|
sunday, september 26, 2010
Jolt: a rural noir--Booksignings by Roberta M Roy--October 2010Well, the fruits of Alva's labors begin to mature and from them issues
a small, but rather special calendar of book signings for October. As this was Alva's first sallie into arranging
for an author to offer live publicity for a book--in this case, Jolt: a rural noir--all I can say is, "Not
bad."
That said, the Alva Press, Inc., book signing calendar for Roberta M. Roy, author of Jolt:
a rural noir, for October is as follows:
Saturday, October 9: The
Rug Garden Columbus Day Weekend Event in Rhinebeck, New York, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m
Thursday,
October 21: Long Distance Interactive Discussion with the Vergennes Book Club
in Vergennes, Vermont, 4:30 - 6:00 p. m.
Saturday, October 23: Local Author
Day at Barnes and Noble in Poughkeepsie, New York
Wednesday, October 27: Cafe Bocca in Poughkeepsie, New York,
4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
For links and addresses for all of the above, please check our home page.
Roberta
in Po-Town, Perkin'
monday, september 20, 2010
BooksigningsToday I found the courage to make the rounds of two bistros, a store specializing
in rugs--my sister W arranged that contact, two public libraries, and a bookstore to solicit opportunities for booksignings
in October. Next I called another two smaller bookstores, for one of which I had the incorrect number. The score
at this time is that the carpet store and one bistro gave me specific dates for which I only need call back and
confirm when my list is more complete. The smallest of the bookstores does not have signings. Everyone was very pleasant and
those who could not reply definitely will call me back after they have discussed the matter with those in charge.
But the day was lovely and despite my earlier dread of the effort, by the time I'd done, any thoughts of work and
drudgery had fled. So, in sum, I had a good time and when I know, I'll let you know what comes of the effort. Then
once the calendar is set, it will be time to notify the local papers and cook up some visually attractive announcements
for use at the sites.
Meantime, I have not figure out definitively from whom Alva Press should request tax
exempt numbers and from whom Alva need not. I imagine that where the establishments will sell the books themselves, Alva will
need their Tax Identification Number as their copies of Jolt: a rural noir would be for resale. But, if an organization
is non-profit, then they could keep, give away, or resell Jolt, as long as they gave Alva a tax
exempt number. So it is probably only for those who purchase a copy or copies for their own personal use directly
from Alva Press, Inc., that I will have to collect sales tax.
Tomorrow I'll call Sheila. She's my accountant
and ask her, but right now I am going out to buy a laminated calendar so I can keep track of appointments and changes in them.
And maybe I'll look at webcams.
RMR in Po-Town, Toddlin'
7:45 pm edt
saturday, september 18, 2010
Beaming Down on Vergennes, VTLeave it to my friend Kara to come up with the idea that as I can't make it
on a weekday to Vergennes, Vermont, to participate in their book club's discussion of Jolt: a rural noir, perhaps
we could do it by webcam--definitely an idea I'd like to try. The trick is, of course, to set it up. But we have until October
so I think it is doable.
Kara's suggestion that I use a webcam reminds me of the days when I did my own closed-circuit
television show in the public schools ofYorktown Heights, New York. At that time Ed Russo was principal and he thought it
would be a good idea if I were to do eartraining for phonics with kindergarteners and first graders using closed-circuit
television. And as I'm usually up for anything that has to do with fun, speech-language pathology, andor performance,
I took it on for what amounted to a show a week for the semester.
The star of my show was Wilhamina Worm, a hand
puppet I had made of a soft gray material; she wore a blue checkered skirt. And someplace, she still exists in the
boxes I have in storage--just never found the wherewithal to toss her.
As Wilhamina was similar to a sock
puppet, I could make her mouth form differently-shaped sounds that she and I would discuss and debate. /m/ for instance, could
not be well-made unless one closed ones lips. /ou/ required an open mouth. And so despite Wilhamina's inability to demonstrate
how one had to lift the tongue-tip to form the /l/, it went well; the kids loved her and some of the youngest believed
she a real live talking worm.
But I suppose kids were not so TV-savey in those days and the whole mirage
was supported by the advantage that ventriloquism on television offered no way for them to determine the direction
from which the voice came and I got to be pretty good at talking with my teeth clamped together, my lips lax.
Gotta'run. Lookin' for a webcam.
RMR (See ya' on TV)
thursday, september 9, 2010
Kate Knapp Johnson's Release ReceivedPublishing: Kate Knapp Johnson's release for the use of her comment on
the scope and beauty of Kristen Henderson's book of poems, Drum Machine arrived today. Johnson's the writer poet
who heads the MFA Program at Sarah Lawrence and authored This Perfect Life, Wind Somewhere, Shade,
and When Orchids Were Flowers. (Which means we're one step closer to publication of Drum Machine.)
Kate Knapp Johnson's books are available on Amazon.com. For a sample of three of her poems, you can click on http://pages.slc.edu/~eraymond/ccorner/johnson.html
Now for receipt of Henderson's Drum Machine's copyright registration. So it can go to press!
Observation:
From where I stand, it seems life moves slowly in the world of independent small publishers--or at least it does
here at Alva.
Book Signings: Efforts are underway to set up a small book tour here in the Mid Hudson
Valley for Roberta M Roy to do book signings of Jolt: a rural noir.
More anon.
Roberta in Po-Town,
Glidin' with the breeze
7:53 pm edt
|
