Chess politics - USCF's biggest over-stocked item

Author

USCF's biggest over-stocked item

Miriling

2004-11-12, 12:45 am

It is interesting to note that the USCF still has thousands of items collecting
dust in its warehouse in New Windsor, N.Y. Among the tons of material still for
sale is the federation's biggest over-stocked item: Test, Evaluate & Improve -
the Danny Kopec/Hal Terrie book (3,495 copies) that the federation is trying to
sell at $9.59 apiece, which has a retail price of $22.59
Other over-stocked books include The Everything Chess Basics Book (725 copies),
the Peter Kurzdorfer book that's going for 8.98 ($14.95 retail), A Parent's
Guide to Chess (438 copies) at $8.98 ($14.95 retail) and the Jim Mitch
Collection (418 copies) at $19.80 ($39.95 retail).

George Mirijanian

StanB

2004-11-12, 12:45 am

"Miriling" <miriling@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20041111222056.11861.00000430@mb-m16.aol.com...

quote:

> It is interesting to note that the USCF still has thousands of items
> collecting
> dust in its warehouse in New Windsor, N.Y. Among the tons of material
> still for
> sale is the federation's biggest over-stocked item: Test, Evaluate &
> Improve -
> the Danny Kopec/Hal Terrie book (3,495 copies) that the federation is
> trying to
> sell at $9.59 apiece, which has a retail price of $22.59

Yes, in September of 2003 we came across 5,000 copies sitting on a skid in a
basement. No one will admit to placing the order but there it was. Danny and
Hal were kind enough to take a 1,000 copies off of our hands. A legacy from
the days of Niro and McCrary. You and Steve Dann spending much quality time
together?

Miriling

2004-11-12, 12:45 am

>Subject: Re: USCF's biggest over-stocked item

quote:

>On 11 November 2004 "StanB" stanbooz@comXXXcast.net replied in
>Message-id: <VqWdnQjmy-vGowncRVn-jw@comcast.com>
>
>
>Yes, in September of 2003 we came across 5,000 copies sitting on a skid in a
>basement. No one will admit to placing the order but there it was. Danny and
>Hal were kind enough to take a 1,000 copies off of our hands. A legacy from
>the days of Niro and McCrary. You and Steve Dann spending much quality time
>together?
>
>
>Yes, Steve Dann and I are spending a lot of quality time together in the

promotion of chess and showing appreciation for chess personalities. He and I
have organized a Harold B. Dondis testimonial dinner that will be held this
Friday evening, Nov. 12, at the Boston Globe. Among our guest speakers are GM
Patrick Wolff and Barbara DeMaro, managing director of the U.S. Chess Trust
(which Dondis played a key role in founding).

George Mirijanian

quote:

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-12, 12:45 am

I guess USCF's accountants skipped their "inventory" classes.

Tell you what, I'll take 1,000 of the Kopec books for $20 if you pay the
shipping. My wife complained today about not having any fire wood.

"Miriling" <miriling@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20041111222056.11861.00000430@mb-m16.aol.com...

quote:

> It is interesting to note that the USCF still has thousands of items
> collecting
> dust in its warehouse in New Windsor, N.Y. Among the tons of material
> still for
> sale is the federation's biggest over-stocked item: Test, Evaluate &
> Improve -
> the Danny Kopec/Hal Terrie book (3,495 copies) that the federation is
> trying to
> sell at $9.59 apiece, which has a retail price of $22.59
> Other over-stocked books include The Everything Chess Basics Book (725
> copies),
> the Peter Kurzdorfer book that's going for 8.98 ($14.95 retail), A
> Parent's
> Guide to Chess (438 copies) at $8.98 ($14.95 retail) and the Jim Mitch
> Collection (418 copies) at $19.80 ($39.95 retail).
>
> George Mirijanian
>

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-12, 12:45 am

I forced myself to learn a thing or two about book sales and distribution
when a tome I'd written sold 130,000 copies and I barely made $25,000 from
the deal. My publisher had a nasty little item, "reserve" something or
other, in each of my royalty statements. What it means is that generally
it's impossible to lose money from excess book inventory. A bookseller can
return stock at any time, even years later, for a full refund. Unless that
seller is USCF, where the laws of economics -- of the universe even -- are
suspended.

