Frequently Asked Questions

Buying directly from me

Hey Johnny -- Why are you selling books on your own store instead of selling on Amazon and other online bookstores? 

It's not "instead of." It's "In addition to." My intention is to make books available wherever and however readers want to buy them, but there are several big reasons why I would much rather you buy directly from me ... and why I therefore make buying direct as much of a no-brainer for readers as I can. (See below for more on why my books are cheaper and better here than elsewhere.)

Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and the other book venues are wonderful, and all of my books ARE available in those places for people who prefer to buy there. However, it's incredibly risky for me to depend on other businesses for the health of my business, so I sell direct as a way of keeping control. Amazon can change the rules at any time if it serves them, and has in the past. I've had books removed from other stores for no reason, had my selling account blocked, and more. This store exists so that no matter what other stores do, I'll always be able to sell the books I want right here. 

By buying directly from this store, you are supporting the independence of an independent author, ensuring that nobody can tell me what to write or how to behave as an author. You are allowing this indie to remain a TRUE indie.

Buying direct also supports me as a creator far more than buying on other bookstores. When you buy direct, ALL of what you spend (minus small processing fees) comes to me instead of giving a big chunk of the purchase price to Amazon or another store. 

Why are your books cheaper here than in the other stores?

To incentivize you to buy here, of course! :)

Because I earn more on each sale here, I'm happy to pass a bit of that savings on to you. At the same time, hopefully I'll get you used to buying here instead of buying elsewhere if you're willing and able, and if it's convenient for you.

(To be clear, there's nothing wrong with buying my books elsewhere! I want you to buy from wherever works for you, and ALL purchases support me no matter where they come from.)

By the way, if a book is NOT cheaper here than on another store, please drop me a line at johnny@johnnybtruant.com to let me know so that I can fix it. It's a big world out there and there are a lot of logistics to account for, so I'm sure I miss stuff all the time.

Are the books for sale here different than the same books on those other stores?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. 

I want buying direct from me to be the way my readers can have a premium experience and receive premium products, so sometimes you'll see me offering better versions of my books here than are available elsewhere, or exclusive versions that are only available here and not on outside stores at all. This might mean special editions, or a better book cover, or premium materials and bonus features like illustrations or interior color pages. Not many books are "special" here yet, but that will change over time.

If a book here is different than on other stores, I will try to remember to call it out in the book description, and show it in the item photos, so you see the improved product you're getting.

Do you release books on your store and places like Amazon at the same time?

Nope. If you want my new books early, you'll need to buy them here, from my own store ... or in some cases, through a Kickstarter campaign.

Going forward, Amazon and the other stores will be secondary releases for me. I'll release there, but only after a period of exclusivity here, on Kickstarter, or one and then the other.

How can I find out when new books will be released, if I want to get them early from your store?

Easy! Just join my mailing list here. 

How it works

I'm used to buying eBooks on Amazon and having them magically show up on my Kindle. Will it be hard to buy and read books from this store? 

There may be a small learning curve, but it's not hard at all -- especially after you do it a time or two. 

The eBooks I sell here are the same kind of file as Amazon and others sell. The only difference is that I deliver mine through a service called BookFunnel, which is very user-friendly. Bookfunnel makes loading eBooks onto your device (and then reading them) easy, with simple step-by-step instructions. You can do it! I know you can! :)

I didn't receive the email with the link to download my eBook. What now?

Well, the second thing you should do is to contact BookFunnel support at the link below. The FIRST thing you should do, though, is to make sure you're checking the same email account you used to make your purchase. BookFunnel deliveries come to the purchasing email address, so make sure you check that account before contacting anyone to make sure it's actually missing. 

What if I have problems getting or reading my eBook? 

You can contact BookFunnel support for help. They are VERY good at support and VERY helpful. I never hear stories about significant problems when BookFunnel is involved.

Is there a time limit on how long I have to download my books from BookFunnel?

Yes. By default, all books must be downloaded from BookFunnel within 14 days of purchase. If your link expired or if you need more time, you can request help or more time at the BookFunnel support link above.

Can I share my eBooks?

