Shiloh Walker's Blog, page 175

Winner of Haunted by Your Touch

Sorry I'm so late doing this… we had a rough week here on the home front and I let things slide.

Anyway, the winner of Haunted by Your Touch is Estella, email starting with kissinoak, who commented:

I am reading an old Harlequin American Romance, An Unlikely Mommy by Tanya Michaels.

Estella, I need you to email me @ shilohwalker@gmail.com with your contact info… thank you!

Oh… bad, bad… James Frey & contracts & works for hire. A heads-up to writers…

I've said this before, I'll say it again-

Never be so desperate to sign a contract that you sign a bad contract

Okay?

Okay, then.

Apparently James Frey-remember him?  Of A Million Little Pieces (or whatever the title was) fame?  He was the writer who wrote a memoir that wasn't really a memoir?  Anyway, he's apparently come up with brilliant nasty idea that will have him owning a million little pieces of newby writer souls, if they are naive enough to sign the contracts.  And it's one lousy, sucky contract, IMO.

Full of various nastiness*IMO* from what I can tell, although one particular nasty piece?  No auditing provisions, which is standard-so no way to prove they are actually paying what they truly owe.

If I'm reading the language right, it would appear they can also force you to write more books… not give you the option, but make the writer write more.

Um… excuse me?  Make?

Choke. Sputter.

Okay, admittedly, I haven't seen many work for hire contracts.  I don't know what's standard.  But it can't be this.

And yeah, yeah, I know some are going to argue, but nobody is making anybody sign it…

Well, that's true.  But you put somebody who is really, really good at selling snake-oil in a room full of young adults who don't quite understand how the publishing world works.  And honestly, there are plenty of educated, intelligent adults who don't understand how publishing works.  It's easy to dazzle and daze and befuddle-very easy.  These young adults also don't have anybody really educating them on how publishing really works, from what I understand.

So, are they being made to sign?  No.  They aren't being made to sign, but they also aren't being educated on just how bad an idea it is to sign.

These young adults need to be educated and hey, maybe that's why so many writers are speaking out.  An attempt to do just that-educate.

Just a little public service announcement…

A hard few months

Not just the past few weeks-it started before that, but then it got worse, losing one friend, then another.  Many of you have offered kind words and support.  It's hard losing one friend, but losing two so close together is brutal.  Thanks for the kindness, guys.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Saturday Snippets… Beg Me

Yes… there is a theme here. *G* I'm getting closer to being done with this, which means I want you all nuts for it.  Am I close to that yet?  ** also… I know a lot of people seem to be really excited about this, and that thrills me…if you want to have up to date info on it, it will all be posted to the blog, so the best way to stay informed is probably going to be through signing up for the RSS feed over there.  It's just a daily email-it says feedburner-all it is…the blog gets emailed.

"Why you?"  Then she glanced away, licking her lips. Taking a deep, slow breath, she looked back at him and said, "Because I had a feeling you'd get it. You didn't look freaked out by what you saw five years ago."

She squirmed a little because this next part was embarrassing. "And…well.  Hell, you're gorgeous, Drake.  I know I can trust you.  I like being around you…and..um, well, there are times when I see you looking at me and I see something—kind of like the way you're looking at me now."

His hands flexed on her thighs. "And how am I looking at you?" he asked roughly. Slowly, he used his hands to lightly tug her thighs apart.

It never occurred to her not to let him.

"Like you want to eat me alive. Like you want me—so much."  Her voice shuddered out of her and she jerked her gaze from his face. "Sometimes it scares me, when I'm out and I noticed a man who notices me, you know? But not with you. You've never scared me. And…well, like I said—you're gorgeous."

She licked her lips and shrugged, going for casual, but failing. "I figured if you already found me attractive, and I know I find you attractive. So if you weren't opposed to the kind of games I like, maybe you'd be okay with this."  She met his gaze and held it. "Was I wrong?"

"No."

Still looking at a 12/1 release date, roughly.  Also, as I explained yesterday, I'm down for the count for a few more days due to personal upheaval and the loss of a friend, on top of a surgery yesterday.   I do appreciate the good thoughts and prayers, very much.  But please don't email.  I always feel like I should respond, even when I'm told I don't need to.  Logically, I know I should rest but when there's work to be….I have a harder time, so please don't email.  All thoughts and prayers are appreciated, though.  Appreciated and welcome.

