Kelsey Timmerman's Blog, page 62

Judging my book by its (biceps) cover

I'm not sure about the cover of my book.

Lately, since I've been visiting universities where the students have been assigned the book, I've been getting, "I got your book and I was like…man…this book looks really boring," or something along those lines. Thankfully this is usually followed up with "…and I really liked it." Of course the folks who don't like it probably rushed out of the room after my talk. Because what kind of jackass waits in line to tell an author that his book sucked?

I've had several professors tell me that for many of their students this is the first book that they've really dug into. Essentially, the students have never met a book they liked regardless of the cover. Still, I'm not sure about it. A bookseller once told me that it looked very YA.

I can be unsure about the cover and not be badmouthing my publisher or the designer who did it because the cover was my idea. Some authors go rounds with their publishers over the cover and even try to get some type of cover leverage built into their contract.

The story of my cover goes something like this:

Publisher: Kelsey, do you have any ideas for the cover?

Me: How about a dude standing there with arrows pointing to his clothes noting the countries they were made in?

Publisher: How about this?

Me: Red shag carpet? Button fly pants? Camo-shirt?

Publisher: I thought the same thing. How about this? (The actual cover of the book)

Me: I like it. Plus anyone that mistakes the guy on the cover for me will think I'm totally ripped!

If I had a dollar for every time someone (usually a female) has asked me if that was me on the cover, I would have enough money to buy a lifetime gym membership. It's pretty obvious from my lack of guns that the dude on the cover isn't me. Still, when I tell them they are deflated. Lately I've been toying with the idea of saying, "Yep, that's me. Unfortunately after that photo was taken I jumped into a crocodile-infested river to save a puppy and came down with a rare jungle illness that robber me of my muscle mass."

So who is the dude on the cover? And how do I thank him for doing a thousand arm curls a day?

Well, I want to find out. Today I'm launching Operation Guns Are Real?: The Search for the man on the cover of my book. My goal is to find him and interview him and give his biceps a virtual squeeze.

I'll keep you posted.

Old Spice Guy on Libraries

I once got a ticket driving to a library event 200 miles away. The library is often the first place I turn to for a book.  And I'd  rather live in a world with potholes than one without libraries.  So, I loved this video of Mustafa, the Old Spice Guy, speaking about libraries.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(I saw this on GalleyCat)

"Shirt" by Robert Pinsky

Click here to view the embedded video.

Don't tell me you don't like poetry. Not liking poetry is like saying you don't like beer. There are so many different flavors of each that there is one out there for everybody.

No talk of the American garment industry can avoid the tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in NYC in 1911. I've read about the tragedy in countless books, but none of them paint the tragedy with more humanity than Robert Pinsky in his poem "Shirt." I appreciate poetry more when it's read aloud, so give this a listen. The poem begins at 2:49, but his comments before will be of interest to any engaged consumer.

Here's a short passage to show you the powerful words within. Drink it up.

At the Triangle Factory in nineteen-eleven.

One hundred and forty-six died in the flames

On the ninth floor, no hydrants, no fire escapes–

The witness in a building across the street

Who watched how a young man helped a girl to step

Up to the windowsill, then held her out

Away from the masonry wall and let her drop.

And then another. As if he were helping them up

To enter a streetcar, and not eternity.

How I get books

Where do you buy your books? Where should you buy your books?

Since I became an author, and learned a little bit about the publishing industry, these are questions on my mind when I need or want a book.

Without consciously doing it, I've developed my own book buying strategy.

Let's look at my options.

The Chain

In Muncie we have a Books-A-Million, which never seems to have any of the books that I want, and when they do, the price is high unless you are a member of their club that costs $25/year. And the staff, if they are book lovers, do one heckuva job of hiding it. I don't have a whole lot of loyalty to the store. Part of the inspiration for my Book Signing vs. Book Club video is based on experiences there.

Reasons to Support:

- Meg Ryan might be against the big Chain stores like BAM, Barnes & Noble, and Borders because they threaten Independents, but the truth is the chain stores keep food on the table for authors. My publisher was pumped when B&N and Borders pre-ordered a couple thousand copies of Where Am I Wearing. Without these big orders, advances to authors would shrink.

Reasons not to support:

- Ask Meg Ryan. Also, if you're not a member of their club you might have to pay the cover price for a book. The cover price on my book is $24.95. I love my book, but even as its author, I think that's too much to spend on a book.

