GABBA GABBA HEY! Acknowledging a book's failure. (The "moving on" part comes later)

I have received the sales figures for my book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones. The book was published in May of 2023. It did not sell enough copies to cover the publisher's cost. The book is a failure.

Not a creative failure, at least not in my opinion. And much of the experience was positive, even wonderful. I had a blast, and I appreciate the support I received from friends, family, and fans, some of whom bought multiple copies. But the book didn't break through in the marketplace to attract anywhere near the number of buyers it needed. I can't candy-coat it. Commercially, my Ramones book is a failure.

The low sales of Gabba Gabba Hey! mean that Rare Bird Books will not be publishing my long-threatened other book, The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). I still want to see this labor of love will its way to print, and I'm reviewing options. I will probably wind up self-publishing it.

Meanwhile, my three secret projects continue. I have work to do. Failure is depressing. I acknowledge it. I'll get to the moving-on part soon. I thank each and every one of you who did buy Gabba Gabba Hey!, who helped me promote it, who showed up at and/or participated in events, and made me feel like a book-writin' big shot. I thank the folks at Rare Bird for enabling my dream of getting a book published.

It's a pretty good book, really.

It just didn't sell.

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Carl's book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. Gabba Gabba YAY!! https://rarebirdlit.com/gabba-gabba-hey-a-conversation-with-the-ramones-by-carl-cafarelli/

If it's true that one book leads to another, my next book will be The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). Stay tuned. Your turn is coming.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio. You can read about our history here.

I'm on Twitter @CafarelliCarl