Cynthianna's Blog, page 18

Our Flag (God Bless America!)

Happy Memorial Day... Here's a short video to remind you of what the flag means to many Americans.

My Books are Worth It!

After my last posting, I realized maybe I should have explained some of my frustrations with the recent deluge of free ebooks on the market, freely given away by their authors for promotional purposes. Frankly, they're robbing authors like me blind. 


When readers are getting free books everyday of the week, why would they purchase my inexpensive tomes?


I've been on book forums where readers openly state, "I have hundreds of free ebooks downloaded on my Kindle. By the time I've read those books, I'll have downloaded hundreds more. I'll never have to buy a book again!"


As a writer, my heart bleeds when I hear/read such statements. Sure, I'm glad readers are enjoying reading a wide variety of fiction. I, too, go to the library and check out books (the paper kind since I can't afford a Kindle or Nook), and I do like reading a book or two from a new author to see if there's a "good fit" there between us. What I don't like to hear is that after reading one or two freebies readers don't care if they read another book by that author again--not if they have to purchase it. (And why would these readers buy if they're sure these authors will give away their next books free "for promotional purposes" in a few months?)


The consequence of all these free ebooks being dumped on the market is that no one is rushing to buy ebooks by midlist authors at all. (Midlist = Writers who aren't J.K. Rowling, Nora Roberts, John Grisham and the like.) Midlist author sales are dropping or levelling off. No book sales equals no book royalties. No royalties equals no income for authors. To put this simpler yet, no income equals no eating for some of us who depend on our writing income to purchase groceries.




A book in need of a good e-reader!

So why don't I give away some (or all) of my ebooks for free for promotional purposes? The price of my books are out of my control. My books are published through legitimate publishers as opposed to being self-published as so many of these free ebooks seem to be. I suppose I could twist my publisher's arm and ask if I can, too, list one of my books for free on Amazon for a day or a week, but why should I? I sweated and toiled to write that book--don't I deserve the meager royalty I can make for a sale?


Face it--if a book is given away for free, is it really worth anything in the mind of the person receiving the freebie?




To protest the outrage I feel about this glut of free ebooks flooding the market (and destroying it at the same time) I'm starting my own campaign called "My books are worth it!" Feel free to borrow the banner above, link to this blog and spread the news. 


Our books ARE worth it! Because you get what you pay for!








You can find purchase links to my fiction books at www.cynthianna.com and www.celinechatillon.com

And I ain't goin' to promo no more! Hallelujah!

I've pretty much had enough. I've had enough of this idea that somehow writers are suppose to be their own P.R. company on top of everything else. That's why as of today, I'm giving up... Giving up being a "promotion whore" because, frankly, I suck at it and it's no fun.

You will still see me around at the various social media sites, as this is the only way I seem to communicate with friends and family these days, but I will not be promoting my writing. Uh-uh, not at all. I will strictly be myself (whomever she may be). Anything I say or do will be coming out of the mouth of Cindy A. Matthews and not my writing personas (including the one with that very same name).
This should please my publishers to no end, as everyone is saying we authors should be "pleasant, kind, entertaining and, above all else, NONCONTROVERSIAL in our bloggings and twitterings." Okay, now that I'm myself (and not a writing persona) I can freely express how I feel: 
I'm fed up with nonexistent sales and the millions of free ebooks giveways for the Kindle lately. Since I am giving up the promotion business, I will longer be in the vicinity of all these other authors' promotions, and, hence, my blood pressure will drop. I will be blissfully unaware of how lousy I'm doing promo-wise, and I will rejoice in my ignorance of all things of a promotional nature.
If you have had similar ideas of going "no-promo" or are a reader who is tired of endless authors sending out endless tweets, emails, Facebook postings, blogs, press releases, etc., touting their next free ebook giveaway for the Kindle (the majority which seem to come from the "indies" or self-published and not the professionally published), feel free to vent in my comment box below.
Now, what will I be able to do with all this "free time" I'll have on my hands? Should I actually... don't say it... WRITE?

