Well, the worst nightmare of my daughters has come to pass-- I'm on Youtube!
My 2-minute interview from the recent Author's Expo!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apuQEKFrVFU
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Working
July's been a bear of a month, and was so busy, didn't get much writing done. Did plot out a couple of new stories, and set a schedule for getting other things done, but didn't get enough words on paper.
August will be different. I'm going to get at least 31,000 words done, average at least 1000 words a day. Not an easy task with a day job, family, and other committments, but I am driven, and have some goals that need to be met.
It's work. Hard brain sweat. Not digging ditches, but work nonetheless.
Did you see the opening of the Olympics, and the pageant about the workers? Ironic, considering the overwhelming corporate overseeing of everything to do with the games.
And how about that celebration of National Health Care? What an idea-- having a country where people can get seen by doctors without going broke. If only our government would embrace that concept. But they won't-- as long as they have guaranteed health care, paid for by the very people they deny it to. I say they should only get what everyone gets-- that would turn them around fast.
But we have a country where a minimum-wage worker at 40 hours a week cannot afford a 2-bedroom unit rental. In Washington, DC, you'd have to work 140 hours a week. And 2007 was the last time the rich lawmakers in DC raised the minimum wage.
The only jobs are in the cities-- where someone starting out cannot afford to live.
Here's some interesting data on the subject:
http://www.mybanktracker.com/bank-news/2012/05/31/maps-show-grads-screwed/
August will be different. I'm going to get at least 31,000 words done, average at least 1000 words a day. Not an easy task with a day job, family, and other committments, but I am driven, and have some goals that need to be met.
It's work. Hard brain sweat. Not digging ditches, but work nonetheless.
Did you see the opening of the Olympics, and the pageant about the workers? Ironic, considering the overwhelming corporate overseeing of everything to do with the games.
And how about that celebration of National Health Care? What an idea-- having a country where people can get seen by doctors without going broke. If only our government would embrace that concept. But they won't-- as long as they have guaranteed health care, paid for by the very people they deny it to. I say they should only get what everyone gets-- that would turn them around fast.
But we have a country where a minimum-wage worker at 40 hours a week cannot afford a 2-bedroom unit rental. In Washington, DC, you'd have to work 140 hours a week. And 2007 was the last time the rich lawmakers in DC raised the minimum wage.
The only jobs are in the cities-- where someone starting out cannot afford to live.
Here's some interesting data on the subject:
http://www.mybanktracker.com/bank-news/2012/05/31/maps-show-grads-screwed/
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Make a Better World
There was a recent terrible tragedy, where one person perpetrated an act of absolute brutality, ending some lives and destroying others.
This senseless act of violence is so deplorable, and leaves us questioning life and the randomness of the universe.
How do we respond? One of the best ways I saw was on the blog of Chuck Wendig, who challenged his readers to post something *nice.* I'm going to quote from the site, because it matters:
"We balance out the horrors of a day like this by willfully doing good for others.
So, hug your kids, give to a charity, rescue a puppy, something, anything.
Evil can’t be undone, but good can outshine it.
So, if you feel like it, post something below in the comments that’s good and nice in this world. Don’t talk about the shooting or other bad shit. Don’t politicize anything (today is not a real good day to defend the second amendment, or talk about naughty pop culture or liberal-conservative fol-de-rol). Just post something nice. A story. Charity. Something your kid said or did. Anything at all.
This not in service of forgetting tragedy or ignoring it, but rather, to remind ourselves that people aren’t all bad and that one aberration a species does not make."
One of the posters responded to this with a personal story:
"A week ago, I was picking up odds and ends at Walmart on the way home from work. There was a family ahead of me in the checkout line that was having issues paying. The dad’s credit card was being rejected for the n-th time, so he decided to give up and started giving back the bags they had loaded into their cart. After taking a quick peek at their loot (mostly frozen dinners, rice and beans), noting that they weren’t buying any alcohol or tobacco, I offered to pay for it. It was about 60 bucks worth of stuff. Not much, but the mom teared up, making me almost tear up, and so on.
