Ann Benjamin's Blog, page 298

On the topic of rain.

The thing about rainy days when you only have four a year, is that you really, really miss them.  When almost every day is sunny and clear, you feel a bit guilty for not going out and taking advantage of the weather (even if it is usually 40C+).  So, yes, the above image has me missing a fantastic rainy day where I could sit inside and just relax.

 

Ambition.

This is Ambition by Fredrik Rattzen.

Yes, my blog tends to more often reflect my tumblr accounts, but I saw this image on Pinterest and it spoke to me.

Here’s to climbing one rung at a time.

 

Excitement, population me.

Yay for Room Critic!  They were one of my Top 5 for reviews.  Obviously, I’ll be posting the review here as soon as it’s available.

 

The Creative Process

“When we tell stories about creativity, we tend to leave out this phase.  We neglect to mention those days when we wanted to quit, when we believed that our problem was impossible.  Instead, we skip straight to the breakthrough.  We tell the happy ending first.  The danger of this scenario is that the act of feeling frustrated is an essential part of the creative process.  Before we can find the answer — before we can even know the question — we must be immersed in disappointment, convinced that a solution is beyond our reach.   We need to have wrestled with the problem and lost.  Because it’s only after we stop searching that an answer may arrive.”

-The Importance of Frustration in the Creative Process, Jonah Lehrer

I stumbled across this quote and it resonated, so I thought I would share it here.  I’m looking at you, Muse for Lucky Penny.  Where did you go?  Please come back.

How I want to get there.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m sick of following my dreams. I’m just going to ask them where they’re goin’, and hook up with them later.

- Mitch Hedberg

Just getting tired of waiting is all.

Thanks Amazon!

This morning I received an e-mail from Amazon.

It made me smile.

Following up on my bully post.

First, I read this, which led me to below:

https://www.change.org/petitions/goodreads-com-amazon-com-stop-letting-abuse-continue-under-the-disguise-of-freedom-of-speech

I signed.

I read the comments.

I agree with the majority of them.

I think what was missed in my previous post about bullying is that I don’t care if you hate my book – you can think it’s trash and wonder why I wasted years of my life writing it, HOWEVER, that does not give you the right to attack me personally.  For example, if you list my book (and many other books) in a category on Goodreads as ‘fuck-that-shit,’ I am going to be offended.  Yes, you’re entitled to your opinion.  No, my opinion is not more valid than yours or anyone else’s.  However, unless you’ve read the book, why would you classify something I’ve put a lot of work into as basically worthless?  In previous reviews I’ve done, any issues I’ve had with the story or characters have been just that.  I would not attack and author simply because I thought their writing was poor or because of how they executed a story, nor would I do something immature and classify their book as unreadable and the author as a waste of time.  Unless the material is outwardly homophobic or racist, it’s not my place to force an opinion on another author.

So, if I can help other authors get above this type of bullying and connect with the audience and readers they set out to write the book for, I’m definitely going to help.

Going Viral.

So,  like any aspiring bestselling author, I’m always interested in what makes things go viral.  How or why do certain books, songs, or memes make it into the mainstream?  I’m looking at you, 50 Shades of Gray.  Consider, if you will, the below picture.

He is handsome, yes?

I pinned this on my Pinterest Vegas prep board 20 weeks ago and it’s almost exactly what Hubs wore for our vow renewal in June.  Since then, by a considerable margin, this one gets constantly repinned.  To date, I have 144 repins and 40 likes.  Now, that might sound like small potatoes to some of the major pinners on the site, but it’s been strange for me to follow the relative success of the above image.  If I could get the same success with say, one of my book covers, I would feel pretty great about raising awareness for my novels.

My second most repinned pin, original here, is below and has 60 repins and 10 likes.  The note I’ve left on the image says, ‘Really love this as inspiration for Confessions of a Teenage Band Geek,’ which, to be fair, it is.  However, I have no way of knowing if my note leads to any additional sales.  I don’t know if anyone pins below and thinks ‘what is this book I’ve never head about she’s mentioning?  I should go look that up.’  These are the fantasies in my head.

 

Then again, why does anyone do anything? #feelingexistential

 

A few prints for my hypothetical office.

 

 

 

Just a few prints for my hypothetical office.

.First is this awesome Oh My God print of Poseidon (a character in one of my WIPs), plus I love the style

Next is one to pay homage to my alma mater, the University of Georgia and the city of my formative years, Athens, GA.

 

Who doesn’t want a dreamy Alphonse Mucha in their work space?

 

Filed under, I don’t know, it’s just cool.  Buy it for me here.

After I threw in a few personal photos from a recent memorable event, I would add an old print to tie everything together.

What sort of posters / prints would you have in your dream office?

 

I bet you thought this song was about you.

[Insert: evil author laugh].