Caleb J. Ross's Blog, page 48
March 17, 2013
If you haven’t checked out my YouTube channel, now is a good time
YouTube recently unveiled changes to the channel layout (again). The most potentially impacting change (aside from the visuals) is the addition of a Channel Trailer, which is simply a video that auto-plays to people who have not yet subscribed to a channel. Once you subscribe, you’re no longer susceptible to the auto-play. This sounds like more an incentive to avoid being annoyed than it is to subscribe to a channel, but who am I? Not YouTube apparently.
Anyway, the change did motivate me to make a Channel Trailer of my own, which is something I probably should have done long ago. Check it out. This trailer summarizes my channel nicely, in just around 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Admittedly, that amount of time is practically feature-length in the world of YouTube trailers, but I’ve never been one for brevity (as evidenced by this unnecessary parenthetical statement you are currently reading).
Click the image below to watch the trailer. Then subscribe to my channel, dammit!
Click the image above to watch the Channel Trailer
The post If you haven’t checked out my YouTube channel, now is a good time appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
March 15, 2013
I’ve never read Harry Potter. You can change that.
Click the image above to watch the video
So, you say you love Harry Potter and that everyone should read it? Now is your chance to put your money where you mouth is.
Every year I help raise money for a foundation called The March of Dimes. My child, who you can see hilariously featured a few videos from my daily vlog channel (linked above) was born about 5 weeks early, and so benefited greatly from the research and advances in care for premature infants, which is what March of Dimes does.
Normally, I just beg friends and susceptible strangers for donations. This year I wanted to do something different.
For every 2 dollars I receive in donations, I will read 1 page of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. At the end of each week, I will tally the donations, read the appropriate number of pages, and then record a video where I will offer my thoughts on the book so far.
If I don’t receive enough donations for The March of Dimes to read all 309-ish pages (that’s about $618, depending on the edition I read) then I won’t finish the book…ever. I’m not kidding. So, it’s in your hands Potter fans.
To donate, simply go to http://cjrlit.com/potterbaby, all lowercase to donate. Any amount of money helps.
Also, if you put your youtube channel name in the message box when you donate then I will mention you and your channel in my final Thank You video after APRIL 28th.
The deadline for donations is APRIL 28th!
Please, share this video. It’s the only donation drive of its kind that I’m aware of.
Donate now by clicking here
The post I’ve never read Harry Potter. You can change that. appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
March 14, 2013
Pablo D’Stair’s 2007 book about a cat is being reissued
I’m always eager to promote Pablo D’Stair’s work. It’s my kind of stuff. So of course I’m going to let everyone know that his novel, Candour, is being re-released with a fancy new cover from Goodloe Byron.
About Candour:
An unnamed man suddenly begins succumbing to the horrors of a nightmarish disease. Secluding himself in his apartment rooms, his only companion is his cat, Alastair Cello, who he determines to keep unaware of his impending death.
BUY IT HERE – a hardcopy straight from the printer is 47% off list price ($4.24, down from $10) by entering the following DISCOUNT CODE: SSZ8VB6L
The post Pablo D’Stair’s 2007 book about a cat is being reissued appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
March 7, 2013
LIVE stream of the ManArchy Loves Perfect Edge Books and Lazy Fascist Press reading in Boston, MA
Watch the ManArchy Loves Perfect Edge Books and Lazy Fascist Press reading from the International Poster Gallery LIVE right here on March 7th, from 6-8pm (EST).
NOTE: If the video below shows an error, or looks to be not working, please have patience. I have scheduled this post to go live at 6:00 EST, but the reading may not start exactly on time.
The post LIVE stream of the ManArchy Loves Perfect Edge Books and Lazy Fascist Press reading in Boston, MA appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
March 4, 2013
Pixar’s Rules for Storytelling 2 – Fun for the writer does not equate fun for the audience
Click the image above to watch the video
Yes, I am going to make a video for each of the Pixar’s 22 Rules for Storytelling. Be sure to subscribe to this channel to not miss any of the forthcoming videos. I plan to release one/week.
Rule #2: You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.
Simply put, you are not your audience. Yes, you are a member of your audience, but an audience of one does not a paycheck make. As a storyteller, you’ve got to 1) know your audience and 2) be willing to make that audience happy. Even if that means making poop jokes for 3 minutes, which is what I do in this video, as much as it disgusts me.
The post Pixar’s Rules for Storytelling 2 – Fun for the writer does not equate fun for the audience appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
March 2, 2013
I’ll be in Boston on March 7th, 2013 at the International Poster Gallery
Myself, along with Phil Jourdan, Michael Paul Gonzalez, Ben Loory, Cameron Pierce, and Kirsten Pierce will be reading at the famous International Poster Gallery on March 7th. You should be there. Seriously. I anticipate it will be quite the event. Read all about it at the Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/340073609438138/
Even cooler, you can embed the live stream on your blog or website. In fact, I would love you if you did. Simply paste either of the follow two code options to your website (it’s exactly the same as embedding any other YouTube video). Note that until the event goes live 6:00 EST on March 7th the video will probably give you an error or something. But once I click the broadcast button, the world will rejoice.
iFrame:
Old embed code:
The post I’ll be in Boston on March 7th, 2013 at the International Poster Gallery appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
February 26, 2013
Pixar’s 22 Rules for Storytelling #1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes. VIDEO
Click the image above to watch the video
Yes, I am going to make a video for each of the Pixar’s 22 Rules for Storytelling. Be sure to subscribe to this channel to not miss any of the forthcoming videos. I plan to release one/week.
