Comments on: A Question from an email http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/ +++++++ a harmony of prayer & play composed for a rapt audience of [chirp] +++++++ Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:25:50 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: BBM http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/comment-page-1/#comment-245 BBM Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:21:08 +0000 http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/#comment-245 Hello again, Thomas. My daughter thought the idea for posters was a good one. I tried to interest local schools and a Montessori school in the book. My mom was such a popular children's poet in her day, and my first activity book based on her poems did so well, I'm baffled. Haven't figured out yet how to go about using Creative Commons but have a note to myself to try that, too. Thanks again for your thoughtful suggestions. And thank you, too, Rhapsody, for all your kindnesses. Ernestine's daughter Ernestine's daughter Barbara Hello again, Thomas. My daughter thought the idea for posters was a good one. I tried to interest local schools and a Montessori school in the book. My mom was such a popular children’s poet in her day, and my first activity book based on her poems did so well, I’m baffled. Haven’t figured out yet how to go about using Creative Commons but have a note to myself to try that, too.
Thanks again for your thoughtful suggestions.
And thank you, too, Rhapsody, for all your kindnesses.
Ernestine’s daughter
Ernestine’s daughter Barbara

]]> By: Barbara http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/comment-page-1/#comment-240 Barbara Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:10:32 +0000 http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/#comment-240 Thomas, you are a dear to spend so much time trying to help me with the book of poems by my mom and the exercises that go with them. I will share this with my daughter, the BU psychology professor, and see what her reaction is. BBM Thomas, you are a dear to spend so much time trying to help me with the book of poems by my mom and the exercises that go with them. I will share this with my daughter, the BU psychology professor, and see what her reaction is.
BBM

]]> By: ThomasLB http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/comment-page-1/#comment-239 ThomasLB Sun, 14 Oct 2007 11:29:07 +0000 http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/#comment-239 Barbara- I appreciate the offer, but this year my sister is teaching math to older students, so I'm not sure there would be much of an opportunity for her to read poetry. Grasping at straws here, maybe instead of books you could sell posters. I'm looking at the "Luke the Duke" poem, and it would be pretty easy to surround it with spooky images that a teacher could hang on her wall. You might make a little off the posters, but more importantly, it would have your name at the bottom- and that could lead to book sales. You might consider releasing a few of your poems under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/" rel="nofollow">Creative Commons</a> license. That way, people would be free to post your poem as long as they gave attribution. You'd lose income from the poem, of course, but might make up for it when people go looking for your books. It might also payoff to place a few banner ads on websites that cater to teachers and home-schoolers. I'm realy just thinking out loud. I think your poems are wonderful, and I'm as baffled as you are about why they aren't selling. ~Thomas Barbara-

I appreciate the offer, but this year my sister is teaching math to older students, so I’m not sure there would be much of an opportunity for her to read poetry.

Grasping at straws here, maybe instead of books you could sell posters. I’m looking at the “Luke the Duke” poem, and it would be pretty easy to surround it with spooky images that a teacher could hang on her wall. You might make a little off the posters, but more importantly, it would have your name at the bottom- and that could lead to book sales.

You might consider releasing a few of your poems under a Creative Commons license. That way, people would be free to post your poem as long as they gave attribution. You’d lose income from the poem, of course, but might make up for it when people go looking for your books.

It might also payoff to place a few banner ads on websites that cater to teachers and home-schoolers.

I’m realy just thinking out loud. I think your poems are wonderful, and I’m as baffled as you are about why they aren’t selling.

~Thomas

]]> By: Barbara http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/comment-page-1/#comment-238 Barbara Sun, 14 Oct 2007 00:17:38 +0000 http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/#comment-238 Hi Thomas, How right you are in your ideas about what SHOULD have happened with this "Poetry Primer for Pre-Schoolers through Second Grade." The publishers, Humanics Learning, were fully expecting, as was I, that the book would have national appeal. I know they brought copies of Read Me a Rhyme, Please to a big convention last fall, and it was advertised in a New Books for Children catalogue, but for some mysterious reason, it just hasn't sold. My first activity book based on Ernestine's poems, Poetry with a Purpose, sold over 22,000 copies, after which I lost track. I will gladly mail a copy of the latest book both to you and and your sister, perhaps in care of her school. I truly long to know what went wrong. With gratitude for your interest, Barbara Hi Thomas,

How right you are in your ideas about what SHOULD have happened with this “Poetry Primer for Pre-Schoolers through Second Grade.” The publishers, Humanics Learning, were fully expecting, as was I, that the book would have national appeal. I know they brought copies of Read Me a Rhyme, Please to a big convention last fall, and it was advertised in a New Books for Children catalogue, but for some mysterious reason, it just hasn’t sold. My first activity book based on Ernestine’s poems, Poetry with a Purpose, sold over 22,000 copies, after which I lost track. I will gladly mail a copy of the latest book both to you and and your sister, perhaps in care of her school. I truly long to know what went wrong.
With gratitude for your interest,
Barbara

]]> By: rhapsody http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/comment-page-1/#comment-237 rhapsody Sat, 13 Oct 2007 21:06:07 +0000 http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/#comment-237 Thank you Thomas - I heartily agree with you... & will pass along your comment to Barbara, who I am sure will greatly appreciate you having taken the time to write! Thank you Thomas – I heartily agree with you…

& will pass along your comment to Barbara, who I am sure will greatly appreciate you having taken the time to write!

]]> By: ThomasLB http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/comment-page-1/#comment-236 ThomasLB Sat, 13 Oct 2007 20:33:34 +0000 http://rhapsodyenbleuclair.stblogs.com/2007/10/13/a-question-from-an-email/#comment-236 Is the book being advertised where teachers and parents can see it? I know my sister (the teacher) read her class one of the poems published in the blog, and the kids loved it. If the book were made available to schools, maybe there's an opportunity for some grass-roots marketing: teachers will read to the kids, kids will ask for the book, and parents will buy them. Is the book being advertised where teachers and parents can see it?

I know my sister (the teacher) read her class one of the poems published in the blog, and the kids loved it. If the book were made available to schools, maybe there’s an opportunity for some grass-roots marketing: teachers will read to the kids, kids will ask for the book, and parents will buy them.

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