My guess is that USCF's odd pricing for those books reflects their unit
costs. So what do we have here...$30,000 to Kopec, $7000 to Kurzdorfer,
$3600 to "Parent's Guide" authors, and $7600 to former world champion Jim
Mitch and his famous collection of...what????. Lemme
see...hmmmm....hmmmm...about $38,000 worth of absolute XXXXing worthless
shit sitting around, which any other vendor would have sent back. Unless, of
course, there was some sort of sweetheart deal going on.

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Imagine...with that money the Fed could have purchased 100,000 laminated,
embossed, filigreed House of Staunton-engraved PENCILS and sold them for
$0.25 each. Oh wait, that would have lost money.

Y'all still don't think the person in charge of B&E should be in jail?

adp

"Miriling" <miriling@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20041111222056.11861.00000430@mb-m16.aol.com...

quote:

> It is interesting to note that the USCF still has thousands of items
> collecting
> dust in its warehouse in New Windsor, N.Y. Among the tons of material
> still for
> sale is the federation's biggest over-stocked item: Test, Evaluate &
> Improve -
> the Danny Kopec/Hal Terrie book (3,495 copies) that the federation is
> trying to
> sell at $9.59 apiece, which has a retail price of $22.59
> Other over-stocked books include The Everything Chess Basics Book (725
> copies),
> the Peter Kurzdorfer book that's going for 8.98 ($14.95 retail), A
> Parent's
> Guide to Chess (438 copies) at $8.98 ($14.95 retail) and the Jim Mitch
> Collection (418 copies) at $19.80 ($39.95 retail).
>
> George Mirijanian
>

Sam Sloan

2004-11-12, 6:45 am

On 12 Nov 2004 03:20:56 GMT, miriling@aol.com (Miriling) wrote:

quote:

>It is interesting to note that the USCF still has thousands of items collecting
>dust in its warehouse in New Windsor, N.Y. Among the tons of material still for
>sale is the federation's biggest over-stocked item: Test, Evaluate & Improve -
>the Danny Kopec/Hal Terrie book (3,495 copies) that the federation is trying to
>sell at $9.59 apiece, which has a retail price of $22.59
>Other over-stocked books include The Everything Chess Basics Book (725 copies),
>the Peter Kurzdorfer book that's going for 8.98 ($14.95 retail), A Parent's
>Guide to Chess (438 copies) at $8.98 ($14.95 retail) and the Jim Mitch
>Collection (418 copies) at $19.80 ($39.95 retail).
>
>George Mirijanian
>

The Kopec Terrie book is excellent. One of the best chess books ever
written.

I knew that book had to be good when Tim Hanke wrote "This book will
still be on sale when the sun turns into a cold cinder". Therefore, I
went out and bought one and I am very thankful for that.

The Jim Mitch books are worthless and should be thrown out. I cannot
understand how Niro could have made a decision to publish such a book.

I am not familiar with the other books.

Sam Sloan

Chessdon

2004-11-12, 6:45 am

>e and I

quote:

>have organized a Harold B. Dondis testimonial dinner that will be held this
>Friday evening, Nov. 12, at the Boston Globe.

George you might want to mention on Friday evening that Harold is onet of six
charter journalists entered into the Gallery of Distinguished chess
journalists.

The Gallery is a new honor organized by the Cramer Committee. Three identical
large plaques bearing the names of leadin gchess journalists will be on display
at the Marshall Chess Club in NY, The Mechaniics Institute in SF and in the
entry area of USCF's new building when it is completed in Crossville.

Each year the names of two or three more distinguished journalists will be
added to the Gallery.

Don Schultz,
Cramer Committee for Excellence in Chess Journalism

Ray Gordon

2004-11-12, 9:45 am

> I forced myself to learn a thing or two about book sales and distribution

quote:

> when a tome I'd written sold 130,000 copies and I barely made $25,000 from
> the deal.

<snicker>

And people chide me for self-publishing through my own company.

$0.17 a book?

