David and I were talking about money today. (No, it's not a matter of making the rent.) We've received requests from people who can't come to an event but want an autographed copy of Ginger Snaps: Photos & Stories. (Gosh! Blush!) We decided we'll pass along our smart shopper discounts from blurb.com to them--and you if you want.
You know we raised money to print the book and in the middle of our vc campaign blurb raised its prices. You also know we looked for discount coupons all over the place and found 20%, 25%, and 30% discounts to use when ordering books so we still wound up getting the same number of copies as we'd planned before the price rise.
On average, our copies cost us 30 bucks so we're gonna sell them to you at 30 bucks, plus postage. No tax. No charge for our autographs either. haha. You wind up saving $8 and you don't have to swill ginger beer or gobble very fattening gingersnaps at one of our parties. Check the bottom of this post for payment and shipping details. PayPal, baby.
This set me to musing about book pricing. When I was a book editor, we had a formula. X + Y + Z = $$. Not that actually, but it was a formula which took into account what we paid the author (minimal), what it cost to print the book (lots), and some profit (not much). Publishing had a profit margin similar to grocery stores: 3%, at least in the olden days. For contrast, when I worked part-time in retail during college, Weinstock's profit margin was 300%. Yowza!
But David and I aren't in this for the money. This has been an adventure, not a profit making enterprise. However, it is the gift giving season in America so give the gift of Ginger. Check out our stores at blurb.com and Logosportwear below--and if'n y'all want an autographed copy.
Ginger Gifts O the Season:
Ginger Snaps the book at http://blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527
Ginger & Gingerphile t-shirts at http://gingergingerphiletee.logosoftwear.com
Autographed copies of the book, pay $30 + $5.15 postage at PayPal. Our PayPal address is gingersnapsphotosstories@yahoo.com. When we get the PayPal notification, we ship your book!
Showing posts with label ginger t-shirt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ginger t-shirt. Show all posts
Monday, November 26, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Ginger Hair Out for a Walk
Took my Ginger hair for a walk this morning along 24th Street for the first time since my return from New York. Looked pretty good in the mirror before I left and must have looked good to passersby because I got lengthy looks and lovely smiles from men and women. Either that or they recognized me from the newspaper.
We snagged our first interview in the Noe Valley Voice (November 2012 issue)--and I didn't even have to send a news release. Okay, it's not the New York Times but in our village of 20,000 it's big time. We were two of seven local authors interviewed for a lengthy article on new books from Noe Valley authors. Surprisingly, the neighborhood heavyweights--Cara Black and Bill Yenne--were not included.
People may not be reading print media as much elsewhere but in our neighborhood, which is full of tech-employed 20-somethings, they/we do read the Voice. Photos of the book cover and our main author photo were included, in black and white in print but glorious color online, which you know already if you clicked on the Voice link above.
Although the article did not drive hordes into Phoenix Books, the local bookstore carrying Ginger Snaps, it has resulted in more looks of recognition and some lovely smiles. Some of the LORs seem to be Gay as well. That's promising.
Obtaining press for your book is part of the selling and promoting process. At least it's writing. I admit to being a little lackadaisical about accomplishing this. But you should send your book out to online and print media reviewers. Usually, all they need is a pdf but check first. There are lots of online Queer lit bloggers. They take some finding but their readers are your target market if your book is Queer. If it's not, believe me, there are bloggers out there somewhere reviewing your kind of book. You just have to find them.
You should also send press releases to online and print media. And use social media. (I'm blogging, aren't I?) And contact radio and TV if you think you have a chance. Hopefully, everything you do will help you sell more books. If it doesn't, well, it may at least give you 15 minutes of fame--like my hair and me.
Speaking of selling, check out our Ginger stuff:
Ginger Snaps the Book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527
ginger/gingerphile t-shirts at http://gingergingerphiletee.logosoftwear.com
We snagged our first interview in the Noe Valley Voice (November 2012 issue)--and I didn't even have to send a news release. Okay, it's not the New York Times but in our village of 20,000 it's big time. We were two of seven local authors interviewed for a lengthy article on new books from Noe Valley authors. Surprisingly, the neighborhood heavyweights--Cara Black and Bill Yenne--were not included.
People may not be reading print media as much elsewhere but in our neighborhood, which is full of tech-employed 20-somethings, they/we do read the Voice. Photos of the book cover and our main author photo were included, in black and white in print but glorious color online, which you know already if you clicked on the Voice link above.
Although the article did not drive hordes into Phoenix Books, the local bookstore carrying Ginger Snaps, it has resulted in more looks of recognition and some lovely smiles. Some of the LORs seem to be Gay as well. That's promising.
Obtaining press for your book is part of the selling and promoting process. At least it's writing. I admit to being a little lackadaisical about accomplishing this. But you should send your book out to online and print media reviewers. Usually, all they need is a pdf but check first. There are lots of online Queer lit bloggers. They take some finding but their readers are your target market if your book is Queer. If it's not, believe me, there are bloggers out there somewhere reviewing your kind of book. You just have to find them.
