Post-publication Stress Disorder
November 24, 2014 - Yes, after the fun comes the toil. Chasing, photographing, and learning about butterflies was fun. Designing, writing, editing, producing the book was also fun. Now it's marketing - not so much fun. Worries about how to publicize and generate interest in the book; getting booksellers to stock the book; and direct purchase strategies.
Fortunately, most booksellers were interested in the book, and the past three weeks have been preoccupied with book deliveries. VANCOUVER ISLAND BUTTERFLIES is now available in most book stores from Campbell River to Victoria. It was an exciting time seeing the fruit of two years of labour finally ready for the public. It was also a time of great anxiety wondering how it would be received. The reception by booksellers was excellent, but the proof will be in the selling. Starting from the north, the books are available at COHO and SAVE ON in Campbell River, BLUE HERON in Comox, GRAHAM'S JEWELLERS in Courtenay, LIGHTHOUSE GIFTS in Bowser, MULBERRY BOOKS in Parksville and Qualicum, CHAPTERS in Nanaimo, VOLUME ONE in Duncan, and MUNRO'S, BOLEN, IVY'S, TANNERS and VICTORIA CAMERA REPAIR in the Victoria region.
In case you're wondering why Victoria Camera Repair is on the list. The connection is obvious. The book is just as much about photography as it is about butterflies. There is a steady stream of photographers to the shop so it's the perfect place to access that demographic. By the way, it's also a great place if you have camera problems. Over the years I've had many repairs and service was always efficient and competent, not just for Nikon but also Canon and most other brands.
I've never relished the thought of being a salesman, but that's what I have to do at times. Two places that have kindly purchased my bird books in the past were the Crow and Gate and Yellow Point Lodge. While I was at the Nanaimo Estuary to photograph the Rough-legged Hawk, I couldn't resist lunch at the Crow and Gate - the best beef dip on the island. Timing was perfect as the owner was there. Last time he was filling potholes in the driveway. This time he had just come down from cleaning the roof. I took a chance to approach him during his lunch. I was lucky. It just so happened that he was interested in butterflies and had been to Mexico to see the magnificent Monarch hibernation. (I have never seen it but it has to been one of the great natural wonders of the world.) He was kind enough to purchase a book, but he could have just as easily been annoyed that I had the audacity and rudeness to interrupt his lunch.
After the usual delicious lunch I stopped by Yellow Point Lodge which was resplendent in the afternoon sun. I hadn't been there for four years and wondered if I would look foolish trying to peddle them a book. My fears were unfounded as one of the receptionists in the office greeted me with, "Do you have another book?" They were happy to add another volume to their library, and I was happy to oblige.
While the commercial success of the book remains to be seen, its artistic and scholastic integrity has been recognized and complimented by several of the top butterfly experts on the continent including Cris Guppy, Norbert Kondla, Dr. David James, and David Nunnallee. Cris is the co-author of "Butterflies of BC," Norbert is a prominent biologist and butterfly expert from Rimby, Alberta, and the two David's are co-authors of "Life Histories of Cascadia Butterflies."
So far I've had virtually no feedback from Vancouver Islanders about the book which has me concerned. I knew I was violating my own wisdom that I've shared with other would-be self publishers - "Don't publish a topic that you love but the public doesn't." The success of my bird books was because a lot of people love birds. I knew butterflies would be a gamble. The truth is that most people know nothing about butterflies. That's my other wisdom - people don't care about what they don't know about. However, I was in a catch-22. I knew it was a risk, but I was also committed to do my bit to educate the public about butterflies. So, I'm prepared to speak out, knock on doors, write artcles, and do whatever it takes to get the word out about butterflies. Yes, I can use all the help possible, and I am relying on word of mouth to help spread news about butterflies and my book. Is the lack of local feedback a symptom of the book's failure? Hopefully, it's too soon to tell.
NOW AVAILABLE!
A LITTLE BIRDING
November has been blessed with more than its usual quota of sunshine, and I did take advantage of a few photographic opportunities. The first was a false alarm. While golfing at Fairwinds on Oct. 27 I spotted a sandpiper at the duck roost on the bank of the 11th pond. I returned the next day with the camera hoping for a Sharp-tailed. I was hopeful, but it was not to be. It turned out to be a late Pectoral Sandpiper. I saw it again on Oct. 30, but I don't think it stayed around for November.
