions narrated in a temptingly engaging style, and once you start reading you will find this delicious “cocktail” unputdownable until the very end.
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Book Details

Book: Cocktail: Short Stories about Relationships
Publisher: APK Publishers
Author: Vikram Karve
ISBN-10: 81-910918-4-4
ISBN-13: 978-81-910918-4-7
Binding: Paperback
Size: 5.5" x 8.5"
Number of pages: 192
Language: English
Publishing Date: March 2011
Edition: First

http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

SHOULD BOOK SELLERS BE BOOK LOVERS

BOOK SELLERS and BOOK LOVERS

SHOULD BOOK SELLERS BE BOOK LOVERS

Musings of a Book Lover

By

VIKRAM KARVE

There was a time when booksellers were booklovers.

Running a bookstore was more a labour of love rather than a business.

Yes, I am sure the enterprise had to be financially viable, and one could not ignore the bottom-line, but bookselling was not limited to trading and, surely, profit was not the only motive. Booksellers were passionate about books and fostered the love of reading in their customers, discussing, encouraging, advising, and suggesting good books. If you have visited The Strand Book Stall at Fort in Mumbai, you will understand what I mean. Every visit was fruitful and their annual Strand Book Festival held for a fortnight in January every year at the Sunderbai Hall near Churchgate was a treat for booklovers and I have picked up some wonderful rare books at bargain prices. In fact, when I lived the most glorious years of my life at Churchgate in Mumbai, I used to visit the Strand Book Festival every evening after my walk on Marine Drive as they used to get fresh books every day.

Booksellers went out of their way to get books for you.

A friend of mine once wanted a rare book on numismatics. We happened to be strolling on DN Road near Mumbai CST in Fort so I took him to Sterling Book House (another favourite bookstore of mine, especially for technical, management and shippie books). Jimmy assured us he would get the book, and to our incredulous delight he indeed did – he located a copy in Kolkata and got it for us.

Such was the relationship between a bookseller and a booklover – it transcended beyond a mere buying-selling relationship. I have had rewarding experiences at so many bookstores – Manneys, Popular and International Book Service in Pune, Higginbotham's at Chennai (Madras), Bangalore and Ooty, Mumbai’s Strand, Sterling, Smokers Corner and unique The New and Secondhand Book Store at Kalbadevi and even at the pavement bookstalls near Hutatma Chowk (Fountain) in Mumbai, and way back in the late 1960s at the quaint London Book Depot at BI Bazar in Bareilly who used to get for us any book we wanted. In fact, in many smaller mofussil towns, the main bookstore is an institution, a gateway to knowledge and learning.

However, these old-world bookstores did not offer much of a browsing experience. One had to stand uncomfortably cramped between bookshelves and it was quite uncomfortable to read. Therefore, I was quite delighted when Crossowrd bookstore opened near Mahalaxmi in Mumbai (above Motilal Banarsidass – the indology bookstore). The new Crossword encouraged browsing and you could sit in relaxed comfort and browse to your heart’s content. Then Oxford Bookstore opened right next door to my home in Empress Court near Churchgate. It was the ultimate in browsing experience. Comfortable rocking chairs, a Cha Bar to refresh yourself with exquisite teas and wonderful ambience – I spent some of the best moments of my life browsing in Oxford, and attending literary events, book readings and launces too. The bookstore was open from ten to ten so you could browse books the entire day and enjoy a peaceful after-dinner browse too and wifey could keep an observant eye on you from the balcony in order to ensure you were strictly browsing books.

In Pune, I browse in Landmark in Camp and sometimes at Crossword, but I suspect they have decided to discourage browsing from the subtle seating changes they have made recently.

I love books. I love browsing books. I like to see a book, pick it up in my hands, read it a bit, feel it, before I decide to buy it. That's why I don't prefer to buy books online through flipkart, amazon or indiaplaza, which is very convenient, but still I like to physically go to a bookstore, because I must have the browsing experience before buying a book.

I love investing in good books and over the years the only “wealth” I have acquired is my substantial collection of books – books on diverse topics – fiction, philosophy, management, classics, self help, food, travel, technology, hobbies, creative writing – some of my books are quite rare. I have observed that many persons do not treat books as wealth, so they borrow books and do not bother to return them. I have lost quite a few good books this way and I do try to re-acquire some of my favourite ones whenever possible.

Therefore, when a friend of mine gifted me Crossword Bookstore Gift Vouchers I visited the Crossword Bookstore at ICC Trade Towers on Senapati Bapat Road in Pune to get three of my favourite books that once adorned my bookshelves and were borrowed and never returned.

I like Crossword Bookstores, and, as I said, I have spent many delightful hours browsing in Crossword at Kemps Corner Mumbai and attending Book Launches and literary events too, so I was truly shocked and disappointed at the shabby way in which I was treated at Crossword in Pune last Wednesday afternoon. As I entered, I observed that the salespersons seemed disinterested, busy at doing something else like arranging books etc, there was no one at the counter, and it took me considerable time to attract the attention of a salesperson. I asked for a book. It is a famous book – a Pulitzer Prize winner and a bestseller. The salesperson was clueless and had never heard of this book. After I spelt out the title and author’s name, he checked on his monitor and rudely told me the book was not available. “Could you please get it for me?” I asked politely. “No,” he said nonchalantly and started walking away. I called him, aksed for a second book, another classic. He reluctantly checked and told me it was not available. I wanted to ask about a third book, but seeing the expression on his face, clearly indicating he had more important things to do than attend to a customer, I decided to leave the bookstore.

I was stunned the way the staff at Crossword treated me. Forget about customer delight, the customer service was so pathetic that it seemed that the salespersons at Crossword were just not interested in getting me the book. They were clueless about the book and obviously had no knowledge of books, let alone considering bookselling as a labour of love. They were just doing a job, and not very effectively too.

I came home and opened the Crossword Bookstore website, tried to search for the books, I was taken to Shoppers Stop website, where I sent an email query and I am still waiting for the reply. Considering the vast chain of Crossword Book Stores and their networked database, I am sure, if they want to, Crossword Pune can easily get me the books I want. I wish they treated a customer like a king…?

Looks like I will have to return the Crossword Gift Vouchers to my friend and scout some old world book stores for the books I want, or maybe I’ll try my luck with the pavement booksellers…!!!

Dear Reader, please tell me your views – should booksellers be booklovers…?

Or has bookselling become a plain and simple trading business like selling groceries…?

VIKRAM KARVE

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog -  http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com  

Academic Journal Vikram Karve –  http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve -  http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve 

Foodie Book APPETITE FOR A STROLL –  http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.