I wasted some time reading a negative thread elsewhere on the web. The subject: “Palladium Books will be Dead by 2008.”
A lot of it made me laugh. Some of it made me cringe. A few things stung, and some was just plain silly or crazy. I wanna thank those of you who tried to offer an opposing view in support of me or Palladium Books, and I wanted to tell you not to let them get under your skin.
Personally, I find it sad to see so much time and energy devoted to hate and sour emotions. Worse, most of those folks don’t know me or how we actually think, work, plan or operate at Palladium. That means they are hating over myths, rumors, lies, and shadows. They extrapolate on things they think are happening and attribute words, thoughts and actions to me that they’ve pulled out of the ether. There’s a lot of guesswork and assumptions that are just plain nonsense.
In regard to the upcoming release of the Zeleznik art book, one guy stated: “Come on! You put out a book that isn’t selling, that everyone told you wouldn’t sell, and it is the distributors' fault for not seeing the brilliance of the product?”
No. First, the book has NOT even been released yet. It won’t ship for another month. So we don’t know how well it will sell or not.
Second, “Nobody” told me not to print it. Distributors are slow to place orders, because the industry is rough right now and they’re understandibly afraid to take chances. The conventional wisdom is (most) art books don’t sell very well in the game market, so the knee jerk reaction is, “it won’t sell.” The Palladium detractors are making that same assumption. But it's not true about all art books, and no one has even seen this book yet.
I have found that distributors usually recognize a quality product when they see it, and adjust and turn around quickly to sell it. That was the point of the story behind Rifts® Sourcebook One, Revised and Expanded and the Robotech® videotapes we sold in 1989-1991 (among other products over the years). That sometimes distributors have to see before they belielve.
My other point, was that viable advertising venues in the RPG industry are fading. Even Dragon Magazine is going the way of the Do-Do bird, but Palladium has something most companies don’t have. YOU. A strong, large fan base. My request, to “spread the word” about products you want, is a way to let stores and distributors know you want an upcoming book. Word of mouth is powerful, use it, but only “if” you really want the product and really believe in it.
The idea is to let people know about the art book now, BEFORE it is released, so it can find its market. And that you shouldn’t assume the distributors will do that for you. You need to help them by speaking up and telling your stores.
Meanwhile, because you guys and gals have asked to be kept in the loop, I provided some numbers and details about what we need to sell to break even. That’s just the facts and my thoughts about sales. In my mind, they are easily attainable numbers. ESPECIALLY if we start the talk and spread information about it NOW.
Was I worried about sales, a bit? Yes. Was cash flow rough? Yes. Was the up-front payment of the printing costs for the art book a contributing factor? Yes, and so was the cost of a number of other recent products and strategic moves. Was I holding out a tin cup and begging you to buy the book? Heck, no. And I hope it did not seem that way.
So why am I talking so much about Rifts® and the Megaverse®, the Art of John Zeleznik? Because ALL of us here at Palladium think it is beautiful and amazing. That it is something you will want. And because it is an art book – a product you might overlook – we want to stress how flippin’ great it is, because we think you will LOVE it and WANT it. And we don’t want you to miss it. Plus, we are super-proud of this book.
Holding the advance copy of Rifts® and the Megaverse®, the Art of John Zeleznik in my hands makes me feel proud, nostalgic and happy. It reminds me of what we have accomplished over the years and how many exciting new books are yet to come. It makes me proud of my friend, John Zeleznik, and impressed with his ability as an artist. It reminds me of play tests and games I’ve run, and characters I’ve created as well as characters my players have run in my games. I can’t stop looking at this book. Neither can Johnny Z. And I think YOU will have a similar reaction. Sometimes a book just comes together and wows the pants off you, and I think this is one of them.
As for the business end of things, we would not have published this art book if we didn’t think it was good for Palladium, would open up new opportunities, and sell enough to at least cover our costs. And that seems to be panning out too. As we talk to our distributors in greater detail and show a sample of the book, heads are turning and minds are changing.