Used Bookstores

We also have two decent used bookstores. The aptly named White Rabbit is near Ball State's campus and can best be described as a rabbit hole of books. The shelves are dusty. The books are ripe. Apparently the books reproduce like rabbits because there always seems to be a little less elbowroom each time I return. The Book Center near the Muncie Mall has a nice selection of books as well in a much more open space. Finding something there is a little easier than at White Rabbit, but where's the fun in that.

Reasons to support:

- Cheap. You can get well-loved books for a fraction of what you'll pay anywhere else.

- The best way to grow your personal library without shilling out loads of cash. There's a direct correlation to the number of books in a home and the number of years of education a child will complete. (Great! This means that Harper will be in school until she's 40! Maybe we need to get rid of some of our collection.)

The study, by M.D.R. Edwards, Jonathan Kelley, Joanna Sikorac and Donald J. Treimand, examined samples from 27 different countries and found that growing up in a home with 500 or more books offers a child the same advantage as "having university-educated rather than unschooled parents, and twice the advantage of having a professional rather than an unskilled father." Even with as few as 25 books in the home, a child, on average, will complete two more years of education than a child growing up in a home with no books. (from Today's Zaman )

- The thrill of the hunt.

Reasons not to support:

- Doesn't support the publishing industry or authors themselves.

Independents

Click here to view the embedded video.

Muncie doesn't have one (tear runs down cheek). I love independent bookstores. I love the handwritten suggestions and the staff picks. I love when a book lover helps me find a book that I'll love.

Reasons to Support:

- These are small businesses run and owned by book lovers/author champions.

Reasons not to support:

- The prices can be a bit higher because they aren't ordering hundreds or thousands at a time, but there's really no reason other than you don't have one nearby not to support them.

Amazon

I can have a book on my Kindle in under two minutes or one on my doorstep in under two days (thanks to Amazon Prime). Around two-thirds of my book purchases come from Amazon. I looked at my buying history and I buy just over one book per month from Amazon.

Reasons to Support:

- Because an author's self-worth is proportional to their Amazon Rank (I'm somewhat kidding).

- Endless inventory.

- Amazon's prices are tough to beat for new and used books.

Reasons not to support:

- I don't want to live in a world without bookstores.

Better World Books

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you don't know about Better World Books, you should. They've saved 35 million books from landfills and have donated more than $8 million to support literacy around the world.

Reasons to Support:

- You get great prices on used books while supporting a great cause. They also offer a really cool feature in which you can add a penny or two onto your shipment to offset your carbon footprint.

- They are in Indiana! That's where I live!

Reasons not to support:

- BWB's new book prices are usually higher than Amazon. Since I have Amazon Prime (free 2 day shipping), their shipping cost is higher and slower.

- You can't stand Notre Dame and their unwillingness to win football games or join a conference.

Library

I love libraries and am not afraid to admit it. Read the essay Give Me Libraries!

Reasons to Support:

- Books shouldn't be only accessible to those who can afford them.

- I've had readers apologize for checking out my book from a library instead of buying a copy. Libraries are major supporters of authors. Think of how many libraries there are? Libraries buy tons of books. Without them, author advances would be much smaller. Depending on a book, these are guaranteed sales. If you want to support an author go to your local library and if they don't have his/her book(s), request that they get them. This exposes an author's work to countless people and leads to a copy or two sold.

Reasons not to support:

You want a book in your collection.

My book acquiring strategy

1) Library – I always have a handful of books checked out from the Muncie Public Library. Right now I have "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote and Greg Mortenson's latest book (audio) checked out. The only reason I don't go to a library for a book is because I want it in my collection or the library doesn't have it.

2) Independent – If I happen to be near an Independent and they have a book I want, I prefer to support them. But since I don't live near one, I rarely do.

3) Better World Books – I love gifting books from BWB. You can send a friend a book for just a few dollars and support a great cause.

4) Amazon – Cheapest and fastest way to get a book since my local BAM seems to be filled with books that I don't want to read.

5) Chain – If I'm really, really impatient and I think BAM might have the book.

6) Used Book stores – too enhance my personal library while not de-hancing my bank account. This is more of hobby shopping or a recreational activity than anything else. Rarely do I need a book that I can find in a used book store.

That's how I get books to read. How about you?

And if we aren't pals on Goodreads yet, let's change that. Let me see you bookshelf!

SoleRebels at the Clinton Global Initiative

Bethlehem Tilahun the founder of SoleRebels the shoe company I profiled in a recent piece for the World Vision Report recently spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative.

How cool is that?

I believe that SoleRebels is a perfect example of how the apparel industry can be an important tool in lifting people in places like Ethiopia out of poverty.

