Support for Indie Authors discussion

Hi,

I self-published my paperback with Createspace last year.
I purchased my ISBN through Nielsen (UK based).
And listed the book on their bookdata system.

But Waterstones STILL can't stock my book. :(
They need me to distribute with someone like Gardners.
Gardners need me to have a UK based distribution but Createspace don't seem to have this.

I'm so frustrated; I've jumped through so many hoops, struggled through this whole process, but still can't make my books available in my own country ;-(

So, has anyone managed to cicrumnavigate this?
If so, how, please?

Do I need to stop using Createspace and use someone else?? :-/

Have you tried IngramSpark. When I spoke to Waterstones about my book, they said they tend to purchase theirs through there.

Yes
I have a book coming out soon - in the YA fantasy genre.
Any advice about getting it into stores would be really welcome.

Maybe a market has to be created first - but how do you do that

It is indeed really difficult to get them to stock your book these days.
The only way in for an Indie is with your local bookshops, particularly if it is your first book ( which I see it isn't in TL's case). If you tell them you will ask everyone to go to the shop and buy the book, you are in with a chance.

Seems to be a supply chain barrier now.
The nice chap did check his system; he can see it but not stock it.
It's all a bit 'house that Jack built' but I will keep trying.

Waterstones seem to encourage Gardners as their preferred route.

Createspace is OK if you want US bookstores only to be able to sell your books.