Liz Baker wrote:
<I asked why she subscribed and she said that it was to keep the group that
produced the magazine going. A feeling that was
<echoed around the table. I asked if she designed? Perhaps she could submit
patterns that others would like to help the <publications and she said sadly
that she had never designed and didn't feel confident enough to or felt she
had the time.
Jean Nathan wrote:
<Catherine mentioned the extortionate prices some secondhand booksellers are
<asking. They might be asking those prices, but does anyone in their right
<mind actually pay what they ask?
In response to the lady Liz asked the question of, I would just like this
lady to know that I too felt that way once. I had never designed anything
and being married to an accomplished and very successful artist, probably
felt even more inhibited than she. I had also never written a book before
and only yesterday whilst looking at the galley proofs of my book, I said to
my husband that I could not believe that I had actually drawn all those
diagrams myself and designed/worked all those patterns, never mind written
the instructions too! I then went on to say that none of us know what we
can do until we try! Bats ford approached me to write a book on Needle lace
and I declined at first, thinking I couldn't possibly do that as I didn't
know how and had never done it before. I didn't own a computer and it was
before the days of windows and digital photography so the challenge wasn't
quite as simple as it is today. None of today's authors were born experts
and I'm sure that they were all very nervous and lacking in confidence, but
we have to thank them for 'having a go' and making available all those
wonderful books for us. We also owe a big debt of gratitude to the
publisher B T Batsford who were willing to take a chance and publish these
books too, some of which were not successful and were 'remaindered'.
In response to Jean's comments I would like to add that I sincerely hope
lacemnakers are not paying these ridiculous prices and that they deserve to
be 'ripped off' if they are! These are not auction sites like eBay where
one takes a chance on whether one get a fair price for their goods but these
are the 'asking' price. Why would these people waste their time asking
these silly prices if they don't think they are at least in with a chance?
There are always others on the same site who are asking lower prices, so
maybe they try again but reducing their price, which to my mind is still a
high price.
If I see a reasonably priced copy of my book I will buy it to pass on to
others, as I frequently receive emails overseas from lacemakers hoping that
I can help. A friend rang me on her mobile from the Lace Guild AGM in April
to say there was a second hand copy of my book on the 50/50 stand and did I
want her to buy it for me? It was £50 - was I going to pay £50 for a copy
of my own book - I don't think so! I know the seller was only going to
receive £25 of that, but had I been offered it for £25 I would have bought
it from her and passed it on, and yes I know the Lace Guild would also have
received £25. I saw a copy at a lace day last year (not an unreasonable
price) and when I went to pay for it, the lace supplier said he couldn't
possibly charge me the full price for a copy of my own book and sold it to
me for less than it's original price. I passed the book on to someone at my
husband's golf club, whose wife was trying to locate a copy as a gift for a
friend they were going to visit in Australia.
It all comes down to morals and one's own conscience I believe, in
preserving our craft for the benefit of future generation. If these sellers
can live with themselves then 'bully for them' but not for myself and other
authors. We're not 'in it for the money' but the prices being asked for
these books have become beyond the reach of those who want to learn the
craft. I have no objection to them making a few pounds on a second-hand
book, as they provide an invaluable service for genuine 'antique' books but
some of these prices are ridiculous.
Catherine Barley
Catherine Barley Needlelace
www.catherinebarley.com
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