First Day of Open House, A success.

People started lining up this morning before ten and the party didn't stop until 9. This is such a different experience than it was when I first published Remembering Isaac almost 18 months ago. Back then, I wondered if I would be stuck with those books forever, giving them away as wedding presents for the rest of eternity. A lot has changed since those humble beginnings, and though I am still humble, I am happy. I am happy the books are touching people and making them think and feel and do. I sold close to 500 books today. That was really exciting. Lots of folks came with lists of people who needed them. They bought pots and yard art too, but nearly everyone went home with at least one book.

The show continues tomorrow and Saturday, September 24 & 25 here at my studio in Salt Lake at 1150 East 800 South from 10:00- 5:00. I have to run to Brigham City tomorrow morning to pick up more copies of Remembering Isaac from my distributor. I have only a handful left after today's sales. I have a kiln full of pots to unload tomorrow, too. I just peaked inside and there are some great ones.

I spoke to my distributor tonight about Costco. Costco has decided to have the third book, Becoming Isaac, in the stores sometime in October. That means I will be back signing books, but they, so far, have decided not to carry the other two books. I am not sure why. I think the only way they will change their minds is if enough people request them. This kind of stinks, but I guess I'll take what I can get. I have people calling me everyday wondering where they can find the book. For the time being, unless you want to come to Salt Lake to my studio, I suppose the best place to find all three books is on Amazon. I am Abendmahl Press and I just recently put together a box set of all three books, available through Amazon for $39.00 plus shipping. If you pick it up from the studio, you save the shipping. Any book ordered through Abendmahl Press on Amazon is autographed and I would be happy to personalize it too. With Christmas coming soon, this may be the best way to go if Costco doesn't pick the other books up too. We were told that we would likely have the chance to sell all three books there this fall, but things never work out exactly the way you plan.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi. Maybe we'll see you this weekend. We'll keep the peppermint tea coming, and we have plenty of peanut butter and h0ney sandwiches for everyone. Viva Niederbipp!

Book Signing/Pottery Sale- September 23-25

Book Signing / Pottery Sale

September 23,24,25 10-5 each day

Wild Rooster Artworks

1150 East 800 South

Salt Lake City, Utah 84102

10% off all pottery and yard art

25% off Becoming Isaac--(signed copies only $15)

40% off Remembering Isaac and Discovering Isaac (only $12 each)

We will be serving peppermint tea with peanut butter and honey sandwiches!

Well, I am supposed get my first books delivered on Friday! I'm not sure why, but I seem to be even more excited about this book than I was about the first one. Maybe it's because of the comments I have heard from all of you about how much you are looking forward to this third book. Maybe it's because this is by far the best book of the three. I love the way this book looks and feels and smells and reads. I know you will too.

I have had several people inquire about when Becoming Isaac will be available on Amazon. As luck would have it, today! Also new on Amazon is the new box set- but without the box--all three books for $37.99.

I am working hard to get ready for the open house. There is a lot to clean and organize as I have kind of let things go during the summer months. I just fired 75 mugs yesterday, but I won't know how they turned out for a couple more days. Life is crazy, but exciting. I appreciate all you reading my books and sharing them with your friends. This is really exciting for me to see how Niederbipp is spreading further and further all the time. www.Squeakycleanreads.com just reviewed my book, as has www.theliteratemother.com. I am grateful to have been a part of this story. I am grateful to have my name on three books, but as I explain in Becoming Isaac, I do not feel any ownership in this series. Instead, I feel a deep sense of stewardship for the wisdom that Isaac gave me. These books took me more than twelve years to write, and it feels good to finally be at this end. If I could do it over, I would do it again, but I would hope that the next time around, I would not allow fear to keep me from what I knew I was supposed to do. Viva Niederbipp! See you next week. Ben

And we're off to the presses!

I spent the morning at my printing office, going over the proofs so I could give my final approval on the book and get things moving. It was strangely an emotional experience for me, reading through the story once again, looking for any mistakes. I couldn't find any, though I am sure that with 128,254 words, there are bound to be mistakes somewhere. Hopefully the story will suck you in enough that you will be able to forgive me when you find them.

I was hoping to have a picture of the cover for this post, but unfortunately, Blogger doesnt accept pdf files, so it will have to wait until I have a jpeg file. The cover is great. Bert spent a lot of time on it and I really think it captures a lot of the story.

I will be having a book signing/pottery sale here at my studio on September 23, 24 & 25 from 10-5. 1150 E 800 South. The pottery will be 10% off and the book will be 25% off--Only $15. This is a great chance to get a head start on Christmas gifts and avoid the holiday rush and get the next book before anyone else. I really think you are going to love this third book. It is by far the best ot the three. I will attach an invitation for this event as soon as we have them available, but if you would like, you can email me at benbehunin@comcast.net and I will send you an email invite.

Many of you have emailed, wondering when the third book will be available at Costco. To be honest, I dont know. I am working on it and will be working on it a little harder now that the book is being printed. Costco is a little finicky sometimes. I just have to be patient. I am beginning to feel ready to go back to doing book signings at the stores. It has been really nice to have time to work and be in my studio making stuff, but I know I have to do book signings too. There has to be an easier way to make a living that writing books and making pots, but I am grateful to have two fulfilling jobs.

I am still dragging my feet about writing a query letter to send to agents. I am scared--scared of rejection--scared that no agent will like the books or give them a chance--scared of failing. At times like this, I ask myself what Isaac would do. I am sure he would encourage me and give me lots of sage advice. I am busy. I just installed two funky fences that I have been working on for a while, but I realize I am filling my time with stuff I really dont have to do now, just because I am being faithless. I just neet to do it, dang it. Maybe I will ... tomorrow :) . I am tired. I think a vacation might be in order, but there is so much to do, I'm not sure when I'll get to it.

So, I am signing off, financially poorer today than I was yesterday because of the 5000 books I just purchased, but happy to be alive and happy to know that in ten to twelve days, I will have a new book to share with the world. Cheers, Ben