My New Book Shows Great Promise
September 26, 2008 by rtwsenior · Leave a Comment
It has only been a week since my first order of one hundred Hey Boomers Dust Off Your Backpacks books arrived from Lightning Source. And what a confirming week it has been! I already had my first internet order from this blogsite, so I popped one in the mail bound for North Carolina. After hand-delivering a few books to those who were waiting breathlessly to see one and to begin their reading, I began to think about the publicity that I would now have to begin in earnest. That will be an ongoing process of sending press releases and, once in awhile, a book for review or to request interviews.
Then, I went to a Book Club meeting and my friend, Fawn, mentioned that I had just published mine and proudly passed around her new copy. They decided, on the spot, to make my book the November selection for the club and all of the girls gathered around to buy copies, sometimes two for Christmas gifts, or for that someone whom they knew “needed to read this.” Luckily, I had put a box of the books in the car and was prepared for this sudden run on seventeen books, hot off the press. So, now, I’m scheduled to give two talks in November, right in the same week…one to this book club and one at the Dunedin Library. Actually, with the club, I get to sit quietly while they discuss it (Ohhhh, I LOVE that idea) and then be available for questions.
I had my proof copy with me at the stadium for the political rally for Obama’s visit on Tuesday, and the woman sitting next to me wanted to buy that dog-earred copy off of me. But, I wouldn’t sell. It’s too precious. She too, could think of someone else who “really should read this,” and was already figuring out a Christmas shopping list. I hope she comes to this blogsite or Amazon.com to make good her decisions. The woman next to her also got in on the act and wanted some too, just from the brief look at mine and a hint of what is inside.
Yesterday, I accompanied Fawn to her speech at the Sarasota Newcomers Club to handle her book sales, and as we had hoped, those ladies snapped me up as a speaker for next summer, since I will be away between January and May traveling on my next around the world trip. I’m really looking forward to seeing them again.
When I returned home, my son’s friend, Tony, bought a book and has just emailed us that his Mom is now reading it and loves it. She’s my age, but is not in good health. This way, she can go vicariously to all of the places of the world, cruising along in her easy chair. That’s what I have hoped for in the writing of this. Not only to speak to boomers who are the natural travelers and who will be doing this as a matter of course, but to all of those who will never go, for one reason or another, but who can now feel as if they, too, have personally been in these many touristed and un-touristed spots in the world. I hope that all can enjoy the strange and wonderful things that I experienced.
At that Obama rally, I just couldn’t resist approaching members of the media as they either interviewed us, or stood in line at the press table waiting to enter the stadium. I gave them my card and told them to call me. Guess what? They all were happy to hear about this and some even asked me for more cards as they knew who they wanted to refer me to. They could recognize a story when they saw one. And that leads me to the incident that happened at the first of this week, when my book itself caught the eye of a reporter.
I went to the small post office in Dunedin and showed the friendly lady behind the counter the reason for all of this media mail I was beginning to send out. Then, I turned to leave and was asked to comment about the Obama visit to town by a local reporter. So, I put my book down on a pile of tee shirts for sale on the counter while I discussed politics. The book slid off, plop onto the floor, and in picking it up for me, he became enchanted with the cover and then learned that I was the author and a little bit about the theme. So, he decided to get back to me for a larger interview than this one, commenting about how my book seemed to have selected him.
So, that’s the story of my first week as an author. Sunday will be the biggest day of all, as it is my Book Launch Party at Fawn’s house, where I will give a speech and sign some books and we will all have a real celebration for this great Big Event - my first book sent out into the world.
The Scary Little Zloty (Poland’s Monetary Unit) Sure Had Me Quaking For Awhile
September 22, 2008 by rtwsenior · Leave a Comment
Every now and then, I plan to give you a sneak peek at my Hey Boomers, Dust Off Your Backpacks book. so, here’s a sample that you might be able to identify with. Everyone who has ever crossed a border knows how it feels to suddenly have to operate in a new currency. There’s always a learning curve and it’s very helpful to equip yourself with a pocket calculator to work your way through the whole experience. Well, Poland’s monetary unit, the little zloty, (the plural is zlotych) was in a category all unto itself. Here’s the story, shortened to fit in here:
“At the train station, I finally found an ATM and drew out 800 Polish zlotych, without knowing the exchange rate. It’s so necessary to know this very important fact, even in order to understand how much you’re drawing down your debit account. On my way out to find a taxi, I inquired about the exchange rate and was told that $3.50 equals one zloty. Omigosh, if that’s true, then I had just withdrawn $2800 from my account and that was not good at all. I spent a moment of panic in the cab, thinking that my bank must have lent me the $800 above my current balance, and how could I repay that costly loan? But, then I talked some logic into myself and was sure that he meant that one dollar equals 350 zlotych, which meant that I had only withdrawn $28 and was completely safe…
Later: “I’m absolutely in shock and can’t really believe what appears to be the case about the exchange rate of the dollar to the local currency. By now, I’m very accustomed to sliding easily into a new value system whenever I cross a border. I simply need to know how many local tolars, koronas, forints, or zlotych that my one dollar will buy and then I can do the math on what things are costing. But, this challenge has absolutely thrown me and I don’t dare buy anything except my meals until I believe what actually seems to be the case. At the moment, things don’t compute (again) because everything seems to be so very cheap, costing only pennies and that doesn’t feel right. I have checked at the exchange boards and every one says that the dollar equals 320 zlotych. Guess the station guy was a little out of date, but with this reckoning a shirt costs fifteen cents and my Chinese lunch today cost a nickel. Other hostel guests aren’t from America, so they don’t use, or relate to, the dollar. I can’t consult with them.”
The next day: ”At breakfast, I solved the mystery of Poland’s monetary unit, the apparently bizarre little zloty. It’s very simple. The exchange boards in Poland are using one hundred dollars as a base, not one dollar, as has been the case in all the other countries I have been in. So, the single dollar is worth 3.20 zlotych. Now things fall into place realistically. I should have figured that out, but I’ve never seen the exchange rate posted on a base of one hundred. Now I’m on solid ground again. I was quite correct not to believe what my senses were telling me when I looked at all of those exchange boards.
A girl named Cat cleared this up, saying that she had found the explanation somewhere in very small print. Cat’s a student of International Relations, a junior, studying at American University in Washington, after having spent one year in Spain and a summer in London. She came to Poland for a few days before flying home and back to a “normal life” and she’s wondering how she can ever return to the society of our immature college youth, with their high dramatics over trivia, after having spent a year abroad.”
