My eyes have been staring at The Weather Channel, CNN, and online as much as possible the last couple of days, watching the heart wrenching reports of Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy. David is from New York and I lived there for many years. It's a relief to know our family and friends are ok but impossible to fathom the destruction and disruption in Jersey and the city, across Long Island, and everywhere else in the Northeast. What does ok mean anyway? They're alive; their homes are intact. But can you get from home to work? Does the lightbulb work? Can you drink the water?
The mind tries to make massive tragedy specific to understand it. Flooded subways? I thought of the RR and the D trains I used to take. Can't get there by subway? I thought of the days Brooklynites walked together back and forth or hitched rides with strangers (sorry, Mom) over the Brooklyn Bridge after a blizzard or subway strike. East Village under water? I thought of the good meals on 6th Street and good times in bars and bedrooms, of still feeling brave wandering around Alphabet City.
Of course humans are resilient--New Yorkers may be the most--but saying so minimizes the mess you have to deal with. We shouldn't ignore tragedy, any more than we should wallow in it. Lives are gone; lives are disrupted. Let's think about that and honor them, grieve with them or their survivors. Let's also take time to ask and say what lessons have been learned here.
Anyway, I'm off the podium now. No more lecture.
David and I did do our teeny bit to soldier on. We sat down and made plans for the Ginger Choo Choo stop in Manhattan Nov. 19. More than the book though, I just have to see the great city and my friends. It's been a while. It's been too long.
New York, baby!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The Rick and Dave Show Hits the Road
Book touring is new to us but it's part of the process of publishing your book so it's a good thing to think about it from the beginning. Books, sadly, don't sell themselves. You, the author, have to promote them, send your child out into the world. One time honored way is the book tour.
When we knew we had a book, we thought: Let's party! One and done. But opportunities came up and then there were eight of them staring at us, saying: You've committed to doing us. Get doing!
Most of the tour, we do have to do the doing. If you're a famous author, maybe all you have to do is get your body in the door but if you're not, well....
We were in LA yesterday, where David lived and I went to college. (Fight on for old SC!) My adventure started at the airport when Southwest cancelled my flight and the one leaving 90 minutes later became 2 hours, which meant I'd be late for our event. Complaining got me a $50 travel voucher and not much else. A 30 minute, $55 cab ride from LAX brought me to the venue, Neveux Artisan Creamery, a place I highly recommend. Owner Leo and his ice cream are both well constructed. http://neveuxartisancreamery.com
I saw immediately, as David already had, that the layout of the shop wasn't going to let us read stories, much less play games and award red jockstraps. This is the danger of nontraditional. We want our signings to be events so we're in mainly not meeting rooms: ice cream store, French restaurant, museum, luxury condo. But the evil twin of this good idea is sometimes the space doesn't work for what you want to do. So, be flexible or ask for schematics.
Luckily, David and I are flexible boys and we switched to chitchat in L.A. I met some terrific people, people I'd very much like to see again. We sold books and ginger/gingerphile tshirts. And the ginger ice cream was excellent. You should stop by and take a bite. Warning though: it bites back.
Meanwhile, I still have this red jock. Anyone want it?
Preview our book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527.
When we knew we had a book, we thought: Let's party! One and done. But opportunities came up and then there were eight of them staring at us, saying: You've committed to doing us. Get doing!
Most of the tour, we do have to do the doing. If you're a famous author, maybe all you have to do is get your body in the door but if you're not, well....
We were in LA yesterday, where David lived and I went to college. (Fight on for old SC!) My adventure started at the airport when Southwest cancelled my flight and the one leaving 90 minutes later became 2 hours, which meant I'd be late for our event. Complaining got me a $50 travel voucher and not much else. A 30 minute, $55 cab ride from LAX brought me to the venue, Neveux Artisan Creamery, a place I highly recommend. Owner Leo and his ice cream are both well constructed. http://neveuxartisancreamery.com
I saw immediately, as David already had, that the layout of the shop wasn't going to let us read stories, much less play games and award red jockstraps. This is the danger of nontraditional. We want our signings to be events so we're in mainly not meeting rooms: ice cream store, French restaurant, museum, luxury condo. But the evil twin of this good idea is sometimes the space doesn't work for what you want to do. So, be flexible or ask for schematics.
