tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post7369341143862521233..comments2024-03-10T04:29:20.044-04:00Comments on Mad Genius Club: Taking It To the StreetsSarah A. Hoythttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-57838253629715176402010-04-30T09:50:59.490-04:002010-04-30T09:50:59.490-04:00LOL, Synova, I HAVE always wanted to go to Bubonic...LOL, Synova, I HAVE always wanted to go to Bubonicon. Unfortunately -- can you tell I'm editing something set in the regency -- the dibs have not been in tune. Either I have the date clear and no money or money but am attending worldcon and... oh, putting homeschooled kid through exams so he can go into public highschool right on top of the date. This year it's probably the first with a bit of the latter. I've been meaning to go to it since I saw the name, which is why I borrowed the name for a T-shirt for Marlowe :)<br />I will definitely try to make it next year. If we start crossing fingers now, maybe it will happen.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-2766400680633760972010-04-29T23:06:41.134-04:002010-04-29T23:06:41.134-04:00Yes, Bubonicon is in New Mexico. Is it okay if I ...Yes, Bubonicon is in New Mexico. Is it okay if I say that it's a great little con? It seems to me that it's got a pretty unusual author to fan ratio, as those things go.<br /><br />The only real problem is that it tends to fall a weekend away from World Con. Bleh.<br /><br />But I thought I'd throw it out there just in case anyone (and particularly Sarah) might slap her forehead and exclaim, "Bubonicon! I've always wanted to go to Bubonicon." :-)Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-13331094090375531192010-04-29T22:50:00.697-04:002010-04-29T22:50:00.697-04:00Stephen,
You can find my bibliography here: ...Stephen,<br /><br />You can find my bibliography here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Hoyt and Dave's here: <br /> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_FreerSarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-51304644635018042092010-04-29T22:43:54.797-04:002010-04-29T22:43:54.797-04:00Dave,
Very good then. The other publishers have ...Dave,<br /><br />Very good then. The other publishers have more trouble reporting the sales of paper on line, possibly because they are so massive. As for ebook sales... well, I'm supposed to believe I sell the same ebooks I did ten years ago, before the advent of the kindle.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-46850996978283014502010-04-29T20:03:43.470-04:002010-04-29T20:03:43.470-04:00Dave and Sarah,
(If you're still reading this...Dave and Sarah,<br /><br />(If you're still reading this thread ...)<br /><br />Could I have a bibliography, in order, for each of you?<br /><br />The way to get the books back onto the shelves in B&N is for people to special order them at B&N, not order them from Amazon, n'est pas? I need the ones I don't have. Our needs coincide ...Stephen Simmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07522113936557314128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-5309747097044154702010-04-29T19:17:09.255-04:002010-04-29T19:17:09.255-04:00Sarah, I know Baen do. Way back it was already run...Sarah, I know Baen do. Way back it was already running at nearly 1/3 of sales I gather.<br />"Before you go Librarian, though, they MIGHT have changed and not told anyone."<br />Me go librarian? Nonsense! Things are moving on there. Why there was an employment advert from one of our industry's leading lights in the NYT just the other day saying they were looking for someone for their adminstration with a working knowledge of Ptolmeic Demotic and tally sticks, as they're a forward looking company.<br />Who would have thought even five years ago that the demise of Frühdemotisch and merely using fingers and toes was so close! ;-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-4001900064581493012010-04-29T18:43:29.264-04:002010-04-29T18:43:29.264-04:00Web Comic?