On Amazon… 'banning' books, etc.

Pretty please, take note… this isn't a call for a debate… normally I like debates.  But I'm tired and I hurt, and my head's loopy from drugs.  Soooo…don't think I'm ignoring if I'm not responding to questions.  I just know how easy it is to go from… question to debate.  And I'm not doing it.

Now, onto my post, and my opinions, and the reasons behind my post.  With a particular book being removed from Amazon, people are now worried that Amazon will start censoring books based on public outcry.

FYI, I don't think it's censoring to refuse to sell a book.  It's a business call.  It's the same reason a Christian bookstore probably isn't going to sell books on magical realism and the same reason stores on the occult aren't likely to be selling books by Christian fiction writers.  And these books aren't advocating or talking about things they 'may help to lessen the sentence if they are convicted'.

That bit right there was probably a huge part of the problem-telling potential predators how they might be able to lessen their sentence if they get caught doing something that heinous.  (FYI, if you dont' know the story, I'm sorry but I'm not going into detail, and PLEASE NOBODY LIST THE GUY'S NAME or WHAT the fricking book was, or linking anything, because I refuse to give him any hits-any posts that do so, I will delete.)

So there was a major problem with public outcry. Some say Amazon shouldn't have given in, that they censored this writer.  Amazon published this through the digital platform-they were the publisher, and as such, they held certain rights.    They had the right to make a business call.  They had the right to refuse to publish this work, and to remove it if they deemed it necessary.

Per their content guidelines: (Quoting from their site)

Offensive Material

What we deem offensive is probably about what you would expect. Amazon Digital Services, Inc. reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of Titles sold on our site.

Amazon has the right to decide what to publish, what to sell.  Do I want them giving into public outcry blatantly?  Nope.  Individuals like Fred Phelps would have a field day.  It's possible those who are absolutely adamant that I shouldn't eat meat might try to have all non-vegan cookbooks removed.

But common sense can and should step in.

Books that tell somebody how to commit a murder? Do I think those should be on sale?   Of course not.

Does this mean I think Lolita should be banned-um, no.   Yes, I saw that question on twitter, and yes, I ignored it. Again, it's not banning on Amazon's part to make a business decision to decide not to sell a book, especially when it's already part of their content guidelines.  Target can decide not to carry a certain style of purse because it doesn't suit their clientele-that's not banning.  It's business.  As Amazon already had the right to make the decision as the publisher, they didn't need to justify anything.

And I'm sorry, but I think it's a foolish question-Lolita is fiction, right?  Now I personally think it's disturbing (and disgusting) fiction, but it's fiction and it's also not fiction that was telling people how to get lighter sentences if they offend.  Do you see the theme here?  This is a problem.

Do this mean I think history books with children marrying  should be banned? I'll be blunt-another foolish question.  One-they are history books and they aren't exactly telling people it's okay, and again, they also aren't telling people how to get lighter sentences.

Amazon, in the end, is a business, and yes, they are in business to make money.  But they are also going to have to be aware that public outcry can get nasty.  They shouldn't cater and give in blindly.  It's stupid.  You'll have extreme conservative religious groups saying anything with the word S E X is evil.  Never mind that God created sex, but that's another rant.

But Amazon can find a way to handle this without worrying about the extremism that's going to come at them.

How?  Through common sense.

If I was in charge, and I so thank God I'm not, but if I was?

I'd form an unbiased, internal group and I'd specifically look for people with a variety of outlooks on life, probably even a variety of religions and upbringing, parents, non-parents, single, married, etc.  I'd investigate them–hard.   Question them like nothing you've ever seen, because what I want to know is: Are you capable of taking objective looks at things and putting your own feelings aside? Although I'm asking for an eclectic mix of people, I'd be doing this more to as a public example-saying See…?  It's not just a Christian** group/Conservative Group/Athiest Group/Liberal Group/People with Kids/Without Kids. It's the objectivity that matters.

**Before anybody freaks at the Christian thing… FYI, I'm Christian.  I write romance.  I write erotic romance.  I don't view sex as a sin and I'm not going to blink twice at the books that will make the extremists groups go… you'll burn in hell if you touch that.  Having a wide variety represented means you'll get a better representation of what their customers really think anyway.

Back to my imaginary committee.

This group will be chosen on based on displayed objectivity.  They'd use that objectivity to look at books that are hit with hard public outcry.

