Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed*
Thank you, Lady M and others who rec'd BRUTE by Kim Fielding. I'm over half way through it and thoroughly enjoying it. Hard going at first, but it doesn't slog in misery over long and watching these two lives slowly lifted out of the mire is well worth it.
Candice wrote: "Thank you, Lady M and others who rec'd BRUTE by Kim Fielding. I'm over half way through it and thoroughly enjoying it. Hard going at first, but it doesn't slog in misery over long and watching the..."I really liked it. It had a good fantasy/fairy tale feel to it (fairy tale Grimm style, not Disney).
Candice wrote: "Thank you, Lady M and others who rec'd BRUTE by Kim Fielding. I'm over half way through it and thoroughly enjoying it. Hard going at first, but it doesn't slog in misery over long and watching the..."I'm glad you liked it. :)
I reading Michael J. Sullivan's The Riyria Revelations series. I'm on book three and I enjoy it a lot so far.
Lou's book- Dead in L.A.
got a great review over at JessWave's today.
http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/201...
Congrats, Lou!
Reggie wrote: "Lou's book- Dead in L.A.got a great review over at JessWave's today.
http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/201...
Congrats, Lou!"
Congrats! :)
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Yes. I do think a lot of it gets down to our own ego. :-) We want our opinions to be taken seriously!
And for some reason we are more likely to be taken seriously if we hate everything rather than if we like everything.
Well, no. But you see what I'm getting at.
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I think I came to loathe it as a corporate overlord being forced to rate employees (and thereby restrict their pay) by such an artificial grading system. Also the ridiculous idea that you could not have over a certain amount of 5 star employees.
Seriously? Because I had a handpicked, kickass team and every one of them were five star employees or they didn't last. And they deserved to be paid accordingly.
But I digress.
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got a great review over at JessWave's today.
http://www.reviewsbyjessewave.com/201...
Congrats, Lou!"
YAY! And that's a classic cover. Lou, did you do that cover?
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Lou wrote: "Yeah, the cover design is mine. I modeled after old school pulp covers. The nice thing about the self-pubbing that I can really go nuts with the covers."Nice. :)
So, looking up Dead in L.A. on Amazon, I notice that it's free to borrow for Prime members. This brings up a question: What do authors think of the Prime program? I'd heard that Amazon just picks whatever books they want to make available through Prime without consulting author or publisher, and that the author sees no royalties from these freely lent copies. Is this true?
If so, that nearly angers me more than pirating. Pirating is illegal and you can be punished for it. Amazon's free book program is not illegal, and Amazon gains financially from it by receiving payment for Prime memberships...
Christine wrote: "I'd heard that Amazon just picks whatever books they want to make available through Prime without consulting author or publisher, and that the author sees no royalties from these freely lent copies. Is this true? ..."I do hope that this isn't true! This facility has only recently been extended to Prime subscribers in the UK, and I haven't used it yet. If it is the case that authors get no income from it, then that is outrageous and I won't use it.
I had a kind of fantasy marathon from the beginning of the year and I've read Coraline, Neverwhere. Now I've just finished ''Northern Lights'' (USA: The Golden Compass). All of them 5 stars books.
Lou wrote: "Reggie wrote: "Lou's book- Dead in L.A.got a great review over at JessWave's today."
Way to go, Lou! And I love that expressive "pulpy" cover. :)
Christine wrote: "I'd heard that Amazon just picks whatever books they want to make available through Prime without consulting author or publisher, and that the author sees no royalties from these freely lent copies. Is this true?"Well, it looks like Amazon is paying royalties - one site said an average of $2.29/book/lending, at least for authors who publish through Amazon. See http://kdp.amazon.com/community/threa...
John wrote: "Christine wrote: "I'd heard that Amazon just picks whatever books they want to make available through Prime without consulting author or publisher, and that the author sees no royalties from these ..."*grimace* I admit I posted that question last night without doing my homework. Probably laziness on my part, and the hope that someone here already knew more than I did on the subject. I got to thinking about it more after posting. I'm awful embarrassed when I get caught spreading untrue rumors or speculation (especially if I catch *myself*--misinformation pains me), and decided to do some investigating when I got up...
