Jo Robinson's Blog, page 86
July 11, 2014
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Originally posted on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog..... An Author Promotions Enterprise!:
SO, my fine author friends, this is the last (BE QUIET YOU AT THE BACK!) of my WHY, HOW, WHAT series of rants (sorry – ARTICLES).
As I’ve said before, I mean everything to be a HELP to you, NOT a criticism.
To see my first article of this series (WHY?) click HERE and the second one (HOW?) click HERE.
I get really disappointed for authors after their posts have gone live.
They have gone to all the effort to produce a really great article and sent it to me for posting and I have made as much effort as possible to present it attractively, plus ensure all the online links work properly.
I send the direct link for the live article to the author and include the following:
‘Don’t forget that as well as re-blogging, you can use all the share buttons under it to send it…
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Meet My Characters Blog-Hop. Well, sort of.
Originally posted on Just Olga:
Hi all:
Author Jo RobinsonAs you might or might not have noticed, I stopped participating in blogging awards or blog hops that involved nominating other people as I always preferred to make sure the person would have time to do it or it fitted in with their schedule (I tend to prepare and schedule my posts in advance and I know others do too), and found it very time consuming. When wonderful Jo Robinsonauthor of The Ghost Writer Chronicles, a writer and blogger I admire and follow, who produces great content, finds true jewels (I always look forward to her funny posts early in the week) very generous sharing and reblogging other authors, tagged me onto the Meet My Main Characters blog hop unexpectedly, I found myself in a quandary. On the one hand, I’m aware there were at least a couple of other writer friends who…
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July 10, 2014
Writing is a Job
I’ve been hectically busy just lately with lots of rotten things that haven’t involved reading or writing a word. Not so much fun, I didn’t like it, and now I’m resolved to boot anyone who tries to get me away from my computer until I’ve finished what I’m working on in the left kneecap. Hard. Very hard, and with malice aforethought.
Zooming through my piles of emails now, I spotted a post where someone said that her entire family see her writing as a hobby, a vanity, and a waste of time. Not cool – hackles up. When you’re a writer, those around you have to be properly taught that what you do is just as important, if not more so in some cases, as what anyone else does. Even if you’re only starting out in your scribbling career, and aren’t earning more than enough to buy your current weekly sustenance of a sack of turnips and bottle of industrial strength absinthe, it should never mean that whatever anyone else thinks or wants you to do should take precedence over your work. Unless others are totally dependent on you for their daily bread, so you have no choice but to take any job to make ends meet, why shouldn’t you be allowed the same time it would take in any other career to get from the carting coffee around point to the executive suite point?
Some non-writers believe that your fledgling career is a waste of time, and that you’d be better off getting a “real” job instead. To be honest, no one has ever been brave enough to suggest this to me, but that’s probably only because even though I’m almost always sweetness and light (heh), I can turn into a proper bum scorching dragon when riled. This suggestion would rile me. Writing is work. Just because you enjoy doing it doesn’t make it any less of a job than doing something you actively hate doing. So if your very first scribble doesn’t propel you to million selling author status, that’s it, time up? Get a real job now – you failed? I don’t understand people who equate a writing career with a life of munching doughnuts and watching TV all day. Or those who feel that it’s mandatory to grow up, get a crappy job that destroys your soul, get old and decrepit, and then move on to whatever awaits you on the other side. I feel really sorry for scribblers who have to put up with such lack of support from their nearest and dearest. Life’s difficult enough without trying to stop anyone from at least having a good go at doing something that they love. You have this life though, and I don’t see anything wrong with being as happy as a bunny if you’re not actually hurting anyone or anything else by helping yourself to said happy bunnyhood. Anyway.
A lot of spam has built up while I’ve been forced to do stuff in the world of flesh and blood, and right now I’ve decided that a fan is a fan after all, and that these particular fans could be wonderful outlets for scribblers to release all those pent up urges to get new readers to buy their books. So this time I’m going to reply to all the pervy direct messages before blocking them with, “Well hello there! I am flattered and overjoyed that you have such strong feelings for me that you felt obliged to ask to have a gander at little old me in the altogether!!! Thank you for your interest! Did you know that my books are only $2.99 each? Here’s the link to buy them!!!! Don’t forget to leave five star reviews, and LIKE my Facebook page.”
July 5, 2014
Reblog Saturday – Wonderful images, words and inspiration from fellow bloggers.
Originally posted on Smorgasbord - Variety is the spice of life:
A really busy week for us as we prepare our house for an estate agent’s visit. There is so much we shall miss about our home here in Madrid but realistically we know it is too big and that being closer to family back in the UK and Ireland as we all get that little bit older is a sensible way to go. This was reinforced last night when our friends here came over for one of our regular get togethers – As we waved them off at 2am this morning we realised how much we will miss.
I have finished two more books of mine for E-versions this week and they have crossed our in house local network to the heart of the publishing operations in the office down the hall. This has cleared the decks for my next major project which is a novel and Jo Robinson kindly…
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The old Ape needs a BOOST on Facebook
Originally posted on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog..... An Author Promotions Enterprise!:
If you look down the column to the right, just under the photos of some of my lovely followers, you’ll find the direct link and LIKE button of my Promotion of New Authors and Books Page.
Can I ask a favour?
Please click the LIKE button and help boost this page up the Facebook rankings, so it is more useful in promoting all the great authors featured there.
If you’d also like to friend and follow my Facebook Timeline page click HERE.
If you’d like to share any Authorly (should be a word) news on either (or both) pages, please do (bear in mind that the Family Friendly Conditions apply there as well, so inappropriate shares may be deleted).
