Cardyn Brooks's Blog, page 28
October 12, 2016
At Last!
Receiving this box of books felt like Christmas in October.
Many thanks to my publisher and my editor at 5 Prince Media Group for their unwavering support and impressive efforts to make this gorgeous print edition of Dodging Eros, Through Past, Present and Pleasure a reality.
[giddy happy dancing]
https://www.amazon.com/Dodging-Eros-Through-Present-Pleasure/dp/1631121855/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476316088&sr=1-1&keywords=cardyn+brooks
September 20, 2016
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, [add your Mad here] Mad to the Nth Power World
So Colin Kaepernick's silent, non-violent protest generates more outrage from some people than the loud, violent attacks against marginalized people. Gun ownership is patriotic and supports Second Amendment rights, but kneeling during the national anthem in protest of injustice and to demand equal protection under the law for all U.S. citizens doesn't support First Amendment free speech?
The disturbing video of Terence Crutcher's death in Tulsa, Oklahoma is so sad and frustrating and infuriating. And yet it's only the most recent in a long list of such incidents. We must have practical ways to keep law enforcement officers safe without making this pattern of preemptive executions the permanent norm.
The disturbing video of Terence Crutcher's death in Tulsa, Oklahoma is so sad and frustrating and infuriating. And yet it's only the most recent in a long list of such incidents. We must have practical ways to keep law enforcement officers safe without making this pattern of preemptive executions the permanent norm.
July 14, 2016
2nd Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Update
Murphy’s Law continues to wreak havoc with the print edition of Dodging Eros, Through Past, Present and Pleasure. It’s probably going to be available for the end of the summer reading season, which is why the 2nd Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway has been extended to Saturday, December 10, 2016 with the second winner’s name posted by Saturday, December 17. Extending the 2nd GGG entry period until the end of the year opens up eligibility to readers who buy or review any of my titles per the updated details listed below.
No purchase necessary, Void where prohibited. Every previous eligible entrant remains entered except for Paula S., who won in February.
Good luck!
Adjusted details here:
2nd Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Extended until 12/10/2016
Hello,
Reading has been a brain escape for me since my dad used silly voices at bedtime to enact each character from my collection of Dr. Seuss books. The launch of Dodging Eros, Through Past, Present and Pleasure by Private Moments Publishing (an imprint of 5 Prince Publishing) seems like the perfect opportunity to offer reviewers and readers a chance to win a mini-retreat from the demands of being a grown-up and to focus on the pleasures of being a consenting adult.
Giveaway Details: A mid-week, 3-day/2-night getaway for two adults (both at least 18 years old)Entry period will run from 12:01 a.m. ET Monday, January 4, 2016 through 11:59 p.m. ET Saturday, December 10, 2016.(1)Winner will be chosen by random drawing, and announced on the Blerdy Binge Reader blog (BlerdyBingeReader.blogspot.com) and posted to the Cardyn Brooks Facebook page by Saturday, December 17, 2016. Within 30 days of confirmed verification of eligibility to receive the prize, the randomly selected winner will receive a gift card or voucher redeemable for the value of a mid-week, 3-day/2-night stay in a double occupancy standard room at a property at an international hotel chain or resort from a pre-determined list of locations. Booking dates subject to availability at the selected property. Gift card or voucher not redeemable for cash. Winner is responsible for all prize taxes, travel arrangements, travel documents, applicable legal & medical clearances, travel costs, parking fees, upgrade charges, mini-bar, room service, spa services, activities fees, meals, gratuities, surcharges and currency exchange fees. Winner is responsible for meeting all eligibility requirements.One entry per person (at least 18 years old as of December 10, 2016) per the following methods by 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 10, 2016: 1. Dodging Eros print or digital purchase: Post a pic of yourself holding your copy of DE under the DE cover art post on the Dodging Eros: Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Facebook page; https://www.facebook.com/Dodging-Eros-Grown-Ups-Getaway-Giveaway-457817364426217/?ref=aymt_homepage_paneland/or 2. DE review (e-ARCs available through NetGalley or print ARCs--eventually--from www.PrivateMomentsPublishing.com) posted to Amazon or Goodreads 3. Post a review of Seducing the Burks, Five Erotic Tales by Cardyn Brooks or of her upcoming C. X Brooks from www.Mojocastle.com title (TBA) to Amazon or Goodreads
No purchase necessary.Purchasing multiple copies of Dodging Eros will not equal multiple entries nor will it increase an entrant’s odds of winning. Total number of eligible entries as of the close of the contest will determine the odds of winning. 5PP and PMP employees, and Mojocastle Press employees, and employees of the winning hotel chain/resort and their spouses, domestic partners and their children are not eligible to win. Void where prohibited by law.
