text:
My name is [name redacted]. I have been writing for over fifteen years. I have 16 published books. A majority of them are non-fiction. My books have done well, but I think they could do even better if I had a publicist helping me get my books and work into the right hands.
I am almost finished with a fiction book that I am writing. I believe this book will do extremely well if it is marketed correctly and given to the right people. Enclosed is my bio, and a couple of sample chapters from my soon to be fiction novel [title redacted] is suspense and mystery that will make the reader want to read on after each page is finished.
This book also was the capabilities to become a 5-star movie. The potentials are endless. I have a lot to offer, but what I am lacking is a good publicist that can help me. I never had a publicist before and I think this is my problem.
Author [name redacted]:
[photo of the author from her prom night redacted]
[yes, seriously.]
1. The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body
2. Natural Cures For Common Conditions
3. Epilepsy You're Not Alone
4. Eternal Love: Romantic Poetry Straight from the Heart
5. My Mommy Has Epilepsy (Children's Book)
6. My Daddy Has Epilepsy (Children's Book)
7. Keep the Faith: To Live and Be Heard from the Heavens Above (poetry book)
8. Live, Learn, and Be Happy with Epilepsy
9. Epilepsy and Pregnancy: What Every Woman Should Know
10. Faith, Courage, Wisdom, Strength and Hope
11. How to Be Wealthy Selling Informational Products on the Internet
12. How to Become Wealthy in Real Estate
13. How to Become Wealthy Selling Ebooks
14. Life's Missing Instruction Manual: Beyond Words
15. How To Become Wealthy Selling Products on The Internet
16. Breast Cancer: Questions, Answers & Self-Help Techniques
17. How Thinking Positive Can Make You Successful: Master The Power Of Positive Thinking
Monday, November 10, 2008
A Special Missive from the Mailbag
96 comments:
- Sabina E. said...
that gave me the epic lulz
- November 11, 2008 at 12:15 AM
I'm sorry you thought it was funny to post this. - November 11, 2008 at 12:21 AM
- SWILUA said...
wow. just... wow.
- November 11, 2008 at 12:30 AM
- Lorelei Armstrong said...
The writer got waaaay to into her last non-fiction book.
- November 11, 2008 at 12:32 AM
- Editorial Anonymous said...
Anonymous, do you think it was really meant for me? I have to think it was spam, since there isn't a question anywhere in the letter, and I'm not a publicist.
- November 11, 2008 at 12:33 AM
I get the feeling that poor idiot's just waiting to get stiffed by some "publicist". Shoot, I'll set her up a blog and charge $50 and consider it work well done!
- November 11, 2008 at 12:38 AM
- Ben Mann said...
Captain Obvious says: It seems fairly futile to blank the name of the author when it's one click away via their bibliography.
- November 11, 2008 at 12:52 AM
- Sarah Laurenson said...
Yeah, you can take the time to find out who she is, but you'll also find out she is self-published (lulu.com) and gives her own books 5 star reviews. So it looks like she seriously needs a publicist. According to some of the other reviews, and this letter, she needs an editor almost as badly. Maybe she meant to send you the editor letter, EA.
- November 11, 2008 at 1:16 AM
>>and I'm not a publicist.<<
Oh, don't be modest--that was a bang-up job of publicizing her. - November 11, 2008 at 1:29 AM
- Christine Tripp said...
I don't know how some of you found this info on anon, I thought I sort of knew about computers, the internet but you guys have far surpassed me:) Anyway, I would say to anon, what you need is to work toward an agent, not a publisist. A publisist would be for those that have already made it with recognized publishers. Meaning these authors are too busy to handle their own promotion.
Of course, anyone can find people who will take our money (certain publisists, agents ) but those that are on the up and up take on clients because the potential to make their living is already there. Either way, this search would have nothing to do with an Editor, as far as I understand it. - November 11, 2008 at 1:41 AM
According to Authors Den she has worked in advertising with some pretty huge companies. There really is no reason for this. As cute and young as she is, she should know (or find out) better. That's what we're all doing here.
Sharp learning curve ahead. - November 11, 2008 at 2:38 AM
- B. Nagel said...
Can I just post this one line? I found it in "A Message from [Name Redacted]" at AuthorsDen: "Below are several books I have recently wrote to help others."
Mmmm. It kind of makes you cringe. - November 11, 2008 at 2:49 AM
- Kopy Pig said...
Um, but if she is so wealthy from selling ebooks and such on the internet, why can't she afford her own publicist?
- November 11, 2008 at 4:06 AM
- Stipey Sullivan said...
This seems unkind to me.
If someone makes a mistake, they make a mistake - I wouldn't like this to happen to a badly worded letter I sent to the wrong person.
Perhaps I'm too naive, but I think I'm going to have to leave you to it. - November 11, 2008 at 10:47 AM
I recommend Book No.17. You won't need a publicist then.
- November 11, 2008 at 10:56 AM
- Anna Claire said...
I second Christine--this chick needs an agent, stat. For her "fiction novel."
She also needs to troll all the fabulous agent and editor blogs out there for a few months, to learn why this e-mail was such a bad idea. - November 11, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Regarding her bibliography: why so many fits and starts?
- November 11, 2008 at 11:18 AM
- Chris Eldin said...
10. Faith, Courage, Wisdom, Strength and Hope
This is just wrong.
She forgot 'Hotness.' - November 11, 2008 at 11:20 AM
I'll admit I have to agree with the first Anon and doughboy.
When I think of all the clueless things I've done in this business, I cringe. But if someone were to advertise my stupidity on a blog where others could find out my name, I'd be crushed.
While I guess there's no such thing as a stupid question... there may very well be such thing as a stupid question turning you into a spectacle on a blog. - November 11, 2008 at 11:39 AM
I can't understand why you filed this under "How to Tell You're Never Going to Get Published." A single (and perfunctory, too) Google search and I'm already at the page for "The Complete Herbal Guide," which I can certainly buy.
She's right; she needs a publicist. She needs someone who knows the proper avenues and who knows how to write a press release. But her knowing she needs help with both is a lot farther than some writers ever get. - November 11, 2008 at 12:05 PM
I admit - I have no pity for her. She's confused publicist with publishers, clearly, has a poorly worded letter to the point of laughability, and has sent a letter which amounts to SPAM.
That's fair game. - November 11, 2008 at 12:05 PM
If you call self-publishing on LULU being published.... um... then I don't know what to say.
- November 11, 2008 at 12:06 PM
- Becky Mushko said...
I wonder if she mailed this letter to other writing-related blogs?
Perhaps she thought if an editor or agent posted her letter, that she'd receive a lot of publicity. (And she sort of did. Just not the way she wanted.)
Or, perhaps she thought you'd be so impressed with her long list of, ahem, published titles that you'd jump at the chance to publish her "fiction novel" even though it's only "almost finished."
I wonder if she's now now going to, er, publicize her titles as being showcased on the illustrious Editorial Anonymous blog? - November 11, 2008 at 12:25 PM
A simple and perfunctory search would result in finding out her books were "published" with Lulu. Not exactly a publishing credit!!
- November 11, 2008 at 12:31 PM
- Christine Tripp said...
I think it's been filed under "how to tell your never going to get published" because the email, in essence, boils down to a query letter. I think the author emailed the pages of her manuscript, her resume/bio etc in the hopes that EA, as an Editor, might jump at signing her, all under the guise of talking about a need for a publicist. I agree the tone we are taking is harsh, mainly because we have been able to discover who this author is and that's too bad. I think most of us, from time to time, have been guilty of posting to a blog (or cornering an editor/art director at a conference) with a bit of an alterior motive. Sort of, Love your blogging, love your talk, hey take a look at my work!!!
I still do think that what this author should be looking for is an agent, not publisist for her new novel but she could also just work on her query letter and submit to some of the smaller press's. - November 11, 2008 at 12:34 PM
- Cheryl Pitt said...
Why did you bother to redact her name if you were going to list the books she published? LOL
Though I'm sure she won't appreciate having this out there, I think it's a great tool for newbies. It does everything one shouldn't-rambling, alluding to 5 star movie potential-I learned a lot from it.
She could use this as a stepping stone for her next book which could be about the do's and don'ts of querying-seriously, I'm not being snarky. She could help others learn from her mistakes. - November 11, 2008 at 12:49 PM
@Anonymous 12:06-- from Wikipedia: "Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information – the activity of making information available for public view."
I can't see how Lulu doesn't fall into that scope. I used Lulu to print a short story collection, and I've been very happy with the results. I think it's rather like a gun; guns aren't good or bad, it's how people use them.
