“Dear Tom,
I finally got all of the decision-makers in the same room – (same virtual room – via telephone) who would be working on this book. Unfortunately, the consensus was that we probably wouldn’t make sufficient money to make the publication of this book a financial success. And, as you know, we are a for-profit firm which is responsible to a board of directors who demand that we generate a positive return on investment on the books that we publish. . . .”
By way of background, I had a contract to produce a book on rockhounding and prospecting in the Southwest. I completed my MS under word count and before deadline. I had to beak my contract, however, because of the extremely unprofessional and underhanded practices of the publisher. I then sent the MS off to a local publisher.
I was told early on that the book would be expensive to make. The books’ dozens of photographs would be very expensive to publish. Maps, diagrams, and an index would need a graphic artist to produce. All costly, perhaps in the end too costly. The publisher did like my writing but in the end something has to make economic sense.
I’m launching a Patreon page on October 1st, with a great deal of my book over time free to download. No registration or e-mail needed on my free side. The first free file will be 12,000 words on places to visit and collect in the Southwest. I either visited these places or they were recommended to me. Rock shop info, fee/dig reviews, traditional collecting areas, BLM and USFS office locations, all arranged state by state, county by county. And GPS coordinates, too. No photos, though, not yet.
More later.
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