S.K.S. Perry's Blog, page 19
February 8, 2012
So I came back to work on Monday after being off for the ...
So I came back to work on Monday after being off for the last 55 days (and not winning the stupid lottery once!) The first day back to work when you're in the military is always a little disconcerting, because you never know what dopey inane new rules and regulations they may have passed in your absence.
"You! What do you think you're doing, walking in that door? That door is OUT only, and then only if you're a Captain and above, and it's the odd Tuesday of the month and Jupiter is in Aquarius!"
"Hey, Sarge, why aren't you wearing your gloves?"
"Um, because it's 12 degrees Celsius out?"
"Sorry, the new base policy is everyone will wear their gloves at all times during the winter months, from Oct 1 - Apr 30, unless you're wearing your fur cap, in which case you will wear mittens and mukluks.
"But I'm sitting at my desk!"
"What's your point?"
And god knows what they might have volunteered your for while you were away!
"You! What do you think you're doing, walking in that door? That door is OUT only, and then only if you're a Captain and above, and it's the odd Tuesday of the month and Jupiter is in Aquarius!"
"Hey, Sarge, why aren't you wearing your gloves?"
"Um, because it's 12 degrees Celsius out?"
"Sorry, the new base policy is everyone will wear their gloves at all times during the winter months, from Oct 1 - Apr 30, unless you're wearing your fur cap, in which case you will wear mittens and mukluks.
"But I'm sitting at my desk!"
"What's your point?"
And god knows what they might have volunteered your for while you were away!
February 3, 2012
Damn this book. I'm starting to think all I'm capable of ...
Damn this book. I'm starting to think all I'm capable of is writing a "really good first draft." Maybe this is just beyond me.
January 12, 2012
FYI DARKSIDE is NOT erotic fiction
Jennie Goloboy brought this article to my attention via Writer Beware. For those of you who have better things to do are lazy don’t have time to read the article, it's basically about how a woman who self-publishes erotic fiction on Amazon realised that most of the books selling better than hers were actually plagiarized. (The books ranked higher than hers because the plagiarist could publish dozens of books under a pseudonym and somehow skew the rankings -- yeah, I don't know how that works either.) The article goes on to talk about rampant plagiarism and content farming on Amazon, among other things, and my name and DARKSIDE are mentioned as an example of someone whose work was stolen.
And yes, I am amused that somehow my name is mentioned in an article that deals predominately with plagiarism of erotic fiction. Ha! (DARKSIDE has been called a lot of things, but erotic fiction is not one of them.)
Since I initially reported the theft of my work back in April, the theft and Amazon’s subsequent reaction has been written about in numerous blogs and newspapers (like the Guardian UK, for example). That it’s still popping up in articles now kind of surprises me.
What I think all of these articles fail to recognise, however, is that the theft of DARKSIDE was not an issue of content farming, nor plagiarism in the traditional sense as I understand it.
Someone did not steal passages from it and claim it as their own. They didn’t steal the entire book and claim they wrote it. They published my work (Darkside) under my name, and claimed to be me.
Maybe it’s a fine distinction, but I think it’s a relevant one, and one that almost every article about the theft seems to overlook.
Oh well, at least they spelled my name right.
And yes, I am amused that somehow my name is mentioned in an article that deals predominately with plagiarism of erotic fiction. Ha! (DARKSIDE has been called a lot of things, but erotic fiction is not one of them.)
Since I initially reported the theft of my work back in April, the theft and Amazon’s subsequent reaction has been written about in numerous blogs and newspapers (like the Guardian UK, for example). That it’s still popping up in articles now kind of surprises me.
What I think all of these articles fail to recognise, however, is that the theft of DARKSIDE was not an issue of content farming, nor plagiarism in the traditional sense as I understand it.
Someone did not steal passages from it and claim it as their own. They didn’t steal the entire book and claim they wrote it. They published my work (Darkside) under my name, and claimed to be me.
Maybe it’s a fine distinction, but I think it’s a relevant one, and one that almost every article about the theft seems to overlook.
Oh well, at least they spelled my name right.
December 22, 2011
New stuff by me available at Amazon.
