Author Intrusion: Working on a Book Deal

By Cliff Fazzolari

I headed to the local YMCA for a dip in the hot tub and a sweat in the sauna. As I entered the lobby, I noticed that there was a used book fair going on. Realizing that I had signed books at the YMCA for the book club, my heart skipped a beat as I considered that someone would be selling a copy of Counting on a Miracle for a quarter.

I walked all around the tables, just praying that my book wasn’t in one of the bins. Each story takes a year or more to write and the task is a little like giving birth. Would someone actually sell one of my babies for a quarter?

I noticed a Stephen King book that I absolutely loved – hardcopy – and on sale for $1.00.

There were three Grishams and two copies of The Great Gatsby! The YMCA was asking fifty cents for each work of art.

Again, I felt as if I might cry. At home, my books are stacked high to the ceiling, as a badge of honor. I read about sixty books a year and love some more than others, but I have a real hard time throwing them away. In a world where we are in search for instant gratification, there is something to be said of my love of books.

I continued my exploration, but thankfully did not see any of the signed copies of my book that were now on sale. I had a proud moment as I considered that my customers kept my books. Take that, Grisham and King!

There are moments when, searching for a book deal, you envision a life of leisure and endless accolades. Perhaps all us authors can really hope is that our books don’t end up for sale two for a buck.

Cliff Fazzolari is a professional writer and prolific author. He is on the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo PICU Parent Advisory Council. He currently resides in Blasdell, New York.