Luckily, David and I are flexible boys and we switched to chitchat in L.A. I met some terrific people, people I'd very much like to see again. We sold books and ginger/gingerphile tshirts. And the ginger ice cream was excellent. You should stop by and take a bite. Warning though: it bites back.
Meanwhile, I still have this red jock. Anyone want it?
Preview our book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Ginger Goes Shopping
As you know David and I are doing events on our book tour, rather than straight readings. We can't do straight anything. haha. Little LBGT joke there. We have games and quizzes and contests which require giving of prizes/rewards, which requires the buying of same, which is fun. Don't get anxious though. The center of each event is still showing photos and reading stories. Hey, we are up for fun but we do want to sell stuff too.
At our Castro Kickoff last week the prizes included a do it yourself ginger kit (red hair dye), a red feather boa (molted badly) and 110 spf sun block. If you're a ginger like I am, a high spf is de rigeur. Ginger skin comes in two colors: white and red. Either color can be accessorized with freckles. A handsome blond friend won both the boa and the sun block. Said he does his hair with sun block. Strange people these blonds.
LA is all bought, packed and shipped via David's Car Service, meaning David drove to LA. For Noe Valley and Oakland, I'm still wandering the streets with debit card in hand, or at least in pocket. I found a terrific new hipster candy/soda pop store in the Mission: The Fizzary. Definitely check them out at www.fizzary.com. Do your Halloween candy shopping there.
I was pining for Ginger Bears, which you can only get now from the mother country (Australia). (Let me know if you can get them Stateside.) No Ginger Bears at The Fizzary but they do carry Reed's Ginger Candy Chews. I know from Reed's ginger beer and, anyway, who wouldn't want to chew on some hot Ginger? I bought all they had.
Elsewhere I also bought soap, hand lotion and coffee cards for future use. I like variety; don't you? I look for game specific, activity specific, location specific, audience specific prizes. Are you dizzy yet?
Won't give you too many specifics on the specifics though--we are hoping you'll come to a Ginger Snaps event--but LA prizes/rewards involve coffee, ice cream, athletic support--and ginger. Come check out our specifics, baby, at Neveux Artisan Creamery, 7407 1/2 Melrose from 4-6pm Saturday.
Preview our book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527.
At our Castro Kickoff last week the prizes included a do it yourself ginger kit (red hair dye), a red feather boa (molted badly) and 110 spf sun block. If you're a ginger like I am, a high spf is de rigeur. Ginger skin comes in two colors: white and red. Either color can be accessorized with freckles. A handsome blond friend won both the boa and the sun block. Said he does his hair with sun block. Strange people these blonds.
LA is all bought, packed and shipped via David's Car Service, meaning David drove to LA. For Noe Valley and Oakland, I'm still wandering the streets with debit card in hand, or at least in pocket. I found a terrific new hipster candy/soda pop store in the Mission: The Fizzary. Definitely check them out at www.fizzary.com. Do your Halloween candy shopping there.
I was pining for Ginger Bears, which you can only get now from the mother country (Australia). (Let me know if you can get them Stateside.) No Ginger Bears at The Fizzary but they do carry Reed's Ginger Candy Chews. I know from Reed's ginger beer and, anyway, who wouldn't want to chew on some hot Ginger? I bought all they had.
Elsewhere I also bought soap, hand lotion and coffee cards for future use. I like variety; don't you? I look for game specific, activity specific, location specific, audience specific prizes. Are you dizzy yet?
Won't give you too many specifics on the specifics though--we are hoping you'll come to a Ginger Snaps event--but LA prizes/rewards involve coffee, ice cream, athletic support--and ginger. Come check out our specifics, baby, at Neveux Artisan Creamery, 7407 1/2 Melrose from 4-6pm Saturday.
Preview our book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Putting the self in self publishing
I woke up today realizing how much work publishing your own book is, but I still recommend it, at least to get started. Getting started on anything is the thing. I'll write when I've retired. I'll get serious about my art when I've made my first million. Uh huh. Do it now, dudes and dudettes. Now is all you have. Enjoy and employ it.
