…and I’ve come down with tendonitis in my right (as in “write”) wrist. Got a brace on it, taking ibuprofen and hoping it clears up by next week, when books come.
[Update a few minutes later]
Speaking of the book, does anyone know what’s going on with this? Who would be trying to sell used versions of the book for more than retail cost for new? A couple days ago, they were asking a thousand bucks for them. And the descriptions are false, since it doesn’t have a dust cover.
[Update a while later while decorating tree]
For those curious, I’m highly confident that this is my problem. The symptoms match to a tee. Fortunately, there’s no numbness, just pain when I bend the wrist.
Writing a book is hard, Selling a book is harder.
Well, for the next couple days, signing one is impossible.
You have a couple of choices
1) Get a signature stamp made.
2) Borrow an Autopen and get a plate made.
3) Learn to sign with your other hand.
4) Have someone do a tolerable job of signing for you.
5) Defer for a week.
6) Instead of signing, use a thumprint.
7) Get a Signet and seal them. Kind of retro, but kind of cool.
I’m of the opinion us minimum investment partners rate a signed book, since you are 9 months late on deliver.
Nine months late? Sounds like an aerospace project. Just be grateful that book isn’t a Lockheed-Martin project. If it were, it’d not only be late but the price would be 300% over budget.
Wickedpinto can offer a blurb, and it might draw attention, though not the kind you might prefer. Just saying.
And since you were late on delivery, and I wanted to give the book to my cousin, who used to build rockets as a birthday gift, but 9 or 10 or 11 months off of delivery date, I think I rate a signed plate.
Just saying, no guilt or judgment, though you were 9, 10, or 11 months late on delivery.
Just saying. Signed nameplate, “Thank you Michelle for your education knowledge and effort to the the expansion of AAE undersing and advancement.”
JUST SAYING.
also, a pony.
A signed pony.
Terry Pratchett says to use a fine-point sharpie for signings, helps with carpal tunnel, etc.
I have numerous people offering to sell my print on demand books for more than you’d pay on Amazon. However, in that case they’re selling them for around the same price as Amazon, so it makes more sense.
For those selling at a much higher price, I’ve never quite figured it out, but I suspect they’re just hoping to catch people who click on the wrong link. Probably won’t sell many copies of any one book, but they can still make money when offering copies of many thousands of different books.
Either that, or the price is set by their computer and it’s had a CPU-fart.
No idea on the used prices… that’s weird. Asking price is one thing, I suppose, while actually getting it is another?
Regarding your tendonitis; I’ve had that, and my advice is don’t push yourself or you’ll make things worse (and at the very least, it’ll take you longer to recover). If that means holding off on signings, then IMHO that’s what you should do.
Or, do what I did ; switch to writing (and signing) with your other hand for a while. The sigs might not match well, but those who receive such sigs should look on it as a plus; it makes the signed copy they have even rarer, due to being one signed left-handedly by the author due to temporary impairment. (Ask any book collector; such things increase value).
Get well soon, Rand.
My signature is completely illegible (as is my handwriting in general) in the best of circumstances. But my signature isn’t even my name. It’s just a scribble that’s hard to forge. It may be that people who get “signed” books will have a rarity because I’ll actually write my name.
Illegible handwriting?
That sounds familiar… let’s just say I’m often asked if I’m a doctor. 🙂
As for my signature… It’s supposed to be my name, and maybe it is, if you close one eye, squint, look at it sideways, and grant a lot of leeway… 🙂
Are they selling a day-one first edition? JK
Although the signed copy, or any copy, would be nice, if I recall correctly part of the purpose of the kickstarter was to get the book into the hands of congressional staffers and have some kind of hard-to-ignore launch inside the Beltway. Any progress on that front?
That didn’t actually make it into either of the two Kickstarters, as many of us suggested that Rand focus on getting the book published before doing the big launch in DC. That way he’d actually have copies available. There was some suggestion that he could do another Kickstarter for that and perhaps a fourth for a “mail your Congressman a copy of the book” drive.
I’ll try to raise money for that after the holidays.
Wrist brace – keep it absolutely immobile. Then use the whole arm to sign (you may end up with tennis elbow instead…). It can be done…
That said, what do you think of the Chinese lunar lander? It seems it’s going to hunt for valuables beneath the surface. I think the Chinese may end up with miners on the moon if they find anything. (And more power to them if they do.) Chinese, in my experience, aren’t too concerned about safe.
I’ve got a brace, thanks, Cathy.
I’m not particularly impressed with the Chinese. They talk big, but are doing it primarily for prestige.
They talk big, but are doing it primarily for prestige.
When I read that line, the first thought that occurred to me was “Senate Launch System”. 🙂
The insane prices come from automated selling/marketing programs (AI stuff). I think the basic idea is that if someone will buy a book for $X, someone will buy it for $X + $0.01.
You get crazy prices (and I’ve seen some doozies!) when a couple of AIs start bumping prices in response to each other.
Good luck with your book, hope your paw gets better.
Take a B Complex Vitamin for Carpal Tunnel Rand. Doubt if it helps in time for your signing though.
Ibuprofen, ice and heat are your friends.
Tendons have poor blood flow and are hard to heal. Ice and Heat tend to help ‘pump’ the blood thru them and move the necessary healing nutrients.
It’s not carpal tunnel, but the advice probably still applies.