On another front, a bookseller who specializes in art books plans to place an order, and we think Rifts® and the Megaverse®, the Art of John Zeleznik will make a splash in the book trade. Meanwhile, approximately 70 copies of the Masterwork Edition are already pre-sold with new orders coming in every day. (It is an unprecedented offer, a piece of original art actually used to conceive and create one of the paintings or illustrations inside the book).
Cash flow problems were, in part, due to slow pay by some vendors, but when we put the call out to them they were quick to send us payments. Thank you guys. That’s what makes us partners with our distributors.
The level of damage inflicted by the Crisis of Treachery was immense. It will take more than one year to rebuild and get completely strong. There will be times when we are flush with cash, and times where we are lean or even short.
The upcoming books about to hit in the next few months have, in the short term, sucked up our cash reserve. Making it a nervous time. You see, when you’ve hatched a plan, even a good one, and you’ve put a great deal of your resources into the products behind that plan, it is nerve-wracking. You don’t yet know what the results will be. If your plan will work. All you can do is wait. You tend to start to worry a bit and second guess yourself. In the end, you have to trust that you did your job. That the market analysis, plans and products were all solid, smart and will pay off in the long run. And I think they will. However, the wait is murder. That’s where Palladium is now.
To help cover our bases and ensure ends meet, I’m hosting the Palladium Collectibles and Art Auctions on Ebay. Don’t know why that should offend or disgust anybody, or why they’d call it “Kevin’s Garage Sales.” I have sold tons of my artwork, toys and collectibles over the last few years to help keep Palladium rolling along. It’s my stuff. My sacrifice. And I’m glad I have the items to sell, because Palladium is more important to me than cool stuff. All I can figure is since this auction is the first PALLADIUM focused sales items, and posted on the Palladium website, it has become a target. Sheesh, it’s a sale, not a charity auction. I hope you guys and gals bidding on items enjoy what you get, have fun in the process (I always found auctions to be a blast), and smile at the added benefit of knowing you also helped out Palladium in the process. I hope you only buy what you want. More collectibles are on the way in the Next Auction in July.
Sometimes life is hard
Life isn’t always easy or fair. It has its ups and downs, good and bad. It can be hard and cruel sometimes, and beautiful and rewarding other times. It can also be bittersweet, which is how I’d describe my current outlook. On one hand, we were laid low by the treachery of one man. On the other, we have been raised up by the love and compassion of a multitude. As I’ve said before, Palladium’s fans have turned pain, sorrow and devastation into hope, joy, and beauty. The obvious and easy solution to the Crisis was to give up. Only that would have screwed EVERYBODY, from Palladium and creditors, to you, our fans. So we tried a different course, and it worked. Meanwhile, your kind words and efforts drive us to press on and not give up even when things get hard. You, our fans, help fuel our strength and tenacity, and remind us why we continue to work hard and make sacrifices. Your being there, rooting for us every step of the way, helps more than you can know. Thank you.
Will Palladium falter and fail?
Maybe. I sure hope not! If we do, it won’t be for lack of hard work and trying our best. We are giving it our all and making tremendous progress.
We are light years from where we were a year ago. And you know what, I’m confident our careful plans will pay off big time. Besides, our naysayers help motivate me to make them eat their words. Dead by 2008. Hah! Going strong in 2028 more like it.
A final thought
I’m sure this Murmur will give my detractors plenty of fodder to rage about. I don’t care. I don’t write this for them, I write it for Palladium’s legion of fans, friends and supporters. As you have requested, it is a vehicle through which “I” can share my thoughts, ideas, plans, hopes, dreams and fears.
I’m mad as Hell about Palladium’s situation. I’ve taken responsibility, I’ve paid off a mountain of debt and will leave no debt unpaid if I can help it. I work insane hours along side other Palladium stalwarts and together we’ve gotten Palladium back on its feet. It is an accomplishment an army of amazing friends, freelancers and fans have helped us pull off. I am highly motived to kick into high-gear and make the comeback of the century! We are positive and have plans in place that go well beyond 2008. Rooting for us or against us, just keep your eyes peeled and watch what unfolds.
Keep those imaginations burning bright, and fight for your dreams. It’s a battle worth fighting for.
Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer, Artist & Idealist
© Copyright June 23, 2007