Jodé Millman's Blog, page 10
January 4, 2022
Knock! Knock! Who's There? 2022!
https://mailchi.mp/e81446dacbca/knock...
December 31, 2021
Year in Review: Most Popular BookTrib Posts of 2021
https://booktrib.com/2021/12/30/year-...
Spend an Outlandish Year with Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish in “The Clanlands Almanac: Seasonal Stories from Scotland”
Clanlands Almanac: Season Stories from ScotlandClanlands Almanac: Season Stories from ScotlandClanlands Almanac: Season Stories from ScotlandThe handsome ginger Sam Heughan and the grumpy grey dog Graham McTavish return in their latest bestseller, “Clanlands Almanac: Season Stories From Scotland” (Hodder & Stoughton), the sequel to last year’s bestselling “Clanlands”. Once again, our travel guides are charming, funny, and candid. They truly enjoy exchanging barbs with each other over Sam’s shilling for various brands (including his own Sassenach Whiskey), their physical competitions and familial ties to their Clanland.
As a reviewer, the clever format of this slender, jam-packed volume struck me. It’s an Almanac. By its definition, an almanac is a dull reference guide, an annual calendar of important dates, events and statistical information. It is not a book we sit down to read like a novel. We check into it periodically when we want to predict the weather or when should plant our garden.
What about the “Clanlands Almanac?” It is definitely not dull. It is part memoir, travel guide, cookbook, calendar, history book and entertainment monthly.
But do we read it in one shot? Or do we savor it, bit-by-bit, over the year like a bottle of fine Scotch Whiskey?
There are several ways to enjoy this wonderful romp around Scotland and its environs. First, it is theoretically a follow-up to the first “Clanlands,” but it is not imperative that you’ve read the series debut. However, I strongly recommend that you watch the Starz series “Men in Kilts,” which is Sam and Graham’s travelogue about Scotland. The Almanac makes monthly references to the competitive nature of their relationship as characterized by their feats of surfing, golf at St. Andrews, rappelling off a 180-foot cliff, sheep shearing, basket weaving and even tug-o-war. You will laugh along with their good-spirited rivalry even more if you’ve viewed these uproarious video segments. The series and book are companion pieces, and they’ll wet your whistle for their next video diary when they storm Graham’s adopted homeland, New Zealand.
Since I was writing a review of “Clanlands Almanac,” I guzzled the book in one shot because I couldn’t put it down. I loved reading about the monthly recipes, the nature notes, the Battle of the Month, the Dram of the Month, the Region of the Month, the Competition Corner, Castle of the Month, Adventure of the Month, important dates, and Great Scots. I couldn’t get enough of the bloody, barbaric clan histories, which seemed to be instigated by one clan stealing another’s sheep or kidnapping the most beautiful woman in the clan. And I learned all about the wee dreaded beastie/delicacy, the haggis, and the origin of the “Outlander” theme song “The Skye Boat Song.”
It was also illuminating to be reminded that despite their fame and glory, Sam and Graham are only human. They swap stories, not only behind-the-scenes gossip about the Starz “Outlander” and “Men in Kilts” series, but about their personal lives. Graham reveals the details of his first kiss at the age of nine, his obsession with the perfect latte, and his first sighting of the Aurora Borealis with his father in the cockpit of a 747. (His father was a commercial pilot.) Sam discusses a disastrous Valentine’s Day date as a teen, his bar tending and table waiting as a struggling actor, and his growing up in Edinburgh in the shadow of the Castle. Sam derives great pleasure over Graham’s ancestral castle being a modern-day RV park, and Graham ribs Sam that he has no clan at all; he’s an outlier, a “Sassenach”, and not really a Fraser, although he plays the Laird of the clan in “Outlander.” Their tales and ribbing are fascinating, and make you appreciate that we all struggle to achieve our goals, and that persistence, and luck, pay off.
I must reveal there is one other way to imbibe this parade of Scotch Whiskey, Scottish history, folklore or anything tangentially related to Scotland and “Outlander”. You could listen to the audiobook as you read the Almanac. Sometimes, when Sam and Graham cannot control their laughter, and it feels as if these compatible opposites are visiting your living room and having a conversation with you. A year long conversation, which you don’t want to end.
I can’t think of a better way to spend each month of 2022. So in January, uncork the Dram of the Month (Man O’Sword 2015, Annandale Distillery), settle into your armchair, and prepare to get your clan’s tartan on. Sam and Graham are back in hilarious form in “Clanlands: Seasonal Stories From Scotland”!
