Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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Sorry to be a little clueless here, but what does it mean to be a "Private" group? Aren't we already private since you have to be accepted into a Goodreads group to comment? I'm always the last one to figure out these tech things!
You can't comment in any kind of group until you join it. But the big difference is who gets to choose if you can belong to a group. So:A public group anyone can join, no restrictions.
A private group you must request to join or be invited to join and you can be denied. Depending on how the group is set up, you may not be able to even read the discussions until you are accepted.
A secret group you must be invited to join. This type of group is invisible to anyone who is not a member.
Interesting. Are there a lot of secret groups out there?
I would think there are quite a few. Hard to tell and I've only ever belonged to 2 myself.
Dawn wrote: "Jane wrote: "In other words, you will be alternating periods?..."We haven't quite ironed out the details yet. This is certainly one of the options though. We'll let you know what the plan is as s..."
Alternating time periods is a good idea.
If it was meant that the group be invisible as well as private, the settings need changing. My friend found the group quite easily, but would need to be approved to join.
No, we're not supposed to be invisible, just private. You just need to apply to join now. I was just explaining the different types of groups and how they worked.
Ace wrote: "Just want to chip in my 2 cents worth here.. I would much prefer if this group was Private permanently. I am more comfortable and would be more active in a private forum than the public ones. I s..."
Your 2 cents worth is welcome. :)
The benefit, I suppose, to the group now being Private is that nobody can see our discussions unless they request to join and are accepted.Lurkers have always been welcome, prefer them to be members however.
Also, (no offense to the authors who are here as readers not just here to promote at us) as a Private group, authors can't trawl through our discussion looking for places to promote their books.
When Public they can trawl through, find where they want to post, join and then post. They never have ANY intention of reading our author posting guidelines. They don't care, don't notice them, they just want to join, promote their books and take no interest in the people or our discussions.
As a Private group they have to read the Group's description first, where is makes it very clear that we are cautious about Author's joining just to self promote. They'll know the deal if their request is accepted.
If they don't respect the deal, they can be booted.
In a public group, Authors who only want to promote, want to spray their book titles and name in threads so everyone can see, members and non members can see.
In a Private Group I am hoping their intensity will be less difficult to deal with, as it is only members who will see their book title in a thread.
If that makes sense..
Jane,
yeah, what Dawn says. :) Still ironing stuff out. Haven't chatted about that too much yet. They can be alternate, or up against each other in a poll, or more books in a poll.
When we come up with some ideas we'll post them in the group Reads folder to get feedback.
Thanks Terri!I created a secret group for myself. I use it to manage my reading lists, take notes on books etc. Being a part of several groups I try to participate in the activities, but I do get overwhelmed with what I've committed to, so this helps me be more organized. I named it after my yacht (which I don't own yet) but will try to acquire a few years worth of ebooks to see me through a circumnavigation when I retire :)
haha. That's great. :D naming it after your yacht. love it.I've been in a few secret groups on GR over the years. I've started two and run them. One was very active and a lot of fun. Not hist fic. mostly for non fiction.
I chucked them all in when A&M got busy ages ago.
It was so much work devoting that much time to more than one group, so I left and gave it all to A&M. It is the only group I am in now. Not in any other groups of any kind, secret, private or public.
(not including the two Goodreads Site groups for Librarians and Goodreads Members, I;m in those to keep abreast of Site changes etc).
I think it's a good idea. Things that have happened in the past, both publicly and privately, has been upsetting for some people. I think this is a good way to ensure that doesn't happen again. I like to know that when I come here, it's the same reliable people as always, and that our moderators can freely operate the group as they like, free of harassment. I don't always pop in, and I pick and choose my topics, but you wholeheartedly have my support. I like the friends I have made here.(Secretly holds placard " no more Molly's, no more Molly's!!! " ) just joking!!!
Lisa wrote: "I think it's a good idea. Things that have happened in the past, both publicly and privately, has been upsetting for some people. I think this is a good way to ensure that doesn't happen again. I l..."Well put that Lisa, totally agree & my support entirely for the changes upcoming.
Andy wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I think it's a good idea. Things that have happened in the past, both publicly and privately, has been upsetting for some people. I think this is a good way to ensure that doesn't happ..."Ditto.
I'm in the process of another big move, so while I might be on (I check from time to time when taking a breather at work), my participation for the next couple of months is likely to be minimal.I just don't want anyone to think I've disappeared. :)
I'll be gone for about a month as well. I'm off to London on Monday for 3 weeks, then I'm home for a week before going back to work. But I'll be too busy for much internet time at all.
I will, Mark. :)
Good luck with the changes, Terri. I hope that this way the group will be more manageable for you - it doesn't seem to be going to change much "inside", so all is well for me (yes, I'm a selfish person:))And buon viaggio! to Margaret...!
Thanks Simona & Andy. :D
Have a very, very good time Margaret!
I will, Happy :)
Going to read Canterbury Tales on your route to London, Margaret?? Would be appropriate.
safe travels, Margaret and others taking holiday
Jus caught this, headline was Avian Flu outbreak in Britian..... was rightly concerned......The Highways Agency found over 200 dead crows on the M4 near Bridgend recently, and there was concern that they may have died from Avian Flu. A Pathologist examined the remains of all the crows, and, to everyone's relief, confirmed the problem was NOT Avian Flu. The cause of death appeared to be from vehicular impacts.
However, during analysis it was noted that varying colours of paints appeared on the bird's beaks and claws. By analysing these paint residues it was found that 98% of the crows had been killed by impacts with lorries, while only 2% had been killed by cars.
The agency then hired an Ornithological behaviorist to determine if there was a cause for the disproportionate percentages of truck kills versus car kills. The Ornithological behaviorist quickly concluded that when crows eat road kills, they always have a look-out crow to warn of danger. They discovered that whilst all the look-out crows could shout “cah”, not a single one could shout “lorry”......
