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Time Out for a Commercial

6 Comments

Okay, time out from my political rant for a commercial break. Many of you who follow me here have read “the book.” Yes, I am talking about my humble approach to become a writer, the title of which is the  name of this blog. However, for those who simply stumbled onto this site you may not know of the book, let alone having read it.

So if you will beg my pardon I thought I’d throw in a short commercial break, I mean, damn it’s my blog right? LOL 

BTW, that’s 2nd LT Bathurst standing in front of the world famous Marine Corps Silent Drill Team at Marine Barracks, 8th&I Streets, SE, Washington, D.C. which was his OCS and TBS

The book is a print on demand, which means I paid to have it printed through a POD publisher (IUniverse), and while it was costly, they provide nothing, no marketing, advertising, etc. Oh, they’ll do that, but at a significant cost. I bit into their BS the first year and bought a few  of their packages, but never once could I point to a sale and say it came from their marketing.  For any future authors on here, I would not recommend a POD publisher, especially IUniverse. 

It comes in soft cover (not a paperback, but better), eBook, and hardcover.  IUniverse did an outstanding job on the cover based on my stern guidance. It is a beautiful book. I had no voice on the prices except on the eBook, it was the publisher’s call based solely on page count, and it’s a big book (564 pages including numerous  pages of photographs). The list price is $42.95, $38.95 for the soft cover, and the eBook is $7.95.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble and few other online book stores sell all three at the list prices, plus shipping in most cases. I do sell the hard cover, but bear in mind I do not get the same deal from the publisher as do the online book stores, I’m only the author! UGH!

Okay, here’s my deal, I have recouped my initial printing costs; therefore, it is no longer a money thing to me, I simply want folks to read it and hopefully enjoy it.  I sell the hard cover personally inscribed anyway you want it, signed, and dated for $35.00. And if you are a Marine, or if it is for a Marine, I will eat the postage myself. Truth be known, for every book I sell to a Marine I lose $0.63! 

Personally, I believe it makes a great gift for a birthday, Christmas, or any special occasion, especially for a Marine, who I guarantee will enjoy it and rekindle many fond (and maybe not so fond LOL) memories of his/her time on active duty.

You can go to Amazon and Barnes & Noble and read all the reviews. I have even included some here on the website. Please click on “About the Book, About the Author, and About the Editor, as well as peek inside the book for selected pages, If you would like to order a book, simply go to “Buy The Book,” fill out the form, and submit it. Your message will come to me and I will contact you with details.

Okay, the commercial break is over, now back to the liberal BS we’re having to put up with in today’s rabid society.

Originally posted 2019-11-09 10:02:42.

Current Events

Merry Christmas Gang!

8 Comments

Greetings Friends and Patriots. Firstly, I cannot believe the number hits and your superb comments to My Open Letter to CMC Berger. It certainly has caused a firestorm, with several retired generals weighing in and even a former CMC through private communications. As expected even some active duty Marines weighing supporting Berger, which can be expected as they have been infected with his alien thoughts and had not truly learned our traditional values yet, or simply don not care.  I was surprised by the small number of negative comments (only 2) telling me I was full of it and just some old fart that thinks the “Old Corps” was the best. I did post their comments for everyone to have their shot. The count as I write this post is well over 12,000 hits and counting.

The one shocker for me personally was (is) the number of book inquiries I received (>40). I am having trouble keeping up with them, I mean I don’t have a secretary. LOL But I try my best to inscribe, sign, package so the USPS don’t destroy them, and mail them the same day I receive payment. I still have about ten in my files who inquired about the book but have not heard back from or told me they were sending checks. I thank you very much for this, as it was an unexpected result of the letter. As most of you know this book thing is not a business for me, I only make a couple of dollars off each sale since iUniverse did not give me the same discount they gave the online guys like Amazon who sold the book at a ridiculous price—I mean I’m only the damn author. Over the years I have recouped the enormous cost iUniverse charged me to print it, so now I just want folks to read it, especially my Marine brothers. And as you know, I eat the postage for any Veteran, regardless of service connection. If you’ve not read it—shame of you!

My bride, Nancy, our two Siberian cats, our dog Edgar, and I will depart tomorrow in the RV and head to MD (Brrr) to visit kids and grandkids for Christmas, then down to NC to see my only sibling, my sister, who just turned 89. So it is doubtful I will be posting anything for a week or so. Can you handle that?. Some are probably saying, thank goodness. LOL.

What this means for those of you sending checks for a book, I won’t get them until I return about 2 January. I apologize, but Grandma has to see the grandkids on Christmas, and so do I. I hope you understand. You can continue to send Book requests as I will have Wifi once I arrive in MD. Enroute to and fro is questionable.

I have been watching the furor, and reading message traffic of the latest Corps Woke-news. I speak of changing the SNCO promotion warrant. WOW. Haven’t seen a picture of it yet, but did listen to SgtMaj Black recite it. Sounded like it needs to be two pages long. I guess the senior SNCO’s who formed the committee, didn’t like their warrants—interesting, I loved and still cherish mine! I am certain the committee was stacked accordingly, otherwise why have it? I guess those of us who were promoted to SNCO using that old warrant just didn’t get it, so they need to spell it out for a third grader, or was promoted before he/she learned anything about leadership. I may have come out with something about it.

Anyway, my sincere wish to my followers is that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and that the new year brings you much happiness and joy!

Semper Fidelis

Jim Bathurst

USMC (Ret)