November 22, 2021
Go Tell the Bees
https://booktrib.com/2021/11/22/every...
October 29, 2021
New Publisher - New Book!
Level Best Books is a renown publisher of mysteries, crime and thrillers, whose authors have been recognized by the prestigious Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards for being the best of the best in mystery. And I’m thrilled to say I am now a Level Best Books Author!
The BIGGER news is that the sequel to THE MIDNIGHT CALL is on the schedule for a Spring 2022 release, and I’m submitting my manuscript to Level Best to begin the editorial process. For those unfamiliar with the process, a final manuscript is submitted to a publisher, where it goes through a series of reviews for story content and continuity, grammar, spelling and fact checking. This lengthy collaboration between the author and her editor polishes the novel, making it the best story possible before it goes to print and to the reader. I analogize the process to a sculptor taking a block of marble, and chiseling it until a beautiful sculpture appears.
So, I have a lot of exciting work ahead with the completing of the manuscript, the submission, the editing, cover design, the advance reviews, the publication and the promotion of my new book. Below is a sneak preview of the plot, although the book’s title remains under wraps-
Single mom and attorney Jessie Martin is attempting to reinvent her life after she’s helped incarcerate her mentor for murder. When Jessie saves a woman from drowning during a thunderstorm, she discovers that being a Good Samaritan can be deadly. Her 911 call to save the victim places her on a collision course with her estranged best friend, Detective Ebony Jones, and one of the greatest mysteries of the Hudson Valley.
The victim, Lissie Sexton, is a prostitute who has been badly beaten and claims she’s escaped from the clutches of a killer. Lissie is a client of Jessie’s new boss and former nemesis, Jeremy Kaplan, and he’s placed her in hiding.
Ebony is investigating a series of cold cases, and the missing women’s profiles bear a striking resemblance to Lissie’s. She’s willing to stake her career on Lissie being the key to solving the serial crimes. However, Jessie is the major obstacle to the investigation- she won’t give up Lissie’s location.
Jessie’s in a bind. She wants to help Ebony, but she can’t reveal Lissie’s location without compromising her client and her legal ethics.
To catch the killer, can Jessie and Ebony overcome their conflicts and entice Lissie to identify her attacker before he strikes again?
It’s exciting to continue The Midnight Call franchise, and there lots more excitement within the pages of “Book Two”. I can’t wait to share it with everyone early next year.
In the meantime, stay tuned for the title and cover reveals and other tidbits as my journey to publication continues.
October 3, 2021
Writer's Law School - New Dates!
October 5, 2021 (7 pm EST) North Branford Library, CT.
https://northbranford.librarycalendar...
October 13, 2021 (12 pm EST) Arts Mid-Hudson Lunch and Learn
https://www.artsmidhudson.org/worksho...
November 6, 2021 (2 pm EST) Blackstone Library, Branford, CT.
https://www.blackstonelibrary.org/eve...
November 18-20 - Romance Writers of America Virtual Conference,
July 14, 2021
The Writer's Law School: Summer/Fall Schedule
"Protecting Your Artistic Rights"
Synopsis
For writer and artists, it’s difficult to obtain information about protecting your rights in your creative projects. And if you do, it’s difficult to decipher the “legalese.”
In this workshop designed for writers, we’ll cover the basics of copyrights, trademarks and key artistic rights so that you’ll understand the fine print without having a law degree.
Details
In this session, you'll learn:
• The differences between Copyright, Trademarks, Patents and Service Marks
• The Copyright Registration Process and the CASE law
• What is the Public Domain?
• What is the Fair Use Doctrine?
• Which Business Entity is best for my writing career?
• Should I license or sell my work?
• Resources to help you protect your rights
Upcoming Sessions: (advance registration required)
July 24, 2021 (9 am EST)– Authors Marketing International Workshop
https://authorsmarketing.org/index.ph...
July 27, 2021 (7 pm EST) Sisters-In-Crime Webcast –
https://www.sistersincrime.org/events...
October 13, 2021 (11 am EST) Arts Mid-Hudson Lunch and Learn
June 15, 2021
My June Newsletter
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March 27, 2021
The Bookstore Podcast
https://thebookshoppodcast.buzzsprout...
