So, book sales are going very well considering that I have only one public outlet, Amazon, and then my studio which now has only 1350 books left. Thats right, I have sold over 150 books in not quite a month! I am still waiting to hear something negative...everyone seems to like it which is really encouraging. I spoke to two of the youngest readers last night, ages 15 and 17. They loved the book and are looking forward to volume 2. I got a call today from a man whose wife recieved the book as a gift and made the mistake of leaving it on the kitchen counter where he found it and wouldnt let her have it until he was done with it! He too said he is anxious to read volume two and lamented the news that it wouldnt be finished until November.

Things are actually progressing quite well with volume 2. I am just finishing chapter 15 and things are exciting. Jake is in the hospital after an accident, and the book is leading in me in directions I didnt know it would go. I am having a great time. I have been working hard in the studio, trying to get orders off so I have not had the time to write as I wish I could. I have decided to have a studio open house on the Saturday before Mothers Day and do a book signing. I will be mailing out a newsletter in conjunction with that.

We are headed to California for a much needed vacation. I'll try to drop a note soon. Ben

One week after recieving the first books from the printer, I have sold over 90 copies. Only 1410 left! I met with Brigham Distributing in Brigham City yesterday to begin the process of getting by book distributed. So far, I have heard from about 30 folks who have read the book and love it. I have yet to hear anything negative, but I am sure it is coming.

I am trying to figure out why I am so restless. I have been working on Volume 2 of the series, Discovering Isaac, which I hope will be ready for sale in December. As I mentioned before, I am not very good at being patient. Barry at Brigham Distributing suggested it would take two weeks for him to give me an answer. I have no idea how long it will take after that to get my books into the stores so for the time being, people are coming to me. You can reach me at 801-883-0146 to arrange to stop by. I am nearly always here inasmuch as I live here and work here.

I am attaching a the pictures of the front and back cover of the book. This was designed by Bert Compton and myself.

AFTER TEN LONG YEARS, THE BOOK IS FINALLY DONE. The books were printed at Alexander's in Lindon, Utah and delivered on Monday night at about 5:30. Our Friends, Jason and Meghan Castleton were the first to stop by the purchase a signed copy. I was in a hurry to get them done in time for Art and Soup, an annual fundraiser that I have participated for the last ten years. That started last night. So far, I have sold exactly 20 copies, which is 1.25% of the 1500 copies I had printed.

I am excited to finally have it done. The book looks great. The self-propelled movie works very well and the layout makes it fun and exciting. I hope to meet with a distributor next week and get the ball rolling on. So far, I have found two small typos, but it still looks good. I am excited to start hearing from people and their comments about the book.

If you have purchased the book and would like to leave a post or send me an email, I would love to hear from you. Thanks. Ben

The image to the right is a picture of some of Isaac's planters on the front steps of #6 Muellstrasse. I really like the cobblestone pattern here.

The Horror, The Horror! I am not a patient person. That is one of my many faults. I finished writing several weeks ago. I have done several rounds of edits and now I am waiting. Waiting. WAITING! for things beyond my control. Bert Compton, my friend and layout engineer extraordinaire has been working hard and just finished the layout last night, or at 4 am this morning, rather. I am exceedingly excited! This has been a long time coming.

Ten years ago I started writing a book about Isaac. Sometime next week, the ten years worth of labor and long nights and sweat will pay off when I pick up my first thousand copies from the printer. I am trying to decide if I should go with Alexander's in Lindon or with FC Printing here in Salt Lake. Alexander's is a digital press where FC Printing is offset printing. I am not sure what is better and I am waiting for a phone call from a friend in the printing business to inform me.

This has been an expensive venture. I hope that I will cover my costs at least and be able to find a good distributor and lots of bookstores that want to buy it. My dream right now is to get into Costco. If anyone out there has any pull, put in a good word for me. I have told the good people in Niederbipp to cross their fingers.

Art and Soup, my first show of the year, will begin in ten days. This is where I will be debuting my book. Am I excited? Heck yes. Am I nervous what the public will think? Absolutely, but I am thinking this will be a good thing. Those who have read the book so far are really liking it and are looking forward to volume two. I have to believe if a book about vampires can sell millions of copies, I will be able to sell at least a thousand.

Bert understands the book. He read it a few weeks ago which has been helpful for him as he has laid it out. He is an artist and a perfectionist and he has done some really cool things. There are lots of sketches throughout the book and a picture on every other page that creates a flash cartoon when you flip through the pages. It is really going to be an experience, not just a book. I am very happy with what I have seen so far.

My friend, Mike RAmsdell, who wrote the Train to Potevka is in California this week, working on the screenplay for his book. He told me in an email that Simon and Schuster just contacted him about his book. He has, to this point, been self-published and sold most of his 400,000 copies through costco. Simon and Schuster could do big things for him. Maybe that will be me in three years.

