Greg Strandberg's Blog, page 6
November 26, 2014
New Twitter Group for Authors
I’ve got a new Twitter group for authors. Well, it’s not new, but I did just take it over.
Yep, I’m a Goodreads Moderator now…ugh.
I did this because this group had no moderator. It also has no engagement and few members.
Well, it has 14 people, up from 11 earlier today.
I added 15 links to useful Twitter articles for authors, plus some useful books for Twitter folks.
Check it out if you’re interested!
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Yep, I’m a Goodreads Moderator now…ugh.
I did this because this group had no moderator. It also has no engagement and few members.
Well, it has 14 people, up from 11 earlier today.
I added 15 links to useful Twitter articles for authors, plus some useful books for Twitter folks.
Check it out if you’re interested!
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
November 25, 2014
Thanksgiving Reads
I'll drive to Helena, Montana, tomorrow...114 miles from where I'm at now.
Since I'm staying at my mom's house I'll have the chance to read some old reads from boxes in the garage. There are also plenty of old comic books there.
Some old Sam and Twitch comics would be nice to read, or just regular Spawn. I've got plenty of old Incredible Hulk's, even some when he was grey.
Maybe I'll see if this old Middle Ages atlas is still around.
Lots of holiday possibilities.
Spawn Collection, Vol. 1
Since I'm staying at my mom's house I'll have the chance to read some old reads from boxes in the garage. There are also plenty of old comic books there.
Some old Sam and Twitch comics would be nice to read, or just regular Spawn. I've got plenty of old Incredible Hulk's, even some when he was grey.
Maybe I'll see if this old Middle Ages atlas is still around.
Lots of holiday possibilities.
Spawn Collection, Vol. 1
November 22, 2014
Lightning is Free
Lightning just went perma-free...at least for Amazon US and iTunes and Barnes & Noble, and maybe a few more.
It's a good book, just 40 pages, but already it's racing up the Short Read charts for Thriller and Suspense.
Give it a look:
http://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Sande...
Lightning
It's a good book, just 40 pages, but already it's racing up the Short Read charts for Thriller and Suspense.
Give it a look:
http://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Sande...
Lightning
November 20, 2014
I Finished Voting
I just finished up voting for the Goodreads Choice Awards 2014.
Now, let me say that I did not read a single one of the books that I voted for, but I also did not read a single book I didn’t vote for.
I like to stay balanced, and I thought I did so. So how did I vote, and why did I vote?
I voted for authors, typically, or for books I was rooting for. For instance, I voted for Andy Weir’s The Martian for Best Debut Goodreads Author. I did this because I like the story of this book – an author putting up chapters on his site, and scientists getting into it – so I was rooting for it.
I just didn’t read it. Yeah, I’ve got a 3-year-old…and a penchant for excuses.
So if you see my votes, I just wanted you to know that was my general strategy. Oh, and sometimes I liked the cover…or the title…or the subject.
But at least I voted, which is something you might take umbrage with as well. I’m not sure.
Anyways…I’ll be going now, but maybe I’ll see you in the comments.
The Martian
Now, let me say that I did not read a single one of the books that I voted for, but I also did not read a single book I didn’t vote for.
I like to stay balanced, and I thought I did so. So how did I vote, and why did I vote?
I voted for authors, typically, or for books I was rooting for. For instance, I voted for Andy Weir’s The Martian for Best Debut Goodreads Author. I did this because I like the story of this book – an author putting up chapters on his site, and scientists getting into it – so I was rooting for it.
I just didn’t read it. Yeah, I’ve got a 3-year-old…and a penchant for excuses.
So if you see my votes, I just wanted you to know that was my general strategy. Oh, and sometimes I liked the cover…or the title…or the subject.
But at least I voted, which is something you might take umbrage with as well. I’m not sure.
Anyways…I’ll be going now, but maybe I’ll see you in the comments.
The Martian
November 18, 2014
Goodbye Habanero Plant
I threw the habanero plant away today.