I follow some web comics via Google Re...Web Comic?<br /><br />I follow some web comics via Google Reader/RSS.<br /><br />I'd probably follow VERY CAREFULLY a web comic pertaining to THE GEORGE.<br /><br />Don't have a clue as to how it could be monetized though.evmickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06345726039742529074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-37366879802850893252010-04-29T16:40:17.809-04:002010-04-29T16:40:17.809-04:00Sarah, the RLF could steal "Secret Reports&qu...Sarah, the RLF could steal "Secret Reports" AKA novels, and analyze them with much failure to understand. Sort of very, very twisted book revues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-67124690037078389102010-04-29T14:10:32.793-04:002010-04-29T14:10:32.793-04:00I was reading a copy of Empire this morning (movie...I was reading a copy of Empire this morning (movie magazine, for those not in the know - does Empire have a circulation outside the UK?) and the thought suddenly came to me - extras.<br /><br />Not extras in the acting sense, but the "added to the DVD to sweeten the deal" sense. Whats to stop an author creating a bunch of things which are exactly the same concepts as those used on a DVD - an author's commentary, a making-of video (in fact this could work while you are writing - as well as blog updates, a quick stint of video once every few weeks of the author letting off steam, talking about how the last few passages you've written have been great, etc), perhaps gag reels of stuff not used because you've realised how naff it was - although that might have publisher issues, I dunno - etc, etc.<br /><br />Am I crazy for thinking these are good ideas?Jonathan D. Beerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525346572076892536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-75082161881249513322010-04-29T13:32:30.413-04:002010-04-29T13:32:30.413-04:00LOL, Matapam, I love the RLF idea. Unfortunately ...LOL, Matapam, I love the RLF idea. Unfortunately before I start a blog for them, I'll need to draw the various recruits -- squirrels, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and ferrets (yeah, but don't tell them) -- in their gear. LOL. And their ongoing war against my characters AND myself would certainly be funny. If it doesn't get me committed.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-86978807764499613742010-04-29T13:30:23.831-04:002010-04-29T13:30:23.831-04:00Dave,
And the issue with that is that -- though I ...Dave,<br />And the issue with that is that -- though I don't know if this applies to Baen (doubt it. In fact, would wager they do, considering they sell the electronic on site) -- most publishers do NOT count internet sales. About ten years ago they dismissed Amazon with "It's only the equivalent of a large brick and mortar" and I have not seen a retraction of that policy.<br />Before you go Librarian, though, they MIGHT have changed and not told anyone.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-58011635855668128852010-04-29T13:29:03.060-04:002010-04-29T13:29:03.060-04:00Synova and Kate,
In a book I need to finish (the ...Synova and Kate,<br /><br />In a book I need to finish (the one with Flint) I have Marlowe running around most of the time in the t-shirt of his modern day bf. It's an oversized t-shirt with rats all over it and "Bubonicon, come be infected." Seemed so weirdly appropriate.<br />Bubonicon is of course in NM.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-63483312270253807262010-04-29T13:26:45.119-04:002010-04-29T13:26:45.119-04:00Quilly,
I can't be chairman, unless I get a L...Quilly,<br /><br />I can't be chairman, unless I get a LOT of willing slaves. I have ... three books almost finished and one being revised and a to-write slate longer than my arm. I do second Dave as GOH, thoughSarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-64853444292475039012010-04-29T13:26:01.861-04:002010-04-29T13:26:01.861-04:00Chris Mc
Actually I'm a totally laid back lazy...Chris Mc<br />Actually I'm a totally laid back lazy bones. You should see what other authors do. My problem is I want to hide and write. Sigh.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-44642311476176908572010-04-29T13:25:04.460-04:002010-04-29T13:25:04.460-04:00Warp,
It's just difficult for me to do becaus...Warp,<br /><br />It's just difficult for me to do because my characters are SO non-static, or even often linear. They... er... get ideas.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-21457559163953149052010-04-29T06:41:54.127-04:002010-04-29T06:41:54.127-04:00Stephen - you are putting your finger on a source ...Stephen - you are putting your finger on a source of enormous frustration there. And it's a sort of vicious chicken and egg syndrome. Bookstores won't order a lot (unless pushed) if you don't sell a lot. And they won't re-order unless on request (and that is pretty iffy)so it's very hard to push those numbers up. So for eg, I painstakingly tracked the availability of one of my early books at various B&N's - roughly fifty IIRC 1)It was never in about two thirds of them. 2)There were very few copies and most of them sold out in two days... And did not re-order. So the only way to improve my figures (and get more copies on more shelves) is to get more internet orders. That is the only chink I can see in the system's armor that authors can exploit.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-24012873223373834582010-04-29T06:26:50.801-04:002010-04-29T06:26:50.801-04:00Synova,
Is that the con you avoid like the plague...Synova,<br /><br />Is that the con you avoid like the plague?Kate Paulkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02034983693134240754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-58236368047587672972010-04-28T23:48:06.623-04:002010-04-28T23:48:06.623-04:00Bubonicon.