I can't remember where I originally read about the Amazon lending library, but I found this article, which is along the same lines of what I originally read (and it has a lot of good links in it):
http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/11...
So--at least in 2011, when the program began--it seems that Amazon *was* offering books through the lending library without permission from at least some publishers, and at least some publishers were authorizing some books without author permission. Comes down to contracts--the authors' contracts with publishers, and the publishers' contracts with Amazon--and how "torturously" they are interpreted.
I'm completely confused by the whole situation. There are so many ifs, ands, and buts, and there doesn't seem to be one way Amazon has gone about paying for, or securing permission for, books lent through the program.
I get the impression that authors of Kindle direct books can choose whether or not to enroll their book in the lending program? So they at least have a clear say?
Rights issues make my head hurt. -_-
Lou wrote: "Christine wrote: "So, looking up Dead in L.A. on Amazon, I notice that it's free to borrow for Prime members. This brings up a question: What do authors think of the Prime program? I'd heard that..."
Lou, thank you!
Na wrote: "Isn't it like lending books in library ? Do authors receive compensation for each of their lent books ? How does that work anyway...Oh, and I'm sorry Josh to read that. It is more understandable ..."
I think the library buys a copy of the book, and that's that. It can lend the book out as much as it wants, author does not get compensated. Like lending a book from a personal collection.
The thing is, libraries aren't big businesses selling elite subscriptions to dedicated customers/owners of a specific brand of e-reader... Public libraries are free to the public, are a service to the community. Amazon's lending program...serves Amazon.
Josh wrote: I think I came to loathe it as a corporate overlord being forced to rate employees (and thereby restrict their pay) by such an artificial grading system. Also the ridiculous idea that you could not have over a certain amount of 5 star employees."
Ah I see where you're coming from now. That sounds ghastly.
I shall just go on giving out 5 stars then.
5 star rating systems are so limited too. At school I always preferred the percentage grading system. At least you had 100 points and a huge range. I need more flexibility.Plus it's a numbers system and I'm a words person.
Christine wrote: "Na wrote: "Isn't it like lending books in library ? Do authors receive compensation for each of their lent books ? How does that work anyway..."Here in the UK we have something called Public Lending Right - a government funded scheme which pays money to authors. This amounted to 6.5 million last year although it's only a few pence per loan. But it all helps.
Lancashire County Council has a Josh Lanyon book on the shelves of Preston library - so anyone who lives 'oop north can go borrow it.
Na wrote: "Thanks Christine. Does it really ? Serves Amazon only ? True, Amazon might have its own interest at heart first but surely that lending system might helps authors to get a more largely representati..."A good point.
I'm trying to remember a quote by Neil Gaiman. Something along these lines (and I'm going to completely butcher this): The worst thing for an author is to be unknown.
And I can't remember if he said/implied this, or if I just went on to draw the conlcusion myself: Even if an author's work is given away freely, if it means that the author becomes known, then it's a good thing.
Like I said, totally butchering that whole thing. Does anyone know the quote I'm talking about? I'd love to find it again.
The thing is with Amazon, they only offer that program to select people who pay a premium price each year for the privilege. Wouldn't it be better simply offer the book for free to everyone for a limited amount of time, if it's exposure we're talking about?
Anyway--yes, silver lining. I agree Amazon probably isn't the only one to benefit from the lending program, but it still seems...self-serving to me. (Hmm. And yeah, wetting the appetite of readers who are dedicated Kindle users serves authors...but ultimately serves Amazon, because they will sell more Kindle books!)
Caroline wrote: "Christine wrote: "Na wrote: "Isn't it like lending books in library ? Do authors receive compensation for each of their lent books ? How does that work anyway..."Here in the UK we have something ..."
Neat!
Now I want to ask my librarian friend exactly how libraries work here in the US... I really was completely guessing with my response...