They'd look at specific criteria.

Does the book involve material that is abusive to certain religious groups/minorities/'special interest' groups (namely children, disabled, animals, etc)
Does the book advocate or push legal limits, telling people how to skirt the law or 'lessen their sentencing' if caught, or how to commit illegal acts-ie: safe sex with a child?
Does the book advocate violence/hate crimes-a how-to book on stalking and raping a woman, how to murder, dog fights, etc.
Does the book have anything 'constructive' besides 'money' to offer society

They'd look at these things.  If there are more negative aspects to the book than positives, then the publisher shouldn't sell it.

I might even consider doing this in a survey type thing, anonymous, rather than in a committee, that way it doesn't turn into a bureaucratic thing.  Each person can answer freely without worrying about what others would say, submit their viewpoints-perhaps a small head committee of 3-5 people would gather the info and look at the final info and based on that, not on their own personal viewpoints, make the call.

If there is more negative impact than positive, don't sell it-money shouldn't be the deciding factor, and freedom of speech isn't even a factor because nobody is saying people can't put their stuff out there for people to read.

This isn't censorship.  This is business.

We aren't granted the inalienable right to publish for profit, ya know.  If people want that, then they work to sell to the masses, which means not selling things that are going to turn the stomachs of the masses.

Now…I dunno if this post is going to garner many comments.  I'm just posting my opinion on it, and honestly, that's all I want to do it.  I don't want to debate.  I'm loopy on pain meds from a surgery today and while normally I enjoy debates, I'm too loopy for them right now.  Plus, I'm tired.  Please don't try to drag me into a debate-not going to happen.

But I don't care one way or the other if I get many comments.  If you're new?  Howdy & welcome. People are welcome to comment.  But considering how heated this topic has gotten around the web, I feel the need to point this out, you might want to keep this in mind, I'm very, very careful to keep my blog a friendly place for my readers.  Keep your tone civil, regardless of your opinion, because if you don't, I will delete and I'll do it with a smile.  Because I'm a bit of a snot that way.  If you can't voice your opinion with respect, you can do it elsewhere.

Again, I'm not getting into debates about this-I had a few people try to drag me into debates on it on twitter when I stated my opinion.  Stating an opinion isn't an open call for a debate.  Just as blogging about it isn't an open call for debate.

The Friday 56…Beg Me edition…

Why Beg Me?  Well… it's closest cuz I'm editing it.

It was humbling, even as it awed her. He'd felt something for her for a long time, even when she'd been married. All these years, and it hadn't faded.

This was Drake, and it should have weirded her out.

The fact that it didn't was why, in the end, she didn't back out of the date.

About the Friday 56

Grab the book nearest you. Right now
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

BTW…please don't expect me around much for the next few days-all posts were written in advance, as is  my normal.  I'm having surgery on Friday, 11/12-nothing major, just necessary and I expect to be down for a few days.  And while I appreciate the good wishes and the intent, please don't send me emails… I always feel like I should respond and I know logically it's the last thing I should be doing when I'm trying to rest.  Thanks in advance for understanding.

The funny thing about sunsets, sunrises

There is a strange thing about sunsets, sunrises-somebody else mentioned this, but I can't remember who…maybe PBW? Anyway… Unless you are the photographer, it's not always easy to tell if a photo is depicting a sunset, or a sunrise.

I took this more than two years ago in Alaska, and it's depicting a sunset.  Fitting I suppose, as a dear, beloved friend of mine from church passed away on Monday.

A dear friend.   I'm 34.  I've known her since I was probably 8.  One of my happiest childhood memories is forever tied to her and her family.  Now she's gone and that selfish part of me looks at a picture like this one and I can't help but see the setting sun.  Even though I'm Christian and I don't just think there is a life beyond this one-for me, it's a knowledge and I know something better awaits her.  I know that her body, weak since before we were in high school, no longer plagues her and she can run, jump and fish, things she hasn't done easily in more than 20 years.

Still, my heart breaks.

One consolation I have is in knowing that she no longer suffers.  That broken body that gave up on her far before her heart did is no longer broken.  She won't look at a picture like this and see a sun setting on a life, but a sun rising on a new one.  It's a small comfort.  Not a big one.  But hey, I'm only human and I'm allowed to take a while to grief.  I'm ready, though, to look at a picture like this and see the rising of the sun…seeing the strength, the warmth and the comfort that awaits.

