Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Robison E. Wells => Topic started by: House of Mustard on September 23, 2004, 11:11:41 AM
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Just as an update, I talked to my editor yesterday, and she has two snippets of good news:
1) Due to the fact that this is the first of a series, the audio version may be unabridged. (May be unabridged. It's not certain yet.)
2) The release date has been moved up to January. That makes the schedule tighter, but I don't mind at all.
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January? Dang. Have you even finished rewriting it yet?
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All editing should be finished in two and a half weeks, and then it's off to typeset. I still have no cover, or even official approval on the cover, but I'm not complaining. Yet.
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That's a pretty fast turnaround. Our turnaround at TOKYOPOP is pretty short, too. December books get sent to press next week (so proofs come after that).
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Hum. My book's coming out in May, and they're worried that we're not going to have enough time. And it's already in the copyediting stage.
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For one thing, your book is four or five times longer than mine. I'm sure that adds to the time.
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It's odd, HoM, but at a family dinner yesterday, my sister started talking about your book. Apparently she has an editor friend (oh shoot, are you with Covenant or Deseret Book? My sister used to be a reader for which ever one you're with) and her friend was talking about how you are one of the up and rising writers. It was odd to hear someone talking about you who wasn't with the TWG group.
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Yet somehow quite satisfying, eh?
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Well that pleases me to no end. It's little things like that that make me all giddy inside.
Incidentally, I talked to the managing editor yesterday, and they proposed a title to me: Wake Me When It's Over.
What do you guys think? I've gotten some negative comments, and a few positive ones as well. Personally, I'm not sure where I stand. I always get defensive when people mess with my baby, so I'm not sure how objective I am here.
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"Awake" sounds pretty uhm... cheesy. Like you're writing self help pseudo-sociology for Mormon women dissatisfied with their lives.
Wake Me When it's Over is more true to your writing style.
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Possibly, but it's also very lame. I'm sure that I account for most of the bad comments he's received, because I think it's pretty awful name. My favorite is his original, Conspiracy Fact.
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hrm.... I think there should be a poll:
"What should be the title of HoM's next book?"
-Awake
-Wake Me When It's Over
-Conspiracy Fact
-Ginger Rogers, ca. 1936
-Ninja Monkeys
-SE is super cool
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Hey, Ginger might actually win that one. :)
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"Wake Me When It's Over" sounds like a comedy of errors. Is it?
"Awake" could be any bestseller seen in an airport bookstore, by Dean Koontz or even Stephen King.
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I've been against 'Awake' ever since you mentioned it to me. You want to build reader consistency at this point in your career--get readers coming back. 'Awake' makes me think of something completely different than what I read before.
It's also the name of the J-dub's version of the Ensign.
The name they came up with is cheesy, but so was 'On Second Thought.' It resonates.
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sure, if it had King or Koontz ont he cover, it'd sell there. But it's from Covenant. It's going to be in Seagull book and Tape and "This Is the Place" bookstores. In that context, "Awake" resonates the pseudo-sociology I mentioned.
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Well I'm notoriously bad at naming things, and the truth is that I've never looked at Awake as anything more than a temporary title anyway.
The problem is that this is a cross-genre kind of book: half comedy and half action/adventure terrorism kind of thing. It makes naming it difficult.
Still, I'm pleased with the reception you're giving Wake Me When It's Over. At first I hated it, but it's growing on me.
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Chiming in: I like Wake me When It's Over, too.
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I expect you to work in Ninja Monkies, Cthulhu or Ginger Roberts, ca 1936 into one of your book titles.
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Yeah, write one about Ginger Rogers teaming up with the Ninja Monkeys to summon Cthulu.
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Or you could try, "Lie Me Down Before We Begin." You know, be the advocate to your editor or whoever first proposed "Wake Me When It's Over."
Or try, "I'm Home But Forgot the Sink," "Let's Try for Tuesday," or (my favorite because I just made it up) "Back to My Original Thought."
Of course, that's me being silly. But then again so is your comedy/action/adventure book. And anyone else realize I started each paragraph with an O. How a'dvant.
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Or you could try, "Lie Me Down Before We Begin."
That really does sound like a pr0n novel.
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I like Wake Me When It's Over. Conspiracy Fact is also good. What don't the publishers like about that one?
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"Wake me when it's over" isn't perfect for the tone you explained above, but it's a better title than "Awake," I think.
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how 'bout "When will this be over?"
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That sounds like you're implying a boring read.
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Sad news: they tried to rebudget, but it wouldn't get through committee. So, I'm still abridged on the audio. I hate that.
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Hey, I don't even get audio versions, so count your blessings.
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Brandon, do you retain audio rights?
