Unedited at 100

Just over a year ago I posted my first blog on Andy Unedited, stating that “to write a blog, you need to have an interesting personality or provocative opinions. I have neither.” I’m still not sure I have either, but in this, my one hundredth posting, I do know I’m having fun.

Here are some highlights from the first 100:

Mistiest Watercolored Memory: Vice President of Looking Out of the Window. It brought back lots of found recollections about my dad.

Most Controversial: The Serial Comma and the Plagues of Egypt. Who would have thought the lowly comma could arouse such passions?

Most Whimsical: Dear Santa. Old St. Nick brings out the wish list in us all.

Title with the Cleverest Rhyme: Do You Itch for a Niche or Are You on the Leash of Your Niche? Actually, it was the only title with a rhyme.

Truest Confession: Trashing a Book. Guilt still hangs over me for this.

Most Opinionated: Grammar Was Made for People, Not People for Grammar. I guess I do have some opinions after all.

Biggest Grammatical Error: Publishing that Lasts. I’m afraid that first sentence was not a case of breaking the rules on purpose, as my loving wife gleefully pointed out.

Post That Made My Staff the Most Nervous: “I Love to Fire People.” There was really no need to worry. I haven’t fired anyone . . . yet!

A Gentle Madness

I met a pastor recently who introduced himself this way: “Hi, I’m John.” (Not his real name.)

“Hi, John,” I said.

“I buy books,” he replied. It was the beginning of a sad tale that sounds like fiction, except that it is true. John confessed that he didn’t just buy books. He was addicted to book buying. In fact, he had already bought over 850 of IVP’s 1200 books in print and was closing in on the rest. That doesn’t include Bible study guides or booklets, though he’s sorely tempted to pick those up as well. “Just to complete the set, you know,” he said. “Like Pokemon. Gotta catch ’em all.”
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Dear Santa

Dear Santa:

We have been a very good publisher this year. We have paid our bills on time. We have one of the highest “in stock” rates in the industry. We have published many valuable books. We got several awards for our book designs. We have played nice with our authors. We told the truth in our marketing (even if we did get a little “excited” now and then). So I hope you will keep that in mind as Christmas gets near.

I know your elves are working harder than ever this time of year. Maybe they would have time to squeeze in one or two of the following into your sleigh before you take off.

1. Lots and lots of shelf space in bookstores so people can see our award-winning covers, not just our award-winning spines.
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