In my impatience, I have begun volume two. I hope it will go a lot faster. I am hoping to finish it by Christmas and have two book available at my Christmas Open house. I am spured on by the fact that those that have read the book want more. Zippideedoodah!

Well, I finally finished my re-write at noon. I am exhausted. I have been spending up to 12 hours a day on this project for the last three weeks and I just sent it off to my friend Melba Markham to edit. It feels good to be this far. The next book ought to go a lot faster. It better. I can't take another ten years.

Now the work begins. I still have a cover to design and the layout to complete. I have one month to get the rest of it done. I am excited to finish so I can start on the next book. What a crazy life this writing stuff is.

The picture above is of some of the tools in the Pottery. Isaac's apron is under them.

Well, the holidays are finally over. I have been busy trimming the fat out of the manuscript, trying to make it meaner and leaner. It has been time consuming and fun, but I am anxious to get moving.

I wanted to post another photo. This is another old photo we found in the cellar at Pottery Niederbipp. I am guessing these were made by Isaac, circa 1970. There was an article that ran in the Niederbipp Post that included some of these photos.

Happy 2009.

I haven't had much time in the last few days to think about the book, but I'm up late again, working on my last firing before christmas. I thought I'd just post a picture and say I'm working on the edit where and when I can. I plan to do a lot more of this in the next couple of days and beginning next week- everyday.

This picture was among those found in the clay cellar in Niederbipp shortly after Jake arrived. The hands seems to be of a man much younger than Isaac, but then the photo seems very old. I'll try to post others before Christmas. Ben

Well, I'm up late firing a kiln. If its true that a watched pot never boils, it seems to be even more true that a watched kiln never reaches temperature. The firing just passed the 12 hours point and is nearly done---about 2380 degrees-on its way to 2400 before it will be time to shut it down. This part always take the longest--Especially in the witching hour of 4 am.

So, I have been working on the book. Alot of things still have yet to be ironed out. I have been a little slow this month, trying to get my studio openhouses out of the way and working on last minute Christmas orders. I look forward to next week when I can spend more time editing.

I wanted to post a photo or two.

This is an old picture of Isaac, taken just outside of the Bergerhaus in Niederbipp, circa 1965, back before he bought the electric wheel and was still using the old kickwheel. We found this in the studio, in the clay cellar, stuffed into the middle of an old book. I wonder why the photo was taken. I have written an email to the Mayor to see if he might know.

Ok, so i'm in much better spirits today. I worked in the studio, making some bowls for an order and some answers came to me while I was working. I realized the story has many weak antagonists, but none that are strong. It is hard for me to be negative and mean. It's just not in my nature, but I know I'm trying to writes a story that people can believe, can relate to. The fact is that life sucks sometimes. Sometimes it feels like the powers of hell have unleashed their fury on you.

So, its back to the computer for more work, more slashing and burning. I got the first of the twleve books that I sent out, back today. The readers were very kind, but also blunt and honest and I know I have a lot more work to do.

I spoke to Mike Ramsdell today. He is the author of "Train to Potevka" and self-published his book which has sold over 800,000 compies in three years, mostly at Costco. He is becoming a good friend and mentor. I am meeting with him on Monday.

I promised more pictures, so the one above is a make-shift garden in Niederbipp. This apartment is just a stones throw from the church and Jake passes it every time he walks to or from the cemetary and churchyard by the back way. You might recognize the peppermint growing in the dark planter on the left side. Most of the platters were made by Isaac, but there are a few others that were made by Henry, his father-in-law.

More pictures to come.

lost in the world of waiting

So, waiting is not my strong suit. I am anxious to move forward with the book, but I am waiting on getting the book back from friends and editors. I asked them to return the book by December 1 so they still have plenty of time, but I am anxious to get moving forward. I've spent the last two days researching presses and deciding where I would like to publish. So far, the best price is from Alexanders in Lindon, Utah. Because I can pick them up myself, I can save a bunch on shipping. I am anxious to get things moving.

As I wait, I realize I have the tendancy to second guess myself. I spent the day reworking the first two chapters, slashing and burning and trying to make it shorter, but in the end, I'm not sure its any better, just shorter. I am interested in gaining more insight from the other readers.

This has been a very spritual journey so far, but this week has not been my best. I want to believe the direction I am moving in is the right way, but sometimes the roadblocks and limitations frustrate me. I feel like I just need to step away from writing for a week or so, go to a bunch of movies, try to escape the world that's bugging me for a while. I'm afraid I'm getting cranky and my wife would probably agree.

The last time I did this, I went to the bookstore, Barnes and Noble not far from my house. I normally love bookstores, but I returned home both empty-handed and heavy hearted. There are so many books there. How am I going to get noticed?

I ran into Mike Ramsdell last Thursday at Costco. He is the author of The Train to Potevka and has now sold more than 800,000 copies through Costco and other bookstores. He is a really nice guy and I enjoyed my visit with him.

Anyway, I hope to get moving again soon