What percentage of a book's listed price goes to the bookstore?

Answer 1

As a published author with 3 novels sold in bookstores, I can tell you that bookstores see anywhere from 30-50% of the list price. It depends on the publisher and the bookstore. The author usually has no say in this arrangement.

(Authors make a few dollars per book, if they're lucky. Some make less than a dollar/book.)

Answer 2

It varies greatly according to how new or old the book is and what the bookstore is. Most pay $8-$15 for a new $25 hardback, and $2-$5 for paperbacks. If the books are publisher overstock (meaning they publish too many, and chains like Barnes&Noble send some copies back), the publishers will sell hardbacks for as low as $2 each and paperbacks for down to about $1 - that's for "new" books that are unused, but usually at least two years old.