Looking for the real Red Robbo (my book). Book launch events now added.

[motorpunk]

Looking like 230 pages in 5X8” paperback format. Have buggered up something to do with the margins but will fix in the morning if I can think straight.

Right. Is a tenner a fair price?

[Wibble]

8 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

Looking like 230 pages in 5X8” paperback format. Have buggered up something to do with the margins but will fix in the morning if I can think straight.

Right. Is a tenner a fair price?

I’d be happy to pay £12.99 to be honest.

[Matty]

I don't inhabit this world so forgive me but after all that graft doesn't a tenner a unit basically not even cover your costs? A decent bloody magazines about 6 quid these days.

[Datsuncog]

I'm a cheap bastard, but even I wouldn't expect to pay a tenner for a physical book anymore.

£12.99 - £15.99 does seem to be about the going rate for non-fiction paperbacks these days.

Don't undersell yourself!

[robt100]

As others have said, I'd say £12.99 would be rock bottom price.
A tenner works out at 4 pence a page, or roughly 0.02p per word........

If you put it up at £13 instead of £10 and loose 25% of your customer base, you still haven't lost any money. And, in some ways, I'd expect a slightly higher price may actually draw in a passerby/casual reader as I'd think at £10 some would see it as 'amateurish' (or given this is about BL, ammeterish?!😅). Most new releases and bestsellers that arent decades old are all in the £15-£30 range. And its much easier to reduce the price in a "sale" than it is to put it up!

[Floatylight]

As others have said £10 is too cheap, is it possible to list at £15.99 and then do you have control over discounts, so could effectively vary the price,I would assume more people likely to buy a £15.99 book with 20% discount than a £10 book with zero discount.. 

[R Lutz]

What a pack of capitalist bastards you lot are. It should be subsidised to lower the cost to a copy of The Socialist Worker. Thats means it's a fair price for all and no profit to be made by the wealthier than thou organisations. It'll be  accessible to  all.  I can't believe what I'm reading. And if somebody forgets to glue the spine together, then so what? 

[New POD]

 

Will there be an audible version? 

In which case can you get one the Pheonix Six to read it. 

[motorpunk]

2 hours ago, New POD said:

Will there be an audible version?

Have you ever heard my voice?! 😂

No.

[Matty]

Just now, motorpunk said:

Have you ever heard my voice?! 😂

No.

Stick me down for the narrators job. I've the world's thickest East Lancs accent. I can see the mountain of complaints from here 🤣

[chadders]

41 minutes ago, Matty said:

Stick me down for the narrators job. I've the world's thickest East Lancs accent. I can see the mountain of complaints from here 🤣

I'd probably manage to understand you as my missus is from there and she certainly had a strong accent when we first met, since mellowed by living in the South East.

[Asimo]

11 hours ago, motorpunk said:

Is a tenner a fair price?

Yes, for the  "Project Drive" version that has neither paragraphs nor punctuation.  

I'll hold out for the Palawan press vellum and calf-skin slipcase library edition.* Signed of course.

**Only available here. https://socialistworker.co.uk/bookmarks-the-socialist-bookshop/

[motorpunk]

Have uploaded, approved, checked, signed off, and it's now one click from 'publish'.

I have ordered two author copies so I may check a hard copy for any final errors before it goes live. There's a tiny sliver of white, perhaps 1mm, across the bottom of the cover, due to alignment on Amazon. I might just leave it in as I doubt anyone will notice but that's all I can see that's wrong with it. Am now stressing about upsetting people, getting fisted by the taxman, getting hyper anoraks commenting on the content, people being offended by knob gags, political people wanting to muscle in on the dialogue, nutters tracking me down, and all the usual "pre-match nerves" I get with books. Goodwood have said they will not review it (they were very complimentary with my book about The Weasel) which sort of makes me laugh and confirms I'm hitting the right spot. 

Proofreader paid, cover art paid, photography paid, diesel for endless dead end exploratory trips paid, over a year of work (on and off) and yet I still feel bad for asking for £12 for this. I hope folks will attend the launch event(s). I just like telling an original story and making folks smile. 

A little nugget for now. This is Prince Charles driving one of the first Metros. After this shot was taken, a member of BL management collected their daughter from school in the same car. It kept conking out and dragged a mudflap behind it.

 

[Floatylight]

3 hours ago, motorpunk said:

I hope folks will attend the launch event(s).

Have you thought about putting them on Eventbrite, gets them out there and allows you to control tickets/ know approx how many are coming.

[motorpunk]

2 minutes ago, Floatylight said:

Have you thought about putting them on Eventbrite, gets them out there and allows you to control tickets/ know approx how many are coming.

