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9/25/15 | Middletown, MD Miranda N. Prather Set to Publish children's book Blue Blue Sea Finds His Cape set for Fall release Miranda N. Prather currently of Middletown, MD, will release her first children's book this Fall. The Book titled Blue Blue Sea Finds His Cape tells the life story of a blue-collar racehorse who overcame a devastating illness to survive and inspire thousands around the globe who were facing their own struggles. The book features playful writing and delightful pictures form Erlanger, KY, artist Hayley Mullins that bring the tale of Blue Blue Sea to life. Blue Blue Sea was no American Pharoah, but he became a hero just the same! Miranda N. Prather had her first equine when she was just four, the obstinate Shetland stud, Blackie. Later she competed in show jumping in Kentucky. Thoroughbreds have always been her favorite horses and she has owned two and worked with many. In 2004, while living in Maryland, she located Blue Blue Sea in a listed on CANTER-Mid-Atlantic (formally WV) http://www.cantermidatlantic.org/. She purchased Blue Blue Sea directly from his last owners on the track and took him home to be a jumper. In 2006, Blue Blue Sea became very ill and was diagnosed as having a disorder not unlike Crohn's in people. At that time, the prognosis was 1-2 years. With help from talented veterinarians across the country, good barn help and the fighting spirit of the patient himself, Blue Blue Sea went on to live for more than seven years after the diagnosis. In 2011, on a whim, Prather started a FaceBook page for Blue Blue Sea. She never expected to get much interest, but soon had hundreds of loyal followers. Many of the people who followed Blue Blue Sea's story and adventures were suffering from illnesses like Cancer, digestive disorders or other chronic conditions. They shared in Blue Blue Sea's triumphs, off-beat adventures, setbacks and ultimately mourned his loss with Prather. As a result of his fans efforts enough money was raised to transport his half brother, Gran Huracan, from Puerto Rico to the States, where he now enjoys his days with a highschool girl. Blue Blue Sea's FaceBook page continues after his death, educating the public on horse related topics and helping to inspire one another to survive and thrive. While Miranda N. Prather wrote the words before Blue Blue Sea died, she hadn't located an illustrator going into 2015. When talking with her FaceBook friend, and Blue Blue Sea fan, Hayley Mullins she realized what a talented artist the teenager was. After some discussion, Mullins agreed to illustrate the story of her fellow Kentuckian, Blue Blue Sea. To learn more and follow Blue Blue Sea's world visit: https://www.facebook.com/BlueBlueSeaOTTB. -ENDS- Miranda N. Prather, [email protected], 240-357-5764
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Find out about the world of naming Thoroughbreds!
http://us11.campaign-archive1.com/?u=f6fb0f7bd0c15e526674f5315&id=8f606a3e1a&e=[UNIQID] Katrina didn't sweep me away from New Orleans or the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When she struck, I didn't have any blood relatives living in either place. My father's job had taken me away from home years before, but when Katrina struck, childhood friends, at least one Godmother, a special soul to me and a region and place that for me can only be described as home were all in the crosshairs. I worried and wondered about those still there and for the region, what it would become. In the years since I've been back to New Orleans a number of times and witnessed her shaky steps to recovery to where she's at today. She's still not the NOLA that she was before. The exodus of people and their culture that added to the unique not quite melted, but happily mixed, mélange that makes the city so special, has shaped her in ways no one could ever have imagined. Don't get me wrong, I still love her as much as I did all those years ago, but I hope she'll continue to welcome those home who know the history of her curves and quirks and who love her and who can share that love with newcomers and visitors.