Miriling

2004-11-12, 9:45 am

>Subject: Re: USCF's biggest over-stocked item

quote:

>On 12 November 2004 chessdon@aol.com (Chessdon) wrote in
>Message-id: <20041112054828.15947.00000553@mb-m02.aol.com>
>
>
>George you might want to mention on Friday evening that Harold is one of
>six
>charter journalists entered into the Gallery of Distinguished chess
>journalists.
>
>The Gallery is a new honor organized by the Cramer Committee. Three identical
>large plaques bearing the names of leadin g chess journalists will be on
>display
>at the Marshall Chess Club in NY, The Mechaniics Institute in SF and in the
>entry area of USCF's new building when it is completed in Crossville.
>
>Each year the names of two or three more distinguished journalists will be
>added to the Gallery.
>
>Don Schultz,
>Cramer Committee for Excellence in Chess Journalism
>
>
> Thanks, Don, for the information. I will let the people know about that

tonight at the testimonial and cite you as the source.

George Mirijanian

quote:

>
>
>
>
>

Wickdeer3

2004-11-12, 6:02 pm

Angelo DePalma wrote:

quote:

>
>I forced myself to learn a thing or two about book sales and distribution
>when a tome I'd written sold 130,000 copies and I barely made $25,000 from
>the deal. My publisher had a nasty little item, "reserve" something or
>other, in each of my royalty statements. What it means is that generally
>it's impossible to lose money from excess book inventory. A bookseller can
>return stock at any time, even years later, for a full refund. Unless that
>seller is USCF, where the laws of economics -- of the universe even -- are
>suspended.

Actually, in the case of the Kopec/Terrie book, USCF is the publisher, so they
cannot be returned.

Wick Deer

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-12, 6:02 pm

Ray or Whoever-You-Are,

Self-publishing is definitely the way to go if you can handle and stomach
the marketing. I guess your books sell themselves.

"Ray Gordon" <ray@cybersheet.com> wrote in message
news:J22ld.4294$Bj2.3765@trndny01...

quote:

>
> <snicker>
>
> And people chide me for self-publishing through my own company.
>
> $0.17 a book?
>
>
>

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-12, 6:02 pm

Ahso.

So in other words USCF ***PAID*** Danny Kopec for the priviledge of selling
his book?

Or...

They assumed 100% of the risk of publishing and distributing his book?

and...

THEY PRINTED FIVE XXXXING THOUSAND CHESS BOOKS written by a guy who hasn't
played a meaningful game in thirty years, and who was never even remotely a
top player, even a top US player?

Hahahaha.

What a joke.

I can't wait for someone to explain how actually these little gems were paid
for by the now-defunct New Windsor Chess Foundation, and Kopec didn't get a
kopec, and that actually he was rated #384 in the world 30 years ago and has
beaten all the great NJ players and even Internet GMs.

CALL THE COPS!!! Call the guy with the butterfly net too.

"Wickdeer3" <wickdeer3@cs.comKillSpam> wrote in message
news:20041112142930.07087.00000523@mb-m10.news.cs.com...

quote:

> Angelo DePalma wrote:
>
>
> Actually, in the case of the Kopec/Terrie book, USCF is the publisher, so
> they
> cannot be returned.
>
> Wick Deer

Mike Nolan

2004-11-12, 6:02 pm

wickdeer3@cs.comKillSpam (Wickdeer3) writes:

quote:

>Angelo DePalma wrote:

quote:

[vbcol=seagreen]
>Actually, in the case of the Kopec/Terrie book, USCF is the publisher, so they
>cannot be returned.

How dare you try to tell an AUTHOR something about the book business!

I've never met an author (including my wife and my sister-in-law) who
didn't think he or she was short-changed by the publisher on the
royalty statement, usually because of deep discounts, returns or
remaindering.

The big dogs (Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, etc) can get many publishers to
sell them books at up to 70% off the retail price. The author usually
gets the royalty on the NET amount received by the publisher, so in the
case of a $7.99 book with a 70% discount, if the author gets 10% that'd
be about 23 cents a copy in royalty, before returns.

