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Post by paulwest on May 15, 2012 12:27:16 GMT -5
My wife and I have cell phones. She keeps hers on almost 24/7. She's the RS Pres., so she needs to be available. As for mine, it belongs to my work. I only have it on when I want to be available, LOL.
I'm drooling over all the talk about Hawaii. We went to Oahu 3 years ago and NEED to go back and see the other islands.
The Polynesian Cultural Center was a highlight, along with the Arizona Memorial and a tour of the battleship Missouri. Totally awesome. I stood nest to one of its great guns and was amazed that the barrels are almost as big in diameter is I am tall.
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Post by sachiko on May 16, 2012 15:41:29 GMT -5
Michael, I keep thinking about what you said about wish-fulfillment in authors and readers and ideals--that women should be cared for, so they read and write stories where men are falling at their feet and making them princesses; that men want to be a successful protector, and read and write stories that fulfill that need.
That's a very good way of putting it and I agree that these are normal and even sometimes noble things.
I'm trying to define to myself where it crosses over into something less noble. I know it when I read it--I start to feel embarrassed for the author, and start to lose interest in the book.
The closest I can come up with is "flattery". I don't like books that flatter. Ones where, instead of a story, one comes to realize that they're reading someone else's fantasy put into print.
I come away from books like that feeling like, instead of reading, I was a voyeur into someone else's verbal onanism. Ick, ick, ick.
Of course it's subjective. I felt that way when reading some very popular teen books that we've all heard of, I think. It felt like the books revolved around those personal fantasy moments of self-absorbed emotional climax that feeds inner narcissistic beasts by supporting their desire to and fantasy of being the most attractive, intelligent, perfect, wanted, heroic person in the room.
I probably just described the perfect teen novel.
If I could just hold down my lunch and write that way, I'd probably get a movie deal. *eyeroll*
sigh. I am such a snob, I know.
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Post by rahmuss on May 17, 2012 15:06:18 GMT -5
sachiko, I know exactly what you mean by feeling embarrassed for the author. I think it crosses the line when it becomes a kind of reality for them. Having those feelings is normal; but being consumed with the desire of having two guys, who are emotionally pumped, fight over you seems to border a bit on lusting after something, and that's not healthy at all.
Exactly! Perfect! That's precisely what I meant.
Write books that you enjoy, not books that might make good movies, unless they are the good religious ones: 17 miracles, Facing the Giants, Courageous, Work & Glory...etc...
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Post by sachiko on May 18, 2012 11:02:51 GMT -5
not a lot of writing done lately. My kids are finishing up state-demanded testing from their homeschooling program people lately, and yesterday we had a BIG appointment with a professor/doctor of genetics who came to our town from Seattle.
Little Dove, as it turns out, has a sizeable deletion on the q arm of her 3rd chromosome. The missing genes all have to do with growth and development, so it is the cause of her persistant failure to thrive.
That was a big relief to discover, because until then, the fallback position has always been that we've been starving her somehow.
We've been instructed to get her eyes, ears, heart and kidneys thoroughly checked, and see the geneticist every couple of years, and take her to a specialized pediatrician and pediatric nutritionist, and to make sure she gets plenty of early intervention--occupational therapy and stuff like that.
We already have her in OT once a week, and everything else is just details, I feel. I feel better doing these tests than I felt doing tons of other tests, like for cystic fibrosis or metabolic disorders, when we had no idea what was going on with her.
I read up on 3q deletions and we are REALLY blessed. It's super rare, and a lot of kids with this deletion are born without eyes or with major eyes defects. (!) We've nearly gotten off scot-free.
So that's what I've been up to lately.
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Post by paulwest on May 21, 2012 18:31:16 GMT -5
I'm rethinking where to begin my first novel "Bridge to Destiny." Right now, I have the MC, Mark, beginning on his first day in his new high school. However, I'm thinking of starting earlier, during his parents' funeral. I'll let you know how it turns out,
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Post by rahmuss on May 22, 2012 17:34:16 GMT -5
sachiko, I'll bet it's a big relief to finally have answers to those questions. Knowing really is half the battle. I hope everything goes well with her. Hopefully there are some ways you can find to lessen the costs for all the testing that needs to be done.
