Hi Dan --
Have you sent out any 'galley' copies to reviewers who you'd
like to expose to your work? I sent out a few but heard nothing
in return. It might be worth your while to track down other
philosophers with interests similar to your own, send them a
copy of your work, and then follow up with a letter of inquiry.
These are good suggestions, Dan. I've contacted one or two reviewers of
philosophy books, but didn't include galleys because I haven't any.
Whatever galleys I proofed during production were destroyed in a recent
computer crash. However, I believe Xlibris offers copies of the book at no
cost for reviewing purposes. I also paid for an "independent review" by
Kirkus last fall. The review was pitiful, and Kirkus went out of business
shortly after listing the book in their 2010 catalog.
As for philosophers "with similar interests", your guess is better than mine
who they might be. My brief exchange with Bob Pirsig in July of 2004 was
unproductive. He reviewed my on-line thesis and found it "thoughtful, sane,
and remarkably similar to the Metaphysics of Quality." He also said that
"positivists usually deny 'essence' as something like 'God' or 'the
absolute', and dismiss it [as] experimentally unverifiable, which is to say
they think you're some kind of religious nut." Joining the MD at his
suggestion quickly confirmed his warning, but I'm not discouraged, nor do I
believe that all philosophers regard spirituality as "nutty".
Yes, marketing can be expensive with no guarantee of any return
on investment. AuthorHouse has various marketing arrangements
as well. One that intrigued me was a professionally written review
in the NYT Book Review section. The price was prohibitive at over
$3000 but the exposure might be worth it.
Roughly 2500 copies of LILA'S CHILD have been sold over the course of
8 years. I have never done any marketing other than my participation
here. Sales have far exceeded my expectations... When first published,
I figured we'd might sell 300 copies. Period. I know the book will
never be a best seller. But I do find it gratifying that others find
value there.
I'd be happy to sell 200 copies of 'Seizing the Essence', which would just
about cover my investment.
Tell me, where is the best place to get a copy?
Glad you asked! If I had sample copies, I'd send you one. You can order it
direct from Xlibris at
http://www2.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=41654. It's also
available on line from Amazon, or at selected Barnes & Noble and Borders
outlets at $19.99. While you're at it, why not order an extra copy for your
second favorite philosopher :-)
Thanks Dan, and let me know if you decide to publish a sequel to LILA'S
CHILD.
Best regards,
Ham
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