Last Costco Booksigning Until Fall, Tomorrow at Bountiful Costco

That's right, tomorrow is my last book signing at Costco until probably September or October. I'll be there from noon to six.To be honest, I am not very upset about it. The universe seems to be telling me this is okay. I had two singings last week and ended up leaving early from each one because they were so abissmally slow. I signed on 9 books at Lehi in three hours. This is really strange because Lehi has been one of my better stores where I am accustomed to signing 50-70 books every time I sign. I dont know what to say other than that the economy is weak and people usually buy less books in the summer than the winter.

I am glad this will give me a chance to finish the third book, the writing portion of which should be done by Wednesday! I also need to make pottery. My shelves are empty after the Mother's Day Sale and I have the Utah Arts Festival coming up in a month. I need a break somewhere here, but I am already feeling the winds blow and the ideas I have had for another book are coming quickly. As always, it is coming at a very inconvenient time.

I am really enjoying this third book. I feel like it has come faster and is better than the others in depth and truth. I feel like I have been taught by the universe and I am grateful for the opportunity I will so have to share it with you. I have some fun ideas for the layout of this book too. I appreciate so many of you who are emailing and calling, encouraging me to hurry up. I promise I am moving as fast as I can. If I can make some good progress tonight, I should be able to finish tomorrow night. Then edits, and minor rewrites, copy edits, layout and design and whatever else is necessary. I am tired, but I am motivated to finish. Cheers. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow. The books should be in Costco until the first week in June.

I've Got Some Good News And Some Bad News

So, the good news is that I have made some great progress with the book in the last week and I hope to be done writing by the end of this week!

The bad news is that I just got off the phone with my distributor with the news that Costco is yanking my books about June 1st. I am writing you all to tell you this so if you want to pick up copies at the costco price, you have two weeks to do it. Apparently, sales have been slower and so they have decided to let it go. I am not sure what that means long term. My distributor believes they can get book 3 into Costco by September. I was shooting to have it done by the end of July, but things rarely work out the way we plan. I am still shooting for July to have my book done, but you may have to come to my studio to pick it up until we can work it back in. If you have book clubs that are reading the books in the coming months, let them know that now would be a great time to buy it from the shelves at Costco. The books will still be available from Deseret Book, Barnes and Noble and other book sellers, including Amazon.com

I am trying to figure out how I feel. Disappointed. Tired. Overworked and underpaid. Feeling like in the long run, this may be in a good thing as it is offering me the incentive to go out and find an agent to represent me so I can find a big publisher in New York. It will definately free up some time for me to make pottery and be with my family, but I am nevertheless, disappointed.

The Story of the third book has really taken on some incredible dimensions lately. I am excited about the things I am learning and the way I am growing along the way. I feel like the universe is open and dumping all sorts of things down the shoot and into my heart.

So, life goes on. I am excited for what lies ahead--that great unknown that keeps me humble. Cheers, Ben

Stomach Flu is not fun.

Yeah, so I was scheduled to sign today at the Orem Costco, but I won't be there because of the stomach flu. I'll be hanging around my bathroom instead, and trying to write where I can. Sorry to anyone who was planning to drop by. I will have to catch you another time. Cheers, Ben

If wishes were fishes...

... then I wouldnt have to worry about making a living to support my book habits.

I have been working on pottery and welding and cleaning for the past few days instead of writing which makes me crazy. I need to make pottery to pay for my book writing habits, but I have to write to keep my brain from exploding. It's a tough place to be. I wish I could buy myself more time. I have a studio open house this weekend.

Announcing !

Wild Rooster Artworks Annual Mother's Day Open House and Sale

May 7th and 8th 9am-5pm

1150 E 800 South

Salt Lake City, Utah

Behind the house in the studio.

After sending out 1500 postcards, my mom called to ask if I forgot that my youngest brother is getting married on the 7th ... so I won't be here much of the day on Friday, but I will be around all day on Saturday. My friend will be playing shop for me on Friday after 11. I think my brain cells are suffering for all the stress.

So, after this weekend, I am seriously getting back in the saddle and getting some serious writing done. I promise! Maybe I'll see you on Saturday. I have a plethora of really great new pots and garden art. Plus, it is worth coming just to see the new mosaic on the gazebo behind my home. I hope to see you soon. VIVA NIEDERBIPP!

Signings in May

I have had several people request that I post my book signings on my blog, so here we go.

April 29 Salt Lake Costco 1-6 pm

May 4 Murray Costco 12-6pm

May 6 Bountiful Costco 12-6pm

May 8 Studio Mother's Day Sale and book signing at my studio 1150 E 800 S Salt Lake City Don't miss this!