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Yes. However, we retained them simply because we felt like it. There's little chance of a novel like mine doing an audio version.
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I volunteer to read it!
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You should get Fell and Musdard to read it, though it might end up being a comedy then.
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Ha.
Though, Fuzzy, that reminds me. Do you have the physical copy of MISTBORN?
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I do, I just unboxed it last night!
Who gets it now?
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Me. Probably the best way to pass it on would be at the TLE party since you've deserted Provo for the slightly more north. Have you seen the new issue yet? It's purty.
By the way, congrats on the promotion and salary!
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Actually, Fuzzy lives a bit more south in Provo, now.
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D'oh! I thought she moved closer to work!
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That was the plan. This house is only two blocks south of where we were before, so it's as good as standing still, and we have twice as much space.
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So, I like it, but after seeing EUOL's cover, this seems a little, well, blah.
http://www.robisonwells.com/wakemecover.php
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ha ha! clever!
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They say the status of the author is reflected in how big the author's name is in relation to the title. You're big, HoM!
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Seriously big.
That looks cool though.
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I have to step in and mock the graphic design, simply because that's what I do for a living, but on the whole I like it. I enjoy the fact that, even though it bears no relation to this story, they're keeping up the theme of men in suits in the desert with their faces hidden.
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see, if they had kept the title "Awake," that would have been given the hugeness, and your name would have been much smaller. So I guess it's a good thing?
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The problem is that this is a cross-genre kind of book: half comedy and half action/adventure terrorism kind of thing.
That cover just screams "terrorism"
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Also: the story takes place in the winter, with many many references to snow. Not sand.
When I talked to the designer, she said they did 40 or so designs, but they all seemed to be emphasizing the 'suspense' part of the book, neglecting the comedy. Personally, I would rather they had gone that route.
Still, since I can't change it, I'm trying really hard to like the cover.
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He's got his head in the sand. It's a metaphor people!
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So: I finished the audio edit last night. Cut from a previous total of 76,891 words down to 47,957. It was one of the most painful things I've ever done.
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wow. 33% less audio calories than the original. It'd like, Diet Awake.
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33% less calories, but 66% more infodumping, and 100% more Deus Ex Machina.
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so it leaves a bad taste in your mouth? like all diet food?
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And the aspartame can cause Multiple Sclerosis.
Actually, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I was really expecting the worst, but I managed to simplify the plot a little, and leave in everything major.
Still, I can't refer to it without using the word "bastardized." (Though that might just be because I like that word.)
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I like "bowdlerized."
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That's a neat word -- I've never heard it before. I'll have to start using it.
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Bowdlerize \Bowd"ler*ize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bowdlerized; p. pr. & vb. n. Bowdlerizing.] [After Dr. Thomas Bowdler, an English physician, who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare in 1818.] To expurgate, as a book, by omitting or modifying the parts considered offensive.
Yes. I think I shall as well.
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Alright kids, the book is out. I saw it on the shelves of a Seagull last night. I'm sure that any Seagull on the Wasatch Front should have it by now.
I'm very pleased. I did a rough count last night, and it looks like the Redwood Road Seagull has around 150 copies. That's three times what the stocked when On Second Thought came out. I'm all giddy.
So -- this is the first week -- buy buy buy!
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time for me to send you another check then, huh?
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Sure. I actually have to raise my prices, though, because I'm running low on my author copies, so I'll have to start getting them from the stores. It'll be 12.50 instead of 11. Email me your address at robisonwells @ yahoo or hotmail or msn or gmail. They all go to me, whichever you like.
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So if I go buy a copy...how can I get you to sign it? ;D
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I'm in Provo regularly. Give it to EUOL, who can give it to Fell, who can give it to me. Or, you could go to a book signing -- I'll have several in Utah county. Or, you could buy it now, and bring it to a signing later (which is what MoD did last time).
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cool I'll go pick it up when there's not 20' of snow outside.
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I went looking for it Monday and was sadly disappointed. I'll stop by Seagull again today though.
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20' of snow. Heh. If you hate cold, you'll be jealous to learn that today's the first day I've needed to wear a jacket in hte last week or so. And that only because it's raining.
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It's best to buy it now, MsFish, rather than wait for a signing--because of the way bookstores order their stock, first week sales are way more important than almost anything else in determining how much stock a store will eventually buy.
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Odd news: due to something bizarre, wherein someone smoked something, the book is on Seagull's bestseller list already -- #10. I would think this is really neat, but I'm wondering if it's actually a marketing ploy... The book only came out yesterday, and as far as I know, there's no way to pre-order with Seagull (the book's not even on the website yet). So I have no idea how it's on the bestseller list already. But it is. Hooray!
