165: LAO TZU: The journey of a thousand miles
Finally, after what seems like an eternity of build up, I’m pleased to announce that my book is officially released! You can order it online at:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIEBOUND
AMAZON CANADA
AMAZON UK
AMAZON GERMANY
BOOK DEPOSITORY (free worldwide shipping)
FLIPKART and INFIBEAM (India)
BOOKTOPIA (Australia)
Thanks so much to all of you who have already pre-ordered. Pre-orders and launch week is more important than ever for authors these days. A good launch can get a new book noticed by major media and retail outlets and create buzz around a title that otherwise might fall through the cracks.
My journey of a thousand miles seems like it’s been going on forever but it’s only been just over three years. I checked the date that I registered zenpencils.com: 17th September 2011. The website was launched about four months later at the start of February 2012. Back then, I had no grand plan, no characters and only a handful of quotes I wanted to adapt. I was just drawing one comic at a time, not really knowing what my goal or destination was. Three years later, there is still no grand plan and I’m still just drawing one comic at a time, but now I have a healthy archive of work and a cast of characters that I’ve grown to love. More importantly, I’ve arrived somewhere where I know I belong, doing the work I know I should be doing.
Whatever your single first step may be … whether it be buying a domain name, booking that overseas holiday you’ve always wanted to go on, enrolling in an online course, writing the first chapter of your book … I encourage you to take it today because you never know where it might lead you.
Thanks again for coming on the journey with me.
– Gav
P.S. You should take your first step AFTER buying the book of course 🙂
My copy is Out for Delivery right now! Congrats, Gav!
Well, it’s out of stock on Amazon UK, so you must be doing something right. Backorder placed!
I just got a notice that my copy is being shipped to the great white north! It’ll be a Christmas present to someone special to me. 🙂
With the Mongols, every journey begins with the first steppe.
I think that pun is plains ready to gobi out to pasture.
If your book get’s to Portugal, I ‘m buying it 😀
Congratulations, my friend! I pre-ordered my book, so now I’m just waiting. You and your comics are a true inspiration to me!
Beautiful. Congratulations Gavin, and thank you for all that you have done, inspiring people around the world on a weekly basis! 🙂
Thanks to your eager pre-ordering it looks like a few places are already out of stock (Amazon UK, Book Depository, FlipKart). I’ve been told that Amazon UK and the BD are getting more stock rush delivered by air freight so they will have more books very soon. Thanks for your incredible support and your patience!
You registered your domain on the 17th of September. My birthday!!
I just bought your book. Awesomeness!
I am going to gift some copies as well! 😀
Keep inspiring dude!
Cheers!
Congrats Gav! Will this be available in Southeast Asia?
Congratulations Gavin!
Thanks for all your wonderfull cartoons. You’ll never know how many people you have touched, but I’m happy to say I’m one of them. Thanks for inspiring me to take my first steps towards my own journey.
A thousand blessings to you my friend.
Niiiice! on this little comic quote link to you, your site and of course your book.
Brilliant stuff Gav.
I’ll have to see if lucky enough to get one of your books from Amazon UK ay! 🙂
Congratulations, Gav! I love your work and wish you much future success.
Nathan
Love your comics Gavin – Just bought 3 copies! Can’t wait to get them!
Ordered two copies – one for me and one as a Christmas gift to my artist boyfriend – though Amazon listed it as out of stock so hopefully it’ll be restocked soon! He’ll DEFINITELY love your book. Congratulations Gavin and thank you for the inspiration!
My book arrived today! I’m so excited to read it. It looks amazing so far. Very high quality printing, the colors look beautiful!! I’m planning on giving it to many people as a holiday gift – I think my friends and family will find it as inspiring as I do. Congratulations on this huge accomplishment…and thanks for sharing your gifts with us!
Already bought, already read, already loved!
Aaaaand… already given to a graduating student! Damnit!
Guess I’ll have to buy another!
Looks like Amazon US might be out of stock too since mine isn’t supposed to come till Nov. 26 at the earliest. Looking forward to it!
