It seems like only a year ago that my book, In the Event of My Untimely Demise, came out in paperback form. But it was about 11 months. On April 28th the paperback will be released. Although the hardcover version will always have a place close to my heart, the paperback is really swell and I look forward to spending $200 to have it framed for my self-indulgent Wall of Accomplishments.
Pros: Softer, cheaper, has additional material including an essay called “Every Generation’s Hardships.” That piece got a ton of laughs at a reading and people kept asking why it wasn’t in the hardcover – for which I had no good answer.
Cons: Will not shield you from blows.
If you feel cheated that the hardcover you own does not have the hilarious extra essay in it, feel free to go to Barnes & Noble and read it for free. Just do me a favor and laugh uncontrollably before placing the book in a highly visible location.
COVER DESIGN
They re-designed the cover and I have to say I really like it. I loved the hardcover’s bright red Alert! Alert! design, although it really did remind me of Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Facism because it was red with a geometric shape in the middle.
I think the new keepsake box design stands out. Any publisher’s main objective is to get you to look at the book and pick it up. In the case of the keepsake box treatment, you look at it and hopefully say “Maybe that’s a box with money in it.” Then you pick it up and even though you’re disappointed there’s no money in it you maybe flip to the chapter about waking up naked in a hostel and decide this book’s for you.
Also
, this design makes me think of pirates and although the book has absolutely nothing to do with pirates I think we can all agree that pirates are considered playful and fun, even though they raped and killed and looted anything they came near.
REVIEWS
I have several great reviews on Amazon and I didn’t do any of them. But I’d love more. In fact, if you’re the kind of person who writes reviews on Amazon please feel free to do so if you read the book and liked it. If you read the book and didn’t like it, please review Encino Man, starring Pauly Shore.
HAVING IN ADVANCE
The book can be pre-ordered on Amazon. Much better than post-ordering. Did I mention it has a bonus chapter?
Um.. I’m a little confused. The red cover version is paperback or hardcover. The first paragraph seems to indicate it’s a paperback but the rest of the blog seems to indicate it’s a hardcover.
(Sorry I’m in a place where the selection of english books are somewhat limited so it’s not on bookshelves here.)
“It seems like only a year ago that my book, In the Event of My Untimely Demise, came out in paperback form. But it was about 11 months. On April 28th the paperback will be released.”
So was the paperback version released 11 months ago, or is it going to be released in April?
Bonus smart-alec quote: “This book was not released, it escaped.”
I love your idea for the “Wall of Accomplishments” – although I suggest:
Buying a Kindle 2 to display the e-book version – and framing this.
Buying an iPod to play the audio book version – and framing this.
And calling this the “Wall of Formats of My Accomplishment” (because, let’s be honest – the same book can’t be “accomplishments”
You could also mount and frame the hard drive from your home computer with the Word file on it – but that would just be silly.