I'd like to say I'm ready to stop hurting–I've got some friends who are telling me just remember, this is a blessing…you don't need to cry for her. I know they mean well.   But I'm not crying for her…I'm crying for me, and the loss of her.  She was a near, dear, beloved friend and if she isn't worth my pain and my grief, then I have to wonder…who is?

Don't be afraid to indulge in your misery.  In the end, we're only human.

In a few months, I know I'll be able to look back and think of her sunrise.  But I need the time to mourn first.

and again, I'm turning off comments…not because I don't appreciate the well wishes, but I need some time.  Also, while I appreciate the intent, please don't email with prayers and condolences, well wishes at this time.  I do appreciate the good thoughts, but I'm cutting back on email and stuff for a few days.

ETA: Totally forgot I had a Writes & Wrongs blog going up yesterday…it was on author presence.

November's Spotlight Title…

Down there on the sidebar…Hunter's Choice…

This was originally (and still is) in the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, which has some awesome stories in it.  You can also download the ebook, Amazon, Smashwords, Nook…and I just updated the cover, too.  It's prettier now.

One year ago, Sara's twin brother and his wife were brutally murdered. By vampires, creatures that can't exist. But Sara knows better and she's on a mission to kill as many as she can…until she comes across a man from her past.

Print

Borders | BAMM | B & N | Book Depository | IndieBound | Amazon | Powell's

Hunter's Choice can also be purchased on its own in ebook

Kindle| Nook | Smashwords

**BTW, a friend of mine passed away on Monday and I'm not going to be online as much for a few days.  Am also having surgery-nothing major, just necessary, on Friday. If you have questions or anything, you might want to wait until next week.  I don't know if I'll be up to much for a few days and I don't want anybody to think I'm ignoring them-I promise, I'm not.  I just doubt I'll be up to anything.

On foreign rights, foreign sales, geographical restrictions and authorial control

Although perhaps I should put lack of control.

There's been a lot of discussion lately about geographical restrictions and how frustrating it is to readers.

Now-before I go any further, let me make a couple of things clear-I know it's frustrating.  It frustrates the hell out of me.  With Ellora's Cave and Samhain, there are no geographical restrictions and because of my epublishers, it let me build one hell of a reader base across the globe.  I know I have a lot of international readers-it's why I very, very rarely limit things contests to the US/North America, etc.  The readers who've supported me over the years are the reason I'm still able to do this and your location doesn't matter-your support does.  I know very well you can read my books in English-I know it's frustrating for you not to be able to get them in the format you prefer.

So… knowing that…I know some readers think that means I should make it happen.  Trust me, if it was as simple as that, I'd make it happen.  But it's not.

There are reasons for this.

Digital is still young

One reason is the plain and simple fact that traditional publishing is still struggling to adjust to digital publishing-I know that sounds like a cop-out, but it's not.  They are still working to move backlist titles into digital, they still haven't figured out the pricing thing, some of them still haven't quite figured out that delaying the digital release doesn't help anything.  Shoot, some publishers still don't release covers with their ebooks, if I'm not mistaken.  All of this boils down to a need to adjust to digital.  Why are they still trying to adjust?

Because digital is still in its infancy.  Yes, I know that sounds like another cop-out.  It's not.  Digital publishing has been around on the net since the 90s, sure, but it's only proven to traditional publishers that it can actually earn money in the past couple of years and publishers are businesses-they have to focus on the money.  This isn't about greed.  Yes, they want to make money, but if they don't focus on earning money… they don't stay in business.  If they don't make smart business decisions, they go under.  We've seen publishers do this.  So publishing moves slow–think iceberg slow.  Until they knew that digital publishing was going to prove to earn out, it probably didn't seem wise on their part to focus on it.

I was talking this issue over with my agent, asking her if I was really  making it more complicated, if maybe I could have more control than I think I do (FYI-she agrees, I don't-we need to keep pushing, keep discussing the issue, but I'm likely not yet in a position to change things-doesn't mean we won't discuss it with publishers when we are contract, but I don't expect much).

Anyway, in regards to our conversation, one thing Irene (my agent) said?   "In some ways publishing is still in the 19th century, struggling to get into the 20th, let alone the 21st."

Yes… very often things in publishing move slow.