So I have two new works up on Amazon as Kindle downloads. The first one, HARBINGER, is a Sword and Sorcery short story – with zombies! The second, PICTURE THIS, is a collection of short SF stories, told with my usual irreverent humour.
I figure if I’m going to do this self-publishing thing I may as well go all out.
To be honest, it probably took me longer to design the covers and format the books then it did to write some of the stories. I struggled with the cover for PICTURE THIS for most of a day, until a graphic artist friend of mine convinced me to send him the bits and pieces of what I had to see what he could do with it. He finished the cover in 10 minutes—while eating his lunch, the bastard.
I figure if I’m going to do this self-publishing thing I may as well go all out.
To be honest, it probably took me longer to design the covers and format the books then it did to write some of the stories. I struggled with the cover for PICTURE THIS for most of a day, until a graphic artist friend of mine convinced me to send him the bits and pieces of what I had to see what he could do with it. He finished the cover in 10 minutes—while eating his lunch, the bastard.
December 14, 2011
My favorite military tradition.
Today I will be taking part in one of the few military traditions I enjoy: The Junior NCM Festive Dinner. (It used to be called the Men's Christmas Dinner, but political correctness kicked that to the curb pretty quick.)
Anyway, the deal is that the Senior NCMs and Officers (that's everyone from Sgt on up) serve aChristmas Festive meal to the Junior NCMs. We go all out too; salad, potatoes, turkey, stuffing, veggies, rolls, cake etc, and LOTS of alcohol.
And there's all sorts of traditions that go along with it, too, like a piper piping in the guests, the toasts, the set table with an empty chair for the fallen, and the one wwhere the youngest member in the squadron (normally a private, obviously) exchanges positions (and jackets) with the Commanding Officer, and gets to issue all sorts of ridiculous orders (like making the Sgts all sing Frosty the Snowman). His final command typically is that everyone gets the next day off.
Back when I was acenturion private it was an even bigger deal, or at least had a bigger budget, usually with the Air Force band playing Christmas carols during dinner, and swing and big band tunes afterwards. The party went on well into the night.
Budget constraints have generally diminished the festivities somewhat lately, and it ends shortly after the meal has been cleared away now, but it's still a good time.
Anyway, the deal is that the Senior NCMs and Officers (that's everyone from Sgt on up) serve a
And there's all sorts of traditions that go along with it, too, like a piper piping in the guests, the toasts, the set table with an empty chair for the fallen, and the one wwhere the youngest member in the squadron (normally a private, obviously) exchanges positions (and jackets) with the Commanding Officer, and gets to issue all sorts of ridiculous orders (like making the Sgts all sing Frosty the Snowman). His final command typically is that everyone gets the next day off.
Back when I was a
Budget constraints have generally diminished the festivities somewhat lately, and it ends shortly after the meal has been cleared away now, but it's still a good time.
December 13, 2011
Just what we need...more whining on the internet.
I have a finished book here. Well, mostly finished. It still needs revision, but for the most part it's a book.
Normally at this point I'd be doing everything I could to get it ready to send out to the agents/publishers. I'd be drafting the dreaded query letter. I'd be filled with a sense of hope, that this one would actually see traditional publication.
I should be excited. I should be hopeful. Mostly, what I feel is apathetic.
There's the nagging fear that this one will go nowhere too. That after all is said and done I won't be any farther ahead than I was 10 years ago when I started on this writing journey. Most of the friends that started when I did have already seen publication. I just have this oppressive feeling that nothing will ever change for me no matter how hard I try. My experience in life is that I've had to work twice as hard as everyone, and be twice as good, just to break even. (And I'm not just talking writing here.) And let's face it, nobody ever hears about the ones who gave it their all and died without ever realising their dream.
You know what? I can't even remember the last time I had a bit of good news--news related to me personally--especially writing related news.
I haven't even looked at Tasha since I completed it about a month ago, and while everyone says you should give it some time to breathe before diving into revisions, I'm not doing it for the right reasons.
And damn, I don't even know if traditional publishing is the way to go now. The marketplace has changed so much just in the last year that maybe my dream is obsolete. It's all so damn confusing and convoluted that I'm not even sure what to wish for anymore.
