Adventures in Marketing: Weeks 357 – 359

Adventures in Marketing: Weeks 357 – 359
Sold one book – gave three away.
The buyer was a young woman from Brazil with a nose ring who worked at Lawrence Berkeley Labs as a researcher in photosynthesis. She picked up IWKYA, and I told her what it was about, but that didn’t seem to register until she read the back cover. “This is you?” “Yup,” I said. “Want to see my scar?”
The purchase became a problem. She had no cash and could only pay through her phone which was beyond me technically and intellectually. I offered Square as an option but she seemed unfamiliar with that. I had already signed the book to her – her name being the same as my cardiologist’s, except with a “Z” – so I let her take it and said she should leave money with the barista next time she was in. Which she did.
(Which reminds me, my niece still hasn’t sent the $10 she owes. I know from the movies not to leave money walking around on the street. I may have to call Guido on her.)

The gifts were, in order of occurrence, (1) “Cheesesteak” to a girl I dated the summer after high school, with whom I re-connected via FB; (2) “Best Ride” to a basketball-savvy folkie at the café in appreciation for the CDs and songs he has given me; (3) “Outlaws, Rebels…” to a cartoonist in Vancouver whom I interviewed in connection with an article I am writing about her.

In other news…
This article comes amidst a stream of comics-related work I have been asked to do. One is waiting to go up at tcj.com and two more are promised for the next couple months. (Additionally, “Outlaws” publisher says he is game for a collection of my subsequent work – and is reviewing my m.s. as we speak.) It seems that, at nearly 81, I have reached the point, at least within this field, where I am hot. A grand old man of the genre, so to speak.
I am pleased – and amused. This was not on the program when I sat down in Creative Writing 101a. Yet, looking back, I can see how I got here. I took this step, which led to that step, which led to… With friends dropping off the planet, right and left – two from my freshman dorm within 30 days – this appears to be the mark I will leave in the sand.
“The creator has a master plan.” Pharoah Sanders said that.