Reading vs Speculating vs Collecting.

Without me really being aware, speculation has re-entered the comic market.

When I started at Pegasus Books 39 years ago, a big part of buying comics was expecting some of them to go up in value. I wasn't able to shed that impression until the big collapse in the mid-nineties. I looked around the wreckage and realized that the only people still buying comics were those who were buying them to read.

I came up with a mantra: "Readers keep reading, speculators always quit."

There is a middle ground, what I call "collectors." They buy comics to read mostly, but also harbor the secret ambition to have a very cool collection. What I've noticed though is that they are usually not surprised that their comics aren't worth big bucks. It seems perfectly valid to me to want to be a completest and to keep your comics in good shape and to pass them along.

Anyway, after the big collapse of the mid-nineties, which wiped three-quarters of all comics shops, a bunch of publishers, and all but one of the distributors, I decided I would cater to readers only. I wouldn't pay any attention to the after-market. Collecting is what happens after they leave the store.

I personally don't believe that speculation is winnable. There are just too many variables and by the time you add up the work and time, it probably is a net loss. There is theoretical value in some things, but it's very tricky realizing that value.

Another phrase I coined: "Antiques Roadshow has a lot to answer for."

By making this choice, I emphasized the importance of graphic novels and collections. Occasionally, for number ones and perhaps significant issues, I might have bumped up the after-price a couple bucks here and there, but even that faded over time.

We became what I call a "retail" store. Whenever anyone asked for discounts, we'd just say, "Everything in the store is retail." That is, we don't lower or raise prices, but go mostly with suggested retail price. The only exceptions, really, are toys which have such low margins that we usually have to bump them up a little. And we offer a volume discount on magic cards--because we have to.

Our market has become self-selecting. Those who don't like our terms don't come back, but those who stay are solid. From there we built our inventory to the point where it became more or less self-sustaining.

Anyway, over the last decade or so, all the bad habits of publishers have come back: shiny gimmicky covers, stunts, cross-overs, endless number ones, and most egregious of all, variant covers.

We simply haven't played along. We've continue to buy for readers and whatever was available to us at regular prices, we would order.

Turns out that during this time, speculation was becoming a thing. (My not knowing this is a function of me not working everyday.) Apparently, websites have popped up touting certain issues as "valuable." Even more to my dismay, many of my fellow comic retailers are playing along.

I think this is really bad idea. I don't trust some of these websites not to be pump and dump operations, for instance. And I think when these speculators find out they can't actually sell their comics for what the websites are claiming, they'll flat quit--again.

At the same time, I don't want people who aren't regular readers to come into my store and strip me of these supposedly "valuable" comics--if for no other reason than it deprives my own regulars.

What to do?

We've already put in a policy of no more than two of the same issue for any one buyer.

If I was working the store everyday, I'd probably put some effort into figuring out what comics are "hot" and set aside a few issues from my regulars. If the regulars don't snag them, I might bump them up a few dollars.

But I've so indoctrinated my longterm manager Sabrina on the dangers of speculation that she simply refuses to countenance it.

I'm so proud. Really, she was listening!

And she's right, bless her.

I'm not sure if it is coincidental or not, but monthly comics have been falling for the same two years or so. Not just for us, but for most everyone.

When that started happening, we had a choice. We could dive back into researching comics, figuring out the problems, doing the heavy lifting that might help ameliorate the problem.

Or we could let comics find their own level, without catering to the speculators, and double down on the reading aspects of graphic novels.

We chose the latter, and it has worked out really well. Our graphic novels sales are increasing steadily, compensating for the comics--and whatever we're missing by not catering to speculators.

We're doing the right thing and doing well by it. Phew.

That Health Thing.

I've been hinting about a health episode, but I've decided this blog is of no use to me if I can't be candid.

So I had a heart attack three months ago. I'm fine. A stint was put in and I was out of the hospital feeling normal within a couple of days. No damage was done to the heart. The chances of recurrence are low (but add up over time.)

But it certainly changed my perspective on things. It's been a slow process of integrating this new circumstance into my life, my emotions, my plans. I'm pretty sure I'm not done with that process.

First of all, I was surprised. I thought I was pretty healthy. I knew that me and cholesterol didn't get along and I've taken statins for years. I was walking every day, I wasn't terribly overweight, I don't eat lots of fast foods or red meat.

Years ago, when the cholesterol levels were first diagnosed, I asked the doctor if I needed to change my diet. He said, "It doesn't matter what you do. You're genetically predisposed and only medication can make the difference."

Now I'm taking four times the statin dosage, plus low blood pressure meds, plus a baby aspirin, plus medications that have to do with my stent. Some of these may be changed when I see the cardiologist in a couple of weeks. (My blood pressure is so low, I'm barely alive.)

The thing that has surprised me the most is that instead of pushing me into being more diligent about my writing, the opposite has happened. I'll explain more of that later.

I do seem to be living in the moment more. I have always had the tendency to live in the future. "When I get to this place, then I'll do that" kind of thing. It's a McGeary trait.

Also, emotionally, I seem to be more in the Warren Zevon mode: "Enjoy every sandwich." I actually feel much more relaxed for some reason. There's the lingering sense of "borrowed time," but it has just made me more willing to enjoy the smaller things.

I've been on a tear to shape up. I was good about my diet for one month. I've gotten back to walking diligently. I'm sleeping more, worrying less. I've lost 20 pounds since Christmas and I'm keeping it off. (Maintaining 180.)

