I had to laugh

[LJSDesigns]

My son is a poet and he recently published his first book of poems through Lulu. This morning the first copy arrived and smack dab in the middle of it is a digital scrapbook album about a couple named Fred and Kristy. OMG, his eyes were as wide as saucers and I had to laugh. Of course it's not really funny, he's sold seven copies already and is scared to death that his readers got the Fred and Kristy book too, so he is in his room trying to sort it all out with Lulu. He keeps coming back and asking me how it could happen. I guess since I am a scrapper he thinks I should have the answers. And of course he wants to know if I know Fred and Kristy; yeah really. Of course I don't know them, but I can't help but wonder Fred and Kristy got their photo album this morning and discovered it came with a side of poetry.

 

[Sherri Tierney]

I've never used (or heard of) Lulu but I've received Shutterfly books with other people's albums in them (my cover, their pages). No fun at all to deal with. I hope he gets it all straightened out and the other copies sent out weren't messed up.

 

[LJSDesigns]

He is dealing really well with it, has contacted the publisher and made sure that the error is corrected. They don't think it affected any of the other copies, apparently they print as ordered, but if one of his customers does complain, they have assured him it will be fixed. It was his face and his assumption that I knew these people that made me laugh.

As to his first book being messed up, I think it stinks, but I also think it is a good life lesson for him. My son wants to be a writer. It's going to be a hard road, so he needs to know how to handle problems and disappointments that affect his work. He needs to be able to deal with editors and publishers in a professional manner and really handle criticism. I am incredibly proud of his talent, in fact I will be sharing a page I did using one of his poems in the gallery, and amazed at his drive to fulfill his dreams. He plans to be Poet Laureate one day and I believe he can do it.

He says this will be a funny story to tell in his first interview with People magazine.

 

[marlathrall]

He says this will be a funny story to tell in his first interview with People magazine.

I love his attitude! And how awesome is it that he's already sold seven copies.

 

[YepBrook]

I'm glad it wasn't Fred & Kristy's honeymoon album. *wink, wink*

Seriously though, it makes me wonder who might possibly have copies of those pages I've printed with my kids in the bath or very personal journaling.

 

[LJSDesigns]

I'm glad it wasn't Fred & Kristy's honeymoon album. *wink, wink*

Seriously though, it makes me wonder who might possibly have copies of those pages I've printed with my kids in the bath or very personal journaling.

I hadn't thought about that Brook, it is a bit disconcerting. I know things like this happen, probably more often than any of us would like to think, so it may be a cautionary lesson about what we print with whom. I don't know much about Lulu, whether or not it is reputable because my son makes these decisions on his own, but I did tell him to do some research before he decides to print another book.

I've also cautioned him about putting his work on the web because once it is out there, it is out there for anyone and everyone to see and even steal. The poem I scrapped is already on the web both in his book and on his art site, so I was okay with posting. Had he not previously posted it in those places, I would not have scrapped it to share. But I'm super proud of him and so I had to scrap.