How to Give up Being a One Percenter

Last year my husband AJ Matthews and I were writing some sketch comedy for a local theatre group, but this year we're writing funny video animations of a sort. Feel free to pass the link along to all who may enjoy it as well. (That should be about 99% of us!)

Can you remember which classic Monty Python sketch we were inspired by? Write your guess below, and we'll see if you're right. ;)

Do you Ubuntu?

It's like we're on another planet... A planet where things appear similar in size and shape, but they don't quite behave in a manner you've become accustomed to over the years.

We are now operating our home computer on Linux.

It seemed like a good compromise at the time. We couldn't get our new (to us at least) hard drive to work with the motherboard with an older version of Windows XP, so we decided to switch to Ubuntu, Linux's operating system.

Why do I feel like I've just fallen down the rabbit hole?

There are file and folders (like Windows) but it's hard to get them to open like before. That's not a problem we're told. Just use some "Wine" and it will help lubricate them. Nice name for a program, "Wine", I thought. 

But so far, nothing seems to be working. Skype no longer will recognize our web cam, and Windows Word isn't installing like "Wine" said it would. Will I ever write or edit a manuscript again?

There are support groups and sympathetic techies out there, so I know eventually we should be able to work things out, but for now... I'm lost in a strange new cyber world.

Do you Ubuntu? And can you help translate things for me if you do?

See you at Kawa Kon

For those who are big time into anime, science fiction/fantasy, and Doctor Who, we'll be seeing you this March 16-18 at Kawa Kon!

http://www.kawakon.com/

My husband, AJ Matthews, and I have been asked to be on a Doctor Who panel. While neither of us are that familiar with anime, it seems that many anime lovers have discovered the Doctor and want to chat about the show and the characters. We'll bring along some of our fun "artifacts" related to the show, and promo items related to my Doctor Who fan-inspired novel, LOVING WHO.



I hope to post some photos from the fun costume players at my Facebook author page after we get our breath back. So, if you're in the St. Louis area and love anime, et. al., we'll be seeing YOU at Kawa Kon. Be sure to stop by our panel
and say hello. :)

Cindy
writing as Cynthianna
http://www.cynthianna.com
LOVING WHO is available in e-formats and print (including Kindle)

The Mitt Romney Memorial “Bring out the Poor Vote Movement

Hello again. Yes, it’s me, the “mad-as-hell” woman who in my first video made a $2 bet with Mitt Romney that he’ll never make it to the White House. 


February in the US is Black History Month. Living in the St. Louis area, I’ve visited the Old Courthouse and stood in the courtroom where Dred Scott sued for his freedom. In its 1857 decision regarding Scott’s case, the Supreme Court held that blacks could not be citizens of the United States.

Essentially the court said that Dred Scott and his family were property and not human beings. They were things to be used by the rich without monetary compensation and without thought to their dignity and self-worth. 

Hmm… A parallel to the plight of today’s working poor might be in order here. Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In July 1868 the Fourteenth Amendment was passed giving the right to vote to all male citizens regardless of race. It seemed too good to be true the newly freed slaves. Of course, most good things come to an end all too soon.
By 1896, the Supreme Court held that the states could impose segregation so long as they provided similar facilities—the formation of the “separate but equal” doctrine.  It wasn’t until 1954 that the Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in itself was harmful to black students and, therefore, unconstitutional. The Civil Rights Movement had begun.


Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. “had a dream” and stuck to it in spite of difficulties. So by the time I started first grade my reading materials featured stories featuring children of all races, as opposed to my older siblings’ boring  all-white “Dick and Jane” stories.


From the struggle of Black Americans we learn that when rights are systematically taken away from most economically and socially disadvantaged, step by step these rights have to be restored—hopefully once and for all.


In honor of the Fourteenth Amendment and the protections it gives to all Americans, I propose that we pledge ourselves to a new endeavor to help restore our rights as citizens… I call this, “The Mitt Romney Memorial Bring out the Poor Vote Movement”.  