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Further proof that bestseller lists are schlock.
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As someone just pointed out to me, though, I'm an Overnight Bestseller! Schlock or no, that's pretty sweet.
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Eric must have sent his monkeys to go buy a thousand copies last night or something.
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Most traditional bestseller lists, HoM, are built from projected numbers, not actual numbers.
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Hmm, that seems like schlock to me.
But, congratulations HOM!!
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Or perhaps the market is so small that the number ten spot was actually empty until his book came along. :D
Incidentally, I just looked up the locations of Seagull Book and Tape so I could go and buy it today. I can't remember if I need to read the first one first or not. ?
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This one is completely unrelated to his previous book, and is actually the first in a new series. "On Second Thought" is a stand-alone.
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Thanks.
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On Second Thought is usually recycled and used as beurocratic forms and tick-box sheets, before being fed to pigeons.
Or so I hear.
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I'm halfway through it--spent three hours sitting in the plane this morning before takeoff, so I had a lot of time on my hands. I'm really enjoying it so far.
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I'm going to commend you/and or your publishers on doing it right after christmas. I'm on my post-christmas reading binge, and have run out of books. I've read 8 books in the past two weeks.
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It's best to buy it now, MsFish, rather than wait for a signing--because of the way bookstores order their stock, first week sales are way more important than almost anything else in determining how much stock a store will eventually buy.
Yeah, I know that. And I was bored tonight, so I went to Seagull and bought a copy. They had a really impressive display. It was the first thing I saw when I walked in the door, which was highly convenient for me.
Congratulations HoM.
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I bought a copy today at the Seagull in Sandy. While it was not in its own display case it was in the bestseller shelf. When the clerk saw what I was buying she squealed and said, and I quote, "Oh I love RobiNson Wells. He's my new favorite author. Have you read his first one?"
Me: "No, I know his brother."
Clerk:"OOOh. So, you could like, get a signed copy huh?"
Me: "Yes, I probably could."
Clerk: "Do you want a bag for that?"
Me:"Sure..."
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You get the idea. You've got your first potential groupie. congratulations.
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This book is hilarious, by the way.
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I'm going to commend you/and or your publishers on doing it right after christmas. I'm on my post-christmas reading binge, and have run out of books. I've read 8 books in the past two weeks.
That's good news. The timing's really been bothering me. Seagull does 60% of all their yearly sales in the month of December, so I've been bummed it didn't come out last month. At least the January Blahs will account for some sales.
To the rest of you, thanks for buying the book and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'll have to actually show up to one of these TWG game nights some time and get all your copies signed.
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Maybe a bunch of people got gift certificates for Christmas. Or got books they don't want and will exchange them for yours.
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Another flight today. Which means I finished the book! Good job, Mustard. Very funny, and you built the suspense well. Nice mix.
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I still do not have this book. Does anyone know why? It's because Homsar has been being slow about getting his address to me to send the... materials with which will help him send me the book. Excuse me sir. =P
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Oh yeah... I'd forget my own head if it wasn't attached.
I'll email you now.
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Now, I don't complain so much.
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Deseret Book does have it too. Sorry if it's better to buy at Seagull, but DB is much much closer to my house than any of the Seagulls and I'm limited on time.
Either way, I have copy now. Unfortunately, unless work is totally and completely dead tonight I won't be able to start reading until after 9pm
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Actually, buying at DB is better than buying at Seagull. Seagull has a quota on the new Covenant books, so they push them pretty hard. DB couldn't really care less, so getting them sold is harder.
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Well I bought 2 today (EUOL wanted me to pick him up a copy) and you're right, Seagull people did push your crap on me. Though, oddly, since I was buying two they asked if I knew you. I replied that I did, and when she asked where from I said "The Tage Fan Club".
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Ten points for Spriggan!
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So they tried to push it on you before you asked about it? Or once you expressed interest?
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I keep thinking that Tage is posting, what with Sprig's new avatar.
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Before, then they tried to sell me your audio and your other book.
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Well I just finished it, and overall I've got to say that I think it's better than On Second Thought. And I only cringed a little at how you used gopher. :)
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I'm going to take that as a compliment. Yeah... once you told me that it was impossible, it was too late to make any significant changes...
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I really liked On Second Thought better, but that's probably because I do NOT like the mystery genre.
Which just means I should get a copy of this to my mom too, since that's all she reads.
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Oh no, Mystery?! Crupload! And I've already sent the jester my money! Foorsoothed! Oh well. It will go well next to R.L. Stine! Bwahahaha hah.
But no, I think I'll enjoy it. Words are words, and words will be my life.
