Had I spent my time not writing books and articles these past 16 years, but simply worked entry-level at the counter at McDonalds, I would have made more coin of the realm and would have got free french fries. The profit in having written and being published is that, by being well-known, I have an expanded group of friends and acquaintances who share my passion for the fine old double guns.
As a point of interest, Parker Guns: The "Old Reliable" (Safari Press 1997-2004) was written during Winter 1995-96 while at anchor aboard SOLENT for 4 1/2 months in Clark's Court Bay, Grenada BWI. Hard work, but somebody's gotta do it.
EDM,
I certainly was not begrudging you for making a nice living, and I most certainly will continue to purchase gun books by you and many other authors. I wish the value of many of my guns had increased as much as some of my gun books. I don't regret buying a single one.
I will take issue with your assertion that you'd have made more as a counter person at McDonalds. I don't think we'll find many burger jockeys who can spend 4 1/2 months at anchor in Grenada on SOLENT, or row-boat for that matter. And there's more to life than free french fries.
Finally, I hope that some budding authors ignore your advice to avoid writing and publishing gun books, because I do enjoy them and get a lot of good information that I sometimes can't find on the Internet. Keep 'em coming.