I spent hours with Bethlehem in her factory and I still am amazed at how a flat tire on the side of the road in Addis Ababa is fashioned into a shoe and sold on Amazon.

Bethlehem starts speaking at around the 13-minute mark.

cgi_breakoutseminar1 on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

Skunk Yard Wars

With a can of insect repellent and a shovel, I approach the skunk's lair.

Click here to view the embedded video.

And Part 2: The hole is filled! Bring on the skunk.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I wish I knew (in college) what I know now

Click here to view the embedded video.

A knock on the door. Mute button. Silent giggles.

The knocker was Terry our RA. We called him worse things. He was treated like a substitute teacher. His endless threats were powerless to stop the amount of hallway urination, dorm room pot smoking, and an actual kegger in my neighbor's room complete with Bon Jovi karaoke.

Poor Terry.

As he knocked he should've known that we were going to be trouble. A good part of the hallway residents were jammed in my room playing Madden. It was the first week of college and we were mutinous already. It was Terry's job to bring us all to hear the author of My Own Country our freshman common reader program book by Abraham Verghese.

Verghese, born in Ethiopia to Indian parents, was working in Johnson City, TN, when AIDS hit. Library Journal said that My Own Country "provides a heartfelt perspective on the American response to the spread of AIDS."

I didn't read it. I was too busy running for 300+ yards per game with Barry Sanders on Madden football. While Veghese shared his story with our classmates who should've read the book, we were locked in a heated tournament surrounding our PlayStation.

Actually, I don't remember how many yards I ran for with what player on what team. Over the years I've had some heart-pumping moments that ended with last second heroics or heartbreak courtesy of Madden, but I can't recall a single one. Yet I still remember that twinge of guilt as we hid in my room waiting for Terry to leave so we could get back to the game.

I worry about my karmic balance. This year I was the author of the freshman common reader at several schools. I talked about Where Am I Wearing and how the experience has made me a more active global and local citizen. I encouraged students to get the most out of school, to be a local and pitch-in to help folks in their own community, and to travel.

I was talking to myself. Not that the audience wasn't engaged, but I was trying to reach the eighteen-year-old me. I enjoyed college. I wasn't a big partier but I liked the free time. I spent some of it playing Madden but I also played tennis and basketball, lifted weights, and became a reader. But I didn't embrace the experience like I should have. I should have studied abroad. I should have worked with more programs in the Oxford (Ohio not the UK; I'm not that smart) community. I was very selfish with my time in college. Now that I have less time to share, I deeply regret that I didn't give more of myself in college.

Over the past two weeks I've met some amazing, engaged college students who are fully embracing the college experience. I'm so jealous.

For the past two Tuesdays I haven't reported where my $10 went. The first Tuesday I gave it to Elmhurst College's Global Poverty Club. And the second Tuesday I gave my $10 to UCAN at Wingate University which focuses on community service and social awareness. It's groups like this that I should have taken advantage of when I was in school because a weekend volunteering is more memorable than a weekend playing Madden on Playstation.

This week I'm doing something a little different with my $10. I'm buying Abraham Veghese's My Own Country. I'll read it, and then pass it on to a college student.

Man vs. Skunk: Round 2 The Backyard Showdown

10 PM. The air is cool and crisp. It's one of those September days where the daytime is summer and the evening fall.

It's rare to knock on the front door of your own house, and at such an hour. But I do. It's even rarer to be knocking on your front door wearing only underwear. But I am.

Yesterday morning we awoke to the smell of skunk. I'm rather adverse to the smell. Not that anyone enjoys the smell besides my aunt, but the musky rank stank of skunk turns my stomach and gives me...

The Art of Thank You

I take criticism better than I take praise. This is something I need to work on.

The past two weeks I've visited with three universities (Elmhurst College, Pfeiffer University, Wingate University) that have used Where Am I Wearing in their common reading programs. More than once after being introduced I stepped to the mic and said something like, "I need you to introduce me to my wife and daughter each time I walk in my house."

I reward a very thoughtful introduction with an attempt to...

To the Art of the Matter at MRHS

I had a grand 'ol time speaking with students at Marvin Ridge High School today south of Charlotte.

Where Am I Wearing? was selected for their community reading program and a good portion of today was dedicated to exploring the subjects I write about in the book.

They kicked off the day with a screening of the documentary China Blue which follows a few factory girls at a factory in China. The film had some amazing scenes and I'm so jealous of the access the crew got into the factory. The ...