Hi. Paul F. Anderson here. Since there has been considerable discussion as to the situation with Persistence of Vision and my business practices, I thought perhaps it would be good to put in my two cents. I appreciate moobooks letting me know about the Discussion board and the thread on POV. First off, if you subscribed at ANY time, then you are still active in my database. Will you ever get another issue? Yes! Am I a poor businessman? Yes! However, you need to understand that POV is NOT a business. It is a subsidized labor-of-love effort. I lose far more money on the endeavor than I have EVER collected in subscription fees. To suggest that the subscription money I collect is going to my Ebay business is a joke! In fact, it is the other way around. It is my Ebay business that allows me to do POV....that is do the interviews and research necessary for the next issue. Why do I POV then? Because I feel that it needs to be done and heaven knows that Disney wont do it. Moreover, I thoroughly enjoy delving into the creative legacy of Walt Disney. To even suggest that Im in this as a way of egging my subscribers (as someone suggested) is ludicrous. Anybody who knows me, will tell you that my heart is sincere in my endeavors to produce a quality Disney history product, whether timely or not. This list of supporters would include folks like: Diane Disney Miller (Walts daughter), Leonard Maltin, Dave Smith, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, and many more. I understand the frustration of the very irregular publishing schedule (and believe me, no one is more frustrated than I). Sadly, these last several years have been rather rough on myself and for my family. And frankly, my family comes first! I do apologize if some cant understand that, but that is the way I am. Even so, I have ALWAYS maintained a refund on the remainder of anyones subscription, for any reason. While it is true that I deducted the cost of the audio tape from figmentrocks subscription, there is a valid reason. The audio tape is available free to subscribers, otherwise it costs $4.00. Since you were no longer a subscriber, it wouldnt be fair to those that have stuck with me. Why figmentrocks refund took six months is a mystery to me. Without his name, I cant address that issue. As soon as I receive a request (in writing and not by email) that a person wants a refund, I send it out.
As for the next issue, I will try to give you an update (and yes I have been negligent in providing these, but at the expense of trying to get the issue out). The next issue will be a double issue (#11/#12). The main piece is the one that I have been working on for three years. It is on Walt Disney and World War II. To give you an idea, it should top out at about 160,000 words (just as comparison your average book is 100,000 to 120,000 words ... or just this article is equal to about 10 issues of E Ticketwhich I love). I have interviewed approximately 30 people for this piece (So far with at least 8 more to go) and compiled over 12,000 pages of historical documents related to Walt and the War. I have spent five weeks at the Walt Disney Archives (spanning six trips), as well as numerous weeks at other archives: The National Archives in Washington, D.C., Cradle of Aviation Museum in New York, FDR Presidential Library in New York, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences Archives in Los Angeles, University of Wyoming Archives, UCLA Archives, and several more. Why am I writing a book and publishing it under the guise of a magazine? Because Disney wont!! And Walts contributions to the war effort go way beyond that of ANY other Studio, and the story needs to be told. If I find additional research will I delay publication of this issue yet again? YES! Sorry, this will be the one and only time that this topic will be covered and, even if it costs me a few more subscribers, or I have to endure more negative posts, I will do it. Why? Because thats the way I am. Historical accuracy and completeness at all costs! Is that a way to run a business? No! But as I thing I have already mentioned, this is most definitely not a business. More like a lifes work!
Another feature of interest in this issue is An Interview With Diane Disney Miller. Because of her support for my work, she agreed to sit down with me for three hours and answered ALL of my questions (What kind of a father was he? Was he Anti-Semitic? What was Christmas like? To name a few!). Many of you may know that Diane is a bit aloof (and rightfully so). The interviews she does grant are few and even then, very brief. Diane believes in me and my work and because of that, I was able to get this interview. Because of her belief, I took almost a year off to work on the Walt Disney documentary (as a Historical Consultant, Los Angeles Historical Consultant, and On-Screen Expert). Should I have turned her down in order to get the issue out quicker? Well, that one is obvious!
One of the final articles I tell you about is the Unseen Imagineering Art of Herb Ryman. Discovered by an art dealer in New York City, there are over 20 pieces of Ryman art from his work at Imagineering in the 1960s (interesting stuff like the Martian Farm Exhibit for the 1964 NYWF,
Disneyland Concepts, etc.).
While I hope to have the issue out for Walts 100th Birthday (if not, Im joining a Monastery) and hopefully by fall, but I will not promise anything. If things continue like they are now, it will be out. If someone calls me up and says Hey, I discovered 600 pages of Walt correspondence dealing with the War in Upper Slovenia ... well, then it will be another couple of months. Because of that, if you want a refund, send me a letter. To those that have problems with my irregular publishing schedule, I tell them point blank, Take a refund and then purchase the issue when it comes out ... it will cost more, but it will save you the apparent aggravation!
Finally, please be rest assured that as long as I'm aliveand I should have another 40 years or so--there will be a POV (it will, however, always be published on an irregular basis, unless I can figure out how to not lose so much money on it). If you are a subscriber and decide to stay the course, you WILL get your issues. Please feel free to distribute this to anyone who has questions about POV or is a subscriber. I am always happy to answer anyones questions and I can be reached at: 801-523-0888 or
pov@aros.net
Respectfully, Paul F. Anderson