Every penny you spend is a vote towards the world you want to live in. When it comes to books in either print or digital format and, increasingly, audio books, Amazon in the dominant player in the market and that is hard to avoid.
As a writer I benefit hugely from its global, centralized approach to book-selling. The hourly updated ratings of the book help show my uptake. The centralized reviewing system with its attendant Goodreads presence creates an impetus that drives book sales and generates publicity and the logistics behind Amazon's structured business remove all friction from the book-buying process for its customers.
Yet, just selling books is not enough. Sure, I need to sell books to make a living but if the world is not worth living in as a result, the living I make looses much of the allure it has to make me feel safe, useful and productive. A fundamental principle of The Sniper Mind is to be intentional in the way we live. That means thinking broadly about the impact and effectiveness of all our actions. Purchasing a copy of The Sniper Mind is no different.
If you're looking for alternatives to Amazon you have a lot of choices. You can, for instance, choose to support an independent bookstore (who are truly struggling these days). To find one near you that stocks the book place yoru zip code in the indie bookstore finder.
UK readers may want to get a copy from Foyles, Hive, Waterstones, Blackwell's (they also stock the audiobook version of The Sniper Mind) and Bookbutler.
Readers throughout the European Union can check out Wordery that ships books all over Europe.
South African readers can use Loot and Biblio. Biblio can also be used to find local bookshops that stock a copy of The Sniper Mind all over Canada and the United States.
Australian readers of The Sniper Mind can find a copy of the book Booktopia and Dymocks.
In Canada some of the biggest independent bookstores stock The Sniper Mind. Readers in Canada who want to pick up a copy can do so at Book Warehouse (which also stocks the CD version of the audiobook), Whodunit? in Winnipeg, which also has the audio version of the book, Mabel's Fables (also stocks the CD version of the book) and Munro's Books (also stocks audio book versions in CD and MP3 format). If you're in Canada and looking for an independent retail store near you then this is the online tool to help you find one.
This is the first year of celebration since The Sniper Mind was published. In that time a lot more studies have come out supporting its core concepts. As part of its values being intentional in every action requires an awareness of the impact those actions have and buying a copy of the book and spending your money is no different. Act wisely.