May 11 Orem Costco 12-6pm

May 13 SLC Costco 12-6

May 18th Sandy Costco 12-6pm

May 20th Lehi Costco 12-6 pm

May 25th Bountiful Costco 12-6pm

I am continuing to make slow progress with the book, here a little and there a little. I have had to go back to the wheel to make some pots so I can continue to live the dream of being an author someday. That's why its nice when people buy my books instead of checking them out at the library:) Life is good, but always busy. I have been speaking to about 3-4 books clubs a week. I am still having fun, but feel sometimes like I have had to cut my candle into twelve pieces and then burn each of those pieces on both ends. Someday, this will all make sense, I am sure of it.

Meanwhile, thanks for all your supportive phone calls and emails. Cheers, Ben

Back in the Saddle, Again

Ahoy! It feels like it has been a long time since I last updated by blog, and I guess it has been over a month. I have wanted to write many times, but opted out, deciding my time would be better spent working on the book. Sorry about that, but things have been moving along nicely. I am now 142 pages into the book so I probably just crossed the two thirds point.

I spent some time in St. George, just before Easter. I went down to sign books at Costco and then spent the evenings and mornings writing like crazy. I made some good progress there before I took my wife and kids up to Washington State for a vacation and to visit some friends for the week after Easter. I hoped to be able to write a lot while I was there too, but I wrote about 3 pages. I returned home very frustrated, wanting to find out what happens to Jake and Amy next.

This has been a very interesting journey of faith for me. I started this book more than eleven years ago with no idea where I was going with it or where it would take me. For many years I was faithless, making very little progress but feeling continually compelled to write. I still am not sure where this series is going. Some things have been clear from the beginning, but very few. When I first started writing, I was writing in first person, through Isaac's eyes. That never really worked, yet I knew I couldn't give it up. I had to keep moving. When I discovered Jake and killed the potter, Isaac, things blossomed and became what they are in a relatively very short period of time.

With this third book, I am feeling a huge amount of pressure. You have fallen in love with the characters of Niederbipp like I have and you want to know what happens next in their lives. So do I. When I am sitting at the wheel, or working in the clay, the voices of Niederbipp scream out and me to finish their story. I want to. Perhaps I am still a little faithless. I think I just broke even with the books, but up until now, pottery has been paying the bills for the books. What would happen if I gave up on the pottery? I think I might lose my mind--it has become so much of who I am, but what if I was able to concentrate on my writing without worrying about making a living. I may never know, but I hope there will come a time when my writing pays the bills and I can make pottery just for fun. I have to finish this book. I have to finish this series so I can get on to the next books I need to write, but for the time being, I have to wear a lot of hats. Too many sometimes.

So, this was going to be a short entry. I just wanted to say to whoever cares that I am progressing. I may not have things done now until July, but things are coming. I have been speaking to a lot of book clubs lately--between two and four every week. This has been exciting and fun to see and hear how the book is reaching people in different ways. It is nice to have people believe in me and thank me for the story. I have also discovered how sensitive I am. I make the mistake every once in a while of reading the reviews on Goodreads. I say mistake because though the majority of the reviews are positive, the negative ones make me feel sick inside. I tell myself I am not going to read the reviews anymore, but then something happens and I get curious and so I look. Like I said, by far the majority are positive, but I am kind of ashamed to admit how powerful the negative ones are to me. I feel like I totally lose my steam. I feel like I am just pretending to be a writer. No one likes to be told they have an ugly baby. I wish I didn't care what people think, but unfortunately, I still do. I am still very vulnerable, too sensitive, too thin skinned. I wonder if authors ever get over negative reviews. If they do, how do they. I would love to hear from any of you have have experience with this.

So then, tomorrow I am going back to the writing. I am going to try to buck up and buckle down and get past the fact that some people think I have an ugly baby. I don't entirely know where I am going, but I have learned through this process that if I move forward with faith, believing, the path always rises to meet my feet. I suppose there will always be critics and citiques. I need to remember I cant make everyone happy, but I am going to keep writing--I have to. I have been faithless long enough and suffered because of it. The path forward is cloudy and unsure, but I know it is the only way for me to go. I am pressing on, my ugly babies in tow! Thanks for coming along. I appreciate your support and help. Cheers to the journey!