The Pectoral seemed to enjoy the company of the Mallards and Wigeons that frequented the roost.
Although I was hoping for a different sandpiper I knew that the Pectoral was more likely. Over the years it has been the most common sandpiper I've seen on the course.
Since I was out with the camera, I decided to make a day of it. A Great Blue Heron was across the pond hoping for a goldfish to swim by.
Not surprisingly, the resident Mute Swan had to cruise by get in the picture.
Parksville was my next stop. I decided to check out the geese at Parksville Park. Despite the constant human activity at the park, there are always gulls and geese there. The gulls are usually looking for handouts while the geese are grazing on the grass. As I suspected, there were a couple of Cackling Geese with the usual Canadas.
At Rascal Pond a Greater White-fronted Goose looked very lonely. There were no other geese in the vicinity. I wondered if it were injured, but it did fly a short distance and then returned to the pond when I left.
A large flock of geese covered the grass at the Big Qualicum campsite. The two white geese were hard to miss as were their grins.
They were a pair of juvenile Snow Geese. I wasn't surprised as there are always a few Snow Geese that stop on their southern migration.
November is a time of plenty around our local waterways. Fish carcasses are providing food for mammals and invertebrates.
Red-tailed Hawks don't seem to be as common as a few years ago. I hope it's just a case of them avoiding my camera as opposed to a population drop. In general Red-taileds have been benefited from land clearing and increased farm land.
A steady tourist attraction these days are the sea lions at Fanny Bay. They have taken over a log boom near the wharf which is just a stone's throw away. I've yet to pass by when there hasn't been at least a couple of photographers present. The sea lions are generally quite cooperative and willing to strike pose like head-scratching with the flipper.
Humans aren't the only ones that discuss world affairs. The massive snowfall in Buffalo was today's topic.
Delivering Books to the Acorn
A change of venue - book deliveries took me to Victoria on Nov. 17. Clover Point is one of my regular stopping places. I was hoping for a Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, or Horned Lark. I had to settle for some Harlequins and Common Mergansers.
My main target was the Acorn Woodpecker by Cedar Hill Golf Course. It was first discovered by Klaus on Nov. 8 and has the distinction of being the first Acorn Woodpecker recorded on Vancouver Island. (Congrats, Klaus!) The normal range of the Acorn is usually California to Arizona, but a few occasionally to make it to southern B.C. It is easily identified and affectionately referred to as clown-face. I purposely arranged to deliver a book to Rosemary at that location for an obvious reason. I returned later for more photos and had the pleasure of meeting Cat from Jordan River as well as Klaus who I have met in the past even though I didn't recognize him.
A Rough-legged Day
A window of sun during the mid-November monsoons prompted a spontaeous visit to the Nanaimo River Estuary. Earlier in the week I had learned that a Rough-legged Hawk was present. In most years at least one is reported but photo opportunities were rare. This year was different. The hawk wasn't wary of people as expected.
I had my doubts about the Rough-legged as I pulled into the congested parking lot. Yes, there was barely room to park. There are four spots by the fence, and normally there would be no more than one or two vehicles. Today there were a dozen. My doubts didn't last long as I spotted a hawk landing in the giant oak. I quickly snuck up to the tree and was delighted to see that it was the Rough-legged. After a few shots it lifted off and glided over to another tree.
About an hour later the hawk returned to the same spot. Other photographers mentioned that it was a favorite perch for the hawk. Apparently, it had a circuit that it used and this was one of the stops.
It was a beautiful day, and I would have loved to stay a couple of hours, but I had work to do. Like the hawk I lifted off and headed for the Crow and Gate. Sure sounds like work doesn't it? I did manage to sell a book but spent most of it on the beef dip!
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Bird Poster
My poster is on display at: Victoria - Swan Lake Nature House. (Note: This poster has been produced in a more manageable size and is now available for $20 unlaminated and $32 laminated.)
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