Thinking of dealing with Amazon? Think again!

I am a blogging delinquent, and as I slowly begin to climb out of the morass of tasks that made keeping in touch with the world hover just out of reach, I'd been starting to think about sharing what's been going on with all of you...and I shall.

But today's development has derailed that: Amazon.com has decided, in a move that would put Microsoft to shame, to make it impossible for small publishers whose books are printed by anyone other than their own subsidiary, BookSurge, to get listed on Amazon. Those who are already listed there are finding their "Buy" links disabled, one by one.

If you are a publisher, Powells.com and even--against all odds-- BN.com are your new best friends. And if you're a reader, and a book buyer, I hope you will vote on this reprehensible behavior with your money, which you will take elsewhere.

Unless you like the smell of monopoly, and I'm not talking about the game, STAY AWAY FROM AMAZON.

More on other, less alarming, topics soon.