Money

Now it's proven, well proven, that it can earn.  Some of you are probably thinking, "Oh, it proved that years ago."

You might think so.

But let me offer a personal example-remember that I've got a very well established ereader following-simply from EC & Samhain.  This past year was the first time I'd ever seen any sort of decent money made from my digital sales via traditional publishing.  Now I'm not a major name, not by any means.  And the bigger names were likely earning before this.  But big names will always show money earlier, even on chancy things.

But if publishers are actually going to get serious about something, they need to know it's going to be the same for the majority of their authors, not just their big names.  Because it's an investment-yeah, this is one that will pay off and in a big way, but they needed to know that first.

Seeing as how I've had digital versions of my print books since Hunters Heart & Soul released in 2007 and I'm just now seeing anything decent on digital sales, I'm not surprised, at all, that publishers are moving slow.  And by decent, I'm not talking 5 or 6 figures.  I'm talking far, far less.   I'll be very transparent-if I recall correctly, BROKEN barely earned me over $1000 in digital sales and it shocked the hell out of me, too.  All the other books were 15 titles here, 5 there, 30 there.   That's barely cappuccino money.

International publishing offices, contracts and all that jazz

Author Courtney Milan has a brilliant post up explaining just how complicated this mess can get-if you're one of the frustrated ones thinking authors can just wave a wand and change things-or even that all a publisher has to do is wave a wand, please, please, please read it…she hit on a few things that I hadn't even thought of-namely the fact that a number of publishers have foreign arms/branches and if we just immediately make books available everywhere, (English only), it's can cause conflict with the foreign arms of publishers, could even violate their internal contracts, and while this doesn't and shouldn't concern readers, it does need to concern authors & publishers.

One thing that I keep thinking of-we don't really want to cut out the foreign arms branches, do we?  I mean, it seems to me, as an author, the best way to do it would be to use them, not cut them out, but many of them don't even seem to have an ebook presence yet-again, that publishing moves slow thing.  Again, I know that doesn't mean anything to readers, they shouldn't and don't need to care, but authors and publishers do need to take all of that into consideration.  I don't want to see a mis-move made that could cause a house of cards to topple.

Publisher's Ebook Savvy

One argument put to me was that a new author was given a modest advance and asked for worldwide English distribution and received it.  This is wonderful.  However…one publisher is not like another.  Did this publisher already have it in place to distribute worldwide?  Because there are a few publishers that do this–I think Harlequin might be one?  So if it's already standard practice and this new author asked for it, she wasn't really given anything.  It was already hers.  She was with a publisher that understand the benefit of having ebooks available for worldwide (English) distribution.  So whether or not the publisher 'gets' that aspect has a lot to do with it.

If it's a publisher that's still moving slow on that front?  You can ask all day long and it won't do anything.  Well, unless you're Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Stephanie Meyer… power names might make more of a difference.  But if it's a publisher that is ebook resistant?  I don't know.

Author Control?

There is often (or it seems) this perception that the author has a great deal of control-that she is 'selling her product' direct to the reader.  But by the time the book gets to the reader, it's not our product anymore.  It's a team effort-the publisher's hands are all over it, in marketing, editing, cover art, etc.  We've granted the publisher the rights to sell it and by doing that, we do give up a great deal of control.

While we are negotiating contracts, we can work to keep certain rights (like foreign rights to translate, movie rights to try and sell/get a movie deal, merchandise, etc).  None of this works, of course, unless either the author is very savvy or has a very savvy agent and in the end, it boils down to compromise-what the publisher can and is willing to let us keep. The last two contracts I signed were the first time I'd even managed to keep foreign rights which will hopefully make it easier for me to get my works translated faster. (Hopefully).  But before that?  I had no luck keeping them and foreign is a simple thing, really.  Worldwide English digital distribution?  Not so simple.  Which means… if I'd asked before now?  I'd probably have gotten a … no.  If I ask now?  Will most likely get an… We can't promise that or we aren't able to do that right now.

Authors can ask for things-we can ask for worldwide English distribution.  Two things can happen.  The overly optimistic one for most publishers right now?  We're told, Yes! I say overly optimistic because I'm just not convinced there's even a framework, so to speak, to support worldwide English digital for for all traditional publishers-by framework, I mean everything-including the complexities of foreign arms, etc.