I had only visited the Mississippi Gulf Coast this past June. Pass Christian or The Pass, and indeed the entire Gulf Coast stretch, is a magical place. I always have said that I was born in Texas (something I'm fiercely proud of), but that I got my soul in NOLA. Looking back, I realize, I found my heart in The Pass. The super bright white beaches that stretch for miles through the communities have long been a draw and a danger. When you add the laid back atmosphere, amazing food, stretches of forest and bayou, there is something for everyone and all the time in the world to do it seemingly. I mentioned that there was a special soul to me living in the region when Katrina hit. That special soul was Emma "Anita" Seals of Pass Christian, MS, although, when we lived in The Pass, I simply new her as Anita. I was around three years old when we moved to The Pass and Anita was larger than life. Her thick glasses and German accent made her unique compared to any of the other people I had known in my young life. Having learned her English largely through military men on the base where she met her husband, she had a colorful vocabulary. One naughty word in particular was her favorite. It had an exotic sound to it made all the more so by her accent. As a child, I was surprised to learn it wasn't the kind of word you said in polite company. I remember another time when she was eating with my sister, mother and I at a Chinese restaurant and convinced my older sister that you had to lick the plates as that was the only way they would clean them. I can still remember Anita and my sister licking their empty plates. I guess even then I had something of a skeptic in me, as I didn't join in. There are so many happy memories of Anita - her playing with her Mickey Mouse and Disney toys with us or buying us a frozen treat on those sweltering Summer days that you can only get in those tropical type regions of our country or her animated way of expressing herself. Anita was the first non-family adult role model I can recall. I hadn't seen Anita in over 30 years when she died in Katrina, and surely by now she would have been gone to old age, but I had tears in my eyes when I read that Katrina had claimed her. Katrina claimed Anita because she wouldn't leave her beloved animals behind. I wish I had been there to take her and her animals along with me to evacuate. I hate the idea that she drowned there in the swirling waters inside her home. She shared her love of animals with our already animal loving family, encouraged me to enjoy the smallest of pleasurable moments in life, to not be afraid to speak your mind, even in colorful language (sometimes even in polite society), to embrace the spirit of exploration and be open to knowing those from other cultures. Her name is carved on the city memorial in Pass Christian, MS, along with the others lost, each deserving of a remembrance. As I look back, I realize that I found my heart in Pass Christian because a woman named Emma that went by Anita taught me how to follow it's beat. Welcome back, race fans!Last time, we got to know talented illustrator, Hayley Mullins, who is bringing to live the story of Blue Blue Sea. That image above is another of her delightful drawings. Now, we had some questions for Blue Blue Sea's human, Miranda N. Prather, the writer of the tale.How long have you been involved with horses?
I say before I was born, but definitely not long afterward. My maternal grandfather, his brother and father and son all loved horses and were involved with them. One of my first words was "sorey", my attempt at saying "horsey". I had pictures of Seattle Slew and Alydar as a child and probably too many horse stuffed animals and toys. Blackie, an ornery Shetland, was my first equine partner when I was about four. When we moved from Louisiana to Kentucky, I started taking lessons. I rode many horses from Arab to Appaloosa to OTTB to Quarter Horse during that time, primarily jumping. My next equine partner was a Quarter Horse named What-a-Twist and then came Beble AKA JoJo, an Argentinean Bred OTTB. I can't imagine a life without horses. What made you want an OTTB and what particularly about Blue Blue Sea? When I was very small, I wanted to be a cowboy, but then my mother took me to the backside of a track in my native Texas, and something clicked. I wanted to be a jockey, part of me always will, even though I didn't go for that. The big draw was always the horse for me. There is no other horse like the Thoroughbred, full of fire, pride and intelligence, yet at the same time, they are horses that will give it all to humans. Most of them are simply beautiful, too. I looked at Blue Blue Sea for all the wrong reasons for possibly purchasing a horse. First was pedigree. While Seattle Slew was my first horse racing love, Alydar the next year became my all-time favorite. I'm a real fan of the red-heads, and all but one of my horses has been a chestnut. When I saw the CANTER listing, it said Alysheba, so that led me to click the ad. When I saw Blue's picture, I was struck by how much he looked like Alydar. I downloaded that picture, one of only two that I ever did from the CANTER site. For several weeks, I would