Gettysburg Poll Closed

The results were interesting.

QUESTION: If you had one day to visit Gettysburg, and could only visit one area of the park, what would you see?

Day 1: West of Gettysburg: 5 (15%)

Day 1: Oak Hill and north of Gettysburg: 2 (6%)

Day 2: Culp's and Cemetery hills: 5 (15%)

Day 2: Longstreet approach/Peach Orchard-Wheatfield area: 10 (30%)

Day 2: Little Round Top: 5 (15%)

Day 3: Pickett's Charge: 5 (15%)

Day 3: East Cavalry Field: 1 (3%)

Other: 0 (0%)

By a two-to-one margin, the choice was the fighting on the left end of the Union line (Longstreet's approach, Peach Orchard, stony Hill, Rose Farm, Wheatfield, et. al.), with 10 of the 33 votes (30%). Three other locations tied for second with 5 votes each (15%).

Reading question (think about this for a moment): Does how you answered reflect your reading habits? For example, if your answer was "Pickett's Charge," is that also your favorite topic to read about at Gettysburg?

One other question: What are your three favorite books on Gettysburg? If you could only have three in your library, what would they be, and why?

Thanks for participating.

--tps

Gettysburg and Visiting the Field

Having recently returned from Gettysburg (and since I will be there again for at least one day in early June), I have had the opportunity to discuss with many people what they enjoy about visiting that expansive, beautiful park. Everyone seems to have a favorite destination within the park. I know I do.

Hence my question, posed on the left. Think about it, and select your favorite area of the field to visit.

Does it correspond to what you pick up to read?

Hmm.

--tps

Back from Gettysburg and DC

Being away for a week is a long time, especially when running a business. This week, however, flew past and as the final day dawned, I can honestly say we were not ready to return.

[Caption: Author William Frassanito and DT Savas discuss one of Bill's books. DT talked with the Gettysburg legend for 90 minutes, and both seemed to enjoy it. Note that D.T. is actually leaning on Bill's arm as he listens intently. I read Bill's Antietam book when I was just a few years older than DT, so it was a little odd watching him talk with Bill so many years later.)

Thankfully, I was able to meet many of our authors, business owners, and customers, scout out possible new topics for books, and investigate new outlets for selling our titles.

In Gettysburg, my son (DT, 13) and I met up with J.D. Petruzzi and Steven Stanley (authors of the soon-to-be-released The Complete Guide to Gettysburg), and a short time later linked up with Silent Sentinels author George Newton, who helped navigate a brief tour from the Reynolds' wounding monument north to the Railroad Cut. Although the weather was terrible (cold, rainy, and very windy), the RR cut caught DT's attention. He really enjoyed George's talk, and even ventured down into the cut and walked around. George stayed on the bridge, yelling information down into the cut while DT walked around, shouted questions back, and seemed to have a mini-epiphany. On Oak Hill, DT joined another group and listened intently to the discussion as we adults were encouraging him to hurry back to the car!

Later that night we met up with Jim Hessler, author of the forthcoming Sickles at Gettysburg (July 1, 2009). John Hoptak, a ranger at Antietam who happens to live in Gettysburg joined us. John and I are working up a book on Antietam commanders. It promises to be quite interesting. He has also graciously agreed to help JD and Steve on their next project (Guide to Antietam, similar to the Gettysburg guide). As I discussed in an earlier post, I had never met any of these fellows, so it was very enjoyable to do so.

The story of our evening at the Reliance saloon has already been making the rounds, and you can read about it on JD's post here.



[Caption: L to R: Dwayne Siskey, J.D. Petruzzi, Jim Glessner, Jim Hessler, Steve Stanley, Ted Savas, John Hoptak. In front: DT Savas. The fetching Mrs. Savas had to be convinced that the beer bottle was empty. Was it?]

The tour of the field the next day by local David Moore and his wife Carol (in company with JD) was very interesting. The tree cutting has substantially improved the field, and the exposure of the Triangular Field / Devil's Den region was especially helpful to understanding the action. I had been to Gettysburg at least a dozen times before, but had never approached the town from the north, and had never been to Benner's Hill. Those vistas impressed upon me how foolish the Confederate position was: long exterior lines, weaker terrain). What were they thinking?

