L.S. O'Dea's Blog, page 13
August 5, 2015
Honesty in everyday life
I went to the grocery store today.
"Did you find everything okay?" asked the cashier.
"No, I found everything a little expensive," I said.
Honesty doesn't always set you free. Sometimes it delivers an open mouthed, shocked expression.
"Did you find everything okay?" asked the cashier.
"No, I found everything a little expensive," I said.
Honesty doesn't always set you free. Sometimes it delivers an open mouthed, shocked expression.
August 1, 2015
Plot Holes and Bad/Lazy Writing:�� The Last Ship
This will be a reoccurring topic.
I like to watch TV and movies but I can’t help picking them apart for little plot holes (at least that’s what I call these things) or bad/lazy writing. Unfortunately, I’ll be posting a lot of these when the Walking Dead starts again. I love the show, the world, but they could do so much better. Anyway, that blog is for another day.
I’ve been watching the TV series The Last Ship and I love it. Season one was okay with some great episode and some boring episodes. In season two every episode has been very good. Let me be clear in the fact that I don’t know much about military protocol (actually, I only know what I’ve seen on TV) so perhaps this show has a lot of bad writing and holes in the story, but for me it has been very entertaining, until last week’s episode.
On a side note, I don’t think that the commanding officer would actually be going on all these dangerous missions but I’ll let that slide. I’ll suspend my disbelief in that case. The actor who plays Tom Chandler is well cast and is the major character, so we want to see him do things.
The episode (Alone and Unafraid) that aired on 7/26/2015, was entertaining but I couldn’t get over one major issue with the story. This series is a post-apocalyptic story where a plague has wiped out most humans in present day earth. In this episode one of the main “bad” guys, has created more of the virus and wants to get it into the small pockets of survivors. He is looking for those individuals who are naturally immune. Okay, that is all fine and dandy, but the way he chose to get the virus into these small, hidden communities is through stuffed animals. He wants to give the stuffed animal to a child and inside the toy is a vial of virus. I understand what they are trying to do. They want the viewer to see how truly evil these people are. They are not only attacking innocent people but they are doing it through the children. My problem is that I don’t see how that would work in a post-apocalyptic world.
Think about how many stuffed animals your kids have or you had as a kid. Now, imagine that the world has ended. People are dying all over and you either flee with your family to a safe zone or stay in your neighborhood and try and make it on your own, scavenging and such. How many stuffed animals would you allow your children to pack? Probably one or two. That would leave at least another 5-10 per child left in a high percentage of houses. Stuffed animals are not a valuable commodity in a post-apocalyptic world. Children out scavenging would be wary of strangers (as they should be anyway) and they wouldn’t risk taking a stuffed animal from someone they didn’t know. A can of food, some medicine, soap, etc., they might take that chance, but a stuffed animal – no.
Again, I understand what the writers were trying to accomplish but they fell short. They could have used something else, like candy or even a bike. Now, a bike might be useful during the apocalypse. It would help you get from point A to point B faster and you don’t need fuel. Plus, bikes would probably be scavenged by other survivors so they might be scarce. Truthfully, I’m not sure what they should have used and I’m not going to waste more brain power thinking about this (I have my own plot holes in my stories to catch and fill), but I know that they should have worked a little harder and came up with something a bit more believable than a stuffed animal.
I like to watch TV and movies but I can’t help picking them apart for little plot holes (at least that’s what I call these things) or bad/lazy writing. Unfortunately, I’ll be posting a lot of these when the Walking Dead starts again. I love the show, the world, but they could do so much better. Anyway, that blog is for another day.
I’ve been watching the TV series The Last Ship and I love it. Season one was okay with some great episode and some boring episodes. In season two every episode has been very good. Let me be clear in the fact that I don’t know much about military protocol (actually, I only know what I’ve seen on TV) so perhaps this show has a lot of bad writing and holes in the story, but for me it has been very entertaining, until last week’s episode.
On a side note, I don’t think that the commanding officer would actually be going on all these dangerous missions but I’ll let that slide. I’ll suspend my disbelief in that case. The actor who plays Tom Chandler is well cast and is the major character, so we want to see him do things.
