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Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 10:48 am
by Shorty
Donna, I have some films that might help; THE VALENTINO MYSTIQUE, VALENTINO AND HIS 88 AMERICAN BEAUTIES, also VALENTINO IDOL OF THE JAZZ AGE, all Super 8mm Sound, but you probably have all the information you need - Congratulations - I'm reseraching towards a book on the RKO Radio Shorts, tough going finding information on some of the players - Shorty

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 4:32 pm
by rudyfan
Shorty wrote:Donna, I have some films that might help; THE VALENTINO MYSTIQUE, VALENTINO AND HIS 88 AMERICAN BEAUTIES, also VALENTINO IDOL OF THE JAZZ AGE, all Super 8mm Sound, but you probably have all the information you need - Congratulations - I'm reseraching towards a book on the RKO Radio Shorts, tough going finding information on some of the players - Shorty
Shorty, thanks for the offer. Not too late, but I have all of the above.

Good luck on your RKO Shorts book, that sounds like a worthy project.

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 4:38 pm
by rudyfan
[GUSH]

My copies arrived today. The quality of blurb's product has exceeded my expectations, it's really lovely.

The paper quality is nice, semi-gloss, and while it's not true coffee table size, it's terrific (and is quite heavy for a 10x8 book). The photo reproduction is great, very clear. The images are a shade darker than what I've been seeing on the monitor during production. That said, it's still terrific. The text is clear and very readable. Online it was hard to judge and I chose a small font for the text.

Besides, with all the pics, who is going to actually read it????

I could not be more thrilled nor more proud of the results. :D

[/GUSH]

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:37 am
by rudyfan
Thanks to anyone who has purchased the book. It's #4 on blurb's best seller page. :-) Thanks for that!

If you have purchased a copy and wish to leave a comment, you can do it on blurb's site here: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1439029

End of shameless plug!

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:35 pm
by drednm
Mine arrives tomorrow the 7th.....

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:31 pm
by drednm
well that was BS.... the book never arrived and now FEDEX lists no delivery date????

piss me off....

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:53 pm
by drednm
Donna.... book arrived today and I have only flicked through it but it's GORGEOUS....

Very nicely produced and I'm sure the content will be a total treat!

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:44 pm
by rudyfan
drednm wrote:Donna.... book arrived today and I have only flicked through it but it's GORGEOUS....

Very nicely produced and I'm sure the content will be a total treat!
Ed, thanks again for purchasing the book. I'm happy on initial scan you think it's gorgeous and hope you will find the whole book to be a nice treat.

I'm really happy, the feedback all around has been excellent and the book turned out more beautiful than I dared hope.

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:15 pm
by drednm
Well this also gives me ideas for my book.... the thought of going thru the traditional book publisher route is enough to kill all incentive. Plus I haven't published anything since 1992 so all my contacts are long long gone.....

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 8:17 am
by drednm
Went through the Valentino book last night and it's stunning. Great fotos, many of which I've never seen before.

Congrats. Donna!

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 9:54 am
by rudyfan
drednm wrote:Well this also gives me ideas for my book.... the thought of going thru the traditional book publisher route is enough to kill all incentive. Plus I haven't published anything since 1992 so all my contacts are long long gone.....
Well, Ed. As you can see blub's product is very nice. They're not cheap, so factor in the cost.

Blurb's booksmart software does have issues. Some of it was a real headache, but they've been improving and tweaking it all the while I've been working on my book. It did the job for me, it was sluggish, but I think that may have been partially due to the sheer size of the book file (just shy of 3Gb).

One of the improvements I am looking forward to utilizing is the ability to create a book using InDesign and uploading it. Bypassing booksmart altogether.

Even with the headaches I had during creation, I'd say blurb is a very good way to get a book out. The quality of the product was what I was looking for and they provided it. I had feedback from a buyer who said he did not hesitate with my book as he's purchased books from blurb before and said they're all high quality.

More on self publishing

Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:52 am
by rudyfan
I just noticed that Carl Bennett and silentera.com is or will be doing some self publishing and reprints. I did not know this when I was working on my book. Ed, you might want to contact Carl about this.

http://www.silentera.com/info/publish.html

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:25 pm
by drednm
So what was with the unibrow look for Valentino in Blood and Sand?

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:36 pm
by rudyfan
drednm wrote:So what was with the unibrow look for Valentino in Blood and Sand?
If I remember correctly, and it's been years since I read the original novel, this may have been in the description of the character of Gallardo.

Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:45 pm
by Scatter
Donna, I'm so pleased to find you here, as I just stumbled upon this wonderful site today. I'm an enormous fan of your podcast, and look forward to getting my hands on your new book.