Wouldn't it be better to get a publisher, you say. Wouldn't they take care of all that? No and, anyway, publishers are hard to come by. Big publishers don't think they can sell Queer books and they only want bestsellers anyhoo. Publishing is a business. Businesses want to make money. They think what they've sold a thousand times will keep making them money.
Unless you know someone--and if you do, introduce me--I think you might as well go for it on your own. What are the odds you'll find an agent and a publisher? Very slim, my friend. And, if your goal is to make a living writing, good luck with that too. Statistics say only 5% of writers do. So, what are you left with? Desire, drive, a belief in your words maybe?
Having gone from writing the first word on paper a year ago to planning and executing our book tour now, I am glad I did it. Glad I have a book. Whatever happens, the book exists. Along the way I recommend having small expectations, small markers of success. This is also called being reasonable. If your goal is to sell 5 books at an event and you sell 5, it's party time! If your goal is to sell 20 and you sell 5, you are not a happy person.
And you never know: your book might be discovered. I met someone at our first book tour stop who is trying to set up a meeting for us with a publisher. Friends who did Guide to the Modern Bear got their book picked up for wider distribution.
Speaking of events, the Ginger Choo Choo will be in Los Angeles this weekend, 4-6pm Saturday, Oct. 27 at Neveux Artisan Creamery, 7407 1/2 Melrose. Free ginger ice cream, me reading stories, David showing photos, and you playing games for prizes. Hope to see you there.
Preview Ginger Snaps: Photos & Stories at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527.
Wouldn't it be better to get a publisher, you say. Wouldn't they take care of all that? No and, anyway, publishers are hard to come by. Big publishers don't think they can sell Queer books and they only want bestsellers anyhoo. Publishing is a business. Businesses want to make money. They think what they've sold a thousand times will keep making them money.
Unless you know someone--and if you do, introduce me--I think you might as well go for it on your own. What are the odds you'll find an agent and a publisher? Very slim, my friend. And, if your goal is to make a living writing, good luck with that too. Statistics say only 5% of writers do. So, what are you left with? Desire, drive, a belief in your words maybe?
Having gone from writing the first word on paper a year ago to planning and executing our book tour now, I am glad I did it. Glad I have a book. Whatever happens, the book exists. Along the way I recommend having small expectations, small markers of success. This is also called being reasonable. If your goal is to sell 5 books at an event and you sell 5, it's party time! If your goal is to sell 20 and you sell 5, you are not a happy person.
And you never know: your book might be discovered. I met someone at our first book tour stop who is trying to set up a meeting for us with a publisher. Friends who did Guide to the Modern Bear got their book picked up for wider distribution.
Speaking of events, the Ginger Choo Choo will be in Los Angeles this weekend, 4-6pm Saturday, Oct. 27 at Neveux Artisan Creamery, 7407 1/2 Melrose. Free ginger ice cream, me reading stories, David showing photos, and you playing games for prizes. Hope to see you there.
Preview Ginger Snaps: Photos & Stories at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
The train has left the station
Kickoff! Score! The Castro Kickoff for our Ginger Snaps book tour was successful--exhausting but successful. Neither David nor I had ever done an author's event. Oh, we have been to mucho many author signings. Well, I have. David doesn't read. No, he's literate and all. He just doesn't read. He says so proudly. Sort of a literary Luddite instead of a technological one.
The Castro evening started off with Ginger refreshments: pinwheel sandwiches with tomato, red fruit in the fruit salad, ginger snap cookies of course. All washed down with ginger ale, ginger beer, and red wine.
The program began with David telling everyone how the book came to be, followed by everyone playing the Pumpkin Patch Game for fun and prizes. (FIRST OF YOU WHO CAN TELL ME WHAT A GINGER'S PUMPKIN PATCH IS WINS A $5 STARBUCKS CARD.) Then David presented the photo Ginger Wearing, Well, Ginger and I read the story from the book. Then Ginger Checking Out a Smooch. Smooch was the first story I wrote for David. Wearing Ginger was the one that convinced David we should do a book.