(1) As sponsor of this 2nd Grown-Ups Getaway giveaway the author is not responsible for entries that are not received by the closing deadline. The author is not liable for events that may occur while giveaway winner and/or companion reside at the destination property or while they travel to and from the destination property. Entering this giveaway equals agreeing to all terms of participation.
Winner:The randomly selected winner will receive a mid-week, 3-day/2-night mini-retreat for 2 adults (both at least 18 years old) as described in the above giveaway details.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or Hyatt Hotels.
July 7, 2016
If Not Now, When?
Monday celebrated U.S. independence while so many of its citizens live bound by the fear that the laws and the people who are sworn to enforce those laws will not protect them from the dangers of negative assumptions made about them based on their skin color, gender, sexual orientation, social class, religious affiliation, age or physical stature.
Thank you to the people and organizations working toward eliminating the deadly consequences of implicit bias in policing.
https://trustandjustice.org/resources/intervention/implicit-bias
Thank you to the people and organizations working toward eliminating the deadly consequences of implicit bias in policing.
https://trustandjustice.org/resources/intervention/implicit-bias
June 23, 2016
Rejection Offers Its Own Gifts
Jeff I. Moore, founder of www.EverydayPowerBlog.com, was kind enough to publish my essay about my experiences with rejection.
http://everydaypowerblog.com/2016/06/...
http://everydaypowerblog.com/2016/06/...
June 11, 2016
Questions of Virtue
Why is the person who has been raped granted less consideration than the convicted rapist?
This (most recent) Stanford rape case exposes society's refusal to define rape as a crime, especially when the rapist is a winning athlete, all-American type or popular or wealthy or powerful or famous or projects some other superficial trait that too often trumps judging their actions according to high benchmarks of ethics, honor and decency.
The convicted rapist's letter made me think he was a narcissist at best or a sociopath at worst.
Emily Doe's Every Woman's letter made me cheer for her grit and courage.
This (most recent) Stanford rape case exposes society's refusal to define rape as a crime, especially when the rapist is a winning athlete, all-American type or popular or wealthy or powerful or famous or projects some other superficial trait that too often trumps judging their actions according to high benchmarks of ethics, honor and decency.
The convicted rapist's letter made me think he was a narcissist at best or a sociopath at worst.
Emily Doe's Every Woman's letter made me cheer for her grit and courage.
June 4, 2016
Frames of Reference
The concept of "white privilege" usually generates vigorous debate and push-back about whether such a thing even exists. For me as an adult, the phrase makes me think about the unconscious expectations of automatic inclusion and representation in everyday life because during my childhood picture books, posters, and the people shown in picture frames didn't look like I looked. It took years for me to understand the trickle-down effects of exclusion as a form of rejection of the equal intrinsic value of some people's existence while still feeling entitled to those rejected people's consumer dollars and brand loyalty.
Inclusion and representation have always been important to human beings. Consider primitive cave drawings, burial masks, and ancient statuary. Having one's existence positively acknowledged is a sign of invitation, welcome and admiration. It's positive reinforcement. Regardless of skin color, gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality, religious beliefs or other traits, humans crave it. Humans need it.
Advertisers' recognition of needing to court all kinds of consumers by including all kinds of people in their marketing media is long overdue.
May 21, 2016
Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Extended Until August 6, 2016
After many delays of the Murphy’s Law variety, the print edition of Dodging Eros, Through Past, Present and Pleasure is scheduled to be available for the summer reading season, which is why the Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway has been extended to Saturday, August 6, 2016 with the second winner’s name posted by Saturday, August 13.
No purchase necessary, Void where prohibited. Every previous eligible entrant remains entered except for Paula S., who won in February.
Please see the original Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Facebook page February 21 posting for eligibility terms and details.
Good luck!
May 13, 2016
The Formula for Success
There’s a publishing company that uses algorithms to calculate the number of elements and probability of success for book manuscripts. Now as a capitalist my support is strong for ethical endeavors that up the odds and accelerate the speed of generating profit. And winning recipes and formulae have been applied in literature composition for millennia. The Iliad and The Odyssey rely on the repetition of visual cues and cycles of conflicts, journeys, and returns to keep listeners (originally) and readers engaged.
Other storytelling templates and tropes endure: the three-act structure; the poor, innocent ingénue and the wealthy, jaded older man; star-crossed lovers; the love triangle; the mistaken identity and many other popular storylines. But how can a mathematical formula calculate the unquantifiable x-factor that makes Room by Emma Donoghue an international bestseller adapted into a critically acclaimed and commercially successful movie when other novels about traumatized, yet triumphant young mothers and children fail to thrive in the marketplace?
A formula that dissects word counts between story elements and eye blinks per certain phrases may chart patterns of similarities among bestsellers; it also establishes predictability when universally applied. Some predictability in fiction is expected and appreciated by readers—like a happily-ever-after ending from conventional romance authors. At the same time, surprising twists and turns along the way to that HEA earn praise. Just read reviews for Beverley Jenkins, Sherry Thomas, and Linda Howard.