Congratulations on the rave notices!

Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:40 pm
by rudyfan
Scatter wrote:Donna, I'm so pleased to find you here, as I just stumbled upon this wonderful site today. I'm an enormous fan of your podcast, and look forward to getting my hands on your new book.

Congratulations on the rave notices!
Hello Scatter
Thanks for the kind words. Do I know you outside of your screen name here?
Donna

Book Signings

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 3:40 pm
by rudyfan
Okay, it's official.

I'll be in LA for a couple of events.

Larry Edmunds Bookshop
August 21, 2010 at 7:00 pm
I'll have some copies of my book that I will be signing and I believe there will be a screening of a short film with Valentino as well.

Cinecon
September 4, 2010 12:00-12:30pm (or thereabouts)
Renaissance Hotel
(I think near the dealer room)

No obligations to buy a book, but do stop by and say hello if we've not met. :D

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 3:52 pm
by Jim Reid
Cool. I'm glad I waited to get the book.

A stellar review I simply must share!

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 2:52 pm
by rudyfan
From the Silentsaregolden website, wow, this is a fabulous review. I do not know who Dean is, but do I thank him, yes I do! Geez this is a wonderful and detailed review! :D

http://www.silentsaregolden.com/recomme ... raphs.html

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:45 am
by rudyfan
Hot Dog! It's been a fabulous week.

Leonard Maltin has reviewed the book! Boggle and Zowie!

http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmalti ... _mesmerize

Got to also give a shout out to Linda Wada and her beautiful book on Edna Purviance and The Sea Gull and to Louise Brooks Society founder Thomas Gladysz for his special edition of The Diary of a Lost Girl. I'm proud to have them both in my library.

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:08 am
by boblipton
A very nice review, Donna. I hope sales get a goose as a result.

Bob

Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 7:36 am
by rudyfan
Bad news: blurb is upping the price of the book as of September 30 and it will increase to $60.

If you want it, have not bought it, might want to do it before 9-30.

:( :x

Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 3:02 pm
by salus
Was the woman in black who visited Valentino's grave each year ever identified ? Was she a former silent actress?

"The Woman in Black"

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 7:13 pm
by Sidney P. Bloomberg
I'll Be 90 Yrs. Young! on 10/6/10, &, WAS @ Campbells Funeral Parlor, in NY,
for Rudy's Funeral. 'The Woman in Black,' WAS, Apolonia Chalupecec! The
Funeral Cortege (Correct Word (?), went down 10th Ave., instead of via the
East Side, for 'Traffical' Reasons.
Sid B.

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:30 pm
by drednm
So Sid.... ok the woman in black was Negri but do you think they were a real couple of was it just a publicity stunt?

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 10:08 am
by rudyfan
drednm wrote:So Sid.... ok the woman in black was Negri but do you think they were a real couple of was it just a publicity stunt?
Pola Negri WAS in NY as the "widow" she never was the "Lady in Black."

The original Lady in Black was a woman named Ditra Flame. Go to www.valentinoforever.com Tracy has a who is who that gives the details about each of the Ladies in Black through the ages.

Yes, Valentino and Negri did have an affair. Would they have married had he lived, I doubt it.

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 10:24 am
by drednm
Donna... shows you what I know.. I thought the widow and lady in black were one person....

Blurb is having a sale - 20% off through 11-26

Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 10:57 am
by rudyfan
Heads up!

If you've not ordered Rudolph Valentino The Silent Idol, now is the perfect time, blurb is having a 20% off sale good until November 26th.

To order: http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/1644955

When you check out, use the following promo code(s):

USD $ coupon code: PROMO
GBP £ coupon code: PROMO1
EUR € coupon code: PROMO2
CAD $ coupon code: PROMO3
AUD $ coupon code: PROMO4

End of commercial announcement.

Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:41 pm
by Arndt
Okay, that's done it. I could not resist any longer.

Blurb is offering FREE shipping until December 10th

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:48 pm
by rudyfan
FYI, blurb is offering free shipping until December 10th

Here are the codes:

Blurb is offering free flat rate shipping until December 10th
Shipping to an address within the U.S, UK, Europe, Australia, or Canada? When you order between one and three books and choose a U.S. Ground or International Priority, you'll now be charged a flat shipping cost regardless of the weight or size of your books.Even better, now through December 10, Flat Rate shipping is free!

Just type in the appropriate promo code at checkout and click apply:
USD $ coupon code: FESTIVE
GBP £ coupon code: FESTIVE1
EUR € coupon code: FESTIVE2
CAD $ coupon code: FESTIVE3
AUD $ coupon code: FESTIVE4