The episode (Alone and Unafraid) that aired on 7/26/2015, was entertaining but I couldn’t get over one major issue with the story. This series is a post-apocalyptic story where a plague has wiped out most humans in present day earth. In this episode one of the main “bad” guys, has created more of the virus and wants to get it into the small pockets of survivors. He is looking for those individuals who are naturally immune. Okay, that is all fine and dandy, but the way he chose to get the virus into these small, hidden communities is through stuffed animals. He wants to give the stuffed animal to a child and inside the toy is a vial of virus. I understand what they are trying to do. They want the viewer to see how truly evil these people are. They are not only attacking innocent people but they are doing it through the children. My problem is that I don’t see how that would work in a post-apocalyptic world.
Think about how many stuffed animals your kids have or you had as a kid. Now, imagine that the world has ended. People are dying all over and you either flee with your family to a safe zone or stay in your neighborhood and try and make it on your own, scavenging and such. How many stuffed animals would you allow your children to pack? Probably one or two. That would leave at least another 5-10 per child left in a high percentage of houses. Stuffed animals are not a valuable commodity in a post-apocalyptic world. Children out scavenging would be wary of strangers (as they should be anyway) and they wouldn’t risk taking a stuffed animal from someone they didn’t know. A can of food, some medicine, soap, etc., they might take that chance, but a stuffed animal – no.
Again, I understand what the writers were trying to accomplish but they fell short. They could have used something else, like candy or even a bike. Now, a bike might be useful during the apocalypse. It would help you get from point A to point B faster and you don’t need fuel. Plus, bikes would probably be scavenged by other survivors so they might be scarce. Truthfully, I’m not sure what they should have used and I’m not going to waste more brain power thinking about this (I have my own plot holes in my stories to catch and fill), but I know that they should have worked a little harder and came up with something a bit more believable than a stuffed animal.
July 26, 2015
Parents
I have the most amazing parents. I always knew that they loved me and my brothers and sisters, no matter what (and believe me there were a lot of “whats” with seven kids). I knew my mother’s stepmother and my father’s parents. I also knew that my mother’s stepmother was not a particularly nice person (I’m feeling generous today). What I didn’t find out until my uncle’s funeral is what a terrible stepmother she really was. She was mean and hateful and jealous of my mom because my mom looked just like her mother and her father adored his first wife.
It is unbelievable to me that a grown woman would be jealous of a child. My mom was five when her mother died and ten when her father remarried. How could this woman blame her for her father’s love? If you are a stepmother and you are jealous of your husband’s children – just stop it. Grow up. I’m done with my rant – back to my post.
My father’s mother was a kind and quiet woman but his father was an interesting guy (I am oozing with generosity today). He took all the money that the kids earned when they were older and had jobs because it was his if they still lived at home. This should give you an idea of what kind of man he was. I needn’t drag out any more shameful stories.
What truly amazes me is that both of my parents were wonderful and they didn’t have good role models. Sure from 5-10 my mom’s aunt, who was kind and loving, raised her but from ten on it was the stepmother. My dad’s mother was kind and gentle but she wasn’t the male role model. This proves to me that you can be whatever type of person you choose. You are responsible for your actions and your choices. It isn’t because of where you grew up or who your parents are. The early years are formative, but you can choose to act or not to act like your parents. It is time that we all accept this. There are too many people who blame their home, environment and parents for their life. Once you are an adult, the cards are reshuffled and the game is now played by your choices.
It is unbelievable to me that a grown woman would be jealous of a child. My mom was five when her mother died and ten when her father remarried. How could this woman blame her for her father’s love? If you are a stepmother and you are jealous of your husband’s children – just stop it. Grow up. I’m done with my rant – back to my post.
My father’s mother was a kind and quiet woman but his father was an interesting guy (I am oozing with generosity today). He took all the money that the kids earned when they were older and had jobs because it was his if they still lived at home. This should give you an idea of what kind of man he was. I needn’t drag out any more shameful stories.
What truly amazes me is that both of my parents were wonderful and they didn’t have good role models. Sure from 5-10 my mom’s aunt, who was kind and loving, raised her but from ten on it was the stepmother. My dad’s mother was kind and gentle but she wasn’t the male role model. This proves to me that you can be whatever type of person you choose. You are responsible for your actions and your choices. It isn’t because of where you grew up or who your parents are. The early years are formative, but you can choose to act or not to act like your parents. It is time that we all accept this. There are too many people who blame their home, environment and parents for their life. Once you are an adult, the cards are reshuffled and the game is now played by your choices.
