PowerSwitch

It's out today - the mass market paperback; the version the 'general public' are most likely to casually pick up and look at.

You know what I mean by 'general public' don't you? The type of person who reads two books a year, both on holiday. The type of person who's only just beginning to notice that oil is getting dangerously expensive only because it's costing noticably more for their Strawberries from New Zealand. The type of person who laughs if you tell them you don't like the way the world is heading and you're already stocking up on canned food and bottled water....

...The type of er person who's yet to hear the two words...Peak Oil.

LAST LIGHT was specifically written to scare the crap out of people like them.

The purpose of this mail, is to ask you a favour. That is to help generate a critical mass of interest; to talk-up the book at work or down the pub or wherever. If this book is on their minds, then they might just pick it up in Tescos, or Asda...or they might pick it up on their annual trip to a bookshop for a holiday read.

Just think...if as many people read this book, as say, a Jeffrey Archer novel, or a James Patterson....that's a lot of people suddenly made aware of Peak Oil, all at the same time. And that would quite possibly get the subject discussed on shows like Richard and Judy (can you imagine Richard Madeley discussing PO on prime time TV?), or raised as an issue in Eastenders...or get an editorial headline in the SUN.

Anyway, plea over...I'm done.

Thanks for tolerating the shameless sales pitch.

best

Alex Scarrow

alexscarrow wrote:And that would quite possibly get the subject discussed on shows like Richard and Judy (can you imagine Richard Madeley discussing PO on prime time TV?)

You've made my day Alex.

Or the newspapers:

The Independent: "We told you so"
Daily Mail: "We're all doomed"
Daily Express: "PO - the truth behind Diana's death"
The Sun: "Immigrants nick our oil"
The Sport: "Gorgeous pouting Tracey, 18, explains why petrol is getting more expensive"

oooh, I wish I was 'Gorgeous Pounting Tracy 18'!!!!!

I shall buy at least six copies to give as gifts, I gave a hardback copy to a friend a few months ago, they have stocked up on food and water and are growing vegetables.
Each person who has made prudent preperations, may be one less victim in the event of any sudden disaster.

(I consider a steady slide into a great deppression to be more likely, though its prudent to be prepared for a sudden crash)

This recently published book is already looking dated in one respect !

In the book oil reached $100 due to unfolding disasters in the Middle East and elswhere, its now well over $130 under normal conditions.

If the events suggested in the book occured, then $400 seems probable.

adam2 wrote:This recently published book is already looking dated in one respect !

In the book oil reached $100 due to unfolding disasters in the Middle East and elswhere, its now well over $130 under normal conditions.

If the events suggested in the book occured, then $400 seems probable.

I know! When I was writing it, I wondered whether I was over exaggerating things. Now I'm left wondering whether I exaggerated enough.

Mind you - timing of the paperback has got to be good for sales now!

Best wishes for a run on the book...

Out of interest Alex can you tell us how many books have been sold so far? Are sales picking up? Falling off? etc.

snow hope wrote:Out of interest Alex can you tell us how many books have been sold so far? Are sales picking up? Falling off? etc.

And when will we receive our commission for promoting said book?

It's only been out in paperback a week. I'm still waiting on bookscan figures from my agent. That said....there's a lot of interest. More importantly...have you seen the Independent newspaper today...big article on PO! I think we're reaching that tipping point now, where the mainstream start becoming PO-aware.

Came across two shiny new paperback copies of Last Light in a bookshop in Madrid today. So I bought them both! One for me, and the other as a leaving present for a friend - I'll lend/give my copy out to other English speakers once I've finished it. (When did you say it was going to be published in Spanish!?!?! )

I honestly don't know. No one tells me anything

All I do know is that there's a Spanish publisher looking to take it on.

alexscarrow wrote:I honestly don't know. No one tells me anything

All I do know is that there's a Spanish publisher looking to take it on.

Good - Hope it comes out soon then I can start pushing it here! Maybe in the Spanish version they could edit and update your oil prices, upwards by an extra $50, $100, $150... depending on how long it takes them to publish!

Yup. The price of oil has shot up since I penned the book. I'd really like to update the numbers before my publisher do a re-print.