In one large, faded green
metal cabinet in my garage, one-hundred-and fifty-nine copies of my book The Oy Way fill up nearly two shelves. That
number is the result of two major errors by Amazon’s publishing arm, Create
Space.
When The Oy Way began selling well at bookstores, museums and other
outlets around the country, I thought about submitting another printing order.
I had also sold copies to many individuals on my own mailing lists, and after
making presentations at bookstores, libraries, cultural events, health
retreats, and at religious and secular gatherings.
I finally ordered more copies
from Create Space, to match the ones I had already received and sold.
Unfortunately, they first produced a batch of books that left off the last page.
I contacted them, and they said “no problem,” and promised to send me a
duplicate order immediately. When I asked who would be paying for the shipment
back to the plant, I was told to just keep the books and do whatever I wanted
to with them.
When the replacement shipment
arrived, it too had a minor printing discrepancy, and I called Create Space
once more. They apologized, promised to send a correct printing, and advised me
that the incorrect books were mine to do with what I wanted to do.
What remains from those two
shipments, are the copies that sit in the cabinet. They are in fine shape, and
I primarily give them away as gifts, or sell them to individuals who request
them directly from me.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
One table tennis player, who
bought a copy two years ago, loudly exclaims whenever he sees me, “How’s the Oy
Way Man?” When he did so a few months ago at a Southern California table tennis
tournament, a woman standing by misheard what he said, and started dancing
about in a circle, semi-shouting, “Oy Vey! Oy Vey! Oy Vey!”
My wife and I just purchased two
cemetery plots in Santa Cruz, and I have requested that neither the book’s
title nor the dancing woman’s words, be inscribed on my gravestone.
I have put the majority of
materials connected with The Oy Way,
into file folders that now reside in a large plastic container in the garage. I
have kept the main selling information in a nearby filing cabinet in my writing
room. I would like to either sell the book outright to another publisher, or
let them promote and sell it to the public, and I would garner a royalty on
each sale.
THE BOOK IS STILL ALIVE
However, recently there seems
to be renewed interest in The Oy Way,
and in several diverse ways. Earlier this year, I received a voice mail message
from Debbie at J. Levine Co., a prominent New York City Jewish bookstore. It
was in response to an email I had sent to its owner last August, regarding a
five-book consignment delivered to them in February 2012. Debbie said that they
had sold two copies of the book, and the Los Gatos Alef Bet Jewish bookstore,
regularly sells a copy or two. I just
spoke with Hiroko Nogami-Rosen, who owns the Dayenu Bookstore in San
Francisco’s Jewish Community Center, and she said that she sold out the four
books I personally delivered to her, and wants four more. It’s a 150 mile round trip from my home, and
I promised I’d deliver the books the next time I’m in the city, and would
autograph them in Yiddish, as I have done in the past with all local
bookstores.
A week ago, I received a
notice from Amazon, that they had deposited monies in my Cogitator Publications
business account, for books that they had sold.
Today I received a phone call
from the office of an Ophthalmologist surgeon in town, saying that they had cash
for me from the sale of The Oy Way,
which they had displayed on their counter.
ALIVE AND, WELL…
The renewed interest in The Oy Way will not push me into early
retirement, for that was accomplished quite a while ago.
Although these sales may give
the false impression that I am being inundated with moneys, the truth is that I
receive a sort-of-monthly $10.47 check from the Alef Bet Bookstore. Sadly,
today is the last day before they go out of business, forced out by the
Internet. Ironically Amazon, “the forcer,” is starting to build brick
bookstores.
The two books sold by Amazon
added a combined total of $13.42 to my business checking account, and when I
called Debbie at Levine’s, she said she’d let the bookkeeper know that I was
interested in finding out when, and if, I would be receiving any payment for
the sale of two books.
The copy sold at the
Ophthalmologist’s will provide me with $14.95 in cold hard cash, and I will
probably buy lunch with it for my Ophthalmologist cousin.
IT’S ABOUT TIME
I will make a decent effort
and try to sell the book to a publishing house, but if that doesn’t work, it’s
time to finish my second book, My
Incredible Odyssey. It’s based on my travels around the world after my
parents died six weeks apart, and that was just thirty-five years ago this
summer.
A SIGN OF THE TIMES
Lest I forget, I have four
copies of The Oy Way in my writing
room, two in each of our cars, and they are all autographed in Yiddish.
LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF WITH YIDDISH
Use
Yiddish while doing mind and body calming exercises found in The Oy Way —
Following the Path of Most Resistance, by going here. They are
especially helpful at deadline times.
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