Then it was on to a Pop Quiz and prizes and Q&A with more prizes for anyone brave enough to ask a question. My favorite question was what is queer in Cockney Rhyming Slang. Answer: Ginger Beer. Finally, PRODUCT SALES!! We got rid of--er--sold our first books and tshirts. Yay.
The Ginger Snaps Choo Choo is now picking up steam and heading south to L.A. More about that next time.
The Castro evening started off with Ginger refreshments: pinwheel sandwiches with tomato, red fruit in the fruit salad, ginger snap cookies of course. All washed down with ginger ale, ginger beer, and red wine.
The program began with David telling everyone how the book came to be, followed by everyone playing the Pumpkin Patch Game for fun and prizes. (FIRST OF YOU WHO CAN TELL ME WHAT A GINGER'S PUMPKIN PATCH IS WINS A $5 STARBUCKS CARD.) Then David presented the photo Ginger Wearing, Well, Ginger and I read the story from the book. Then Ginger Checking Out a Smooch. Smooch was the first story I wrote for David. Wearing Ginger was the one that convinced David we should do a book.
Then it was on to a Pop Quiz and prizes and Q&A with more prizes for anyone brave enough to ask a question. My favorite question was what is queer in Cockney Rhyming Slang. Answer: Ginger Beer. Finally, PRODUCT SALES!! We got rid of--er--sold our first books and tshirts. Yay.
The Ginger Snaps Choo Choo is now picking up steam and heading south to L.A. More about that next time.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Our goal is to break even
I did find and eat (way too many) gingersnaps, in case you were wondering. Sad to say, our neighborhood Whole Foods does not have them, at least not the official Gingersnaps from Nabisco. They do have something gingeresque from Paul Newman (may his gorgeous soul rest in peace) but I was after the real deal, which I eventually found at the dreaded Safeway on Market.
But enough about sustenance, I promised to talk money. No, not the national economy. The Economy of Rick and David. How can we afford to publish Ginger Snaps, produce official ginger/gingerphile tshirts, and pay for an 8-stop book tour? Independently wealthy, you ask? Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
The kindness of strangers? WE WISH. No, we went begging, hats in hands, to our family and friends, who came thru big time for us.
We applied some vc expertise learned thru Kickstarter and gave ourselves a goal of raising $1500 in 30 days. We set backer bucks levels, thought of terrific rewards for backers, and cautiously optimistically sent off our first email. I learned pretty quickly that Kickstarter definitely is worth the money so don't leave home--financially speaking--without it. In this day and age, people want to pay by credit card. Kickstarter makes that easy, plus they have nicely organized, easy to use templates. Just plug it in, baby. Here endeth the commercial. Credit cards. Luckily, we had PayPal. Twice as much money came to us via PayPal as from checks & cash.
Bottom line, we raised $3500--$2000 more than our goal! Yow! It came from parents, cousins, aunts & uncles, nieces, sisters, and friends friends friends. 46 peoples. Average backer buck donation: $76. Of course that was skewed when David's parents sent us a check and we landed on the big money space. Thanks, Mom and Dad/Richard and Sheila!! Thanks, everybody!! Because of you we'll be able to reimburse ourselves for all (hope, hope) of what we spent to publish and buy books, tshirts, party refreshments, game prizes, and miscellaneous items too many (and boring) to list.
We're about to buy our first refreshments and prizes for our first book tour event: the Castro Kickoff tomorrow night. If you're nearby definitely come celebrate with us. We'll have Ginger food & drink, play Ginger games with Ginger prizes, sell Ginger/Gingerphile tshirts, read a couple of Ginger stories and show ALL the Ginger photos--and, oh yeah, sign Ginger books.
Details: Oct.18 at the Johnston Tax Group offices (thanks, Jeff!), 2327 Market St., SF (between Noe and Castro). 7:30 reception, 8pm program.
NEXT TIME: We tell all about the Castro Kickoff and list when the Ginger choo choo is coming to your town--or at least within 1500 miles of it.
But enough about sustenance, I promised to talk money. No, not the national economy. The Economy of Rick and David. How can we afford to publish Ginger Snaps, produce official ginger/gingerphile tshirts, and pay for an 8-stop book tour? Independently wealthy, you ask? Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
The kindness of strangers? WE WISH. No, we went begging, hats in hands, to our family and friends, who came thru big time for us.
