Kicks Blogger
It's taken me close to two months to finally get into Blogger after they changed everything over, so needless to say I'm a little peeved at the situation. However, I'm back and trying to catch up again. I do need to get this kickstarted back into action.
So what's been happening?
Well damn, where to start really?
Wicked Women launched. Late due to health issues at my end. No one elses fault and I take full responsibility for that. So far it's doing well and there is still interested in Bad Boys. This is mainly thanks to the authors involved in the projects.
Claudia Christian is taking extra copies Wicked Women to the conventions she's attending, which also helps.
I've had a short released with Triskelion, and now I'm sat back watching the fall out from an incident that was made public. Do I have personal thoughts on the situation, of course I do. Most of them I'll keep private, thank you.
One or two I'll make public.
1. The authors who had print contracts and now don't. Considering the almost non existant notice given to some of the authors involved, and the expense laid out by said authors I do believe the situation could have been handled better. I do not fault Triskelion for pulling back on their print commitments, but it was done in such a manner that several authors lost a fair chunk of change that they have no way of re-couping. Had that happened to me I would be loathe to trust the publishing house again unless some effort had been made to recompense me for the work and money I had put in, a kill fee if you will. Even a token kill fee can go a long way toward soothing hurt feelings and keeping authors happier. It shows an understanding of the loss suffered by the author. However, I don't know if such was offered, or if that was covered by the print contracts, or what went on behind the scenes to help authors out after the news was made public.
2. Never say anything in a public forum, and private lists on yahoo are exactly that, public forums, that you are not comfortable saying to the world at large. Then once you've said it remember, no one forced you to hit the send button.
We all have bad days, we all go through things with family and friends that might range from annoying to heart rending. But if, for example, (no this is not real information, this is made up) I found out my second cousin twice removed, was really a transvestite whose taste ran to sheep and had tried to get a marriage arranged between himself and his ewe lover, there's no way I'd inform people on a list.
Why?
Because he might be sick and need help, so when he was recovered from his sheep infatuation he would then have to face the knowledge that a good portion of the net knew about his slip into animal love. Which would make it harder for him to recover in the long term.
If I wanted to rant/vent to someone about the situation I'd choose a person I trusted and I'd do so on the phone in case the email was picked up by someone else. Either through me mistyping the address, a falling out with said friend later, a program on their computer, shared access etc.
Do I think less of the person who made the slip on list?
No, I think that person is human and made a mistake. One, I hope, won't bite them in the ass down the line and make the situation far worse.
Now part of the problem is that email was forwarded, and there have been discussions about violation of privacy. Privacy is a tricky thing and contract or not it's very hard to enforce. When you use a system like yahoo groups which is easily searchable by google, all reasonable expectations of privacy cease to exist.
When you KNOW, or strongly suspect, that emails are already being forwarded from said list you are admitting that privacy no longer exists.
If you forward someone elses email without their consent you are tossing aside the right to privacy in return. Even if the contents of the email contain information that needs to be passed on it is better to take the information and re-word it into the announcement needed. Or post just the required quotes. Unless the original writer of the email posts said email themselves to a public forum they have a resonable expectation of privacy themselves.
Privacy is a two way street. You cannot expect it and yet ignore anothers right to it in return.
Again, do I think less of those involved. No, I think lessons need to be learned from this and those involved move on to focus on the work at hand.
And onto promotions.
I've started a yahoo group to help authors network to arrange signings. You must be an author, editor, publisher, or owner of an establishment willing to host signings in order to join the list.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Havebookswilltravel/
I'll do another post later about my experience at Romance Times in Houston, and what has happened since then. But for now I'll sign off and catch up with a few other items.
Terri Pray
So what's been happening?
Well damn, where to start really?
Wicked Women launched. Late due to health issues at my end. No one elses fault and I take full responsibility for that. So far it's doing well and there is still interested in Bad Boys. This is mainly thanks to the authors involved in the projects.
Claudia Christian is taking extra copies Wicked Women to the conventions she's attending, which also helps.
I've had a short released with Triskelion, and now I'm sat back watching the fall out from an incident that was made public. Do I have personal thoughts on the situation, of course I do. Most of them I'll keep private, thank you.
One or two I'll make public.
1. The authors who had print contracts and now don't. Considering the almost non existant notice given to some of the authors involved, and the expense laid out by said authors I do believe the situation could have been handled better. I do not fault Triskelion for pulling back on their print commitments, but it was done in such a manner that several authors lost a fair chunk of change that they have no way of re-couping. Had that happened to me I would be loathe to trust the publishing house again unless some effort had been made to recompense me for the work and money I had put in, a kill fee if you will. Even a token kill fee can go a long way toward soothing hurt feelings and keeping authors happier. It shows an understanding of the loss suffered by the author. However, I don't know if such was offered, or if that was covered by the print contracts, or what went on behind the scenes to help authors out after the news was made public.
2. Never say anything in a public forum, and private lists on yahoo are exactly that, public forums, that you are not comfortable saying to the world at large. Then once you've said it remember, no one forced you to hit the send button.
We all have bad days, we all go through things with family and friends that might range from annoying to heart rending. But if, for example, (no this is not real information, this is made up) I found out my second cousin twice removed, was really a transvestite whose taste ran to sheep and had tried to get a marriage arranged between himself and his ewe lover, there's no way I'd inform people on a list.
Why?
Because he might be sick and need help, so when he was recovered from his sheep infatuation he would then have to face the knowledge that a good portion of the net knew about his slip into animal love. Which would make it harder for him to recover in the long term.
If I wanted to rant/vent to someone about the situation I'd choose a person I trusted and I'd do so on the phone in case the email was picked up by someone else. Either through me mistyping the address, a falling out with said friend later, a program on their computer, shared access etc.
Do I think less of the person who made the slip on list?
No, I think that person is human and made a mistake. One, I hope, won't bite them in the ass down the line and make the situation far worse.
Now part of the problem is that email was forwarded, and there have been discussions about violation of privacy. Privacy is a tricky thing and contract or not it's very hard to enforce. When you use a system like yahoo groups which is easily searchable by google, all reasonable expectations of privacy cease to exist.
When you KNOW, or strongly suspect, that emails are already being forwarded from said list you are admitting that privacy no longer exists.
If you forward someone elses email without their consent you are tossing aside the right to privacy in return. Even if the contents of the email contain information that needs to be passed on it is better to take the information and re-word it into the announcement needed. Or post just the required quotes. Unless the original writer of the email posts said email themselves to a public forum they have a resonable expectation of privacy themselves.
Privacy is a two way street. You cannot expect it and yet ignore anothers right to it in return.
Again, do I think less of those involved. No, I think lessons need to be learned from this and those involved move on to focus on the work at hand.
And onto promotions.
I've started a yahoo group to help authors network to arrange signings. You must be an author, editor, publisher, or owner of an establishment willing to host signings in order to join the list.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Havebookswilltravel/
I'll do another post later about my experience at Romance Times in Houston, and what has happened since then. But for now I'll sign off and catch up with a few other items.
Terri Pray
posted by Terri Pray | 7:58 AM
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