So Amazon wants to force companies that use the print-on-demand services of Lightning Source to use Amazon's own version of Lightning Source, BookSurge.
Big Deal. Other than being a pain ( mostly for the publisher), you are just swapping out one sub-par book printer for another.
It's been several years since Amazon purchased BookSurge. For whatever reason, a company so brilliant at marketing could never figure out how to make BookSurge anything more than a second rate self-publishing company with mediocre printing services. That is why Amazon is now trying to browbeat all self-publishing companies into using BookSurge. If you can't think of any good publishing ideas for the publishing company you bought, (but probably now regret buying), and you own the online book selling market, why not strong-arm your competitors? It's the American way.
Officially, nothing but threats from Amazon have actually happened. There could be some anti-trust and/or other legal issues standing in Amazon's way, but I don't find the legal arguments too convincing. Message boards are filled with calls for protest and revolution. That may cause a backlash against Amazon that makes it reconsider its publishing-Gestapo approach.
If Amazon does eventually push this through, all self-publishing companies will have to have accounts at both BookSurge and Lightning Source. There may be additional title set up fees and other administrative costs that get passed on to the author. That's just the way it will be. I would never cut off my nose to spite my face when it comes to Amazon. If someone hears a book title they find interesting, the first place they will go to look it up is Amazon.com. Your book has to be there.
Taking a line from one of my favorite movies, "Super Bad," the first thing authors need to do is Chillax – chill-out and relax. Even if you don't print through BookSurge, you still might be able to list your book as "new" or "used" and sell yourself through Amazon. Or, you might be able to open an Amazon Advantage account. Yes, it'll be more work for you, but it's not the end of the world. Right now, there is nothing to do except not panic. No one knows how this will all shake out.
