November 29

Once it’s on the internet it’s permanent.

Jodi Lee reposted an interview she did with me in 2008, as well as her review of Rot. I have to say I still like both. And it’s fitting since a certain publisher who shall not be named has told me they’d be very very interested in something longer in the Rot-world based on Rot and a related short they read, plus Horror Library volume 4 featuring my Rot-world short story, What was Once Man, is now out in the wild…

Category: Business, My Work, Rot series | Comments Off on Once it’s on the internet it’s permanent.
November 23

Dear Publishers

I know it’s hard for you. Really, I do. I understand the kind of competition that’s out there. I did before I started working in a bookstore, but I definitely do now that I sell books directly to the readers for a living. And I understand that you small publishers need to focus on the methods that keep in in business, and I sympathize.

But I fucking HATE it when in order to support my friends’ and favorite authors’ careers I am forced to buy from a retailer I hated before I started working for the competition. I hate having to jump through your hoops in addition to giving you my money in order to keep my friends in contracts. You know who you are, you, the publisher who demanded 100 copies minimum be sold through Amazon in order for a friend of mine who is trying to start a career get another chance at another contract with you. Not only is it unfair to only have the Amazon sales count to my friend it’s unfair to me, who is more than willing to pay full price for the book, but hates having to support the evil empire in order to support my friend.

Despite the recent outrage over Amazon publishing a How To Molest Kids guide I ordered the damn book anyway because I know it only “counts” if my friend gets the sales through Amazon. But I HATE being put in this position and honestly that’s why I only ordered my friend’s book instead of any of your other books, which I would have picked up if I was buying from your website instead. Instead I couldn’t even find this book on your site.

This is a very disappointing move, Dear Publisher. Consider this my way of formally logging a complaint.

Category: Business | Comments Off on Dear Publishers
November 3

The way it has to be

I’m sad to report the obvious: It’s officially the holiday shopping season (I mean, when it looks like the holidays vomited on the store and I’m over half way done with my Yule list it’s officially the shopping season for normal people, right?) and I work retail. Between that and the MG zombie book I need to have done by the end of the month (but I ham half done…with the first draft) blogging, AND reviewing is being relegated to “When I feel like it”.

I will be continuing to post new reviews, but no longer in any sort of schedule before. They’ll just be posted whenever I’m done. and blogging here will come down to “When I have something to say” which really is what this blog should be–an outlet equally as much as a source of free entertainment to you (and a place where my distant friends and family can come to keep up with me.)

At this point everything I’ve had accepted has come out (even if I am waiting on contributor copies and payment) and while I have more on sub with great chances this is again the part where the work comes in. Blogging and reviewing is like the pretty wrapping paper that I put reading and writing in.

So the focus has to be there.

Besides, I need to do a little refocusing about my web presence any way.

Category: Business, My Work | Comments Off on The way it has to be
October 21

Hiatus, maybe

I have a ton of work this week including day job work and the massive work that is WFC. Anyone who has gone on a big trip knows that before you can even pack you have to do laundry and make sure you have all the [bags/toothpaste/body wash/socks] you need. And before you can leave the house you have to “set up” certain things so you don’t come home to a disaster. Not that I think I’ll be coming home to a disaster, but my family is being awesome enough to let me run off for four days over what is our most family-centric time of the year (Jason takes his vacation this time every year.) So I’m trying to be awesome enough to set them up for a good four days instead of ones filled with “holy shit we forgot to get dog food”s.

Likewise, with it being a busy time of the year, both the kids’ school are having fall festivals (which require everything from candy and cookie donations to art contest entries) and next Friday will be their in-class Halloween parties. This will be my first time ever missing a class party–and I’ll miss two of my favorites. So to ease things we’ve been stuffing treat bags for the classes not to mention spending lots of family time together.

Plus, um, I sort of promised the kids that I’d write a zombie book they could actually read for them as a Yule gift and there is only like a month before I need to have it ready in order to print copies in order to have them for sure by Yule.

And did I mention Pam Grier is signing at the store tomorrow?

So yeah. Busy.

Oh yeah, and Horror Library v 4 officially launches on the 26th. You should buy a copy because it has an amazing table of contents (I’m in a book with Bentley Little! And Jeff Strand!)

So blogging (and Twittering) will be sporadic. I’d say non existent, but then I’d find something I want to rant about. So let’s go with sporadic.

Category: Business, My Work | Comments Off on Hiatus, maybe