Although the weather was bad in Gettysburg that Saturday, we made it back in record time to DC to catch a game at the Navy Yard between the Nationals and Orioles. The weather was perfect, our seats were 15 rows behind the visitor's dugout, and the game was exciting, with a Nationals 6-5 win.

A highlight of DC was an Italian dinner with Brad Gottfried (author of Maps of Gettysburg and forthcoming (next month) Maps of First Bull Run and his new wife Linda. Both are wonderful, gracious people and it was such a pleasure to meet them.

Later in the week, DT and I visited Arlington Cemetery (I might post on that), and took a short metro ride up to Roslyn to meet with Dimitri Rotov. We had a nice dinner and some great discussions about . . well, you can imagine. His blog is always fascinating; he is even more fun in person.

Thanks to everyone for making the trip a wonderful experience.

--tps

Trip to DC Area

I will be heading to the DC area Thursday, April 2, for seven days of business and pleasure (which for me, mix well). Accompanying me will be my Watson--D.T. (Demetrious Theodore) Savas. Now 13, when he was 11 he joined me for a trip to Mammoth Cave and Shiloh, where we unveiled the Cunningham/Joiner/Smith Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862. It was his first battlefield; he was not impressed. He was, though, only 11.

One of the requirements for joining me on this trip over spring break was that he read Killer Angels to prepare for our day at Gettysburg. He is only 20% into the book. Thus far he is not impressed. (Sigh)

I am excited that we will be joined in Gettysburg by J.D. Petruzzi and Steven Stanley (authors of the soon-to-be-released The Complete Guide to Gettysburg (May 22), as well as Silent Sentinels author George Newton, and soon-to-be-released author of Sickles at Gettysburg (later summer 2009), Jim Hessler. Since I have never met any of these guys, it will be good to put personalities and comraderie to the emails and voices. We will be spending some extra time on the Third Corps front, with Jim handling Sickles and George the artillery. Both are Licensed Battlefield Guides. I explained that to my son. He shrugged. He's 13, so . . .

The following night my son and I will be picking up a Washington Nationals/Baltimore Orioles game. We have (what I thought were ) good seats 12 rows behind the Visitor dugout. Since we have access to seats right on Third base line at Pac Bell Park for the Giants, my son asked whether we needed to purchase binoculars to see home plate. (Come to think of it, I might just leave him at home.)

I am also excited because I will finally get to meet Brad Gottfried, author of our Maps of Gettysburg and Maps of First Bull Run (May 22), and on another night thereafter, blog raconteur Dimitri Rotov.

There are several others I will be meeting (bookstore owners, etc.), but my time will be pulled in many directions, and I never get the opportunity to do as much or see as many people as I would like.

Update: My son just came down to tell me goodnight, and that . . . "Killer Angels is starting to get sort of interesting." He also recently watched a show on the Military Channel about Pickett's Charge. I told him we could walk it. He smiled, braces and all. There is a God in Heaven.

(No posts until after April 11.)

Stay well.

--tps

Publishing. Doing it Our Way

I had a fascinating call this morning from an author (not one of ours) who explained how frustrating it was to be an author.

We discussed how hard he had worked researching and writing his book, the difficulties he met along the way when nearly everyone told him to abandon his project because he (fill in the blank), the four years it took to find a publisher, and how quickly the book died and was in the remainder bin at WalMart. "I received a modest advance I will never earn out, and won't see another dime," he grumbled. "Once the contract was signed I rarely heard from the editor or marketing department again. They didn't want my ideas, did not want to support my efforts, and that was that. What an eye-opening experience."

What memories this call brought to mind. When I began publishing with David Woodbury in the very early 1990s, we heard the same thing from other publishers, some authors, and others more "in the know" than us. I won't name names because many who read these blogs will know them.

"You don't know the industry. Stick to your day jobs."

"This business will chew you up, and you can't make it a go."

"You want to include how many original maps in your books? [laughter]. You can't do that."

"You don't need to include all those maps and quality binding and paper. By the time people realize you used cheaper materials, the book will have sold through the first printing, and you will have already made your money."

All my life I listened (but almost never heeded) warnings, cautions, and "advice" from people who tried to steer me . . . AWAY . . . from potential success. When I was about to begin law school, a disgruntled 40-something told me to not waste my time and provided a host of excuses.

And I have learned the lesson: The sad truth is that most people do not want you to be successful, or at least more successful than they are.