Andy wrote: "Jus caught this, headline was Avian Flu outbreak in Britian..... was rightly concerned......The Highways Agency found over 200 dead crows on the M4 near Bridgend recently, and there was concern ..."
lols
LOL, Andy! Laughing so hard, my eyes tears up. :D
Terri wrote: "The benefit, I suppose, to the group now being Private is that nobody can see our discussions unless they request to join and are accepted.Lurkers have always been welcome, prefer them to be memb..."
Terri, I'm sure you and Dawn "talk" often, but I have PMed a suggestion or two to her for future monthly read for consideration.
I'm not terribly active but I do read here frequently and have been less than pleased by the overreaching promotions of some self serving authors. If going private can help the group run more smoothly for every one that's a good thing. I think we're all inundated by promotions and ads in our daily lives... everyone wants to sell their "whatever" and will selfishly intrude on private time and disturb conversations to do it, no matter how unwelcome.Terry, I'm so sorry you've had to bear the brunt of it while dealing with personal matters. I can relate, unfortunately, as not so long ago I was leading a service group, as a volunteer, and was verbally abused by someone who took exception when I tried to protect the integrity of our purpose against commercial exploitation. My "abuser" had joined our group for that very purpose.
Anyway, you have my support.
Bobby wrote: "Going to read Canterbury Tales on your route to London, Margaret?? Would be appropriate."LMAO. Don't have it on my Kindle. Will be reading "Watership Down", so I suppose that could be consider appropriate reading for traveling to the UK. :)
Andy wrote: "Jus caught this, headline was Avian Flu outbreak in Britian..... was rightly concerned......The Highways Agency found over 200 dead crows on the M4 near Bridgend recently, and there was concern ..."
Ow, ow, ow....that was dreadful, Andy. :p
Andy wrote: "Jus caught this, headline was Avian Flu outbreak in Britian..... was rightly concerned......The Highways Agency found over 200 dead crows on the M4 near Bridgend recently, and there was concern ..."
***groans*** You're terrible Andy :D
I'm sooooooooo jealous Margaret! I guess have a good trip...:D
Have an awesome time buddy!
Allie wrote: "I'm sooooooooo jealous Margaret! I guess have a good trip...:D
Have an awesome time buddy!"
I will. I plan on visiting a few bookshops too. :)
Andy wrote: "Jus caught this, headline was Avian Flu outbreak in Britian..... was rightly concerned......The Highways Agency found over 200 dead crows on the M4 near Bridgend recently, and there was concern ..."
I actually read it all expecting a logical explanation...wicked, wicked andy
Andy wrote: "Jus caught this, headline was Avian Flu outbreak in Britian..... was rightly concerned......The Highways Agency found over 200 dead crows on the M4 near Bridgend recently, and there was concern ..."
Transplanted Bostonians? :)
Only you, Andy, could make me laugh so hard.
I missed the Ironside troubles due to my own ailment--just did not the world, even my friends and relatives, to invade my world. I am sorry that anyone caused more stress for Terri. My 9 year old cousin was hit by a car and killed in May. In talking with another cousin yesterday, she said something profound: That mother fed her son breakfast that morning, and she did not get to feed him supper that night or any other night as long as she lives.
Simona wrote: "Andy wrote: "Jus caught this, headline was Avian Flu outbreak in Britian..... was rightly concerned......The Highways Agency found over 200 dead crows on the M4 near Bridgend recently, and there..."
Truth be told it had me too.... so I thought why should i suffer alone :D
Marilee wrote: "I'm not terribly active but I do read here frequently and have been less than pleased by the overreaching promotions of some self serving authors. If going private can help the group run more smoot..."I can relate to everything you have said, Marilee. Seems you can't be anywhere any more without someone trying to sell you something or use you for market research.
I liken A&M to a small library. We all meet in the library, some regularly, some only when they get a chance. Myself, Dawn and Darcy are the librarians who also take part in the reading community.
In a library, authors can't/don't wander in and start sticking their book under people's noses, trying to promote and sell their books. They would be thrown out and banned from an actual library.
Authors can only promote in a library if they are doing an organised event, such as a book signing or reading. Unsolicited promotion doesn't happen in libraries.
Nor should it happen in here, in my opinion, unless it is approved. The approved ways for an author to mention their book/s in A&M have always been outlined in our Author Posting Guidelines, but majority of the time authors ignore them or refuse to follow them. Time to get tougher about that. :)
Andy, your joke. Good grief.. At first I thought, oh no, but then it got more and more ridiculous. lolPaint on the beaks and claws? yeah, like that sounded real. hahaha.
Linda wrote: "I missed the Ironside troubles due to my own ailment--just did not the world, even my friends and relatives, to invade my world. I am sorry that anyone caused more stress for Terri. My 9 year ol..."Sorry for your loss, Linda. Taken so young. A terrible, terrible thing.
I nearly lost my mother in a gas explosion a couple weeks ago, and my mother-in-law has been on death's door in hospital from a mystery illness for the last couple months.
These sorts of things really make us want to remove unnecessary stress from our lives.
LindaSorry about your loss,
Terri
Oh, wow - sorry to hear that, take care and I hope everything works out
Terri wrote: "Linda wrote: "I missed the Ironside troubles due to my own ailment--just did not the world, even my friends and relatives, to invade my world. I am sorry that anyone caused more stress for Terri...."Dear God, Terri! *hugs* <3
Sorry Terri, Linda thinking of you both today and will try remember today to be grateful for every moment!
If we all could send you virtual hugs Linda, we would send them.
Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction
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We haven't quite ironed out the details yet. This is certainly one of the options though. We'll let you know what the plan is as soon as we get it sorted.