Now, whether she used it well is another story altogether and one I can't speak to (I didn't read her content). However, just the fact that she's seeking more help speaks volumes that she at least knows she doesn't know, which is more than I can say for too many writers. - November 11, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Anonymous 12:06 here.
Good point. At least she knows she doesn't know. I only hope she figures it out soon before she continues emailing all and sundry what is an extremely embarrassing (five star, potentials...) letter. - November 11, 2008 at 1:05 PM
Guess he missed the "But seriously, don't try to query me or submit to me. I'm anonymous" part. Which is RIGHT under the email address...
- November 11, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Anon 12:21 here. EA, whether it's spam or not, I just don't see the point of publicly humiliating someone who can be easily identified. To me, it calls your judgment far more into question than hers.
- November 11, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Yes, but if she didn't want to be identified she surely ought to have omitted her book titles, or specifically asked EA not to mention them.
At the end of the day, it just shows that she clearly has not read much, if any, of EA's blog. If she really wanted helpful feedback from EA, and was serious about being published, why didn't she take the time to do some research and read the blog properly? When you submit to a publisher you are expected to find out their submission guidelines and follow them, if you want to be taken seriously. Why should EA's blog be treated any differently? - November 11, 2008 at 3:12 PM
- Jolie said...
All I will say is this:
People are responsible for their own unprofessional behavior, and for finding out how to behave professionally. - November 11, 2008 at 3:48 PM
- Jeremy said...
It's sad that someone with so little understanding of the English language thinks she's a writer. She needs to find another line of work, other than self-publishing and posting positive reviews about her own work. The only successful fiction she's created is her own self-image.
- November 11, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Man. I cringe. Seriously fair game, though. If you are going to send something like that out, you better know where you are sending it and why.
And if it was earnest and actually meant to be an attempt to find an agent or publicist or editor (and I'm not sure it wasn't just spam advertising), then she should really stop and do her research on such topics before doing anything else.
As for the comment on being published through Lulu, it shows the lack of industry knowledge to call it that. In the industry (ie, when pitching to agents, editors etc.) having "published" through lulu does not count as published. Know the industry.
It would be like saying you are award-winning if you created an award and then gave it to yourself. - November 11, 2008 at 6:04 PM
I am filled with pity.
- November 11, 2008 at 6:33 PM
@Anonymous (6:04): I believe that was me calling Lulu publishing. And to be candid, I published it because I do know the industry (at least for short stories, which is what my book is, mainly), and it's crap.
But hey, I studied fiction with Janet Fitch and made my collection the very first e-book on Apple's iPhone. What do I know?
(and of course among agents and editors self-publishing is looked down upon. If it weren't, agents and editors wouldn't have a job)
Your notions (as well as many here in the comments) represent a view of "publishing" that is, at its best, antiquated and quaint, and at its worst downright absurd. - November 11, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Your notions (as well as many here in the comments) represent a view of "publishing" that is, at its best, antiquated and quaint, and at its worst downright absurd.
So I'm guessing you're not searching for a traditional publisher then, given that self-publishing is so awesome....
An apple by any other name... is still an apple. Lulu is looked own on for a reason. Doesn't matter that you have stories on iphone. Are they in brick and mortar stores? If not, it's not publishing. - November 11, 2008 at 8:00 PM
@Anon (8:00): For my novels. Not for short stories. I didn't say self-publishing is awesome, just noted that it can and often does have its place.
As for the whole brick-and-mortar question: you still go to those? That's so cute. I'm telling you, it's so neat to see people going all, like, old school and such.
(I think we've strayed from the original subject, though, which was Stacey Chillemi. Hope she finds her publicist) - November 11, 2008 at 8:46 PM
Anon 8PM here
Yes, I hope she finds her "publicist" too :]
And good luck with the novels. Yes, I still go the brick and mortar... heh. Probably not for long though, with Borders about to go under. - November 11, 2008 at 9:30 PM
"But hey, I studied fiction with Janet Fitch and made my collection the very first e-book on Apple's iPhone. What do I know?"
You know how to rub me the wrong way enough that I immediately discard your argument?
Every self-published author I've ever known has a very healthy sense of self for sure, but a very low tolerance for criticism (see the quote above). Both of these qualities tend to show in the work to its detriment in my opinion, which is why instead of sifting through all that lulu crap looking for a rare gem, I appreciate the initial quality filter provided by editors and agents.
(Another) Anonymous - November 11, 2008 at 10:06 PM
- B. Nagel said...
Writers are, by virtue of their work, skilled craft persons. As such, their work is open to review and critique. To label yourself a writer is to call everything you have written into question.
This discussion is not off base or unfair. The business of writing is a harsh mistress. - November 11, 2008 at 10:27 PM
- Ebony McKenna. said...
This reminds me of the Catherine Aird line: If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.
- November 12, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Really, if people can't take honest criticism, maybe they shouldn't ask for it.
Please continue EA, be what you're here for :)) - November 12, 2008 at 7:00 AM
- Sarah Laurenson said...
I still go to brick and mortar stores. I would take a date to brick and mortar stores. It's a heady, wonderful experience to reach out and touch so many books and know I can purchase them. I use things like amazon, but I don't really like it.
Such an interesting discussion on whether or not she set herself up for being the bad example. I think this is more like Query Shark - you send it in, you take your chances.
And self-pubbing can be a very good way to get your work out there - if you know what you're doing. POD is slowly becoming the future - maybe - but that doesn't mean every person who can put words on paper and pay someone to bind them into book form is published. - November 12, 2008 at 10:17 AM
- About Me said...
I too cringed. And I hope that any mistakes I make on my road to being publishing don't morror this poor author (or spammer?)
- November 12, 2008 at 11:33 AM
...no surprises that she illustrated the kids' books herself...
- November 12, 2008 at 12:05 PM
To the people thinking this is too harsh:
This is the publishing industry, not social work. If you're worried about having your (or someone else's) feelings stomped on, then perhaps the publishing industry – and anything else falling under the umbra of "entertainment" – isn't for you.
If this author learns from this, reads such blogs as EA's (or Miss Snark's – talk about "unkind!") and can turn to make her work into something of a legitimate and professional calibre, then I don't think this will have been unkind in the least. Otherwise, if she gets hurt by this, and decides to bow out of publishing now, it'll save her a lot of turmoil in the long run.
I suppose EA could've clipped out the book titles, and that would've been a certain extension of courtesy, but all in all she brought it on herself. One can only hope she doesn't bring it on herself again. I suppose time will tell. - November 12, 2008 at 12:30 PM
bootsandbiddles said:
"... This is the publishing industry, not social work. If you're worried about having your (or someone else's) feelings stomped on, then perhaps the publishing industry – and anything else falling under the umbra of "entertainment" – isn't for you..."
Yes, publishing is harsh. Editors routinely laugh at dumb writers, whose work will never stand a chance to get published -- writer's whose only desire is to be part of the same industry the editor has chosen to work in. And then, other writers, who somehow forget they were once that green, chime in: "Off with her head! Off with her head! Thank god I'm not that stupid!"
But here's the thing: The children's book industry is only as cut-throat and harsh as the people in it. EA is probably free to mock the post you just made, too. Would that be alright?
Don't get me wrong. I come here for hard advice, I do appreciate EA's style. However, I feel that leaving the book titles listed so the person could be named was wrong. I think EA maybe didn't think that one through all the way.
So here is my better, larger question...
Why are we, as writers, so eager to riducule other writers that are so OBVIOUSLY not a threat our ability to get published? - November 12, 2008 at 2:03 PM
Okay, about the book titles...they sort of are the entertainment, or at least a good part of it.
Perhaps its not fair to out her in that way, but she sent the letter to a blog. And she has gotten a good deal of attention and internet traffic as a result. Maybe she wanted that.
Also, anon 2:03 aren't you doing what you claim to criticize when you put "OBVIOUSLY" in all caps?? - November 12, 2008 at 2:26 PM
- Laurie said...
Man, I leave for a few days and I come back to - drama! All the makings of a juicy novel, we've got the all-powerful editor, the lowly author who gets humiliated and even a gang war of "published" authors mocking the "self-published" ones.
Hmmm...can't we all just get along?! EA - we may not know you but we love you! - November 12, 2008 at 3:53 PM
Why are we, as writers, so eager to riducule other writers that are so OBVIOUSLY not a threat our ability to get published?
