Mad Genius Club: Open Thread

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Open Thread

Don't ask. Just don't.

The usual rules apply: no politics, no hitting, and have fun.

13 comments:

MataPam said...: Whatever it is, you have my sympathy - from a safe distance.;)

Okay, what's going on with this time warp, eh?

The weeks go flying past--it can't be Thursday already, can it? But it's got to be at least three months since _Lawyers of Mars_ got postponed two months. And it won't be out for at least another month.; March 31, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Sarah A. Hoyt said...: Pam,

My first series was delayed THREE YEARS with a major house. (They had to get that post 9/11 thing just right.); March 31, 2011 at 5:17 PM
Amanda Green said...: Pam, chill. Titles are postponed all the time and LoM will be out in May. It will be coming out with Chris Mc's Flight of the Phoenix as well as several other titles. One thing we're trying to do is make sure nothing goes out that doesn't meet our standards, both from the editing point and from the conversion to e-book standpoint. Ask Kate about that last part if you want. Some of the exotic names in Impaler are causing issues with conversion, so we are checking everything multiple times to make sure there are no problems in any format. We'd rather be a bit later than we want than to put out a sub-par product.; March 31, 2011 at 5:18 PM
Stephen Simmons said...: :::breaking open the warm-fluffy-thoughts locker for upload:::

Okay ... I'm still trying to make the mental self-image transition from guy-who-writes-stuff-down-occasionally to "writer". Sometimes I even manage it, for up to three minutes or so at a pop. With that in mind, and a Con looming a week away ...

I have NO idea how to approach a Con as something other than fen. The past couple I've been "fen who goes to some of the writing panels", but I still have no idea how I should go about approaching this as a prospective business activity. Do I scope ou an agent/editor or three and stalk them? Do I lurk i places where I have a chance of catching the eye of (or at least actively overhearing) the Pros? Or do I just concentrate on getting to as many as possible of the panels that seem even vaguely helpful?

All I know for sure is that I'm hoping to chat with Kate for a bit. Beyond that ... any suggestions???; March 31, 2011 at 6:45 PM
MataPam said...: I'm complaining about the time warp thing, not the two month delay. I know it really hasn't been four months, it just feels like it. At a bare minimum, the weeks ought to drag as well, not go flying past.

Well, Okay, I'm complaining about the two months as well, but that's just nerves, not, err, my business sense being afronted or feelings hurt.

Umm, exotic names and conversion problems? That's . . . going to be a problem with most SF/F. Xaero L'svages. Oh. Dear.; March 31, 2011 at 6:52 PM
Kate Paulk said...: Matapam,

There is no safe distance. Trust me on that.

Delays happen with publishing. It's part of the whole 'unforeseen circumstances'. Impaler might just squeak into "March", but it might not. There's a lot of work that goes into the preparation side, so if it doesn't, it doesn't.; March 31, 2011 at 8:16 PM
Kate Paulk said...: Sarah,

There's unforeseen circumstances and there's "life likes to shit on you". I think you landed the latter.; March 31, 2011 at 8:17 PM
Kate Paulk said...: Amanda,

Hoo yeah. And nothing I've done uses any non-English characters. I shudder to think what you would do to me if I was using the Turkish characters for some of those phrases.; March 31, 2011 at 8:18 PM
Kate Paulk said...: Stephen,

Thanks. There's a lot going on at the moment, and - unfortunately - it doesn't take much to trigger overload.

From the "approach the Con" perspective, here's what I do: I have a convention 'look' and a set of clothing specifically for that. A general rule of thumb is that fen wear jeans and t-shirts. Authors dress up (Or blinding, if your name is Jay Lake - but no-one who's met him at a con is ever going to forget him, which is a big part of the point). Go for a style you're comfortable with, and stick with it.

The other side of that is that if you're at the con as an author, you're working. You don't necessarily go pushing stuff, but you do try to hang around authors, editors and agents, and try to contribute to the conversations (sensibly). Introductions tend to happen if you're with someone who knows you. If you know someone who knows the person you're next to, it's allowable to say so as a way of introducing yourself. It really is all a huge network of who knows who. And when you're not in your hotel room, you're "on duty" and need to treat it that way - no bitching about authors/agents/editors/publishing houses. No whining. And try to stay cheerful no matter what the heck goes on.; March 31, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Kate Paulk said...: Matapam,

I have work days that last several years, but be stuffed if I could tell you where the last few months went. Honestly, I swear as soon as I stop glaring at them entire months sneak away and hide from me.; March 31, 2011 at 8:26 PM
MataPam said...: And years. The years have started sneaking by. 31st aniversary? Rediculous. Kids coming up on their 28th and 26th birthdays? Not possible. Not even close. No way.; March 31, 2011 at 9:18 PM
Mike said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; April 1, 2011 at 1:59 AM
Mike said...: Have you enjoyed King Kong Tonight? Take a look (and listen) over here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUd6XF_8fGI

I think you will enjoy it.; April 1, 2011 at 2:02 AM