open that picture and look at him. There was certainly something there, a connection that I can't explain even through a picture. How did owning Blue Blue Sea change your life? Blue taught me more than any other horse or person could or did about horses. That knowledge has been put to use in helping other horses and people. So there's a very practical way that living with him has changed things. He also taught me that you can have a fulfilling relationship with a horse that doesn't involve riding. Riding was an important part of my time with any horse in my life previously. When Blue got sick, I made a choice to decrease any riding and eventually to do away with it altogether. We had a great time learning tricks and just spending time with each other. I guess how he really changed my life was in teaching me what is important in life. To enjoy a moment for what it is and to treasure those who make your life better. I miss him every day, but I have gained hundreds of new friends through sharing his story that I never would have known otherwise. Do you only write children's books? No. This is the only children's book I have ever written. It was quite a challenge, too, with the economy of words and the rhyme scheme. I am finishing up a novel and have published articles, short stories and poetry. Why a book on Blue Blue Sea? I had so many people say that there should be a book based on his story. He inspired so many and brought together a community of wonderful people. Blue himself was an inspiration, and though he might have just been a washed-up claimer, I didn't want him to be forgotten. I also wanted his story to be out in as many ways as possible to help other people and their horses who might have the same problems he did. Just to let them know that there is hope. His book is also offers a chance to give back, as I will be donating some of the proceeds to charitable horse organizations. The illustrations are now half-way done and mock-ups of the book are already being set. On Blue Blue Sea's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/blueblueseaottb) you can vote for your favorite font! We want our fans involved in the entire design of the book, so please be sure to vote for your favorite font soon! The Blue Blue Sea Team I had a chat with Hayley to learn more about her as an artist, her inspirations and dreams and how she came to be involved with Blue Blue Sea. Her answers are inspiring and provide a wealth of insight into what it takes to illustrate a book.Me: What interested you in illustrating this story about Blue Blue Sea? Are you a fan of horse racing?
Hayley: I have followed Blue for a long time now, and I was so touched by his story. I first read about him on Blood-Horse and I could just remember going.. "Wow." I followed him on Facebook, and became very good friends with his owner, Miranda Prather. I am so humbled and so honored to be illustrating this remarkable story, and I hope I can do it justice. I've been an fan of horse racing since I was little. Growing up, we visited Turfway Park (which is right in my backyard) frequently and never stopped going. I fell in love with the horses, then, but I first fell in love with the sport when Mike Smith rode Giacomo to victory in the 2005 Kentucky Derby. God put this amazing passion for horse racing in my heart at such a young age. I was ridiculed and made fun of for it, but I have no regrets. I've gotten to meet so many wonderful people because of it. It's a beautiful sport. Me: Could you describe your journey to becoming an artist? What were your original inspirations? Hayley: It started back when I could first hold a pencil. I've been drawing for as long as I could remember. You couldn't get me to stop. I'd draw on my test covers for school, in my notebooks, and even on my homework. My parents encouraged me to keep drawing, and bought me How-To books so I could learn how to draw different characters. My family loves Disney, as do I, so that's where I started to teach myself. As I got older, I started to try more intermediate subjects - animals and people. I loved horses, so naturally they were my favorite animal to draw. Still are! It wasn't until 2013 when I realized that I could be really good at this drawing thing and maybe I could make a career out of being an artist/illustrator. I started practicing, drawing different Disney characters, other characters, even making my own. As for animals, I started to study dogs and cats and furthered my knowledge of horses. And as they say, the rest is history. My original inspirations came from Walt Disney, just growing up with these movies. I admired how real the characters were, and I discovered that was all due credit to the animators. They have a special place in my heart. Everyone sees them as just cartoons, but these stories and the characters have definitely impacted my life in a positive way. Me: Do you remember which illustrated children's books were your favorites back when you were a young reader and why? Hayley: I was an avid fan of the Disney Golden Books and the Mickey and Friends: Around The World series. Each book would have them going to a different continent, and I just remember reading them until I