This means you too - I see you! (A Random Author Rant)

Do you know what I hate? I hate when eBook authors all of a sudden make it big (read 'published in print'), revamp their website, and LEAVE OUT every eBook they've ever had before and only include the new books coming out in the near and far future. This means you Christine Warren - and you too Shelly Laurenston! I see you! I bought your stories LONG before your first print book and I don't think it's very fair that you've abruptly decided that nothing created before the print version exisits! Do you know how long it takes to get a book printed? If you don't - what's wrong with you?!?! Don't tell me that you're publishing the first book in a series and then let me find out that it's actually related to about 15 other books that you've already released (that's you Lora Leigh).

Also, don't show me the books that you've published before and then tell me that 'Oops! Can't get them anymore! Even though they came out years ago online, you'll have to wait another few years before you can get them in print!' That's bullshit! I'm one of those freaks that you have a very good chance of taunting into purchasing the print copy anyway! When you've started messing with my series by publishing the latest novel in print, it's hard for me to fight the urge to go ahead and buy the reprints to see what else you've added to the new version or to keep my bookshelves consistent.

Finally - along that same point - how the hell am I supposed to recommend a series to people if the only thing they can get is the latest novel? What about all the back story, all the emotion and history that works to make a particular series so memorable? Give me a break here! I love recommending things to people but I don't want to break the law and forward on my own copy- I bought it to support you and I want other people to buy it too! The whole thing drives me crazy. Give me a chance here to increase your numbers! I'm pretty sure the extra income couldn't hurt.

So yes authors - when you get the chance to make that jump from eBook to print, please don't forget the readers who've gotten you there. Those who have purchased, recommended, and purchased again. We're not stupid - a little respect for our powers of observation and I would be a lot less annoyed about the whole thing.

P.S. - Another side note to this? An author changing to a pseudonym for one of her series when it goes into print but leaving her name alone for others. If it's all marketed to pretty much the same audience, who the hell wants to go about all the work of making sure they've caught the newest thing? Authors - you suck enough money out of readers on a month to month basis that maybe you could throw us a bone and stick to one name at time. K, thanks.