Sunday, April 01, 2007

This blog has been sold

After my recent post about the relative worth of this blog in dollars, I was as surprised as anyone to find that people would actually take me up on this idea. Negotiations began via email, although I thought it wise to bring in an attorney before too long. We reached an agreement last night, and signed the paperwork today. I have not been permitted to discuss the matter with anyone until this evening, now that the contracts are signed. I am relieved to be able to tell you all about it now.

Proving, perhaps, that money means far less to those who have it, Wayne MacAvoy of St. Petersburg, FL has officially acquired the rights to the Moon Topples Blog—and selected writings that have appeared here—for the sum of $86,500. Rights to all fiction remains my copyright, as do most of the other pieces. Mr. MacAvoy does not, for instance, share my opinions about Michael Penn or Robyn Hitchcock. He was not in map of july, and has no plans to write a novel. From what I gather, he plans to use the blog to promote his real estate company, which has done very well already, but which he thinks could be better. He has hired me, under separate contract, to do some brochures for houses he has to sell.

Really, all this means is that I have to find another blogging home until I can launch something new. In the meantime, I will be writing guest posts on some of the blogs I have befriended over the past seven months.

Initially, I thought this was all some sort of joke: an email offering me money for something I got for free. Mr. MacAvoy had to work pretty hard to convince me his offer was legitimate. That's when negotiations began in earnest, and I'm proud to say I was able to get a lot more than the initial offer from Mr. MacAvoy.

Looks like those blog worth predictors are not to be dismissed quite so easily.

For those of you who think I am "selling out," I suppose I am. I suppose what I am doing is the exact definition of the term. But my artistic vision is not compromised in the process. In fact, this only frees me up to create more work without having to worry so much about the origin of my next paycheck.

Other longtime readers will, I expect, understand my decision, and wish to know only where they can go to find me once the dust settles and I am posting online again. I don't know yet. I'll probably set up a real website somewhere, of which a blog will be a part.

Or maybe I'll just flit from blog to blog. Tomorrow I am scheduled to do a guest post in Britain, and the day after that on the West Coast. Perhaps I can become merely a guest voice on many blogs. I suspect this would be fun for a while, but would then grow pretty tiresome. I'd start wanting an outlet of my own before too long. So, yeah, I'll have another blog before too long.

Look for updates on Wayne MacAvoy's blog, which he has permitted me to use until I get set up somewhere else. Click the link above to read about the acquisition from his viewpoint. He takes control of the blog in less than twenty-four hours, and midnight EST, or the start of April 2nd. Thanks so much for reading me, and I hope to see you all soon at my new blog.

13 comments:

Chris said...

Well done Mr Moon, well done. (And a happy April 1st to you as well ;>)

Caroline said...

What a shame it would have been nice for you to have all that money ;)

April Fool indeed.
I've just woken up and I'm still half asleep - thanks Mr Moon.
x

Pants said...

Great stuff Maht.

Anonymous said...

Dork.

(You may be wondering whether I am referring to you for the tricking, or myself for the getting tricked. This is why I shouldn't read blogs at 4 A.M.)

--Minty

The Moon Topples said...

Chris: Thanks. And Wayne says "hello."

Caroline: Money sure would be nice. Can't buy happiness, they say, but I'm pretty sure it can buy the freedom to follow happiness.

TSP: Thanks.

Minty: I assumed you were calling yourself a dork, as my joke was both brilliant and convincing.

Wasn't it? (Fills cup with self-doubt. Drinks.)

heartinsanfrancisco said...

So does that mean you won't be sailing around the world after all?

Anonymous said...

It was nice reading you, Mr. T. You will be missed but I wish you the best. Write when you can!

Say, do you have Mr. MacAvoy's email address? He seems like quite the chap.

The Moon Topples said...

HinSF: Well, I wasn't likely to do that anyway. I have a phobia where water is concerned.

GT: Yes, he's at AprilFool@jokeisoverpleasemoveon.com.

Reading the Signs said...

I suppose I'm glad to hear you won't be helping to sell Mr. MacAvoy's real estate. But it was a bit exciting while it lasted - for about 15 seconds. I admit it, yes.

Liz Dwyer said...

I'm glad this was an April Fool's joke...but man oh man, that $86K would have been a nice thing for you!

The Moon Topples said...

RTS: I'd help Mr. MacAvoy if the money was good. I'm not ashmaed to admit that. Beats hawking fireworks. Glad to have reeled you in for even 15 seconds.

Liz: Yeah, I'm starting to be angry with myself for not having that money, which I suppose means my April Fool is none other than me.

Shell said...

lol ... de-lurking to say you got me going too .. for quite a while, gullible fool that i am! i wondered which part of a brit pound my site might be worth, then realised it could be measured in ounces ...

brilliant writing! throughout, i mean ...

The Moon Topples said...

Shell: Thanks for disabling your cloaking device. I've seen you over at Caroline's. Don't be so shy about commenting...

I kept making the pound/ounce joke when I was in London, and people would roll their eyes and mutter "Americans" under their breath.

And thanks for the compliments.