Because those writers didn't do their homework. Because those writers didn;t bother to read ONE sentence beneath EA's email address. Because those writers are either dim-witted or spammers.
No sympathy. - November 12, 2008 at 4:47 PM
I'm uneasy with the fish-in-a-barrel quality of this post. But I'm not sure this woman counts as a newbie. She's self-published SEVENTEEN books. To me this suggests she decided long ago to disregard people like us, who judge her by standards that aren't meaningful to her at all.
- November 12, 2008 at 5:11 PM
I have ethical issues with the publishing of someone's private missive. Especially when it's so easy to search this author's name out via the titles given. Makes one wonder what the legal ramifications are.
- November 12, 2008 at 5:32 PM
- Dal Jeanis said...
Not likely that there's any legal ramifications. Stacey Chillemi sent the email to someone whose name is "Anonymous Editor", and who runs a blog. The email asks for publicity for her books. Anonymous Editor complied beyond her wildest dreams.
What's to sue?
The conversation about the definition of "published" is amusing also, especially the anonymous person who says that it has to appear in a brick-and-mortar bookstore to be published.
Lots of books are in libraries that aren't in B&N. Lots of classic computer manuals for mainframes don't ever show up in any kind of store, except by special order, but are respectable publications nonetheless.
The language I use is called English. Words in English already mean things. Just because you want them to mean something else, doesn't mean the dictionary will change to agree.
Per Princeton, "published" means "prepared and printed for distribution and sale".
Per dictionary.com, "to publish" is "To prepare and issue (printed material) for public distribution or sale".
"Self-published" is a subset of "published". So is "traditionally published" or "published by small-press" or "published by hand on organic hemp paper".
Nine tenths or more of everything published on Lulu may be crap, but it's published. If you want to argue, take it to Webster and company. - November 12, 2008 at 6:09 PM
- Dal Jeanis said...
Oh, forgot to include the link regarding being skipped, which is an increasingly common book ailment that further removes presence in brick-and-mortar stores from being a good proxy for "traditional publishing".
- November 12, 2008 at 6:16 PM
Anon 4:47 said:
"...Because those writers didn't do their homework. Because those writers didn;t bother to read ONE sentence beneath EA's email address. Because those writers are either dim-witted or spammers.
No sympathy..."
What are you, twelve? - November 12, 2008 at 6:50 PM
Legal issues? She sent it to a blog that publishes letters sent to the blog. Is EA supposed to contact everyone who sends an email to her blog that clearly posts emails, and say wait did you really mean to send it to me? Realy? Are you sure? Okay, just checking one more time...
Please. - November 12, 2008 at 6:51 PM
What are you, twelve?
Nope. 26. And I still have no sympathy. - November 12, 2008 at 7:15 PM
- Editorial Anonymous said...
I'd just like to say that I did think hard about including her oeuvre. I did it, in the end, not because it was funny but because coming at the end of a letter complaining about her lack of success, titles like "How to Be Wealthy Selling Informational Products on the Internet"; "How to Become Wealthy Selling Ebooks";
and "How To Become Wealthy Selling Products on The Internet" smack strongly of fraud. - November 12, 2008 at 7:30 PM
- Sarah Laurenson said...
I sincerely hope that she has been one of the anon posters or is at least aware of this discussion. This is mild compared to what could happen by not doing your homework in this industry.
Sometimes the best lessons are the ones that smart a bit because they make an impression. And this one seems to be smarting a bit for quite a number of people.
Good lesson, EA. Thanks! - November 12, 2008 at 8:39 PM
I agree that she made herself fair game. For those who think posting her letter was too rough, call the wa-a-ambulance. The fact that she has spent whatever it takes to "publish" this many books and that anyone at all has paid money to read them must say something about our society--not something good.
- November 12, 2008 at 9:22 PM
"I did it, in the end, not because it was funny but because coming at the end of a letter complaining about her lack of success, titles like "How to Be Wealthy Selling Informational Products on the Internet"; "How to Become Wealthy Selling Ebooks";
and "How To Become Wealthy Selling Products on The Internet" smack strongly of fraud."
Wait, by "letter," are you referring to the one you posted? Because I just re-read it, twice, and I don't see her "complaining about her lack of success" anywhere. In fact, she states her "books have done well," and the only thing she actually states she is "lacking is a good publicist."
Moreover, did you redact a financial disclosure as well as her name and her (single unpublished) book? I'm not sure I believe you can make any statement about the author's wealth or lack thereof.
I wasn't going to comment, especially after the direction the thread began to take, but suddenly your statement takes it from some random, anonymous Internet posters disparaging a misguided author who's actively seeking guidance to . . . well, your careful wording prevents it from being an outright accusation, but I'd say the implication that you believe she has actually committed a crime (which fraud is) is there. Worse, it's already been repeated elsewhere.
Then again, I'm probably making too much of nothing, given the amount of credibility anonymous people on the Internet tend to actually hold in the real world. - November 12, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Oh puhlease. Come off it. Do you really expect us to believe she's rolling in the dough from her book sales when she can't even write grammatical sentences in an email? Okay, maybe she's a trust fund girl. Or maybe she won the lottery. But we all know what this is - garbage. Unless, of course, she gets a publicist, in which case the book will have the "capabilities to become a 5-star movie" and the "potentials" will be "endless."
She messed up. End of story. - November 12, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Will Entrekin ... I think you missed EA's initial point, which was - the letter writer does not actually ask for any help from EA. All she does is tell EA that she thinks she needs a publicist for an unfinished book that she only vaguely alludes to. What on earth is EA supposed to do with that? As far as I am aware, EA is not a publicist.
Furthermore, I believe that one can make certain assumptions about her level of success in the industry, going on the information she has provided. I suspect that most 'wealthy and successful people' would take a more direct approach in an effort to attain a publicist ... like hiring one! Rather than casually mentioning it to an anonymous children's book editor. To me, the letter reads like someone who does not have any connections in the children's book industry, or the resources to attain the publicity that she believes she requires, and is consequently hoping to gain the good favour of EA by impressing her with her list publications and 'future prospects'.
While I certainly do not think that people should be subject to unnecessary criticism or unkindness, I think that someone who claims to have been a writer for the last fifteen years and has published seventeen books should be more aware of the industry in which she works.
This is a forum for seeking advice and exchanging ideas and opinions. The letter writer put herself into this forum, and is thus subject to feedback and criticism just like everyone else who has submitted query letters, questions etc to EA. - November 13, 2008 at 2:28 AM
- Alex Fellows said...
Please post that grad photo. Or just send it to me. Please.
- November 13, 2008 at 8:45 AM
This blog is anonymous. And like anonymous confession or anonymous sex, there is a brutal honesty to be found that can turn sometimes ugly in pursuit of its ultimate reward.
Further to that, Will, I think it is plain you're personalizing this because a rejection of this woman's efforts (disseminating questionable self-endorsements) and its subsequent lambasting as silly and amateurish feels suspiciously like a rejection of your own marketing methods.
To that end, I think there is something here you too can learn from.
But if you want somebody to bring flowers and tell you they love you while doing it, don't start by groping them up in a dimly-lit public washroom. - November 13, 2008 at 9:26 AM
- Literaticat said...
Wow. Some of these comments are making me hate the world, and it is too early in the morning. Thanks for reminding me to get off the internet!
- November 13, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Look, there's truth to both points of view here (and I did briefly wonder when I first read EA's post)... but who among us had EVER heard of SC until we Googled the book titles?
SC wanted publicity and she got it. Hell, I might even buy one of the kids' books to see how what it's really like. As I said earlier, no surprises that she illustrated them too.
I woudn't be at all surprised (having known people that like to get rich using the internet) if this is exactly what she intended. I think she's probably sitting on her small-mid sized yacht laughing her head off right now and writing (poorly)to the next blogger. - November 13, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Took a look at the 'Complete Herbal Guide." Nice cover but $40.00 for a paperback?
Yes, I'd say she needs help with her selling. - November 13, 2008 at 2:20 PM
The full moon. It must be the full moon's fault.
- November 13, 2008 at 3:03 PM
- none said...
There's what the dictionary says and then there's what the industry thinks. And according to the industry, printing a book through lulu is not publication. The same as "publishing a libel" under English law doesn't require more than putting up a notice on a corkboard in a public place.
And yes, many of us still go to "brick-and-mortar" stores. I was in one today, in fact. I was also in the library. Just me and my iPhone. - November 13, 2008 at 3:43 PM
After reading briefly on Amazon and Writers Den, I have concluded that she is a real estate agent married to a chiropractor, with money to burn--and somebody told her she could write. Each of her book descriptions and/or excerpts is not merely awful, but spectacularly awful. Thanks for the teeth-grinding entertainment.