Feel free to share with your family and with other devices in your household, but please do not share beyond that and definitely do not share online. All download links are unique to you, and all files are digitally watermarked as being your unique copy. (Those copy-protection measures don't really matter, though, because my readers are cool and would never steal from me.)

What if I lose my eBook, or if the device I put it on dies?

Oh, but that's the great thing about BookFunnel, my friend: They keep your digital downloads forever!

The first time you buy a digital product delivered through BookFunnel, a BookFunnel account is automatically created on your behalf. From then on (as long as you keep using the same email address to make purchases or free downloads), all digital products will go into and remain in your BookFunnel library.

If you lost a book or otherwise need another copy of files you purchased, just contact BookFunnel support so they can retrieve it for you. They're super nice and will help you out.  

What about audiobooks? How can I listen to audiobooks if I buy direct from you?

There are a couple of ways. BookFunnel has a very good audiobook player that will play them for you directly from the cloud, or you can download the book's DRM-free MP3 files and load them into whatever program you use to listen to play music or other audio files.

Shipping and delivery

How long will it take to get my books?

Digital products (eBooks and audiobooks) are delivered instantly! You'll get an email from BookFunnel shortly after purchase with links to download your purchases. (If you don't, contact BookFunnel support at the link above.)

Paperback and hardback books are printed on-demand (a process that takes 3-5 days before shipping) and are then shipped directly from the printer's facility. Officially, please allow 2-3 weeks from the day you order for books to arrive anywhere in the world, but in practice books will often arrive sooner -- possibly as early as a week or a week and a half. I can't guarantee it, but that's how it seems to go.

Can I get my stuff faster? 

Probably. Rather than offering every shipping option under the sun, I've kept things simple by only offering one or two. If you'd like a faster shipping option, however, email me at johnny@johnnybtruant.com and I should be able to set one up for you. (Please note, however, that all books are printed on-demand and require 3-5 days to print before being shipped. This 3-5 day delay cannot be expedited.)

Will I be able to track my order once it's shipped?

Yes! All delivery methods are trackable. When your order ships (usually a few days after ordering), you'll receive a follow-up email containing a tracking link.

It doesn't look like you sell into (or ship into) my country. Can I still buy your books?

Probably! I'm a one-person operation so I've kept shipping simple and only set things up only for markets where I already sell well. If I've omitted your country, it's not because I can't sell there. It's because if I included every country, it would have taken me forever to open the store in the first place.

SO: If you live in a country that isn't currently supported, just email me at johnny@johnnybtruant.com and let me know. Chances are I'll be able to set a new region up for you. 

Returns and exchanges

Can I return or get a refund on books, eBooks, and audiobooks?

Please see my Refund and Return Policy for all the details, but here's the short version: 

• Digital products may only be returned or refunded BEFORE they are downloaded unless the file is damaged or the wrong file was sent. After download, the nature of digital products makes them ineligible for return or exchange. 
• Paperback and hardback books are printed custom as they're ordered and therefore cannot be returned or refunded unless they are damaged or the wrong book was sent.  
• All return/refund requests, with the above guidelines in mind, must be made by email within 30 days of ordering. 

Can I cancel my order before it ships?

All paperback and hardback orders have a built-in 1-hour delay between the time you place the order and the time production begins on your book(s), so yes, you can cancel your order IF (and only if) you do so within that initial 1-hour period.

If you are within the 1-hour delay period and would like to cancel a book order, just click on the blue "View Your Order" button in the confirmation/receipt email you received after ordering. 

If you do not cancel within the initial 1-hour delay, the refund and return policy applies: Paperback and hardback orders are print-on-demand and cannot be cancelled, refunded, or returned beyond that delay window unless they are damaged or incorrect.

Digital orders can be cancelled and refunded if they haven't been downloaded, as described above.

What about taxes and duties?

Assuming I set things up right, taxes and VAT will automatically be collected at checkout, based on your location. 

Customs duties and other international stuff beyond tax and VAT, however, are not accounted for. It is your responsibility to know and pay any extra fees that come with shipping from the US into your country. I cannot be responsible for those fees, and books returned for non-payment of duties cannot be accepted or refunded. 

Other stuff

My question isn't listed here!

Easy solution. Just email me at johnny@johnnybtruant.com and I'll answer whatever you've got!