had "visited" every country. Another series I liked and only owned one book was Glen Keane's Adam the Raccoon series. They were essentially parables, written for children and gave a good summary and lesson. It was very easy to understand. Me: What was the longest time you spent without drawing at all? Hayley: Back in January, I was out of basketball and school due to an concussion. Two weeks. I wasn't allowed to draw because of eye strain, which wouldn't help healing. It was hard, but I got over it. Me: Is there any type of project you haven't done yet, but dream of doing someday? Hayley: Absolutely. I'm very interested in the fine arts. I had the pleasure of meeting one of my heroes, Greg McCullough, who had recently been added as a Disney Fine Artist. His work is absolutely gorgeous and not only can he work in oils, his digital artwork is breathtaking. I was so inspired by his work, I thought to myself, "If he can do that, that means I can do it, too." So improving my work and merging into fine art is definitely one of my end goals. I'd love to have the opportunity to contribute my art to a gallery and attend different art shows. I've seen so many different ones online, and they look like so much fun! The possibilities are endless, and the dreams are many. I'd like to achieve each goal one at a time and go from there. My ultimate goal is basically centered on making people happy and smile with my art, while sharing the Gospel and telling people about God and how He changed my life. Me: Could you tell us a bit about any of your upcoming projects? Hayley: At the moment, I am planning to attend this year's Cincinnati Comic Con and a have a table in their artist's alley. As for other projects, I have been recently given the AMAZING honor of having my "Mockingjay Graffiti" featured at The Hunger Games Exhibition in Times Square. There, it'll join many other pieces of fan-art and travel with the exhibit. The next stop will be in San Francisco. Thank you, Hayley, for giving us a peak into your creative process and for bringing life to the story of Blue Blue Sea. On April 25, 2014, I underwent surgery to decompress and fusion three levels of my cervical spine (Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion or ACDF). In earlier articles I discussed that I had been suffering from issues for ten years before finally having doctors who sent me for an MRI which revealed the seriousness of the issue. Not only were four levels showing problems, but one level showed myelomalacia (damage to the cord due to the compression from the herniated disc). It has now been a year since I underwent the surgery and the recovery process (detailed in other articles), so I thought it would be helpful to others who might be faced with a similar surgery for me to check-in with an update on where I have am today.
After undergoing the surgery, I wore a neck collar for a month. During that month, I could not remove the collar except for brief periods to wash the neck. For the first three months, I was restricted to no lifting above my head, no strenuous activity (including horse riding, a passion of mine) and no lifting any weight above five pounds. Other than that, I was in good enough overall shape to not require any special physical therapy regimen. I followed the instructions to the letter and began using walking as a form of exercise. After three months, my neck was showing good progress with fusion starting at all levels. I also noticed improvement in my stamina - I was no longer out of breath after short distances of walking. None of the tingling or extensive numbness down the arms had returned though I still had some loss of feeling in the right thumb. First the good news . . . Since that three month checkup to the year check up, I have continued to remain active. I have resumed riding horses regularly, am running again and am able to lift items over my head and to life heavier amounts. I have not had a return of the crippling pain or the pervasive numbness and tingling in the limbs. Lingering issues: right thumb. It's not completely numb, but when it has feeling it is often with a dull throbbing pain, but most of the time it's numb. At this point, this will not be expected to get any better. The return of headaches. For the first 6 months, I didn't have a single headache. Then I started to get a few. I don't get nearly as many, so it's really not a huge problem, but was really great to have none for the six months. Weakness. I am not as strong as I once was. That too will never come back no matter how much I work out to get into better shape. The bruising of the spine will leave a permanent impact on that and on balance. These were both things that crept up slowly, and as a result, went largely unnoticed by me. Now that I am not so focused on pain and the numbness/tingling, I notice it a lot more. Some loss of movement. I notice it most when looking down and some when I look up. At my year checkup, my neurosurgeon agreed that I was doing quite well and that I had seen the improvements in my situation that I was going to see. Only downsides were that the uppermost fused level has not completely fused. There is a small area that has not filled in while the other two levels are completely fused. I will have one more set of xrays and a check up later this year to see if it has fused, but the window for fusing is closing. I was also reminded of the danger to the adjacent levels down the road for the same problem, especially at level 2-3, which was the level we opted not to fuse that showed some herniation of the disc. All in all, a year later, I have absolutely no regrets and only am satisfied for having had my multi-level ACDF. My words to those faced with similar issues: 1) Don't wait. If you doctors are not addressing your neck issue, go elsewhere. I made a huge mistake waiting for ten years to really have the problem addressed. 