roxy831 said:

AlexHahn said:

The second half of Possessed covers 1989-2001, and a build out/substantial update of that material would also be warranted. With all of this said, and at the risk of descending into whining, accomplishing what we have done with the current book has taken a massive bite out of our incomes, family lives, etc. We are self-publishing the book, and it's a labor of love. That's why the support of serious fans will be key to the success of the book. We are at a minimum hopeful that we don't get too much vitriolic criticism, and we hope that people will back us up as a means of supporting efforts to recount Prince's life. If we get a lot of reviews from hardcore fans complaining about a lack of "new" material, it will be much less likely that more casual and younger fans, who may not know much about Prince but could benefit from learning, will ever pick up the book. Whatever support that we get from serious fans will have a huge impact on the project.

We hope to have more information and hopefully a formal announcement soon.

Thank you guys.

Alex: I appreciate the sacrifices you and Laura have made thus far. I wish I knew about possibly donating in some fashion??? Yeah, I'll buy the book(s), but until it's released, you all need to pay bills. Was there a campaign for this project?

That's incredibly kind and encouraging. If you are up for buying the book, it will make us feel good. We are very fortunate to have other jobs -- if only we could spend more time doing them! Soon. Best to you.

Alex

SquirrelMeat said:

I’m sure Alex and Laura won’t mind me saying, but I’ve been helping out a bit with music resource, fact checking and proofing.

It’s not my place to reveal the exact context of their work, but from one fan to others, I can assure you this update to Possessed in no mere bolt-on to rush something out; much like we’ve seen in the market in the last six months.

Had Alex wanted to cash in, he had far easier options; simply commissioning a reprint last year. He wrote various draft epilogues that could have simply been slotted into a re-release on the quick, but I think he realised that he wasn’t doing himself, or Prince, justice.

Once he got digging, and crucially, when Laura came on board, a serious update ensued.

Like I said, it’s not my place to give details of their work, but from the elements I have seen, it adds an excellent new layer of detail, context and history to the years already covered. It’s certainly got plenty of new source material. Laura has dug deep.

I’ve read all existing publications and loved some (Dave Hill for example), but I think this book will add a new layer to an already well trod story. It goes further in understanding where Prince came from, to better understand where he went.

I hope the finished product will still divide opinion, as the level of honesty in the first version was refreshing.

I agree that a comprehensive book covering the 1996-2016 would be warmly welcomed, but it is also the hardest to research, due to the locked down nature of Prince’s life in that period and multiple methods of output. It would need serious investment by publisher and /or author to do it justice.

Thanks very much for these comments. Having the support of people like SqurrelMeat who are so knowledgeable has been a source of humbling pride in this endeavor.

AlexHahn said:

roxy831 said:

Alex: I appreciate the sacrifices you and Laura have made thus far. I wish I knew about possibly donating in some fashion??? Yeah, I'll buy the book(s), but until it's released, you all need to pay bills. Was there a campaign for this project?

That's incredibly kind and encouraging. If you are up for buying the book, it will make us feel good. We are very fortunate to have other jobs -- if only we could spend more time doing them! Soon. Best to you.

Alex

Yes, I'm up to buying the book(s)! Best to u as well!!

Thank you, SquirrelMeat, for these insights into rigor of research and far easier paths not taken.

AlexHahn said:

SquirrelMeat said:

I’m sure Alex and Laura won’t mind me saying, but I’ve been helping out a bit with music resource, fact checking and proofing.

It’s not my place to reveal the exact context of their work, but from one fan to others, I can assure you this update to Possessed in no mere bolt-on to rush something out; much like we’ve seen in the market in the last six months.

Had Alex wanted to cash in, he had far easier options; simply commissioning a reprint last year. He wrote various draft epilogues that could have simply been slotted into a re-release on the quick, but I think he realised that he wasn’t doing himself, or Prince, justice.

Once he got digging, and crucially, when Laura came on board, a serious update ensued.

Like I said, it’s not my place to give details of their work, but from the elements I have seen, it adds an excellent new layer of detail, context and history to the years already covered. It’s certainly got plenty of new source material. Laura has dug deep.

