Hi, it's me again, total paranoia.
But damn it if Amazon isn't up to something.
So here's the play by play for those e-book 'indie' authors out there. The same ones who swear by J.A. Konrath and Barry Eisler's assurances that self-electronic publishing is where the money is at and how you shouldn't accept a traditional publishing deal.
Well, Janet Reid (the Query Shark), a widely respected agent in NY has posted on her blog that Barry Eilser has signed a deal with Amazon's new publishing house imprint, Thomas and Mercer for a rumored $500,000 deal. So tell me my author friends, WTF is Amazon up to?
Are they working their way to take out the big six publishers, and honestly doing a fine job of it? By using us, authors, who believe we can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on our own ebooks? Did Barry take an advance because he knows that he cannot make that kind of money for one book selling at the standard 70% royalty rate ebook author price of 2.99? He'd have to sell a million copies to make that much money. That's not going to happen. So he does the smart thing and publish with a new big time, throwing lots of money around, imprint. Who can blame him?
So now 'inde' authors of the Kornath and Eilser kind must admit that they aren't really 'indie' authors but humps for amazon and their new conglomerate. They are no more rebel at writely heart than you or I. They want money and fame, and amazon is giving it to them.
Hey Amazon, I'd like some money and fame too! I'm willing to sell out! Cheap too! Just ask!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Six Years After Katrina
Can you imagine not having a home for six years following a disaster like Katrina? Well for one puppy who was only six months old at the time of the hurricane, this is a reality. His name is Yogi, and he is waiting for adoption at the Longmont Humane Society in Colorado.
He and his sister were rescue from the water after three weeks. Since then he's lived in shelters and at a vet's hospital (being a blood donor for other dogs). This story broke my heart and I want to do anything I can to help him find a home. I'd adopt him myself except he doesn't get along with cats and my cats wouldn't like that.
So please, if you know of anyone who can give this pup a happy home, call the Longmont Humane Society today.
He and his sister were rescue from the water after three weeks. Since then he's lived in shelters and at a vet's hospital (being a blood donor for other dogs). This story broke my heart and I want to do anything I can to help him find a home. I'd adopt him myself except he doesn't get along with cats and my cats wouldn't like that.
So please, if you know of anyone who can give this pup a happy home, call the Longmont Humane Society today.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Review, Author Interview, & Book Giveaway
We're Vamps Romance has reviewed The Body Dwellers. Psst, spoiler alert: They gave it 5 stars. Read the review here, as well as an interview with yours truly, and giveaway of a e-copy of The Body Dwellers.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Jennifer Crusie: Letting Go
Recently one of my favorite authors, Jennifer Crusie, and I'm not exaggerating here, I love her books, talked about ending her writing career. Her post made me sad, mostly because I'll never know what happens to some of my favorite minor characters like Simon from Faking It. I need another Dempsey novel, damn it!
Yet as a writer, I get it. Writing is hard (yes this is another whiny writer post). People don't realize the work not only writing but publishing a book takes. On a good day I can write 10 pages, but those days are rare. Most days I can't write at all, or worse, I have to work on self-promotion like facebook, blog posts, and the dreaded Tweet. It takes me about a year to write a novel, one that takes a reader a couple of hours to devour. Eventually one runs out of words to write, characters to torture, and plots to revise for the twenty time. So Jenny, as much as I love your books. I will let go of my Dempsey dreams and wish you the best. Thank you for years of entertainment and laughs.
You rock!
Yet as a writer, I get it. Writing is hard (yes this is another whiny writer post). People don't realize the work not only writing but publishing a book takes. On a good day I can write 10 pages, but those days are rare. Most days I can't write at all, or worse, I have to work on self-promotion like facebook, blog posts, and the dreaded Tweet. It takes me about a year to write a novel, one that takes a reader a couple of hours to devour. Eventually one runs out of words to write, characters to torture, and plots to revise for the twenty time. So Jenny, as much as I love your books. I will let go of my Dempsey dreams and wish you the best. Thank you for years of entertainment and laughs.
You rock!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Why Does the Internet Hate Me?
I know. I know. You'll try to convince me that the Internet does not hate me. You'll come up with plenty of plausible explanations for the Internets sly insults and missing emails. Oh go ahead. Tell me about slow servers and Trojan virus, about ISP numbers and how msn really does think I'm cool. But I know the truth.
The Internet hates me.
Why else does it keep stealing my emails and badmouthing me on google? Why else would I, know matter how hard I try, not get the appeal of twitter? After all, I'm a huge fan of swallow 140 character conversations. Oh, I might mean dates...
What's that you say?
I'm absolutely right. The Internet does hate me? I knew it.
Well ain't that an Inconvenient Truth.
That damn Al Gore. He has had it in for me for years. Mostly because I don't recycle, but it could've had something to do with those naked pictures I sent of him and that masseuse to good-old Tipper.
The Internet hates me.
Why else does it keep stealing my emails and badmouthing me on google? Why else would I, know matter how hard I try, not get the appeal of twitter? After all, I'm a huge fan of swallow 140 character conversations. Oh, I might mean dates...
What's that you say?
I'm absolutely right. The Internet does hate me? I knew it.
Well ain't that an Inconvenient Truth.
That damn Al Gore. He has had it in for me for years. Mostly because I don't recycle, but it could've had something to do with those naked pictures I sent of him and that masseuse to good-old Tipper.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Thanks Hallmark for Making Me Feel Like S**t Again
Kidding. It's not Hallmark's fault that I forgot to buy a damn card, again this year. I blame global warming...or perhaps the asbestos leaking from my ceiling...could be that time mom dropped me on my head...
