Finally, a Perk

Posted by Bob Greenberger on October 6, 2009

People wonder why I run for the Representative Town Meeting.  I usually quip that I serve for the fabulous salary and perks. Well, after serving for two terms, a really cool perk was handed to me yesterday.

I was invited to attend a local event headlined by Vice-Present Joe Biden, a press opportunity to promote how the Federal stimulus dollars were not only putting Connecticut workers back on the payroll, but we were addressing critical infrastructure needs by putting these men to work on maintaining our scenic Merritt Parkway.

Selected state and town Democrats were invited to attend including, it appears, the Moderator of Fairfield’s RTM. It meant confirming for the master list then arriving at 1:30.  Those fortunate enough to gain access to the commuter parking lot had to get out of their cars while Secret Service and their dogs checked them out. The rest of us had to find parking nearby and as you might imagine, spots filled fast.

We all queued on a long line and took our turn showing photo ID and being handed our golden ticket. Then we were told to empty our pockets and have an agent wave the magic wand over us to make certain we were safe.

Once through security we could mill around and kill time. Even though we were told to be there at 1:30, it was for all of the above reasons but the real event wasn’t scheduled to begin, it turns out, until 3. That posed a problem since I needed to be back in town for a 3:45 appointment. One of the aides informed me it would be a mere 30 minutes long so I figured this might work out.

I worked the crowd since there was plenty of time and therefore spoke with many of my fellow Fairifelders. At one point, I was chatting with our First Selectman and the next thing I knew, I was posing for a picture with him, his aide Jen Carpenter, and Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz. I’ve attended many an event with Susan, a declared candidate for Governor next year, but never had the pleasure of saying hi before.

Finally, things stirred around 3:15 but the event really didn’t kick off until 3:35. We first heard remarks from Congressman Jim Himes, who turned the podium over to Senator Chris Dodd. He in turn introduced us to Craig Miller, project superintendent, who then gave us details about the project before introducing the Vice President. Joe Biden was loose, relaxed, and ready to chat with one and all. He cracked a number of jokes before settling into delivering his prepared remarks. I’m told he spoke for 21 minutes. I had to bolt before he finished.

While I may not have met my Senator or Vice President, it was a unique experience just being there and witnessing the spectacle of it all. You can argue the pros and cons of the stimulus funding but it’s a reality so I am pleased some of it is coming to my end of the state and being used to fix infrastructure, which is usually the first thing neglected during tight economic times. Putting people to work is always a good thing.

First Iron Man Review

Posted by Bob Greenberger on October 4, 2009

With Iron Man: Femmes Fatales out just a few days, Stacy Baugher wins as the first reviewer. She posted a piece at Major Spoilers and noted, “The neophyte comic fan or hardened sci-fi adventure fan will find this a great read; action packed and full of excitement. The die-hard comic fans will enjoy it not only for those reason, but for the little cameo’s that appear through out the book.”

I love that she ended with “For the price of a paperback book you get a story that would probably take months to tell in the traditional format. Robert Greenberger uses his years of experience in the comic industry and as a novelist to weave a tale that excites you and introduces old characters and situations to you in such a way that they seem as fresh and new. No, there are no pictures, but the best illustrator known to man has always been the human imagination, and this novel gives you much fodder to draw the curtain back on your own theatre of the mind.  Even if you are not normally a paperback novel reader, I would highly recommend this book. If you are an Iron Man fan, it is one of those unique experiences that will add to your love of the character for years to come.  This is an experience that takes elements from all the incarnations of the character and melds them into one good read. Check it out as soon as you can.”

‘Nuff said.

Two Copies

Posted by Bob Greenberger on October 1, 2009

Authors love to get a box full of their latest title from the publisher. But there’s nothing like walking into the bookstore and seeing your new book on the rack. We tend to rearrange shelves, maximizing our exposure and usually making certain books by our friends also receive prominent treatment.

As you know, Iron Man: Femme Fatales officially went on sale this week. Yesterday, I headed over to the Fairfield Borders ready to check it out. Imagine my surprise not being able to find it. I asked a friend who works there to check the inventory.

Sure enough, the computer says they received two copies and were likely still in a box of new releases still in the basement awaiting stocking. Let me repeat: two copies were ordered for my hometown store.

While we were checking inventory, I asked about next week’s Batman Vault. Well, it turns out they received three copies back on September 21. He showed me that all area stores received three, which strikes me as limited given its holiday gift-giving appeal, but what do I know?

I then asked about Kirsten Beyer’s new Star Trek: Voyager novel, which also went on sale Tuesday. I wanted to buy it and couldn’t find it on the shelf.  He checked and informed me the one copy the store received is in the same box in the basement.

If you ever thought media tie-in writers do this to get rich, please think again. No one gets rich on selling two copies per store regardless of how many stores there are in the country.