Folks, I apologize. I keep forgetting that we all come from different places and backgrounds.

Yesterday I posted a screen shot of my book’s Amazon webpage, showing it to be the number one book in the section of travel books about Romania (and R. Moldova). I actually had one friend console me that my book was “only” #56,000 in terms of worldwide titles, including best selling fiction books, so I am starting to understand this requires an explanation.

And last week I was talking to two very good Romanian friends of mine whom I’ve known for years. They don’t speak any English and never heard of Amazon dot com in their life. I had to spell it out phonetically so they could mention it to their cousin (who is in California) over the phone.

To begin with, in the United States, Amazon is clearly the number one book seller, especially in terms of online sales. Romania doesn’t have any one book seller dominating the entire country. Here in Cluj I think there are at least 10 different book stores and there might be more if you include Hungarian-language (only) stores.

Amazon however is #1 in the United States and therefore my book moving up to number one in the specific category of books about traveling and visiting Romania is immense.

As I write this, all the cataloging and indexing information on my book is making its way through the (American) publishing world. This means independent book stores and large “brick and mortar” (ie real life, not online) chains like Borders and Barnes and Nobles are going to start seeing my book appear on lists of titles they can buy.

Which book do you think they’re most likely to buy and sell to customers? Obviously the #1 book in the category on Amazon is going to seem like an obvious choice.

Not only that but people who have never heard of me ever but are looking for a guidebook on Romania are going to see that #1 ranking and think okay, I’ll buy that one.

Dear Romanians reading this:

Do you think that’s important? Do you think it makes a difference when 8 or 9 million visitors to Romania per year are reading my words versus those of some doofus who comes here once every two years and doesn’t speak your language?

Or put it this way, who would you rather have influencing the English speaking world, me or the “Woe is Romania” crowd? The RWM’s and The Economists and the Time Magazines and all the rest, who pimp out this country’s image as gypsy-beating corrupt thugs for their own profit and intellectual amusement?

If you don’t care then la o parte and get out of my way. But if you do think it matters then you can do something about it. You can link this blog, link the book, link my Facebook, RT my Twitter, send emails, “mess” conversations, leave comments on Romania Libera’s website, on and on. You can tell your friends who write magazines and are journalists about me. You can leave reviews on the various websites that sell my book. You can friend me, thumb me up, like me, 5 star me and blogroll me.

What’s in it for you, right? Come on, I know you’re Romanian and you’re thinking that.

The train is leaving the station and you can get on and go where we’re going. I’m here and unless they throw handcuffs on me and kick me out, I’m staying. And I’m not going to shut up. And I’m going to keep saying what I say and doing what I’m doing and nothing is going to stop me.

Not to get Guta on your ass, but sometimes you got to. For the Zosos of this world:

Dusmanilor, prefacutilor, perversilor si tradatorilor: am fumat smecheri ca voi ;)

I mean it and I’m putting my money where my mouth is. When The Economist wrote that ludicrous piece a couple of weeks ago (which you better believe the French and German governments read that article), I wrote them a little email and told them the exact words above.

The real vampires of this world are the rich, “western” countries who simultaneously slam Romania for being racist and then with the other hand bleed it dry via IMF “loans”. Nice work if you can get it, eh?

Well that’s their business. I haven’t got a chance of influencing what Sarkozy and the rest do. But Romanians who join in on this? Get out of the way, te rog frumos, or you’re going to get smashed.

Romania is, was and is going to be a wonderful country and it’s going to be that way because all of us are going to make it that way. It’s as simple as that so get used to it.

I’m not waiting for Vlad Tepes to come back. It’s time for “Let’s do it, Romania” every day of the year in every domeniu. If you’re with me, spend five minutes of your online life and help spread the word. Yesterday I got a message from someone I know who told me, “Now I’m going to have to come to Romania on my next vacation.”

Do you understand? It’s having a real difference. One day you’re going to be sitting in a bar and see someone holding my book and know they came here with a good image of this country.

Note: The British world (including Australia and ex-Commonwealth countries) operates almost entirely independently from the American system. I am talking with them right now and we’re getting the book listed and indexed and catalogued there precisely so it can be sold in stores but it’s just going to take some time so have patience.

Nederlands: nu werkzaam als mijn boek verschijnt binnenkort (in digitale vorm).

The Romanian book (in English) is coming extremely soon. I’m also working on a Romanian-language version as well.