If the book Angelo is talking about is 'The Natural Pharmacist', amazon.com
has used copies available for as low as 36 cents.
--
Mike Nolan

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-12, 6:02 pm

The only Kopec book I have is decent, not excellent. It would be amazing if
a player of his caliber could produce a book that was truly excellent,
except to a few, er, fringe types.

Nevertheless, if we did in fact publish the book we probably shelled out
$15-30,000 to produce these little gems. You could fly back and forth to
Crossville 100 times for that kind of money, or purchase a nice gas station
in Liberty.

"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
news:4194814e.48134453@ca.news.verio.net...

quote:

> On 12 Nov 2004 03:20:56 GMT, miriling@aol.com (Miriling) wrote:
>
> The Kopec Terrie book is excellent. One of the best chess books ever
> written.
>
> I knew that book had to be good when Tim Hanke wrote "This book will
> still be on sale when the sun turns into a cold cinder". Therefore, I
> went out and bought one and I am very thankful for that.
>
> The Jim Mitch books are worthless and should be thrown out. I cannot
> understand how Niro could have made a decision to publish such a book.
>
> I am not familiar with the other books.
>
> Sam Sloan

Jürgen R.

2004-11-12, 6:02 pm

"Angelo DePalma" <adpspammersgotohell@tellurian.net> wrote:

quote:

>
>The only Kopec book I have is decent, not excellent. It would be amazing if
>a player of his caliber could produce a book that was truly excellent,
>except to a few, er, fringe types.
>
>Nevertheless, if we did in fact publish the book we probably shelled out
>$15-30,000 to produce these little gems. You could fly back and forth to
>Crossville

Fly to Crossville? How? On a broomstick?

quote:

>100 times for that kind of money, or purchase a nice gas station
>in Liberty.
>
>
>"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
>news:4194814e.48134453@ca.news.verio.net...
>
>

StanB

2004-11-13, 12:45 am

"Angelo DePalma" <adpspammersgotohell@tellurian.net> wrote in message
news:P6KdnY2cbIUbhAjcRVn-gQ@garden.net...

quote:

> THEY PRINTED FIVE XXXXING THOUSAND CHESS BOOKS written by a guy who hasn't
> played a meaningful game in thirty years, and who was never even remotely
> a top player, even a top US player?

More than that. The 5,000 was the second printing.

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm

My experience was just an anecdote, Mike. Having been an acquisitions editor
for a scholarly science publisher I had negotiated about 3 dozen book
contracts. I also developed a spreadsheet for costing our books using a
mid-1980s vintage spreadsheet. I knew what was going on. And of course I am
happy to get $180, every six months, now that the book, as you pointed out,
is selling in some places for 36 cents.

In my particular case the marketing plan was to get these books into
pharmacies, a plan that never panned out. That's what I signed on for. My
editor, an MD, told me several times "Angelo we're going to be rich." And I
believed him. Had the pharmacy sales occurred we could have sold half a
million copies easily (there are about 55,000 retail drug stores in the US).
Without pharmacy sales I knew that the project -- seven months of hellish
deadlines -- would be a loser for me.

The point I was making was that a print run of 5,000 is high for a chess
book by Danny Kopec, and that USCF should not have underwritten the project
when it could earn about 50% of the retail price with no risk. Kopec is not
Kasparov or Karpov.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Too stupid, probably, to be merely stupid.

"Mike Nolan" <nolan@gw.tssi.com> wrote in message
news:cn35jd$8s5$1@gw.tssi.com...

quote:

> wickdeer3@cs.comKillSpam (Wickdeer3) writes:
>
>
>
>
> How dare you try to tell an AUTHOR something about the book business!
>
> I've never met an author (including my wife and my sister-in-law) who
> didn't think he or she was short-changed by the publisher on the
> royalty statement, usually because of deep discounts, returns or
> remaindering.
>
> The big dogs (Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, etc) can get many publishers to
> sell them books at up to 70% off the retail price. The author usually
> gets the royalty on the NET amount received by the publisher, so in the
> case of a $7.99 book with a 70% discount, if the author gets 10% that'd
> be about 23 cents a copy in royalty, before returns.
>
> If the book Angelo is talking about is 'The Natural Pharmacist',
> amazon.com
> has used copies available for as low as 36 cents.
> --
> Mike Nolan

Mike Nolan

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm

"Angelo DePalma" <adpspammersgotohell@tellurian.net> writes:

quote:

>In my particular case the marketing plan was to get these books into
>pharmacies, a plan that never panned out.