- November 13, 2008 at 3:46 PM
I think the fact that you went to such lengths to learn every blasted detail about this writer is seriously disturbing.
"Spectacularly" creepy, in fact. - November 13, 2008 at 8:46 PM
I will leave the discussion of this writer's life and delusions to others, but I have a question for the group.
I think that, right or wrong, a large group of amateur writers do see this kind of publishing as publishing. I'm a children's librarian, and I run into a lot of would-be writers who are considering this avenue, and also a lot of folks who are trying to get rid of entire storage units worth of these books when they realize they can't sell them. I would really like to know how I can tell would-be writers that these books will *never* be purchased by my or any other library and are *very* unlikely to be bought by anyone not related to you...without sounding catty and pessimistic. My uncle published a book through one of these places and I have trouble explaining even to my own family what the difference is...
I think what I'm saying is that this woman is misinformed about vanity publishing, but she is far from the only one, and I don't know how to get the truth out... - November 13, 2008 at 9:17 PM
- none said...
Anon, you can't tell people what they don't want to hear.
- November 14, 2008 at 7:49 AM
I am amused by folks criticizing EA for making the ambitious writer's identity discoverable. EA redacted the name. The critics only know the author's name because they went and looked up the author's work--they couldn't resist the urge to spy and pry. (Unless I am misattributing motives and all you complainers wanted to purchase your own copies of the oh-so-tantalizing titles.) If you think the misguided writer's identity should remain anonymous--then don't go looking for it.
- November 14, 2008 at 11:04 AM
"Why are we, as writers, so eager to riducule [sic] other writers that are so OBVIOUSLY not a threat [to] our ability to get published?"
Maybe because this particular writer has attempted to join the ranks of shysters who bilk the (even more) ignorant by selling them overpriced advice on how to get rich, be happy and naturally cure any ailment under the sun?
"I think the fact that you went to such lengths to learn every blasted detail about this writer is seriously disturbing.
'Spectacularly' creepy, in fact."
Five minutes reading her online book descriptions and drawing a couple of conclusions--easy.
Being called "disturbing" and "creepy" for it--priceless! - November 14, 2008 at 11:22 AM
What a hateful thread this has become. As if getting an agent or selling a book isn't hard enough without writers trying to slaughter other (so-called) lesser writers. In reading these posts I've found myself hoping that the hate-filled posters never get a book deal. So I guess that makes me guilty right along with them.
Time to check this blog off my list for awhile, I think. - November 14, 2008 at 1:46 PM
I don't think anyone has an issue with this letter being posted. But I sure have a problem with EA giving up this woman's identity. The truth is, she wanted us to know who this person was. Maybe so we we'll all think twice about what we send, I don't know. But I do know, it wasn't about fraud. Come on. Fraud?
I know that people like this muck up the works for everyone. I know that the slush piles in EA's office are a mile high because people like this don't do a smidge of research and expect other people to fill in the blanks. I can appreciate the frustration. But that is part of the job. We all have frustrating parts to our jobs. I don't particularly like wiping someone else's tiny poopy butt. But it's part of my job.
Until now, I've thought that EA would be exactly the type of editor I'd love to have. And it isn't even the posting of this letter that's changed my mind. It's the justifying (really? Fraud?). It was a crappy thing to do. No one deserves being humiliated. Even if they don't know that's what's happening. Maybe especially because they don't know. We all make mistakes. Big people can own up to them. Editors should be big people. - November 14, 2008 at 2:05 PM
All the outrage assumes the author didn't get just what she wanted--people are googling, people are going to her website, people are talking about her. She wanted publicity--even if she had gotten it via a more traditional route, people still would go look at those titles and the reviews, etc. Yes, people here know she wrote a crap ass letter, but everyone has written a crap ass letter before. Not sure that the BIG deal is.
- November 14, 2008 at 2:51 PM
If you guys don't leave this alone, you'll put EA off this blog, and those of us who actually learn a lot from her insightful comments will be the ones who lose out.
If you're taking this blog off your list over this, fine. The world will not end for EA, you know.
I have to admit, I didn't even bother looking for the author. I couldn't care less. I found the originl post mildly interesting and only read the comments when I saw the numbers.
I don't get what you're all fussing about. And no, that's not an invitation for you to rehash your arguments. I've read them. It's just not as interesting as you indignant anon people seem to be making out.
Let's move on people, and get back to learning about the editing and publishing process.
If you don't want to be here, feel free to go elsewhere. Just stop giving EA flak because your sensibilities were offended. We've got it. See? Now go away so we can get back to work. - November 14, 2008 at 3:13 PM
- Sabina E. said...
Some of you are such major whiney crybabies. Boo hoo, boo hoo. Go cry to your mama.
chill the fuck out. - November 14, 2008 at 3:14 PM
For anyone truly committed to children's books, this thread is a major bore. Really, I've been on this blog since it started and I don't think any post has received so many (largely pointless) comments.
So ... in the interest of getting things back to some topic (any topic!!) that actually matters, here are some things I'd like to know/discuss:
-- how does an editor go about editing a nonfiction book? (e.g., does she read up on the topic, etc.?)
-- why do men get more Caldecotts?
-- can you ever publish with more than one imprint at one house? (say, a picture book at Schwartz & Wade, a novel with Random House?)
-- what marketing efforts have made a difference to anyone? (website? school visits? signings?)
-- what are your early Newbery, Caldecott, Printz picks? Who's got buzz?
-- how will the economy affect children's publishing? what's the climate like?
Anyone else with burning (interesting, topical, relevant, reasonable, thoughtful, swear-less) questions? Please, please, please speak up and save us from the inanity ... - November 14, 2008 at 3:39 PM
- Sarah Laurenson said...
Yes. Can we please move on? This whole 'my morality is better than your morality' discussion is getting old. Just like changing the channel on the TV, you all have free choice to read or not read.
Sorry but I'm a bit tired of people deciding what my morality should be right now. Especially when they legislate it and try to dissolve my marriage or the ability of my friends to marry. You want to discuss real morality issues and forcing others to live by your rules, come and see me.
Otherwise, let's get back to our regularly scheduled programming. OK? - November 14, 2008 at 3:39 PM
- Merry Monteleone said...
-- can you ever publish with more than one imprint at one house? (say, a picture book at Schwartz & Wade, a novel with Random House?)
I can answer that one!!! The lovely Cindy Pon (I can drop back the link if you like but you can google and come up with her blog, "A Little Sweet a Little Sour") Sold her first novel in a two book deal a few months ago, and then the editor noticed her wonderful artwork by visiting her website, which led to a picture book contract.
So yes, if you have talent for both it's definitely possible.
I'd love a new discussion, too, just not on the economy... everyone's talking about the economy in publishing and it's a valid topic right now, but it's depressing as hell. How 'bout a study of Children's Books that have soared in rough economies, that might be something for us to sink our teeth into. - November 14, 2008 at 5:32 PM
I'd also like to know what is a "productive" writer in an editor's eyes? Is it seeing a novel a year? Five picture books? I'm not talking necessarily books accepted but projects submitted.
And good point about the economy. Maybe there is some silver lining EA can uncover from an insider's point of view? Something we can keep in mind to weather tough times?
Thanks! - November 14, 2008 at 6:08 PM
Sorry, I thought this was a discussion. I didn't realize we were all supposed to agree. I've always thought one of the better things about discussion was getting to re-examine my motives and ideas by listening to others. Oops!
For a blog trying to teach us about courtesy and respect in publishing, I just found all this ironic to say the least. - November 14, 2008 at 6:16 PM
It's a stupid, needlessly inflammatory discussion. I think everyone agrees that this woman is an idiot. Until she posts herself with some thoughts on being outed, who gives a crap?
And count up the comments. How many of them really are contributing to a "discussion"? 10? 8? 5? A number are just variations on "wow," another handful are just blatant baiting ("whiny" isn't spelled with an "e") and a good number are just smug "At-least-I'm-not-that-stupid" back-patting.
It's just sad that "easy" posts like this ("Hell, well, I'll chime in and say she's stupid!") begin to be the ones that attract the most "discussion." Sigh.
I'd be curious to know if EA expected such a response ... - November 14, 2008 at 6:41 PM
I believe EA can shut down the comments whenever she chooses. Meantime, it's always amusing when a few people try to decide for everyone--on someone else's blog--what is or isn't interesting and when a discussion should end. If the discussion bores you, why are you reading it??