It'll be a simple "email to be added to the guest list, free entry" kinda thing, I think. 

[motorpunk]

And the first book launch event will be - RUSTIVAL! Come along! Saturday 30th August at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. Info here. 

They have kindly given me a 20 minute slot on stage to do my thing, I will be interviewed by JayEmm (who is a fellow BL perve, btw). There'll be a big QR code on a board where you can order copies. I may bring a small quantity to sell on the day. 

 

[robt100]

4 hours ago, motorpunk said:

 

There's a tiny sliver of white, perhaps 1mm, across the bottom of the cover, due to alignment on Amazon. I might just leave it in as I doubt anyone will notice but that's all I can see that's wrong with it. 

 

So very much on-theme for a BL based product?

 

Quote

Proofreader paid, cover art paid, photography paid, diesel for endless dead end exploratory trips paid, over a year of work (on and off) and yet I still feel bad for asking for £12 for this. 

Charge £13 instead so you don't feel bad about the £12🤣

 

Quote

They have kindly given me a 20 minute slot on stage to do my thing, I will be interviewed by JamEmm (who is a fellow BL perve, btw).

Didn't realise he was much of a BL perve. Though now you have written his name like that I expect you to start the answer to every question with "well, Jam....."

[motorpunk]

Richard Porter (Sniff Petrol) just said - "I read some of this book, decided I didn’t like the noise it made turning the pages and went on strike for a month". And I've just realised it's surely the only book on Amazon which quotes both Karl Marx and Noel Edmonds. 

--------------

Your invitation to an informal evening with Rich Duisberg - a launch event for the much-anticipated new book, Looking for the real Red Robbo, is to be held at the following venues;

The Motorist (inside, upstairs), Sherburn-in-Elmet, LS25 6JE on Wednesday 3rd September (yes it's short notice), from 6-8pm. The restaurant, bar and Cafe will be open.

The Splined Hub Building (in an awesome workshop), Oundle, PE8 5PB on Thursday 25th September, from 4-6pm (and join their sunset spin event from 6-8pm, if you like). The bar will be open.

The Great British Car Journey, Ambergate, DE56 2HE on Friday 3rd October, from 6-8pm (in the Cafe room). The museum is open to the public until 6pm, so why not make a visit ahead of the book launch event? The Cafe will be open so @robt100 can get his dinner.

I'll also be on stage at Rustival, please come and heckle me, I'm terrified no-one will turn up. I'd be so grateful if folks would at least share this info above, I am useless at the digital world, no FB or anything, and am reliant on like-minded BL lickers to spread the word. If anyone would like to come to any of this malarky, DM me and I'll add you to the guest list.

RSVP! 

Your invitation to an informal evening with Rich Duisberg - a launch event for his much-anticipated new book, Looking for the real Red Robbo, is to be held at the following venues;
 

[Pieman]

On 11/08/2025 at 06:31, New POD said:

 

Will there be an audible version? 

In which case can you get one the Pheonix Six to read it. 

If there is going to be one, I have a vaguely Brummie accent (I was born in West Bromwich) and use my voice for my work, so if the opportunity is there I'd be happy to offer my services.

[Marina door handles]

20 hours ago, motorpunk said:

Richard Porter (Sniff Petrol) just said - "I read some of this book, decided I didn’t like the noise it made turning the pages and went on strike for a month". And I've just realised it's surely the only book on Amazon which quotes both Karl Marx and Noel Edmonds. 

--------------

Your invitation to an informal evening with Rich Duisberg - a launch event for the much-anticipated new book, Looking for the real Red Robbo, is to be held at the following venues;

The Motorist (inside, upstairs), Sherburn-in-Elmet, LS25 6JE on Wednesday 3rd September (yes it's short notice), from 6-8pm. The restaurant, bar and Cafe will be open.

The Splined Hub Building (in an awesome workshop), Oundle, PE8 5PB on Thursday 25th September, from 4-6pm (and join their sunset spin event from 6-8pm, if you like). The bar will be open.

The Great British Car Journey, Ambergate, DE56 2HE on Friday 3rd October, from 6-8pm (in the Cafe room). The museum is open to the public until 6pm, so why not make a visit ahead of the book launch event? The Cafe will be open so @robt100 can get his dinner.

I'll also be on stage at Rustival, please come and heckle me, I'm terrified no-one will turn up. I'd be so grateful if folks would at least share this info above, I am useless at the digital world, no FB or anything, and am reliant on like-minded BL lickers to spread the word. If anyone would like to come to any of this malarky, DM me and I'll add you to the guest list.

