Public Kudos …

A lot of folks are aware of my recent frustrations with getting copies of my new book, A Green Witch’s Formulary into my hot little hands. Let me take you through them once again so you’ll know just how wonderful some people were last week:

I placed my order on August 26th. On August 29th, hurricane Irene hit my publisher’s preferred printer. Unfortunately, said printer didn’t tell anyone their presses were under water for almost 2 weeks. The publisher, Balboa Press, shunted my order to a second printer on September 19th. Although I had a book signing scheduled for the 24th, I wasn’t worried was only a little concerned. Today’s technology allows printers to get orders out the door in 48 hours or less and even if it took a day longer, there’s always overnight shipping.

When Thursday, September 22nd came to a close, I hadn’t received a shipment notification. Now I was nervous. What’s the use of doing a book signing if there are no books to sign? I called Balboa Friday morning and heard that afternoon that my order had just hit the production floor. There was no way to get them to me before I left home in the wee hours of Saturday morning. I’d already committed to the event so made up a sign explaining Irene and hoped for pre-orders.

I had just returned home from a late-afternoon appointment when I received a call from the Director of Fulfillment at Balboa. Bear in mind this was after 5pm on a Friday. He and his staff spent over an hour on the phone with me and other people, trying to get me a supply.

Long story short, another printer in Canada quickly made up ten copies (that wonderful technology again) and drove them to UPS, who overnighted them to a convenience store a block from where the event was being held. I had books by 11am Saturday morning, just an hour after the event started.

Therefore, I want to publicly thank the people who busted their rear ends for me: my Balboa book order consultant, Kim Stegemoller; Joe Scaggs, the fulfillment guy, and his staff; the plant manager in Canada who oversaw the printing & personally drove the box to UPS; and the guys at the Garden Spot Food Mart who took what must have been the strangest phone call they’d ever received and accepted delivery of a box for a stranger.

I expect my full order sometime this week and can’t wait to get it out to everyone who’s been patient with me.

The Universe does indeed smile on all of us once in awhile!