When companies publish poor or mediocre books solely because the authors are celebrities, how much slack do serious writers cut those authors? What is the difference between using one's celebrity to break into publishing and using one's money to attempt to buy one's way in, 16 times, no less. Then she poked a rattlesnake and got bitten; and people blame the snake??
An EA fan - November 14, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Just feedback, my dear, just feedback. (Last I knew, EA liked feedback.) One could easily glean from the number of comments that this is the type of thing that readers find interesting.
And, recently, there is a car-crash quality to the comments section. I know I shouldn't look but the sheer horror of it draws me in ...
And sometimes there is a nugget of wisdom tucked in there. And like someone else said, the sheer number of comments made me feel as though there was something of interest going on. Thanks for putting me in my place. You are right; I should not continue reading.
Friday night, here I come! - November 14, 2008 at 7:20 PM
- Sarah Laurenson said...
There's a difference between a discussion and someone pushing their POV as if it's the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
- November 14, 2008 at 8:49 PM
- none said...
People always blame the snake.
- November 15, 2008 at 3:27 PM
- HANNAH'S DAD said...
Anonymous wrote:
> But I do know, it wasn't about fraud. Come on. Fraud?
Well she did write:
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New Developments in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
May 21, 2018Presented by: Commonwealth Financial Network®
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLFP) began in 2007 with a simple idea: provide debt relief to borrowers in critical but often low-paying careers after they make 10 years of timely student loan repayments. The U.S. Department of Education cited law enforcement and emergency management personnel, public school teachers, and legal aid attorneys as examples of those who would be eligible for the PSLFP. Sounds great, right? But in spring 2017, many individuals who chose public service and nonprofit careers learned that their federal student loans may not qualify for the PSLFP after all. Here, we'll take a deeper dive into the qualifications for this program, plus new developments that may bring welcome relief to some borrowers.
Qualification criteria
To qualify for the PSLFP, a student loan must meet four criteria:
- The loan must be a Direct loan.
- The repayments must be on time and for the specified amount.
- The repayment plan must be income based.
- The borrower must be employed at least 30 hours per week by a government entity or a nonprofit organization.
Running afoul of any of these criteria will disqualify a borrower from the PSLFP.
What's the confusion?
There are several causes for the confusion surrounding the PSLFP. Many borrowers did not understand that Perkins, Stafford, and Federal Family Education loans are not Direct loans. Others unwittingly repaid more than the required amount and then discovered that excess payments actually disqualified the payment for PSLFP. Some borrowers were not told that they didn't have an income-based repayment plan, which is a plan that caps the repayment amount at a certain percentage of the borrower's income (e.g., Revised Pay As You Earn, Pay As You Earn, Income-Based, and Income-Contingent). Still other borrowers, especially those working for nonprofit organizations, submitted employer certification forms each year only to be told later that their employment was not eligible for the PSLFP.
The complicated details and absolute rules are especially difficult for borrowers who received erroneous information from a third-party student loan servicer. Common circumstances involve this sequence of events: A borrower regularly contacts the loan servicer; the loan servicer confirms that the borrower's repayment plan qualifies for the PSLFP; the loan servicer subsequently informs the borrower that his or her payment did not qualify for the PSLFP.
Relief in sight?
Potential relief may come from a somewhat unexpected source: the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill signed by President Trump in March 2018. The bill includes a $350 million fund that will give borrowers in a repayment plan that is not income based a chance to get retroactive credit for their payments. Let's take a look at the details.
First, borrowers must make the full 10 years of repayments before they can apply for loan forgiveness. Second, the fund provides relief only if a payment was disqualified because the borrower did not have an income-based repayment plan. This means that the borrowers with the wrong type of loan or in the wrong kind of employment cannot seek relief from the fund. Also, a payment in excess of the scheduled amount will be disqualified even it is made in an income-based repayment plan. Third, although $350 million is a substantial sum, the fund is finite and will provide relief on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the fund is depleted, it will not be replenished unless Congress makes an additional appropriation.
U.S. Department of Education guidance?
Adding to this confusion and uncertainty is the lack of guidance from the U.S. Department of Education about how the fund will work. To date, the department has not provided any information about how to apply for loan forgiveness and to receive relief via the new fund. As of this writing, the Federal Student Aid website features the following message:
Alert! The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 provided limited, additional conditions under which a borrower may become eligible for loan forgiveness if some or all of the payments made by the borrower do not qualify under current requirements for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). The U.S. Department of Education is assessing the newly enacted law and will explain the new forgiveness conditions to customers on this page as soon as more details are available. We encourage you to check back periodically.
Educate yourself!
Until the U.S. Department of Education establishes guidelines for the fund, those in public service careers should monitor the status of their loans and payments. In addition, make certain that your loan meets the qualification criteria and that you have an income-based repayment plan. It's also best practice to contact your loan servicer frequently to confirm that your monthly payments qualify for the PSLFP. Finally, if you ever receive information you believe is incorrect or inconsistent, don't hesitate to seek assistance from your Congressional representatives and senators.


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Law of Priests and Levites
1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. 3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. 4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you. 5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel. 6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. 9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of their's, every meat offering of their's, and every sin offering of their's, and every trespass offering of their's, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. 10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee. 11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it. 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. 13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. 14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine. 15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem. 16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine. 19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee. 20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. 27 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. 28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress. 31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation. 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.


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Fans hooked on "Dallas" back in the '80s were probably also watching other popular prime time soaps, including "Dynasty." "Dynasty," like its rival, was about a rich oil family, this one in Colorado, and the women on "Dynasty" defined '80s fashion with their slinky blouses, gold lame, glamorous jewelry, and of course those power suits with the big shoulders.
The man behind that style was costume designer Nolan Miller. He passed away last week. His Emmy-winning career was launched in Beverly Hills where he was a designer for private clients that included Joan Collins, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren. Nolan Miller once said in an interview, when I'm 90, my name will still be synonymous with shoulder pads. Though he died at 79, the truth of that is undeniable. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Monday, June 28, 2010
Interview with Barry Eisler
Besides doing his usual 100+ bookstore tour (he has already signed at over 200 stores this year alone), Barry put together a thirty page marketing and publicity campaign that puts all but the most competent publicists to shame.
Inside Out, which goes on sale June 29, is ripped straight from today's headlines; CIA videotapes showing enhanced interrogation techniques get misplaced. Being former CIA himself, Eisler has an unique insight, and a solid opinion, on what our government has been doing post 9/11, and this book is an eye-opener.
But laid on top of the political subtext is a kick-ass thriller, filled with exotic locations, double-crosses, intense action, and over-the-top sex.
I was lucky enough to read Inside Out before it was published, and it's a must-buy for anyone who likes mysteries. It's easily the best thriller of the year. It's also Barry's best book, which is saying something considering his oeuvre.
I caught up with Barry in NY at BEA, and hit him with a few questions.
Joe: I've noticed loyalty is a continuing theme for you, especially in a "sense of duty vs. desire for self-interest" way.
But rather than ask you about that, I was hoping you could post an excerpt from the big sex scene.
Barry: As long as people understand I'm only doing this under duress:
Somehow his hand had slipped under her robe. She pressed it tightly against her breasts. Her skin was warm and smooth. He could feel her heart pounding.
"You're upset," he said, his voice low, his throat thick. "I don't know if… I don't think we should…"
He stopped, not sure what he was saying, feeling like he was babbling. His hand moved. He felt a hard nipple against his palm. He wanted her so much it made him groan.
"No," he said, panting. "No, no, this is a bad idea. A bad idea." Somehow he pried his hands off her and sat up. "Paula, no."
She sat up and turned to him. The robe had opened partly, and in his peripheral vision he could see the muscles of her neck, her breasts contoured in shadow, the skin smooth and dark against the white terry cloth. He was massively hard and knew he'd never done anything as difficult as not reaching out and tearing the robe off her and throwing her back on the bed and—
"Fuck you, then," she said.
He shook his head, not comprehending. "What?"
She slapped him. Hard. His head rocked back and he saw a white flash behind his eyes. He was so stunned by it that she managed to slap him again before he could do anything to stop her, another powerful, stinging shot from the opposite side. A red haze misted his vision and he felt his scalp tighten with anger. She drew back her arm again, her hand balled into a fist this time, and as the punch came forward, he snaked an arm inside and deflected it. He pushed her onto her back and straddled her. She twisted an arm free and punched him in the mouth. She couldn't get any leverage behind the blow but it smashed his lips into his teeth and hurt like hell.