Really, now that I think about it, it is completely her fault.
Thanks mom for the brain damage. Nice one.
Happy Mother's day to my very wonderful and special mum.
And to all those wonderful mother's out there, here's to your special day.
Really, now that I think about it, it is completely her fault.
Thanks mom for the brain damage. Nice one.
Happy Mother's day to my very wonderful and special mum.
And to all those wonderful mother's out there, here's to your special day.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
New Rules for All Authors
Okay people, it's time for some rules for all authors, whether you're indie, small press, or traditional big 6 published. Hell even if you're not-yet-published.
1) Write.
2) Wash (please, I have to sit next to you at conferences) and repeat.
3) Edit. Revise. Re-edit.
4) Submit.
Seems simple right? You're not a writer unless you write. Stop talking about it and get your words down. Then do what successful writers do, let it go. Your words, as beautiful as they might be, aren't so vital that you cannot make the changes needed to enhance the story for your reader. Quit being so damn haughty. Our job is to entertain and educate the reader, so if you're not doing that, no matter how great and pretty your words are, you are not accomplishing your goal.
So go write in your journal if that's the case.
5) Stop whining about gatekeepers. Janet Reid isn't a bitch. Bookends LLC doesn't hate you. They don't even know you, no matter how many times you comment on their blog.
If you truly believe you are being unfairly judged by agents who've rejected your science fiction novel told from the POV of a space slug, go ahead and self-publish. Otherwise, suck it up, take the rejection and write another book. Move on. Don't wallow. Try again and again until you hit that right agent/publisher.
Being an author is damn hard. No one, except for that one asshole every writer knows who sold his first book on his first query, wins at this game unless they keep playing. If you give up, throw up your hands and whine about how unfair the industry is, you will never succeed. Or if by some fucked up fate, you do succeed, you won't know the satisfaction involved in the fight for publication. The fight makes the sale that much sweeter.
1) Write.
2) Wash (please, I have to sit next to you at conferences) and repeat.
3) Edit. Revise. Re-edit.
4) Submit.
Seems simple right? You're not a writer unless you write. Stop talking about it and get your words down. Then do what successful writers do, let it go. Your words, as beautiful as they might be, aren't so vital that you cannot make the changes needed to enhance the story for your reader. Quit being so damn haughty. Our job is to entertain and educate the reader, so if you're not doing that, no matter how great and pretty your words are, you are not accomplishing your goal.
So go write in your journal if that's the case.
5) Stop whining about gatekeepers. Janet Reid isn't a bitch. Bookends LLC doesn't hate you. They don't even know you, no matter how many times you comment on their blog.
If you truly believe you are being unfairly judged by agents who've rejected your science fiction novel told from the POV of a space slug, go ahead and self-publish. Otherwise, suck it up, take the rejection and write another book. Move on. Don't wallow. Try again and again until you hit that right agent/publisher.
Being an author is damn hard. No one, except for that one asshole every writer knows who sold his first book on his first query, wins at this game unless they keep playing. If you give up, throw up your hands and whine about how unfair the industry is, you will never succeed. Or if by some fucked up fate, you do succeed, you won't know the satisfaction involved in the fight for publication. The fight makes the sale that much sweeter.
Monday, May 2, 2011
What's in a Number?
I've decided to run an experiment regarding e-stories published on amazon.com. A fellow writer swears by Dean Wesley Smith's numbers. I'll let you read them, and then come right back.
Okay, so now that you are going to forget about trying to do this writer thing for a major publisher since you can make money putting up ebooks for 2.99 - 4.99, let's get realistic. I know, right? Who wants to ruin a perfectly good illusion with reality.
The thing is, these numbers aren't going to be for every writer who uploads 30 estories. Hence my experiment. Over this next month I plan on uploading at least 25 estories, and over the course of the next year, I'll report the income numbers. So you're thinking to yourself, yeah right. Why should I believe her numbers? Okay, fair enough. I'll screen shot the monthly sales reports.
I want other writers to see sales numbers for a fellow writer on the eve of publication with a major 6 big publisher. Meaning, a writer with little to no name recognition (unlike J.A. Konrath. Not that I don't buy his numbers, but I really do believe that his name recognition helped his sales, a lot). The rules are: any story I upload is one that was published previously (yes, I still have the rights), the cover will be designed by me. I will also do all the formatting/editing.
Anyone else want to play along? If so jump into the comments section.
Okay, so now that you are going to forget about trying to do this writer thing for a major publisher since you can make money putting up ebooks for 2.99 - 4.99, let's get realistic. I know, right? Who wants to ruin a perfectly good illusion with reality.
The thing is, these numbers aren't going to be for every writer who uploads 30 estories. Hence my experiment. Over this next month I plan on uploading at least 25 estories, and over the course of the next year, I'll report the income numbers. So you're thinking to yourself, yeah right. Why should I believe her numbers? Okay, fair enough. I'll screen shot the monthly sales reports.
I want other writers to see sales numbers for a fellow writer on the eve of publication with a major 6 big publisher. Meaning, a writer with little to no name recognition (unlike J.A. Konrath. Not that I don't buy his numbers, but I really do believe that his name recognition helped his sales, a lot). The rules are: any story I upload is one that was published previously (yes, I still have the rights), the cover will be designed by me. I will also do all the formatting/editing.
Anyone else want to play along? If so jump into the comments section.
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