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Remembering Isaac: The Wise and Joyful Potter of Niederbipp

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Remembering Isaac: The Wise and Joyful Potter of Niederbipp
So, I was signing books at the Lehi Costco today and I had several people who stopped by to thank me for the book and ask about book three. I also invited them and now all of you to fill out a reveiw on Amazon .com. It is easy and its free and will take just a few minutes. All you have to do is click on the title of this blog entry and it will take you right there. Then all you have to do is click on the button that says, Create your own review. Then just follow the prompts. I really appreciate your help in spreading the word. Cheers, Ben

Progress-slow and steady

Question: How to you go jogging two weeks ago and get a bruised tail bone without falling and still can't sit down without pain two weeks later? I must be getting old and fat.
I was repremanded by a couple of blog readers for letting too much out about book three. Sorry. I wont do that. I thought I might just write a bit and tell you all where I am. I am on page 106, which is not nearly as far as I hoped to be. I have had to stop my writing and concentrate on what is making me money. I will be participating in Art and Soup, a fundraiser for Community Nursing Services which takes place every year at the Sheridan Hotel in Downtown Salt Lake. That runs in two weeks from Tuesday to Thursday. That is always a big money maker for me and since I am still a potter who relies on that income to sustain me and my book writing efforts, I have felt compelled to make pots. I am hoping to give the book more attention next week and then after the show. Tonight, I am up late, firing a kiln and trying to catch up on emails. I might write a bit too, eventhough I usually dont do well if I dont have at least a couple of hours to concentrate.
I want to thank those who have written their reviews on Amazon and encourage you to share your feelings about the book with the world via a book review on either Amazon or Goodreads.

I am feeling lately like I have too many hats to wear. I would like to take the time to look for an agent, but I feel more compelled to finish Becoming Isaac before I do. Still, I think there has to be an easier way than spending so much of my time signing at Costco. I enjoy getting out and meeting folks, but I will tell you--it is not easy selling books to people who are grazing on the free samples or there to buy groceries. I have heard some of the lamest excuses, seen thousands of diverted eyes, been ignored, been chewed out, wanted to quit about fifty times, etc etc. This is different for me--I feel like I am starting over. People know me for my pottery and people drop by my studio all the time to buy stuff, but signing books is a different beast. Sometimes people treat a $12 book as a lifetime marriage. Granted, $12 is more than it used to be for most folks, but, hey, it comes with a free self-propelled movie. That's got to be worth ten bucks all by it self, right? I dont know. I'm still trying to figure people out. Last week, on a Tuesday, I signed 95 books at the Murray Costco. On Monday I went back and only sold 50. I cant figure it out, but I will tell you, signing books can be wonderful one day and the sincerest form of drudgery the next, depending on the day, my attitude and the people in the store.
Tonight I spoke to a book club on the south end of the valley--Nice group, very supportive. I enjoy these experiences--they make me stretch and reflect on the journey these books have been for me. I have been speaking to 2-3 book clubs every week since January and have a busy schedule ahead, but if you have a book group who would like to hear me talk about the story behind the story, let me know.
When I was signing on Monday, I had a nice old couple come in and buy both my books. They explained that they had just returned from Guatamala City with a tour. Someone on the tour was reading my books and telling everyone on the tour that they needed to buy them. (I'm pretty sure it was not a relative. :) ) Anyway, thanks for spreading the word. It makes the drudgery of selling books more pleasurable when I hear stories about how people are responding to the books. Thank you.
If anyone cares, I will be at the Bountiful Costco on Friday and the Orem Costco on Saturday, from noon to six. I will try to blog again soon. Cheers, Ben

Slow and steady-97 Pages in.

