Just What Does 5000 Books Look Like?

Editor’s Note: Today’s Tuesday Teaser video will be postponed until next week in lieu of this breaking news story…

In the world of independent self-publishing, there are numerous ways an author can manage the inventory and shipping of a book. To name a few – one can elect to Print on Demand or ship trough a warehouse and distribution fulfillment center. Some books are strictly electronic in format and some are sold directly through Amazon. Then there are those that take on the task from start to finish in the old fashioned brick and motor method, called putting your inventory in your spare bedroom or garage and packing and shipping them yourself with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears as daily trips are made to the post office.

Guess which method I chose? Hmm… if you ever wondered what 5000 books looked like, now you know. Who needs Andy Rooney when you have me? When Dan moved in to what is now our house several years ago, he put in an amazing exercise room filled with all sorts of fancy equipment to sculpt one’s body to the fit shape of a Greek Adonis. If I used the equipment more than three times in that time frame, I would be taking liberal writers prerogative of exaggerating the truth. Plainly stated, I don’t exercise. I write. And therefore I must have known in the back of my mind that this room was meant for a greater purpose… Book inventory storage. In writer’s terms, that is called rationalization.

Here I am after two long years, finally sitting next to the birth of my 5000 beautiful books (Rolz is on the top supervising)

But, in layman’s terms, here is what 5000 Zee & Zoey books actually means – Dan was the one who had to unload the books from the docking facility, put them in a U-Haul and drive them to our house, unload them in the driveway, and then bring them into the house for proper storage and stacking – so, in essence, each carton of books had to be moved three times. The collective weight of those three moves was 29,625 pounds which equates to approximately 15 tons (each ton equals 2000 pounds). But, to visualize, an average adult elephant weighs 5000 pounds – so, in actuality, Dan lifted 3 full grown elephants today…. Uggg… thankfully he loves me very much, because how does one compensate someone for lifting three full grown elephants? It’s best I just don’t tell you…

Just to be clear, while it would not be out of the realm of possibility to assume I had three elephants, these actually are not mine, and nothing more than a visual representation...

Anyhow, the good news is, the books are here, they are safe, they are sound, and they are beautiful. My deadline for a November 1st launch is on track and I can’t wait for the next few weeks as I unveil the book trailer, then the new website!! Stay tuned, I promise you won’t be disappointed!!

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  1. Woo hoo. We are so excited. Your book babies are here!

  2. Carolyn says:

    Deb, I love the visual representation, mainly because I love elephants almost as much as cats 🙂 Dan is a saint and a muscly one at that. That Rolz is doing a great Top Cat impersonation lol Loads of good wishes are with you for the launch xox

    • Deb says:

      Caro – glad you enjoyed the representation! I really thought if helped describe just how hard Dan worked by using elephants as the yardstick of measure, so to speak!! Dan is a saint – I felt so bad for him…. poor dear – we really are a true, grass-roots, cottage industry! I love elephants too!!

  3. Cheysuli says:

    Wow. If you piled those right it could be a wall I could walk on and have fun on. I mean really. Because you know that’s what cats love to do and it is all about us right? And if the Woman thought she was going to do that, she’d need a bigger house. And someone to help her haul all the books cause the Male wouldn’t do it!

    • Deb says:

      Chey – right now as we speak, three of them are up there doing the cat walk thing!! It’s not about the books at all… If your Woman does decide to do it, tell here it’s A LOT of work!!!

  4. Bernadette says:

    You must have been so disappointed yesterday! I can’t imagine 5,000 books, I’m hard pressed to store 5,000 post cards for a customer. Can’t wait to see the new site and the trailer!

    • Deb says:

      Bernadette – I truly wish I could have helped Dan, but I have severe back problems that kept me away from that task! Can’t wait to unveil it all… soon!!

  5. they do make a wonderful wall 🙂

    Kudos to Dan!

  6. phyllis sloan says:

    God Bless Dan, You’re a good man…..

  7. I’ve been going to the post office a few times a week. I started selling some of my books on Amazon and whenever one sells, I try to go to the post office the next day. Then I’ll come home and find a new order! LOL

    • Deb says:

      Well… it’s kind of a pain Rachel, but at least you are selling books, which is a good thing!! I’m sure we are going to get to know the folks at the Post Office very well! 🙂