Saturday, March 28, 2009

What is it about a book?

Today I received a package from my publisher and inside was one of the biggest thrills of my life.
Now, it may not seem much to you, but to me this was a moment.

As you may have read or seen on my official site www.jaysheldon.com I wrote a children's book about a year ago. Well, after much futz'ing around I managed to find a place to publish it. Today my first copy arrived.
I had seen this book in soft copy from concept to design to illustrations and now here, in my hands, was the actual book!
Now look, I've been on stage in front of over 15 thousand people performing, I've been on the air doing shows on radio with hundreds of thousands and television with millions watching before, I've seen myself up on the big screen in the cinema, but somehow, this is different.
What is it about books?
Somehow they have more of a permanence than those other mediums. Somehow, they seem more real!
You can feel and touch and smell a book. They last longer! Hey, the Holy Bible and The Holy Quran weren't a tv special, They were WRITTEN! ...and they're still here today!

I'm not looking to make money by writing this children's book. In fact, I am actually not making one single cent (or sen here in Malaysia!) I was just for the thrill of seeing myself in print and now that dream has come true.
Oh sure, I'd love for you to buy a copy and frankly, if you have children, it's a very cute little fantasy story about a little boy in Malaysia and what happens when he meets and makes friends with a warthog!
I think you and your kids will thoroughly enjoy the story. At the same time, they'll be learning something about the culture here in my adopted country.
But, at the end of the day, even if you don't buy a copy, it's perfectly ok. I couldn't be happier with the first box of them and while I've had a number of requests for autographed copies, Most of you are so far away, it's be impossible to get them to you.

What's next?
Well, actually, I'm in the middle of research and writing for my next book and this one will be VERY different from the first. This one is a story about a gay massage parlour and the happenings behind the scenes. The life and true stories of massage boys.
Working title "Behind a Batik Curtain"
Here's the synopsis:

Call boy, Escort, Massage Boy, Masseur, Money Boy…
Call them what you will, each in the business for his own reasons. Be it missing love, quick easy money, lack of any formal education, the thrill of experience; join a group of Massage Boys as they make their living plying their particularly unique trade.
Young, handsome and willing to explore places few of us every see. In this small group of masseurs you’ll find every kind of personality type, and in spite of what your ideas might be, not all necessarily gay. They fight over customers, they bitch behind each other’s backs, but in most cases, the other boys are the only family they know.
At times the sex becomes routine, sometimes passionate, always interesting. Some boys find a way out; some find a rough life of the constant demands of customers in all shapes, sizes and fetishes.
This insightful and intriguing look at life in a massage parlor explores the day to day, with tales of love, drama, freaky clients and money. Stories that are at once poignant and funny, along with heartbreaking and tragic.
A life lived “Behind a Batik Curtain”.


I'll be sure and keep you up to date on this one when it's ready.

Thanks for reading and if you'd like to order a copy of "Willy and The Warthog" there is a link on the left side of my profile page, or you can go here:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/602599

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