The more realistic answer?  We can't promise that. And unless it's in the contract?  Not likely to happen, and we can't push for it because we have no ground to stand on-the contract is that ground.  If it's not in the contract?  We got nothing.  At that point, we decide to either accept it or walk.

Most of us?  We're accepting it.  We fight tooth and nail for every contract we have and if we walk, there's no guarantee we'll ever get offered another.  There are hundreds and hundreds (at least) of other authors waiting to take our spot-if we let it go?  It's probably gone.  (And it may be gone for good.)

We could try to go to another house, but not every book/author is right for every publisher.

Take Harlequin for example.  I believe Harlequin is one of the more digital savvy publishers.  Say I was at contract right now, and Berkley wouldn't make me a promise of worldwide distribution for ebooks-so I decided to walk and see if I couldn't sell to Harlequin.  Well, I've just made the dumbest mistake of my life, because my books don't suit Harlequin-they aren't going to buy them, they don't fit guidelines, etc, etc, etc.

Some of them could maybe work for Carina, I guess, but then for those that prefer to read in print (and that's the majority of my readers), I've cut them off, I've taken a gamble that may not even pay off and there's no guarantee I'd even sell to Carina-I would have walked away from a firm offer for the hope of something that may never pan out.  Stupid, stupid, stupid-and I don't even have any idea at sales or numbers, to complicate the problem.

Choosing one reader over the other

Another argument I saw but didn't feel like getting involved in was that we're choosing one reader's preferences (print) over the other (ebook).  No.  Sorry… this isn't the case.  It's a matter of choosing what's best for my career (and likely what other authors do as well).

I think there's this assumption that if we pushed and pushed, eventually the publisher would give in, and if they don't, we should go elsewhere to somebody that will, even if it's a small press.  I can't do that.  I have to make the decisions that are going to be the best for my career, what will provide best for my family.

Now if I had a publisher (digital only, print only, both… I don't care) who was willing to offer me an advance comparable to what my print publishers offer me, and was going to give me worldwide (English) ebook distribution?  Hey, I'd be all over that idea and ya know…if there's one out there-my agent has this project-email her!

But here's the thing-my writing is my job.  And I make my decisions based on what is going to be best for my career.  Because I have responsibilities… three of them who take priority, and college is creeping ever closer.

How many people out there are willing to say they'd take a gamble that likely would alter the future of their career?  A gamble that could have a detrimental impact on their ability to provide for their family?  Because for the typical midlist (or lower-and probably even higher) author…that's what they'd be doing if they decided to walk away from a contract offer because the publisher wouldn't give them worldwide English digital distribution.  Mega names can take that risk.  But those who aren't mega names?  We can't.

In the end, I can control who I sell the book to, but if it's a choice between the traditional publisher who reaches more readers or the small presses?  I'm going with traditional publisher, because whether people like the idea or not, I reach more readers with traditional publisher.  I've got numbers to back that up.

So what do we do…

I've said this before on various issues, and I'll say it again.  Because ebooks/digital publishing is still in its infancy, it's going through a period of growth and change.  We're probably looking at the rocky road of tweens and adolescence now more than infancy, actually, rather than infancy.  But digital is still young.  It's still growing.  When something is growing, and changing, it's never easy.  There is always a period of catching up and adjusting-hell, if you're a parent, you know this.

I'm not going to tell anybody to be patient, because I can't be patient myself.

But… it will level out.   I know this, and I can even say it with relative certainty without asking.  Why?  Well, because there are readers out there.  And where there are readers, there is a demand for books.  And where there is a demand for books?  There is money.  Yep.  It boils down to that.

And that's not about greed, really.  Publishing has to make money for them to acquire books-you like books, right?  So you want them to be able to put more out for you.  So in convuluted way, you actually want publishers to make money.  So yep, it boils down to money.   Publishers know there is money out there with worldwide distribution.  It's a matter of figuring out how to work things like foreign arms branches, the intricacies of author contracts involving foreign rights, adjusting (still) to the massive growth with digital.  It's a matter of moving forward when the industry has kind of stayed in the same place for so long…and it's moving now…it's just moving slow.

One other thing international readers can do?  Visit this site-http://lostbooksales.com/ I'll point it out to my agent and maybe we can all help spread the word-although I suspect publishers are already well aware of the problems.

So there's my two cents, my understanding, and my take on things… and my explanation on just how little control I do have.

