Apple-icious News and a Contest to Celebrate It

Steve and i book coverAfter sixty-five days in Apple’s “review process,” our ibook, Steve & i is finally available for purchase in the iTunes store.

We nearly gave up on Apple, but then remembered our reason for creating this book: to celebrate Steve Jobs and the friendship he and my husband, Jeffrey Aaronson, forged when they were both young and hungry, and to raise money for cancer research by contributing a portion of the sale of each book to prominent cancer institutes.

It’s hard not to chuckle though, wondering what the fine folks at Apple were doing with our book for the past sixty-five days. Keep in mind Steve & i is a little powerhouse 40 page book–including photographs and a video, and it took Amazon and Barnes & Noble less than a week to upload it onto their sites.

Just for fun…because I’m in such a good mood…I thought I’d hold a contest.

Leave a comment with your answer to: “What do you think Apple was doing with our book for the past 65 days?” and your name will automatically be entered into a random drawing for a $10 iTunes gift card. Humor is always appreciated!

Enter by Sunday, June 10th at midnight. The winner will be announced on Monday, June 11th.

In the meantime, we hope you’ll download a copy of the book for $2.99, and if you feel inspired by what you read, please leave a review. Your continued support and kindness is very much appreciated (and will also bring you a bucketload of good karma)!

Here’s the link to the iTunes store: Steve & i: One Photographer’s Improbable Journey with Steve Jobs

In the event you don’t have an iPad or idevice, here are other ways to purchase the book:
Amazon Kindle ebook
Barnes and Noble Nook ebook

Here’s to being inspired, re-living an unique piece of history, and seeing beyond the icon, Steve Jobs, to the complex and charismatic human being who not only “put a ding in the universe,” but did it in a way nobody else ever could.

Photo of Steve Jobs, 1984 inside Apple Computer headquarters, Cupertino, CA

Steve Jobs inside Apple Headquarters, 1984, just prior to the launch of the first Macintosh 128K computer. ©Jeffrey Aaronson

“An absolutely gorgeous, moving and important memoir. Steve Jobs was complicated, sweet, mad, inspirational beyond reason. Thank you for sharing this.”

                                        –Review by Doug Menuez

28 thoughts on “Apple-icious News and a Contest to Celebrate It

  1. Hooray! iTunes finally realized the book was about THEIR Steve Jobs!
    Oh, wait! No, they knew, but they wanted to keep the mythological Jobs going. It took them this long to realize that outing him as human wasn’t going to hurt their bottom line.
    Whew!

    • Ha ha! I would love to be a fly on the wall to fully understand the review process at Apple. I know their quality control is legendary, but wouldn’t it be fascinating to see what actually happens from the day you submit your book to the day it’s finally approved? Whatever the case, I’m thrilled our book is finally where it’s meant to be–available on the device Steve Jobs was so proud of creating.

  2. Well, first of all, the larger the company, the more bureaucracy it has, so it probably had to go through a lot of red tape, and sit on a lot of different desks for days on end, as it made it’s way all the way to the deciders. Then they had a board meeting to discuss the pros and cons on getting back to you. But, truthfully, I’m thinking it wasn’t so much about your book, as it was about the fact that Apple probably gets millions of requests each month that they have to pour through. Think of all the new apps that keep popping up, and self publishing is a huge business these days, so they could very well be getting lots of requests for reviews. And that’s my two cents. ;)

    • You are probably right. Not mention Apple’s quality control is legendary. Thanks for taking the time to leave your two cents, and good luck in the drawing. I know how much you love books and music.

  3. I know exactly what they were doing:

    First, they said, “Oh crud (insert inappropriate word here) how could we have let this happen?”

    Next they tried cloning, I mean “clouding” your book (complete and utter failure).

    They then tried ignoring you, hoping you would give up and go away, and not-so-quickly realized that you wouldn’t.

    Later (much), they had a big meeting in which they only allowed people to eat apples as snacks (getting back to their roots), while they brainstormed ways to get you to give up and go away.

    The apples were organic, so finally they all (and I do mean ALL) leaped up and said, “Hell yes! What are we waiting for? (and proceeded to send an advance copy to Oprah and Queen Elizabeth).

