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Musa Publishing

Daddyo

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I've been following this thread since its inception and, man, has it taken a turn. One of the questions I've seen posed countless times in regards to publisher searching is: "Have you read any of their books". I've taken heed of that advice and have a bookshelf lined (and Kindle stocked) with unread, or unreadable, books and a few gems from publishers that I have investigated. I get a snapshot of the quality of the writing and the editing associated with each house.

The point is that I decided to check out an example from Musa in the genre that interests me most, that being mystery/crime/thriller. I've been reading Musa author Martin Bodenham's THE GENEVA CONNECTION and must say that I'm impressed. Solid story and writing, and quality editing. I'd buy from them again and feel that the success of a publisher lies in the work that they are producing. Readers will eventually find them and give them money.
 

LaneHeymont

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I've been following this thread since its inception and, man, has it taken a turn. One of the questions I've seen posed countless times in regards to publisher searching is: "Have you read any of their books". I've taken heed of that advice and have a bookshelf lined (and Kindle stocked) with unread, or unreadable, books and a few gems from publishers that I have investigated. I get a snapshot of the quality of the writing and the editing associated with each house.

The point is that I decided to check out an example from Musa in the genre that interests me most, that being mystery/crime/thriller. I've been reading Musa author Martin Bodenham's THE GENEVA CONNECTION and must say that I'm impressed. Solid story and writing, and quality editing. I'd buy from them again and feel that the success of a publisher lies in the work that they are producing. Readers will eventually find them and give them money.

Off-topic, but this is a helpful point! I started doing that with my new Nook tablet, and B&N lets you download up to the first 40 pages of books. I will check out some Musa books, assuming their available for the nook. :)
 

Penhead

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Priceless, I'm not discussing this because I submitted there. I don't really have "a dog in the race." I'd offer the same remarks regardless. As a submitter, I assure you that I'm not desperate, or stupid.

Your other remarks are ignorant. I've worked in editing and as a reader for other publishers, so I do now a wee bit about the business.
 

LaneHeymont

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I followed Daddyo's example and downloaded several samples of Musa books on my nook. I wasn't impressed by the cover art—note I'm not an artist, and they are 1,000 times better than I could produce.

A major suggestion I have, and I don't know if that is JUST on the nook or not, but the blurb or description of each book is short. I was unable to get any real idea what the book was about, so in all honesty I only downloaded 3 books. Again, I don't if that's just on the nook, but I would love to see the books given more "blurbage"

Some examples of this:

- The Philosopher's Lover: "When philosophy meets reality. 'The real is the rational,' or is it?"...I kind of get what's trying to be said here, but 'the real is the rational' does not exactly fit with philosophy...as I assume the book deals with philosophy? I have a degree in philosophy so...I was intrigued, but want to know more!

- The Silent Hills: "Everyone has a secret."...okay, so who cares?

The three samples I download:

1) The Royal Scam: The Martian Alliance 1- Can't say much...the sample was 5 paragraphs...of mostly dialogue...wish there was more!

2)Lost in the Bayou...I was expecting to LOVE this, because my first book takes place in Reconstruction Louisiana, and is all about Voodoo etc. I did, and I didn't. There are some GREAT descriptions such as..."At twilight, a ghostly blanket of fog rolls in." LOVE that! But, there's a page and a half of descriptions just as beautiful...which dragged. It was also difficult to know who was talking a few pages in, and I gave up. I think the author is FANTASTIC, but noticed a grammar mistake or two (sorry I don't remember where, I should have taken notes, apologies). I must also note, I notice the same thing in WoTC books, and "mainstream" books so no real biggie?

3) The Geneva Connection (due to Daddyo's response)...honestly did not get off the first page. First paragraph..."rubbed away at his sleeve"...doesn't make sense and is a colloquialism...it may just be that I finished a course at Harvard and had this issue beaten violently into my head! Lol. Once I reached this sentence, "...Buick that looked it was trying to shaft the rear of an equally burned-out Corolla." I count two colloquialisms, and not quite sure what "shaft" is referring to in this sentence...the Buick having sex with the Corolla, bump into? I don't know, but the 3 colloquialisms caused me to stop.

