Archive for » October, 2008 «

October 30th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

Here’s an excerpt or two from romance author Cindi Myers Yahoo! Group newsletter from Wed Oct 29, 2008, in which she reports from the Romance Writers of America annual conference and relays some observations and comments from Bantam Dell Books Senior Editor Shauna Summers:


In her career, Ms Summers has seen the quality of submissions increase exponentially. But the dark side to that is that she gets a lot of submissions that are “good, not great “ They’re not bad, but there is “no magic.” She suspects some manuscripts have been “critique grouped to within an inch of their life.” In trying to please everyone, the writer has homogenized the work.

[Summers says,] “It is important to know what the rules are for the genre and what sells and what publishers want. You need to be informed, but once you know it, ignore it. You cannot be controlled or defined by it. You don’t want to be outside the box for the sake of being outside of the box.” Don’t be gimmicky. Be authentic, with layered characters and stories that feel real, authentic emotion and characters that come to life.

For unagented authors, Bantam Dell will take query letters via snail mail only. More information can be found on their website: http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/. Shauna is the only editor who is taking romance and women’s fiction query letters. Anne Groell takes science fiction/fantasy, Kate Miciak for mystery/suspense. 

Anyone can sign up for Cynthia’s newsletter, which provides weekly market news she picks up from her agent, editor, and other contacts. It’s a quick read that delivers gems like this on occasion. If you’re interested, visit and join the group here.

Reason I’m posting this? That little nugget of editorial opinion buried in the middle: Summers ’suspects some manuscripts have been “critique grouped to within an inch of their life.”’ This is a personal observation of my own that’s been bothering me more and more often the last few months. Every time writers tell me they “have to send a story through the critique group one more time,” or “members of my critique group said,” or “my story is still out in the hands of my critique group” I’ve been having one thought bore through the back of my mind:

How many critique groups were London and Hemingway members of? How many times did Burroughs and Howard and L’Amour send stories through their critique groups? How many times did Poe and Dickens and good ol’ Shakes — oh, never mind.

I’ve done it myself folks. I know the temptation and I know the fear. There is a time and place and use for every tool in a writer’s toolbox. Knowing when and how and where to use each is key to writing maturation.

Rating 4.33 out of 5
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Category: Editing, Writing  | 7 Comments
October 28th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

Publishers Weekly reported today that Google, the Authors Guild, and the Association of American Publishers have settled their 2005 lawsuits out of court. Three years, $125 million, a number of universities, five publishers, and numerous authors later, Google’s seeming stranglehold on the published word expands again. Is this good or bad? Is this settlement either?

Only time can tell us. The article in question discusses the fine points of the settlement, but the long and short of it is this: Google will continue to share the contents of books – copyrighted and not – through its Book Search; universities will contribute access to their libraries; public libraries will have public access to these books; authors will receive compensation for this access.

How will the latter be accomplished? It’s not entirely clear in the article – the what, when, how, and how long of such payments isn’t explained – but there’ll be the creation of a ‘Book Rights Registry’ to handle all the above. I do agree with  many of the sentiments expressed. As Authors Guild President Roy Blount Jr., said, “As a reader and researcher, I’ll be delighted to stop by my local library to browse the stacks of some of the world’s great libraries.” Of course I’ll be delighted at this prospect. I’ll be even more delighted to be able to do this from my home without traveling to the local library. Chairman of the Association of American Publishers Richard Sarnoff’s statement that “…the agreement…serves readers by enabling broader access to a huge trove of hard-to-find books…” sounds totally cool to me and I say “Bring it on!”

And even Google’s words sound innocuous:

“Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Today, together with the authors, publishers, and libraries, we have been able to make a great leap in this endeavor,” said Sergey Brin, co-founder & president of technology at Google. “While this agreement is a real win-win for all of us, the real victors are all the readers. The tremendous wealth of knowledge that lies within the books of the world will now be at their fingertips.” 

So what’s bothering me?

Rating 4.33 out of 5
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Category: Books  | 3 Comments
October 27th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

All fans of heroic fantasy fiction owe it to themselves to hightail on over to the brand new site for the Snaga. My thanks to Deborah Miller (Snaga Award Administrator) for commenting on my previous Snaga post and providing some information and link.

Dedicated in the memory of author David Gemmell and endorsed by his wife Stella, the Snaga will be awarded annually to the novel that is most “written in the ’spirit’ of the late, great David Gemmell, a true Master of Heroic Fantasy.” What’s most exciting about this award is that readers – you and I – get a say in this. Here’s how.

Only editors of fantasy novels (sigh, no anthologies) with 2008 publication dates can nominate books. If you’re an author who thinks your book deserves to be listed, start talking to your editor now. So far, DGLA has received 60 titles.  As long as the title meets the somewhat ambiguous criteria quoted above, no titles are being denied. That’s where we – the public – come in.