"Bitch," he said, turning his head and spitting blood. She tried to hit him again and he caught her wrists and pinned them to the bed next to her head…
And if you want to hear a bit more, here's a video Random House Audio shot of me reading the scene while we recorded the audiobook in LA.
Joe: You aren't allowed to talk about your time with the CIA, and I respect that. But I am curious if the Agency has to vet your manuscripts, and if so, have they ever made you cut anything?
Barry: When I was with the Agency, they taught me it's better to seek forgiveness than to ask permission. I've tried to honor their teachings since I left.
Joe: I'm putting you in charge of the entire publishing industry. What will you do to improve it?
Barry: Dude… how much space do you have here for my answer?
Okay, in short, they need to do two things. First, they need to become competent at traditional aspects of the business, including: selecting the right title, based on automatic and acquired resonance; writing a good author bio; choosing an effective book cover; properly packaging the book. To do all this, publishers have to stop winging it and instead learn the principles behind branding, marketing, and selling. They also need to change their business culture into one where an understanding of these principles is passed on to the next generation of employees, who themselves need to be inculcated with the values of a business culture that rewards the dissemination of institutional learning.
Second, they need to understand the way digital is changing the business they're in. Understanding piracy is not necessarily a zero-sum game, for example, as you've written about many times before. And understanding, again as you've repeatedly pointed out and demonstrated with actual data, that the way you fight piracy is through cost and convenience, not with lawsuits and DRM.
Joe: You earned a black belt in judo at the Kodokan in Japan. Do you still practice?
Barry: Sadly, no. I got pretty into Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for a while, but after two knee surgeries, I decided someone was trying to tell me something. These days I practice this and that mostly on my own, and when I can, train with some amazing people: Massad Ayoob, Tony Blauer, Wim Demeere, Marc MacYoung, Peyton Quinn, to name a few.
(Joe's side note: I've visited Barry's house, and he has converted his garage into a dojo. After a few belts of scotch, he insisted on showing me how it was possible to knock someone out in five seconds. And true to his word, he can do it. I'm never drinking with Barry again.)
Joe: I've seen you do lectures on personal security. Give me five of your best self-defense tips.
Barry: 1. Think like the opposition—if you were trying to do whatever it is that concerns you (kidnapping, mugging, ATM robbery), how would you do it? Where? When? What kind of victim would you be looking for? Thinking like the opposition will help you spot problems before it's too late.
2. Use good situational awareness. When you're home and the doors are locked, you can afford not to pay attention. When you're in a zone you've identified as dangerous because you're thinking like the opposition, you need to be more alert.
3. Spend some time at No Nonsense Self Defense. Bring a cup of coffee—you'll be there a while.
4. Boxers shadow box. Think about why, and start practicing mental shadow boxing, what cops call when/then scenarios. "When this happens, I'll do this." Make this kind of mental training part of your physical training. The closer your physical training is to the real event, the better you'll perform when it counts. If your physical training doesn't include adrenal stress scenarios, your skills are apt to be unavailable when you need them most.
5. Read Personal Safety Tips from Assassin John Rain, Practical Martial Arts Tips from Assassin John Rain, and Surveillance/Countersurveillance.
Joe: Unlike a lot of authors who blog about writing and publishing, The Heart of the Matter is about politics and language, two of your passions. Is America changing? For the better, or for the worse?
Barry: I think the country is changing for the worse, though I comfort myself in the knowledge that every generation, and indeed the founders themselves, have come to a similar conclusion. Still, the Obama administration has now embraced and thereby rendered bipartisan policies that were rightly recognized as lawless and radical when Bush was doing them: torture including human experimentation; warrantless surveillance; imprisonment forever without charge, trial, or conviction. Indeed, now that Obama has claimed the right to order American citizens killed extra-judicially, he's even gone beyond Bush, as he has in a number of other areas.
I think traditional civic notions about what democracy means and requires in America have finally been ground down by the permanent state of emergency Garry Wills describes in his excellent book, Bomb Power: The Modern Presidency and the National Security State—what journalist Mark Danner calls the State of Exception. The Cheneys have been effective (and the Democrats typically feckless in response) in persuading a significant part of the country that Torture Has Kept Us Safe (the opposite is true) so when the next attack comes (and it will come, because our current policies create more terrorists than they eliminate), the political foundation for a tighter embrace of torture, war, and other lawlessness will already be in place.
Which is of course what Inside Out is all about—plus the sex, of course.
Joe: Thanks, Barry.
Barry will be stopping by this blog over the next few days, checking the comments and answering questions (though he's on a whirlwind tour right now so it might take him a bit of time to respond.)
I'll also be chatting with Barry about some of these topics, live, and everyone is welcome to join in. Once we pin down a date and time, I'll post it.
57 comments:
- Karen Cantwell said...
Barry -- I'm sold! I'm definitely buying Inside Out. Question: my husband is a politics junkie and I argue with him constantly that the Bush Administration was no better than the Obama Administration. I claim our problem in America IS politics. Too much attention to politics NO attention to getting things done. He still wants to play the my-party-is-better-than-your-party game. What would you tell my husband?
And good luck with the book! - 9:33 AM
- WDGagliani said...
Excellent! I plan to see Barry at his Milwaukee stop, Mystery One. Can't wait to read the book!
He's one of the best, and has a lot to say. - 9:35 AM
- Barry Eisler said...
Joe, thanks again for posting this, and for being such a great interviewer as always. I'm so glad you don't remember what happened in my garage after I knocked you out.
FfD, great question. The short answer is, what's really going on in America isn't so much left/right as it is inside/outside, or powerful/powerless. Yes, the GOP has gone insane and yes, the Dems are craven, but people who cling to the notion that they should be fighting on left/right grounds are like prisoners being set against each other by the guards.
WDG, thanks for the kind words, and see you soon. - 9:51 AM
- wannabuy said...
I really enjoyed reading your post on the previous thread. Good luck starting your own 'publishing empire.'
But if I may note, the publishers to not have 5 more years to be 'stupid about e-book pricing.' If they go more than 3 years with pricing stupidity, they won't be around.
On topic: Barry, I do not know if it was good choice or luck, but going with a Random House imprint will help you. I'd love to know how much e-book market share they gained not following the heard...
Neil - 10:04 AM
- wannabuy said...
Joe and Barry,
The Kindle app for Android is about to be released! A phone on T-mobile will ship with it pre-installed on 7/21/2010.
Yes, I know I'm obsessed with smartphones being the 'gateway' to the Kindle market. I would appreciate knowing if you see any change in sales with the launch of the Kindle app for Android.
Note: I think only those phones with a 4" or larger screen will help sell books (in numbers). In other words, the Ipad, DroidX, Galaxy S (an Android phone), and a dozen more Androids by Christmas. Even though Apple is an Amazon competitor, I hope they develop a new phone in a larger format that is more book friendly.
I haven't read your work before, but I like JA's recommendations. I've already sent out the e-mail recommending the book to a half dozen Kindle owners. Good luck!
Neil - 10:12 AM
Great interview! Can't wait to open INSIDE OUT tomorrow morning after it's delivered wirelessly via Whispernet.
- Ty said...
Okay, I'm sold. And I've never read one of Barry's books before. I will be now, for sure. And I've got a ton of online reading to do, too, now thanks to all the links Barry and Joe supplied.
- Barry Eisler said...
Thanks, Neil and Ty. RH seems to be doing a good job -- gonna find out more tomorrow!
- Zoe Winters said...
Great interview! I totally agree with the advice to publishers. Part of my frustration with the publishing industry in general, is that most NY pubs don't seem to have any true respect for business basics. In a NY Times article there were top NY editors saying things like "Publishing is a lottery. We really don't know how it works."
I just can't respect that. They are relying on the "spine tingles" system of acquisition. They need to read a business book, see a chiropractor, and stop leaving everything up to chance. - 11:09 AM
- Zoe Winters said...
@wannabuy LOL I was still following the other thread.
I know 5 years of stupidity is too much to hope for. It would still be ideal, though. ;) - 11:13 AM
- Jude Hardin said...
Great interview, guys!
Congrats on the new release, Barry. Sounds like a winner! - 4:10 PM
- Moses Siregar III said...
Congrats on the new release, Barry. I'm reading some of the excellent material on your site, and thinking about automatic and acquired resonance with book titles. I'll most likely blog about this subject before too long and link to your articles.
