I was going to post yesterday, even though I said I wouldn’t, because I’d scheduled the day off from work in order to recover from the Norway, Michigan trip. Little did I know how much I’d need to recover—enough that I didn’t have the energy to post anyway.
The event in Michigan was generally good. I rode along with a friend to save gas costs, and we arrived mid-afternoon on Friday. I really like Norway, Michigan. It’s a pretty, clean town in a lovely setting among the hills, and it’s got the name “Norway” plastered all over it. The people were nice. I didn’t sell a lot of books, though. I’m not sure I covered my food costs.
Part of the problem may have been that I was purposely keeping my distance from people, in this case out of consideration for them (though that’s my usual reason, come to think of it). On Friday I was starting to come down with a cold, and on Saturday I woke up completely unable to speak. Nevertheless I dosed myself with a combination of nostrums from the local drug store/gift shop, and soldiered through. I even fought a couple combat fights, just to show one of our young guys how the axe was used (I lost them both). Then he took the weapon over, and I considered my obligations fulfilled.
Driving back Sunday I felt pretty bad, and on Monday (today too) I felt no better. I think I’ll prop myself up with drugs and try to go to work tomorrow anyway. Who cares if I infect the whole campus? The point is not to be a sissy!
Bad news today. My publisher has turned down my latest submission. Not because they didn’t like it, but because of financial hard times, and a corporate decision to turn away from fiction.
Our friend Ori says he can help me publish digitally. I’ll let you know how that progresses.
If you publish it digitally, I’ll buy it. No question ’bout it.
Lars,
Is there no other publisher to turn to? You’re not exactly a novice.
There may be another publisher somewhere, but not having an agent (a whole different sphere of rejection), and the industry being in the chaos it’s in right now, I think the wisest thing may be just to jump to the head of the line and go digital while it’s still a relatively new idea.
Well, count on your friends to both buy and promote your efforts, if it’s any consolation.
So that’s why I missed you on Friday. I was driving past your location and was planning to stop by to see if your campus bookstore had a copy of True Christianity by Johann Arndt. But as my excursions usually go, I didn’t arrive in your neck of the woods until after 4:30 and nobody was answering the phone in either your office or in the other bookstore down the hill. I was guessing that everyone had started their weekend already. This confirms that at least you had.
Anthony, thanks.
Greybeard: If you show up after 4:30, you’ll find all the offices closed pretty much any day.
[sarcasm]The economy is quashing business all over? Who knew?[/sarcasm] Sorry to hear about the publishing setback. I like Nordskog, and I hope they can weather the storm.
And you can count on at least one more digital edition purchased from this quarter. I’d love to see it go viral.
Thanks.