These comments are in no way a reflection of the author's writing ability, especially the Royal Scam...since I had so little to read. The errors I found I think editing/editors should have been able to solve. Not an attack Musa, of which I had queried but declined, just comments.

And to be honest, I think I might go buy Lost in the Bayou based on the author's amazing descriptions (as many as there are) and it's a topic I love!

My $.02
 

Richard White

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I really don't get what bothers you about colloquialisms.

I mean, it's one thing if you're doing it on an official document or in a college paper, but (to me) colloquialisms can give a book some authenticity. If you're writing about someone who lived in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950 and having only a grade school education and then turn around and have them talking like a college professor, I'd be very disappointed with the book.

The dialogue and the way descriptions are given by the off-screen narrator can set the tone of a book as well as a tightly-crafted phrase or a colorful metaphor.

(Personally, I'd be suspicious of anything that comes out of Harvard, but that's jest muh Midwestern upbringing agin' all you city-slickers. *grin*)
 

Arcadia Divine

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Your other remarks are ignorant. I've worked in editing and as a reader for other publishers, so I do now a wee bit about the business.

You need to do better research. It took me 5 minutes to find out that priceless is the editorial director at behler publications, a publisher recommended by preditors and editors. (feel free to correct me if i'm wrong)

I think she would probably know about the publishing industry, don't you?
 

LaneHeymont

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I really don't get what bothers you about colloquialisms.

I mean, it's one thing if you're doing it on an official document or in a college paper, but (to me) colloquialisms can give a book some authenticity. If you're writing about someone who lived in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950 and having only a grade school education and then turn around and have them talking like a college professor, I'd be very disappointed with the book.

The dialogue and the way descriptions are given by the off-screen narrator can set the tone of a book as well as a tightly-crafted phrase or a colorful metaphor.

(Personally, I'd be suspicious of anything that comes out of Harvard, but that's jest muh Midwestern upbringing agin' all you city-slickers. *grin*)

I'm suspicious because I took a course at Harvard? Lol

As for the colloquialisms, I should have clarified...colloquialisms are great for dialogue, because exactly like you said it's real, and fits with character. However, colloquialisms in narration/outside of dialogue for me is lazy, and I notice in books or rather the lack of them. I'm not saying it IS lazy, but when I noticed I've written one, I backtrack and attempt to rephrase what I was trying to say.
 

Richard White

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I'm suspicious because I took a course at Harvard? Lol

As for the colloquialisms, I should have clarified...colloquialisms are great for dialogue, because exactly like you said it's real, and fits with character. However, colloquialisms in narration/outside of dialogue for me is lazy, and I notice in books or rather the lack of them. I'm not saying it IS lazy, but when I noticed I've written one, I backtrack and attempt to rephrase what I was trying to say.

OK. I was just curious whether it was a personal preference or something a professor was pushing, the way you phrased it in the initial post.

And this is why some people love a book and some people hate it. *grin* The colloquialisms wouldn't bother me in the least, which is not to say you're wrong in being bothered by them. Some people love Brussels sprouts, some people loathe them.

It'd be very boring if everyone liked exactly the same stuff.
 

Penhead

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I"m way ahead of you, Arcadia. I already knew that. Why else her contempt for those she believes beneath her intellect and expertise?

I work with non-fiction publishers at my day job, and have tooled around fiction with my own stuff for a few years now. I'm not totally stupid. Her questions are reasonable, but I have a lifetime dislike for professional snobbery and anyone who insists on controlling a discussion by getting rid of the opposition with such.
 

Terie

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I"m way ahead of you, Arcadia. I already knew that. Why else her contempt for those she believes beneath her intellect and expertise?

I work with non-fiction publishers at my day job, and have tooled around fiction with my own stuff for a few years now. I'm not totally stupid. Her questions are reasonable, but I have a lifetime dislike for professional snobbery and anyone who insists on controlling a discussion by getting rid of the opposition with such.

