Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous discussion

There's the standard go-to places such as Amazon, Abebooks, Alibris and Thriftbooks, but what are some of the low-cost sites?

Well, glad you asked.

Paperbackswap is an excellent US-only source. If that copy you want on Amazon is only a penny (with that $3.99 shipping), Paperbackswap is only as costly as the price of postage (if you have credits in the bank from your own swaps) or a purchasable credit from the website's Kiosk ($3.95 for 1, $3.79 if you buy 3+).

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Bookmooch is a swap site for both US and international. The inventory isn't as large and the book condition tends to be lower than Paperbackswap, but for users who aren't choosy, it's a good place to find stuff.

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The digital age has been catching up to the demand for older books. Public domain titles can be had by the metric ton, but what about stuff that is still under copyright? Luckily, the Internet Archive has come to the rescue there as well.

Openlibrary is an excellent source for out-of-print books.

If your state participates in the program, you will have access to hundreds of thousands of scans. They can be borrowed as the original PDF scan (large files, but no scan typos) or EPUBs (typos and other errors, such as dropped pages).

Note: The EPUB files are Adobe DRM, but there are ways around that. (Google it.)

Options for out of print items in the digital age still aren't perfect and awesome 100% of the time, but it's what we have to work with until authors or their estates reissue their backlist. Using the "Tell the Publisher I'd like to read this book on Kindle" sometimes has results. I think that's probably what got Lily Cigar reissued.

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And if you've been around the internet for awhile, one knows of other places to find books. ;D

Since it's a little quiet around here, I hope you guys don't mind me reposting this tweaked version of one of my blog posts.

Where to Find Old School Romance Novels

Thrift Stores: Local thrift stores, the Salvation Army, or even Goodwill, are the best places to look first. The key is to check often as their inventory is rapidly changing. One week there may be nothing to your liking, the next, you might find a huge haul of books.

Libraries: People donate their used books to libraries, which often have no need or desire for older paperback romances. My local library sells unwanted books at super cheap prices, usually for under a dollar.

Hospitals: As with libraries, many people donate their used books to hospitals, hoping they’ll find a good home. Due to health conditions of patients, many books are not accepted. I recall finding a few Johanna Lindsey 1st edition copies at hospitals. I do not encourage anyone to bother hospital workers with requests for used books. But if you happen to be in the area, it doesn’t hurt to look.

Estate Sales: If it seems kind of morbid, don’t be dissuaded. It’s only natural that when people pass away they leave physical belongings behind. A friend of mine from Goodreads purchased a refrigerator-sized box of Harlequin Presents at an estate sale. Don’t know where to find them? Perhaps this site might help you find a local sale: https://www.estatesales.net/

Garage Sales: Sifting through someone’s junk while they stare at you and declare how the items have huge emotional value might make you anxious. It does for me. Do it anyway. Go ahead and overlook crap like that purple and green ashtray Junior made in 4th-grade art class, now marked at the low price of $20. So what if you have to haggle that for that box of old bodice rippers Uncle Mark used to read? At a quarter apiece, they’re a bargain! Wake up early during your summer weekends and go garage-sale hunting before hitting the beach! Who knows what treasures you can find?

Local Used Book Stores: While there are fewer books stores around, which means fewer used book stores in general, UBSes still exist. Take advantage of them! Although they’re more likely to stock hardbacks and other genres, romance is so ubiquitous. Even if their section is small, most UBSes have some in stock.

Antique stores: In the same vein as a UBS, you might find collectible books here along with old record albums, tarnished lamps that require electrical work, and old wooden desks that need sanding and polishing. While you might not find 1980s to 1990s Harlequins, you may find rare, out-of-print-trade, and hardcover editions of classics or vintage romance.

Local Free Book Exchanges: I recently discovered The Little Free Library. This wonderful program is run in over 90 countries. While they mostly promote books for children, other popular genres include mystery, romance, and general fiction. I found two locations within 10 minutes from my home. Why not start your own book exchange and trade with neighbors? I’ve held on to books my daughter enjoyed as a child, but she’s 23 now and it’s time to let go! So this is a good case of taking one, leave one. However, watch out for online book exchanges, as many people claim to be have been scammed by them.

