# Pinging CalMeacham (re book printed in 2006) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 6, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360 "2023-02-06T03:02:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/1 "2023-02-06T03:02:10Z")
I ran across an old thread you started in 2006 titled, “What did they do to my book?”. Did you ever figure it out? > [@What did they do to my book?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-to-my-book/361278): > > At the bookstore on Saturday They were good eniough to let me dio a reading of my book. But the new boooks they ordered were … different. Unlike all the ones I’ve gotten (and seen) before, they had no duist jackets – the cover with the picture was printed on. The paper stock was different, too. It was yellower. Aha! I thought, a second printing! But no, the copyright page looked exactly the same. Worse, as one reader pointed out, it looked as if a piece of paper had blocked off the print near… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/2 "2023-02-06T03:19:28Z")
I never did find out exactly how the version got that way. It was evidently a “print on demand” version, and someonbe was not paying sufficient attention to the way it turned out. I complained to them and asked them to put the book out in a paperback edition, which would be cheaper and more likely to sell. I’m happy to say that they did this, and the book continues to sell, even after more than 20 years (!) I wish they’d do this with my other books. A new edition of **How the Ray Gun Got Its Zap!** goes for an absurd $42, but you can get it used for $13. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/3 "2023-02-06T13:12:18Z")
I did enjoy the book – thanks for writing it! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/4 "2023-02-06T14:27:24Z")
Many thanks. There’s a sequel – **Sandbows and Blacklights** – that I was going to mention as another book selling for an absurdly high price, but evidently someone had an attack of sanity and you can buy it for about $20 now. (Although, for some reason, the Kindle edition sells for $34! How does THAT make any sense?) **Lost Wonderland** , which came out about the same time as Sandbows, sells for about $20 in paperback, which is reasonable. They sell a hardcover edition for $87, which makes no sense. Maybe they’re hoping libraries will buy it. Have a look here – [www.lost-wonderland.com](http://www.lost-wonderland.com) It’s where I put al the color pictures I couldn’t put in the book. Along with recordings of the park’s advertising jingles (from 1906!) ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/5 "2023-02-06T16:49:50Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > the book continues to sell, even after more than 20 years (!) I wrote my only book in 1995 and it still sells a few copies a year. 28 years, damn I’m old. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/6 "2023-02-06T17:41:22Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I wrote my only book in 1995 and it still sells a few copies a year. 28 years, damn I’m old. Congratulations! That is no mean feat. Can you tell me what the book is? You can send a personal message. I’m curious. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/7 "2023-02-06T17:59:21Z")
I edited the title to make it a bit more descriptive. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/8 "2023-02-06T19:24:59Z")
Thanks ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/9 "2023-02-07T07:34:58Z")
No problem. I can get you a discount 🙂 > **[Watt Pottery](https://schifferbooks.com/products/watt-pottery-2?_pos=1&_sid=b2a4961e9&_ss=r)** > > Once given as premiums and sold inexpensively in department stores, Watt Pottery pieces are now valuable collectibles. For over 40 years a family firm in central Ohio produced these items, gracing the kitchens and dining rooms of American homes coast... ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pinging-calmeacham-re-book-printed-in-2006/979360/10 "2023-02-07T14:47:07Z")
Nice! But my interest in pottery isn’t great enough for me to obtain a copy. Steve/Cal