We applied some vc expertise learned thru Kickstarter and gave ourselves a goal of raising $1500 in 30 days. We set backer bucks levels, thought of terrific rewards for backers, and cautiously optimistically sent off our first email. I learned pretty quickly that Kickstarter definitely is worth the money so don't leave home--financially speaking--without it. In this day and age, people want to pay by credit card. Kickstarter makes that easy, plus they have nicely organized, easy to use templates. Just plug it in, baby. Here endeth the commercial. Credit cards. Luckily, we had PayPal. Twice as much money came to us via PayPal as from checks & cash.
Bottom line, we raised $3500--$2000 more than our goal! Yow! It came from parents, cousins, aunts & uncles, nieces, sisters, and friends friends friends. 46 peoples. Average backer buck donation: $76. Of course that was skewed when David's parents sent us a check and we landed on the big money space. Thanks, Mom and Dad/Richard and Sheila!! Thanks, everybody!! Because of you we'll be able to reimburse ourselves for all (hope, hope) of what we spent to publish and buy books, tshirts, party refreshments, game prizes, and miscellaneous items too many (and boring) to list.
We're about to buy our first refreshments and prizes for our first book tour event: the Castro Kickoff tomorrow night. If you're nearby definitely come celebrate with us. We'll have Ginger food & drink, play Ginger games with Ginger prizes, sell Ginger/Gingerphile tshirts, read a couple of Ginger stories and show ALL the Ginger photos--and, oh yeah, sign Ginger books.
Details: Oct.18 at the Johnston Tax Group offices (thanks, Jeff!), 2327 Market St., SF (between Noe and Castro). 7:30 reception, 8pm program.
NEXT TIME: We tell all about the Castro Kickoff and list when the Ginger choo choo is coming to your town--or at least within 1500 miles of it.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Tossing our cookies
The author photo. If you preview our book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527, you'll see two of the results. Well, there were 100 results but two shots David and I both found acceptable. He tells me that's a typical batting average. I'm glad photography is not a contact sport.
It was a dark and stormy night when we met for our close up, Mr. DeMille. Not really. It was a bright and sunshiny afternoon at Castro & Market. David posed us on a red cafe table (but of course) at Jane Warner Plaza. That's where the naked men hang out. No naked humanoids that day though.
The table was full of ginger items, including me. Gingersnaps in three shapes, ginger root, ginger tea, ginger ale. Ginger, ginger, ginger. We were seated behind this plethora, smiling. Little did I know I would have to keep smiling for TWO HOURS. Friends who model or take photos of models say that's nothing. We got off lucky. Four hours is more like it--and you should bring a book or iPod or both. Not having been a model, I just brought me.
Me got pretty bored pretty fast. At first Rich, David's friend shooting us, tried typical hand on the chin glamour shots. I always wonder about those kinds of author photos. Is the author's head so full of BIG thoughts that one (or both) hands have to help hold it up? Anyway, it wasn't a good look for either of us, especially me.
I was having a hard time not eating the cookies so suggested we toss them for the photo. David liked that idea so he and I began throwing cookies up in the air and staring at them, amazed. We were supposed to look amazed because in the shot the cookies would be suspended in mid-air. Very conceptual. If you look at the book (please look at the book), you'll see that it does work. Cookies mid-air, two sets of amazed eyes. Our mouths open in amazement. I admit I tried to catch one or two. Even more amazing was how many times we had to throw those damn cookies into the ozone before we mastered speed, height, and eye to cookie coordination. But finally Rich and David approved a shot and I buried my head on the table in celebration, eating cookies.
David joined in and Rich took shots of us. Voila, le back jacket photo. My hair never looked better.
Writing this has made me hungry. Off to Whole Foods for gingersnaps!
Next time: Our goal is to break even.
It was a dark and stormy night when we met for our close up, Mr. DeMille. Not really. It was a bright and sunshiny afternoon at Castro & Market. David posed us on a red cafe table (but of course) at Jane Warner Plaza. That's where the naked men hang out. No naked humanoids that day though.