I’ve read all existing publications and loved some (Dave Hill for example), but I think this book will add a new layer to an already well trod story. It goes further in understanding where Prince came from, to better understand where he went.

I hope the finished product will still divide opinion, as the level of honesty in the first version was refreshing.

I agree that a comprehensive book covering the 1996-2016 would be warmly welcomed, but it is also the hardest to research, due to the locked down nature of Prince’s life in that period and multiple methods of output. It would need serious investment by publisher and /or author to do it justice.

Thanks very much for these comments. Having the support of people like SqurrelMeat who are so knowledgeable has been a source of humbling pride in this endeavor.

[Edited 1/26/17 20:28pm]

Hello Laura. I just pre-ordered the book and look forward to reading it upon its release.

Dibblekins said:

leecaldon said:

I think Dibblekins was suggesting there is a gap in the market for books covering the later years - and I believe that is true.

It's got nothing to do with how many people on this site discuss the books. It's about how many read them. I have rarely discussed here any books on Prince over the years, but I probably own every biogrpahy out there.

Thank you. Yes, that's exactly what I was saying...Not sure what Bart's comment had to do with the price of bacon but, oh well!

.

Nobody's going to buy a book about the post-WBR era except a handful of hardcore fans -- unless there is some major dish in there. Nobody cares.

rednblue said:

Thank you, SquirrelMeat, for these insights into rigor of research and far easier paths not taken.

.

All of which had already been said by Alex and Laura here and on the Facebook page dedicated to the book.

BartVanHemelen said:

Dibblekins said:

Thank you. Yes, that's exactly what I was saying...Not sure what Bart's comment had to do with the price of bacon but, oh well!

.

Nobody's going to buy a book about the post-WBR era except a handful of hardcore fans -- unless there is some major dish in there. Nobody cares.

BartVanHemelen said:

dance4me3121 said:

How annoying that you've had to self publish considering some of the second rate dreck that's come out in recent months. I'm a little disappointed it ends where it does considering just how good DMSR covers that period but I'll pre-order this one anyway. Looking forward to it!

I'm sure Alex can get more inside info now.

2freaky4church1 said:

I'm sure Alex can get more inside info now.

EVERYBODY can.

Hey guys, thanks again for your support and comments. We are now wrapping it up. I've been invitied to participate in a chat on the org on Wed the 8th at 7 pm. I look forward to speaking to anyone who can stop by.

Over at our Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/...ofprince/, we now have images of the cover.

I am very appreciative of anyone who was pre-ordered the book. We are dependent on fan support as self-publishers. It's only the price of a sandwich for the book ($8.99 for the kindle edition). Anyone who orders by February 13 can have their name placed on a list of thank yous in the book. Just email us by that date letting us know you pre-ordered at theriseofprince@gmail.com.

I want to again thank SquirrelMeat (who has a passage or two of his writing in the book) and so many others who have volunteered analysis, information, and so much more. I really feel like this has been a group effort by fans. it started with a fellow orger and passionate Prince fan LauraTiebert approached me, along with SquirrelMeat and others, and moved forward from there.

I'm so exhausted finishing this up, but we're almost there.

Alex

Alright, I've been holding my tongue on this since May...

.

Actions speak louder than words and I don't think I'll ever be rid of the bad taste left in my mouth from Alex Hahn crashing our mourning period two weeks in from Prince's death in an elevator, to start selling greiving fans on a new Prince book (a book that was being formulated on the fly, so it clearly did not appear to be an idea he had been working on prior to prince's death) in multiple volumes and extended books and however many literary vehicles he could squeeze out of the tragedy of our loved one and slap a price tag on. And had the nerve to deflect the obvious and warranted criticism of profiting off of Prince's death by throwing his own deceased family members (may they rest in peace) out there as human sheilds--feeling like a preemptive guilt trip.

.