If the poor don’t matter to fat cat politicians, because the poor are not seen as a large voting bloc, then maybe it’s time we change that perception. Maybe it’s time we help the poor be heard via the ballot box. Perhaps it’s time that these millions of struggling Americans are seen as human beings worthy of dignity and compassion instead of easily forgettable slaves to be used, abused and then downsized when CEOs decide to give themselves million dollar bonuses instead of investing company profits for the well-being of the workers.


Here are just a few ways we can help “Bring out the Poor Vote”:


1.      Let’s register to vote those who have been displaced by failed mortgages, lost homes and jobs and other financial hardships. If you know of someone who is living on their parents’ sofa or a family sharing a home with another family, perhaps they’re not registered to vote in the district they’re living in currently. We need to make sure these displaced voters are eligible to vote come November. So please help these struggling Americans get the necessary paperwork together in time to receive their voter’s cards. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors.
2.      Volunteer to babysit for a single mom. It’s a great way to help working parents who aren’t able to easily get to the voting booth with little ones underfoot. I’m sure they’ll appreciate having free hands to mark their ballots and a few minutes of respite from demanding little ones. You might even make some new friends!
3.      Help organize transportation for those without any means of getting to the polls. Distances between polling stations in suburban and rural areas can be quite large, so offer your neighbors a lift there and back again. It’s yet another way to make some new friends.
Yes, it’s time we as the 99% made our voices heard. We’re mad-as-hell and we’re not going to take it anymore. Let me know what ideas you have for helping to Bring out the Poor Vote, and I’ll keep you informed as to when Mr. Romney pays his $2 bet.

The Mitt Romney Memorial "Bring out the Poor Vote Movement

Hello again. Yes, it's me, the "mad-as-hell" woman who in my first video made a $2 bet with Mitt Romney that he'll never make it to the White House. 


February in the US is Black History Month. Living in the St. Louis area, I've visited the Old Courthouse and stood in the courtroom where Dred Scott sued for his freedom. In its 1857 decision regarding Scott's case, the Supreme Court held that blacks could not be citizens of the United States.

Essentially the court said that Dred Scott and his family were property and not human beings. They were things to be used by the rich without monetary compensation and without thought to their dignity and self-worth. 

Hmm… A parallel to the plight of today's working poor might be in order here. Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In July 1868 the Fourteenth Amendment was passed giving the right to vote to all male citizens regardless of race. It seemed too good to be true the newly freed slaves. Of course, most good things come to an end all too soon.
By 1896, the Supreme Court held that the states could impose segregation so long as they provided similar facilities—the formation of the "separate but equal" doctrine.  It wasn't until 1954 that the Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in itself was harmful to black students and, therefore, unconstitutional. The Civil Rights Movement had begun.


Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. "had a dream" and stuck to it in spite of difficulties. So by the time I started first grade my reading materials featured stories featuring children of all races, as opposed to my older siblings' boring  all-white "Dick and Jane" stories.


From the struggle of Black Americans we learn that when rights are systematically taken away from most economically and socially disadvantaged, step by step these rights have to be restored—hopefully once and for all.


In honor of the Fourteenth Amendment and the protections it gives to all Americans, I propose that we pledge ourselves to a new endeavor to help restore our rights as citizens… I call this, "The Mitt Romney Memorial Bring out the Poor Vote Movement".  


If the poor don't matter to fat cat politicians, because the poor are not seen as a large voting bloc, then maybe it's time we change that perception. Maybe it's time we help the poor be heard via the ballot box. Perhaps it's time that these millions of struggling Americans are seen as human beings worthy of dignity and compassion instead of easily forgettable slaves to be used, abused and then downsized when CEOs decide to give themselves million dollar bonuses instead of investing company profits for the well-being of the workers.