    • Hell yes! You are a funny one! Love this. And I especially love that Oprah and the Queen have copies. Never mind I’m still waiting to hear from them. :-) Good luck in the drawing!

  4. It was sitting with the Legal team. A few weeks it sat untouched because that’s what happens in legal, it collects a light coat of dust until they actually being leafing through any document. After there was reading, reading, reading, followed by a round of golf at the club, then over lunch and several single malts they discussed the legalities of it – does it violate any Apple T&C’s or anything in Steve’s Will. Eventually there is a meeting with the Board. The Board listens to Legals summary, which in the ends with their seal of approval. All that is left is for the Board to approve. The meeting minutes are typed up and send around to the board for review and approval. Once all twelve signatures are collected the minutes are filed and anything decided by the board is actioned. From there, a memo was distributed to Operations. On the eve of the 64 day, before a tired Apple employee went home, she uploaded the book to iTunes.

  5. Apple was doing market testing, particularly to determine how well this book gem might further BASH Microsoft! If/when it past the test, they would then feel it worthy of support and inclusion and not just “a piece of sh..,” as SJ might have labeled it! Later referring to it as “genius” and actually written by SJ himself, post-mortem no less!

    • Good one, Rodger! Thanks for sharing your fun comment. Good luck in the drawing. Stay tuned to find out if you won.

  6. I have NO idea what the heck took them so long but if I HAD to guess…I’d say they have SO MANY thousands of titles to review they simply don’t have the staff to do it more expeditiously. I am thrilled for you both and quite pleased for “the old man” I live with! ;)

    • Bonnie, the man you live with couldn’t have been more indispensable in helping with this process. Cheers to persistence, humor and triple espressos!

    • Thanks, Ann! I appreciate your continued support. Who knew what a wild adventure this whole process could be?!

  7. Here is what I think happened.

    Perhaps is was used as their cyber-space door stop for 65 days ! There it sat while the powers that be at itunes peacefully watched for it’s strength & resilience !

    On a personal note. Becky,I’ve been reading your blog on & off for a while and want to share with you … I think your words are beautifully written and your husband’s photography simply put a treasure for the eye !

    Carry on Dynamic duo !

    • What a fun surprise to hear from you! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you’ve been reading my blog. You never really know until you receive a comment. Not only do I appreciate your kind words, but your dallop of humor about Apple. I’m glad I get to throw your name into the hat for the drawing on Monday. Good luck! Check back then to see if you won.

  8. They did what they always do : ignore it because nobody can really come up with anything worthwhile besides Apple itself, and then decide at the last moment that your idea might actually make them more money, and reluctantly approve it :-)

    • Ha ha. You are a funny one! I’m throwing your name into the hat for Monday’s drawing. May the good luck gods be on your side.

  9. They were not looking at it. It sat untouched for 64 days. Then, on day 65 they looked at it and said, “Hey! This is great! Approved!”

    • Oh Wise One…you are probably right. That must be from all your years at National Geographic. Being the crazy, impatient chiquita that I am, I was thinking perhaps they had figured out a way to install a “torture cam” on my computer, laughing and watching every time I logged in to see if “Today was the day.” :-) You’d think by now, I’d learn the art of patience, but with our new “instant-everything” world, it has only contributed to my need for speed.

      Having said that, I do hope you check out the iPad version of the book with the video. I think it will make you smile. And of course, if you feel inspired to share it with friends, my feelings wouldn’t be hurt.

      Thanks for leaving your comment, and reminding me how it all works. And good luck to your on the drawing. Check back on Monday to see if you won!

  10. I must be psychic . . . No sooner do I ask about the iPad edition than it appears. ;-) Can’t help but wonder if Apple took its time exploring the possibility of an app linked to the book. For those of us who write and publish, patience is a given. Now I get to read and relish.

    • Deborah, I know who to call when I want to know my future. :-) Hopefully your patience will wear off on me soon. too. Clearly, I could use some.

      I hope you enjoy the i-version of our book. I truly believe this is the best format for it, and of course, what better way to pay tribute to Steve Jobs than to present it on the device he was so proud of creating.

      And now…good luck to you on the iTunes gift card drawing. I know how much you love music and books!

    • Tina, you are sooooo very kind. Thank you. I hope you enjoy our little book. I’m glad I get to add your name to the hat for the drawing. Thanks for commenting.

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