Months ago he said in a post there really wasn't any new information, and now we hear there will be new info. Like I would pay a dime to someone who showed such massive and obvious disrespect to my loved one, and then come at me like I should pay them for plundering Prince's life to sell back to me information I already have been reading in books and mags over these many years. Post 1988 years would have been great for us--for fans--to have been explored in a book, but really, where's the money to be made on Prince's more obscure years when his music fell from the charts and he was essentially rendered invisible to the massess? Who other than the fringe die-hards would clambor to pay for a 1990's on up Prince bio? Hahn's latest book in no way appears to reflect the author's desire to do justice to Prince's musical legacy, but instead takes on the appearance of being designed with maximizing profit as its primary goal, and for that you need to cover the 80's period of his career that the far more substantial numbers of Purple Rain fans would potentially buy.

.

I can better appreciate now why Prince railed throughout his life against people profiting off of him and his image.

.

I'm sure Hahn's a fine writer and researcher. Had he gone about this book(s) a different way, I would buy it in good conscience. But since day one the process has come off as so in-your-face disingenuous and opportunistic. That's honestly how it feels to me and I can't shake it. So I have no desire or intention to buy any of his books. I get pissed off I get every time I see another thread on here about this book, drumming up pre-orders and priming us to get our wallets ready. I've not seen such an agressive post-4/21 push on fans to buy a product from any other writer. It's been bothering me for 10 damn months. If I don't get this off my chest I'm gonna get a stress headache and that'll really make me start cussing, and U know Prince don't like salty talk on holy days.

Bluu said:

Alright, I've been holding my tongue on this since May...

.

Actions speak louder than words and I don't think I'll ever be rid of the bad taste left in my mouth from Alex Hahn crashing our mourning period two weeks in from Prince's death in an elevator, to start selling greiving fans on a new Prince book (a book that was being formulated on the fly, so it clearly did not appear to be an idea he had been working on prior to prince's death) in multiple volumes and extended books and however many literary vehicles he could squeeze out of the tragedy of our loved one and slap a price tag on. And had the nerve to deflect the obvious and warranted criticism of profiting off of Prince's death by throwing his own deceased family members (may they rest in peace) out there as human sheilds--feeling like a preemptive guilt trip.

.

Months ago he said in a post there really wasn't any new information, and now we hear there will be new info. Like I would pay a dime to someone who showed such massive and obvious disrespect to my loved one, and then come at me like I should pay them for plundering Prince's life to sell back to me information I already have been reading in books and mags over these many years. Post 1988 years would have been great for us--for fans--to have been explored in a book, but really, where's the money to be made on Prince's more obscure years when his music fell from the charts and he was essentially rendered invisible to the massess? Who other than the fringe die-hards would clambor to pay for a 1990's on up Prince bio? Hahn's latest book in no way appears to reflect the author's desire to do justice to Prince's musical legacy, but instead takes on the appearance of being designed with maximizing profit as its primary goal, and for that you need to cover the 80's period of his career that the far more substantial numbers of Purple Rain fans would potentially buy.

.

I can better appreciate now why Prince railed throughout his life against people profiting off of him and his image.

.

I'm sure Hahn's a fine writer and researcher. Had he gone about this book(s) a different way, I would buy it in good conscience. But since day one the process has come off as so in-your-face disingenuous and opportunistic. That's honestly how it feels to me and I can't shake it. So I have no desire or intention to buy any of his books. I get pissed off I get every time I see another thread on here about this book, drumming up pre-orders and priming us to get our wallets ready. I've not seen such an agressive post-4/21 push on fans to buy a product from any other writer. It's been bothering me for 10 damn months. If I don't get this off my chest I'm gonna get a stress headache and that'll really make me start cussing, and U know Prince don't like salty talk on holy days.

Plus, anything having to do with promoting Paisley Park events and merchandise is buried on other forums, like the marketplace or Fan Gatherings. Lastly, I have not read the book, but I've read some reviews that indicate that Possessed presented Prince in a very unfavorable light, while glorifying the Revolution. Will this book be more of the same?

BartVanHemelen said:

Dibblekins said:

Thank you. Yes, that's exactly what I was saying...Not sure what Bart's comment had to do with the price of bacon but, oh well!

.

Nobody's going to buy a book about the post-WBR era except a handful of hardcore fans -- unless there is some major dish in there. Nobody cares.

