Purgatory's Pit of Doom

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alias octavia

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Red, exactly! I sent them the best story I have. But, they were the first to R it. So, maybe someone else will want it. They were totally out of my league anyway. I'm not surprised.

(((Tri))) May you pull out of the spin. (I love knowing that it is 2 and a half until inevitable crash, that the half is so important. But I'm weird and mildly obsessed with plane crashes)

(((Kellion))) I hate being unsettled too. We just got the form to reserve a spot for my 4yo for the next school year. The problem is that hubby is still looking at other jobs. 3 in contention right now. I realized that come September I could be living anywhere. Or right here too. Who knows. I just want to know.

(((Cricket))) Ugh. What a tough day. Maybe it fly by for you.

(((Mrs. Brommers))) I agree with Teri, nothing sadder than sick baby. My littlest one got every cold her brother brought home last year. Yuck.
 

Snappy

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(((Cricket))) May the day go quickly.

(((MrsB))) Hoping BabyB feels better soon.

(((Kellion))) For unsettled. I hate that so much.
 

Teriann

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Um. Maybe the big news about AH is that justice prevailed. It's big news because it rarely does. I stopped taking appeals out of Sac county for reasons I will not go into because this is a public forum. I'll just say I knew my clients were not getting fair trials or fair hearings and I found the whole thing just too upsetting.

The big news in the newspaper this morning: A sacramento judge was just arrested after a private investigation concluded he'd been posing as a modelling agent and getting underage girls to pose nude for him.

Most people are probably thinking, "Throw the guy in jail forever."

What I want are all the people he convicted or ruled against to get new hearings. (Warning, what follows are Teriann's outlandish views on criminal justice) I don't want him in jail. I want him in a mental hospital because that's where he belongs.

He was the judge in one case which so burned me out a few years ago I have never been able to accept another case out of Sac county. This was a client I knew was factually innocent.

My fantasy right now: I want to visit him in jail and say, "Remember XYZ? That innocent man who you knew was innocent but you were just too pigheaded to listen. . . ."

Never, never, never are we allowed to answer back to judges because that would be contempt. But surely I can go speak my mind to a guy wearing an striped orange jumpsuit.
 

SteveCordero

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{{{Mrs.B}}}

Teri, I thought you were going to say you're representing the judge. He'll fit right in with your list of "can't win" cases. ;)
 

Teriann

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{{{Mrs.B}}}

Teri, I thought you were going to say you're representing the judge. He'll fit right in with your list of "can't win" cases. ;)

Ha ha.

It just occurred to me the guy will be in big trouble if he wants to appeal, because every criminal appellate defense attorney in California hates him.
 
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kellion92

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The school issue is very tricky, AO. At least most of the programs around here only charge $25 or $35 to hold a spot. I'm now looking for a program for next year that is part-time but that is expandable to full-time work hours, should I need it. Definitely have to change schools though.
 

hester

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(((Octavia))) (((Mrs. Brommers and little one))) (((Cricket))) (((kellion))) (((anyone I've missed))).

**Channeling Peter Griffin** You know what really grinds my gears? When you're filling out an agent's online form and they ask for your phone number. Hey, let's face it-you're never going to call and ask me for that second (or first) date. You're never going to send me flowers or chocolates. All you're going to give me is that leap of hope every time the phone rings and I see an unfamiliar area code that it's actually going to be said agent and not an automated voice telling me it's time to refinance my mortgage.

Sigh.
 
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Teriann

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(((Octavia))) (((Mrs. Brommers and little one))) (((Cricket))) (((kellion))) (((anyone I've missed))).

**Channeling Peter Griffin** You know what really grinds my gears? When you're filling out an agent's online form and they ask for your phone number. Hey, let's face it-you're never going to call and ask me for that second (or first) date. You're never going to send me flowers or chocolates. All you're going to give me is that leap of hope every time the phone rings and I see an unfamiliar area code that it's actually going to be said agent and not an automated voice telling me it's time to refinance my mortgage.

Sigh.

How about when an editor, in December, asks to see your manuscript and says, "I will not be able to read it until January." The third week of February and no response.

I'll admit though that when she said, "I won't be able to read it until January," I had a good laugh. The joke in my family when an editor says something like, "You'll hear in January" is "which year?"

When, in early November, an editor says, "You'll hear from me after the holidays," our joke is, "Which holiday? Memorial Day? July 4th?"

Sick humor.