The last couple of weeks have been hectic. My distributor signed me up to sign books at Costco 4 days a week and then I signed myself up to speak to 3-4 book clubs a week and I've been trying to make pots to get ready for Art and Soup and I went on a two day vacation over Presidents Day to visit an old roommate and his family in Boise so I could spend some time with my kids who have been neglected. That is a really long sentence. Needless to say, I have not had the time I would like to have to spend on the book, but today marks the beginning of a new month and a new signing schedule. This week, I am signing only twice and no more than three times in the coming weeks. Hurray, I will have time to write.
Since my last blog entry, I have only written fifteen pages, but I plan to make some progress this week. I see the road opening up and I have been encouraged by many people coming up to me at book signings and others at book clubs who are connecting with Isaac in very intimate and personal ways. It seems the books are touching hearts and making people think and dream and act more selflessly. I think that's a good thing. There have been many who have emailed me or written reviews on Amazon that help me realize that I need to keep going--that people are waiting and anticipating to see what happens next in the lives of the characters they have learned to love as friends and neighbors. Thank you for your kind words. I love hearing from you.
I am writing tonight because I plan to spend the day tomorrow writing and don't want to be distracted by my guilt that I haven't updated the blog in so long. I have found that it usually takes me a good hour to be able to get into the groove of writing before magic starts happening and since I don't want to stay up late, you get a blog instead of some progress on the book--sorry.
Becoming Isaac continues to take twists and turns that I had not anticipated last month or even last week. I am constantly being surprised. Many people have asked me if I know the ending and am just filling in the stuff between. Man, I wish I knew how it was going to end, but I don't, not really. There are lots of things that need to get tied up and brought together, but I only have about 120 pages left to do it and I'm realizing I have my work cut out for me. I will tell you that Amy just ordered her wedding dress and Jake officially proposed, so those of you that wrote me worried that Jake was going to dump Amy and go for Alice can sleep and little easier tonight :)
Like I have mentioned in the previous entries, writing this third book has been a very emotional experience as so many of the the things from the previous books are making more sense to me as the truth of this book is unfolded. So many things are tied together, interconnected. I am talking more about truths than I am about personal relationships. I feel like every time I write, I am exposed to a new truth or a new understanding of an old one. This book has made me a better father and husband and made me want to concentrate more of my time and efforts on loving my family and working on building stronger friendships with those I love the most.
So things are moving, sometimes slower than I would like, but I think I am still on track to have the book finished by June or July.
Thanks for spreading the word about Isaac. I hear from people everyday who want the book because someone they love and respect told them how much they enjoyed it. Word of mouth is amazingly powerful. When I was signing up in Ogden last week, the book girl there said my books were the best selling books they have. Word of mouth has made that happen and I thank you all. I have yet to turn a profit on the books, but I am getting close to breaking even and that is encouraging. I spent 65k last year between printing, layout, editing and design. That is a lot of money--money we had been saving for years to build onto our house. My wife, Lynnette, believed in me and the book and so we jumped in with both feet, believing good things would happen. I mentioned in a previous blog and in both my books, I never wrote these books with the intention of becoming rich, but as a business owner, I never wanted to lose money. My faith has been weak at times and I have had many days and weeks of discouragement, but I know I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. I feel like God has compelled me to write and given me the words to say once I finally agreed to move my feet. The answers have always come when I needed them and though they have often been hard to swallow, the truth has made me free and filled my life with joy. Thank you for sharing with me in that joy. If you feel so inclined, I would love for you to fill our a review on Amazon or tell a friend. Cheers, Ben

82 Pages and Going Strong

82 pages--that's about 170 real pages in a book. I've been working hard this last week on Becoming Isaac, but these last fifteen pages have been slow going, mostly because they required a lot of research to make sure I was getting things right. The last time I was in school, the internet was still pretty fresh and awkward. We had a very slow dial-up connection that was more painful than going to a library and researching whatever it was I needed to research. I still remember filling index cards with facts and figures and references for my research papers. Those were the days when the card catalog was still the fastest way to find material. Things have changed a lot in the past ten years. I love high speed internet that helps me get my information quickly and relatively painlessly.
My research has centered around the Quakers. I am not completely certain, but I think I have Quaker roots. If I don't, I wish I did. I have admired them for years, but the more I learn, the more I want to learn. I have great admiration for William Penn especially. What a man of integrity, wisdom and inspiration. Much of the material that inspired me in the beginning to set my book is a Quaker village will be included in Book III, but if you're bored and have some time to spend on the internet, I highly recommend doing some research on William Penn and the Quaker people. I think our world would be a much better place if we all would embrace the Quaker ideals.
I'm having a great time. I had a couple of people email me this week to ask if I was going to kill Amy in this book. No, I am not going to kill Amy. I think I have a crush on her. I have infused her with so many of my wife's finest qualities and I want to make sure Amy has a chance to pass those on to the next generation of Niederbippians.
I have also recieved many emails this week asking when the final book will be out. Good news! If things continue to go as they are, I should be able to have the book available my late June, early July. I hate to make promises because I know there are lot of things coming up, art shows, house projects, etc, but this is the book that the others have been written for and its messages are coming fast and strong. I promise I am working on it everyday. I hope the next couple of weeks will give me a chance to make a lot of progress. I love the days I dont have to go to book signings because I can get so much done. Six pages today as well as a lot of editing of the previous pages.
I just wanted to give a shout out again to those of you who have written reviews of the books on Amazon. As of this evening, there were 26 reviews for Remembering Isaac and 4 reviews for Discovering Isaac. If you feel so inclined, I invite you to fill out a review too. Its easy and good karma and it helps spread the word. If you don't know how, read the past two or three blogs. For now, I am signing off so I can get some sleep. I will be at the Orem Costco tomorrow and the West Valley Costco on Wednesday which is traditionally my slowest store signings. I hope I wont need anti-depressants by the time I'm done. I'll be in Murray on Friday and the 18th South Salt Lake Costco on Saturday. Noon to 6 each day unless I sell out of books or die trying.
Cheers, Ben