That plan sounds about as likely to have succeeded as getting McDonalds
to sell DVD's of 'Super Size Me'.

I agree that the decision to do another edition of the Kopek book was
not one of the USCF's smartest moves. But unfortunately I don't know
that it would make the top 10 list for boneheaded USCF decisions.
--
Mike Nolan

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 15:13:34 -0500, "Angelo DePalma" <adpspammersgotohell@tellurian.net>
wrote:

}
}Ahso.
}
}So in other words USCF ***PAID*** Danny Kopec for the priviledge of selling
}his book?
}
}Or...
}
}They assumed 100% of the risk of publishing and distributing his book?
}
}and...
}
}THEY PRINTED FIVE XXXXING THOUSAND CHESS BOOKS written by a guy who hasn't
}played a meaningful game in thirty years, and who was never even remotely a
}top player, even a top US player?

heehee, Angelo, You're making too much sense here. I don't think anyone will listen to u
:.) People do not want to hear the truth. I like the passion in your posts, nice, keep it
up!
}
}Hahahaha.
}
}What a joke.
}
}I can't wait for someone to explain how actually these little gems were paid
}for by the now-defunct New Windsor Chess Foundation, and Kopec didn't get a
}kopec, and that actually he was rated #384 in the world 30 years ago and has
}beaten all the great NJ players and even Internet GMs.
}
}CALL THE COPS!!! Call the guy with the butterfly net too.
}
}"Wickdeer3" <wickdeer3@cs.comKillSpam> wrote in message
}news:20041112142930.07087.00000523@mb-m10.news.cs.com...
}> Angelo DePalma wrote:
}>
}>>
}>>I forced myself to learn a thing or two about book sales and distribution
}>>when a tome I'd written sold 130,000 copies and I barely made $25,000 from
}>>the deal. My publisher had a nasty little item, "reserve" something or
}>>other, in each of my royalty statements. What it means is that generally
}>>it's impossible to lose money from excess book inventory. A bookseller can
}>>return stock at any time, even years later, for a full refund. Unless that
}>>seller is USCF, where the laws of economics -- of the universe even -- are
}>>suspended.
}>
}> Actually, in the case of the Kopec/Terrie book, USCF is the publisher, so
}> they
}> cannot be returned.
}>
}> Wick Deer
}

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm

"Mike Nolan" <nolan@gw.tssi.com> wrote in message
news:cn5cqo$p00$1@gw.tssi.com...

quote:

> "Angelo DePalma" <adpspammersgotohell@tellurian.net> writes:
>
>
> That plan sounds about as likely to have succeeded as getting McDonalds
> to sell DVD's of 'Super Size Me'.

One of the worst hatchet jobs of all times, by the way. The movie proved,
amazingly, that if you double your caloric intake you gain weight. The
medical stuff was 100% fabrication, by the way. You don't get heart disease
in 10 days.

As for my book(s): Actually we did get into 2 chains but it was too late to
"make me rich." The publisher underestimated how long it would take and by
the time we got into Rite Aid (my daughter spotted it in our local store)
the book was already out of date. Prima Publishers was acquired by Random
House, I think, just as my book came out so that could have affected their
marketing.

By the way, the $3 pharmacies would have made on each book is substantially
more than they make on a bottle of vitamins and even on most prescriptions.
That's what my editor told me at any rate.

quote:

> I agree that the decision to do another edition of the Kopek book was
> not one of the USCF's smartest moves. But unfortunately I don't know
> that it would make the top 10 list for boneheaded USCF decisions.

Maybe not. It's just a splatter on a much larger canvas.

quote:

> --
> Mike Nolan

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm

Interesting aside to this royalty discussion.

Mike is correct that author royalties are based on net sales, not list
price. My rate was 7%, which is below average.

When I negotiated with authors I would offer them 12% on the first 1200
copies sold. Now these were really esoteric books on topics like follicular
cancers of the left scrotum on Wednesday. They sold for big bucks, even by
today's standards.