I knew what I wanted, the kinds of books I wanted to publish, the types of authors I wanted to attract. I have never worked fewer than 55 hours a week in the last ten years, and have tirelessly driven around, under, and over obstacles others put in my path to prevent me from reaching my goals. As I tell my kids (and my students, and my authors), there is only one thing standing between you and your goal: YOU.

If you are an author (or whatever you do in your life), my advice is that you do not heed the doomsayers. Smile politely, push aside the roadblock, and move toward your goal. Surround yourself with people who are MORE successful than you are. Surround yourself with people who are successfully doing what you want to do.

I fondly recall the help I got from Bob Younger at Morningside and Tom Broadfoot of Broadfoot Publishing. I joined them at book shows, listened to their conversations, absorbed how they did business, and learned to avoid potential mistakes.

And the author I mentioned at the beginning of this post? Guess what he is doing?

That's right. He is finishing his next book and pressing forward.

That news plastered a giant smile on my formerly young and handsome face.

--tps

Atlas Shrugged is Coming True (OT)

Bloomburg columnist Caroline Baum hit the nail on the head in Obama Needs AIG’s Liddy, Not Other Way Around

She was probably writing this when I was jumping up from the dinner table last night while watching the news, yelling out the same thing.

See an earlier post here: If Only We had Published This Title . . .

Understand that I write this as a business owner very concerned about our general direction, and how it might impact my business, my employees, and what you will eventually read.

--tps

Getting Published (Manuscripts): Part 5 of 5

Previous entries in this thread include, in order:

Sorting Through Book Manuscripts. Part 1

Sorting Through (Unsolicited) Book Manuscripts. (Part 2 of 5)

Sorting Through (Unsolicited) Book Manuscripts (Part 2a of 5)

Speaking of (Potential) Authors (Part 2b of 5)

Getting Published (Manuscripts): Part 3 of 5

Refer back to the first post (above) and you will see I described the fourth way we obtain manuscripts as NETWORKED. To me, that means one of our authors (or a CFSB--Close Friend of Savas Beatie) recommends another's work, and either we follow up or we ask the author to follow up on our behalf.

(This is the second cousin of Developed," discussed in Part 3 of 5.)

As I am wont to do, let me follow up with a pair of recent examples.

Author Eric Wittenberg (Plenty of Blame to Go Around: Jeb Stuart's Controversial Ride to Gettysburg) and One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863, both Savas Beatie titles) recommended an outstanding battle history by Scott Patchan on Third Winchester (September 1864). Knowing Eric's eye for good material, and having had a long and friendly association with Scott Patchan stretching back to the mid-1990s, I agreed to take a look. The result is an executed contract, a manuscript that is essentially finished (and from what I have seen truly outstanding, as is all of Scott's work--and a tentative publication date of Spring 2010. Scott is widely recognized as one of the real experts on the 1864 war in the Shenandoah Valley, and we are very excited about bringing out his new work. Stay tuned for details.

Gary Moore, author of Playing with the Enemy, recommended a fascinating book that we are now ready to put into galley and release at the Osh Kosh, Wisconsin, international air show. The book, penned by Joseph Balzer, is called Flying Drunk: The True Story of a Northwest Airlines Flight, Three Drunk Pilots, and One Man's Search for Redemption (July 2009) [Website nearly finished]. Here is a New York Times article, Newsweek, Fortune Magazine, and the appellate transcript. Yes, THAT flight.

Mr. Balzer was the Flight Engineer when he was found, with two other pilots, to have flown drunk. Convicted, he was sent to Federal prison, where he endured a hell that is difficult to describe (although he does a marvelous job in his memoir). Broke, but not quite completely broken, Joe fought his way back to the top. He beat alcoholism (although he will be the first to tell you he is still an alcoholic) and is today one of American Airlines' senior pilots. Joe lectures around the country on the subject. We are more than pleased he selected us to publish his outstanding memoir.

How does this help you, the author? Think about it. The subject of the post is "Networked."

N-E-T-W-O-R-K-E-D.

Do you have a friend who is a published author with a good working relationship with an acquisitions editor? Assuming the house is a good fit, has he recommended your book? Have you asked? Do you know people who have close relationships with publishers that might be interested in publishing your book? Have you asked? Have you even thought about it? Do you KNOW people who might/would know people who . . .

Network. Powerful word, powerful tool. Power.

Publish.

Be well.

--tps