Would it be appropriate for me to toss out a tentative book title and get your feedback on it, as well as Joe's and anyone else's ideas? - 4:47 PM
- JA Konrath said...
Go ahead and toss, Moses. :)
- Moses Siregar III said...
Thanks, Joe. Here's a little flavor on this standalone epic fantasy novel:
Her father-king wants war. Her messianic brother wants peace. The black god wants his due. She suffers all the consequences.
Here's the working title (I'll comment on it later):
- wannabuy said...
Out of curiosity, I noticed many of your books have different US and UK covers; any particular reason?
I'm trying to decide which of your books to try first!
Everyone else: So much for "about to release Kindle for Android." On Amazon.com's home page, it is the highlighted product (free download). If you have an Android phone, the app is also in the 'marketplace.'
Hints on some neat new features for Kindles being promised in the press release:
Neil - 7:25 PM
- Moses Siregar III said...
(continued from above)
In the meantime, I'm also considering an alternate:
God's of War - 8:33 PM
GODS of WAR ... no apostrophe - 8:34 PM
- Moses Siregar III said...
Well, hey, Barry's blog posts about book titles really got me to re-thinking some things. I'll have to buy a copy of his new book just to thank him for that LOL.
I've been discussing it on Facebook, and now I'm looking at new options. Probably ...
THE BLACK GOD'S WAR is another option, and a good title, but probably not fitting for this particular work.
p.s. thanks Anon. Good title, just not for this particular book. - 10:27 PM
- M.J.A. Ware said...
I had the chance to hear Berry speak about writing several months ago.
Except for the part where he described how much time and effort he puts into promotion (which frankly freaked me out), he was an entertaining speaker.
There's also a great section on his website (www.barryeisler.com) with lots of great advice and information for writers. - 1:43 AM
- evilphilip said...
"I just can't respect that. They are relying on the "spine tingles" system of acquisition."
IMHO they are not relying on the "spine tingles" method of acquisition. That implies a certain love of books and of specific genre of books that I don't see from the companies who publish dozens of Dan Brown clones, Stephanie Myer clones and the hundreds of ghost-written James Patterson books.
When you throw yourself under the bus of "follow the market trends" you are being a good business person -- from a certain point of view.
I think more flying by the seat of their pants and throwing their marketing dollars behind books that they love might bring them more sales and more readers.
I agree with everything Barry said about how to run their business, but I think there is more to it than "learn the principles behind branding, marketing, and selling".
Without the "selecting the right title" part you get the horrible choices the big NY publishers are making right now.
A little more spine tingling would benefit the industry in a big way. - 2:34 AM
- evilphilip said...
"Here's the working title (I'll comment on it later):
This is the part in the cartoon where Jon Lovitz says, "It stinks."
That title doesn't resonate fantasy or war or anything about family in-fighting and "Deus Ex" is the title of a beloved video game and comes with that baggage.
Stick with something simple like "Black Gods" or "The Black God" (though I there there is an element of oddball racism in that second title).
Best of luck! - 2:44 AM
- Ty said...
"The Black God's War" struck me as strongest. Has a bit of a Glenn Cook feel to it, and there's nothing wrong with that if you're selling epic fantasy.
- Zoe Winters said...
You may be right, but in that same NY Times article an editor was talking about how they selected a book cause it made their spine tingle and just 'felt right'. That may or may not be true of that editor or editors in general.
Of course their spine may be tingling, not because they think the book is so awesome, but because they are thinking about how much money they think the book can make them. Or... they just need a chiropractor.
You may be right, but either way, I do think that a lot of publishers and editors put themselves forth as people who just "love books" and are in this because they love books. There can be no possible other reason since we hear a million times that "there is no money in publishing." and "You don't get into this business for the money."
I think that kind of "love of books, no money in it" PR has given publishers sort of a free pass on being big corporations, that the music and film industries don't seem to get.
People seem to feel a lot more free to acknowledge that music and film tend to be bottom-line driven, but because there is "no money in publishing" a lot of people seem more hesitant to put those motives on publishers. - 7:27 AM
I enjoyed the interview. I explored your website. I went to Amazon to read customer reviews of your books. 80% positive.
I "searched inside" FAULT LINE and read the hook.
Two "to be" verbs, an adverb, and a flashback. I shut my web browser.
Have you ever read LONDON BOULEVARD by Ken Bruen? That begins with two "to be" verbs, two adverbs, and no flashbacks. But I kept reading Ken. The leanness of his prose makes me hard.
After some self-anal, I realize I have flashback-sensitivity. And a pronounced dislike for the word "really."
I like sex and violence, profanity and politics, but you lost me with your prose. Call it personal taste. Don't feel bad. I don't respect romance novels. I don't respect spinach.
But you made me think.
As an author, how many readers do you write for? One? One thousand? One million? Alone at your keyboard, nailing words to the page, who do you most want to please?
How many changes did Random House make to your book that displeased you?
How many suggestions did your editor make that made your book 3% more glorious?
The more books sold, the more money made. Everybody needs income. Big Publisher. Small Press. Indie Girl. Thinking about money affects title, genre, and word choice at the sentence level. Sometimes it helps to obsess. Sometimes it hurts to censor.
I guess I still harbor bad feelings about the felt bikinis in the DRAGON AGE sex scenes.
None of my friends know how to read, so I can't recommend you. But, damn it, Barry, I respect your ambition. I hope INSIDE OUT sells like crack on the playground.
- Jack - 1:08 PM
- Steve said...
Barry, I enjoyed Fault Line and am looking forward to reading Inside Out.
One question. Is there another Rain hiding in there somewhere that may come out in the future? - 1:35 PM
- Moses Siregar III said...
Thanks evilphilip, Ty. Discussion continued on my blog, with mock cover.
- Anna Jeffrey said...
@Jack H. H. King ....
What's wrong with romance novels? - 8:21 PM
- Zoe Winters said...
I'm with Anna J. What's wrong with romance? I get that most guys don't read romance just like most women don't read horror and thrillers. That doesn't make romance an inferior genre to other genres by default.
Most people who say they don't respect romance think the only kind of romance novel that exists is Harlequin category novels with insanely expository titles like "The Greek Millionaire's Pregnant Mistress". The romance genre is much wider than that and has a lot of great fiction. Sherry Thomas,Jo Goodman, Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione... All talented writers writing romance. - 9:31 PM
@evilphillip I agree with you. In a previous life before the writing bug bit me I used to hear the term "branding" tossed around all the time with a succes rate of negative nill!!
In other words they lost millions (several companies, several times) by over thinking the process and ignoring what their customers wanted, which only further alienated their already disgruntled fan base. And never coming close to be a success let alone a "brand."
@Fiction for Dessert -- First off, Obama got handed a big bag of dog . Give the guy a chance, even though he was overly idealistic he was handed an unpopular war, an economic collapse, etc etc etc. It doesn't get fixed in a day. 2. Both parties need fresh ideas. And perhaps a unicameral government might be a way to go (future generations). And they need to bring back manufacturing jobs.
What say you Barry?
Jow with all the money you are making now, maybe you can buy a senate seat. Chicago politics at its finest! - 9:58 PM
@Zoe -- I know a ton of women who read thrillers/mysteries.
- Coolkayaker1 said...
I think only those phones with a 4" or larger screen will help sell books--wannabuy.
My iPod Touch 3rd gen, which is the size of all the iPhones out there, is superb for reading novels on. I use the Amazon app religiously, and strongly recommend it to anyone. I think, indeed, it has made a huge impact, even if no 4 inch screen , on ebook sales. There is nothing more convenient for me than to have this in my pocket each and every day, ready to read at a moments notice. Now when my wife goes shopping at Woodfield Mall or Ikea, I'm no longer am the dolt holding her purse outside the changing room. I'm the dolt inside my van reading my iPod in the back bench seat. - 11:32 PM
- Zoe Winters said...
@Robert and I know many men who read romance. (Because they write me reviews and fan letters) Also you just lumped mystery in. Mystery is a genre that has a fairly even male and female reading demographic. But Thrillers (especially certain subgenres of thriller) and Horror are genres that have a predominantly male fan base.
But people make a snap judgment about a person who reads romance. Somehow a thriller or horror novel is "smarter" or in better taste than a romance novel. And I think those who think that haven't read many romance novels. Because yes, like every other genre we have our "dime store pulp" but, that's not the whole of the genre. - 7:03 AM
But Thrillers (especially certain subgenres of thriller) and Horror are genres that have a predominantly male fan base.
