News, Updates, Recap · 8:48pm Mar 20th, 2020
Hey readers! It’s time for an update! So let’s start with the biggest thing on everyone’s mines: Covid-19, AKA the Coronavirus.
By now I imagine no matter where you are in the world you’ve been affected by this thing, and it’s no different in where I am. In pursuit of slowing the spread of this thing to manageable levels, public gatherings have been limited to ten people, no more, by law where I’m at.
For entirely understandable reasons, mind. I don’t disagree with it. I bring it up to illustrate how serious things have gotten over these last few weeks.
But everyone’s dealing with that seriousness fairly well. I say fairly because I have no idea why everyone got it into their heads that toilet paper was the new gold. For that matter, after going to the grocery store last night, I also have no idea why people are stockpiling Oreos and ice cream. The chips and popcorn I somewhat understand, as everyone’s ready to look at nothing but entertainment for the next few weeks, but Oreos? Ice cream? The latter isn’t even a good survival food, since you have to chill it.
Or maybe I’m just being picky and everyone really wants comfort food right now. Regardless, I’m getting away from the topic at hand, which is Covid-19 and its effects.
The big effect? Book sales have slowed massively. Saw a news article about it the other day, and it confirmed what I’d already seen. This week has been dead. Which, since book income is my only income right now, is not a good sign.
There’s not much I can do about either. After all, it’s a symptom of a pandemic, and I don’t have any control over that. This last week people have just been hunkering down, getting ready to ride things out. Maybe once that’s over and people are in the “ride” phase they’ll start buying books again, but it seems right now they’re more worried about other things.
Oreos, I guess. No, I’m not stopping harping on that one. Who loads up on Oreos in a disaster?
Still, if sales are dead for me they’re probably dead for a lot of other authors and creative types out there. Which … hurts. It takes a lot of work to even get both arms on a rung of the ladder of success in creative fields. Getting your feet kicked out from under you is brutal.
With luck, this downturn is temporary, and people stuck at home quickly decide they want some reading material to make their day better. If not, well … I don’t know. A bummer of an answer, but times like these are full of uncertainty and difficulty.
A bit depressing, sure, but I can’t help that. Sometimes bad news is bad news. So then, onward to some better news!
Sucks to hear that book sales have crashed. Kinda the opposite of what I'd expected, but I guess it takes a bit more emotional/energy investment to pick up a book than to pick up a show or a game. Maybe things will get better once stress levels calm down a bit.
In point of fact, I think I saw which way "A Game of Stakes" was going to end before it got there.
A dragon wizard, you say? Color me intrigued.
Ugh. I've seen first- and second-hand many times how destructive fear can be when it takes hold. I have a natural tendency to caution and anxiety bordering on paranoia, myself, but I'm trying to remain calm.