Every so often an author would ask if he could get a higher rate and I'd
tell him if he sold over 1200 he could get 15% and if he sold more than 2000
I'd give him 20% of net. I could have offered 80% of net because *nobody*
EVER sold that many books, ever.

I tried the same tactic with Prima but they wouldn't budge. "Even if I sell
half a million?" NO was the answer. 7%.

Publishers are crooks. People who write books are nuts.

"Mike Nolan" <nolan@gw.tssi.com> wrote in message
news:cn35jd$8s5$1@gw.tssi.com...

quote:

> wickdeer3@cs.comKillSpam (Wickdeer3) writes:
>
>
>
>
> How dare you try to tell an AUTHOR something about the book business!
>
> I've never met an author (including my wife and my sister-in-law) who
> didn't think he or she was short-changed by the publisher on the
> royalty statement, usually because of deep discounts, returns or
> remaindering.
>
> The big dogs (Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, etc) can get many publishers to
> sell them books at up to 70% off the retail price. The author usually
> gets the royalty on the NET amount received by the publisher, so in the
> case of a $7.99 book with a 70% discount, if the author gets 10% that'd
> be about 23 cents a copy in royalty, before returns.
>
> If the book Angelo is talking about is 'The Natural Pharmacist',
> amazon.com
> has used copies available for as low as 36 cents.
> --
> Mike Nolan

sandirhodes

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

"Angelo DePalma" wrote

quote:

> By the way, the $3 pharmacies would have made on each book is substantially
> more than they make on a bottle of vitamins and even on most prescriptions.
> That's what my editor told me at any rate.

That is accurate information for namebrand drugs, which can constitute a very high percentage of sales. Most people don't
understand that the drug they are copaying 10 or 20 dollars for is actually a 200 dollar or more drug, and the insurance companies
pay the cost (minus the copay of course) plus a few bucks, and sometimes less than cost! If people had to pay the entire cost of
the drug, then get reimbursed from their insurance company, the drug companies would not be getting away with the high, outrageous
profits they make. The only way a pharmacy can stay in business is with generic sales, which is a win-win for the pharmacy and
consumer.

sandirhodes

Mike Nolan

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

wickdeer3@cs.comKillSpam (Wickdeer3) writes:

quote:

>Angelo DePalma wrote:

quote:

[vbcol=seagreen]
>Actually, in the case of the Kopec/Terrie book, USCF is the publisher, so they
>cannot be returned.

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

This is a very, very complex problem. The health marketplace has been
complicated beyond all reason for purposes of enriching various
constituencies. I use that word because you can't make a nickel in that
business without a license and either a law or regulation to prop you up.
It's a mess.

"sandirhodes" <rhoessandi@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:InMld.100325$tU4.36206@okepread06...

quote:

>
> "Angelo DePalma" wrote
>
>
> That is accurate information for namebrand drugs, which can constitute a
> very high percentage of sales. Most people don't
> understand that the drug they are copaying 10 or 20 dollars for is
> actually a 200 dollar or more drug, and the insurance companies
> pay the cost (minus the copay of course) plus a few bucks, and sometimes
> less than cost! If people had to pay the entire cost of
> the drug, then get reimbursed from their insurance company, the drug
> companies would not be getting away with the high, outrageous
> profits they make. The only way a pharmacy can stay in business is with
> generic sales, which is a win-win for the pharmacy and
> consumer.
>
> sandirhodes
>
>

Miriling

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

>Subject: Re: USCF's biggest over-stocked item

quote:

>On 11 November 2004 "StanB" stanbooz@comXXXcast.net replied in
>Message-id: <VqWdnQjmy-vGowncRVn-jw@comcast.com>
>
>
>Yes, in September of 2003 we came across 5,000 copies sitting on a skid in a
>basement. No one will admit to placing the order but there it was. Danny and
>Hal were kind enough to take a 1,000 copies off of our hands. A legacy from
>the days of Niro and McCrary. You and Steve Dann spending much quality time
>together?
>
>
>Yes, Steve Dann and I are spending a lot of quality time together in the

quote:

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Louis Blair

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

Angelo DePalma wrote (2004-11-12 12:13:58 PST):

quote:

> I can't wait for someone to explain how actually
> these little gems were paid for ...

