Ray McCarthy's Blog, page 4
December 19, 2016
The Solar Alliance Release
Proofing of “The Solar Alliance” is done, though, just in case the release date is set for the 23rd January 2017.
It will include the Novella, “Laying Ghosts”, which takes from near the end of “The Solar Alliance”, from Maisie’s POV (Point Of View) and continues the story. It didn’t quite work for me as a part IV of “The Solar Alliance” nor as a standalone story.
November 10, 2016
Soon: The Solar Alliance
This Earth based thriller examines what happens two years after the Alien starship, Intergal One, has visited.
A starship decelerates towards Earth on its plasma torch.
The final proofing is nearly done, so it will be released really soon!
It’s a parallel story to The Apprentice’s Talent and The Journeyman’s Talent, set mostly in Mid West of Ireland. Earth has cracked the problem of Fusion power and has the “secret” of how a “Jump Drive” for a starship works. What does the shadowy New World Order conspiracy want?
Includes the related novella “Laying Ghosts”, featuring Maisie who is now a Master.
November 9, 2016
Missing the point
This article, about the false forecast of the demise of the book makes some good points but draws the wrong conclusion on this one:
After years of sales growth, major publishers reported a fall in their e-book sales for the first time this year, introducing new doubts about the potential of e-books in the publishing industry. A Penguin executive even admitted recently that the e-books hype may have driven unwise investment, with the company losing too much confidence in “the power of the word on the page.”
The ebook, unlike the audio book or TV is simply a different method of delivery. You still read it. Similarly the 78 vs vinyl vs CD vs MP3 is simply a change in delivery method, you still listen on headphones or loudspeakers.
The reality is that traditional publishers don’t quite get ebooks. They price them too high, supermarket discount prices are often lower or similar to big Six ebook prices. They miss out on the idea of entire catalogue forever. They have no near monopoly (the Big Six). Paper books compete for shelf space and if they don’t sell in a few months then they are remaindered and pulped.
In fact it’s only the traditional publisher’s share of ebooks that’s falling. The market may now equal printed paper and is growing. Independents and Self publishing Authors do “get it”. Instead of relying promoting 1% of the catalogue with expensive advertising and then going “out of print” if demand falls, the real eBook “publishers” rely on word of mouth. It costs nothing to be on the virtual shelves of effectively unlimited size of Amazon, Smashwords, Apple itunes/ibooks, Google Playstore and others. Anyone can have a website for under $100 a year using Paypal for ecommerce.
So why are the traditional publishers not pricing at $3.99 and working to put their entire catalogues on line. Why don’t they have their own websites too as well as Amazon?
Don’t base ebook popularity on Kindle or Kobo sales, though these give the experience closest to a paper book. The most popular reading device is the smart phone, followed by tablet. The eInk based Kindle or Kobo while best are a long way behind in 3rd. The laptop / PC is far behind at 4th, used hardly at all.
October 30, 2016
Solar Alliance Structure
It’s evident from the feedback of reading and proofing of The Solar Alliance (Talents Universe 4, parallel to The Apprentice’s Talent and The Journeyman’s Talent) that I need to re-write and restructure. I had hoped to release in July or August 2016, still, it may be done by the end of the year!
I’ve done an early draft of another story following Maisie’s career in the ” Talents Universe” while I was waiting for feedback on the The Solar Alliance, called “The Legal Talent”, not actually a brilliant title, but it will do for now. I’ve had some thoughts on how to improve the covers of some of the books in the Talents Universe. I’ve uploaded a new one for “Starship Chief”, already on all your favorite eBook stores, except for Google Play.
October 12, 2016
Shakespeare & Co. Mark II
Interesting article about George Whitman
It’s to sell a book, but worth reading.
I knew about the the original Sylvia Beach “Shakespeare & Co” bookshop / niche publisher, but didn’t realize there was a sort of reincarnation that she almost became a partner in.
Have you seen the film 84 Charing Cross Road?
October 5, 2016
Writing and Proofing
Final reading and proofing of The Solar Alliance underway. (Talents Universe 4, parallel to The Apprentice’s Talent and The Journeyman’s Talent)
I wrote The Fay Child While letting it “mature” after the last proof edit. See Otherworld. I’m excited about how it’s turned out considering that it was a bit of an experiment. It follows on from The Fairy Godmothers (volume VI) and explains why there was a war in Magh Meall, in Under the Stone of Destiny
See your favorite eBook store (not on Playstore yet) for the earlier titles in the series.
Various links here About Me
September 27, 2016
End of an era?
The BBC announced the renowned broadcaster passed away following a short illness on Monday.
He was 73-years-old.
O’Flaherty was a familiar voice on BBC Radio Ulster for decades having presented many of its shows including Good Morning Ulster and Evening Extra.
He was also a keen musician and angler.
Announcing the news on Good Morning Ulster, presenter Noel Thompson paid his respects.
He said: “He brought a big enthusiasm to every story and had the ability to turn even the most tedious story into the most fascinating.”
From the Irish Independent
September 19, 2016
September 18, 2016
Cultural Appropriation or?
Or is this “Liberalism” turning into “Fascism”?
You decide.
I’m no fan of the Spectator, but I thought this was an interesting viewpoint.
The point about most fiction is that it works because it uses ideas people understand to entertain. It’s not real life. The Author decides if it’s a Comedy, Romance with HEA or a Tragedy. You are a poor sort of reader if you think the views and language of the characters.
If modern fiction is too abrasive and upsetting, try reading fairy stories, though they are not politically correct either.
Are we forbidden to wear clothes, eat food, learn languages, date or marry outside our own ethnic background?
Are we forbidden to invent any character outside our own ethnic background?
How many people are really the same cultural type as their grandparents anyway?
August 22, 2016
Stupid Journalism
On the BBC Website
It can be argued that ebooks are more robust than paper ones: an ebook reader can be stolen or dropped in the bath, but the books on it are stored safely in the cloud, waiting to be downloaded onto a new device.
The Cloud is just a third party commercial server. It’s the least safe option. A backup to PC/Laptop thence to a USB Hard Drive stored at a relative’s or friend’s site is FAR safer.
The eBook can be backed up more easily, if there is no DRM. They are less robust than printed books.
Also the issue of DRM, like Adobe where the content can be unavailable if the 3rd party server is closed. DRM ultimately contravenes the Berne Convention on copyright as it doesn’t expire. The USA DCMA is essentially anti-consumer and removing long standing rights as it makes it illegal to remove the DRM in the USA.
There is also the issue of dishonest and unfair sale contracts on eBooks and music downloads that try to make it illegal to leave the books or music to your children, that insist you only bought a temporary licence to read it.
Most gadgets that can use eReader apps can store 1000 to 100,000 books. Most dedicated eBook readers (eInk) can store several thousand books not a few hundred. Phones then tablets are the most popular reading platforms, though eInk readers are the least popular, they are an experience closest to paper.
The origin of books is no mystery, scrolls to codex, the bulk of the article was taught in schools 60 years ago or more. It’s sad that the Web design was scroll rather than page based, though some eBook eInk readers with a Web option convert a site to pages (Kindle does, Kobo doesn’t).
The Amazon Fire and other Tablets are NOT eBook readers, but tablets with a reader app. The LCD or LED screen is seriously inferior to eInk for reading text and few have a battery life long enough for one book. Real eInk readers have 100 to 1000 times battery life.
