Putting My Money Where My Words… Is. (Donating profits from book sales to DNC to help elect DEMOCRATS)
I decided overnight to donate the profits (whatever profit there may be, that is) from the sale of my book “Unzipping the Mitt and Other Scary Tales of Right Wing Madness from the First Quarter of 2012” to the Democratic National Committee to be used to help fund the reelection of President Barack Obama and Democrats across the board.
The purchase price is $10. For each $10 book I sell from the CreateSpace store, the $5.64 that would have gone into my pocket will go to the DNC. Each $10 paperback I sell through Amazon means $3.64 for the DNC.
So, why am I doing this?
Three words.
RE COG NITION!
I am trying to balance things out a little. There is so much hatred on the Internet. I am a proud writer for examiner.com. But there are damn few liberal or progressive writers in the top 200. In fact, I’m the top liberal and I’m at #74. Our top political writer is someone whose every column — and he writes three or four a day (as do I) — is devoted to stoking up racial hatred. He constantly writes hate screeds that play into the “white victimization” so prevalent in the RWNJ community. He has written more articles about “the dangers to White America” presented by the New Black Panthers than there are members of the New Black Panthers. And he lies. He publishes stories that are not true. When I have personally told this writer, with verification, that his stories are not only slanted (which is fine) but factually untrue, he ignores me and doubles down by repeating the lie in subsequent stories. I have been working for his dismissal from examiner.com but I fear I have few allies in that effort.
If I can sell a few of these books, perhaps I can be taken more seriously as a writer. After writing 14 self-published books and 9 self-published Kindle books, maybe if I can demonstrate to an agent or a publisher that I write a marketable product, then I might be able to get someone to take me seriously and I can provide a balance against the right wing hatred.
In 2010 and 2011, I tried to raise money for the National Parkinson Foundation by trying to sell a book I wrote about my own experience with the disease. Between useless press releases and other money out of my own pocket, I spent around $800 to sell $200 worth of books. I tried to get representation and legitimate publication only to be told nobody wanted to read about such a depressing disease, even when written about in an upbeat, humorous, sardonic style.
I know I’m running out of time.
I have been struggling with this exquisite little inconvenience for more than 12 years now. I have already retired from my job as a writer/editor with the National Institutes of Health because I can barely walk without assistance, can no longer drive or handle the commute. And I’m beginning to notice the subtle onset of Parkinson’s disease dementia. My proofreading skills are slipping noticeably. And I have more than once found myself reaching for the aftershave when I want the mouthwash. (Believe me, grabbing the Preparation H when you want the toothpaste is a mistake you ONLY want to make once.)
So, it is my desire to be taken seriously while I still have a few working neurons strung together.
Please forgive this blatant, shameless self plug, and be aware that I will not make a nickel from the sale of “Unzipping the Mitt.” I have already written to the DNC to see if we can’t work out some sort of deal where THEY sell the book, but I won’t be surprised if I don’t hear back from them. After all, they have no idea who I am and why should they?
And why should you? You don’t know me. For all you know, I’ll pocket the money.
Do me a favor. Read some of my columns here. And here. And here. If you still think I’m not serious about donating to the DNC, then thanks and move along.
So, I will sell my book. I will send every royalty check for this book to the DNC and hope they put it to good use.
And, I will hope that if you like this book, you might like one of the other political books I’ve written that you can find here. Or maybe, you might even try reading one of my books about Parkinson’s disease.
At any rate, I ain’t gonna go quietly. Thank you for your time, and please… take a peek “inside the book” here… but remember, you gotta get it from CreateSpace for the biggest bang for the buck. It’s $10 no matter where you buy it. ($4 for the Kindle, and I think I get a buck and change for each one of those — also to be donated to the DNC.) But CreateSpace gives the biggest royalty, therefore the biggest donation.