Shameless book plug

[Thomas]

Just got notified that my book "Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil: Historical Anecdotes and Recipes," Capra Press, Santa Barbara, is now being shipped by the publisher.

You can find it on Amazon.com and on BarnesandNoble.com

Sorry, but I need the money....

[Innkeeper]

Is is at Amazon now? Have a Father's Day gift certificate to squander. Did you use any particular nom de plume on this one?

[Thomas]

IK, Both Amazon and B&N have been taking orders for the book since early July, when it was originally scheduled to be released--I will not bore you with the details for the delay. On Amazon I was given the opportunity to describe the book a little.

I go by my name: Thomas Pellechia.

If you like my book, write an online review for Amazon--who knows, maybe there will be a nice wine waiting for you in NYC. Of course, if you find the book lacking or deplorable, please tell no one.

[winoweenie]

Foodie, Congrats! If I promise to drink a SW once a month will you autograph a copy for Moi? Winoweenie

[hotwine]

Congrats, Foodie! And best wishes!
Gil

[Innkeeper]

Well, it's on back order. Still had room on the gift certificate, and since Amazon isn't selling wine yet, used the balance on Tom Stevenson's "101 Wine Essentials."

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 08-03-2000).]

[tomstevenson]

Congratulations on the safe delivery of your bnewborn Foodie and thank you Innkeeper! Actually "101 Essential Wine Tips" has the dubious honour of being the only one of my books that Harvey Steiman trashed in the WINE SPECTATOR. It was back in 1997 and he wrote "It does not contain tips at all, but is a tired compendium of basic facts about wine that might make a chapter or two in a real wine book. It's not that the information is bad, it's just not very helpful. Give this one a miss."

I wrote to Harvey and told him that he's probably right, but I let the my publishers spin it off from odds and ends in my Sotheby's Encyclopedia strung together by relatively few original words because - and only because - it would be part of the top-selling 101 series. Until then I had shied away from writing a "wine primer" because they're so basic I knew that I would have nothing new to contribute. The 101 series, however, is not only a huge seller, but a substantial proportion of its readers collect them, whatever the subject. This, I thought, would at least get some basic wine knowledge across to masses of people who would never buy a wine book otherwise. It's not a truly huge seller, but it has done well, selling over 160,000 copies and translated into 14 languages. So my advice Foodie is to send your book to the WINE SPECTATOR and ask Harvey Steiman to trash it. You could be onto a winner! (To be fair Harvey has waxed lyrical about both my Sotherby's and Christie's encyclopedias and they've sold like hot-cakes.)
Tom

[Thomas]

Tom, you know that old saying: any press is good press, even if it's bad press. I definitely will send a copy to the Wine Expectorant.

Thanks IK for the order, if that is what you did. And WW, if you can swallow SW I certainly can learn to write my name inside a BC. I think you will sometimes find my wine and food recommendations in your camp, and you will sometimes think me nuts--same as on here (incidentally, I likely am nuts, I chose to be a freelance writer, when I could have been a garbage collector with benefits).

Now, about that next book....

[Bucko]

Who the !@#$% has time to read?!?!

Congrats to one and all -- writing a weekly wine column is an effort, a book is something I don't want to even think about.

I recently purchased Sotherby's encyclopedia. I guess I'll have to get Foodie's book now.

BrokeBucko

[chittychattykathy]

Now I feel guilty for thumbing through that Sotherby's encyclopedia for info when I'm at the book store, thinking to myself, " I should buy this someday". [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img] & I absolutely love garlic! Guess I now have two books that need to come home with me. Congrats to you Foodie!!!

[Thomas]

Thanks all.

Bucko, I know what you mean; I write two weekly columns, two monthly columns and any other freelance I can get, not to mention the two other books on which I am working.

I suppose my life will change immeasurably soon, when I open the wine shop in Manhattan next month. Who knows what will happen to my writing time!

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 08-04-2000).]

[winoweenie]

Heck-fire Foodie, You`ll have time to start 4 other books. All you have to do is hire a 6-buck-per-hr clerk with a masters` in oenology to wait on the person per hour coming in the store who can recommend all them marvie Reds.What a plan you fox you.Winoweenie

[hotwine]

Foodie, I just placed an order for a copy of your book with Amazon.com. It's still on back-order, expecting to ship in 1-2 weeks.
Gil

[Thomas]

Thanks Hotwine. I cannot imagine why it is on back order; the publisher says they have it in their warehouse. BarnesandNoble.com also claims to have it in warehouse.

WW, $6 an hour? That's more than I earn as a writer!!!!

[winoweenie]

Foodie, I wants` the personalized, signed, thumbprint-authenticated copy for my very own personal libbarry.Is it better to order thru your dist or can I give a CC# and you ship? Out here in the wild-wild we done` run into meeny genuine arthurs! winoweenie

[mrdutton]

Foodie - your book sounds quite interesting. Enough so that I've placed an order with Amazon.Com.

[mrdutton]

I just got an E-mail reply from Amazon.com and they said the book is "generally available within 24 hours."

[Thomas]

Hello all,

Back from a week in NYCity, and dinner one night with Scoop--nice Cotes du Rhone and nice Armenian food.

Thanks, Dutton. It seems Amazon is getting closer in their shipping date.

WW,my contract with the publisher prohibits me from selling books direct to consumers or to book dealers. I can sell only to non-conventional book outlets such as wineries and wine shops. And, since I have no way to accept credit cards....

[Innkeeper]

Well, it arrived from Amazon this morning. Thumbed through it, and it looks pretty darn good. Must say that your beard is trimmed much better than mine.

[hotwine]

Foodie, we received your book from Amazon on Friday, and both of us devoured it over the weekend. You've got a winner there, pardner! Superb!