MT,
Persistence pays. [The balance of what I say is more for the benefit of a newbie trying to buy shares. I know you've been around the block a few times.]
It also helps to NOT make it an "all or none" order, which gets filled last and only if more shares are offered for sale than you are trying to buy - and those shares have to not be an all or none order themselves.
I know my temptation, when buying penny stocks, is to make the order all or none to avoid situations where I end up buying 10 shares of a 17 cent stock - but have to pay a full commission.
It will either take someone putting in a "market order" to sell shares (not at a specific "limit" price) or one of the folks getting tired of their shares not selling at 17 cents.
OR, you could slap the ask now and feel good later on, when shares are much higher.