Post by one50 on Jan 9, 2009 5:51:44 GMT 8
I just wanted to let everyone know that Fred Hill is doing well.
I have been contacting him about photos for my project and I figured some of you would like to know that he's keeping busy and enjoying life. He's currently snowed in, so he has plenty of time to work on his photo projects.
He recently wrote a book called "Darkroom Soldier" and yes this is my shameless plug for you to support him and purchase a copy.
Here are a few things he had to say.
Just last week, celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary Yes, sixth. Lacked but 5 weeks of reaching 60 with my wonderful first wife, to whom I wrote 314 letters during my two years in New Guinea and the Philippines 112 of those letters comprise my book DARKROOM SOLDIER which as I may have told you is 300 pages with 250 photographs . It was entered in the National USA Best Books 2008 and was selected a "finalist" in the top 14 of 800, nationwide I am whelmed, as a matter of fact, I am OVERWHELMED.........No award money, but some good publicity otherwise, situation normal. Have you seen Kilroy lately?
Later on he writes:
For DARKROOM SOLDIER, the big publishers were not at all interested, so we tried the University Presses Texas A & M, Oklahoma, Indiana Washington State..................all chose to pass it by and saying that HOME FRONT, and CAMP LIFE does not sell like 'blood and guts' even though the "blood and guts" market is saturated. se we were forced to "self publish" Out of my pocket, pay for each step of the project. the pages with all the scanned photographs, then the cover and binding, then transportation from Portland on the West of Oregon to little old us in the eastern corner, then fill orders to recipients of some 300 brochures that I had sent out 16 cents for the brochure, 42 cents for postage sent to names on three military mailing lists, of which only about 100 responded. Had a great "signing" at the University Library, and sold 23 books still have over 100 left. I sent brochures to110 libraries, municipal and college and ONE responded.........a municipal library. Now I am dependant on "reviews" that may appear in veterans magazines. for instance a monthly news letter for Oregon Veterans which yielded 6 sales. with only 500 in original printing there is not enough margin between my cost and a reasonable, although expensive selling price to have a book store, like Barnes and Noble carry them...........such organizations want 40% and I don't have that much total some local book stores in three cities have been willing to work on 25% which gives them 3 times more profit that I get. But I am so glad that DARKROOM SOLDIER got printed, for my family’s sake and the men of the 17th who still live.
Please give Fred a call or write him and show him your support.
I have been contacting him about photos for my project and I figured some of you would like to know that he's keeping busy and enjoying life. He's currently snowed in, so he has plenty of time to work on his photo projects.
He recently wrote a book called "Darkroom Soldier" and yes this is my shameless plug for you to support him and purchase a copy.
Here are a few things he had to say.
Just last week, celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary Yes, sixth. Lacked but 5 weeks of reaching 60 with my wonderful first wife, to whom I wrote 314 letters during my two years in New Guinea and the Philippines 112 of those letters comprise my book DARKROOM SOLDIER which as I may have told you is 300 pages with 250 photographs . It was entered in the National USA Best Books 2008 and was selected a "finalist" in the top 14 of 800, nationwide I am whelmed, as a matter of fact, I am OVERWHELMED.........No award money, but some good publicity otherwise, situation normal. Have you seen Kilroy lately?
Later on he writes:
For DARKROOM SOLDIER, the big publishers were not at all interested, so we tried the University Presses Texas A & M, Oklahoma, Indiana Washington State..................all chose to pass it by and saying that HOME FRONT, and CAMP LIFE does not sell like 'blood and guts' even though the "blood and guts" market is saturated. se we were forced to "self publish" Out of my pocket, pay for each step of the project. the pages with all the scanned photographs, then the cover and binding, then transportation from Portland on the West of Oregon to little old us in the eastern corner, then fill orders to recipients of some 300 brochures that I had sent out 16 cents for the brochure, 42 cents for postage sent to names on three military mailing lists, of which only about 100 responded. Had a great "signing" at the University Library, and sold 23 books still have over 100 left. I sent brochures to110 libraries, municipal and college and ONE responded.........a municipal library. Now I am dependant on "reviews" that may appear in veterans magazines. for instance a monthly news letter for Oregon Veterans which yielded 6 sales. with only 500 in original printing there is not enough margin between my cost and a reasonable, although expensive selling price to have a book store, like Barnes and Noble carry them...........such organizations want 40% and I don't have that much total some local book stores in three cities have been willing to work on 25% which gives them 3 times more profit that I get. But I am so glad that DARKROOM SOLDIER got printed, for my family’s sake and the men of the 17th who still live.
Please give Fred a call or write him and show him your support.