RSVP! 

Your invitation to an informal evening with Rich Duisberg - a launch event for his much-anticipated new book, Looking for the real Red Robbo, is to be held at the following venues;
 

Shall I  set up a picket line just in front of the stage at Rustival and call anyone on the stage a Scab? Just need a donkey jacket a plackard and a brazier......

[Sunny Jim]

There'll be at least one man and his dog watching you at Rustival. Can I pre-order two copies for you to sign at the event that I want to give as gifts please and thank you? You should charge (and I'll be happy to pay) a premium for a signed copy.

If that's a buggeration for you to do I'll order them off Amazon and bring them for you to sign, whatever works best for you. 

Congratulations on getting it all done btw 👍

[motorpunk]

15 minutes ago, Sunny Jim said:

There'll be at least one man and his dog watching you at Rustival. Can I pre-order two copies for you to sign at the event that I want to give as gifts please and thank you? You should charge (and I'll be happy to pay) a premium for a signed copy.

If that's a buggeration for you to do I'll order them off Amazon and bring them for you to sign, whatever works best for you. 

Congratulations on getting it all done btw 👍

Thank you, Sunny Jim! Yes, you can pre-order, and no, I am not going to charge anyone a premium for my scrawl! I will bring copies for you to Rustival and hope the readers enjoy them. You are, I think, my first customer

[IronStar]

23 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

Thank you, Sunny Jim! Yes, you can pre-order, and no, I am not going to charge anyone a premium for my scrawl! I will bring copies for you to Rustival and hope the readers enjoy them. You are, I think, my first customer

Is a position of a first international buyer filled? Also which way is the picket line?

[motorpunk]

3 minutes ago, IronStar said:

Is a position of a first international buyer filled? Also which way is the picket line?

I'm looking for that first international buyer! The picket line runs left to right, or right to left, if you're on the other side. I'll share a link where you can buy from Amazon soon, or DM me if you want to pay me direct and have me scribble something personal in it. 

[IronStar]

4 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

I'm looking for that first international buyer! The picket line runs left to right, or right to left, if you're on the other side. I'll share a link where you can buy from Amazon soon, or DM me if you want to pay me direct and have me scribble something personal in it. 

Other side?! I’m no management shill mister!

DM sent 😊

[motorpunk]

My pre-print issue is here. Quite a few tiny things need tweaking, it’s always the same when transferring from screen to print. I’ll finish this tomorrow then, I think - Publish and be damned 😎

[Marina door handles]

Although I will officially be on strike, I would also like to purchase a copy of said book at Rustival. If you could put some bourgeois scribble in it, that would be great!

[Wibble]

I’m hoping to get to Rustival but, if I don’t, I’ll order online.

[N Dentressangle]

On 13/08/2025 at 16:40, motorpunk said:

Richard Porter (Sniff Petrol) just said - "I read some of this book, decided I didn’t like the noise it made turning the pages and went on strike for a month". And I've just realised it's surely the only book on Amazon which quotes both Karl Marx and Noel Edmonds. 

--------------

Your invitation to an informal evening with Rich Duisberg - a launch event for the much-anticipated new book, Looking for the real Red Robbo, is to be held at the following venues;

The Motorist (inside, upstairs), Sherburn-in-Elmet, LS25 6JE on Wednesday 3rd September (yes it's short notice), from 6-8pm. The restaurant, bar and Cafe will be open.

The Splined Hub Building (in an awesome workshop), Oundle, PE8 5PB on Thursday 25th September, from 4-6pm (and join their sunset spin event from 6-8pm, if you like). The bar will be open.

The Great British Car Journey, Ambergate, DE56 2HE on Friday 3rd October, from 6-8pm (in the Cafe room). The museum is open to the public until 6pm, so why not make a visit ahead of the book launch event? The Cafe will be open so @robt100 can get his dinner.

I'll also be on stage at Rustival, please come and heckle me, I'm terrified no-one will turn up. I'd be so grateful if folks would at least share this info above, I am useless at the digital world, no FB or anything, and am reliant on like-minded BL lickers to spread the word. If anyone would like to come to any of this malarky, DM me and I'll add you to the guest list.

RSVP! 

Your invitation to an informal evening with Rich Duisberg - a launch event for his much-anticipated new book, Looking for the real Red Robbo, is to be held at the following venues;
 

Will come and have a chat at Rustival - see you there!

[chaseracer]

On 11/08/2025 at 09:13, motorpunk said:

Have you ever heard my voice?! 😂

No.

I'll read it for you! 😀