You should also send press releases to online and print media. And use social media. (I'm blogging, aren't I?) And contact radio and TV if you think you have a chance. Hopefully, everything you do will help you sell more books. If it doesn't, well, it may at least give you 15 minutes of fame--like my hair and me.
Speaking of selling, check out our Ginger stuff:
Ginger Snaps the Book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527
ginger/gingerphile t-shirts at http://gingergingerphiletee.logosoftwear.com
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Ruminative, not Remunerative
Feeling ruminative today. Why? Because I just finished reading Damned by Chuck Palahniuk? Is the book really going to be continued or is that another Chuck joke? Will Maddy really fight the devil and win? What kind of story would it be if she lost? Or won? No, I like the to-be-continued non-ending, Chuck. Can't wait for the movie though. I see Maddy with red hair, a revved up Harry Potter fighting demons thru seven, count em, seven screen installments.
Or maybe I'm still jetlagged. Got back to San Francisco Tuesday four hours late from New York. Not New York's fault. SF was foggy so SFO authorities closed a runway. Yesterday was spent in my own personal fog.
Still, I had to meet with the designer for the poster and card for our panel gig in two weeks. We were already late bkz head shots and book illustrations were not received in enough time before Adrian went to Europe for three weeks. But what is is, in life and books; learn to make lemonade--or cranberry apple juice. (It's red, see?)
As I trudged my way to Martha's Coffee on Church, the first three people I met were gingers. In total, I passed six gingers before walking in Martha's door. What a relief after New York. Not that I'm against being different. What can you do about it when you are?
Or maybe it's because it's Thanksgiving in the U.S. (If we were Canadian, it would be all over, even the turkey carcass soup.) Not that I reserve just one day for thanks. Life is too full of interesting activities and intriguing people and amazing accidents of fate not to feel thankful every day. Okay, now I've come out. Yes, I am an optimist.
I'm going to a family dinner at which I'll be the only ginger, only Queer, only person living in a city of more than 100,000 inhabitants. Also the ONLY political liberal. But we love each other just the same. Besides, there will be turkey and I've made an excellent pasta salad for the vegetarian attending. Maybe she/he will have red hair.
Buy our ginger stuff!
Ginger Snaps the Book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527
ginger and/or gingerphile red t-shirts at http://gingergingerphiletee.logosoftwear.com
P.S.: Thanksgiving Ginger fact: Captain Miles Standish was a redhead.
P.S.: Thanksgiving Ginger fact: Captain Miles Standish was a redhead.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Ginger Books, Going Fast!
We used the rest of our PayPal account today to buy more copies of Ginger Snaps: Photos & Stories, i.e., our book. Like I said in an earlier post, when we raised money to publish, most Backers put their money into our PayPal account. We figured we could print 70 books out of PayPal moola and we have. Promise kept, all you wonderful Backers! From now on as needed, we'll print 10 at a time out of our own money, reimbursing ourselves as they sell, on our way to selling 100 copies by New Year's. That's our goal: a limited edition of 100.
We do have one gig past New Year's already scheduled though: the Noe Valley Authors Festival in March. Back in the hood, as you know from another earlier post. Very cool. Hope we still have books.
To find out where we're reading/showing photos next, check out the events listing a droit. Several people have nagged--uh, asked me to do this. Tough love but love just the same. As you can see, next stop on the Ginger Choo Choo is New York, New York. Yeah, baby! Back in the Big Apple! I'm a Brooklyn transplant and David's from Upstate (Westchester). Point of contention. David doesn't think Westchester is Upstate but from a Brooklyn point of view, dude, it's way UP!
Blue Light Special! Kmart shoppers, we sell books and tees at discount prices at Ginger Choo Choo stops. No comea to the event, no getta the discount. We will start selling them online in January (if any are left). We'll know we're hot when copies start showing up used on Amazon and eBay for twice blurb.com's price.
And, if you only read electronically, we will also start selling the ebook edition in January. Also applies if you're just plain cheap--er--thrifty.
Have a great weekend. Read a book!
Preview our book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527
We do have one gig past New Year's already scheduled though: the Noe Valley Authors Festival in March. Back in the hood, as you know from another earlier post. Very cool. Hope we still have books.
To find out where we're reading/showing photos next, check out the events listing a droit. Several people have nagged--uh, asked me to do this. Tough love but love just the same. As you can see, next stop on the Ginger Choo Choo is New York, New York. Yeah, baby! Back in the Big Apple! I'm a Brooklyn transplant and David's from Upstate (Westchester). Point of contention. David doesn't think Westchester is Upstate but from a Brooklyn point of view, dude, it's way UP!
Blue Light Special! Kmart shoppers, we sell books and tees at discount prices at Ginger Choo Choo stops. No comea to the event, no getta the discount. We will start selling them online in January (if any are left). We'll know we're hot when copies start showing up used on Amazon and eBay for twice blurb.com's price.
And, if you only read electronically, we will also start selling the ebook edition in January. Also applies if you're just plain cheap--er--thrifty.
Have a great weekend. Read a book!
Preview our book at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3577527
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