Kellion: Too bad about the job shuffles. And because of you, I was singing Ten Little Indians all day yesterday.
 

Teriann

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I avoid agency online forms entirely. Get a name and the eMail structure - typically it's [email protected], but every agency is different. That form is like the [email protected] eMail, a trap to keep out amateurs and newbs. Just saying.

I tried not to comment, but I just can't help myself.

There are those who feel that agents themselves are a trap for the unwary, nothing more than a hindrance and a stumbling block.

My husband also has a startling opinion. About a year ago, I asked him to learn about the publishing industry to help me venture forth unrepped. He has an MBA and he's actually very clever with business matters. I figured hey, I helped pay for his degree, so shouldn't I get the benefit of his business smarts?

He has been reading and studying now for a year, following trends, reading analysis, and he believes I'm crazy for continuing to want to publish traditionally. He isn't telling me not to. He knows my book fantasies center around my lovely hardcover on the shelves of libraries and not making tons of money, but I can tell you he secretly thinks self-pubbing is wiser, that for anyone with talent and drive, self-pubbing is the way to go and hence traditional publishers are also a stumbling block and hindrance.

Like most people here, though, I'm just not entirely ready. Besides, I don't think middle grade is there -- yet.
 

mario_c

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Fair enough. I have that effect on people, where they shake their head and their blood pressure rises...sorry about that.
I'm thinking along the lines of what script writers have to do - it's wonderful you have the option of publishing and distributing the book yourself. It's why I've steered heavily away from writing and into music because sure, script writers have the option of filming it yourself. All you have to do is blow your life savings, beg for more money and subsequently go into debt, and quit your job or work part-time because of the massive time suck involved in a shoot (before, during and after) and festival appearances, all to end up with a title hidden deep in the bowels of the Netflix/Hulu/Youtube database that no one cares about.
With my music, on the other hand, I need a Mac and a guitar. I've finished a CD of about 7 covers for general playing out and have a scoring demo on my website. That's how I roll with my self-publishing self. And if I suck and no one lets me play for tips, well, I tried and no harm done. Making a movie is a different story.
 

Teriann

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Fair enough. I have that effect on people, where they shake their head and their blood pressure rises...sorry about that.
I'm thinking along the lines of what script writers have to do - it's wonderful you have the option of publishing and distributing the book yourself. It's why I've steered heavily away from writing and into music because sure, script writers have the option of filming it yourself. All you have to do is blow your life savings, beg for more money and subsequently go into debt, and quit your job or work part-time because of the massive time suck involved in a shoot (before, during and after) and festival appearances, all to end up with a title hidden deep in the bowels of the Netflix/Hulu/Youtube database that no one cares about.
With my music, on the other hand, I need a Mac and a guitar. I've finished a CD of about 7 covers for general playing out and have a scoring demo on my website. That's how I roll with my self-publishing self. And if I suck and no one lets me play for tips, well, I tried and no harm done. Making a movie is a different story.

I didn't have any rising blood pressure. I just have that weird quirk when anyone mentions the "A" word. I wonder if I'll ever get over it.

And I was sort of looking for an excuse to post my husband's views on self pubbing (obviously only applies to books) because it's sort of interesting. I'm not sure he's right. It depends on personal goals.
 

Catwoman

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Does he know anything different that you haven't shared?
 

Cricket18

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{{{Octavia}}}
{{{Red}}}
{{{Teriann}}}

I woke up with a sore throat and think I'm getting a chest cold. The baby--yes, the same one I cursed by saying he's better than he'd been--has a bad case of bronchitis. This is his third major respiratory infection, and he's only nine months. These are the perils of school-age siblings, I suppose.

{{{hugs to you both}}}

I hope there's at least something nice waiting at the end of the day, Cricket.

Welp, I get to do it all over again tomorrow. In Burbank by 7:30 am for a board meeting, and then an expo after. Back to workplace by 3:00, home by 7:00. So, in celebration, I am currently sipping red wine and eating dark chocolate cherry fudge.

(((MrsB and BabyB)))

I really have to get my butt in gear for writing. I have been spinning my wheels at my temporary job because I had to figure out what to do about school, camp, and child care should I get the permanent job. But I just realized that I'm not going to get the permanent job -- my boss will want to hire me, but her boss won't. So now I have different problems -- some old ones vanished, and new ones are coming down the pike.

I hate being unsettled.