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Post by rahmuss on May 23, 2012 7:25:59 GMT -5
T. Lynn, We miss you. Hope you're doing something fun. Quick question or two: Do you have an agent? Do they negotiate the contracts for you or do you hire a lawyer? Do you own the rights to your first book yet? Would you suggest getting an agent before submitting work to an editor, or trying to get a book published, or at least in process, before getting an agent? Or do you suggest not getting an agent at all?
[edit]Also, did you get royalties right away with your book or did you have to wait for awhile (1 year or something)? Is $10,000 a good contract for your first book ($5,000 to sign, then $2,500, and later another $2,500)? Did you sell to the South American market or any other markets (UK, German)? Is it typical to sell to other markets with your first book?
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Post by paulwest on May 23, 2012 12:36:15 GMT -5
Good questions, Mike. I'd like to know all this too.
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Post by paulwest on May 24, 2012 16:42:05 GMT -5
I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day. I don't think enough people ever stop to consider what this holiday means -- remembering those soldiers who sacrificed so much for our freedom. God bless all our soldiers, especially those who died for us. I a way, they are a lot like Christ, they died for us and are our saviors. I'm sure God has a special place in the Celestial Kingdom for them.
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Post by charlie on May 28, 2012 19:06:04 GMT -5
Today my wife and I decorated the graves of Wallace and JoAnne Moore (my mother and father), John and Irene Andrews (wife's grandparents), Freamon and Leah Romriell (wife's aunt and uncle), Wallace and Virginia and LaVinna Moore (my grandfather, grandmother and step-grandmother), Jasper and Edith Seat (wife's grandparents) and several others. I think it is good to pay tribute to our ancestors who paved the way for us.
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Post by paulwest on May 29, 2012 18:12:49 GMT -5
Amen
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tlynn
New Member
Posts: 12
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Post by tlynn on May 30, 2012 16:19:23 GMT -5
I have come baaack to life… Or however that line goes in Night at the Museum II
Anyhow, Sachiko, please applaud…I tore up the ugly carpet in our bedroom (the one the previous owners thought was wonderful) and refinished the hardwood floor underneath and right now I am typing this as the new coat of paint is drying on the bedroom walls and my fingernails.
My hubby asked me why I was doing it…I said I’ve wanted to redo our bedroom since we bought the house five years ago. He sincerely asked, “Why? What was wrong with it?”
Sorry….the blue, green, brown, tan and black striped carpet the previous owner’s dogs had used as a bathroom and birthing suite, and the not quite yellow/not quite peach walls which didn’t match anything just did not do it for me.
And he, the artist, is genuinely confused about what was wrong with the whole thing???
Maybe he should be tested for color blindness or an olfaction condition.
But now the room is starting to look gorgeous and I’m going to decorate it to remind us of our two trips to Hawaii. No more dead animals staring at me from the walls when I am through. I hope Gary loves his trip to Hawaii and wants to go back there often. When I'm finished I will feel like I'm going there every night!
Anyhow, as for a quick question or two from MW, that was more like 8 questions...but that's okay. I'm not really the person to ask because I'm just a simple writer with wall paint on my fingers and big dreams for bedrooms and stories.
No, I do not have an agent.
I sold the printing rights and retained a portion of the movie and foreign rights. I think, at some point, I can come back and purchase reprint rights from them if I want later in life but I haven't read my contract for a while.
I’m not sure agents are necessary for the LDS world...yet.
As for mainstream publishing, agnets are debatable. Some say yes, get an agent first....they can get you better contracts, get into publishing houses you wouldn't have a shot at, and generate more money--but, of course, they take a percentage of all that.
Others say sell a book or two and then get an agent and you'll get a better agent because you are a proven author.