DON’T FORGET to send me any news for posting here on this blog though – then it will be spread to even MORE media places AS WELL AS on BOTH the…
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The Long Earth – Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
Originally posted on Feed My Reads South Africa:
Kindle Deal Today – The Long Earth is only $1.99
An unmissable milestone for fans of Sir Terry Pratchett: the first SF novel in over three decades in which the visionary inventor of Discworld has created a new universe of tantalizing possibilities—a series of parallel “Earths” with doorways leading to adventure, intrigue, excitement, and an escape into the furthest reaches of the imagination.
The Long Earth, written with award-winning novelist Stephen Baxter, author of Stone Spring, Ark, and Floodwill, captivate science fiction fans of all stripes, readers of Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen, and anyone who enjoyed the Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman collaboration Good Omens.
The Long Earth is an adventure of the highest order—and an unforgettable read.
July 4, 2014
Author and Yogi of the Day – Leslie Kaminoff
Originally posted on All That's Written ...:
I’m quite please to be able to present to you a very special author and yogi today. He is a man that has, even if only on paper, taught me a lot.
***
Hi Leslie, thanks for taking the time to answer a few of my questions.
I’m sure every yoga teacher that wants to know more about anatomy and breathing in relation to yoga is familiar with your name, but for those who have no idea let me introduce you shortly before we do the Q&A. If that’s okay?
Leslie Kaminoff is a yogi and co-author of the bestselling book “Yoga Anatomy” and creator of YogaAnatomy.net, a yoga educator, and internationally recognized specialist with over three decades experience in the fields of yoga, breath anatomy and bodywork.
How do you feel about teaching yoga and the discussion about certification and licensing?
Well, that’s a two-part question. The first…
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Stanley’s Review
Originally posted on Jo Robinson:
Stanley’s Review
“Stanley. Where the hell’s my tea?”
Stanley flinched, but couldn’t tear his eyes from the glowing screen in front of him. The excitement of realising that someone had posted a review of his book, the book that had taken him ten years to write, had been quenched when he saw the single lonely star, and read the scathing words.
From George Witherall
Not only do I regret ever laying eyes on this appalling book, I also regret looking at this author’s profile to see what manner of fool could write so badly, and coming face to face with the ugliest man alive. Load of rubbish. The only recommendation that I could give for this trash would be incineration.
“Stanley!”
“Yes Mother. I’m coming!”
The cold shock of reading his very first book review had rendered him incapable of movement. The rage that now filled him as he clicked…
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July 3, 2014
Crimson Dawn
Originally posted on Ethereal Nature:
The gray dawn
of an overcast life
brings another day
beneath the shroud
of sorrow.
But to part the clouds
to find that inner light
and cast it upon the pain
transmutes grief to glory.
Every poignant tale
that pangs the heart
with colors of emotion
is born of alchemy
when someone let the sunshine
upon their clouds of sorrow.
Could Even Be Your Buddy
I read a thing where a scientist monitored the brains of professional writers and non-professional writers while they were writing. Non-pros brains appeared to be visualising what they wrote, and the pucker scribbers brains appeared to be narrating what they wrote. I have absolutely no clue what that means, but it just goes to show. Anyway.
Whether I’m writing or editing, if I get disturbed for long enough and a couple of days goes by without me getting on with what I’m doing, I can’t just carry on from where I left off. I have to backtrack and go over notes before I can get going again. If I have enough interruptions, and lately there have been many, I’ll sometimes work on one of my newer WIPs instead – my books for 2015 and beyond – rather than go to all that trouble only to have some new thing arrive to take me away for days again.
The one I fiddled with a bit today got me thinking though. Most of my mainstream books have some dark characters in them, and dark life situations too. I can’t imagine writing anything other than what I either have experience with or what I’ve researched, and my readers will never know which parts I’m writing because I’ve lived something like it, seen it, or because I’ve studied it – because I’m not likely to tell. Keeps things interesting.
Most people believe that other people must have some good in them, because we tend to use our own characters as examples. None of us can say that we’ve never been rotten tools, and if you can – well – jolly well done to you! A lot of behavior that is bad, and to be avoided at all costs, I’ve learned from doing myself. But I do learn, and regret that I’ve done these things, and I never do them again, just as we all learn and grow.
But there really are people out there – quite a lot of them – who don’t have the capacity for good at all, because they not only lack the ability to love anyone other than themselves, but because they get actual pleasure from causing mental or physical suffering in others. I zoomed over to Amazon and bought a couple of books on the subject, and I must say that that was the most shocking thing I learned today.
So many people are in short or long term relationships with these people, or have them in their families, and always believe that they are just a bit selfish, or see things differently, or are shy, or have been abused themselves, when in actual fact they are soulless, absolutely incapable of any empathy whatsoever, somewhat demonic, and very coldly interested in the destruction of others, all the while worshiping at their own alters, believing themselves to be deserving of the best of everything, and more attractive, intelligent, and deserving than anyone else. So the most shocking thing I discovered at the end of all this was that these people ENJOY the results of their casual and sometimes not so casual hurting of others. They like to see you broken – thinking that you’re the one who isn’t right in the head. They make an effort to put you in that place. They’re real people, and trotting about studying the rest of us so that they can copy what it looks like to have a soul. Unfortunately most of those who they destroy will never know what they are, because we project our own humanity onto these evil, empty vessels.
So guess which WIP has just been moved right into my current batch to be published with the first five. Hah! Love this scribbling thing.