2) Be realistic. The surgery may not give you everything back to the way it was, but it will stop the progression of the myelomalacia. 3) Research and question. It's been my experience with my current doctors to physical therapist to neurosurgeon that they are open to having you ask why they are doing something. 4) Quit (don't) smoke. I don't, but if you do, it can affect the success of your surgery. 5) Get in shape. BEFORE surgery. As painful as it was, I kept up the walking and hiking prior to the surgery, which helped me leave the hospital after one night and have an easier time in recovery. Don't stop after surgery either. My Science Fiction short story title Beginnings has been published in the May issue of Beyond Imagination. I would be honored if you would take the time (and spend a little money) to read my story and all of the other wonderful work featured in the e-zine.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WY9MXLO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00WY9MXLO&linkCode=as2&tag=blooandshad03-20&linkId=W4HBQVG3LJCLLXVF I understand frustration leads some to make some pretty large and loud claims. Usually, I feel it best to simply ignore those loud voices and move along, but from time to time, the voices become too loud, and to remain silent seems to lend credence to what they are saying. For months now, I have witnessed individuals claim those who are not convinced that California Chrome is a great horse are somehow not true fans of the sport. Typically, those claims are never supported by any hard facts to show why those who don't believe so are less than real fan, much less to support why the horse is deserving of the mantle "great horse".
Let me start by establishing that I do not feel California Chrome is a great horse. I know that won't come as a surprise to those who have followed me on social media sites and those that used to but unfollowed me due to that stance. Here's a big difference though - I don't condemn anyone who believes he is or think they are any less of a horse racing fan or that they are somehow damaging the very fabric of the sport. Another big difference, I am happy to share with you the reasons why I don't think he's a great horse. Perhaps one day he will be deserving of that title, but in today's racing world, I find we are all too quick to latch that label on a horse, most likely we have been so long without a Triple Crown Winner. Note that I don't feel a horse has to win the Triple Crown to be a great horse, but that seems to be all that many modern race fans follow and base their opinions. on. So why don't I think California Chrome is great? To start, let's look at race record. I won't stretch back into the history books and dig up truly great horses like Secretariat or Man O'War or Ruffian or any number of the horses of days gone by. Those horses all ran in different eras, with different goals and values and on much different surfaces from today's horses. I give you two other modern era horses to consider: Curlin, who I feel is deserving of the great horse mantle, and Shared Belief, who I feel is very close to being deserving of that mantle. Horse Entered W P S California Chrome 18 9 3 1 Curlin 16 11 2 2 Shared Belief 11 10 0 0 Based on win percentage (any position but first is a loss), Shared Belief is the clear leader of these three with an amazing 90% winning percentage. The fact that he has raced less than either of these two horses is one of the reasons that I haven't called him a great horse yet. Curlin comes close to a 70% winning percentage while California Chrome only has managed a 50% winning percentage. For me a 50% winning percentage is not enough to stamp a horse as great. Even if you want to look at the race record from the stance of finishing in the money rather than win percentage, California Chrome still lags well behind the other two. Looking deeper into the race records of these three reveals that while Curlin never finished worse than 4th and Shared Belief has thus far never finished worse than 4th, California Chrome has finished 6th in three different races and 5th once. There may be some who would take it back to acknowledged greats like Secretariat and say, well his race record shows only a 76% winning percentage. While that is true, Secretariat amazingly never finished worse than third and on top of that, he accomplished amazing feats on the track. That's another way a horse, to me, can be considered truly great. What has California Chrome accomplished