I'm trying to shape up stuff I've been putting off. I need new clothes to fit my 20 pound lighter frame. I've gone in for new glasses for the first time in seven years. I finally went to a dentist-- and instantly had a crown put in, plus two smaller cavities, plus cleaning. All this costs a ton of money.

I've decided that we're financially secure, though instead of cashing in the vested portion of my life insurance policy, I'm keeping it going. Heh.

So the biggest takeaway?

Well, the biggest takeaway is how much I love Linda. She's magnificent.

But the second biggest takeaway?

I was feeling somewhat guilty about not working more at the store. I was out at least $25K per year by having a manager and not working. So over six years, that's a significant amount of money.

When I was in the helicopter being ferried to Bend, I had one very clear thought.

Thank God I chose to do my writing.

Working till you're dead ain't no way to go about things if you have a choice.
 

It always amazes me when a writer says that "re-writing" is their favorite part of the process. I think I know what they mean. It's the last step in crafting a story, when it all comes into focus, and all that.

But fundamentally, it uses a different part of the brain, the part of the brain I turn off when writing a first draft--the critical judgement part. Apparently, some people's creative and judgemental parts are better integrated than mine. Heh.

I love the imagination of the first draft. I love the scenes coming alive in my mind's eye. I love living in a different dimension.

But once the words are down on paper, they are more words for me than visualization. I'm hoping that the original vision is transferred, and I understand that there is craft shaping words for the maximum effect, but it isn't enjoyable the way writing is.

Going backward is work.

The reader should probably expect me to work. That doesn't mean I have to like it.

Just as I started getting rolling on my book, the necessities of life caught up to me--all scheduled when it looked like nothing was happening.

Eye-doctor, dentist, store, regular doctor, taxes, kids, and on and on.

As I said before, in the first few years of writing NOTHING stopped me. Now it seems like EVERYTHING does.

I'm slightly worried, but not terribly worried. This story has got me, and I can feel it lurking, and I'm pretty sure when this week is over, I'll be back to it.

I've now walked for 12 days in a row, so I'm going to keep that string going, no matter what. I've found a back entrance to the nearby walking spot which was closed off. I'm skirting no-trespassing zones, but not directly defying them. (I'm weirdly sign-obeying.)

They've neatly closed off all entrances to the nearby BLM land, which is probably strictly on purpose, heh. 

There may be an unexpected benefit. Since the roads are closed off to motorized vehicles, the only way in is from Lower Bridge Road, and my walking spot is at 4 or 5 miles from there, so there is much less likelihood I'll run into people. On the other hand, I have to walk ten minutes just to get to the part I really want to walk.

I've decided that I've got to have Hart be the one who makes the mistake, to have it be a reaction to the breakup with Nicole. Without this, there is no drama. So that means basically starting from scratch, though following the same basic plot.

It also puts Hart front and forward for the first part of the book. So as many chapters as possible have to be written from his perspective. Then...I'm going to try to write the other chapters in 3rd person. This is going to be a lot more work; and it may not be possible. So the smarter thing would be to just keep the whole plan to myself.

Anyway, I'm going to write the second chapter to today and see how it turns out.

I've decided a need a Nicole chapter setting the scene before I go back to Hart.

Throwing out the whole book and starting over from scratch.

Yikes.

I think my subconscious has been gently leading me to this conclusion.

I wrote a whole new first chapter for "Takeover" and liked it a lot. Then I futzed around with the next ten chapters or so and improved it greatly, but...it just wasn't working.

I copied and started cutting drastically, which led me to the inevitable conclusion that it had to be redone, and then the idea for the second chapter came to me and it was good.

And now I'm ready to admit that the solution is to write the book from scratch.

See, if I'd thought this when I started, I would have thrown up my hands and said, "Screw that. I'll write a different book."

But the truth is, the plot of this book is good. Better than just about any I've done. It's the execution that doesn't work. Not even that really, it's the format--the stupid epistolary form--that doesn't work. But a complete plot isn't really that easy to come by--and here I've got one, so I might as well use it.

Plus--it will be a Hart Davis Strawberry Mountain Mystery--a real sequel to "Deadfall Ridge."

The epistolary format was a worthy experiment. My interest in it got the book written, resulting in some good characters and plotting--but it just never became completely readable.

The tone of the new first chapter is what I was after. As soon as I realized I could continue that tone, the die was cast. So here I go, completely writing the book from scratch. As I've been saying, about a third of the way through I can start using some of the material, but I'm going to turn it into standard third person.

Starting tomorrow, down the rabbit hole.

I'm sticking with this rewrite of "Takeover," though it isn't easy. I'm not trying to force it though. I want it all to feel right.

I need to write a fresh chapter, detailing the immediate relationship between Nicole and Hart, with Granger also in the scene. I think it probably best I just write it fresh, without reference to what I've already done.

One thing I didn't really realize is that--since 1st person is usually a device to bring characters closer--when everyone is 1st person is a bit distancing. It makes it hard to maintain a single tone long enough for the reader to relax into the story. I'm trying hard to fix that, but I think it is an intrinsic feature of the epistolary format.

The last 2/3rds of the book works better because by then I was intent on the plot and on scenes. The first third were character sketches.

If I can go back and try to turn as much of this into plot and scenes, then the whole thing might work.

I'm pretty sure I'll release this book, because I believe it has true merit, but I also know it won't be everyone's cup of tea, and I'll brace myself for negative reactions. One hopeful sign is that even the previous version seemed all right with the three or four readers I had, so if I can make it better, then maybe it will all work.