Insight Out -- Our Lives, Our Words, Our Books no more

The largest book club to focus on LGBT-themed books is set to close. Bookspan, which operates the Insight Out Book Club, is phasing out several of its smaller book clubs, including Insight Out. Bookspan was was recently purchased by BMG, who initially promised to expand the book club operator. Instead, the company has decided to cut back and focus on its larger book clubs. In 2005, Insight Out had 50,000 members and was one of Bookspan's fastest-growing book clubs, but apparently that was not enough to justify maintaining the service.

We've just lost a major source for LGBT books and an effective way to discover promising new authors. This doesn't seem too dissimilar to how independent bookstores are closing up in light of tough competition from mainstream bookstores. Those bigger booksellers can afford to carry a selection of LGBT-themed books amongst a large selection of other titles, offering a convenient location where we can find a copy of Rupert Everett's autobiography as well as the latest Haruki Murakami novel. As we lose the stores who are specifically interested in serving LGBT readers, however, we become more dependent on mainstream acceptability and meeting profitability demands that get tighter as the corporate parent feels the pressure to show growth to investors.