Espresso isn’t just coffee, Toto.
We writers should be aware that “an Espresso” may refer to coffee or it can now mean a paperback book. Within weeks, the Tattered Cover Book Store, LoDo, will turn on the Espresso Book Machine®(EBM). “Within minutes, the EBM can produce a bookstore quality paperback with color cover, in any standard trim size, at point of sale,” according to a November press release.
The EBM is the only digital-to-print at retail solution on the market. The content is fed to the machine via EspressNet, On Demand Books’ growing digital network of over seven million titles.
Like iTunes, EspressNet retrieves, encrypts, transmits and catalogues books from a multitude of English and foreign language content providers (including public domain, in copyright, and self-published). Through the SelfEspress software, writers can format, design, edit, and upload their physical book for printing and inclusion on the EBM catalog, and soon will be able to convert the print file to an .epub format suitable for ereaders.
The Tattered Cover will become a community self-publishing center, providing a new distribution platform for self-published authors.
Think of it: no shipping cost, no returns, and no unwanted books. Joyce Meskis, owner of the Tattered Cover, said, “It will enhance our inventory selection by providing quick access to millions of books that can be printed in the store. That means more options for the reader. This cutting-edge service will also be a boon to the self-published author and the creative memoirist. We will be offering to them the ability to do affordable short print runs of their books, whether for resale to the public or as a family keepsake.”
The next follow up blog will contain more details about the EBM at the Tattered Cover in LoDo. Stay tuned.
Wow, I think I missed that e-mail from Tattered Cover. That’s fascinating.
1The Tattered Cover will become a community self-publishing center, providing a new distribution platform for self-published authors.
The EBM could be no less than the key to their (and other indie bookstores’) survival and prosperity in this increasingly digital age.
Physical books are becoming like vinyl records: A niche market, but acknowledged as being the “best” and “aspired-to” version for artistic reasons, with some inherent advantages that digital versions cannot replace.
2As a former analyst for productivity-oriented management consulting firms, I studied the operations of dozens of businesses. Unless they charge large sums of money for their services, I cannot picture the operation being profitable. I watched the printing a 120 page book. I took 10 minutes. That’s six per hour, that’s forty-eight per day. I don’t know their leasing cost for the Xerox 4221 machine. That would be helpful info.
If I ever get my current novel done, I will immediately compare their prices with any number of other print-on-demand houses.
I hope they are competitive. Tattered Cover is a favorite place of mine.
3Fascinating! I’m hoping you cover cost in your next post. I am dinosaur–hear me roar.
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