Now, if you got comments or questions, ask away…but please, be respectful.  This is my blog and I work pretty hard to keep a friendly place for everybody-rude/nasty comments go the way of the dodo, as might comments that go along the lines of… 'well, i can't buy so i pirate'.

Scratch that-normally, I don't close comments on anything.

But I'm not going to be around much or up to watching comments.  Bear in mind, I try to keep my blog a  friendly place for my readers and while I rarely have a problem with anything getting out of control, it is my responsibility to keep it a friendly place, and it's one I take seriously.

However, I'm not up to playing watchdog today.  A friend of mine passed away yesterday and I'll be at her visitation today, her funeral tomorrow so… nope.

Not doing this, and to head off the question of "well, why did you post this today then…" This post was written sometime late last week.  I batch-write my posts, do three or four (or more) several days in advance, sometimes up to two weeks in advance.  I'm not shuffling days around.   I've had a rough few weeks-this is the second loss I've suffered in as many weeks and I'm just  not up to playing watchdog, and unless I can be certain things remain cordial…eh, I know I'm not getting a written guarantee… comments closed. Thanks in advance for understanding.

The baby bratlet

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I tweet about the baby bratlet a lot-things she's said or done-the sort of things that make me want to pound my head against a wall.  People laugh and think I'm kidding about how…um… interesting she is.  Then they meet her and go…

awwww… she's so cute!  She's too adorable to be that rotten!

My response is:

God made her that cute for one reason.  So she would survive her childhood.  It's her defense mechanism.

People really don't think she can be that much of a handful, that much…well,…er… anyway.   I mean-she's just a kid, right? Lots of people have them.  I mean… I have two others.

No.  She really is that much of a handful.  She really is that…er, well, anyway.

Instead of just relating more head–>desk stories, let me explain some other things.  Things like…

I go into the school to pick up something for my other kid and I get laughter.  I don't know why… baby bratlet isn't with me and she doesn't go to school there.  But she's there when the sitter picks up the monster.  And she does things like flirts with every male in the building.  She runs around and makes eyes at people.  She wraps everybody around her finger.  I cant' even get explanations for why I get laughter, but it has something to do with baby bratlet.

I go to preschool to pick her up?  I get laughter.  Now I've watched-other parents don't get this.  But I do.  Finally I asked and well… baby bratlet just keeps them laughing.  She's not bad, although she's very 'me' centric, still.  But she's…unique.  Yes.  Unique.   She amuses them.  A lot.  And still, they can't quite tell me exactly what she does or says that amuses them so much-it's just her.

And yes-I get unique about her all the time. I'm not just saying this as her mama.  I'm saying this as somebody who has worked with kids for going on twelve years.

We had concerns about her speech when she was coming up on three.  So we asked about getting her testing.  Within five minutes, the therapists are all but rolling their eyes-yes, her speech isn't clear, but it's because her brain already has the vocabulary of a five or six year old and her mouth isn't quite ready, physically, to form the words her head knows.  So we can't understand.

At Lora Leigh's RAW event?  While we were setting up for the first booksigning, before the readers had come in, I let the kids in there to wander a bit before I sent them off with my friend, Lime, who had (foolishly) agreed to watch them for me (in exchange for me paying for her way/food/booze).  Jim Butcher is there and he is watching baby bratlet and he makes this comment… that girl sure is cute, but she's got way too much energy.

More proof that's she is… ah… unusual?  I had accidentally left a lancet in my pocket earlier this week when I was helping out at the doctor's office.  She wanted me to poke her finger.  Knowing it would hurt.  She didn't care.  She wanted to see what the thing did and how it would feel.  O.o  She is four… and she wants her finger poked.

But in case constant raised eyebrows, her wanting to get her finger poked, 'unique' comments aren't enough… let me explain her to you like this.

Many of you who visit my blog have probably gathered a few things about me…

I'm not shy.  I don't back away from confrontation, even though I do understand some need for diplomacy.  Even though I don't always care for it, I realize there's also a need in life for caution.    I've learned to… ah… curb my tongue.  Not just online, but in general.

Now… imagine a flirtatious mini-me in concentrated miniature form with absolutely no sense of danger, no idea of caution and absolutely no brakes.

That's the baby bratlet.  And people wonder why I bang my head.  I love her dearly and wouldn't trade her for anything.  But she just may put me in the funny farm. O.o