“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(I asked Jane to hold this session so that we could get information on two questions: 1. The sales of her books, both hardcover and paperback. 2. Her status concerning her symptoms.)

If you remember, it took a while for The Seth Material, with Prentice, to do well. It was distributed to bookstores and areas specifically involved with the conventional occult field. Even though such people are familiar with the general area of our work, still the book did not fit into a general mold. It took a while, then—though not too long— before the book began to sell well. The other books quickly followed with, to that degree, a now built-in sales advantage.

The paperbacks are important, regardless of sales values, because they appear in the ordinary marketplace, out of esoteric cubbyholes. You have a loyal core of readers who were already acquainted generally with “occult” books—but to a larger overall extent, that is a steady but dead-end road. It can be counted upon, may grow slightly, but will not affect the overall culture to any considerable degree.

(10:22.) Give us a moment....The paperbacks will not go out of print except for short periods. They will not build up quickly in sales, but they will, and they will provide a dependable income. In ways the entire picture will change.

Issues operate so clear to me it is difficult for me to understand that they seem to escape your notice. It is hard for me to separate them. They are minute to me. The two Bantam sales, for example, Material and Seth Speaks, served purposes for you and Ruburt, and Prentice as well.

The paperbacks have not cut down the occult market that you had secured. Those people have already read the books, and are waiting for more. There would have been a lag in sales until the next book, which then triggers the loyal to pick up any of the others they might have missed along the way.