My book is still on the shelves
Yesterday, I happened by the Lincoln Center Barnes and Noble (on Broadway at 66th Street), and was pleased to see a copy of my book still on the shelf. After working so long with fiction writers, who complain (justly) that novels have a shelf life of a month or less, it's gratifying to know that my non-fiction book is still on the shelf nearly two years after it was published.
But then I got to thinking about that lonely copy. Could the store possibly be selling the copy on the shelf and then replacing it with some regularity, or, like Alex Fletcher's album in Music and Lyrics, is it the same copy that's been on that shelf for more than a year? That was a depressing thought. I mean, I'm happy that the book is still available to anyone who walks in and browses that section (US History, Presidents, for those who are interested), but it would be a sad fate if it was just that one forlorn book, sitting there forever with no one picking it up.
So the next time I'm in that store, if that book is still on the shelf, I'll have a little note with me, to slip inside the book, asking the buyer to contact me. Then, each time I go back, I'll be able to see if the note is still there.
If you find yourself in a bookstore with an extra minute or three, feel free to check out the US History section, or ask a clerk, and let me know if they have a copy (or more) of The Presidential Book of Lists. It'd be nice to know if it's still out there. Thanks.
But then I got to thinking about that lonely copy. Could the store possibly be selling the copy on the shelf and then replacing it with some regularity, or, like Alex Fletcher's album in Music and Lyrics, is it the same copy that's been on that shelf for more than a year? That was a depressing thought. I mean, I'm happy that the book is still available to anyone who walks in and browses that section (US History, Presidents, for those who are interested), but it would be a sad fate if it was just that one forlorn book, sitting there forever with no one picking it up.
So the next time I'm in that store, if that book is still on the shelf, I'll have a little note with me, to slip inside the book, asking the buyer to contact me. Then, each time I go back, I'll be able to see if the note is still there.
If you find yourself in a bookstore with an extra minute or three, feel free to check out the US History section, or ask a clerk, and let me know if they have a copy (or more) of The Presidential Book of Lists. It'd be nice to know if it's still out there. Thanks.