Sold four books – none at the café. (Not even a notable book-related conversation there.)
On a morning walk, my philosopher emeritus neighbor, who was on his way out when I passed, said “I’ve got something for you” and ducked back inside to emerge with an already made-out check for a “Fully Armed” and a “Lollipop.”
The very next day, Pay Pal notified me that a fellow in Toronto had purchased a “Lollipop” and a “Schiz.” (Attempts to learn more about him – including his mailing address – have, so far, proved unsuccessful.)
In other news…
1.) The publication of “The Ship of Theseus” in FOM (See blog of a couple days ago) has produced shock and awe. The “shock” was the absence of my name from the list of those who had authored pieces in it. (The editor has apologized for this oversight but not before I had worried some system of analytics had identified “Bob Levin” as generating a reduction – rather than an addition – of “clicks.”)
The “awe” came from the splendiferousness of a couple of reader reactions, especially since my FB “friends” had only managed two “Like”s and my blog readers one “beautiful” – and that from a close relative. The first FOM reader, a musician with whom I have developed an ongoing correspondence, wrote 35 lines of praise, ending with “Great…” The second, an eminent writer-about-rock/blues with whom I have no relationship whatsoever, praised the piece as “straightforward, eloquent, casual and honest.” Nice stuff – and a tonic for my always shaky self-esteem – even though, due to my name’s absence, he directed his praise to someone else.
2.) I’ve been casting about for what to do next. Here are some possibilities:
a.) Trying to interest my former publisher in a second collection of my comix-related pieces. It took a decade, but my first one seems to have sold out, and since graphic works appear to warrant more attention now than back in my day, it may be, like an agent said to me 20-years ago, “What’d you say your name was again? Bob, your time has come.”
b.) An editor – two actually (but at the same company) – has asked me to write about a new book by a cartoonist of whom I know only slightly more than I did about the last cartoonist I wrote about. Lack of knowledge does not seem to be a bar and what they say about this book wraps it in controversy sufficiently for me to spring for a copy ($25/used).
c.) After “Theseus,” I wondered how much I’d written about Dylan. The answer was nine articles, four blogs, 20,000 words. Now assembled into a file, it has a title: “ Bob on Bob.” I’m lining up a cover. My editor/formatter guy is on board. Now if I can bring it in so I lose less than $500…
So many Bob Levins on the Internet; I'm the Bob Levin who writes.