Monday, February 24, 2003Here are my idle thoughts for the day. First, a friend of mine from the Write List is doing this wonderful thing for authors, linking to us through his page, writing these really sweet little promos. Our little place can be found there. I'll let him speak for himself (and, in a couple of days, you'll b able to find these words at the clubs and hang outs page)
At the conclusion of "Annie Hall," Woody Allen tells this joke:
Two fellows are talking. The first one says, "My brother-in-law thinks he's a chicken."
"Oh?" says the second. "Did you take him to a psychiatrist?"
"Nope," says the first.
"Why not?" asks the second.
And the first fellow says, "Because we need the eggs."
Writing is a lot like that. There is great satisfaction in taking something that doesn't exist and making it real enough for others to believe.
But, the greater satisfaction is internal; we write because we are compelled to write. It is a ceaseless drum beat, and if ignored, it becomes deafening. I spent 30 years refusing to listen while I pursued other interests. But eventually, that loud, steady beat overwhelmed me. The result is my first novel, a crime fiction, titled, The Y2Kaper. You can read Chapter One by clicking here: http://jimcohn.com/chapter1.html . I hope you enjoy it.
As of this writing, the novel is unpublished. No matter. I'm working on a another. Why, you ask? Because I need the eggs.
Jim Cohn, author of The Y2Kaper. Visit jimcohn.com. More than 700 links and resources for writers and others.
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Major no-no of the day:
Every once in awhile I get a book to review where the author wants me to mail back the arc. Oh, dear. I really think this is a bad thing. Why, you wonder. Am I not on the side of the author? Don't I know how expensive it is to send out arcs? Yes, yes, and for extra credit, yes. But, you're going to the expense of mailing a book out to someone...don't you want the best possible review possible? Sending a sase with a book is like saying, "Not only do I want you to read my book, and like it, and give me a good review, I want you to do it for nothing." Most places don't pay for reviews...all reviewers get are the copy of the book. It is, in fact, the main inducement most sites give to would be book reviewers. Now, yes, you shouldn't have to pay for a book review (in fact, I refuse to work for a place that arranges for people to pay for book reviews...that's not fair, and it really smacks of unethical practices.) but there's just something that just doesn't feel right bout making people send back the book. (and also, arcs look banged up pretty soon...especially bound arcs with no covers...I feel like I'm going to have to read this book very carefully, so it's in decent condition when she gets it back, but no matter how careful, it's not going to be in the condition to send to someone else.)
Is there a point to this blathering rant? Yes. Don't send an SASE with your review copy because if it annoys me, then it will likely seriously peeve off someone else.
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Started training on a new job today. Am nervous...it's a online teaching job, that's gone from being a one on one tutor of people who are stuck to teaching whole classes online. Ok, am more than nervous, am seriously terrified. ::screams, runs and hides under her virtual desk while her virtual students throw virtual erasers and spit balls at her:: Anyway, the people I've dealt with seem very nice, and I am hoping to collect some good job experience...I mean, there is a small chance that I won't become the next Neil Gaiman or Jennifer roberson or Barbara Hambly, isn't there?
Nah. But it will help me pay for my bills and buy the rest of those Sharpe viddies. I am so on a Sean Bean kick. I almost bought the first collection cheap a year or so back, but I bought a Neil Gaiman video instead. No regrets, trust me. Listening o Neil read his stuff is one of those odd, inspirational things. I'll sit there and listen for awhile, and sometimes hear the candances of his voice when I'm writing something, and even though it has no relationship to something that has/would have come out of his head, somehow it just resonates right.
Permalink Cindy scribed this at 7:24 PM
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