Do you have a source or are you making this up? I worked at a major indie bookstore for six years and the vast majority of people who bought thrillers and horror were women. Hell, they were the majority of people who bought all books. There were a couple men who picked up Romance titles, but for the most part men bought non-fiction, literary fiction, and especially Fantasy and SF.
I've read several of your comments, and you seem to have a slightly confused sense of several things... how traditional publishing works, what constitutes success, and now what men and women buy.
If you have solid numbers to back this assumption up, I'll be more than happy to eat my words and admit I was wrong. - 10:36 AM
- Anna Jeffrey said...
I think what Randall said about who buys books is accurate. I think men are also buyers of westerns if they can find them. But for the most part, men just aren't as into reading as women are....My husband is a reader and he likes *some* thrillers, but if a story requires too much suspension of reality, he loses interest quickly.
Of course he likes *my* books, which are total fantasies. Actually, they're mainstream romances, but they're still fantasies. - 11:08 AM
- Zoe Winters said...
I think men reading less than women in general does tend to skew the numbers a bit. I agree that sci-fi is more of a male genre, but I'm not sure more men read fantasy than women. - 11:21 AM
- Moses Siregar III said...
On another subject, has anyone figured out yet what royalties BN is paying through it's PubIt! endeavor?
- Zoe Winters said...
I think they're unveiling all that this fall. But they've claimed "competitive". So my guess would be that it won't be too much different than Amazon's payment structure. But we won't know for sure until they unveil it. - 2:34 PM
Anna & Zoe,
My wife reads entire forests of romance novels. She likes Nora Roberts. She loves Amanda Quick. She prefers her fiction with an excess of sex.
I read the first paragraph of every book she eats. And some of the sex scenes. I'm a curious guy. In the last three years, not one romance novel has impressed me, prose-wise.
Perhaps my usage of the word "respect" was offensive. I will rephrase.
I respect anyone who can write an entire novel. The more novels written, the more respect I give. Indie authors get double bonus respect, for their spunk. And any writer who can impress me with a first paragraph, then delight me to the end, I will worship for life.
Name some great romance writing, and I will feed them to my queen.
- Jack - 2:40 PM
- Moses Siregar III said...
Jack, how did you "search inside" FAULT LINE? I can't find that option.
- Zoe Winters said...
Ask her if she's read Sherry Thomas. "Private Arrangements" by her is really good. Kresley Cole's "A Hunger Like No Other" is one of my faves, but I don't know if she reads paranormals. Larissa Ione's "Pleasure Unbound" was HOT. If she likes steamy and a lot of sex, Ione is a good one. She manages to write sex scenes that are neither tedious nor dorky and euphemistic, and that's in short supply.
Jo Goodman's "The Price of Desire" is really good too.
Goodman and Thomas are both historical romance authors.
I'm also reading a book called "Behind the Red Door" by Jackie Barbosa, it's a collection historical erotic romance novellas, and it's really good. - 3:21 PM
- Jude Hardin said...
I couldn't find the "Search Inside" option for Fault Line either, but I've read some of Barry's other stuff and I think his prose is exquisite. Also, there's nothing wrong with a flashback if that's what the story calls for. I know most of the books on writing say they're some kind of sin, but most of the authors of most of the books on writing aren't NYT bestsellers like Barry here is. I would prefer to learn from the latter.
Barry: since you've spoken at length about titles and covers, I would love to get your opinion on mine.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5cLUL6evcpI/TCCsHX77EyI/AAAAAAAAAE4/HteZdwmn148/s1600/Pocket+47+picture.JPG - 3:22 PM
For some reason, Amazon doesn't show the "search inside" for the blue hardcover. They only let you into the red paperback.
http://www.amazon.com/Fault-Line-Novel-Barry-Eisler/dp/0345505093/ - 3:50 PM
- Jude Hardin said...
That's a great opening.
- Moses Siregar III said...
Jack, you won't allow characters to use "to be" verbs or adverbs in dialogue or internal monologue? Those are pretty high standards, friend!
Things are really looking up. - 5:05 PM
- Jude Hardin said...
There's nothing wrong with "to be" verbs, either. It all depends on the voice you're going for. More hogwash from writing books. Read some Raymond Chandler.
Raymond Chandler using a pile of "to be" verbs: "If my books had been any worse, I should not have been invited to Hollywood, and . . . if they had been any better, I should not have come. "
Hey all-- the Amazon 70% royalty has kicked in-- Joshua Tallent just e-mailed me the instructions. The Amazon login page was SLOOOOW but it worked! I'm now earning 70% on my Kindle book.
I posted the instructions on my blog, The Publishing Maven, and you can also find them on Walt Shiel's blog (he's the one that posted them first.
Spread the word and don't forget to update your books. - 8:45 PM
- PJ Friel said...
I've always liked Johanna Lindsey. Her books are almost all historical romance, though, so if your wife likes modern, she might not care for her. - 11:15 PM
- Zoe Winters said...
@C. Pinheiro, thx!
- Zoe Winters said...
@C. Pinheiro
What I find annoying is how Amazon has just let everybody sink or swim. No emails or announcements on how everything works.
And what I really don't get is this new accounting system. Why are they still doing accounting for this week? It's July. Shouldn't everything have "stopped" since they pay by the month?
It makes no sense at all. Maybe it's a bug. - 6:57 AM
- Jude Hardin said...
Raymond Chandler using a pile of "to be" verbs
I could just as easily have said Hemingway. Or Steinbeck. John D. MacDonald. Lee Child. James Lee Burke...
The list is endless.
I would love to see this mythical author who does not regularly use "to be" verbs in his/her prose.
I have read things from beginning writers who obviously avoided "to be" verbs because some teacher or book told them to, and their prose was laughable because of it. A deep crimson lacquer enveloped the automobile's exterior, or some such crap. Translation: The car was red.
Having said all that, I can definitely appreciate a well-placed Superverb that really makes a sentence pop. It's all in the execution, of course, but mostly I want prose to be invisible and allow the reader to sink unencumbered into Storyland.
And don't even get me started on adverbs... - 7:12 AM
- Zoe Winters said...
I'm glad I've never even "heard" that rule. Sounds like knowing about it is more harm than good. (Apparently I slept through quite a few lessons in school. Or more likely, I was writing short stories when I was supposed to be paying attention.) - 9:07 AM
- Jude Hardin said...
It's not really a rule, but some beginning writers take the advice to avoid the passive voice to an unworkable extreme. Good wordsmiths (like Joe and Barry, for example) know how to find the right balance between active and passive for a strong narrative flow. Some of it is instinctual, but much (at least for me) comes with painstaking revision.
BTW, if you would like to brush up on some things you might have missed in school, there's a great little book (less than 100 pages) called The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. It has been around in one form or another since the early part of the 20th century, and is a very useful reference for writers. - 11:15 AM
- Zoe Winters said...
Hey Jude,
Good to know. I own Elements of Style and also Eats, Shoots, and Leaves. (I THINK that's how the title is punctuated, lol.)
I do think people get a little bent out of shape about passive voice, like they do "alright" and starting sentences with "And" and "But". - 12:26 PM
My language requirements are not that extreme. I have no problem with "to be" verbs and adverbs in dialogue, though I do hate generic words like "very" and "really."
Jude is correct. Words are just tools. There are many ways to paint, there are many ways to write. We all have our own taste. I like Hemingway. I dislike Chandler.
My entertainment time is limited. I watch 100 movies a year. I read 50 books a year. I play 25 video games a year. I spend too much time reading Kotaku and Engadget.
For books, it's 50% nonfiction, 50% fiction. I filter by genre, premise, and language. I read mostly thrillers. No romance, no mystery, no fantasy. I look for thrillers about technology or politics. I lean towards violence and sex. I gave Barry the same first-page test I give any thriller. It failed on language. For me.
If you want my money, give me prose that hits me hard. Give me Fight Club.
For every 20 novels I sample, I maybe read 1.
For every 25 novels I read, I maybe pass on 500.
To date, I have written seven novels. I'm not a guru. I don't lecture others how to write. I like Joe's cafe because the level of debate is more intelligent than other book blogs.
PJ, my wife loves historical romance. Thanks for the suggestion.
Jude is double correct that most writing books suck. The only two writing books I like are STORY by Robert McKee, and THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield.
And, of course, Joe's GUIDE TO PUBLISHING. It, like Joe, is a killer in a dress.
- Jack - 3:58 PM
- Barry Eisler said...
Sorry I've been so scarce, everyone, and thanks for the comments. Just hammered with the tour... will try to respond soon!