Speak for yourself, jackass. As hard as it may seem, there is an audience that would read about Prince's life and career after Prince got out of his contract with Warner Bros in 1996. Particularly, how he pioneered direct-to-consumer marketing of his music, organizing the public appearances that would lead to his resurgence of popularity in the mainstream in 2004, his legendary halftime show at the Super Bowl in 2007 that was the culmination of the most people he would perform for.

bashraka said:

dance4me3121 said:

Bluu said:

Alright, I've been holding my tongue on this since May...

.

Actions speak louder than words and I don't think I'll ever be rid of the bad taste left in my mouth from Alex Hahn crashing our mourning period two weeks in from Prince's death in an elevator, to start selling greiving fans on a new Prince book (a book that was being formulated on the fly, so it clearly did not appear to be an idea he had been working on prior to prince's death) in multiple volumes and extended books and however many literary vehicles he could squeeze out of the tragedy of our loved one and slap a price tag on. And had the nerve to deflect the obvious and warranted criticism of profiting off of Prince's death by throwing his own deceased family members (may they rest in peace) out there as human sheilds--feeling like a preemptive guilt trip.

.

Months ago he said in a post there really wasn't any new information, and now we hear there will be new info. Like I would pay a dime to someone who showed such massive and obvious disrespect to my loved one, and then come at me like I should pay them for plundering Prince's life to sell back to me information I already have been reading in books and mags over these many years. Post 1988 years would have been great for us--for fans--to have been explored in a book, but really, where's the money to be made on Prince's more obscure years when his music fell from the charts and he was essentially rendered invisible to the massess? Who other than the fringe die-hards would clambor to pay for a 1990's on up Prince bio? Hahn's latest book in no way appears to reflect the author's desire to do justice to Prince's musical legacy, but instead takes on the appearance of being designed with maximizing profit as its primary goal, and for that you need to cover the 80's period of his career that the far more substantial numbers of Purple Rain fans would potentially buy.

.

I can better appreciate now why Prince railed throughout his life against people profiting off of him and his image.

.

I'm sure Hahn's a fine writer and researcher. Had he gone about this book(s) a different way, I would buy it in good conscience. But since day one the process has come off as so in-your-face disingenuous and opportunistic. That's honestly how it feels to me and I can't shake it. So I have no desire or intention to buy any of his books. I get pissed off I get every time I see another thread on here about this book, drumming up pre-orders and priming us to get our wallets ready. I've not seen such an agressive post-4/21 push on fans to buy a product from any other writer. It's been bothering me for 10 damn months. If I don't get this off my chest I'm gonna get a stress headache and that'll really make me start cussing, and U know Prince don't like salty talk on holy days.

Bluu said:

Alright, I've been holding my tongue on this since May...

.

Actions speak louder than words and I don't think I'll ever be rid of the bad taste left in my mouth from Alex Hahn crashing our mourning period two weeks in from Prince's death in an elevator, to start selling greiving fans on a new Prince book (a book that was being formulated on the fly, so it clearly did not appear to be an idea he had been working on prior to prince's death) in multiple volumes and extended books and however many literary vehicles he could squeeze out of the tragedy of our loved one and slap a price tag on. And had the nerve to deflect the obvious and warranted criticism of profiting off of Prince's death by throwing his own deceased family members (may they rest in peace) out there as human sheilds--feeling like a preemptive guilt trip.

.

Months ago he said in a post there really wasn't any new information, and now we hear there will be new info. Like I would pay a dime to someone who showed such massive and obvious disrespect to my loved one, and then come at me like I should pay them for plundering Prince's life to sell back to me information I already have been reading in books and mags over these many years. Post 1988 years would have been great for us--for fans--to have been explored in a book, but really, where's the money to be made on Prince's more obscure years when his music fell from the charts and he was essentially rendered invisible to the massess? Who other than the fringe die-hards would clambor to pay for a 1990's on up Prince bio? Hahn's latest book in no way appears to reflect the author's desire to do justice to Prince's musical legacy, but instead takes on the appearance of being designed with maximizing profit as its primary goal, and for that you need to cover the 80's period of his career that the far more substantial numbers of Purple Rain fans would potentially buy.