All I can do is sit here plugging away at the day job, struggle for words, keep writing, keep reading, keep trying. Because, barring incredible luck, no one ever made it by quitting. And I'll never be happy with the way things are…with having a dream and never realising it. I can not be content with failure.
Am I even making sense here? Do other writers feel this way?
Normally at this point I'd be doing everything I could to get it ready to send out to the agents/publishers. I'd be drafting the dreaded query letter. I'd be filled with a sense of hope, that this one would actually see traditional publication.
I should be excited. I should be hopeful. Mostly, what I feel is apathetic.
There's the nagging fear that this one will go nowhere too. That after all is said and done I won't be any farther ahead than I was 10 years ago when I started on this writing journey. Most of the friends that started when I did have already seen publication. I just have this oppressive feeling that nothing will ever change for me no matter how hard I try. My experience in life is that I've had to work twice as hard as everyone, and be twice as good, just to break even. (And I'm not just talking writing here.) And let's face it, nobody ever hears about the ones who gave it their all and died without ever realising their dream.
You know what? I can't even remember the last time I had a bit of good news--news related to me personally--especially writing related news.
I haven't even looked at Tasha since I completed it about a month ago, and while everyone says you should give it some time to breathe before diving into revisions, I'm not doing it for the right reasons.
And damn, I don't even know if traditional publishing is the way to go now. The marketplace has changed so much just in the last year that maybe my dream is obsolete. It's all so damn confusing and convoluted that I'm not even sure what to wish for anymore.
All I can do is sit here plugging away at the day job, struggle for words, keep writing, keep reading, keep trying. Because, barring incredible luck, no one ever made it by quitting. And I'll never be happy with the way things are…with having a dream and never realising it. I can not be content with failure.
Am I even making sense here? Do other writers feel this way?
December 12, 2011
Not a tactical genius; I'm just the muscle.
We're still coming up with plans of what to do should a crazed gunman attack the workplace. My desk is in the back corner of our office, facing the door (of course), so I suggested they just issue me a C6 (belt fed machine gun) and post a sign on the door saying, "Dear Crazed Gunman, we're all in here. Please drop by and say hi!"
Again, no.
BTW, apparrantly you have to actually join the military. You can't just buy a uniform and show up for work one day. There goes 30 years down the drain.
Again, no.
BTW, apparrantly you have to actually join the military. You can't just buy a uniform and show up for work one day. There goes 30 years down the drain.
December 9, 2011
A day in the life of a Standards Sgt
Tough morning. The Warrants and Senior Staff in Standards where I work made us all breakfast this morning: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, and toast. Of course they took this opportunity to give a speech or two. (Nothing is free.)
Major: I'd just like to say a few words, not to step on the Warrant's toes. (Gives speech)
Me: Gee, you didn't swear nearly as much as the Warrant did.
Major: The Commanding Officer is really impressed with all our accomplishments and the hard work that has been done in his absence.
Me: Maybe he should go away more often?
Seriously, I don't know why I haven't been charged, or at least gotten extras.
Major: I'd just like to say a few words, not to step on the Warrant's toes. (Gives speech)
Me: Gee, you didn't swear nearly as much as the Warrant did.
Major: The Commanding Officer is really impressed with all our accomplishments and the hard work that has been done in his absence.
Me: Maybe he should go away more often?
Seriously, I don't know why I haven't been charged, or at least gotten extras.
December 1, 2011
Nah, that can't be right?
I'm no economist, and I'm sure I'm oversimplifying things here, but wouldn't it make sense that instead of paying your workers minimum wage and hiring only part-time workers so that you don't have to pay them benefits, vacation pay and pensions, or worse yet laying half your work force off or outsourcing them to other countries just so that your companies can make 6 million in profit instead of 5 million, you instead paid them a decent wage with benefits and job security so that more people might actually be able to afford the products your companies make, therefore buying more and increasing your profits to say…8 million?
November 29, 2011
I think the light at the end of the tunnel is a lazer sight.
I'm having one of those days weeks years lives.