After helping get their bags back in the cart, I turn to the cashier to pay for my items. Only, the guy behind me, sporting a big, shit-eating grin, had paid for my items. At that point, the lady behind him, insisted to pay for his, and so it went in a line of about 8 people. It was a great moment of good will, and I’m glad to have kicked it off."
It's that kind of act we should remember, and celebrate.
So-- go forth and celebrate at least one human act of kindness, of connection, of just pure goodness. Evil deeds are done by the weak and stupid. It takes real strength to build something good.
This senseless act of violence is so deplorable, and leaves us questioning life and the randomness of the universe.
How do we respond? One of the best ways I saw was on the blog of Chuck Wendig, who challenged his readers to post something *nice.* I'm going to quote from the site, because it matters:
"We balance out the horrors of a day like this by willfully doing good for others.
So, hug your kids, give to a charity, rescue a puppy, something, anything.
Evil can’t be undone, but good can outshine it.
So, if you feel like it, post something below in the comments that’s good and nice in this world. Don’t talk about the shooting or other bad shit. Don’t politicize anything (today is not a real good day to defend the second amendment, or talk about naughty pop culture or liberal-conservative fol-de-rol). Just post something nice. A story. Charity. Something your kid said or did. Anything at all.
This not in service of forgetting tragedy or ignoring it, but rather, to remind ourselves that people aren’t all bad and that one aberration a species does not make."
One of the posters responded to this with a personal story:
"A week ago, I was picking up odds and ends at Walmart on the way home from work. There was a family ahead of me in the checkout line that was having issues paying. The dad’s credit card was being rejected for the n-th time, so he decided to give up and started giving back the bags they had loaded into their cart. After taking a quick peek at their loot (mostly frozen dinners, rice and beans), noting that they weren’t buying any alcohol or tobacco, I offered to pay for it. It was about 60 bucks worth of stuff. Not much, but the mom teared up, making me almost tear up, and so on.
After helping get their bags back in the cart, I turn to the cashier to pay for my items. Only, the guy behind me, sporting a big, shit-eating grin, had paid for my items. At that point, the lady behind him, insisted to pay for his, and so it went in a line of about 8 people. It was a great moment of good will, and I’m glad to have kicked it off."
It's that kind of act we should remember, and celebrate.
So-- go forth and celebrate at least one human act of kindness, of connection, of just pure goodness. Evil deeds are done by the weak and stupid. It takes real strength to build something good.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Great Author's Expo
Been another busy time-- attended the Author's Expo at the Danversport Yacht Club, put together by the folks at Pear Tree Publishing. (Thanks to the volunteers, by the way)
There were writers, publishers (including both my publishers, Briona Glen and Rosstrum Publishing), bookstore representatives, and more, first networking and then meeting and greeting the public, who came to browse and buy.
There was music and entertainment, and celebrities. I met Mark Goddard, who played Major West on the old TV show Lost in Space. He seemed like a nice person, very gracious. Found out he's a local boy, having grown up in the area.
There was a table for the New England Horror Writers (NEHW), who had a fun display. I belong to this group, but I've got a bunch of books out, so I need my own table for display.
Sold some books, gave more away-- for the raffle to raise money for breast cancer, met some new folks, and had a great time.
I'd have pictures to show you, but the tool at Staples lied about what was needed to get pictures off my cellphone, so we'll need someone with some actual technical expertise.
There were writers, publishers (including both my publishers, Briona Glen and Rosstrum Publishing), bookstore representatives, and more, first networking and then meeting and greeting the public, who came to browse and buy.
There was music and entertainment, and celebrities. I met Mark Goddard, who played Major West on the old TV show Lost in Space. He seemed like a nice person, very gracious. Found out he's a local boy, having grown up in the area.
There was a table for the New England Horror Writers (NEHW), who had a fun display. I belong to this group, but I've got a bunch of books out, so I need my own table for display.
Sold some books, gave more away-- for the raffle to raise money for breast cancer, met some new folks, and had a great time.
I'd have pictures to show you, but the tool at Staples lied about what was needed to get pictures off my cellphone, so we'll need someone with some actual technical expertise.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Big Author Expo
It's just about here-- the big Author Expo at the Danversport (MA) Yacht Club- this Wed, the 18th.