_
Apparently, the USCF got about $2000 for sending
1000 of the books to Danny Kopec and Hal Terrie.
About 500 more have apparently been sold. At
what price?

Louis Blair

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

StanB wrote (2004-11-12 20:22:10 PST):

quote:

> The 5,000 was the second printing.

_
"the [first edition] sold well - all
[1,000] copies were sold in less than
a year." - Hal Terrie (2003-08-29
14:33:51 PST)

Louis Blair

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

Angelo DePalma wrote:

quote:

> THEY PRINTED FIVE XXXXING THOUSAND CHESS BOOKS

StanB wrote (2004-11-12 20:22:10 PST):

quote:

> More than that. The 5,000 was the second printing.

_
"This book was first published in 1997 by
Hypermodern Press" - Hal Terrie (2003-08-29
14:33:51 PST)

Louis Blair

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

Angelo DePalma wrote (2004-11-13 07:59:02 PST):

quote:

> Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Too stupid, probably,
> to be merely stupid.

_
"... Danny and I began a search for a new publisher.
At that time, the USCF was fully committed to book
publishing and made us an offer. After some
consideration, we turned down an offer from another
publisher and went with USCF. In January, 2000, we
signed a letter of agreement with Glenn Peterson,
who was in charge of the book publishing operation.
It called for us to receive no cash advance (a
concession from us to help USCF), and 15% royalties.
We hoped that the new edition would be available in
time for the 2001 edition of Kopec's Chess Camp.

The project got under way but then DeFeis took over
as ED. Suddenly there were delays and then he told
us he could find no signed copy of our agreement in
USCF's files. He said that 15% was too high for
royalties and offered us 10% instead. We were
furious, of course. We had not yet decided what to
do when he departed and Frank Niro took over.

Frank has worked with us at the camp and he was
familiar with our dispute with USCF. He promised
to make things right. By this time, late 2002, we
had held two Kopec's Chess Camps (in 2001 and 2002)
with no new edition of the book as planned, costing
us untold revenue and publicity for the camp. We
demanded a new contract, signed by everyone, with
new terms compensating us for the delays. These
included 20% royalties, a minimum print run of 3,000
and at least 35 free copies of the book each. We
still did not ask for any cash advance. These terms
were accepted and the contract was signed in October
2002. ..." - Hal Terrie (2003-08-29 14:33:51 PST)

Angelo DePalma

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

And the editor was.................Nimzo-XXXXing-vitch. Right?

"Louis Blair" <lblai@blackburn.edu> wrote

quote:

> "This book was first published in 1997 by
> Hypermodern Press" - Hal Terrie (2003-08-29
> 14:33:51 PST)

Ray Gordon

2004-11-16, 5:01 pm

> My experience was just an anecdote, Mike. Having been an acquisitions

quote:

> editor for a scholarly science publisher I had negotiated about 3 dozen
> book contracts. I also developed a spreadsheet for costing our books using
> a mid-1980s vintage spreadsheet. I knew what was going on. And of course I
> am happy to get $180, every six months, now that the book, as you pointed
> out, is selling in some places for 36 cents.

My books are done through something I invented called "buy the author." For
$39.95, people get the book and any future books or multimedia on the same
topic.

I also have "buy my competitor, get me free," where if someone buys an
affiliated book, I give them mine in addition.

Miriling

2004-11-18, 5:47 pm

>Subject: Re: USCF's biggest over-stocked item

quote:

>On 11 November 2004 "StanB" stanbooz@comXXXcast.net replied in
>Message-id: <VqWdnQjmy-vGowncRVn-jw@comcast.com>
>
>
>Yes, in September of 2003 we came across 5,000 copies sitting on a skid in a
>basement. No one will admit to placing the order but there it was. Danny and
>Hal were kind enough to take a 1,000 copies off of our hands. A legacy from
>the days of Niro and McCrary. You and Steve Dann spending much quality time
>together?
>
>
>Yes, Steve Dann and I are spending a lot of quality time together in the

quote:

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