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Two things: I should have given the money to EUOL or somebody while I was still in Utah, but it didn't occur to me till after I left. So I still need to mail you a check. Which brings me to my second point: I'm too lazy to try to find your email address again. Email me your snail mail address at stacer 11 at hotmail (no spaces).
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So, I was just browsing the Robison Wells site (I'm not sure why, just to see what was new I guess), and Rob, you should really stop giving me credit for making the site. The new site layout is fantastic and I had nothing to do with it.
Also, your questions page really needs to be updated.
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The questions page needs to get fixed, and there's still no content on the About Me page. I was actually going to work on it last night, but I got too lazy.
Here's an HTML question for anyone who knows: How do you make a link jump to a certain section of the same page (ie, for the questions, I want to list the questions at the top, and you click on the question and it will jump down to answer. Get it?)
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at the point you want to link too have
<A name="uniqueidentifier"></A>
The link itself will be <A HREF="#uniqueidentifier"></A>
THe # is important. It goes in the href but not in the name
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Thanks!
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They're called anchor tags FYI.
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I got my signing schedule, and I'll post it on my site tonight. Sadly, I won't be down in Utah County till later -- I'm starting in Salt Lake, and then heading to Davis County. Anyway, here are some significant dates:
American Fork -- Feb 19th
North Orem -- Feb 19th
South Orem -- Feb 26th
Spanish Fork -- Feb 26th
Idaho Falls -- Feb 5th
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Hey, I'll actually be in town for your North Orem signing.
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The full signing schedule is up, and I fixed the questions pages.
http://www.robisonwells.com/signings.php
http://www.robisonwells.com/questions.php
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All links are anchor tags, those are target links.
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Actualy we're both right. From the O'Reily refrence that came with Dreamweaver:
The a element is a rare element that can be an anchor and/or link, depending on the presence of the name and/or href attributes. As and anchor, the element defines a named location with in the document to which any URL can reference by appending a hashmark and the anchor name to the document's URI. Names are identifires assigned to the name attribute. Content definded solely as an anchor is not visually differentiatend from the surrounding body content.
By assigning a URI to the href arrtibute, the element becasue the source of a hypertext link.
I was makeing refrence to the name element being called an anchor tag while I think you were talking about the actual link that has the href in it.
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I did my duty to board and members and bought a copy of Wake me. I'll eventually have time to read it.
Now, HoM, I insist that you arrange a special TWG signing.
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Indeed.
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Well, where is our update on sales figures, hmmm??
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Are you kidding? No one tells me anything.
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HoM
I sent you an email at your TWG address, but I'm not sure it works since mine, as far as I know, still points at Fellfrosch...
Anyway, check your PMs
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Holy crap, that's awesome. Is there a link to that? Or was it just on a list-serv?
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It was just on a list-serv. You'll notice that the email of the author is at the bottom. If you email him maybe you could get permission to put the review up on TWG in the Books section. It's an easy day's worth of material at the very least.
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Okay everybody: the very excellent review that Skar was talking about has now been posted on my website (with the author's permission). You can check it out at: www.robisonwells.com/AMLreview.php
It's certainly the best review I've gotten, both in the sense that it's very complimentary, and it's also well written. (You may remember that rambling, tangent-magnet review from Meridian Magazine...)
By the way, this review is for my first book, not the new one.
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Frankly, I think Wells does it better than Card.
Wow. Nice.
Maybe I need to read this book too...
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The review makes me wonder if he was as bothered by the one instance of italics as you were. ("I am so stupid" is what I remember the quote being).
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By the way SE and Gemm - I haven't forgotten you. Well, I had forgotten you, but I remember you now. Your books will be in the mail tomorrow...
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well, that's good. Because, y'know, I'd forgotten to send a check! You're sending Wake Me When it's Over and On Second Thought, right? Cuz my coworker wnated a copy of it?
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You are correct, sir!
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And I've not forgotten you good sir! Your mouney will be in the mail shortly preceeding any deadly-oriented types of dealings one may have with certain collegues.
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Hey all you Utah County folks, I'll be down signing in your scenic valley this Saturday.
11:00am to 1:00pm
American Fork Seagull Book and Tape
177 E. 30 N.
American Fork, UT
1:30pm to 3:30pm
North Orem Seagull Book and Tape
111 S. State
Orem, UT
Just a reminder!
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HoM--
I went to buy a copy of your first book for a friend on Saturday, and the clerk at Seagull was like, "Did you know he has a second book out? Oh, I love him, he's so good." Then she proceeded to try to sell me your second book. Just thought you might like to know. :)
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But don't worry, HoM, she didn't give in and buy it.
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my co-worker was going to give me cover price for the copy HoM sent me. It didn't cost you that much did it HoM? and instead of passing it on, I'm going to spend it on wine and women. Or probably whiney women, which would be my kids.
