Comments on: The Battle Of The Mormon Bookstores http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/ Doctrine in the tradition of Joseph Fielding Smith, Bruce R. McConkie and Thomas S. Monson Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:17:23 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Kent Larsen http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-2976 Kent Larsen Fri, 29 Dec 2006 07:23:39 +0000 http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-2976 Well, the issue has now been resolved. Deseret Book has purchased Seagull Books and its sister company, Covenant Communications. See <a href="http://www.motleyvision.org/?p=306" rel="nofollow">Motley Vision</a> for my reasons why this is a really, really bad thing!! Well, the issue has now been resolved. Deseret Book has purchased Seagull Books and its sister company, Covenant Communications. See Motley Vision for my reasons why this is a really, really bad thing!!

]]> By: Speck http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1956 Speck Thu, 27 Jul 2006 19:23:30 +0000 http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1956 I notice that "Area Authority" has not posted any such missives to any other blogs...interesting. I notice that “Area Authority” has not posted any such missives to any other blogs…interesting.

]]> By: Area Authority http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1857 Area Authority Tue, 25 Jul 2006 04:07:25 +0000 http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1857 Dear Brother Redelfs, I would ask you to reconsider the undertitle of your Blog..."In the tradition of Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R. McConkie". In my humble opinion, you subtract from the spririt and intent of the restored gospel by emphasizing the explanations/interpretations of these great brethren over our current First Presidency and the Twelve. The trump card of the restored gospel always lies with the current prophet, his couselors and the 12 especial witnesses of Christ. Brother McConkie ann his Father-in-Law Jospeh Fielding Smith "carried the flag" with unfailing courage and leadership. Please note the past tense of the verb "To Carry" Our current prophet now CARRIES the Ensign of our Church, and he may provide us with a revelation that supercedes gospel interpretations of these past brethren. Our membership should not be given a "cafeteria" choice on who to defer to on issues. The only choice is the current Prophet. Dear Brother Redelfs,

I would ask you to reconsider the undertitle of your Blog…”In the tradition of Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R. McConkie”. In my humble opinion, you subtract from the spririt and intent of the restored gospel by emphasizing the explanations/interpretations of these great brethren over our current First Presidency and the Twelve. The trump card of the restored gospel always lies with the current prophet, his couselors and the 12 especial witnesses of Christ. Brother McConkie ann his Father-in-Law Jospeh Fielding Smith “carried the flag” with unfailing courage and leadership. Please note the past tense of the verb “To Carry” Our current prophet now CARRIES the Ensign of our Church, and he may provide us with a revelation that supercedes gospel interpretations of these past brethren. Our membership should not be given a “cafeteria” choice on who to defer to on issues. The only choice is the current Prophet.

]]> By: just Johnna http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1805 just Johnna Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:57:10 +0000 http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1805 It looks like there may be a reprieve. Deseret Book has agreed to allow Seagull to continue purchasing books and tapes through August while the two companies negotiate. <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_4072588" rel="nofollow">http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_4072588</a> It looks like there may be a reprieve. Deseret Book has agreed to allow Seagull to continue purchasing books and tapes through August while the two companies negotiate.
http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_4072588