Beginning 26 December 2008 and continuing until 31 March 2009, everyone can vote on the 2008 book they deem best meets their understanding of heroic fantasy. Voters will be winnowing down the Long List to a Short List of the top five vote-getters. After that, things will be in the hands of “a panel of genre experts” who will declare the winner at a ceremony next June.

So, visit the site, read the terrific write up on Mr. Gemmell, read about the organization and its motivations and people, even join the site, its forum, and its pages. You’ll find me there, if you do. At least my mugshot and a brief visit now and again. Oh, and check out the two contests (mid-page) you can enter, with prizes from the Long List and the Short List. I’m shooting for that second one.

~~~~
In case my previous post lent any confusion to who was behind the Snaga, I must reiterate Debbie’s mention that this Award is not affiliated or connected with the BFS in any manner. The DGLA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that plans to donate any profits to a charity nominated by Stella Gemmell.

Rating 4.00 out of 5
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Category: Awards, Books  | Leave a Comment
October 19th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

Whew. Creating, setting up, authoring, maintaining, updating . . . taking advantage of all the networking technologies the Internet offers is time consuming and tedious. Not doing it is guaranteed to generate no interest and no sales. Doing it, on the other hand . . .

Not much is guaranteed in life, but doing nothing is certainly a for-sure way of accomplishing nothing.  The RBE website, the RBE Facebook Group, the RBE Twitter, and now a RBE Facebook Page (now you can be a FAN of RBE and not just a member of the RBE group – whatever the difference means), all are meant to get RBE seen. Eventually there will be similar networking done via MySpace, LibraryThing, iRead, Linkedin . . . and I’m sure there will be many more. 

All in pursuit of the Rule of, what is it, 12, now? Three years ago, it was the Rule of 7. A few months ago, it was the Rule of 9. Now I’ve heard it’s the Rule of 12. Regardless the number, the Rule refers to the number of times and places a person must see, hear, experience a specific name before becoming a potential customer, supporter, fan of that name. Be it author, publisher, editor, serial character, icon – repetition is the key.

So, expect to run into Rogue Blades Entertainment, RBE, Kaimer, and the names of my authors and artists – I’ll be putting them out there as often as I can.

Rating 3.67 out of 5
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Category: RBE  | Leave a Comment
October 17th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

Vote the Post

See this Rating 0.00 out of 5 at the bottom of every post? That’s your chance to rate my words. Don’t miss such an easy opportunity to exert your influence. While I like to read your insightful and inciteful comments, the star ratings are an easy way for both you and I to quickly gauge the worth of what I say.

Thanks for visiting, I welcome your comments; now take it one step further, exert a single click to exercise your right to free speech. And don’t come complaining to me if you never voice your vote!

Rating 3.33 out of 5
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Category: von Darkmoor  | 11 Comments
October 15th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

Oh, if only my daughters’ school could be selected as a testing ground for these very cool sounding toys, er, learning devices! Everyone will want to read the iLiad now! Almost wish I was back in school . . . It’s classical literature like we’ve never seen it before. Even university kids are benefiting, as Sony donates ereaders to study ebook usage by graduates and undergraduates. My prediction is that ebook usage will increase. Heck, I’d love to help them discover why readers “have been resistant to reading full-length books in electronic form” – any guesses?

Ah, to be in school now. To have such technology at my fingertips. Instead I was forced to hold my Lous L’Amour paperbacks tucked into my textbooks held atop my desk, held aslant between my teachers and my eye so to appear as if I followed them in rapt attention.  Though I’d lose my textbook disguises, I’d gain 50 pre-installed classics (I wonder who chose them, who defined ‘classics’?), and countless opportunities to read far more than a single book at any given moment.

True, I’d miss the colorful covers, the easy slide and fit in a rear pocket, and the naturalness of taking a paperback anywhere (doctor’s office or tree branch). But to be able to carry 100+ books in my hand at the same time, all ready to be searched, notes able to be written and erased at will . . . . perhaps it is time for this old dog to return to school and learn a new trick or two.

Rating 4.00 out of 5
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Category: von Darkmoor  | 4 Comments
October 15th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

