New interview

Link Stew (because it’s a bit hardier than link salad)(because I like to talk)

8 December 2009 | Comments Off | Michele Lee

The Book Depository has a whole section for free ebooks.
Babbling about Books is kicking off a week of discussing self publishing. This is a topic I find interesting (and I plan to blog about it tomorrow).
Speaking of which, self published author Zoe Whitten posted this weekend about setting the bar too high in her boycott of amazon.com, an issue I’ve dealt with too. I want to have nothing to do with the antics of Amazon, from trying to force more money out of Hatchett UK, to forcing self publishers to use Createspace, to delisting GLBT titles. But the fact is last week I bought a writing research text for $4 (after shipping) and a book suggested to me by my behavoralist for $5 after shipping and handling. Strapped for finances as I am at the moment not having to wait a month or two to get these materials is very nice. I can imagine how it must be as one on the seller side of business with Amazon,when you can’t ignore the sales figures, even if you might want to.
Punk Rock Advent Calendar- Free songs, lyrics and more.
Lincoln U (which I blogged about before) has ended (reluctantly) their program which forced fat students to take phys ed classes. The director of the Phys Ed department still doesn’t seem to get it, though. I’m not against people being healthier, I’m against “healthy” being defined by a certain BMI or weight and “unhealthy” being defined as anything not at those numbers. In the article the head says that as educators it is their purpose to tell people when they’re wrong and teach them how to be right (I’m paraphrasing, but I’m not far off). A commenter points out, brilliantly, that as a college educator they aren’t supposed to be indoctrinating students to believe one way, but teaching them to be critical thinkers and come to their own conclusions. I agree.
Awesome Agent Nathan Bransford has new digs, including a message board! Aspiring authors take note this is a good resource.
AuthorSolutions fights back against the MWA, SFWA, HWA and RWA delisting of Harlequin books because of their self publishing branch. I think a lot of people are missing the point that it’s unethical for Harlequin to say they are a publisher, yet have their systems set up to make more money by rejecting people than by publishing them. I do think there is a point to saying if the awards offered by these writing groups were more truthful (that’s not the right term, but I’m not sure what a better term would be) then the best books period would win, not the best books published by approved publishers. Of course I also completely understand the level of quality commonly found in self publishing, not to mention the attitude of some self published writers, lends itself to being excluded from awards that are already overwhelmed with submissions and under manned by volunteers. I still support the against Harlequin side due to the insane prices, bait and switch and conflict of interest created by Harlequin’s DellArte Press AND Thomas Nelson’s West Bow Press.
Another post about writers vs money. There can’t really be enough of these, can there?
The IRS appears to be targeting poor people for lengthy audit/legal battles. Way to go being classy folks. There’s an injured puppy next door, would you like to come kick it a few times for good measure?
“You do not need to publish in crappy venues in order to get a publication credit that will make the editors of better venues look at your work.”
Best amazon.com review ever.
Scalzi talks about paying your authors.