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But don't worry, HoM, she didn't give in and buy it.
Lol. I already have it.
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my co-worker was going to give me cover price for the copy HoM sent me. It didn't cost you that much did it HoM? and instead of passing it on, I'm going to spend it on wine and women. Or probably whiney women, which would be my kids.
*chuckles*
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Give the wine to your kids. Your heros, the french, do that. I know how much you like to live your life the french way.
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only the french kiss
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Thats living your wife the french way, surely.
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which is just fine with me. Viva la femme!
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No, I don't need cover price. 11 bucks for her book, 12 for yours. Plus postage, I guess, but I can't remember how much that was... $3.85, I think.
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/me does the math
Expect it soon.
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Another reminder to Utah Countians:
I'll be at the South Orem Seagull this Saturday from 11 to 1, and then at the Spanish Fork store from 1:30 to 3:30.
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What, are you still here? Your book signings are so last week.
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Your Mom is so last week.
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Yeah well, your mom is probably so at least L years ago.
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Makes me sad I never had brothers.
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So HoM, I'm curious, did they accept your title on your first book?
I'm also working with Covenenant, and thought I had a great title. Alas, I don't think the committee is even considering my original one. I was wondering how much of a shot I had if I tried to 'argue my case'...
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I think Covenant has a rule that they're not allowed to accept an author's title suggestion. His first was supposed to be called "Nothing Personal."
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So he should just get us to come up with the most outlandish names for his books since they'll never use them. THat would be a fun poll.
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I have a really good title for my next book, but I'm not going to say what it is for fear of jinxing things.
And good to have you here Marion! One day, Covenant authors will rule the world.
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I very much hope that that day does not come within my lifetime.
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frankly, it terrifies me as well.
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Hey All-
I know most of the authors published in the LDS market here are working with Covenant, but...anyone have the name of an agent or an editor that works with or for Deseret Book?
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I could have told you several years ago. I don't remember anymore. There was one girl I took Mel's editing internship with, whose mom is Kathryn Daynes, a professor who I took family history classes from. If anyone knows who I'm talking about, perhaps we can get a name out of that?
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The only names I know at Deseret Book are:
Sheri Dew -- President
John Bytheway -- Sheri Dew's Assistant
Kent Ware -- Director of Publishing
Natalie Bellamy -- Publicist/Marketing
That's all I've got. No editors...
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John Bytheway is really Dew's assistant?
For some reason I find that funny and disturbing at the same time.
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Ok, if I were in charge of DB, I would definitely make the funniest person on staff my assistant.
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When I first got my Covenant contract, I called and talked to him -- he's a family friend -- and he basically told me to send my book to DB, and they'd look at it. Really, since he's the President's assistant, what other advice would he give me?
Hey Firemeboy -- which editor at Covenant are you working with?
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Angela 'Iforgetwhathernewmarriednameisbutitusedtobe' Colvin. I met her last week when I went down there. She is very nice. The managing editor wasn’t there, but I also met Melissa Stockdale.
So did you originally send your book to DB? I have a sister-in-law who said the only way you get your book published there is if you are a GA. I had originally sent my book there, and got a very nice reply from one of the editors, something about keeping my stories on file so they could possibly use them in their 'chicken soup for the soul' knockoff books. But when I finally got around to sending it out again, I didn't even bother with DB because of what I had heard through the grapevine.
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Does Covenant still put your firstborn in their contracts...or at least all rights to your future books for the next 40 years?
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Ya, at least that's the deal Mustard has.
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It's only all your LDS-themed books. WHich, I suppose is what you write if you're publishing with Covenant, so it ammounts to close to the same thing.
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I can just see it - HoM writes a fantasy book, Covenant claim the Paladin in it is a LDS character, and demand the rights.
Harhar.
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THat sounds like a scenario to happen in the next LDS comedy I write.
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It's not forty years -- it's only 21. And I'm already 2 into that, so only 19 more to go!
And Firemeboy, I'm with Angela too -- her married name is Eschler. No, I never submitted to DB, but I had a pretty good reason (in my head). Robert Farrell Smith goes through DB, and my first book was VERY similar to his stuff. I figured that DB wouldn't want another author who writes the same kind of thing, so I went to Covenant.
As far as only GAs getting published, it's not quite true, but it sometimes feels like it is. DB just doesn't put out a lot of fiction (and therefore, don't accept a lot). They only release ten or twelve fiction novels a year, and they're very reluctant to sign new authors. On the other hand, Covenant puts out four or five novels a month.
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That is interesting...
