October 11, 2005
Well, fall is finally here and isn’t it wonderful? I am so enjoying putting on sweaters, sipping tea, and munching fresh apples right from the tree.
This last week I have focused on playing catch up with office work concerning writing.
I have made several trips to Staples and print shops to get material for up-coming school programs and conferences pulled together. I also met with the people from MSI concerning the new bookstore they are joining to my website. This is very exciting because I have never had anyone want to do this before.
The bookstore idea came about because I am constantly unhappy with the “mega” on-line bookstores that run out of my books and post “OUT OF PRINT” beside my book covers. None of my books are out of print, it is just the major on-line bookstores want you to invest big money with their companies to keep your books available and on the Internet. You have to pay large fees to get your books listed, sample pages ran, and book positioning with availability. This to me doesn’t seem fair, as those companies should be providing a service to the buyer and not trying to “bully” the publishers and authors to pay large fees to list books they sell and make a large profit on.
So, when MSI, a small multi-source media company, approached me and asked if I had a problem with them selling my books on-line and connect to my web-site address, I was delighted.
Since I am not selling these books myself, I will not be able to autograph them personally unless a request is sent to MSI company and they will mail the books to me and I will be happy to autograph any special requests. I am also going to work with the publishing houses that I write for and arrange a visit before books are shipped to MSI where I will do a “general” autograph in the books.
Also, I was just contacted by the film company I am working with to learn that they are sending film packages out to several large companies and networks including “The History Channel.” This is very exiting. The film project they are working on is focused on a historical subject that I have written a book about. I was able to help with the research and create a film treatment for it in hopes the storyline will become a film.
I am also currently finishing up all my notes on the research I have been working on concerning slavery and pre-Civil War south. This has taken several long days of recording the books, creating my research bibliography (which will be posted on my web site), and recording “factual” information that I will be using for my next book project.
Well, that rather sums up what I have been doing this last week… I hope you too have had a busy and creative week. JLP