I bought a small tray of the things at the farmer's market this summer. I planted them in the big pot with the sunflower. The sunflower was dead a few weeks later and the peppers took off.
I moved them inside before the first frost, and the plant lasted awhile.
But then this week we saw bugs on it and eggs so that was it - they'd eat the plant anyways, so I put it outside overnight.
That was it, and today I took it and put it in a garbage bag and then the dumpster, still with many peppers on the plant. It was a sad ending to a proud plant.
Next year I'm going with peppers that aren't so damn hot, and don't take things over so much.
See the plant here:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GregStra...
I bought a small tray of the things at the farmer's market this summer. I planted them in the big pot with the sunflower. The sunflower was dead a few weeks later and the peppers took off.
I moved them inside before the first frost, and the plant lasted awhile.
But then this week we saw bugs on it and eggs so that was it - they'd eat the plant anyways, so I put it outside overnight.
That was it, and today I took it and put it in a garbage bag and then the dumpster, still with many peppers on the plant. It was a sad ending to a proud plant.
Next year I'm going with peppers that aren't so damn hot, and don't take things over so much.
See the plant here:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GregStra...
November 16, 2014
Kicked Out of the Fantasy Group
I thought it was wrong of the two moderators of the Fantasy Book Club to delete members and put up warning labels when users make comments.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I challenged them on this, and I was kicked from the group. You’ll not be able to see any of the 110 messages I had in that group and I cannot even view any of the open threads in it anymore.
What did I say that was so offensive? Here it is:
“And really, if you want to talk about spite, I think we should bring up the continued refusal of the mods to include any kind of link to the polls or other areas of user engagement that they’re looking for.
That’s how this whole thing got started, because I suggested we include a link to the monthly poll or runoff or whatever. Many thought it would be a good idea. But instead of doing that we go to the effort of purging the group and putting up warning labels anytime someone wants to make a comment.
That’s not right. And I will not apologize for speaking out against it.”
So that’s what I said on November 13. I took 3 days of negotiations for Bev the moderator to kick me out. I guess they had to get permission from Goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9...
Why did this moderator get so angry at me? Here’s a look at the messages I sent here:
June 16: Can you please post the links to the polls when you send this out? Thanks.
July 28: Anyway you could put the link into those emails?
October 15: I never vote on polls in this group because you won’t include a link. Other moderators in other groups have no trouble doing that.
October 15: I’m sorry you feel that way, Bev. I’ve been a member of this group since the Spring of 2013. Sorry again, I won’t message you ever again or interact with you. Sorry.
So let that be a lesson to you. Don’t speak out when you see things that are unjust. Don’t suggest things to moderators. And sure don’t think your voice is important.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I challenged them on this, and I was kicked from the group. You’ll not be able to see any of the 110 messages I had in that group and I cannot even view any of the open threads in it anymore.
What did I say that was so offensive? Here it is:
“And really, if you want to talk about spite, I think we should bring up the continued refusal of the mods to include any kind of link to the polls or other areas of user engagement that they’re looking for.
That’s how this whole thing got started, because I suggested we include a link to the monthly poll or runoff or whatever. Many thought it would be a good idea. But instead of doing that we go to the effort of purging the group and putting up warning labels anytime someone wants to make a comment.
That’s not right. And I will not apologize for speaking out against it.”
So that’s what I said on November 13. I took 3 days of negotiations for Bev the moderator to kick me out. I guess they had to get permission from Goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9...
Why did this moderator get so angry at me? Here’s a look at the messages I sent here:
June 16: Can you please post the links to the polls when you send this out? Thanks.
July 28: Anyway you could put the link into those emails?
October 15: I never vote on polls in this group because you won’t include a link. Other moderators in other groups have no trouble doing that.
October 15: I’m sorry you feel that way, Bev. I’ve been a member of this group since the Spring of 2013. Sorry again, I won’t message you ever again or interact with you. Sorry.
So let that be a lesson to you. Don’t speak out when you see things that are unjust. Don’t suggest things to moderators. And sure don’t think your voice is important.