Yeah, my book actually isn't LDS themed. I wrote it from a generic perspective, it's just about what normal kids do over the course of a summer. There is not mention of church or anything outside of 'on Sundays we went to church'. A Baptist could pick it up and relate to it.
When I sent it to Covenant, they brought this up, and asked if I couldn't make it more LDS. I hesitated to do that because I thought the message of the book applies to everybody, and I didn't want to make it over 'Mormonesque' just for the sake of doing it.
Anyway, I thought about re-writing it and throwing in all sorts of LDSisms, but finally opted to write an introduction that involved the main character comparing the family on his family home evening manual, to his actual family. It's about two pages, and that was the only change I made. I sent it back and Covenant accepted it. So I'm telling all my non-Mormon friends to buy it, skip the introduction, and they won't be confused. :)
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I'm still curious to hear if you got the 21 year first-refusal contract, FMB. HoM is only contracted to them for LDS works, but that's because he made a stink and got them to amend the contract.
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I am fairly certain that I got the same clause in my contract. In one place they just said they had first rights of refusal, but in another it said only on LDS works.
What I'm more curious about, since my book really isn't specifically for an LDS audience, is if I will ever get the copyright back so that I can try to market it to a larger audience. There is a clause that says is they don't print the book for 6 months, then I can request them to do so. If they still haven't in another 6 months, then the copyright is mine. But does that mean they can print 25 copies ever year and keep the copyright forever?
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Kind of. I heard a horror story about another LDS publisher -- I can't remember which one -- but they considered a book in print as long as they had copies in their warehouse - even if no one was buying them and hadn't bought them for years. The author ended up buying the publisher out of all their copies, just so they could go to a different company.
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This is usually the sort of thing an agent handles, and the LDS publishers are infamous for hating agents.
You need to read over that contract again, FMB. Find out specifically what they have First Refusal on--unless you made a point of them putting in the 'LDS-only clause,' they have power over EVERYTHING you write for the next twenty years.
It's only a small amount of power--if another publisher can out-bid Covenant, which they should be able to do, then you can sell the book to them instead. However, it will slow down any proceedings--you'll have to send a book to Covenant first for rejection (or for offer) before you can take it to a national press.
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No EUOL, from what I understand, it's now Covenant's standard procedure to contract first refusal for LDS stuff only. They send out the contract, with an addendum already attached -- at least, that's what a few other authors have told me.
Specifically, they demand refusal on works that:
1) Deal with LDS subjects -or-
2) Are more marketable to an LDS audience than a mainstream audience.
Of course, both of those are subjective categories...
There's an interesting article in the LDS Storymakers book, LDS Publishing Secrets, which basically says the Covenant contract is unenforceable. They give several reasons, not the least of which is that unconscionable contracts aren't legal, and no other reputable publisher would consider Covenant's contract conscionable. (That article is written by a handful of very bitter, unhappy people. It's entertaining.)
But truth be told, I don't mind the Covenant contract at all. Maybe I'll regret it years down the road, but I don't have any trouble with it right now.
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If you do, get JP to write some hentai, sign it, then send it over as a LDS themed novel. Then insist they publish it or you'll ignore the contract. Sit back and watch.
JP, please do not write more hentai. (Yes, he has written some I believe. He linked me to it as well, ugh). ;)
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Would it be unethical, when a book was 'sitting in the warehouse, as you metioned, to send it out to other publishers? Then if they agree to publish it, you could buy back the rights, knowing you have another outlet.
Although I can't imaging them doing something like this... I would think they want good relations with their authors. So far I have had nothing but positive experiences. We will see. I may never write anything else, so I can always just say, "that was fun" and move on.
Maybe I should send them my dissertation and give them first rights of refusal on that? ;)
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I did not write hentai. I wrote a story about a guy with a friend who liked hentai, and who advised him to become a hentai character to please his girlfriend. It was incredibly amusing, but not to anyone mormon. I also have never drawn hentai. My skills aren't yet good enough for that, I need more practice.
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:-/
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I did not write hentai. I wrote a story about a guy with a friend who liked hentai, and who advised him to become a hentai character to please his girlfriend. It was incredibly amusing, but not to anyone mormon. I also have never drawn hentai. My skills aren't yet good enough for that, I need more practice.
Apperntly it was very amuseing to Entropy either. The thought of JP's writeing that stuff scares me. Not because of any moral reasons, it's just that he's JP.
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He linked me to it, and i failed to click the link. I've read enough lovecraft to know when to leave things alone :P
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"You see a musty tome of gr..."
"I BURN THE BOOK!"
"Don't be hasty. It could have valuable information."
"Trust me. I've played this game. And if there's one thing I know, it's that you ALWAYS burn the book."
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Burn down all libraries, never go around without someone else nearby, and leave state when the locals start calling you by name.