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Ooh, Antonella! The Philip Pullman His Dark Materials series was a read aloud that my younger daughter (now 23) and I did together as the books came out. I recall that it was a very long wait between book 2 and 3 (I think). Now she's been listening to the audio book versions with her boyfriend on their road trips.
I finished Cold Days yesterday. It was so good! I don't know how Butcher manages to just keep throwing more layers of bad guys at Dresden without making the whole thing ridiculous, but somehow he makes it work.Now I've gone shorter and fluffier, and I'm reading Beach Balls by Tara Lain.
Becky wrote: "I finished Cold Days yesterday. It was so good! I don't know how Butcher manages to just keep throwing more layers of bad guys at Dresden without making the whole thing ridiculous, but somehow he..."I'm listening to Cold Days on audio right now, too. It's good to have Harry back in action.
Becky wrote: "I finished Cold Days yesterday. It was so good! I don't know how Butcher manages to just keep throwing more layers of bad guys at Dresden without making the whole thing ridiculous, but somehow he..."Yes! You're absolutely right! Statistically speaking it shouldn't be possible to still get better and better, but he does. :)
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Oh, and I'm sorry Josh to read that. It is more understandable ..."
Well, at least the library pays for the books initially. And when they wear out, they buy new copies. So there is an initial payment going to the author there. I doubt Amazon would pay for Prime members to read it.
But I'll be honest and say I don't fully know what Prime is. All I know is that I'd have to pay extra for things I don't feel I really need so I've ignored it completely.
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I'd heard that..."
Ah, ok. That makes sense.
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Here in the UK w..."
What exactly do you want to know? Though I think every library is different and unique, most public libraries basically operate the same way.
Writers do not get credit for each time a paper book is loaned out at a public library. The publishers do not keep track of that. Writers only get the royalty for the sale of the book to the library. So if the library buys one copy of an author's book, the author gets the royalty for that one sale, regardless how many times that book is checked out.An ebook can be loaned out from a public library 27 times before it has to be repurchased. This is for libraries in the US. It is a guideline set up between the publishers and the American Library Association.
That 27 figure was base on an average of how often a book can be loaned out before it falls apart. Libraries re-purchase popular paper books when they wear out, and so that was the agreed upon figure. Weird, I know. I read all of this in an article on teleread.com a few years ago when this was decided.
Jordan wrote: "What exactly do you want to know? Though I think every library is different and unique, most public libraries basically operate the same way."I think you and Susinok answered my questions. Thank you! :D
Susinok wrote: "Writers do not get credit for each time a paper book is loaned out at a public library. The publishers do not keep track of that. Writers only get the royalty for the sale of the book to the librar..."That's really interesting about the ebook loaning!
Teleread.com has daily articles about the publishing industry and they focus on ebooks. Although I am not a writer, I'm sort of geeky about keeping current on what publishing is up to.
What I read over the weekend:Quid Pro Quo by LA Witt and Aleksandr Voinov. Hot little short story.
Second Hand by Heidi Culllinan and Marie Sexton. Nice story, very clueless guy who figures out he's gay.
Chaser by Rick R. Reed. Interesting take on looking past someone's appearance. Horrid "best" friend. Ended to abruptly but was over all a good book.
A Brush with Darkness by Erastes. Second book I have read by her and it was also excellent. The ending had an unexpected twist to it.
Many countries, including the UK and other European countries, do have a Public Lending Right (PLR) where authors do have a right to receive payment for the free use of their books through the public library.
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They do pay, yes. I don't see a lot of borrowing of my titles. People either buy or buy and return (there's always a percentage of those) but not so many borrows.
But as a customer of Amazon, I love Prime. More for shipping costs than anything though. Their free movie rental selection is pretty lame really, and I don't borrow books because I never know how long it will take me to get around to reading them.
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And I actually managed to hunt it down! It turns out the author was a prolific writer of young adult fiction. The book is THE CROWN OF VIOLETS and the writer is Geoffrey Trease. http://www.amazon.com/Crown-Violet-Ge...
