What Happened to Independent Thought?

That was very nice of you, Carol. Thanks, I appreciate it.

I have not had the book experience where I'm stopped on the street or in a bookstore by someone who recognizes me from the book jacket cover. That would be fun. However, when I was active with the gun magazines and was introduced to someone within our sphere of business, it was fairly common for that person who did not know me to then comment or compliment an article of mine they had read.

The most memorable such event was in South Africa when I was in a hotel lobby with my professional hunter. Another American on safari recognized my PH from an article I had written in a U.S. magazine and approached to introduce himself to the professional hunter/guide. I was just an interested bystander to it all. Then my PH introduced me as the author of the article and the other hunter went nuts over meeting two "celebs" at the same time, five thousand miles from home.

Jim Woods
www.ultrasw.com/jwoods

Yes, times like that are wonderful. Actually, they're pretty thrilling.

It's funny, but I've had more of a celebrity reception from my short
stories and restaurant reviews than anything else. But the ultimate
compliment came from a restaurant owner who contacted my newspaper and
asked the editor the protocol of having me review his restaurant. That
made me feel very special, and I've had readers say my reviews actually
made them salivate. What more could a writer want?

Ok. I still dream of fame and fortune from novel writing. Guess nothing else will do it for me.

But you're so right, Jim. Those moments of celebrity status are momentous.

I can relate to a discussion on books and authors turning to one on beer and breweries.

It's simple...

As you have probably guessed, my handle, "Brew", comes from my very
first internet identity, Brewmeister999", which came from my hobby of
brewing my own beer. The first batch I brewed was better than the
regular "store brands".

I wanted a particular taste that I couldn't find, so I brewed it myself.

Now to tie this in with writing...

There were particular stories that I wanted to read, but they weren't available - so I wrote them.

I found that getting others to read my book is much more difficult than it is to get them to taste my beer.

Hey Brew, I saw your snoring video, but I won't tell anyone. Loved it.
Was that your granddaughter who filmed it? Boy, you can't trust anyone,
can ya?!

LOL, Brenda... I forget that people can track that stuff down so
easily. Not my granddaughter - that's my first and only child, who was
born two months after my 50th birthday.

I am the father of Destiny...

A father after fifty? Good for you, Brew.

You might be the father of destiny, but that destiny has come back to
haunt you in the form of a video. It's so cute because you can hear her
giggling.

I don't know if this relates or not, but....
When my youngest was in middle school, they were teaching the kids WHAT to think, not HOW to think. I let the principal have it! That was so stupid, coming from professionals that I was incensed. I let my daughter know that thinking 'outside the box' and asking questions was actually a good thing.

Brew I think writing what you could not find to read was brilliant.

Now to build a market and find others who are looking for our writings. Wish I had money for a publicity campaign!!

I haven't seen your video, Brew, but on your 15 minutes (?) of fame!!!!

Just for you, Zada...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySZQ1NrnX6Y

Before I replied to this, I checked my book Rooftop Diva on Worldcat and my audio publisher is really pushing it out to more libraries now:

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/123120941&tab=holdings&loc=75052&start_holding=1#tabs

I don't know how long that link will be valid.

My point in the original post is even in the face of multiple letdowns from a favorite author, most will pay for the next book from that author vs try an unknown PA or self-published with good reviews. That was the point of my original post supported by a change in the behavior of newer generations of buyers that were raised in a corporate dependent world. I truly believe that has a great effect on what people today consider legitimate. Is it in Walmart, Borders or Barnes and Noble, those question often are credibility tests more than availability questions.

Just think on it for a while. I know that all don't agree and that's fine.

www.DTPollard.com

It took me 7 minutes to download the 50 second sequence but it was worth it! Thanks for sharing it with us!

I better not say anything else or I may be banned from here. *giggle*

Brew, the video is priceless, and your daughter is adorable.

DT, I think it goes back to what I wrote about kids being taught what to think rather than thinking for themselves. The daughter I mentioned is now 40, almost. And she still listens to what others say to base her opinions on. I can only hope she listens to the right people. Anyway, I think that is the trend.

P.S.

The first time I tried the link it said it was no longer available, but the second tiime, it downloaded.

DT on the success with libraries! It may seem like a small achievement to some but it is a testimony to your hard work and dedication! To those who matter, you are a star!

Brew, your daughter is wonderful. What a sense of humour!

Shelagh wrote:

DT on the success with libraries! It may seem like a small achievement to some but it is a testimony to your hard work and dedication! To those who matter, you are a star!

Brew, your daughter is wonderful. What a sense of humour!

Thanks Shelagh. The situation that I have with Rooftop Diva is like a lab test right now. The paper book placements in the libraries were almost all my personal marketing. The audio book placements are almost all from Recorded Books and their contracts with libraries. The audio book placements of course happen without me knowing or doing anything about it until I check or get a statement.

The trick will be to see if I can piggyback more paper books and my new book on the back of the audio book placements. I have managed to get a few placements of my new book with libraries that hold Rooftop Diva. I find institutional buyers more willing to look at an unknown author if the subject matter is interesting and reviews etc. are good.

The thing about library placements is they pay the same as retail sales, they tend to buy multiple copies for different branches and they can build an author's name recognition. Hundreds of people may read your books from checking them out from libraries. They may look for you work again and buy it themselves or request their local library order a copy. That has happened to me before.

www.DTPollard.com

www.DTPollard.com

zadaconnaway wrote:

....When my youngest was in middle school, they were teaching the kids WHAT to think, not HOW to think. I let the principal have it! That was so stupid, coming from professionals that I was incensed. I let my daughter know that thinking 'outside the box' and asking questions was actually a good thing ....

That is wonderful!

Zada, you gave your daughter a priceless gift by teaching her to think for herself. Bravo!!!

We did the same for my son, we became so furious with his middle school that we decided to homeschool him.

Of course, I may have taught him independent thinking too well ... because now he and I have very, very different opinions and views on many subjects. Heh!

But I am pleased! We have great discussions and we both know how to peacefully agree to disagree.

Anyway, like I said, you are a wonderful parent for sticking up for the children at your daughter's school and teaching her it is okay to ask questions ... and to question.

zadaconnaway wrote:

I don't know if this relates or not, but....
When my youngest was in middle school, they were teaching the kids WHAT to think, not HOW to think. I let the principal have it! That was so stupid, coming from professionals that I was incensed. I let my daughter know that thinking 'outside the box' and asking questions was actually a good thing.

Brew I think writing what you could not find to read was brilliant.

Now to build a market and find others who are looking for our writings. Wish I had money for a publicity campaign!!

I haven't seen your video, Brew, but on your 15 minutes (?) of fame!!!!

Teaching kids what to think in school isn't really anything unusual. Many schools seem to do it these days. Besides math, science, history, and English, they teach that the only reason you exist is to work, work, work, and buy, buy, buy. The sole point of your life is to feed this "god" called the economy. In fact, they, the "experts" told my class when I was in school that it was absolutely essencial to replace your automobile every three years even if it practally drove you into bankrupcy (and they told us we should buy new only). Basically, they're trying to raise kids to be consumerists and materialists, it seems.

Good Grief, Gordon. It has gotten much worse. I'm glad my experience with my daughter was so long ago. I would probably have come 'unglued' with her principal if it had been that bad! It is no wonder so many parents have turned to 'home schooling'.