"Well, maybe I will publish my own book . . ."

A potential author called the other day.

"If you the publisher sells X copies of my book, I will earn about $Y and you will earn $Z. That is simply unfair."

"That is gross dollars, with no guarantee after putting up the price of a car on what is essentially a bet," I replied. "How is that unfair?"

"You publishers do alright," he continued. "I am thinking maybe I should just publish my own book."

I chuckled (silently). "Certainly you can do that, and for some authors it works out fine. For most, it does not," I answered as gently as possible while lighting an expensive Cuban cigar with a Ben Franklin. And then I explained to him what he will have to do if he does not want to store a garage full of books for the next decade. "And of course," I concluded, "you can do all these things and still have a garage full of books--and no money."

The graphic (below) is a good illustration of what I tried to explain to him. If they only knew. No one gets into the publishing business for money. It is a virus. And there is no real cure.

"Ah, OK, I see what you mean," he replied. "Can you explain all this in an email for me?"

"No," I answered. "I think you get the point. Good luck."

--tps

Giants Whip Phillies 3-0

"What are you doing this coming Tuesday?" Frank inquired last Friday when he called

"Tuesday evening?" I asked. When Frank comes into town from wine country, it is usually to take me out for dinner.

Photo: [Ted Savas (left) and Frank Gaynor (right)]


"No. During the day."

"Ah . . . working?" I answered. He knows we have lots of books to publish. As he is fond of telling me, his kids need shoes. By now Imelda Marcos would feel comfortable at his house.

"Can you meet me in San Francisco?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Really?"

"Yes. 1:30 afternoon game."

"I'm in!"

I didn't ask about the seats because I already knew. Frank has seats on the third base line, not far from the Giants dugout, four rows off the field. Did I say you can hear the ball hit the glove during warm-ups? No? You can hear the ball hit the glove during warm-ups.

(I was smart enough to remember to ask Mrs. Savas, and she said "absolutely go!" I then added, "Will I pay for this later?" She assured me the answer was "no." We'll see . . .)

Frank is the notorious Frank "Jesse James" Gaynor, the West Coast sales rep for McNaughton and Gunn in Michigan, our book printer of choice for most of our titles. We have been working together for about 17 years. Frank is a great guy who likes his beer cold and his baseball orange and black. We have a standing joke between us: He has met my wife Carol on several occasions and has spent a night or two at our home. I have yet to meet his wife. He really does have one, or so he has been assuring me for nearly two decades. He likes to tease that  he really doesn't have a wife, and merely lets the air out of his doll and puts her in the closet at night. (He needs to get out more.)

But I digress.

M cousin Ray was considering going down for the game, and he bought a couple tickets on Stub Hub in another section. We drove down together with Ray, Ray's associate Ron, and Ron's significant other Katy so we could use the diamond lane. Traffic was light, the day was 73 and sunny, and just perfect for baseball. Matt Cain was on the mound and we were home after splitting with the Phillies. What more could a guy want?

Cain was darn near flawless. It was more of a pitching duel than anything, and the Giants went up 2 games to 1 over the bat-less Phillies at AT&T Park with a 3-0 victory. The beer was cold, the garlic fries were perfect, and the Giants are leading the Phillies.

It wasn't a night out with Slash but it was a darn near perfect day. (But Sarah did just tell me Slash is playing with Ozzy in February 2011 in San Jose . . . hmmm.)

Still digressing. . . must the 10 buck beers.

Thanks Frank.

--tps

(Sorry Eric W.)

My Son DT at the Slash Concert.

Since one of you long-term GNR and Slash fans doubted DT got that close to Slash and we could come and go as we pleased . . . here you go. Yep, right there at the front, snapped by his friend Kyle.

(Love those Ronnie James Dio "rock horns," DT.)

--Pops

Slash was amazing--front row

Let's just say this. The boys got in front, where I watched the first three songs five feet from the Slash man, and then went back to our table so my brother could do the same. At the end of the show, Slash handed his pick to my son, who also ended up with the bassist's pick. (He gave that to his cousin Nikkos. Slash is Nikkos' musical idol, so I expect by Christmas the $30.00 bucks he offered DT for Slash's pick will be north of a hundred. LOL) Kyle, a bassist in Nikkos' band JAXX, ended up with a drumstick which was signed and imprinted with "SLASH."

The picture here was snapped from my blackberry on the first song (Kill the Ghost). You can see we were within arm's reach. Haven't been this close to a major act since Rush at Arnold's Park in Iowa in 1975. Two hours and 10 minute set, 22 songs, and was just wonderful in an intimate venue. Could not have been better, and was easily as good as the Slash concert five weeks ago at the Warfield in San Francisco.

Thanks Slashman. You are a true virtuoso, and your recorded music does not begin to do you justice. On the stage you are simply in another world.

--tps

Live at Reno: Slash

We are waiting for the concert to begin. The boys are at the front at the railing directly in front of where Slash will be! They are pumped! My brother and I are 30 feet back at a table, complete with a table
cloth and gin and tonics! Bad City is set to open in 10 minutes. This should be spectacular! Hooah!

--tps

OT: Tonight in Reno--SLASH

Picking up my son DT at school at 1:00 p.m., running home to change, meeting up with my brother Anthony, his son Nikkos, and Nikkos' bass player Kyle, and running up to Reno (about 2 hours up Interstate 80) to the Grand Sierra Casino . The Grand Theatre is small (1,800) with horseshoe booths, etc. Will be a wonderful show.

Click on the following link to read a write-up of the last Slash concert (and great pic of Nikkos playing his Les Paul in the battle of the bands): Slash at the Warfield: The Best Live Guitarist Ever?

(Might not be recovered until Saturday, though.)

--tps

Above: Vocalist Myles Kennedy (left) and Saul Hudson (aka Slash)