July 18, 2015
First Person who���
Paper comes from trees. Who was the first person to wipe his/her ass on a tree? Leaves I can understand, but the tree - OUCH. I know I can Google it, but I’d rather ponder the history of toilet paper. Was it winter and there were no leaves or grasses? Was it a dare? Or was it some long ago ancestor who would now make Darwin’s List.
Another first is the practice of biting a lamb’s balls off with teeth. This is an actual job as shown on the TV show “Dirty Jobs”. I understand that the quick removal of the balls is probably more humane and hurts less than banding, but who was the first man (please, it was not a woman) to use his teeth? Had he lost his knife? Was he having a werewolf moment? Was he drunk (this factors in to most of my questions)? Was it a dare? Probably a combination of the last two.
Another first is the practice of biting a lamb’s balls off with teeth. This is an actual job as shown on the TV show “Dirty Jobs”. I understand that the quick removal of the balls is probably more humane and hurts less than banding, but who was the first man (please, it was not a woman) to use his teeth? Had he lost his knife? Was he having a werewolf moment? Was he drunk (this factors in to most of my questions)? Was it a dare? Probably a combination of the last two.
July 2, 2015
Harsh Honesty
I have the “gift” (I use that term very loosely) of being able to see the lies that people tell themselves, the little flaws and foibles that everyone keeps hidden. I don’t think that it’s healthy and at least for my family, I point these things out. Now, I never do it to be mean (although it certainly has caused some of them to not speak to me for a little while). Instead, I do it because I believe that it is freeing to look at yourself honestly and accept yourself for who you are flaws and all.
I’m not above improving yourself. If you see something in yourself that you don’t like (and if you are being honest you should find something) then change. It won’t be easy and it won’t be fast, but you can do it and you should. You should also find some other flaws that don’t bother you, and those you should accept.
For example: I know that I have this tendency to be brutally honest with people, but I kind of like that about myself even if others don’t. I can control it. I mean, please, I am not brutally honest at work. I’d be unemployed if I were. I am also quite a bit overweight. I’m not happy about that, but I no longer get upset if someone mentions it (not that people do on a regular basis, most people are more polite than that). But the truth is if you are fat it is not a secret. Everyone knows, so why get upset about it.
I’m not above improving yourself. If you see something in yourself that you don’t like (and if you are being honest you should find something) then change. It won’t be easy and it won’t be fast, but you can do it and you should. You should also find some other flaws that don’t bother you, and those you should accept.
For example: I know that I have this tendency to be brutally honest with people, but I kind of like that about myself even if others don’t. I can control it. I mean, please, I am not brutally honest at work. I’d be unemployed if I were. I am also quite a bit overweight. I’m not happy about that, but I no longer get upset if someone mentions it (not that people do on a regular basis, most people are more polite than that). But the truth is if you are fat it is not a secret. Everyone knows, so why get upset about it.
Thick Skin
I was reading some comments on Goodreads the other day. Someone was upset because he received bad reviews. This writer seemed to believe that the reviewers were “out to get him”. Does that really happen? I understand that no one wants bad reviews, but are you that important that someone deliberately sets out to sabotage you? I’m not.
I suppose in this day of hidden identity on the web it could happen. However, from what I’ve seen in the comments section, it seems like it’s more the case of a reviewer giving an honest review (although a bad one) and the author being offended enough to verbally attack the reviewer.
That makes me wonder if these authors ever took a writing class. If they did, they didn’t take ones like I attended. In a real classroom we handed out copies of our stories the day before our review. On the day of the review, we would sit quietly while the entire class discussed our story. We were not allowed to speak at all. It was not always easy especially when the class wasn’t “getting” the story or the message. However, it was enlightening because I learned to read and edit and attempt to make everything crystal clear but not obvious (that is a fine line to walk).
I believe that the purpose of this exercise was twofold. One an author cannot go to every person who reads her work and explain it. It has to stand on its own. Two, if you want to be an author, you better thicken your skin. Not everyone is going to like your work. Period.
Putting your book out there is like sending your child off to school. You pray that everyone will always like your child, but you know that is not the way the world works. I think we, as authors, need to remember that. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion about your book even if you don’t like what they have to say.