Rule # 1 is You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.
Success is defined as a pass/fail dichotomy. There’s no gray area, meaning there’s no room for humanity. Humanity is a gray area, constantly redefined by context. And narrative relies on a “gray area” approach to be successful.
We, as readers, rarely accept winning v. losing as a satisfying climax to a narrative series of events. Rather, we care more about the characters that shape those series of events.
Sports fans don’t just care who wins or loses; sports fans watch ESPN for hours every day to learn about the statistics and human interest stories behind their favorite teams, and more appropriately, their favorite players.
Watch. Learn.
The post Pixar’s 22 Rules for Storytelling #1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes. VIDEO appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
February 18, 2013
The AWP Conference in Boston is almost here. Are you going (to buy me a beer)?
Click the image above to watch the video
I’ll be in Boston from March 6th – 8th for the annual AWP conference. If you’re there, maybe we can meet up. You can buy me a beer.
AWP stands for Association of Writers and Writing Programs. Writers? Writing? Of? is what one would say, if they were intrigued, so let’s pretend that you are. What is this AWP event? It’s an annual gathering of writer types from all over the world for a 3 day event that’s basically a giant literary circle jerk
I’ve attended 6 or 7 so far, sometimes to sign books or perform at a reading, sometimes as part of a panel, but most often as a regular conference-goer. It’s a lot of fun either way.
The post The AWP Conference in Boston is almost here. Are you going (to buy me a beer)? appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
February 14, 2013
The Origins of Valentine’s Day OR The Origins of your Death of Innocence
Many of us don’t know the true origins of Valentine’s Day…scrap that, ALL of us don’t know the true origins of Valentine’s Day, but what most people can agree on is that Valentine’s Day originated after the death of St. Valentine. Come with me as I take a humorous, and probably offensive, look into this holiday’s mysterious origins.
Fun fact: this is the second video this month in which I apologize to black people.
The post The Origins of Valentine’s Day OR The Origins of your Death of Innocence appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
February 11, 2013
500 SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAY. NEVER BEFORE DONE ON YOUTUBE.
Click the image above to watch the video.
500 subscribers! This is incredible. Wow. (more gushing on the actual video)
Time for a milestone giveaway. I think this giveaway is unique in the YouTube world. Maybe I’m wrong. Probably not though. I rarely am.
One random winner will receive a package from me in the mail/post. How I go about accumulating the item or items in this package is the magic. The winner and myself will have a short, 20 min or so, Google+ Hangout where I will get to know the winner. I will then use this data to go on a shopping spree to find something special for the winner. NOTE: Shopping “spree” will likely take place at a second-hand shop/thrift shop/charity shop, as my hope is to find something cost-conscious but still interesting.
The shopping excursion will be recorded, edited for maximum hilarity, and uploaded for all of YouTube to enjoy.
But that’s not all. There will be a second-place winner who will also receive a package. However, this package will contain purchases made solely on what I learn by creeping through your publicly available internet profiles. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, I’ll use all of these methods to learn about you enough to hopefully find something special/probably weird.
But the “That’s Not All” doesn’t end there. How do I choose this runner up, you ask? Well, I don’t. I will ask the 1st place winner how he/she found out about my channel. That person will be the runner up.
To break it down for you, the more people you get to subscribe to my channel, the more chances you have of winning something.
If the winner doesn’t remember exactly how they came to my channel, I will let the winner simply choose who they want to be the runner up.
Rules:
Must be a subscriber
Must be over 18 years old
Must favorite this video
Must leave a comment on this video. Bonus points (not really) for suggestions for future videos.
And of course you must be willing to Google Hangout with me, live, for one short session, and you must be okay with me mailing something to you.
Status Starters:
I just had my mind blown by the best video I’ve seen in my entire life (also, I might win something). Watch it: http://youtu.be/7BGQPzeSRMY
@calebjross, yes the YouTube personality with the handome biceps, has 500 subscribers. You should be one: http://youtu.be/7BGQPzeSRMY
@calebjross is going shopping just for you. Simply subscribe to his YouTube channel (and win a random drawing): http://youtu.be/7BGQPzeSRMY
If you subscribe to the @calebjross YouTube channel, we both might win something cool (or lame): http://youtu.be/7BGQPzeSRMY
Watch this @calebjross 500 subscriber video. It might save a kitten: http://youtu.be/7BGQPzeSRMY
Mentioned:
The BookTube Network Google+ LIVE Hangouts are announced here:
Elizzie Books Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/11444910762...
Elizzie Books YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/elizziebooks
Caleb J. Ross Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101908296...
The post 500 SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAY. NEVER BEFORE DONE ON YOUTUBE. appeared first on Caleb J Ross The World's First Author Blog. If you are reading this post anywhere else, please return to the original source when sharing.