that has been an amazing feat on the track? He did not win the Triple Crown, he did not set any records in any of his wins, either in terms of time or lengths won by. You might say, well what great feat did Curlin accomplish? I point to the Dubai World Cup. He followed in the footsteps of another great horse by the name of Cigar and won. Not only is the race itself a test, but the trip is a rough, as we rightfully heard Art Sherman state over and over again. Both of those two managed to not only win the race, but come back and still win more races. Neither California Chrome nor Shared Belief have accomplished any such feat yet. They might still yet, but I can't call either a great horse yet. There is one other big area that I believe all great horses have, something far more difficult to explain or pin down. It can't be quantified in numbers or measured in hands, but it is something that I have witnessed in the big names and even cheap claimers - the will to win. Despite what some animal rights "advocates" would have you believe, I have spent enough time around racehorses and ex-racehorses to know that some of them not only love to run, but love to win. You can see it in the way they carry themselves and how they fight on the track. They may not win every race, but they want to. You'll hear racetrack writers wax poetic about the grit, the determination that this one or that showed in a race, and you know what they mean. Alone it doesn't make a horse great, but I've never seen a horse that I would call great that didn't have it, and that for me is the big reason I don't think California Chrome is ever likely to break through to the ranks of greats. I think Curlin's greatest example of such a moment came in a moment of defeat, the 2007 Belmont Stakes. I was there on the rail that day, and I wasn't rooting for Curlin. I had come to see Rags to Riches, a filly I felt should have gone in the Kentucky Derby. She would not disappoint me, but I saw two horses that day that both had "it", that indomitable will to win. In that race, Curlin made me a fan of his, too. I felt similar on the day Zenyatta lost the Breeder's Cup Classic to Blame. In that moment of defeat, she showed she too had "it". Shared Belief showed me that will in the Pacific Classic, his first race against older horses in which he was held wide much of the race. Instead of folding, Shared Belief found that inner strength to have his nose hit the wire first. As I watched the Dubai World Cup this weekend, and as I have watched the other races of California Chrome unfold, I have not seen this will to win in him. He seems quite content to let other horses go by him. I know some will point out he was wide in the Dubai World Cup. That might be true, but if you look at the data, he only went three feet longer than the eventual winner and take a close look at the Pacific Classic from 2014 - again, there you will see a horse taken wide who still found the will to win. The racing history books is filled with the tales of the great ones and their will to win. For me, I don't see that will to win in California Chrome. That doesn't make him a bad horse. That doesn't make me hate him. In fact, in all my years, I only ever said I hated a horse once and that was Affirmed. I was not quite four years old yet and he was continually beating my hero and love Alydar. Then, that was my natural reaction. Over the years, I've come to admire Affirmed and could never hate him, even though I still like Alydar better. I would never "bash" a horse either. Perhaps there are some bashing California Chrome. I don't like it if they do, but I won't go as far as some to say this is driving away potential new fans from the sport. If it did, they probably weren't destined to be fans anyway, and I argue there is a lot more wrong with horse racing that the industry needs to address if they want to build their fan base, but that is an argument for a different time and place. The beauty of horse racing like any other sport I follow (and in fact the beauty of our country) is that we can disagree. However, in disagreeing, we should state our opinions, back it up with facts and at times agree to disagree. Making blanket statements and labeling others as less than true fans from an emotional point is no better than my four year old assessment that I hated Affirmed for beating Alydar. My first AXS/Examiner article is all about music, bunnies and Easter.
http://www.axs.com/hopping-down-the-bunny-trail-five-best-bunny-songs-for-different-ages-45630 After several decades of working with writers and their quest for publication, you start to pick up on a recurring theme: the tremendous lack of knowledge the average writer has for the business side of publishing. With these "writer's realities" articles, I provide authors with an awareness that things may not always be what they assume them to be. If you are a writer, you should definitely work to educate yourself on the business aspect. Gone are the days (if indeed they ever existed) when a writer can simply sit back and let the publisher take care of all aspects of the publication of a work. There is no point that can prove more contentious in publishing than sales.