So I was wondering how many of you have tried to hunt down half-remembered favorites from your childhood. Do you have any books like that?
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Publishers feared the viral nature of digital sharing so a deal was struck whereby libraries would have to rebuy a digital copy after 27 loans (in theory a physical book only lasts about 27 loans)
I bought The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper - I remember the series as a terrific read as a kid. I hope it lives up to anywhere near what I remember.
I've always been meaning to re-read Il corsaro nero by Emilio Salgari, who was a popular writer of adventure books - and he never traveled once in his life. I still remember the illustration of the Black Corsair leaving the heroine on a boat in the middle of the stormy sea. It was probably a sign of my future impatience for heroines.A series I loved was Pippi Longstocking. I would like to find out if it will make me laugh as when I was a child.
I'm old enough that a lot of my childhood favorites are in public domain! ;)Heidi, Swiss Family Robinson, Treasure Island, Robin Hood, Robinson Crusoe, the Greek myths, etc. we read and re-read many, many times.
However, there was one historical fiction novel that was set before and during the Napoleonic Wars and was about Napoleon's first mistress before Joesphine. It was called Désirée by Annemarie Selinko.
I check the Daily Cheap Reads website a lot and one day that item was offered for free, along with Mrs. Robinson (my first adult book I read at age 12), Midnight Cowboy, and Shoeless Joe. I grabbed all four of them. They may have been 99 cents or 1.99 or free, I really forget which, but I nabbed all four of 'em anyway.
My other Kid favorites were the classic juvenile science fiction books by Robert A. Heinlein. Most of those are becoming available in eBook, but not cheaply and I'm not going to get all of those again. However, I do need to get an e-copy of Stranger in a Strange Land.
Ah Geoffrey Trease is a name I remember from my childhood - Cue for Treason wasn't it in which one of the boys turns out to be a girl in disguise.My favourite childhood author was Rosemary Sutcliffe - Warrior Scarlet and Eagle of the Ninth. With Penelope Farmer and The Summer Birds in close contention.
Josh wrote: "I mentioned on my Facebook page that ended up having to work this weekend as I'd taken two days off during the week to spend time with the young kinfolk. Anyway, when I was trying to find something..."The Crown of Violets sounds really interesting. I love the mix of both theater and politics in a historic setting. (Plus adventure!) :D
One that I searched for, not to buy, but just to see if it still is around, is the The American Mustang by Mary Adrian. I loved animal stories when I was in elementary school (Misty of Chincoteague, Watership Down, The Trumpet of the Swan) and in 2nd or 3rd grade, I remember repeatedly taking the American Mustang out of the school library and reading it over and over. I wasn't even one of those kids who was really into horses. I just really was riveted by the story of this wild horse growing up.
Josh wrote: "I mentioned on my Facebook page that ended up having to work this weekend as I'd taken two days off during the week to spend time with the young kinfolk. Anyway, when I was trying to find something..."There's one MG novel about a girl who grows wings that I really enjoyed as a kid. Borrowed it from the media center. I can't remember what it was called now, and have never been able to find it, though I've done some hunting. :(
All my other favorites, I own! :)
Josh wrote: "So I was wondering how many of you have tried to hunt down half-remembered favorites from your childhood. Do you have any books like that? "I read one of Jules Verne's stories that I had borrowed from the library and liked so much that I checked it out again and again. I was 12 and the story was Adrift in the Pacific: Two Years Holiday.
Three or four years ago I wanted to re-read it and hunted it down in some online used book store, but when I read it, the story was strangely different, in places even crudely distorted and I felt betrayed. Only some time later I found out that I had read a diffrent translation as a child.
I still love the memory of what I read back then and maybe some day will go hunting for my "original" version. :)
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
Books mentioned in this topic
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You might also try: abebooks: Michael Nava books
or
The Book Depository has free..."
Thank you, that is interesting, I was not aware you could get books without paying for shipping. I have already ordered the first one in the series from Amazon UK to check it out, now I know where to look for the rest. :)