On Second Thought

[EUOL]

Now THAT would be cool--having twelve different people publishing yearly on our little forum.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Hehe, and then we all end up arguing with agents and contracts, "NO!  It CAN'T come out in March, Rob's book is coming out in March!!!"

[House of Mustard]

Hey neat:  I got my first crappy review.  On the Deseret Book website, some customer gave my book a one-star rating and said it was a really crappy rip-off of Robert F Smith (another LDS humor writer).

It makes me laugh.  You can read it here if you like: http://deseretbook.com/store/product?product_id=100100022

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I especially liked how he spelled "buy." I trust his literary judgement.

[stacer]

I used to own Baptists at our Barbecue. Someone borrowed it and never returned it. It was funny, and did involve a guy escaping Provo for New Mexico because he was 29 and everyone was trying to set him up with their daughters, including a girl who wore a bonnet. Yes, a bonnet.

So when I read On Second Thought, I did think it had some similarities, but only superficially because of a couple details. The stories are completely different.

Have you read any Robert F. Smith, Rob?

[House of Mustard]

Yeah -- and I fully admit the close similarity.  Smith owned the LDS bookstore in Albuquerque while I was living down there, and we were pretty good friends--which is why I don't feel too bad about using his 'formula'.

[EUOL]

A book such as this one is successful because of its ability to be humorous and entertaining, not because of its plotting brilliance or originality.  If that guy's criticism were valid, then every romantic comedy ever made--and pretty much every action movie--would have to be thrown out the window too.

[House of Mustard]

Here's something cool: my publicist just called me and wants me to read another author's manuscript so that they can put a quote from me on the cover.  It makes me all giddy.

[Prometheus]

I bet that sheds a whole new light on cover-quotes, though.

[House of Mustard]

True.  Here are two odd things about it:

1) Nobody knows who I am, so why would they take my word on anything.

2) More importantly, they are over-nighting the book to me tomorrow, and they need the quote by the middle of next week (the book goes to print the first week of June) - that doesn't give a lot of time for in depth analysis.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

they don't WANT in-depth analysis. They want something short, pithy, and complimentary.

And, believe it or not, people DO know who you are now. You were Covenant's best seller for a month, and you might be again when they get more prints out. You're like a famous Mormon now, dude.

I would be incredibly hyped for that opportunity.

[House of Mustard]

Oh, I am incredibly hyped.  It still just blows my mind that I'm, like, a published author.

For that matter, it blows my mind that I can casually say "My publicist called me this morning..."

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Yeah yeah, keep it up. Then when you fall off that horse I'll be poking and proding you with the 'stick of dead-man poking'.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

ahh.. Gemm's back into his old form. Good times...

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Is that a good thing, or an entirely different thing?