An author’s variations and improvisations on established themes in new contexts and from different viewpoints combine to distinguish the traits of a unique voice clearly identifiable among the cacophony of hacks, copycats, imitators, and posers. Adele’s voice is clearly distinguished from Denyce Graves’s voice, which is distinctly different from Renee Fleming’s; all sound heavenly.
Development of a writer’s voice shares aspects of the process for developing a singer’s voice. Power, range, and depth get explored. Personal experiences shape, guide, and influence. Emotion infuses.
Writers have institutionalized formulae in M.F.A. writing programs, prestigious literary awards, and literary events. Singers have social media platforms, competition shows, and radio airplay. Even with these multiple paths to public exposure for hard-working, talented artists, there are no 100% guarantees for marketplace success. So using evolving technologies in data collection and consumer psychology makes sense.
My concern is that over-usage of meta-data in shaping and evaluating manuscripts will make cranking out soul-less copies of essentially the same characters, same vocabulary, same conflicts, same resolutions, same everything else with only superficial variations across content the norm for publishers who are businesspeople scrambling to profit in this scary new world of expanded competition among traditional, self-, indie, and hybrid publishing models.
When every other title has the word “Girl” in it (even though the main female character is actually a grown woman), and the descriptors this man, awkward, amazing, something real, raw, girl parts, emotional walls, and processingkeep appearing with increasing frequency across genres, titles, and authors in mainstream women’s fiction, they seem like flags warning of a disturbing level of content homogenization.
Books that deviate from established formulae in surprising ways through clever imagination with respect for readers’ intelligence instead of flimsy gimmicks or literary stunts earn loyal fans while expanding the marketplace for content from people who write and for people who read.
Shouldn’t a formula in fiction inspire a drive toward greater creativity, not a rigid template of mandatory elements in predetermined configurations?
Other storytelling templates and tropes endure: the three-act structure; the poor, innocent ingénue and the wealthy, jaded older man; star-crossed lovers; the love triangle; the mistaken identity and many other popular storylines. But how can a mathematical formula calculate the unquantifiable x-factor that makes Room by Emma Donoghue an international bestseller adapted into a critically acclaimed and commercially successful movie when other novels about traumatized, yet triumphant young mothers and children fail to thrive in the marketplace?
A formula that dissects word counts between story elements and eye blinks per certain phrases may chart patterns of similarities among bestsellers; it also establishes predictability when universally applied. Some predictability in fiction is expected and appreciated by readers—like a happily-ever-after ending from conventional romance authors. At the same time, surprising twists and turns along the way to that HEA earn praise. Just read reviews for Beverley Jenkins, Sherry Thomas, and Linda Howard.
An author’s variations and improvisations on established themes in new contexts and from different viewpoints combine to distinguish the traits of a unique voice clearly identifiable among the cacophony of hacks, copycats, imitators, and posers. Adele’s voice is clearly distinguished from Denyce Graves’s voice, which is distinctly different from Renee Fleming’s; all sound heavenly.
Development of a writer’s voice shares aspects of the process for developing a singer’s voice. Power, range, and depth get explored. Personal experiences shape, guide, and influence. Emotion infuses.
Writers have institutionalized formulae in M.F.A. writing programs, prestigious literary awards, and literary events. Singers have social media platforms, competition shows, and radio airplay. Even with these multiple paths to public exposure for hard-working, talented artists, there are no 100% guarantees for marketplace success. So using evolving technologies in data collection and consumer psychology makes sense.
My concern is that over-usage of meta-data in shaping and evaluating manuscripts will make cranking out soul-less copies of essentially the same characters, same vocabulary, same conflicts, same resolutions, same everything else with only superficial variations across content the norm for publishers who are businesspeople scrambling to profit in this scary new world of expanded competition among traditional, self-, indie, and hybrid publishing models.
When every other title has the word “Girl” in it (even though the main female character is actually a grown woman), and the descriptors this man, awkward, amazing, something real, raw, girl parts, emotional walls, and processingkeep appearing with increasing frequency across genres, titles, and authors in mainstream women’s fiction, they seem like flags warning of a disturbing level of content homogenization.
Books that deviate from established formulae in surprising ways through clever imagination with respect for readers’ intelligence instead of flimsy gimmicks or literary stunts earn loyal fans while expanding the marketplace for content from people who write and for people who read.
Shouldn’t a formula in fiction inspire a drive toward greater creativity, not a rigid template of mandatory elements in predetermined configurations?
May 6, 2016
Politics of Pleasure Debate Question 17
How does the frequent use of rape in fiction and other entertainment content impact society’s ambivalence toward sexual assault as a serious crime that’s worthy of prosecution and incarceration of the assailant?
