The other day I got an email from a reader named Greg, who asked about the kind of thing we authors never expect but absolutely love.

He said: "For the very first time, I discovered I could buy your books directly from you ... Henceforth, that will be my process for your stuff."

(He then went on to say how much he hates the word "henceforth." But I digress.)

I was super pleased by Greg's email -- not only because he'd bought a book (which is always great) or because he'd bought it directly from my JohnnyBTruantBooks.com website (which is even better), but because his parting advice was that I tell readers more often about the fact that I sell books on my own website in the first place.

He said that he's been a loyal reader for several years and bought many of my books ... but never even knew I sold them on my own site. If he'd known, he would have been buying directly from me all along.

I so, SO appreciated the sentiment, which was basically this: I love your books and want to support you as much as I can. Other readers will feel the same way and want to support you, too ... but only if you let them know the "buy direct" option exists in the first place.

I should be clear about something, and very clear indeed: If you buy and read my books, I'm grateful for you. PERIOD. It doesn't matter where or how you buy them. That's up to you, and far be it from me to imply that you SHOULD do anything you don't want to do, or that bookstore buyers are in any way lesser fans than those who buy direct. So let's just get that out of the way, shall we?

That aside, I'm letting you know about the "buy direct from the author" option because Greg's email raised a point I hadn't considered: Some people might want to support me more directly but didn't know there was a way to do so.

Buy Local

A lot of people like the idea of going direct to the source with their dollars -- cutting out middlemen so that more goes to the creator -- and would be bummed out if they found out later they could have been doing it all along.

To me, this is all hitting home lately. I just finished the book for authors that I told you about (The Artisan Author), and one of the points I make in that book (which is all about authors scaling back to take a more personal approach with their readers, rather than playing to Amazon's bookselling algorithms with the hope of getting insta-rich) is that some readers want to "buy local" when they read. It's no different from wanting to get your lettuce directly from family farms, or discovering jewelry-makers at local fairs rather than buying earrings from some big-box store in the mall.

Personally, I'm trying to buy local more often myself. Instead of looking to Amazon when I need a hammer, I'm trying to go to the mom and pop hardware store nearby. Instead of buying Wonder Bread at the supermarket, I'm looking to local bakeries and people I know who make sourdough.

Our world is polarizing more and more lately, with more and more wealth and power consolidated in the hands of a smaller and smaller group of people. I fucking hate it. I'm a democratized-power sort of guy, and the rebel in me wants to break The System any way I can.

(You listening, Thomas? You got me started on this "The System" stuff by emailing this morning!)

I like being a disruptor. I like the idea of being a stone in some powerful person's shoe. I sort of doubt Jeff Bezos notices the minuscule difference I'm making on his profits, but at least I know I'm making it. And I don't mean to be ungrateful; Amazon did a lot to make my professional life possible. But they don't control me. I won't let them. For far too many authors, Amazon holds all the cards. And I do mean ALL. Some of my best friends' entire careers would collapse into dust if Amazon were to make a whimsical change to the way they publish books -- something they've done before, and left ruins in their wake when they did.

My books will always be on Amazon, and on Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, Google Play Books, and everywhere else. I'll also continue to shop at all of those places, because dammit if I sometimes need stuff that only Amazon can deliver in the timeframe I need it. Those are the times I shrug, say "I'm only human" and try again next time.

But I'm trying to scale back my footprint. I'm trying, in other words, to support small businesses. I'm trying, more and more, to buy local.

So Now You Know.

Do with this information what you wish. Again: If you buy my books, buy them in whichever it suits you!

But if you're one of those folks who like the idea of "buying local" and supporting creators more directly, now you know that my direct-sale website exists.

You can get ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks there. Soon (when my to-do list thins out a bit and I get around to it), you'll also be able to get stuff I don't, won't, or can't sell anywhere else, like special editions and bonus novellas (Moloch, a Gore Point novella I've yet to publish anywhere, is a perfect example because that will ONLY be on my site. Same for Mine Zero, which I sent you last week.)

​I even put a book guide and reading order on my direct website, if that helps you. There's also an FAQ, if you have questions about buying direct, why it matters, and how it works. (It's easy; I promise.)

The short version is this: From every direct sale, I keep more of the profit and Bezos et al get none of it. In exchange, my site's prices are often lower than on the other stores, because often, I can pass some of the difference on to you.

If you're like Greg -- if you would have been taking this path all along (and/or henceforth want to do so) -- this is how to support authors best. And not just me, by the way. Many authors sell direct ... so for the true author advocates out there, maybe do a quick search the next time you want to buy their books, to see if you can connect directly instead of going through middlemen.

The billionaires have enough money. We artists? Not always so much.

Thanks for reading, in whichever way you read. I appreciate you.

JT