.

I can better appreciate now why Prince railed throughout his life against people profiting off of him and his image.

.

I'm sure Hahn's a fine writer and researcher. Had he gone about this book(s) a different way, I would buy it in good conscience. But since day one the process has come off as so in-your-face disingenuous and opportunistic. That's honestly how it feels to me and I can't shake it. So I have no desire or intention to buy any of his books. I get pissed off I get every time I see another thread on here about this book, drumming up pre-orders and priming us to get our wallets ready. I've not seen such an agressive post-4/21 push on fans to buy a product from any other writer. It's been bothering me for 10 damn months. If I don't get this off my chest I'm gonna get a stress headache and that'll really make me start cussing, and U know Prince don't like salty talk on holy days.

AMEN!!!! This book project has no sense of decency.

Bluu said:

Alright, I've been holding my tongue on this since May...

.

Actions speak louder than words and I don't think I'll ever be rid of the bad taste left in my mouth from Alex Hahn crashing our mourning period two weeks in from Prince's death in an elevator, to start selling greiving fans on a new Prince book (a book that was being formulated on the fly, so it clearly did not appear to be an idea he had been working on prior to prince's death) in multiple volumes and extended books and however many literary vehicles he could squeeze out of the tragedy of our loved one and slap a price tag on. And had the nerve to deflect the obvious and warranted criticism of profiting off of Prince's death by throwing his own deceased family members (may they rest in peace) out there as human sheilds--feeling like a preemptive guilt trip.

.

Months ago he said in a post there really wasn't any new information, and now we hear there will be new info. Like I would pay a dime to someone who showed such massive and obvious disrespect to my loved one, and then come at me like I should pay them for plundering Prince's life to sell back to me information I already have been reading in books and mags over these many years. Post 1988 years would have been great for us--for fans--to have been explored in a book, but really, where's the money to be made on Prince's more obscure years when his music fell from the charts and he was essentially rendered invisible to the massess? Who other than the fringe die-hards would clambor to pay for a 1990's on up Prince bio? Hahn's latest book in no way appears to reflect the author's desire to do justice to Prince's musical legacy, but instead takes on the appearance of being designed with maximizing profit as its primary goal, and for that you need to cover the 80's period of his career that the far more substantial numbers of Purple Rain fans would potentially buy.

.

I can better appreciate now why Prince railed throughout his life against people profiting off of him and his image.

.

I'm sure Hahn's a fine writer and researcher. Had he gone about this book(s) a different way, I would buy it in good conscience. But since day one the process has come off as so in-your-face disingenuous and opportunistic. That's honestly how it feels to me and I can't shake it. So I have no desire or intention to buy any of his books. I get pissed off I get every time I see another thread on here about this book, drumming up pre-orders and priming us to get our wallets ready. I've not seen such an agressive post-4/21 push on fans to buy a product from any other writer. It's been bothering me for 10 damn months. If I don't get this off my chest I'm gonna get a stress headache and that'll really make me start cussing, and U know Prince don't like salty talk on holy days.

No one has said it better than you, Bluu.

Bluu said:

Alright, I've been holding my tongue on this since May...

.

Actions speak louder than words and I don't think I'll ever be rid of the bad taste left in my mouth from Alex Hahn crashing our mourning period two weeks in from Prince's death in an elevator, to start selling greiving fans on a new Prince book (a book that was being formulated on the fly, so it clearly did not appear to be an idea he had been working on prior to prince's death) in multiple volumes and extended books and however many literary vehicles he could squeeze out of the tragedy of our loved one and slap a price tag on. And had the nerve to deflect the obvious and warranted criticism of profiting off of Prince's death by throwing his own deceased family members (may they rest in peace) out there as human sheilds--feeling like a preemptive guilt trip.

.

