Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail

Posted by on May 19, 2011 in Appalachian trail Books | 0 comments

It’s gratifying that sales of Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail, are finally beginning to reach their potential again. This irreverent narrative came out in 2008 and immediately sold well–approximately equal to sales of AWOL on the Appalachian Trail by David Miller (of course, we were both behind Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods). But then my publisher, Indigo Publishing, went broke.

Orders on Amazon.com went unfulfilled for almost a year. People who asked about the book were seeing prices of $75. Sales plummeted. Fortunately, I have been able to get the book back in print in paperback form ($9.95) and Kindle ($4.95). Sales have steadily improved this year to a top 5% ranking on Amazon, and even better than that recently, although they have yet to reach sales of my other narrative, Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Looking forward, this book’s place in the food chain of trail books should be as a warning to new and inexperienced hikers–as much about what NOT to do, as what to do. Thanks for the interest.

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