Moving Out....
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Whatnot
In the words of Billy Joel, I'm moving out...

Not a big deal to you, dear reader, but I'm moving my blog wares over to Blogger. My reasons for this are three fold:

1.) Blogger does a better job (I believe) of getting blogs read than Tripod.

2.) I used to host three other websites here at Tripod and I liked the idea of having that all under one umbrella. I stopped hosting one of them last fall, and this year, I've dropped my other corporate client. The third website is my own and is much over-due for an overhaul. Rather than remodel, we're going to rebuild.

3.) I'm adding Google ads to my new sites at Blogger. (If that can be done at Tripod, they certainly don't like to tell you how.) I've got no delusions of grandeur and will be shocked if the ad revenue is anything substantial at all. But the idea of a revenue stream is at least curious.

In addition, I'll be giving more attention to other blogs, one about Competitive Intelligence and the other about diabetes. Frankly, both of them have the potential to generate much more revenue than the literary one. Let's say those will be 75% about revenue generation, and 25% fun, and this will be the opposite - kind of like the rest of my writing career. :)

If the ads bug you, just read me on the feeder. I haven't been approved for feed ads, yet.

And if you want to get a head start to my new home, go here.

Today's Feel-Good Author Story
Topic: Publishing
"The first agent called and said, 'No, thank you,' " Fisher recalls. "It was one of those 'hold me while I cry, honey' moments. I just didn't think I could make the novel any better. Then the second agent called and I was spinning wool when the phone rang, so I let her leave a message. She said, 'I really, really like your book!' And I couldn't help but think -- what's wrong with her?"

Read more here.

Katrina
Topic: Culture
So like everyone else, our family has its own Katrina angle.

We still haven't heard from my wife's father, though they were outside (enough) from the worst-hit areas that we're hoping for the best.

In addition, just last month, my college room-mate (and best man at my wedding) quit his teaching job in Maryland to become the National Education Director of the National D-Day museum, located in the middle of New Orleans. I didn't link to it, though because their website is down (no surprise there).

He did call me, just before the storm, to let me know that he and his fiance had successfully fled the city.

According to this mashup, Magazine Street (where the museum is located) was somewhat unscathed. That being said, chances are it'll be a while before the cultural experience is alive again in New Orleans.

DISCLAIMER: This posting paid for by Pam Anderson
Topic: Publishing
So about two weeks ago, I got an email from Pam Anderson's publicist.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Wow, that Marcus must be connected!" And you'd be wrong.

Many lit-bloggers got the same e-mail, and we all had just one thing in common: We'd said something about Pam's last book. To be honest, I'm not sure what I said, though I may have given props to Pam for pointing out that she shared writing credits on her last book. (In retrospect, she may have been sharing blame.)

Anywho, Pam's publicist wanted to know if I wanted a free copy to review, to which I said, "Yes," despite my oft-quoted stance that lit. bloggers should not review books they haven't paid for. I broke my stance for a few reasons:

1.) I like free stuff.
2.) I sensed no conflict in reviewing this book, because I'll tell you straight up: There's no way in hell I would've paid cash for this thing.
3.) What Pam's doing is only literature in the sense that dead trees were involved with its creation.

Now then, here's my four-point review for Pam's new book Star Struck:

1.) This book is short. Wicked short.
2.) This book uses what has to be 14 pt. type.
3.) This book has copious sex in it. It's not really good, mind you, but it is sex.
4.) This book has the word "nipples" two times in the first line of the manuscript. Seriously. That HAS to be a first.

Who'll love this book:

Far-sighted individuals with ADD and a love of all things nipply.

Buy Star-Struck here.

PS.. I'd send you my copy. Alas, a far-sighted nipple fan already snatched mine off of Ebay.

Freelance Writers, Rejoice - You Have 1 Less Competitor...
Topic: Publishing
Freelancing, with all its scrambling and uncertainty, is like rock climbing or white-water kayaking: one of those things that comes fairly easily in your 20s and 30s but requires some mulling over as you enter your 50s.

But I'm convinced that the nature of the game has changed as well. For one thing, the economics of the freelance life seem worse than ever. And they were never good.

Read more here.

Now THIS is just sad....
Topic: Publishing
Publishing Consultant
From: Joe
Subject: Re: A Note on Publishing Your Writing
Hi (name omitted)--

Will FastPrint be able to offer me a six figure contract and a multi city tour, like my current publisher has?
Looking forward to your reply.

Joe
WHISKEY SOUR by J.A. Konrath
Coming in hardcover, June 2004, from Hyperion
www.jakonrath.com
3
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 7:35 AM
Subject: Re: Re: A Note on Publishing Your Writing
Hi Joe,

Thanks for getting in touch with us.
We can't offer you a contract up front, but many of our authors have taken their FastPrint success and
gone on to much bigger and better things.

Feel free to get in touch with me to discuss.
Best wishes,
(name omitted)


From: Joe
Subject: Re: Re: Re: A Note on Publishing Your Writing
Hi (name omitted)--
I checked out the FastPrint website. Looking it over, I got the distinct impression that FastPrint is
asking for money from authors, rather than giving money to authors.

Shouldn't this be the other way around?
best,
Joe
WHISKEY SOUR by J.A. Konrath
Coming in hardcover, June 2004, from Hyperion
www.jakonrath.com

Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: A Note on Publishing Your Writing
Hi Joe,

Yes, it would be nice if every author could get published by a traditional publishing house. But, as
you know, that isn't the case. Authors publishing with FastPrint do have to pay for the service but
they also receive royalty payments. Also, many of our authors have been picked up by traditional publishing houses (Bantam, St. Martin's, Kensington, etc.) once their books became available through us.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Best,
(name omitted)
From: Joe

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A Note on Publishing Your Writing
Hi (name omitted)--

It's tempting, but I'm locked into this six-figure contract with Hyperion. How would I get out of that, in order to pay for your services at FastPrint?

best,
Joe
WHISKEY SOUR by J.A. Konrath
Coming in hardcover, June 2004, from Hyperion
www.jakonrath.com

Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 3:31 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A Note on Publishing Your Writing

Joe,
You'd have to check with Hyperion on this. I don't know the details of your contract so I'm unable to
comment.

If you have any further questions about our services, or if you decide to submit something with us,

please feel free to get in touch with me. I'll be happy to help you out in any way that I can.
Best wishes,
(name omitted)

Read more here.

Today's Literary Lottery Winner
Topic: Publishing
The following week, after I've been back in Minnesota for a few days, I accept an offer from Warner Brothers to write two scripts for an amount of money that surprises even my barracuda lawyer.

Does anybody have an oven I can stick my head inside?

Go ahead, read more here.

Roger Ebert... You Crack Me Up....
Topic: Culture
As chance would have it, I have won the Pulitzer Prize, and so I am qualified. Speaking in my official capacity as a Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Schneider, your movie sucks.

Read more here.

How Long Do You Hate Your Book?
Topic: Publishing
"Do you have an insistent desire, an inner need, to create art?"

Umm, no. The working writers I know - and I know a lot of them - sit and produce pages because it is their job. It's some kind of obligation, like doing the dishes or paying your electric bill. You write because, if you don't, then your agent calls or the editor calls or somebody calls and asks you where the stuff is, and then you feel terrible. You write not to feel terrible. You write to keep the wolves from the door - emotional and financial wolves.

Read more here.

BookPitch Responds
Several weeks back, I gave my thoughts on BookPitch. If you click on that link, you'll see the owner has responded, and I like what she says.