A salute to friends of "Star Survivors"

Here is a thing you learn when you write a book: People are really nice. 

(c) Amy Gutierrez

(c) Amy Gutierrez

For example, that most-excellent photo was taken by my friend Amy Guiterrez. She was one of the dozens of extremely kindhearted people who showed up to the first-ever public event for Revenge of the Star Survivors. 
 

Those people not only showed up, they actually bought the book. Sometimes multiple copies. And to my face, they said nice things. 

How did I reward them? Well, I made them listen to me talk for a long time. And then I made them look like dorks in public. Here's the view from where I stood: 

Another thing you learn when you write a book is that when you appear before a crowd of people and tell them to, say, re-enact a moment from the story and have them do a Star Survivors salute -- touch two fingers to your heart and then, thumb extended, hold your right hand up and point toward the stars  -- they will actually do it. 

I think this is awesome. I think they are awesome. Thanks, everyone! I hope it was as much fun for you as it was for me. 

Ready to light this candle

I am not actually lighting any candles today. Maybe I should, out of gratitude. A book launch is a lot like a rocket launch, maybe: Everyone sees the guy sitting on top in the funny suit, but it took a whole bunch of hard-working, smart and friendly people to get him there.

Anyhow, here's a series of internet thingees that convey today's mood. (Also, if you are reading this on Friday, and you live in Dallas, come on by the book launch at Barnes & Noble on Northwest Highway at 7 p.m.) 

 

The launch of Apollo 11 - This is the CBS coverage with Walter Cronkite.

Sometimes the launch tube can seem really long.

Spock allows Lt. Saavik to pilot Enterprise out of spacedock much to the dismay of Kirk and McCoy. This is one of my favorite scenes from The Wrath of Khan.

Michael Merschel
Strange discovery made on notecard

A terrific editor named Kelly did a lot to transmorgify Revenge of the Star Survivors from a rather poorly formatted Word document into the lovely book you will see in stores next week. 

I knew she was good with words. But it turns out, she is also an excellent doodler. Here is a detail from a card she sent me. The red parts are the company's logo, which has a wonderful history that involves dragons. The blue bits are Kelly's. 

 

doodle.jpg

I just hope she does not get in trouble for defacing Holiday House company letterhead that way. 

The doodle arrived with a box of books. Which look like this: 

 

I realize that most people will not find a box of books to be all that exciting. Especially when they are all the same book. I mean, if you were stranded on a distant planet, it could get kind of boring, reading the same book over and over again. 

But I was somewhat pleased to see this box anyway.

(And if anybody reading this would like to order their own box of book, that can be arranged.)

Michael Merschel