Months ago he said in a post there really wasn't any new information, and now we hear there will be new info. Like I would pay a dime to someone who showed such massive and obvious disrespect to my loved one, and then come at me like I should pay them for plundering Prince's life to sell back to me information I already have been reading in books and mags over these many years. Post 1988 years would have been great for us--for fans--to have been explored in a book, but really, where's the money to be made on Prince's more obscure years when his music fell from the charts and he was essentially rendered invisible to the massess? Who other than the fringe die-hards would clambor to pay for a 1990's on up Prince bio? Hahn's latest book in no way appears to reflect the author's desire to do justice to Prince's musical legacy, but instead takes on the appearance of being designed with maximizing profit as its primary goal, and for that you need to cover the 80's period of his career that the far more substantial numbers of Purple Rain fans would potentially buy.

.

I can better appreciate now why Prince railed throughout his life against people profiting off of him and his image.

.

I'm sure Hahn's a fine writer and researcher. Had he gone about this book(s) a different way, I would buy it in good conscience. But since day one the process has come off as so in-your-face disingenuous and opportunistic. That's honestly how it feels to me and I can't shake it. So I have no desire or intention to buy any of his books. I get pissed off I get every time I see another thread on here about this book, drumming up pre-orders and priming us to get our wallets ready. I've not seen such an agressive post-4/21 push on fans to buy a product from any other writer. It's been bothering me for 10 damn months. If I don't get this off my chest I'm gonna get a stress headache and that'll really make me start cussing, and U know Prince don't like salty talk on holy days.

.

Well, you clearly wasted a lot of time holding your tongue. The guy is not going to make any money off this book. Don't be naive. Your rant is uncalled for and silly and, frankly, tacky. I'm sure Prince's death affected him deeply and reignited his interest in a subject he OBVIOUSLY had previously invested considerable time and effort (having already written a book on the man). He has no hidden agenda. He just wants to play a part - however small - in the sustainability of Prince's legacy. To think otherwise is utterly daft. And everyone giving you an "attaboy" for your turgid post is just as clueless and offbase as you are.

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

Bluu said:

Alright, I've been holding my tongue on this since May...

.

Actions speak louder than words and I don't think I'll ever be rid of the bad taste left in my mouth from Alex Hahn crashing our mourning period two weeks in from Prince's death in an elevator, to start selling greiving fans on a new Prince book (a book that was being formulated on the fly, so it clearly did not appear to be an idea he had been working on prior to prince's death) in multiple volumes and extended books and however many literary vehicles he could squeeze out of the tragedy of our loved one and slap a price tag on. And had the nerve to deflect the obvious and warranted criticism of profiting off of Prince's death by throwing his own deceased family members (may they rest in peace) out there as human sheilds--feeling like a preemptive guilt trip.

.

Months ago he said in a post there really wasn't any new information, and now we hear there will be new info. Like I would pay a dime to someone who showed such massive and obvious disrespect to my loved one, and then come at me like I should pay them for plundering Prince's life to sell back to me information I already have been reading in books and mags over these many years. Post 1988 years would have been great for us--for fans--to have been explored in a book, but really, where's the money to be made on Prince's more obscure years when his music fell from the charts and he was essentially rendered invisible to the massess? Who other than the fringe die-hards would clambor to pay for a 1990's on up Prince bio? Hahn's latest book in no way appears to reflect the author's desire to do justice to Prince's musical legacy, but instead takes on the appearance of being designed with maximizing profit as its primary goal, and for that you need to cover the 80's period of his career that the far more substantial numbers of Purple Rain fans would potentially buy.

.

I can better appreciate now why Prince railed throughout his life against people profiting off of him and his image.

.

I'm sure Hahn's a fine writer and researcher. Had he gone about this book(s) a different way, I would buy it in good conscience. But since day one the process has come off as so in-your-face disingenuous and opportunistic. That's honestly how it feels to me and I can't shake it. So I have no desire or intention to buy any of his books. I get pissed off I get every time I see another thread on here about this book, drumming up pre-orders and priming us to get our wallets ready. I've not seen such an agressive post-4/21 push on fans to buy a product from any other writer. It's been bothering me for 10 damn months. If I don't get this off my chest I'm gonna get a stress headache and that'll really make me start cussing, and U know Prince don't like salty talk on holy days.