November 11, 2014
Looking at the Dune Books Again
I’ve just looked at some of the old Dune books again, you know, those crappy ones like Book 4 and 5. I saw some reviews in my homepage feed and checked them out, then noticed I…well, schucks, you ever notice how you’ll have a review on one edition of a book and not on another? I hate that crap.
Anyways, I went ahead and put another review on Book 4 because I couldn’t seem to find my old review.
Double anyways, those books aren’t that good. And that, my friends, is all the prescient thoughts I’ve got for you today.
God Emperor of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
Anyways, I went ahead and put another review on Book 4 because I couldn’t seem to find my old review.
Double anyways, those books aren’t that good. And that, my friends, is all the prescient thoughts I’ve got for you today.
God Emperor of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
November 1, 2014
NaNo November
November is starting again and that means it’s National Write a Novel Month, or NaNoWriMo.
I did it last year and finished, writing Tarot Card Killer. That book’s only sold 30 copies so it probably wasn’t much of a success.
This year I’m writing the Dulce Files, which is a sci-fi novel set in 1979. A group of special ops forces – all “dead” Vietnam vets – have to go into Dulce Base, a secret underground base near the Archuleta Mesa in New Mexico.
There the U.S. has allowed the Grays, a race of extra-terrestrials from the Zeta Reticuli system, to establish a base. This was done after Eisenhower signed a treaty with them in 1953 at Holleman Air Force Base.
Anyways, the men go in and attack the hell out of the place and take it back for the Americans (it’d been lost in ’75).
There’s only one man living from that mission still, and I’ll probably dedicate the book to him. Two of the commanders were killed in the Challenger disaster and another died while flying his WWII-replica aircraft. A few were taken by old age, as well.
Just google Dulce base and you’ll find all this information. Or just wait until the end of the month when I put this book out.
Thanks for reading!
I did it last year and finished, writing Tarot Card Killer. That book’s only sold 30 copies so it probably wasn’t much of a success.
This year I’m writing the Dulce Files, which is a sci-fi novel set in 1979. A group of special ops forces – all “dead” Vietnam vets – have to go into Dulce Base, a secret underground base near the Archuleta Mesa in New Mexico.
There the U.S. has allowed the Grays, a race of extra-terrestrials from the Zeta Reticuli system, to establish a base. This was done after Eisenhower signed a treaty with them in 1953 at Holleman Air Force Base.
Anyways, the men go in and attack the hell out of the place and take it back for the Americans (it’d been lost in ’75).
There’s only one man living from that mission still, and I’ll probably dedicate the book to him. Two of the commanders were killed in the Challenger disaster and another died while flying his WWII-replica aircraft. A few were taken by old age, as well.
Just google Dulce base and you’ll find all this information. Or just wait until the end of the month when I put this book out.
Thanks for reading!
October 31, 2014
Trick or Treating Tonight
I'll be heading out to the dark and desperate streets of Missoula tonight to do some trick-or-treating with my son Paul.
He's 3, so this will be his first year going out. He's got a ninja costume and is pretty happy.
I'm not sure he'll be too happy when I tell him he can't eat all that candy in one sitting.
He's 3, so this will be his first year going out. He's got a ninja costume and is pretty happy.
I'm not sure he'll be too happy when I tell him he can't eat all that candy in one sitting.
October 30, 2014
This Group Will Be Closing
Like fantasy reads? Better join the Fantasy Book Club soon...they're cutting off membership.
Yeah, weird, huh? The main mod got it in her head that there's just too many members and that not enough of them are reading or commenting.
So all of those folks will be deleted...unless they've done something in three months.
Oh, and if you wanted to join the group...do it now or wait until January.
Don't ask me why the group has to close, and I think it'd be best not to ask those calling the shots, either.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Yeah, weird, huh? The main mod got it in her head that there's just too many members and that not enough of them are reading or commenting.
So all of those folks will be deleted...unless they've done something in three months.
Oh, and if you wanted to join the group...do it now or wait until January.
Don't ask me why the group has to close, and I think it'd be best not to ask those calling the shots, either.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
