Friends, I want to give you an update on how the book is doing, and I'll also suggest how you might help out a bit with promotion, if you are so inclined. I appreciate all the encouragement and support from our cyberjournal community over the years. I consider ETM to be a collaborative endeavor. Here's a chance for us to continue that tradition. Promotion -------- So far the sales have been very low, because the only people who know about it are those who receive these postings. Among those (you folks) the percentage of sales has been very good, no complaints from me in that department. There has been one radio interview, on the Meria Heller show, but we can't really tell yet what the results were, as regards getting the book into circulation. I believe that phone-in radio interviews are the best mechanism for promoting the book. They reach a lot of people; I can do them from home, and so far all of my radio interviews over the years have been effective in getting across the main ideas under discussion (sample on website: http://escapingthematrix.org/interview.html). So what I'd like to do for the rest of the Summer is do as many radio interviews as possible. Your help would be invaluable in making contact with radio stations. If you have any contacts at radio stations, or if you listen to broadcasters who would be interested in the ideas in ETM, it would be very helpful if you initiated an 'introduction'. You might, for example, send an email to the appropriate person at the station, Cc me, recommending an interview and giving the URL (http://EscapingTheMatrix.org). Radio outlets are more likely to respond to a message from a local listener or a friend, than a direct message from an unknown author in a far away place. Distribution --------- We've signed up with a new print-on-demand outfit - Lightning Source International (LSI). LSI is owned by Ingram, one of the main distributors to bookstores and online retailers. Because the book is print-on-demand, ETM isn't sold by some the big arrogant chains, like Borders. But it can be ordered by any of the smaller bookstores, although they may need to look on their secondary index, such as "Ingram Extra". Print-on-demand books are second-class citizens in the world of publishing. With our previous vendor, Booksurge, it was nearly impossible for bookstores to place orders. (ISBN: 0-9770983-0-3) ETM is available on all these online sources: Amazon.com, abebooks , Alibris , Amazon UK, Barnes&Noble, GreenSpirit Books (UK). In many cases good discounts are available (Amazon: $10.35). We've also updated the cover (see the website) and made the book a bit larger (8.5" x 5.5"), making it easier to read in paperback form. Encouraging Signs ------------- Despite how slow things have been going in the first six months, I am very optimistic about ETM's eventual success. What do I mean by success?... I'm hoping that the book reaches enough people that the ideas enter into that mysterious space called 'public dialog', and that the ideas become known to activists, particularly those with a community orientation. Why am I optimistic?...because of the overwhelmingly enthusiastic responses that I've received from first-wave readers. Here's the latest, from Elisabet Sahtouris: "A brilliant historical expose of democracy as a smokescreen for continuing elite rule, followed by the most sensible ways to create it nevertheless. Couldn't be more timely or important." [contributed 'blurb' for ETM cover] I just want you to know, Richard, that I am mentioning and recommending your book frequently. I really do think you did a brilliant job. Also put it on the recommended reading list (a very short one) for my January Schumacher College course in January. I will also be giving one of the three annual Schumacher lectures this year in Bristol on Oct. 7th. Good job, Richard! Elisabet best regards to all, richard http://cyberjournal.org