I love quotes. I have a large collection that I started in high school, handwriting each quote into an over-sized ledger that I’ve kept in my desk all these years. I’ve protected pages with contact paper, written my favorites on the front and end pages, cited those who are famous and those who are but family . . . overall, striving to carefully maintain a string of consecutively striking statements that moved me in some way. There is no rhyme or reason to the collection, no easily search-able format; just a numerical listing entered as I discovered the quote. I’ve fallen behind in entering them, merely sticking scraps of paper, rumpled napkins, torn sections of grocery bags, whatever I may have scratched the words on, into the ledger until now it bulges with words of wit and wisdom. I’ve a fairly decent memory (at least for now), so I often can quickly find any particular thought I’m seeking. Anyway, I love quotes, and find it interesting to follow their lives, as many are often repeated by each generation or each new ‘rising leader’ in whatever public arena one may be currently embroiled. The travels of some quotes are as interesting to follow as the trail of an American dollar bill that some people find so fascinating. But sometimes quotes – like people’s words at any time – get distorted, or misapplied, or mistaken. If there is ever a doubt or any sense that things may not be as they are depicted, finding the root is usually in one’s best interest. So I’m rather curious as to how this

It is not, perhaps, unreasonable to conclude, that a pure and perfect democracy is a thing not attainable by man, constituted as he is of contending elements of vice and virtue, and ever mainly influenced by the predominant principle of self-interest. It may, indeed, be confidently asserted, that there never was that government called a republic, which was not ultimately ruled by a single will, and, therefore, (however bold may seem the paradox,) virtually and substantially a monarchy. ~ Alexander Fraser Tytler, as listed by Bartleby.com

has become this

A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.

The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

  • From bondage to spiritual faith;
  • From spiritual faith to great courage;
  • From courage to liberty;
  • From liberty to abundance;
  • From abundance to complacency;
  • From complacency to apathy;
  • From apathy to dependence;
  • From dependence back into bondage.
    ~ allegedly quoted from Alexander Tyler’s book The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic (both apparently nonexistent)

While both quotes are most certainly startling and serious statements, a study of the second’s lineage reveals that all is not as it may seem. I’ve no need to pursue a vast quantity of research of my own, as Loren Collins (who must enjoy chasing and unraveling balls of string to their aggravating ends) has done an admirable job of it in his own thorough search for the truth. It’s a fascinating read, I recommend it, though it is long.

As Collins concludes, “Perhaps the words speak the truth of democratic governments; or perhaps they do not.” It is up to each of us individually to make our own determinations, for, while it is disheartening to be unable to confirm the veracity of these quotes, there is truth to their analysis. How we choose to interpret and ultimately react to it is upon us.

For those with any interest in or requirement for the perfect quote(s) for any occasion or topic, I personally recommend both Bartleby and The Quotations Page. With that, I’ll leave you with a properly verified and cited quote that does offer some perspective:

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. ~ Sir Winston Churchill, Hansard, November 11, 1947, as listed by The Quotations Page

Rating 4.00 out of 5
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Category: von Darkmoor  | One Comment
October 11th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

What earlier tales of adventure inspired Michael Chabon? Del Rey* asked him to recommend a few, and thus was created:

THE DASHING DOZEN
Chabon’s 12 Favorite Works of Adventure Fiction

CAPTAIN BLOOD, Rafael Sabatini

The Kull Stories, Robert E. Howard

The Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stories, Fritz Leiber

AGAINST THE DAY, Thomas Pynchon

The Brigadier Gerard stories, Arthur Conan Doyle

THE CHINESE BANDIT, Stephen Becker

THE ICE SCHOONER, Michael Moorcock

THE ENGLISH PATIENT, Michael Ondaatje

THE THREE MUSKETEERS, Alexandre Dumas

FLASHMAN AT THE CHARGE, George MacDonald Fraser

The Jirel of Joiry stories, C.L. Moore

KING SOLOMON’S MINES, H. Rider Haggard

*as revealed in the October, 2008 DRIN(some items on the Del Rey site aren’t in the newsletter and vice versa); above links provided by von Darkmoor

  • Confession: I have not read Michael Chabon’s Gentlemen of the Road, though I have been told I must.
  • Realization: Regardless of any recommendation, an author whose list of influential favorites reads like this is a Must-Read.
  • Determination: Read Michael Chabon and any of the books on his list I haven’t.
Rating 4.00 out of 5
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Category: Authors, Books  | Leave a Comment
October 08th, 2008 | Author: von Darkmoor

I see this . . .

Forbes’ list of the best paid authors:
1 JK Rowling, $300m
2 James Patterson, $50m
3 Stephen King, $45m
4 Tom Clancy, $35m
5 Danielle Steel, $30m
6 (Tie) John Grisham, $25m
6 (Tie) Dean Koontz, $25m
8 Ken Follett, $20m
9 Janet Evanovich, $17m
10 Nicholas Sparks, $16m
*as reported in the Guardian

. . .  think this . . .

Tolkien, Howard, Burroughs, Lewis, Poe, Wagner, London, Brand, Lamb, Leiber, MacLean  . . .
Colfer, Erikson, Cook, Ehart, Enge, Goble . . .

. . . and wipe a bit a wetness from the corner of my eye.

Rating 4.00 out of 5
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Category: Authors  | 8 Comments