]]> By: Jettboy http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1790 Jettboy Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:42:33 +0000 http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1790 Mormon publishing has had real problems the last five years. There are too few publishers and even fewer distributors. There was a time in the mid 90s when things were getting off the ground and moving in a more diversified direction. And then, Deseret Books became greedy or protective, maybe a combination of the two. Even FARMS has been sucked up into the abyss of publishing shrinkage. I do not see much positive, at least for now, in the Mormon book world. Even the Signiture Books brand, that is supposed to be an alternative publishing enterprise, has major problems. The first is their absolute fidelity to agnosticism or worse toward Mormonism. That limits a possible audience willing to buy from them. On top of that, they do not have a retail destributor (i.e. book store chain) of their own. Deseret Book has actually done a surprisingly better job of national marketing to non-LDS store chains recently. At least, where they are able to get a leg in at all. I am not sure of the solution to this problem. There are at least two I would like to see happen. First, there needs to be more writers of Mormon books of all genres fiction and non-fiction trying for better quality. Second, there needs to be people willing to publish them. That might be harder as it takes money to start such a project. At any rate, the way things are going at the moment is not working. Soon I fear Mormon publishing will get to a stand still to a degree that has only been matched by the pioneer days. Mormon publishing has had real problems the last five years. There are too few publishers and even fewer distributors. There was a time in the mid 90s when things were getting off the ground and moving in a more diversified direction. And then, Deseret Books became greedy or protective, maybe a combination of the two. Even FARMS has been sucked up into the abyss of publishing shrinkage.

I do not see much positive, at least for now, in the Mormon book world. Even the Signiture Books brand, that is supposed to be an alternative publishing enterprise, has major problems. The first is their absolute fidelity to agnosticism or worse toward Mormonism. That limits a possible audience willing to buy from them. On top of that, they do not have a retail destributor (i.e. book store chain) of their own. Deseret Book has actually done a surprisingly better job of national marketing to non-LDS store chains recently. At least, where they are able to get a leg in at all.

I am not sure of the solution to this problem. There are at least two I would like to see happen. First, there needs to be more writers of Mormon books of all genres fiction and non-fiction trying for better quality. Second, there needs to be people willing to publish them. That might be harder as it takes money to start such a project. At any rate, the way things are going at the moment is not working. Soon I fear Mormon publishing will get to a stand still to a degree that has only been matched by the pioneer days.

]]> By: Clark http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1490 Clark Thu, 13 Jul 2006 21:16:20 +0000 http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1490 It seems to me that the bigger problem isn't in Utah but in small Mormon areas where there is typically just one bookstore. Although to be frank the popularity of the internet and especially internet book sales is cutting away at the brick and mortar stores. It seems to me that the bigger problem isn’t in Utah but in small Mormon areas where there is typically just one bookstore. Although to be frank the popularity of the internet and especially internet book sales is cutting away at the brick and mortar stores.

]]> By: Kent Larsen http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1467 Kent Larsen Thu, 13 Jul 2006 14:56:39 +0000 http://ironrod.wordpress.com/2006/07/13/the-battle-of-the-mormon-bookstores/#comment-1467 John you are right about the import of this. It is possilbe that it will put Seagull out-of-business or cripple it substantially. [Of course, if it doesn't for some reason, then Deseret Book's hold over the market would be significantly reduced -- LDS bookstores wouldn't feel like they had to have Deseret Book's titles!!] Your point about sales through Amazon.com is interesting. While Covenant (Seagull's publishing arm) does sell all its titles through the national network, that isn't true for Deseret Book. They exclude titles they think are not of interest to the national market (and therefore only of interest to LDS members). Those titles you have to buy from Deseret Book or from their 'dealers.' Because of this, Seagull might be able to get some Deseret Book titles from the national wholesalers (the same people Amazon and the other Internet retailers buy from), but they won't be able to get everything from them. John you are right about the import of this. It is possilbe that it will put Seagull out-of-business or cripple it substantially. [Of course, if it doesn't for some reason, then Deseret Book's hold over the market would be significantly reduced -- LDS bookstores wouldn't feel like they had to have Deseret Book's titles!!]

Your point about sales through Amazon.com is interesting. While Covenant (Seagull’s publishing arm) does sell all its titles through the national network, that isn’t true for Deseret Book. They exclude titles they think are not of interest to the national market (and therefore only of interest to LDS members). Those titles you have to buy from Deseret Book or from their ‘dealers.’

Because of this, Seagull might be able to get some Deseret Book titles from the national wholesalers (the same people Amazon and the other Internet retailers buy from), but they won’t be able to get everything from them.

]]>