Congrats Gavin…your journey is truly inspirational. You have shown how following your passion with hard work makes life so worthwhile. It is so great to see someone actually live out the words you write as the words you live by. In other words you walk the talk. I also love the way you engage with your audience in this blog. You give attention to each person.
I will definitely order your book. I believe the sky is the limit for you and know you will continue to be successful.
Leena
I look forward to more
Already ordered, can’t wait for it to arrive and share to others !!! 😀
Yes! Got my copy just now!
Best of luck, Gavin!
Just bought it! It arrives here in Brazil in a month. Congrats!
Congratulations and here’s to a better future to you and to your site! You rock!
I can’t afford to buy the book atm, but it’s the first thing I am going to get once I can!
Received my copy (and two more for each of my sons) today! Yippie Skippie!
Out of stock in India 🙁
Can’t wait to have it in my hand!
Thank you and keep it up!!
~Sameer
Great that you included INDIA in the list. I think your book is doing great since it is already out of stock.
Damn.. It’s already out of stock in Flipkart and Infibeam (India) 🙁
My eldest teen has just cast the latest Pokemon game under the bus & requested this book for X-mas. What would we need to do to get an autographed copy to the States?
In the Philippines I’ll be getting mine on the 8th of December. I can’t wait to see it!
I actually preordered the book from Amazon DE and the post service lost the package on their way to me. So now I have to wait for a restock to get my copy, because it is already sold out here. Good news for you, very bad news for me! 🙂
Which of these bookstores = most money for you, Gavin? are you selling them yourself? I would even prefer an ebook if it nets you the best profit for your work.
Bought this for my loved ones, just in time for Christmas! Thank you for doing something so amazing!
Hey Gav!
Congrats! I have been following zenpencils for more than a year now and it has been an amazing journey so far. Thank you so much for giving us this incredible website. The book release is of course a milestone in itself. I am sure that there is more success awaiting you. Here’s congratulating you on your thumping success and wishing you an even more awesome journey ahead.
Regards,
Shruti
checked flipkart and it was soldout, thanks for the comics and will get it once its in stock. didnt really hope to see it on the Indian shelves. Thanks for the inspiration and the comics
Congratulations – I’ve been following you from your first few comics and you never fail to amaze.
Kind request: Can you publish a hard-cover version? Would love to keep this as my coffee-table book, and paperback just doesn’t cut it 🙂
poster is up! 🙂
Hello from India. Waiting for your book to be re-stocked on flipkart or infibeam…great work!
Thanks everyone! I spoke to Flipkart support and they said they will be getting new stock in soon – you can leave your email on their page to be notified when the books come in. Yes, it’s a wonderful problem to have – having no stock on some websites, but it sucks for you having to wait to get a book!! Thanks again for your patience.
I’m so happy for you (and proud of you)
Of course, my book has been booked several weeks ago, I will see it soon… If you come to Spain, we can arrange for books signature somewhere.
Congrats for this step… becoming a book
Cheers
I pre-ordered the book here in the US with 2 day shipping and it still isn’t supposed to arrive for another 12-16 days so it must have sold pretty fast!!
Congatulations Gav
Just got your book. When does the next one come out? 🙂
By the way, you just solved the Christmas question “what should I give my friends?” why, your book, of course! Keep on the great work you do! A ray of sunshine in my days. Thanks.
Just got my copy today! Thanks Gavin, its an amazing book!
My book arrived just 10 minutes ago through Amazon UK! Looking forward to getting home so I can hang the poster up on my wall!
Canada here. My day just got brighter – took the book out of the mail. Thank you Gavin, for all your hard work and inspiration.
Gavin,
Your work brings to life some of the most profound quotes, life has given us and continues to give us. And the beauty of your work is that it ethereally creates a mental canvas of a quote that can have many meanings.
All of your pieces are nothing short of amazing! And I am grateful for all the hard work and passion you have that has given you the ability to share these masterpieces with us! The journey has always been the destination good sir.