It's not surprising because money has been called the root of all evil for good reasons. Money can bring out our worst selves. Despite feeling compelled to write and wanting to share with the world, nearly every writer I've met seeks to publish their writing because they want to make money. That fact doesn't make a writer any less creative. It also doesn't make a writer any less sincere in their reasons to write. Wanting to make money from your work is not an indictment, but be realistic in noting that goal and doing your work to make it a reality. When it comes to sales, you are likely to be disappointed when you get the first report whether you have your work with a publisher or whether you self-published. Understand that the nearly all of the writers that you know and have read represent a small fraction of all published authors in the world. That's the first sales reality check you have to make. Most writers, some even that you picked off the shelf at your local bookstore, do not make enough to write alone. While that has always been the case, it has become even more true than in previous times. With the explosion of the Internet, the means to print more cheaply and the rise of a variety of publishing options, more people are publishing their work than ever before. The publishing dilemma for most authors has changed from one of can I get published to can I make a living off my writing. Again, the answer is largely - no. The big names that you see having their books made to films, that dominate the best-seller's list and that you likely enjoy reading are the exceptions. Expect to make less. Whether you are self-published or with a publisher, you most likely receive sales information from sources other than yourself. If you are with a publisher, your contract likely shows when you can expect such reporting. If you are self-publishing, you probably keep track of your own sales, but if you have opted to use a wholesaler or distributor, and your really should, you will be still be receiving third-party information. Here's your second reality check when it comes to sales, most companies, either publishers or wholesalers/distributors, are not crooks out to steal from you. You may feel disappointed and you may feel upset, but resist the urge to fire off an email to those businesses until you've let your emotions settle. It will not do you any good to alienate those businesses if they are with the large majority that are good, reputable businesses, and if they are crooks, they aren't going to admit it to you simply because you have reacted angrily. Once you have a bit of perspective, take a look at why you think those numbers are wrong. Then submit your proof and reasons in a professional manner. Your next writer reality for sales comes from an evaluation of your inner circle, your friends and family. Over the years, I have had many an author lament that they know their sales cannot be accurate because Aunt Martha or their good friend Bob bought copies and loved the book. Nearly all such claims simply didn't pan out. These people love you, but consider that they may be telling you that they bought a copy simply to protect your feelings. Of course, it can happen that a sale of this nature might be missed, but before you reach to a business to claim a missing sale, talk to your inner circle, have receipts that you can provide to show a sale that you feel might be missing. You just might find that the 100 copies you thought your inner circle bought was more like 25. If you're like most newer writers, I bet you check sites like Amazon.com and BN.com regularly to see how your book is "doing". What is the reality of that "doing" though? If you think views, reviews, ratings, genre best-seller lists or any of the other information a retailer site might offer equal sales, you are most likely wrong. Truly, there is no accurate way to tell by looking at such site information about how your book is selling with them. Non-human roving sites might be accessing your book's information, adding a "view" to the tally or someone might have been researching a topic that is a keyword for your book and then added yet another "view". As far as any best-seller list goes, they are all flawed. There is no true best-seller list and it would likely even prove to be impossible with the sheer number of new books published each day. I encourage you to look up the criteria for selection to the revered New York Times Best-seller list to see how even it is truly not indicative of overall sales. I think all authors would do themselves a favor to go easy on looking at supposed indicators of success via such unreliable information. Can a company make a mistake in your sales reporting? Absolutely. Most likely it's going to fall under the category of an innocent mistake, likely a clerical error. In checking your reality on sales, you of course, have a right to question a sales report you believe to be incorrect. The keys to doing it right, are to know your contract or agreement with the business in question and what it says on sales reporting and an audit if needed, have your solid proof (think receipts or other such tangible evidence) in hand, do not rely or quote how your book is "doing" on the basis of unreliable information like website views or best-seller lists and do so in a tactful manner. If you approach the subject of sales with such knowledge and reality, you will find that you have a happier and more successful relationship with the good businesses that can help you achieve your goals. |
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