I suppose in this day of hidden identity on the web it could happen. However, from what I’ve seen in the comments section, it seems like it’s more the case of a reviewer giving an honest review (although a bad one) and the author being offended enough to verbally attack the reviewer.
That makes me wonder if these authors ever took a writing class. If they did, they didn’t take ones like I attended. In a real classroom we handed out copies of our stories the day before our review. On the day of the review, we would sit quietly while the entire class discussed our story. We were not allowed to speak at all. It was not always easy especially when the class wasn’t “getting” the story or the message. However, it was enlightening because I learned to read and edit and attempt to make everything crystal clear but not obvious (that is a fine line to walk).
I believe that the purpose of this exercise was twofold. One an author cannot go to every person who reads her work and explain it. It has to stand on its own. Two, if you want to be an author, you better thicken your skin. Not everyone is going to like your work. Period.
Putting your book out there is like sending your child off to school. You pray that everyone will always like your child, but you know that is not the way the world works. I think we, as authors, need to remember that. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion about your book even if you don’t like what they have to say.
June 30, 2015
Thick Skin
I was reading some comments on Goodreads the other day. Someone was upset because he received bad reviews. This writer seemed to believe that the reviewers were “out to get him”. Does that really happen? I understand that no one wants bad reviews, but are you that important that someone deliberately sets out to sabotage you? I’m not.
I suppose in this day of hidden identity on the web it could happen. However, from what I’ve seen in the comments section, it seems like it’s more the case of a reviewer giving an honest review (although a bad one) and the author being offended enough to verbally attack the reviewer.
That makes me wonder if these authors ever took a writing class. If they did, they didn’t take ones like I attended. In a real classroom we handed out copies of our stories the day before our review. On the day of the review, we would sit quietly while the entire class discussed our story. We were not allowed to speak at all. It was not always easy especially when the class wasn’t “getting” the story or the message. However, it was enlightening because I learned to read and edit and attempt to make everything crystal clear but not obvious (that is a fine line to walk).
I believe that the purpose of this exercise was twofold. One an author cannot go to every person who reads her work and explain it. It has to stand on its own. Two, if you want to be an author, you better thicken your skin. Not everyone is going to like your work. Period.
Putting your book out there is like sending your child off to school. You pray that everyone will always like your child, but you know that is not the way the world works. I think we, as authors, need to remember that. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion about your book even if you don’t like what they have to say.
I suppose in this day of hidden identity on the web it could happen. However, from what I’ve seen in the comments section, it seems like it’s more the case of a reviewer giving an honest review (although a bad one) and the author being offended enough to verbally attack the reviewer.
That makes me wonder if these authors ever took a writing class. If they did, they didn’t take ones like I attended. In a real classroom we handed out copies of our stories the day before our review. On the day of the review, we would sit quietly while the entire class discussed our story. We were not allowed to speak at all. It was not always easy especially when the class wasn’t “getting” the story or the message. However, it was enlightening because I learned to read and edit and attempt to make everything crystal clear but not obvious (that is a fine line to walk).
I believe that the purpose of this exercise was twofold. One an author cannot go to every person who reads her work and explain it. It has to stand on its own. Two, if you want to be an author, you better thicken your skin. Not everyone is going to like your work. Period.
Putting your book out there is like sending your child off to school. You pray that everyone will always like your child, but you know that is not the way the world works. I think we, as authors, need to remember that. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion about your book even if you don’t like what they have to say.
June 29, 2015
Harsh honesty
I have the “gift” (I use that term very loosely) of being able to see the lies that people tell themselves, the little flaws and foibles that everyone keeps hidden. I don’t think that it’s healthy and at least for my family, I point these things out. Now, I never do it to be mean (although it certainly has caused some of them to not speak to me for a little while). Instead, I do it because I believe that it is freeing to look at yourself honestly and accept yourself for who you are flaws and all.
I’m not above improving yourself. If you see something in yourself that you don’t like (and if you are being honest you should find something) then change. It won’t be easy and it won’t be fast, but you can do it and you should. You should also find some other flaws that don’t bother you, and those you should accept.
For example: I know that I have this tendency to be brutally honest with people, but I kind of like that about myself even if others don’t. I can control it. I mean, please, I am not brutally honest at work. I’d be unemployed if I were. I am also quite a bit overweight. I’m not happy about that, but I no longer get upset if someone mentions it (not that people do on a regular basis, most people are more polite than that). But the truth is if you are fat it is not a secret. Everyone knows. so why get upset about it.