The table was full of ginger items, including me. Gingersnaps in three shapes, ginger root, ginger tea, ginger ale. Ginger, ginger, ginger. We were seated behind this plethora, smiling. Little did I know I would have to keep smiling for TWO HOURS. Friends who model or take photos of models say that's nothing. We got off lucky. Four hours is more like it--and you should bring a book or iPod or both. Not having been a model, I just brought me.
Me got pretty bored pretty fast. At first Rich, David's friend shooting us, tried typical hand on the chin glamour shots. I always wonder about those kinds of author photos. Is the author's head so full of BIG thoughts that one (or both) hands have to help hold it up? Anyway, it wasn't a good look for either of us, especially me.
I was having a hard time not eating the cookies so suggested we toss them for the photo. David liked that idea so he and I began throwing cookies up in the air and staring at them, amazed. We were supposed to look amazed because in the shot the cookies would be suspended in mid-air. Very conceptual. If you look at the book (please look at the book), you'll see that it does work. Cookies mid-air, two sets of amazed eyes. Our mouths open in amazement. I admit I tried to catch one or two. Even more amazing was how many times we had to throw those damn cookies into the ozone before we mastered speed, height, and eye to cookie coordination. But finally Rich and David approved a shot and I buried my head on the table in celebration, eating cookies.
David joined in and Rich took shots of us. Voila, le back jacket photo. My hair never looked better.
Writing this has made me hungry. Off to Whole Foods for gingersnaps!
Monday, October 1, 2012
Here we go!
This is a blog about a little book that could: Ginger Snaps: Photos & Stories. Photos by David Sweet, stories by Richard May. Me.
A year ago David and I started on a narrow road which widened and widened and widened...until now we're on the freeway and driving as fast as we can. It all began when we met at a movie and then ate Japanese food. I'm a ginger; he takes photos of gingers. Commonality. Next, over coffee he showed me some of his ginger photos. I made the mistake of telling him that his photos told me stories, which they did. 97.9% of my short stories start with a visual telling its to me.
David asked me to write a story. I did. He said: LET'S DO A BOOK! Since my life was complicated enough, I suggested I write three and see how he felt about it then. It's called putting off. Unfortunately, he liked them. That's when the car really hit the streets and we started rolling along. 25 mph maybe.
We picked 20 or so of David's ginger photos--he has many, many--that he was most proud of and starting yakking to me. I wrote 17 or so stories, which we narrowed to 13 (my lucky number, btw) to fit into the blurb.com format. Then David put the stories and photos online, designed a cover, and I began playing editor, having been one in New York at Doubleday. Who knew I'd ever use those two years for my own benefit.
I filled in details like title page, acknowledgments page, copyright page, front flap copy, back flap copy--all that interesting stuff. I played copyeditor, discovering that blurb.com has intriguing hyphenation rules. I also discovered my stories were too long so had to edit myself, sort of like performing your own appendectomy: is that paragraph really necessary?
Next installment: The Author Photo
A year ago David and I started on a narrow road which widened and widened and widened...until now we're on the freeway and driving as fast as we can. It all began when we met at a movie and then ate Japanese food. I'm a ginger; he takes photos of gingers. Commonality. Next, over coffee he showed me some of his ginger photos. I made the mistake of telling him that his photos told me stories, which they did. 97.9% of my short stories start with a visual telling its to me.
David asked me to write a story. I did. He said: LET'S DO A BOOK! Since my life was complicated enough, I suggested I write three and see how he felt about it then. It's called putting off. Unfortunately, he liked them. That's when the car really hit the streets and we started rolling along. 25 mph maybe.
We picked 20 or so of David's ginger photos--he has many, many--that he was most proud of and starting yakking to me. I wrote 17 or so stories, which we narrowed to 13 (my lucky number, btw) to fit into the blurb.com format. Then David put the stories and photos online, designed a cover, and I began playing editor, having been one in New York at Doubleday. Who knew I'd ever use those two years for my own benefit.
I filled in details like title page, acknowledgments page, copyright page, front flap copy, back flap copy--all that interesting stuff. I played copyeditor, discovering that blurb.com has intriguing hyphenation rules. I also discovered my stories were too long so had to edit myself, sort of like performing your own appendectomy: is that paragraph really necessary?
Next installment: The Author Photo
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