well, over the weekend we got our first sales statement for the book, which covered february, the first month it was available. I have to say that I really don't know how to approach the numbers to know whether they are good or bad, but I can't help but feel a bit disappointed at how low they are. it's not like I was expecting to take the world by storm or anything, but I did think that the first major book on mod_perl to come in three years would have a bigger impact, especially when all the feedback we've gotten so far has been positive.
mind you, it's not about more money in our pockets (and while that helps, we're a long way from earning out that advance anyway). what makes it really disappointing for me is that the main goal (at least for me) was to increase the visibility of mod_perl as a leading technology - kinda like how 500 books on .NET somehow makes corporate decision makers think they need to start deploying it. and the more places that deploy it, the more likely it is that I (and others like me) get to keep using something we all think of as fun.
of course, having lots and lots of good reviews would help spread the word about the book, which would in turn help the mod_perl (or at least that's the idea). we've actually had quite a few people interested in writing reviews, but those have yet to come to fruition - probably because people are just plain busy these days trying to keep their jobs, and doing a thorough job on a 650 page book is no easy chore.
but I keep coming back to this article and the obvious corrolary: that when times are tough people are hesitant to fork over $40 for a book that may or may not be worthwhile, which says as much for our book as it does for mod_perl in general. and that saddens me.
It's not your book.
It *ought* to sell well, if I have anything to say about it.