Warmest Regards,
Paul
Hello Gavin,
I am Sowmiya, from India. First of all, a big congratulations on your successful first book. It has been going out of stock, which truly proves its sheer reach and worth. I didn’t pre-order your book, because well, I couldn’t. But, the moment I read on your latest post, that it is available in India, on flipkart and infibeam, there was no waiting. I placed the order, right away. So that’s some INR coming your way:)
But, seriously though, it is nothing, when compared to the amount of motivation, inspiration and the ‘feel good’ feeling that you brought within myself.
I remember my ‘first step’ into your world, clearly. It was the ’11 days to be unremarkably average’ post. Someone had put it up on 9gag and my friend had shared the link and I was mind blown. The hard hitting message combined with your excellent graphical representation was simply out of the world. And in a small corner of the 9gag image, I found the website – http://www.zenpencils.com. I logged onto your website and in no time, I had browsed through most of your works and was soon a subscriber on both feedly as well as through your site.
I can proudly say that I have gone through each and every work of yours so far. Yes, each and every one of them and I have stored them in a separate folder, just to browse through on my ‘low’ days.
Well, Gavin, you are doing an amazing job and I am so happy about the day you decided to start http://www.zenpencils.com. Thank you for everything.
Love,
Sowmiya
P.S. An India book tour will be seriously appreciated. I stay in Mumbai. But trust me, I will catch a flight and come to whichever city you come in India.
Congratulations Gav!
You have worked extremely hard for it and you took that shot. Your success is well-deserved and inspirational. Keep it up!
Warm greetings from Holland,
Harmen
Hi Gav – I ordered 2, 1 for a gift one for me HOHO 😀 but sadly Amazon packaged in a manner the books could slide around and one cover was damaged. They of course sent a replacement but that was packaged in the same manner and it too is damaged – I am due a replacement again but am worried other recipients may be receiving the same mis-packed product. I know many people will be giving / treasuring these books and don’t want damaged items. I hope you can in some way communicate these concerns to Amazon and that they listen – fingers crossed there are not too many books being damaged in transit 🙁
Wow this is great! Amazon is out of stock too. Congrats Gav. I love your work and share it as often!
Oh I’m also buying a copy for my local library!
I preordered your book on Amazon (US) on October 22 and still don’t have it. But I’m patient – and too busy to read anything right now – so not to worry. What a great problem to have! Congrats!!!
Very nice… Keep up the Good Work
Hey, Gav. I’ve read your online strip for a while, and I love what you’ve done so far. I work for Books A Million, a bookstore chain based primarily in the southeastern United States, and I’m proud to say that our online store carries the book, too. I’m hoping we will carry it in-store, as well. Your stuff is dynamite, sir, and I hope you keep this up for years to come. Thank you.
Gav, Really happy to see the book released and still out of stock on Amazon. Look forward to reading it. Your work is uplifting and inspirational.
You might want to check the Flipkart link again, it leads to broken. And congratulations, am ordering my copy via amazon.
I have bookmarked your website and have developed a habit of visiting it whenever I’m feeling low. Congratulations on your success!
Also, your book is already out of stock in our country 🙂
Hi Gav,
Been a subscriber for a while but missed the pre-ordering phase. No matter, I’m getting the book. Can’t believe you stayed under the radar in my inbox!
Just spent a few minutes browsing your site and I’m wowed. Your art is great, the message so positive and so well thought out! Keep up the good work!
????
Got my copy today…. Love the print… tore down the poster in excitement of pulling it out.. 🙁
Congrats! Can’t wait to get my copy!
And thank you so much for inspiring me
I am a huge fan of these cartoons and of George Mallory, but questions – why does no one mention that a) Mallory may have actually beat Hillary to the top
Got my copy today…. Love the print… tore down the poster in excitement of pulling it out.. :((
Wahahaha Amazing bro
very thankful to the owner of the website that he has some insight about itunes music and games gift cards.
Thanks a lot for this great comic!
Nice work.
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Thank you Gavin for your “LAO TZU: The journey of a thousand miles” comic post
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