Amazon.com: Have you heard of this place, Amazon.com? I hear they sell books and other stuff. In all seriousness, the internet’s biggest seller of everything is worth checking out if you’re not sure where to start. Don’t except the cheapest prices and if you’re looking for a certain edition or cover, it’s often a gamble, unless you can contact the seller directly.

Alibris.com and AbeBooks.com: Like Amazon, you can find great used books here. If you’re searching for a particular cover or edition, you may have more luck finding them here. Purchase from Alibris and they’ll send you coupons for $10, $15, or $20 off per next order.

Ebay.com: As with Amazon, Alibris, and AbeBooks, you can find plenty of used books here to buy. Some books are sold at fixed prices, while others are up for auction. What’s even better, is here you can purchase books in lots of up to 20 or more. Often the seller will provide images and relevant information about the books, other times they’re sold in bulk mystery lots, so you don’t know what you’re getting until you open the box. It’s like a birthday present, only you pay for the gifts! Through eBay, I’ve discovered numerous gems, although once or twice I’ve received duplicate copies in one purchase, so caveat emptor.

Etsy.com: While Etsy is more for selling home-crafted items, like e-bay they offer used books for sale, usually in lots. Sometimes they’ll arrive with handcrafted bookmarks or other unique personal touches.

Facebook Marketplace: You can find many books sold in lots on Facebook or even given away for free! It’s merely a matter of how far you’re willing to drive and how much room is your vehicle to load it full of books.

Craigslist: Honestly, you might have more luck finding a kitten or used couch for sale on Craigslist, as more people use Facebook Marketplace now to sell or get rid of items locally. It’s still worth a shot. I checked my area and the pickings were slim. However, if I’m willing to drive 77 miles away, I can get a lot of 100 paperback romances for just $15. Of course, with gas and tolls, that’s hardly a deal, but if I’m ever on a road trip vacation, I could kill two birds with one stone! 😊

www.PaperbackSwap.com: I know I said beware of internet book swapping sites, but Paperback Swap has been in business since 2004 and has 1.1 million books listed. You create an account to join, pay an annual fee of $20, list the books you have to swap, pay postage for the books you mail out, and collect credits. The credits allow you to choose a book, which you receive for free, minus the credit. Waiting lists for certain books can be long, however, so if you’re holding out for an OOP edition of Stormfire, you might want to search elsewhere.

Internet Friends: I’ve sent out numerous books to my Goodreads buddies and they’ve done the same for me. Nevertheless, trading books with someone you don’t know in person can be dicey. Most times I’ve gotten many grateful thanks and usually, I receive a book in exchange. Only once did a person not acknowledge receipt (they later unfriended me. The book was in pristine condition, too, so I felt like a sucker.). If you choose to exchange books with someone you know only through the internet, consider how close you are, how well you trust the person, and if you don’t mind losing a book and $2.89 if they don’t return the favor. That’s how much it costs to ship via media mail for items under 1 pound.

New Editions, E-books, and Borrowing Books On-Line
Still in Print: Let’s say you don’t care about first editions or covers. You just want to read old-school romance! Well many authors, deceased or living, still have their backlists in print, like Johanna Lindsey, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Catherine Coulter, Rosemary Rogers, and many others. On occasion, an author from the 1970 – 1990s will release e-versions of their older works for free or at discounted prices through Bookbub.com, or directly on Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. Just beware, some authors often alter (or “neuter”) their backlists to fit the modern era or to suit contemporary mindsets. Therefore, if you’re looking for old “old-school,” be sure to check the book description to see if it’s the original version or not.

Borrow or Download Online: There legitimate borrowing services at https://archive.org/details/texts, https://openlibrary.org/, or Project Gutenberg. While you may find vintage romances on these sites, you will discover classics written by Edith M. Hull or Charles Garvice. If you don’t know who either of those authors are, why not download one of their books for free? I guarantee you will either be entertained or insulted, but you won’t be bored!

I'm so old. Does writing BTTT actually do anything, or should I post this article alone?

Plz ignore my last post. I have seen deleted.