Purgatory's Pit of Doom

Darn, I couldn't find the blog post either. If it's that bad, it will soon be wending its way around the internets though. If anyone finds it, rep me please!

I think Janet Re1d is one of the smartest, nicest people out there, so I'm intrigued.

Amarie said:

Count me among the clueless. I hadn't even heard of Tor until I started hanging around AW, though I'm sure I've read dozens and dozens of their books.

You're right-it would be smart for YA imprints to do some sort of effective branding for the average consumer. I know people in the business start to realize what the different imprints lean toward, but not so much outside. I heard one editor speak at a conference about the Poppy line of YA, though of course I've forgotten which publishing house she was with. They were trying to market all those books so that if a reader liked one, they'd likely enjoy another.

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When I saw that, Amarie, I also thought about why some of the large publishers are on Barnes and Noble's side in the recent Amazon disputes.

Without a national chain to buy prime real estate in, major publishers have less control over what becomes a bestseller. I always thought a more democratic publishing industry with more books published for average advances would be better for writers and readers. (Why I like self publishing on principle.)

I think you have to call the purchase of that table space the purchase of prime real estate. If I coulf afford to buy table space in every Barnes and Nobel, well, lets just say I could start doing some favors for friends.

Parametric said:

I think Janet Re1d is one of the smartest, nicest people out there, so I'm intrigued.

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You know she was Miss Snark, right?

I heard her at a conference. Not a fan. At all.

But what else did you expect from me? She speaks very, very well and she is an excellent writer, but, well, I'll say no more, at least in public.

ETA: I'm trying to decide whether to delete this. I should.

She doesn't much like Konrath though after that post he did some time back basically calling her a total and complete bonehead. She'd probably love a chance to get him back. I can't imagine her going after any other writers, but he's sort of fair game. So that's my guess.

Yep, I know - but I also like Miss Snark. JR posts tons of helpful and encouraging stuff. I've learned a lot from her.

I loved Miss Snark, though I only found her after the blog was finished. I just told someone a couple of weeks ago they should go read it as a crash course on the publishing world.

I followed her blog as she was writing it.

Once upon a time I was a snarkling. I have some comments in her blog and I had private communication with her to ask questions.

Just goes to show how much my opinions change, which is why I never ever claim to be right.

My opinion of her now is very low. As I see it, she is very effectively promoting her own business in the guise of helping writers. But hey, I never claimed not to be thoroughly cynical and jaded.

Seems like the big news of the day involves the apple lawsuit.

http://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2012/03/apple-harper-and-penguin-reply-to-agency-pricing-class-action-lawsuit/

I'm curious where it goes, but I don't really have a horse in this race -- or rather, I have too many horses on all sides. As a self-pubber, high publisher prices help self-pubbed books sell, as a trade published author, higher prices mean more royalties, but as a reader, lower overall prices helps me buy more books.

So, I was up all night with an Exorcist-vomiting kid. The third time he threw up was in my room and he managed to hit the wall and my dry-clean only curtains. (Girl scout thin mints were in there somewhere.)

Here I am, Monday am, wishing I were somewhere else, or someone else.

I just don't know how people get anything productive done involving brain cells when they have kids.

((((cat)))))


I had one of those kids too. Not so fond memories of the time the couch was delivered back to us after having been recovered, and the kiddo threw up all over it 15 minutes after it came in the door. It had to go back out to be cleaned-it was such a disaster, they couldn't do it at our house and had to take it away for desmellification

I just don't know how people get anything productive done involving brain cells when they have kids.

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Cat,
If it makes you feel any better. I had a giant tantrum/meltdown involving that very same thought. We had two weeks of kids alternating puking with strep throat and I thought for sure my brain had turned to tapioca. You're not alone in the Mommy pit of pukey kids and damaged brain cells. :]

(((Noompsy, Cat, and Amarie)))

In December, my 6 and 4-year-olds got the stomach flu at the same time. Both of them puking at the same time in the middle of the night. This was just after my baby had been sick with liver and respiratory problems for months. We lived in doctors' offices and did many, many trips to the children's hospital, which is a 45-minute drive each way. Now the 4-year-old has been getting strep like crazy and needs his tonsils out. It took me so much longer than usual for me to write the first draft of the MS I'm now revising. I swear, there are days I swear getting in ten words feels like a huge accomplishment.

Hi all. Today is definitely a low in the Pit for me. Not writing related, but my day job company is downsizing, and my good friend got the axe. I'm so upset.

Hugs for sick kids and fired friends.

(((Cat and kid)))

(((Snappy and friend)))

(((snappy and sick kiddos and parents of sick kiddos))))

Thanks. And to make matters worse, she's a librarian. A damn good one. *sigh*

Moms are special people, and they have their own special Pit. Full of vomit and screaming tantrum noises and The Wiggles.
I am happy to say I have never inflicted momhood on anyone - though it's not from a lack of not trying - and I have stayed close to my own mom, whose misery caused by me I strangely can't recall. Weird how that works.

LOL! Mario, your double negatives are mystifying me. Can't figure out if you haven't been trying to impregnate some unsuspecting soul or if you have?

{{{Snappy}}} And a librarian--what a kick in the teeth.

{{{Pit Mom's}}}

mario_c said:

Moms are special people, and they have their own special Pit. Full of vomit and screaming tantrum noises and The Wiggles.
I am happy to say I have never inflicted momhood on anyone - though it's not from a lack of not trying - and I have stayed close to my own mom, whose misery caused by me I strangely can't recall. Weird how that works.

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I'm with Red, though. Were you or were you not trying to impregnate? Wait, don't answer that.

A very long story of which involves blood clots and whatnot...just found out my dad is having emergency surgery tomorrow. He works out 4 times a week and walks EVERYWHERE. Always takes multiple walks each day. How does this stuff happen? I'm sure he'll be fine, but

((Cricket)) I'm sure he'll be fine too, especially since it sounds like he's in good shape to begin with.

mario_c said:

and I have stayed close to my own mom, whose misery caused by me I strangely can't recall. Weird how that works.

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Well, I'm sure she'd want it that way, and it's the sort of misery where you also feel so bad for the little sick ones that you deal with your own lesser, only temporary misery.

(((Cricket))) Let us know how it goes.

Mario, you crack me up.

Mario, lol! I'm also scratching my head a bit.

(((Cricket and dad))) I'm convinced that at least half the time there is no rhyme or reason to stuff like that. Hoping for the best.

It's going to be tough for me not to be distracted by all the debate about the 50 Shades of Gray book, and the fanfiction element of it, and how it came to get a giant publishing deal. It's one of those weird turn-of-events that an author couldn't purposely bring about it they set out on purpose to do it.

so sorry about the emergency surgery, Cricket. (((sick kids))) (((sick parents)))