Here are just a few ways we can help "Bring out the Poor Vote":


1.      Let's register to vote those who have been displaced by failed mortgages, lost homes and jobs and other financial hardships. If you know of someone who is living on their parents' sofa or a family sharing a home with another family, perhaps they're not registered to vote in the district they're living in currently. We need to make sure these displaced voters are eligible to vote come November. So please help these struggling Americans get the necessary paperwork together in time to receive their voter's cards. It's a great way to meet your neighbors.
2.      Volunteer to babysit for a single mom. It's a great way to help working parents who aren't able to easily get to the voting booth with little ones underfoot. I'm sure they'll appreciate having free hands to mark their ballots and a few minutes of respite from demanding little ones. You might even make some new friends!
3.      Help organize transportation for those without any means of getting to the polls. Distances between polling stations in suburban and rural areas can be quite large, so offer your neighbors a lift there and back again. It's yet another way to make some new friends.
Yes, it's time we as the 99% made our voices heard. We're mad-as-hell and we're not going to take it anymore. Let me know what ideas you have for helping to Bring out the Poor Vote, and I'll keep you informed as to when Mr. Romney pays his $2 bet.

My Rebuttal to Mitt Romney’s “I'm-not-concerned-about-the-very-poor” comment

My Rebuttal to Mitt Romney’s “I'm-not-concerned-about-the-very-poor” comment:

This is a time people are worried. They're frightened. They want someone who they have confidence in. And I believe I will be able to instill that confidence in the rich American people. And, by the way, I'm in this race because I care about rich Americans.  I'm not concerned about the very rich. They have plenty of safety nets. If any need repair, they’ll be able to effectively lobby Congress to fix them.
I'm not concerned about the very poor; they're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of the American people, the 1 to 5 percent of rich Americans who right now are struggling with paying more than 15% in income tax, and I'll continue to take that message across the nation. 

Thank you Mr. Romney for making it oh-so-clear where your political leanings lie… Very near your wallet.
We at the Mad-As-Hell Party are focused on all struggling Americans. We could focus on the rich. But that's not our focus. We focus on the very poor because so many fat cat politicians who make $21 million a year don’t focus on them enough. Maybe it could be they’re too busy making $10,000 bets with each other.
Mr. Romney, I’d like to make a bet with you. I bet you that you will not make it to the White House in 2012. Hmm—how much would you like to bet me, an underemployed, struggling-to-survive American? Ten thousand? Well… let’s see what I have in my wallet to bet… two dollars. I look forward to your two dollars very soon, Mr. Romney. It’ll go a long way to fix my “safety net”.
Sincerely yours, Cindy A. Matthews

If you’d like to comment on my rebuttal, please do so in the comments section below.  And you can join the discussion on Facebook at The Mad-as-Hell Party page. Thank you.

My Rebuttal to Mitt Romney's "I'm-not-concerned-about-the-very-poor" comment

My Rebuttal to Mitt Romney's "I'm-not-concerned-about-the-very-poor" comment:

This is a time people are worried. They're frightened. They want someone who they have confidence in. And I believe I will be able to instill that confidence in the rich American people. And, by the way, I'm in this race because I care about rich Americans.  I'm not concerned about the very rich. They have plenty of safety nets. If any need repair, they'll be able to effectively lobby Congress to fix them.
I'm not concerned about the very poor; they're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of the American people, the 1 to 5 percent of rich Americans who right now are struggling with paying more than 15% in income tax, and I'll continue to take that message across the nation. 

Thank you Mr. Romney for making it oh-so-clear where your political leanings lie… Very near your wallet.
We at the Mad-As-Hell Party are focused on all struggling Americans. We could focus on the rich. But that's not our focus. We focus on the very poor because so many fat cat politicians who make $21 million a year don't focus on them enough. Maybe it could be they're too busy making $10,000 bets with each other.
Mr. Romney, I'd like to make a bet with you. I bet you that you will not make it to the White House in 2012. Hmm—how much would you like to bet me, an underemployed, struggling-to-survive American? Ten thousand? Well… let's see what I have in my wallet to bet… two dollars. I look forward to your two dollars very soon, Mr. Romney. It'll go a long way to fix my "safety net".
Sincerely yours, Cindy A. Matthews

If you'd like to comment on my rebuttal, please do so in the comments section below.  And you can join the discussion on Facebook at The Mad-as-Hell Party page. Thank you.