ETA: And it's dreary because I have to A) do my job B) interview for my job with coworkers even though I'm pretty well doomed C) watch viable candidates interview for my job. Full of losing.

{{{Kellion}}} Egads, honey. So sorry. *sigh* How unsettling and unfair.

Terri, I would LOVE it if you visited that a**hole in jail. Film it, pretty please? :D

{{{Hester}}} Really? A phone number? Weird.

Mario, I couldn't agree more. At least with music you can pick up a guitar and sing to your heart's content. With screenwriting, you *can* make a film, but you'll go broke doing it.
 

Teriann

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Does he know anything different that you haven't shared?

He follows business in general. He owns Apple stock but hasn't bought Amazon for reasons he's explained but I don't understand, so he reads all the whatever quarterly reports businesses publish.

He thinks Apple is going to rise up to give Amazon some serious competition in the ebook arena. They are producing a free app for creating snazzy books with photographs or illustrations which will be sold only through apple (it's their app after all).

He also thinks that the technology is there to do really really cool things with books like the one I have coming out (with 50 photographs -- you may not know the story behind that, but I've put together a collection never before published photographs from the early 1950s which I gathered myself in Virginia).

He says, "If you want to win awards or get critical acclaim, don't self-publish. If you want to make a lot of money, self-publish." If you do it right, and you're prolific, it's very clear to both of us that there can be serious money involved. His belief is that if I keep doing what I've done in the past 6 months with the self pubbing, in 2 to 5 years I'll have a respectable income from royalties. Royalties is the most awesome way to make money because you sit there donig nothing and the money goes clank-clank into the account.

It's not a way to get rich quick, but it is a way to build an income over time. It's hard to predict the future, but it looks like it really works

Finally, you know that phrase "happy wife, happy life." He sees what the process does to me, and the real joy for me has been in self-publishing. Yes, I whooped and hollered when I sold the book to A, but you know, that was 15 months ago and the book isn't coming out for almost another year.

Since we're speaking of my husband, I should tell you all that he did actually come home with flowers for me on February 15. Tee hee. He genuinely really felt he bought them spontaneously, and maybe he did . .. spontaneously on the day they're half price. :)
 

ink wench

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*collapses on couch*

So tired. Week from hell. And we have company arriving tonight. I just want to be left alone to sleep.
 

Amarie

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If anyone is looking for procrastination ideas, #publishingeuphemisms on Twitter is a good one today. An agent started it to put out some agent snark, but I don't think realized authors would jump in with a lot of snark of their own. MJRose in particular is really funny.

eta: it's also showing who are actually really nasty people, good for a "do not approach" list.
 
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Snappy

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Morning Pitizens.

Welp, I get to do it all over again tomorrow. In Burbank by 7:30 am for a board meeting, and then an expo after. Back to workplace by 3:00, home by 7:00. So, in celebration, I am currently sipping red wine and eating dark chocolate cherry fudge.

Red wine and fudge, both well earned AND a good plan.

*collapses on couch*

So tired. Week from hell. And we have company arriving tonight. I just want to be left alone to sleep.

(((Ink))) May you have a restful weekend.

If anyone is looking for procrastination ideas, #publishingeuphemisms on Twitter is a good one today. An agent started it to put out some agent snark, but I don't think realized authors would jump in with a lot of snark of their own. MJRose in particular is really funny.

eta: it's also showing who are actually really nasty people, good for a "do not approach" list.

Uh oh. Another reason to procrastinate? Why yes, please.
 

kellion92

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Maybe it was just the experience of reading so many #publishingeuphemisms, but they didn't strike me as funny, or even as humor. Most of them were just plain truth.

I'm kind of a humor snob though. How well a joke is constructed influences my experience of whether it is funny. Most people don't write jokes properly.

Gee, I'm fun, aren't I?
 

Little Red Barn

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Maybe it was just the experience of reading so many #publishingeuphemisms, but they didn't strike me as funny, or even as humor. Most of them were just plain truth.

I'm kind of a humor snob though. How well a joke is constructed influences my experience of whether it is funny. Most people don't write jokes properly.

Gee, I'm fun, aren't I?
*waves* i found them as another way to demean, or joke at the expense of a writer's misfortune.
 

Amarie

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sorry all, I shouldn't have directed you there. some days I have a very dark, the-world-is-absurd, sense of humor, which is why Catch-22 is on of my favorite books.

eta: this is why I retreat into the world a 10-yr-old would like when I write.
 
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