Dude/tte, you are new and really overstepping the bounds here. Priceless1 has never in any way, here or anywhere else (with the possible and justifiable exception of language directed toward PublishAmerica) shown contempt. The fact that you think her comments here do say a lot more about you than they do about her. What I see is your 'lifetime dislike' colouring how you look at what people say so that you're reading things that simply aren't there.

Also? Please go back upstream and read what MsCelina herself said about scrutiny of Musa.
 

Penhead

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She's trying to shut people up by telling they don't have a right to speak, or to "I've told you this, so now go over there and be quiet.". Again, I ask, is this thread, and board, for purposes of discussion? If not, then I'm in the wrong place. I can hear controlled information at work.

Yes, I already knew who she was. That will not earn a different form of address than I'd give anyone else.

I see a ton of professional ego, and possibly a desire to get rid of competition.
 

Terie

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She's trying to shut people up by telling they don't have a right to speak. Again, I ask, is this thread, and board, for purposes of discussion? If not, then I'm in the wrong place. I can hear controlled information at work.

Yes, I already knew who she was. That will not earn a different form of address than I'd give anyone else.

I see a ton of professional ego, and possibly a desire to get rid of competition.

I believe you're confusing Priceless1 with Richard White, who is not trying to shut people up but simply suggested that someone else step away from their computer while their emotions were running high.

If you're so sure that Pricesless1 is trying to shut people up, perhaps you could quote the posts wherein she's doing so.

And AGAIN I suggest that you go read what MsCelina said about the scrutiny her publishing company is undergoing in this thread. If it doesn't bother her, why on earth should it bother you?
 
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Old Hack

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I"m way ahead of you, Arcadia. I already knew that. Why else her contempt for those she believes beneath her intellect and expertise?

I work with non-fiction publishers at my day job, and have tooled around fiction with my own stuff for a few years now. I'm not totally stupid. Her questions are reasonable, but I have a lifetime dislike for professional snobbery and anyone who insists on controlling a discussion by getting rid of the opposition with such.

She's trying to shut people up by telling they don't have a right to speak, or to "I've told you this, so now go over there and be quiet.". Again, I ask, is this thread, and board, for purposes of discussion? If not, then I'm in the wrong place. I can hear controlled information at work.

Yes, I already knew who she was. That will not earn a different form of address than I'd give anyone else.

I see a ton of professional ego, and possibly a desire to get rid of competition.

Penhead, stop it. Now.

We have one rule at AW and it's Respect Your Fellow Writer. You're stepping over that line. I'm giving you a little leeway here for two reasons: you're new here; and I don't mod this room and don't want to tread on the room mods' toes.

Go and read the Newbie Guide. And if you're then determined to return to this thread, argue the point and not the person or you'll be taking a little holiday from AW.
 

Amadan

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She's trying to shut people up by telling they don't have a right to speak, or to "I've told you this, so now go over there and be quiet.". Again, I ask, is this thread, and board, for purposes of discussion? If not, then I'm in the wrong place. I can hear controlled information at work.

Yes, I already knew who she was. That will not earn a different form of address than I'd give anyone else.

I see a ton of professional ego, and possibly a desire to get rid of competition.


If you're trying to help Musa here, you bring to mind the saying about "Friends like these..."
 

Richard White

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You do understand that Behler Publications and Musa have almost completely different target audiences for their books.

How can there be a desire to "elimintate competition" when they're not competing with each other?

Someone is arguing for the sake of arguing now, IMNSHO.

And for God's sake, the first novella I sold was for e-publishing. Sure, it was e-published by Simon and Schuster back in 2006 and it's recently been released as a dead-tree book as a part of an anthology, but I'm not adverse to e-publishing, I don't want e-publishers to fail and I'm not trying to ruin people's dreams.

However, I do highly recommend that certain individuals consider withdrawing from this conversation until they feel they can get their emotions under control and approach the issue with "facts, figures, actual anecdotes or at least say, "I disagree with your point and 'this is why'". Not, "I disagree with you because you're an idiot (hate e-publishers, trying to eliminate competitors, etc.)."

