💸 get your money back from booktopia

what to do if you were personally victimised by booktopia

Hi everyone,

Please excuse the dry-as-a-bone email format, however, this is like a true PSA areas type email and thus, the frog-encrusted flourishes typical of a FROOMESWORLD email need not apply.

I am here this morning with the official book update for all of my valued subscribers who may not have seen my Instagram stories confirming that Booktopia has been flushed down the Saw-style toilet. They have gone into voluntary administration.

You can Google and read all about it, but in the interest of only directing you to important links, I will say this: the company is gone, no one is buying them out, if you pre-ordered my book you are now a creditor and the company will not be issuing refunds as they are allegedly $68,000,000 in debt.

In good news, there are ways to get a refund independent of Booktopia. Ok headings. Ok bold font. Ok yelling.

Here is a helpful website outlining the ways you can get your money back. Give it a read – if your bank/PayPal/credit card needs proof of purchase, the email you were sent with your order should suffice. If you struggle at all, email me back here and I’ll call in reinforcement. Also soz for real because admin is disgusting.

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Now that the most helpful links have been shared with the community, I wanted to formally apologise and say how grateful I am that everyone pre-ordered. To climb the Pootopia charts and become the number one best-seller was a beautiful moment that made me jump up and down on the spot.

pictured: happier times.

The fact that the only people impacted by this are my ride or dies and family and friends is foul. I’ve been thinking about it every day since the company collapsed, and desperately trying to find ways to remedy it with my publisher or whoever else can help me.

Frustratingly, everything has been out of my control!!!!!!!!!! So I have been forced to remain relatively silent as there has been little to no guidance from anyone. I was told to push exclusively to Booktopia in the first place as they were really great with first-time authors, they were the company where you could sign heaps of books and get a photo which is cool (see below). They were big supporters of the industry, and Australian-run.

hannahferguson___

A post shared by @hannahferguson___

A few people have asked me if I’m still getting the money from Booktopia for the orders and the answer is no. The number of orders lodged with Booktopia would have pretty much repaid the advance I was given to write the book (a lump sum of money a publisher gives you to tide you over while you write). I start making money on the book (10% of every sale) after that advance is paid back via book sales.

To be real, I never expected to make money from this book. You just don’t really make money from books, unless they are ‘optioned’ by production companies or if you write Twighlight and honestly Edward Cullen’s supple, slippery, sparkly skin makes me ill so that’s not on the cards for now.

I think I’m a bit sad for myself because pre-orders give the book a massive kickstart for sales, and while that doesn’t really touch the sides financially, it means I’d have a better chance of being able to write a second book. Writing this book cemented the fact that I love writing. It’s why I’ve written this newsletter since 2020 as a hobby. It is a complete flow state for me, like eating a delicious meal or trying not to laugh in maths class. Time slips away.

I am going to stop feeling sorry for myself now and try and be like some mystical religious figure and/or yogi who doesn’t care “about the outcome” and is simply happy to have participated (and is able to sit cross-legged for extended periods of time). I will keep saying that until I believe it. Demented!

They say in business that you need to focus on solutions and always provide alternatives. So I want to announce to you first, my favrits, that I am going to be doing an 'In Conversation’ event in Sydney on the launch of the book on September 3rd! Hannah Ferguson, in the picture above, is going to be my amazing interviewer. It’s going to be great.

You can be the first to buy a ticket here – either with a book, or just a ticket to the event. Don’t worry, I won’t cancel it. I’m not in my MLM marketing era just yet. If you come, you will be supporting the small book retailer Gertrude & Alice who I am putting the event on with.

What if you live in Melbourne? You can still pre-order from Dymocks or QBD!

I won’t be offended if you decide to just go to your local bookstore to get the book in person when it comes out on September 3rd. I personally love going down to my local and perusing all the titles, smelling the books, and walking very slowly to the indie, perfectly selected music they play in there. Live your truth, but remember your final destination (curled up on the couch with my book).

My legs are crossed right now so I’m on my way to letting go. Again, thank you to everyone who subscribes to this letter, and everyone who supported me. Means the world as per.

She’s due in a month! Oh my word!

mum and bub doing well. (image taken literally right now as I write this.)

My regards,
Lucinda Price, the author otherwise known as Froomes.