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But back to the subject at hand (that subject being: Mustard is cool), I just got an email inviting me to be a speaker at the Utah Library Association's annual conference. Kinda neat. This will be the first time I've ever had to go anywhere and speak -- other public appearances were all Q&A kinds of things.
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Gemm, go and heckle.
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Is it within the week? Or what? You know. Details like that don't really make you as cool as Fell thinks you are. =P
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It's not until May. Sorry.
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Would it be unethical, when a book was 'sitting in the warehouse, as you mentioned, to send it out to other publishers? Then if they agree to publish it, you could buy back the rights, knowing you have another outlet.
Never answered this question. This is a tough one. The hypothetical is Covenant is sitting on your book, and you want to try and take it nationally. They have a contract, and you want to get out of it.
This is the sort of thing agents are for. I'm honestly not sure what you'd do in a situation like this. I know that it would be hard to get a national publisher to look at a book whose rights they would have to wrestle from another press. However, I'll bet it could be done.
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HOM, are you still planning on being in Layton over General Conference? If so, I'm going to swing on by to heckle. I mean, say hello.
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Hom, just a Q. Have you sent my copy of your book, with included awesome quote, my way yet? Haven't gotten it yetif you have.
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Rob, one more question for you.
I just found out that I did a very bad thing.
When covenant was first reviewing my book, the editor wrote to me and said that the book lacked a theme. I thought about it and realized that this indeed was the case. I went back and added a running theme throughout the book. In total, probably only about 800 words or so, but I felt that this made the ok book, a really good book. I felt that it improved the book a lot.
Well, we started going through edits, back and forth. We are now sending the book to press (I got the final final today in the mail). It finally dawned on me that these changes are nowhere to be found! They used my orignial manuscript to make the changes, and not my new and improved ones.
Are you, or anybody else here, familiar enough with the process to know if there is anyway to get these changes back in there? Angela told me that for this edit only large glaring edits were possible. It sounded like it was very difficult to make changes right now.
I'm sick about it. I don't know quite what to do.
:(
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Ugh... That sucks.
I don't know. I've only changed typeset twice, and only for really little things -- a couple of spelling errors. I'm pretty sure they can change it, I just don't know if they will. Changing it will take a couple of days, which, depending on how tight their schedule is, might bump you to the next month for release. My advice, though, would be to push them to change it. One month difference (if that) wouldn't kill you, and you'd be a lot happier with the end result. My guess is that Covenant would agree with you.
As a matter of fact, email Shauna about it, as well as Angela.
And Gemm: your book is signed and sitting in my car, where it's been sitting for a week. Sorry! I'll put it in the mail today.
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By the way, Firemeboy, Melissa sent me a copy of your book. I haven't started it yet, but I'll let you know.
Incidentally, why are you using a pen name?
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You Aproxin!
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Hope you like it! Thanks again for writing a blurb for me. If you don't like it, you can always say something like, "the funniest book I ever read by this author, on a Tuesday in March of this year. :)
I chose the pen name because of the 'theme' that currently may or may not be put in. It looks like it may, but I'm not sure to what extent.
The book, while fiction, is based on events in my childhood, and those I've had as a parent. So the 'lessons learned' are true. But since the characters are fake (I didn't use my brothers names, my name, etc.), I didn't want somebody to read it, feel all warm and fuzzy, and then realize that maybe the whole thing was made up.
It's told from first person, Matthew Buckley, and he keeps this journal he calls 'book of injustices' (which by the way is probably not in the copy you have). He keeps track of everything that goes wrong, especially those things that directly stem from the fact that he is in a large family. By the end of the book, he realized that all of these things that go wrong maybe aren't that bad. It's just part of being in a family. And the idea is that my book, (Chickens in the Headlights) is written based on this Book of Injustices that Matthew is keeping.
So anyway, I took on the name of my character, and am publishing it under the name Matthew Buckley.
Besides, when Covenant authors take over the world, I'll have an alias. :)
If you want to read the book with the updates, let me know and maybe Angela or Melissa can send you a new one.
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I don't think I'll have time to get a new one -- they want a quote by Thursday.
By the way, I'll still be at Layton on Saturday, from 12 to 2. Come on by.
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I will be there.
And I just got off the e-mail with Angela, they are going to get it back in.
That is a relief.
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No kidding. What's your release date?
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June is what they have been telling me.
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Speaking of pen names, I've decided that if I ever get a book published, I'll have to use a pen name. I really don't want my name associated with this. (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=My7Z6k1BmC&isbn=0767910400&itm=3)
I usually use my middle initial, but for some reason that doesn't quite feel like enough.
