Two in two throws

A most beautiful thing was observed yesterday.
It happened during the meeting with a book publisher who was asked for an appointment to discuss possibly publishing the photo book of the project “The most beautiful people in the world”.
Present were also the designer of the book, Teun van der Heijden; a good friend who is the mentor of the project “The most beautiful people in the world” and the marketing manager.

The book publisher is having a hard time like all book publishers have.
Book sales have dropped tremendously and it is hardly possible to initiate and produce new book projects.
People buy less books and banks give less credit.
A vicious circle killing the book publishers.
Therefore, one could conclude that it is now the worst time to try to publish a photo book.
But what could the photographer of the project “The most beautiful people in the world” do?
Wait some years with the images and texts for better times?
Or just try anyway?

The appointment with the book publisher was carefully prepared.
The mentor had been seeing him about the project “The most beautiful people in the world” some months ago.
The book designer is a friend of the publisher and has been talking with him about the project.
Hence, an appointment was granted.
Many candidates aspiring to publish a book do not even get an appointment.

It happened in a large room a little lower than the level of the water in the Amsterdam canal that could be seen from the window.
Creating a strange feeling of awareness and inspiring the imagination to see a picture of a meeting with everybody up to the knees into the water.

The book publisher got a briefing by the different persons about the background of the project “The most beautiful people in the world”.
And then the big moment.
The designer presented the publisher the dummy: the prototype of the book.

During the time the publisher saw the book, a total transformation took place in him.
That was most beautiful to observe.
And has been witnessed more often when someone sees the results of the project “The most beautiful people in the world”.
The book publisher was tired, sceptical and hesitant.
Not planning to start anything new nor ready to jump into anything.
But while seeing the book he changed completely.
One could see him getting fascinated, becoming positive and optimistic.
And finally loving the book.
Saying he liked it a lot and would wish to publish it worldwide.

This was the best success possible.
Confirming again the cluster theory: within one week two book deals are made now.

Next, there was a conversation that took three hours.
To publish a photo book worldwide is an adventure with many aspects.
That concerns only one thing: money.

However, now it is clear it is going to happen.





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