No one has said it better than you, Bluu.

Ouch. To have it thrown back in my face that I mentioned the passing of my mother as inspiration for doing this hurts, to say I have used her as "a human shield," wow, it's amazing that someone would say something like that. As for the money/profit thing....sorry, there isn't any. It's a hobby, a labor of love. This is a self-published book.

The record will reflect that I haven't said a mean word about anyone. I've had some of the most longstanding, serious Prince fans on the planet -- and there are tons who know more than me -- come forth with ideas, drafting assistance, introductions, encouragement, and friendship. I've shared ideas with other folks writing books, and they with me. If I hadn't come on the org again, I never would have met LauraTiebert, who is one of the kindest, most genuine people I could imagine working with, and who has enriched this project beyond anything I could have imagined.

Bluu, if you want a free copy of the ebook, I will send it to you. Just give me an email address. But please try to be just a tiny bit nicer, especially about my mother. I'm dedicating the book to her, by the way.

AlexHahn said:

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

No one has said it better than you, Bluu.

Ouch. To have it thrown back in my face that I mentioned the passing of my mother as inspiration for doing this hurts, to say I have used her as "a human shield," wow, it's amazing that someone would say something like that. As for the money/profit thing....sorry, there isn't any. It's a hobby, a labor of love. This is a self-published book.

The record will reflect that I haven't said a mean word about anyone. I've had some of the most longstanding, serious Prince fans on the planet -- and there are tons who know more than me -- come forth with ideas, drafting assistance, introductions, encouragement, and friendship. I've shared ideas with other folks writing books, and they with me. If I hadn't come on the org again, I never would have met LauraTiebert, who is one of the kindest, most genuine people I could imagine working with, and who has enriched this project beyond anything I could have imagined.

Bluu, if you want a free copy of the ebook, I will send it to you. Just give me an email address. But please try to be just a tiny bit nicer, especially about my mother. I'm dedicating the book to her, by the way.

All due respect, what would have been the harm in waiting a decent respectable amount of time to announce such a thing? Your announcement was made way too soon to be appropriate, considering that many issues surrounding his passing were still up in the air and most people were still very raw emotionally.

For the record, you were not the only one taken to task either. People much closer to Prince than yourself were looked upon as insensitive at best for the poor timing of their various projects. Perhaps your not so flattering portrayal of him the first time around had something to do with it as well?

This is what? The forth thread about this book now? I suppose it's due to all the locking and snipping taking place but this discussion and people's comments should not be shut down just for being critical if they haven't broken any site rules.

brassneck said:

The way I see it... After Prince passed, all of his albums and anything Prince related, including books, were being sold on Ebay for ridiculous prices. Many fans, both old and new, or even just the curious, wanted to buy a Prince biography.

In my opinion, Alex Hahn's "Possessed" was the best biography I had ever read on Prince and it was out of print and selling for hundreds of dollars on ebay and no longer available.

Everyone wants to celebrate Prince in their own way... The Revolution and The NPG are musicians... So naturally they want to perform the music they played with Prince to celebrate and honor his legacy and his wonderful work... And there are people in the Associated Artists Forum criticizing that! Same thing with Sheila E.'s tribute, The Time, Jill Jones, Paisley Park tours, etc. etc. etc.

Alex Hahn is a writer so it seems to me it would be natural for him to want to honor Prince and celebrate his legacy as a writer would... By writing about him!

Unless any of us personally know him, I don't think anyone can say they know his heart or motivations so I think these criticisms are pretty outrageous... And ESPECIALLY bringing up anything about his family (that is definitely uncalled for and crossing the line).

I personally am definitely looking forward to his new book and have already pre-ordered the paperback. I think the fact that he had already written a great biography about Prince that included many interviews with band members and associates of Prince and invested so much time in putting that together supports that he's not some guy who just showed up on the Prince scene to make a dollar after his death. I have seen books like that on Ebay by other writers but this project does not strike me as that.

Anyways, just sharing my views because it seems like the last few posts here were pretty negative and I know there are other fans who do not share these views and look forward to the book and will support Mr. Hahn's project.