For the record, I did ask the moderator to remove the thread. He kindly suggested that I grow thicker skin and try to contribute instead. OK. The fact of being labeled an FNG (I had to look it up) and a spammer is actually liberating, I can speak freely without worrying about my reputation, establishing myself in a new (to me) forum, etc. With that, I really don't care if you guys buy my book, you are not the target audience, I have little interest in preaching to the choir. And with the book being offered for $0.99 (this is the lowest price that Amazon allows on KDP Select and I can assure you that my share does not cover promotional expenses) or outright free (on request from me, plus whenever Amazon allows to make it free - which will be March 3-5), i have no financial incentive to try to convince a few people on this forum to buy it. But I would have liked some more reviews, if the book gets traction there will be a crowd of "one star reviewers" of the other political persuasion and I wanted to proactively prepare for this. So, Chieftan, you got me, I have a selfish motive here, I am not an altruist. Personally, I run as far away as I can from self-professed altruists, they scare me.
It looks like you have a great forum here. I see DeMint and de Tocqueville in subject lines. I am sure that Levin and D'Souza and Steyn and others are being quoted. All great writers in the cause of liberty, democracy, limited government, free markets, etc. I personally enjoy their writings. But here's a nagging suspicion that I developed after the last elections: I think they are being read by those that agree with them and those that disagree with them, but there is a huge group in the middle that does not read them. And it's important to reach that group.
I am new to the forum and don't know enough about it, so please forgive an impertinent question: do you feel that you are bringing in and convincing new people or is it mostly like-minded people participating? And if you don't find a way to reach out to people that don't currently participate or share your views, do you think the outcome in November 2016 would be different? Just asking, I don't know the answer.
I had an interesting (at least to me) observation in the process of trying to promote the book: I have divided the resources (time and money) between two groups, one being apolitical internet book promotions and the other conservative websites and blogs, the second group mostly to give away free books in order to gather reviews as explained above. The effectiveness of the first group exceeded my most optimistic expectations. Reaching out to the second group produced practically nothing. This forum is the only place where there was any reaction (not all positive, but at least a reaction). I don't want to be a walking definition of insanity, so I'll let the ads on conservative sites run out their already-paid-for course and die. But the phenomena was kind of interesting.
TBR has picture of Ronald Reagan, the last great American president IMHO. Reagan built his "big tent": "The Republican Party, both in this state and nationally, is a broad party. There is room in our tent for many views; indeed, the divergence of views is one of our strengths. Let no one, however, interpret this to mean compromise of basic philosophy or that we will be all things to all people for political expediency." And I think that this reaching out and building a "big tent" is kind of missing now. If you do bother getting my book and you search for "Republican" or "Democrat," you'll get zero hits. It's this way on purpose. I think that much of the GOP establishment is just as guilty of the current FUBAR situation as the Democrats. And when the time comes to pay the piper, we'll all be in this together regardless of which party you belonged to.
The moderator asked me if I can offer sections of the book. Amazon's TOU for KDP Select prevent me from offering the book via any websites or blogs, only to reviewers via individual e-mail. But I attached a small excerpt, plus the first 10% on Amazon are free preview. And the whole book will be free there On March 3-5.
Now please feel free to take your shots at this FNG, just spare me Richard Gere and his gerbils.
Respectfully,
DR (my initials, not "Doctor")
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