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wow, that's... horrrible. Next time make sure they call you on that one.
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Speaking of pen names, I've decided that if I ever get a book published, I'll have to use a pen name. I really don't want my name associated with this. (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=My7Z6k1BmC&isbn=0767910400&itm=3)
I usually use my middle initial, but for some reason that doesn't quite feel like enough.
I would want to use a pen name too. NO idea what it would be....
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I suggest Stacer Norroway, since thats what automatically comes to my mind when I wonder what your last name is (like, for example, when waiting for that page to load).
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I think the book sounds awesome and I want to read it.
I would also never write under a pen name ever. If someone offered me a million dollars to publish a book on the proviso I use a pen name, no deal. If I ever publish something, it's important it's under my own name.
Stuff I publish online is fine, since I feel "JamPaladin" to be basicaly equivalent to my name.
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...
I think of using a pen name just for kicks.
Y'know, so if I was famous I could go to the store without being mobbed.
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I completely agree with SE. Also, that way if you wanted to write in a different genre, you could do so using a different name than previously and your fans won't be expecting the same type of thing (i.e. first you write YA fantasy and then you write adult fantasy. I would definitely want to use different names). Plus the whole not being recognized thing would be a plus--that is if you were ever famous enough to be recognized.
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Wait. I thought there was something in the FAQ about agreeing with me. Aren't people not allowed to do that?
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She's new, SE. Give her some time to get acclimated.
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Wait. I thought there was something in the FAQ about agreeing with me. Aren't people not allowed to do that?
Nope, pretty sure you're just delusional. I can pretty much agree or disagree with whomever I want. And what are you going to do to stop me?
*Jelly bites the inside of her cheek.
I mean you can't do anything, can you?
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Speaking of pen names, I've decided that if I ever get a book published, I'll have to use a pen name. I really don't want my name associated with this.
I usually use my middle initial, but for some reason that doesn't quite feel like enough.
You wrote that? ;)
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no. nothing at all.
*cackles menacingly*
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He'll start whining about how your posts offend him and then delete them.
I find a thrown glass bottle deals with that situation nicely.
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/me sets Entropy on fire
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Pyromania strikes again.
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/me rocks to DEF Leopard
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Leppard. And why are you doing it on Awake?
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because Pyromania strikes again.
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I started to read this again this morning. But my wife informed me that she still wants to read it together. So it'll have to wait for a few more days.
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Reading a book... together?
o_0
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yeeees. Is there something wrong with that?
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I'm still waiting for my book Rob.
Rob, book.
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If it's any consolation, it's sitting in the backseat of my car. That's a big step for me.
PM me your address again.
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*resists the urge to make a crude comment about back seats of cars and "big steps"*
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That seems like a stretch.
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There definitely would be stretching involved, yes.
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Your welcome. We'll be here all week.
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Rob, did you just *now* cash my check? Because it went through my bank recently, but I'd had it marked as already going through.
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Uh... yes. It had been misplaced for quite some time.
I worked as an accountant for a year and a half. Scary.
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Remind me never to have you do my taxes.
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I hope the late deposit didn't make you bounce any checks or anything... :-[
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She's overdrawn and lost her house. But since her movers haven't shown up with her stuff yet, it's no big deal.
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Speaking of which, I just called. Remember they said Sunday or Monday (as in, yesterday or today)? Yeah, now they're saying six more days. SIX! This is driving me crazy.
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They don't actually know where your stuff is, and they're stalling for time.
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They don't actually know where your stuff is, and they're stalling for time.
Don't say that! It would be horrendous if that were true. All my pictures, all my family history... Books can be replaced, but the family heirlooms can't. And no amount of insurance will make up for it.
I'm going with that they're just plain incompetent and slow.
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/me wonders how else we can terrify Stacy today.
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A sat in a coocubury tree today. OOowa.
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I just read this book this weekend, having bought it in like January 2005. It was very enjoyable. Kudos!
It said the Berlin wall fell in the spring, though.
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It also said that they had a picture of Washington crossing hte Potomac River. Maybe they did, but if so, it's not hte famous picture of him crossing the DELAWARE
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SE, I've known about that problem for a while, but I like to think that it's a lesser-known painting, about a lesser-known event.
Ookla, November in Germany is Spring in the US. You have adjust for the international date line.
Holy crap, I feel like a moron.
I'm glad you liked the book, though!
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Shall we think of it as taking place in a universe with subtly different historical details? :D
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Whenever there's an inconsistency, a wizard did it.
What I really need is an unpaid intern to check my facts. I ought to advertise with local universities: "Want to get first-hand experience working with a published author? Now accepting applications."
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If there's a problem, throw an unpaid intern at it. It's the American Way.