March 18, 2021
The New Small Claims Procedure: Get on the CASE
We all think of December’s $1.4 Trillion COVID relief bill as extending unemployment benefits, the Paycheck Protection Program and assorted other political pet projects designed to boost the economy during the pandemic. But, did you know that buried within the 5900 pages of the bill, there’s special relief for writers and artists? Unfortunately, it’s not a stimulus check, but it’s something better – protecting yoru valuable copyrights.
The “Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act” was eacted to establish a copyright small claims system that allows copyright creators, such as authors, to take action against infringers on a smaller scale than filing expensive lawsuits with pricey lawyers in federal court. The idea for small claims copyright relief has been kicking around in Congress since 2003, with no luck. Finally, in 2019, the CASE bill was passed by the House and sent to the Senate, where it stalled, until it’s miraculous inclusion in the COVID relief bill.
What is CASE and how does it work?
Under the Copyright law, once an original book is written, the author is automatically entitled to certain protections of their work, including the right to reproduce, prepare derivations, distribute copies, and distribute the work for a specific period set forth in the statute. (Generally, life of the author plus seventy years.) If someone violates those ownership rights, or uses the work without the author’s permission, the author is entitled to seek relief in the United States federal courts.
Before CASE, this was a lengthy and expensive proposition. For example, to commence copyright litigation in the Eastern District of New York Federal District Court, authors faced fees of $402.00 for court filing fees, $49.00 for miscellaneous filing fees, and $45.00 for a copyright registration fee, which is a prerequisite to commencing copyright litigation, totaling $496.00. Additionally, there would be attorney’s fee, which could skyrocket the costs well into five figures, making the enforcement of an author’s copyrights cost prohibitive.
Examples of juicy literary lawsuits include: Harper Lee versus Samuel Pinkus – Lee claimed she was duped into signing her novel’s copyright over to her literary agent Samuel Pinkus, after suffering a stroke in 2007. She regained those rights, but had to sue Pinkus for the royalties he continued to collect. J.D. Salinger vs. John David California – California created a parody of Holden Caulfield escaping from a New York City retirement home. Not thinking the idea at all funny, Salinger sued him for infringement, and California yielded. Even J. K. Rowling has found herself both prosecuting and defending numerous copyright claims. Where the stakes are high, federal courts and high-priced lawyers offer the clout necessary to protect Scout, Holden Caulfield, Harry Potter and their authors.
For the rest of us, CASE creates a new page of protection for authors and other artists through an economical alternative dispute resolution forum. It creates a Copyright Claims Board (CCB), a three-officer tribunal, to hear claims for monetary damages of less than $30,000.00. The officers are appointed by the Library of Congress and are required to be individuals with experience in the evaluation, litigation, and adjudication of copyright claims. The CCB is given broad powers including dismissing or refusing claims, awarding damages, issuing cease-and-desist agreements, and awarding attorney’s fees (to a maximum of $5,000.00).
As a further cost-saving measure, an author may choose to represent themself before the tribunal, or hire an attorney. However, to file a claim, an author must have filed for copyright registration or be the holder of a copyright registration certificate. This is prima facie evidence that the author is the copyright holder and insures to the CCB that the author has standing to bring the claim for infringement. The filing of a case before the CCB is voluntary, and parties can opt-out of the process once the claim is filed, forcing an author or artist to proceed to litigate in court instead. Decision of the CCB can also be appealed to the federal courts.
There’s more good news! If the stakes are still to high, there will also be an expedited procedure for claims of less than $5,000.00.
The new law is truly a CASE of first impression. At present, the Copyright Office is ramping up the CCB so they are not accepting any claims at this time. Do not fear, an author has three years from the date of infringement to file their claim.
Since a majority of the copyright infringement cases in the Untied States are of relatively lower value than those of Harper Lee and J. K. Rowling, the small claims system will allow authors alternatives to protecting their rights in a swift and economical fashion.
Further information about Copyrights, CASE, the CCB, and whether your claim is eligible, can be found at Copyright.gov.
Jodé Millman is the author of the best-selling SEATS: NEW YORK Theatre guidebooks. Her debut novel, THE MIDNIGHT CALL (Immortal Works), received the 2020 Bronze IPPY award for Suspense, and the 2020 American Fiction Award for Legal Thriller. She is an attorney, book reviewer for Booktrib.com, and a regular columnist with Sisters In Crime about publishing law. Jodé lives with her family in the Hudson Valley, where she is at work on her next novel. Visit her at www.jodesusanmillman.com or on Facebook @JodeSusanMillmanAuthor, or Instagram @JodeMillmanAuthor.
