“The come-to-Jesus conference call happened last fall,” says publisher Doug Seibold of Agate. “The sales leadership of my distribution company had assembled to lay down the word about how my books — specifically, my original hardback releases, both fiction and nonfiction — were being received by bookstore buyers. Far more gingerly than necessary, they outlined the reasons they hoped, in the future, I’d consider fewer hardbacks and more trade paperback originals, especially for my fiction.” Now, as Seibold explains in a column for The Book Standard, the flooded market, higher inventory costs, rising opposition to inflated prices, and returns have all led him to believe that “TPO is the best way to give most books a fighting chance.” Not that there aren’t some difficulties: “As an independent publisher, one of the hardest things about dealing with this format question is the expectation of the author — especially if you are a small press devoted to developing stronger, more collaborative working relationships with authors as a key part of your publishing program. I have met very few authors (especially of fiction) who are not captive to the ‘white-dress wedding’ vision of the publishing experience: handsome hardback first edition, stacked prominently on front-of-store tables . . . .”