That's counter-productive at best and makes your publisher/soon-to-be-publisher/want-to-be publisher look REALLY BAD.
 

mscelina

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And I repeat, Musa does NOT need the help.

I firmly believe in the purpose of this forum and hold it up as an example to my authors of what they should look for in a writers' website. Constantly. Musa authors have signed up to Absolute Write because of my recommendation. That certainly isn't going to end because people are asking me tough questions. They need to be asking those questions, and not giving me a slide because I'm pretty or popular or...yeah, thought I'd try to sneak that in...because I am who I am.

Priceless and Old Hack and all the other people asking these questions are on the same side of the war that I am. Take a deep breath and walk away. I'd prefer to answer for myself and my company, thank you very much.
 

LaneHeymont

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OK. I was just curious whether it was a personal preference or something a professor was pushing, the way you phrased it in the initial post.

And this is why some people love a book and some people hate it. *grin* The colloquialisms wouldn't bother me in the least, which is not to say you're wrong in being bothered by them. Some people love Brussels sprouts, some people loathe them.

It'd be very boring if everyone liked exactly the same stuff.

I said the same thing in another post, and for your information I like Brussels sprouts! Now, I leave this thread to its true purpose.
 

James D. Macdonald

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Its true purpose is helping authors decide whether to put Musa on their list.

==============

A Texan is visiting Harvard. He stops a student and asks, "Where's the library at?"

"At Harvard," the student replies, "we do not end sentences with prepositions."

"Okay," says the Texan. "Where's the library at, asshole?"
 

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She's trying to shut people up by telling they don't have a right to speak, or to "I've told you this, so now go over there and be quiet.". Again, I ask, is this thread, and board, for purposes of discussion? If not, then I'm in the wrong place. I can hear controlled information at work.

Yes, I already knew who she was. That will not earn a different form of address than I'd give anyone else.

You will be courteous here on AW. I suggest you might want to step away from the keyboard, and read the Newbie's Guide. Now.

You don't as much as you think you do. Like many, I was here when Behler was a startup, and Priceless One had to learn a lot of things very quickly while trying to run a business. She's been where Musa is. I reckon she learned a few unpleasant lessons along the way.

Priceless One has had to answer these very questions.

I see a ton of professional ego, and possibly a desire to get rid of competition.

That's just daft. Musa and Behler couldn't be farther apart in terms of the books they acquire.

Musa is very smartly going after specific niches; they aren't Behler's niches.
 

Penhead

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We have one rule at AW and it's Respect Your Fellow Writer

Well, that's what I thought too. Since it's not the case, or reserved only for certain people, this is not the place for me.
 

Amadan

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We have one rule at AW and it's Respect Your Fellow Writer

Well, that's what I thought too. Since it's not the case, or reserved only for certain people, this is not the place for me.
golden_flounce.jpg
 

happywritermom

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Wow.

I have to say I am totally and thoroughly impressed by the professionalism of both Priceless and Celina. It would have been easy for either to turn this into a virtual fist fight, but they haven't even come close.

I, personally, am a traditionalist.
I want to see my work in print first or at least see it in print and in e-form simutaneously. I've waited a long time for that and I expect I'll be waiting a lot longer. That's just the way it goes and I'm okay with that. It's worth it.

But, given the current trends in publishing, I am thrilled to see the launch of Musa. The e-publishing world needs it's own gatekeepers and I expect Musa will be a good one.

I still have not seen the questions Priceless raised about marketing and promotion answered yet though.

I'm not sure how Musa can promise large promotional efforts to each author. This is the one area wherein Musa faces the same obstacles as the big six. Promotion and marketing is the same game whether the titles are e-books or traditional books.

The big six largely promote certain titles and let authors promote other titles themselves. Whether fair or not, it's the reality of the business. Promotion and marketing cost money and publishers do their best to make what they feel are the wisest investments.

Can you tell us how Musa will differ in this respect?