If you’re reading this, you’re in the good company of about 400 others.
If you’re reading this, you probably have at least someinterest in what I write.
But here’s the thing, if you’re reading this, you probably have not bought my book, In Defense of Flogging.
Yeah, I’m calling you out. How, you may ask, do I knowyou haven’t bought my book? Because according to BookScan, my book hasn’t sold200 copies! Last week my book seems to have sold, get this, 30 actual physical copies. You know what makes it worse, I bought 20 of them!
So do your part and buy my book. If not, I don’t know, you’ll have to read more posts like this.
[p.s. If you’re in Canada or bought an electronic version, you’re off the hook. These don’t count in the total.]
People like to have a "cause" these days to do anything. Start a charity or non-profit and ask for donations or make a monthly newsletter along with a monthly subscription fee. Don't forget to offer a complimentary copy of In Defense of Flogging will be mailed with free shipping/handling. In order to sweeten the deal if the honor donor wants to waive the complimentary gift, you will give the book to a lucky inmate. Happy incorporating and it's about time to get rich in this country. (here we come, to the top 0.1%) Start money laundering (wink wink)
I love your writing, but there's no way I'm reading a book about flogging. I have to go to great lengths to avoid your posts about it already. I just find it really disturbing. Can I just send you $20 instead?
Anonymous… NO! I don't want your money. I want you to read my book. Do you find prisons really disturbing?
Honestly, I think a problem may be that people think the book is some really depressing book about flogging. It's not. It's a good read! Read the reviews. An "intellectually romp." (though here I'm just quoting myself.)
Seriously, give it a read… Let me know what you think.
How is that possible? The Baltimore County Public Library alone has 8 copies (one of them is in my living room right now).
BookScan doesn't record *all* sales. They estimate their count to be 75% of the total. Library sales are part of what is not included.
[Anon from earlier] Yes I find prisons disturbing, too. I have often thought that, if I ever got rich, I would give gobs of money to an organization lobbying for prison reform, but on the condition that they not send me any material documenting their progress. I also keep hoping that Martha Stewart will bring some attention to the cause of prison reform, but my hopes grow dimmer every year.
I am able to read only about half of what you write. But I really enjoy that half.
OK, then just send me $10 (kidding).
There's at least one copy in Vermont; I pre-ordered it from a bookstore in my hometown as soon as I got back from school, read it, then lent it to a friend. I haven't managed to sell anyone other than him on reading it yet, though. I do think the flogging thing is a hard hump to get people past. And I've been disappointed at how many people, when I say that it's sort of a "modest proposal"-type argument, have no idea what I'm talking about. Like having to explain a joke, it kills my recommendation, I guess. But I enjoyed it.
Interesting, Kate.
I'll buy that book as soon as I'm done reading your first book. Of course, I actually have to start reading it first… but I bought it, so I'm almost there!
Almost there? Jealous! Books can be on my shelf two to three years before I read them… If I see something on my Amazon Wishlist in the clearance section of Half-Price Books, I buy it. I just spent a dollar on "When Work Disappears." I think I'll read it in 2013. Admittedly, "Cop in the Hood" did not come from the clearance section, and was only on my shelf six months before consumption.
That said, this post did successfully guilt me into buying the book, even though I am more interested in Flogging Molly than in flogging itself.
You can always listen to the Flogging Molly's while reading me book…