Come on down for writers signing books, publishers, celebrities, and treats. The public can come anytime after 4 in the afternoon, until 9 that night. Should be a blast!
Hobnob with the rich and famous, and support regional authors!
***
In other news, today is the anniversary of the publication of The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, in 1951.
***
And last Saturday was the 100th birthday of Woody Guthrie, America's troubador of the people. His guitar had a saying on it-- "This machine kills fascists."
We miss you, Woody, and your words about a better world for the workers.
Come on down for writers signing books, publishers, celebrities, and treats. The public can come anytime after 4 in the afternoon, until 9 that night. Should be a blast!
Hobnob with the rich and famous, and support regional authors!
***
In other news, today is the anniversary of the publication of The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, in 1951.
***
And last Saturday was the 100th birthday of Woody Guthrie, America's troubador of the people. His guitar had a saying on it-- "This machine kills fascists."
We miss you, Woody, and your words about a better world for the workers.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Business Decisions
Over on the Do Some Damage website, Steve Weddle hosts a post mentioning a complete ass-clown who berates writer Terry Goodkind for publishing something (gasp) not with his original publisher!
"Where's the loyalty?" This dipstick moans. Apparently, once anyone publishes you, you're supposed to be their slave. Forever.
Wow. How many ways of wrong are possible? This reaches new levels.
Gee, are we never supposed to leave our first job? Not according to this twisted crackhead logic.
Sorry for the harsh tone, but man, there's a lot of stupid out there...
"Where's the loyalty?" This dipstick moans. Apparently, once anyone publishes you, you're supposed to be their slave. Forever.
Wow. How many ways of wrong are possible? This reaches new levels.
Gee, are we never supposed to leave our first job? Not according to this twisted crackhead logic.
Sorry for the harsh tone, but man, there's a lot of stupid out there...
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Revolution, Not a Civil War
The new revolution in publishing is a wonderful thing for writers and readers, allowing good work to get out, and allowing writers, for the first time, to choose how they want to run their career as a business.
It is not a civil war, but many have taken sides-- for either strictly independent (indie) publishing or strictly tradtional publishing. The rhetoric is heated, the vitriol splashing around in insult-laden invective.
Gee whiz, folks, it just means we have more choices. It's not a religion, but some act as if it was just that. They insult people who choose the path different from theirs.
For the record, I've got friends who have published traditionally and done very well with it.
But I've been on the receiving end of abuse from online posters who said that traditional publishing is the only way to go, and that my choice of the indie path is foolish. So I pass along horror stories of traditional publishing gone wrong, to prove otherwise.
Here's an exceptionally good one, which shows one publishing company (one of the supposed best) who doesn't have a clue about business, and who wouldn't listen to the writer who had a marketing plan and knew how to make the book sell.
--"How I got a big advance from a big publisher and self-published anyway"
The fact that these people stay in business despite having no idea what it's about is a testament to readers, who buy books no matter how poorly they're launched or marketed. This is what the indie world is about-- getting the writing published, and letting the readers decide if it's worthwhile or not. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme (like a recent media article thought), it's putting something out so it has the chance to find an audience.
It is not a civil war, but many have taken sides-- for either strictly independent (indie) publishing or strictly tradtional publishing. The rhetoric is heated, the vitriol splashing around in insult-laden invective.
Gee whiz, folks, it just means we have more choices. It's not a religion, but some act as if it was just that. They insult people who choose the path different from theirs.
For the record, I've got friends who have published traditionally and done very well with it.
But I've been on the receiving end of abuse from online posters who said that traditional publishing is the only way to go, and that my choice of the indie path is foolish. So I pass along horror stories of traditional publishing gone wrong, to prove otherwise.
Here's an exceptionally good one, which shows one publishing company (one of the supposed best) who doesn't have a clue about business, and who wouldn't listen to the writer who had a marketing plan and knew how to make the book sell.
--"How I got a big advance from a big publisher and self-published anyway"
The fact that these people stay in business despite having no idea what it's about is a testament to readers, who buy books no matter how poorly they're launched or marketed. This is what the indie world is about-- getting the writing published, and letting the readers decide if it's worthwhile or not. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme (like a recent media article thought), it's putting something out so it has the chance to find an audience.
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