:-)Bubonicon.<br /><br />:-)Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-18151936225097508512010-04-28T23:29:10.871-04:002010-04-28T23:29:10.871-04:00Perhaps the RLF needs to blog. They can go everywh...Perhaps the RLF needs to blog. They can go everywhere, and spy on every author's characters.<br /><br />Some things that are very funny, but don't fit a standard publishing matrix, such as the adventures of Rex Mason, and Knights in Tarnished Armor or whatever that thing of Kate's was, might draw in people, if they were disseminated more widely. If they were associated with a e-book store they could at least have a tip jar, even if they were never going to be organized into anything more polished and coherent. They could get people checking back once or twice a week for the latest installment.<br /><br />Interactive writing. Let the audience cheer and jeer at a much earlier stage than even a rough draft. That's how the Martian Lawyers got written.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-54574814986469237362010-04-28T23:10:19.287-04:002010-04-28T23:10:19.287-04:00Oh, Lady Dawn, in addition, getting more books in ...Oh, Lady Dawn, in addition, getting more books in the free library is not just a matter of my offering to do so. Eventually -- I hope -- Baen will put out the "Sarah A Hoyt" packet that I sold them for electronic rights... a year? ago. And then afterwards, hopefully, my second collection will go on the free library. But the novels are up to Toni, not me and I can't even second guess her decisions. I don't sit in her chair.<br />I totally agree freebies are a great way to get interest, which is why I'm putting a bunch of them on my site. :)Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-41655062320589744802010-04-28T23:08:25.044-04:002010-04-28T23:08:25.044-04:00Stephen,
The writer has ABSOLUTELY no say over wh...Stephen,<br /><br />The writer has ABSOLUTELY no say over what goes on the shelves or how. (You know this, right?) It's one of the many things over which we have no control including title and cover. Publishers don't actually make an effort unless you got a minimum 50k advance or were the college roomate of your editor. (It's different for Baen who do try but their distro is third party.)<br />As for Draw One In the Dark... the hard cover got a micro print because of the cover. The mmpb had a better cover, but of course the "numbers" are set in stone by that point. If you want to see how BAD a cover, send me your address to my hotmail account (under the last thread in diner) and I'll send you one. Yeah, I think at this point lack of availability of DOITD on shelves is affecting the sale of Gentleman Takes A Chance. However, for the record, there is nothing I can do. (And I'm saying this also for all those people out there who send me angry letters because the Musketeer Mysteries were canceled and/or because there isn't a sequel to DST out yet. Some things ARE out of my hands.)Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-20023536991416389392010-04-28T23:04:13.368-04:002010-04-28T23:04:13.368-04:00Lady Dawn,
Oy, I redshirt for the fun of it. I e...Lady Dawn,<br /><br />Oy, I redshirt for the fun of it. I even redshirt baenites in my mysteries. :D <br />Local library... Probably not much promotion going there, though the books I donate to my kids' school library (mine and Monkey's) are NEVER on the shelves. :) this is good. "Get them while they're young."Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-76712523385571278032010-04-28T23:02:51.383-04:002010-04-28T23:02:51.383-04:00Mike,
Sort of. What I'll be doing with Haute...Mike,<br /><br />Sort of. What I'll be doing with Haute as Hell will be a rough version of the book, then giving people the option of buying the ebook.Sarah A. Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-20386405250691024152010-04-28T22:00:41.572-04:002010-04-28T22:00:41.572-04:00Sarah, data point:
After I started reading this b...Sarah, data point:<br /><br />After I started reading this blog regularly, I made a point of looking for authors from here on my trip to B&N the next payday. They had "Darkship Thieves" up front, but NONE of your work on the regular SF&F shelves, and none of Dave's, either. For Rowena I saw "Desperate Alliances", but neither of the earlier two in the trilogy.<br /><br />Following payday, Books-A-Million, I still didn't see Dave on the shelves at al, sadly. I did find "Gentleman Takes a Chance", but not "Draw One in the Dark", which makes the second kind of pointless ...<br /><br />I don't know what the answer is, but I know that we can't buy what we can't see.Stephen Simmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07522113936557314128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-63381112847871434002010-04-28T21:27:01.246-04:002010-04-28T21:27:01.246-04:00Um, Sarah?
Have you considered offering NOT to g...Um, Sarah? <br /><br />Have you considered offering NOT to give people your kids if they buy your books? That might be a winner.<br /><br />(runs away)Kate Paulkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02034983693134240754noreply@blogger.com