I don’t have an agent. To me it seems like one more hoop of fire to leap through and I just want a book published. It's kind of like trying to get my own gasoline refinery when all I really want to do is run into town. Sure, having my own refinery may make me more money in the long run but how long is it going take and what will it involve? I may miss some exciting trips into town because I'm so focused on getting my own refinery.
If that makes sense and I haven't been breathing too many paint, stain and varnish fumes lately.
Maybe, if I ever get famous, an agent will jump through a hoop of fire to contact me. It happens.
The $ figures you mentioned are advances. In the LDS world you do not get an advance on your book unless, maybe, you’re really, really good. You just get a percentage of whatever sells. So, I don't know what is typical.
But I don't hink it’s typical to sell to foreign markets with a first book. Often those foreign reprints happen because your book is owned by a big publishing company that already has foreign subsidiaries.
In our world today, all your books sales are being tracked and if an editor, agent, or foreign company notices a book is producing some impressive numbers they will swoop in and contact you or whoever owns those rights with an offer. But, in truth, most first books don’t garner those kind of numbers. Big publishing companies garner big distribution numbers. Small publishing companies have smaller distribution numbers so it really depends on your company. It also takes time to get name recognition…the Stephanie Meyer/JK Rowling/Colleen Houch stories are RARE.
I am trying to finish up my third book and trying to squeeze that in with work, which went back to 50+ hours a week the last couple of months. But I am enjoying the third book, too.
Good to be back
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Post by paulwest on May 30, 2012 18:14:28 GMT -5
TLynn, it sounds like you're doing what I'm doing -- remodeling my office. We've moved all the furniture out, repainted the walls and ceiling, torn out the carpet, had someone come in and install laminant. and now I'm trying to move all the furniture back in. Ugh! Major nightmare, but like the song goes "I'd do anything for you, anything..." for my wife.
I appreciate the info on $$$. I'm wondering if it's even worth it to try to sell to LDS publishers? Unless you're a big name (think Gerald Lund, Dean Hughes, etc.) you probably can't expect to get much of a return on all the work you go through.
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Post by rahmuss on May 30, 2012 18:32:24 GMT -5
She's alive!!! LOL, wow, sounds like some pretty ugly colors there for your room. It was good of you to put up with it for so long. I think you're right about selling LDS books. I don't see a big need for an agent. For now at least I won't look at that option. Thanks for all of the advice and answers. So, when will we see your second book? And welcome back!
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Post by sachiko on May 31, 2012 15:42:45 GMT -5
Sister T, YAY for your Hawaiian retreat!!!!! over Memorial Day weekend we put up board-and-batten in our living room and painted that a soft white and then painted the wall above it cream. Before it had had splotchy bright green, aqua and yellow paint--all my fault--and up until a couple of months ago had a used, broken, VERY smelly stained brown sectional. We found a place online that sells modular sofas you put together yourself. That way if the kids break an arm, you just order a new arm and put it on. If the cat destroys the cover, you can buy a new cover. We really like 'em. They're from an online place called Home Reserve and I think they're awesome. Sister T, HARDWOOD FLOORS!!!! I am so happy for you!!!! we're going to put in new flooring here soon and take out the carpets. Our house used to be a daycare with lots of dogs, and we've got little kids and pets, so the carpets all have that distinctive outhouse odor. What in the WORLD do people see in carpets ANYWAYS? ? "Oh, I think I'll take this white towel and staple it onto the floor and have people walk on it and kids potty train on it." I mean WHO THINKS THIS STUFF UP?!? We've lived in a couple of rentals--they ALL had white carpets! WHITE! CARPETS! it boggles my mind. so, anyway, I am very much looking forward to ripping out carpets and replacing with disinfectable, non-porous vinyl planking. so of course I am totally thrilled for you, Sister t! Guys are so wonderful in how accepting and loyal they are to the status quo..... when I told my husband about new sofas redoing the walls and repainting he was like "Wha?!?" but now that it's done he admits that our living room looks totally different (and SMELLS totally different) and now we can have people over without worrying the old couch will eat them alive.
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