I’m not above improving yourself. If you see something in yourself that you don’t like (and if you are being honest you should find something) then change. It won’t be easy and it won’t be fast, but you can do it and you should. You should also find some other flaws that don’t bother you, and those you should accept.
For example: I know that I have this tendency to be brutally honest with people, but I kind of like that about myself even if others don’t. I can control it. I mean, please, I am not brutally honest at work. I’d be unemployed if I were. I am also quite a bit overweight. I’m not happy about that, but I no longer get upset if someone mentions it (not that people do on a regular basis, most people are more polite than that). But the truth is if you are fat it is not a secret. Everyone knows. so why get upset about it.
March 28, 2015
I don't get people
I'm running an ad campaign on BookDaily, so I've been spending a bit more time there than usual. Since, with the ad, I am now and "emerging author", I was taking a look at some of the other books in all the genres. I saw one that interested me so I clicked on it to read more about it.
The description was short, but still, I thought it might be something that I'd like to read, so I clicked on the button for the Kindle edition. The Amazon web page launched and the price for the Kindle edition is $6.99. What is this author thinking? Does he/she not want to sell many books? I wouldn't pay $6.99 for a Kindle version of a book by George R. R. Martin or J. K. Rowlings let alone some unknown author.
You could say that maybe this author just wants the book out there, but then why is he/she advertising it on BookDaily? The advertising there is not cheap.
When I first launched my book, I was coaxed into the $2.99 price so that I could earn 70% of the profits instead of 30% (my books are in the KDP program), but I realized that I wasn't selling anything. Sure, a few friends forked over the three bucks but that was it. So, I've lowered the price to 99 cents and have been selling a few.
Now, it is not my business what others price their book(s) but I have to wonder how they think they are going to sell any at the higher prices. The book may be wonderful but who's going to give it a chance for seven dollars?
I am going to contact BookDaily and suggest that they show the price on the mouse-over because I wouldn't even go to the website to read the excerpt for a book priced that high. Now, I know that will make BookDaily's stats look worse (CTR), however, as a reader, I am not going to use BookDaily too often if I take the time to read the excerpt (sample chapter) and then when I go to Amazon the book is priced too high (for me). This could be why BookDaily is not one of the top promoters at least according to us authors. Browse any of the author forums and you'll see that 99% of the comments state that BookDaily does not deliver in sales. This could be why. As a reader, I don't want to become interested in a book just to not buy it because it is priced way too high.
I'd love to hear what anyone else thinks on the matter.
The description was short, but still, I thought it might be something that I'd like to read, so I clicked on the button for the Kindle edition. The Amazon web page launched and the price for the Kindle edition is $6.99. What is this author thinking? Does he/she not want to sell many books? I wouldn't pay $6.99 for a Kindle version of a book by George R. R. Martin or J. K. Rowlings let alone some unknown author.
You could say that maybe this author just wants the book out there, but then why is he/she advertising it on BookDaily? The advertising there is not cheap.
When I first launched my book, I was coaxed into the $2.99 price so that I could earn 70% of the profits instead of 30% (my books are in the KDP program), but I realized that I wasn't selling anything. Sure, a few friends forked over the three bucks but that was it. So, I've lowered the price to 99 cents and have been selling a few.
Now, it is not my business what others price their book(s) but I have to wonder how they think they are going to sell any at the higher prices. The book may be wonderful but who's going to give it a chance for seven dollars?
I am going to contact BookDaily and suggest that they show the price on the mouse-over because I wouldn't even go to the website to read the excerpt for a book priced that high. Now, I know that will make BookDaily's stats look worse (CTR), however, as a reader, I am not going to use BookDaily too often if I take the time to read the excerpt (sample chapter) and then when I go to Amazon the book is priced too high (for me). This could be why BookDaily is not one of the top promoters at least according to us authors. Browse any of the author forums and you'll see that 99% of the comments state that BookDaily does not deliver in sales. This could be why. As a reader, I don't want to become interested in a book just to not buy it because it is priced way too high.
I'd love to hear what anyone else thinks on the matter.
February 26, 2015
First Blog - weird
Not sure why the first blog entry is repeating so much. It doesn't look like that on my web page. Weird. www.lsodea.com
