You may have noticed a little new addition on the sidebar >>>>>> in the shape of a PayPal button, which I just wanted to explain.
Firstly there never has been, and there never will be a paywall or subscription fee for reading here. If I had £1 for everyone who has suggested it, along the lines of ‘You have been writing this for twelve years and not earned a penny, you have a loyal following, monetise, monetise...’
Or 'Sell advertising space, generate income...'
And I have resisted.
The only income EVER generated here is via any clicks through and purchases via the books on the sidebar, which sends a miniscule commission to my Amazon Associates account. I then eventually receive that as gift voucher with which I buy more books to write about here. At most now it averages £15-20 or so on a good month...many of us are feeling the pinch I suspect, or supporting local independent bookshops and libraries which I do too, and which can only be a Good Thing. I accept a few books from publishers, far fewer than in previous years, having opted to buy my own choices rather than feel I am part of a marketing campaign. If I do throw myself behind a newly-published book it is because I love it and want to see it out there and being enjoyed, and I will ask publishers for free copies for you too in the form of prize draws.
For twelve years Dovegreyreader Scribbles has been in my gift. Something that I could create and give of freely to all of you and for pleasure, mine and yours whilst hopefully supporting authors and publishers along the way. Many of the years of writing this have been those of full employment and earning. Covering the cost of the blog and the website domain name were part of the affordable outgoings as were the hours spent at my desk writing it. For the last few years that has not been the case.
And now the next phase of our lives beckons here. Bookhound was 65 this week, I will be catching him up soon and we must make decisions about where to next, and whilst I will (deo volente etc) keep writing the scribbles I am also having to be fiscally pragmatic about it all, and about life.
The PayPal button is there for supportive donations. Pure and simple and nothing compulsory or guilt-inducing, but if you like what you read, and find a bit of joy and solace and company here sometimes, well, any donations would be received with grateful thanks and contribute towards the upkeep.
Along with a little shop on the sidebar where I intend to sell some of the books I have read and recommended (my reading copies, often annotated, the house is bursting at the seams) we also have a few ideas 'up the sleeve' that may or may not come to pass...we'll see.
Bookhound is hoping to offer some day-long beginner bookbinding courses which will include the miniatures that he made for me..
And I'm thinking about some Walking-Talking-Books sessions around us here in the Tamar Valley and maybe up on Dartmoor...
We are looking forward to this next phase in our lives and hopefully taking you all along with us.
Thank you for reading and now on with our bookish year.
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