Yes, you do want to sell books.

On your web site most especially.

Most author websites include the obligatory amazon.com button; a few others process to their publishers. For the most part, the convenience and price are OK; the cut amazon takes from your publisher is a dent in what the publisher will eventually grant you.

But there are other benefits to making your site the point of purchase:

• Money. If you buy a standard of 200 copies from your publisher, expect about a 40% discount. That's decent enough for your website sales to clear a modest profit after S&H costs.

• Audience connects. This is another way for your fans to connect to you direct. Especially for capturing their e-mails for future updates on your next project.

• Popularity proof. The best book promotion for your current book sets up your next book; by showing your publisher the e-mail lists, sales and other direct connects, you're drawing out that much more of the dollars your publisher is willing to spend on the next go-around.

For those of you wary of taking on the hundreds of orders, Mr. Obie Joe advises use of a fulfillment house. One of the best, and willing to scale for a few dozen to more in orders is BCH.

Books in the Street

The Book Tent at the world-famous New Orleans Jazz Festival. At this week's NOLA Book Fair, readings in the street, a screening of the documentary about John Kennedy Toole at Snug Harbor, and author panel discussions at Three Muses. In many ways, NOLA native brothers Ronald and Bryan Williams, owners of music company Cash Money Records, and kingmaker of Lil Wayne, learned streetside the worth of selling books like music. Much has been made of lessons learned from the dramatic shifts in music promotion and sales as predictors for the book industry. Use more digital, expand to unconventional venues, reward your fans consistently....with one exception. As access to products collapse their profit potential, music acts can still make a moola by touring. Authors can't, for the most part.

Their first line of the Cash Money Records books suggest the Williams brothers strategy rests with impulse buying. Plus, their backing from Atria/Simon & Schuster should grant decent production oversight and distributorship. But much of their list -- Raw Law: An Urban Guide to Criminal Justice; Justify My Thug; and Pimp, a memoir by the late Iceberg Slim -- trend toward street lit, a successful genre, but not one that encourages fan loyalty. Mr. Obie Joe will be intrigued to see the pricing. Will fans be tempted to spend $10 on Raw Law, or put it to the $35 tour t-shirt?

Love this quote from Vernon Brown, the Williamses' attorney and business manager: "Our books will also be sold at our concerts. When you're out in front of 18,000 people, some will buy books, some not. But right now many of those fans aren't being told what books are great. We'll do that."

Told. Interesting verb. Not asked, not invited. Still, if they've got first dibs on Lil Wayne's post-Rikers memoir, our cash is ready.