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Well, so much for making sure I posted here more often. It has been a nutty year. But I did want to take the time to wish everyone a joyous New Year.
And, for the same period. if you use coupon code EL32F at checkout, you can get my erotica/coming of age collection Talk Story: Three Tales of Hawaii for the unbelievably low price of $1.00.
(Links underlined)
Well, the weekend got off to a horrible start and a day early.
OF CARS: This past week, my company moved to its new diggs in Beverly Hills. The location is actually pretty cool and there is a roach coach which parks nearby at lunch and is relatively good and cheep. Still, I'll be glad when they finish the lunch room. What wasn't so cool was leaving on thursday from the parking garage and turning my car into a brand spanking new concrete pillar. The car is at a garage now getting an estimate but it is going to be expensive. Something I can ill-afford as I live paycheck to paycheck as it is. So that sucks big time. So, tomorrow morning I have to walk (at 6:15 am) about a mile to get a rental car.
OF APES: On a slightly better note, the BF and I finally saw RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES yesterday. Compared to the Tim Burton remake a decade ago, this film is brilliant...but that's not saying much. The pace of this film is dreadfully slow and laden with unnecessary diversions. The John Lithgow side-plot is played out and goes nowhere and, frankly, is so immensly shallow so as to border on offensive. The "love story" is week and every one of the human characters is little more than a stock, cardboard cut-out.
At times, the CGI is quite good. At other times it is cringe worthy. Yes, the apes are still the ones that we all connect with emotionally. But, that connection is tenuous at best. The screenwriter and director missed huge opportunities to garner our emotional support of the apes. Frankly, the script is all over the place, with sequences which are clearly nothing more that a set-up for the next film...namely Brian Cox' character. There was no point to having that character there...his kids do all the evil deeds. Most of all it fails on the social commentary side...is it a cautionary tale about the medical testing on animals (it wants to go there but never does); is it a cautionary tale about what man does to man, with the apes as stand-in for mankind (it almost goes there). The result is that the climactic rise of the apes is utterly anti-climactic, with no emotional impact. It is simply that the script was all over the place.
So, does it measure up to the original films. Well...it surpasses the abysmal Battle for the Planet of the Apes (the 5th of the original films) but doesn't come close to the others. Everything that ROTPOTA tries to do was done so much better in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (the 4th and, IMO, the best of the originals). And no, I'm not upset that they messed with cannon. Had they messed with cannon and done it extremely well, I woulda been thrilled.
In the end, Rise fails to rise to the level of the originals. It's certainly an acceptable film. It's not horrible. But when I see an apes film, I want it to have an impact, emotionally and otherwise. This just left me checking my watch.
OF AN ANNIVERSARY: Thursday marks the 2nd anniversary of the release of KELLAND. Yay!! It has been 2 years...most of it good but part of it mixed feelings. While the reviews and the reader reaction have both been beyond my greatest expectations, sales have been only OK. What surprises me most is the virtual silence from the LGBT and survivor communities on the book, both of which I had hoped would be stronger supporters. The acceptance of the horror community was much better than I expected...I won a Black Quill Award which is just incredibly fulfilling...but even there it's a tough nut to crack as the book doesn't really have the hallmarks of horror attached to it. Still, I am incredibly grateful to my publisher and to all my readers. Without both, this book would never have seen the light of day. That alone is reason to celebrate.
OF CARS: This past week, my company moved to its new diggs in Beverly Hills. The location is actually pretty cool and there is a roach coach which parks nearby at lunch and is relatively good and cheep. Still, I'll be glad when they finish the lunch room. What wasn't so cool was leaving on thursday from the parking garage and turning my car into a brand spanking new concrete pillar. The car is at a garage now getting an estimate but it is going to be expensive. Something I can ill-afford as I live paycheck to paycheck as it is. So that sucks big time. So, tomorrow morning I have to walk (at 6:15 am) about a mile to get a rental car.
OF APES: On a slightly better note, the BF and I finally saw RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES yesterday. Compared to the Tim Burton remake a decade ago, this film is brilliant...but that's not saying much. The pace of this film is dreadfully slow and laden with unnecessary diversions. The John Lithgow side-plot is played out and goes nowhere and, frankly, is so immensly shallow so as to border on offensive. The "love story" is week and every one of the human characters is little more than a stock, cardboard cut-out.
At times, the CGI is quite good. At other times it is cringe worthy. Yes, the apes are still the ones that we all connect with emotionally. But, that connection is tenuous at best. The screenwriter and director missed huge opportunities to garner our emotional support of the apes. Frankly, the script is all over the place, with sequences which are clearly nothing more that a set-up for the next film...namely Brian Cox' character. There was no point to having that character there...his kids do all the evil deeds. Most of all it fails on the social commentary side...is it a cautionary tale about the medical testing on animals (it wants to go there but never does); is it a cautionary tale about what man does to man, with the apes as stand-in for mankind (it almost goes there). The result is that the climactic rise of the apes is utterly anti-climactic, with no emotional impact. It is simply that the script was all over the place.
So, does it measure up to the original films. Well...it surpasses the abysmal Battle for the Planet of the Apes (the 5th of the original films) but doesn't come close to the others. Everything that ROTPOTA tries to do was done so much better in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (the 4th and, IMO, the best of the originals). And no, I'm not upset that they messed with cannon. Had they messed with cannon and done it extremely well, I woulda been thrilled.
In the end, Rise fails to rise to the level of the originals. It's certainly an acceptable film. It's not horrible. But when I see an apes film, I want it to have an impact, emotionally and otherwise. This just left me checking my watch.
OF AN ANNIVERSARY: Thursday marks the 2nd anniversary of the release of KELLAND. Yay!! It has been 2 years...most of it good but part of it mixed feelings. While the reviews and the reader reaction have both been beyond my greatest expectations, sales have been only OK. What surprises me most is the virtual silence from the LGBT and survivor communities on the book, both of which I had hoped would be stronger supporters. The acceptance of the horror community was much better than I expected...I won a Black Quill Award which is just incredibly fulfilling...but even there it's a tough nut to crack as the book doesn't really have the hallmarks of horror attached to it. Still, I am incredibly grateful to my publisher and to all my readers. Without both, this book would never have seen the light of day. That alone is reason to celebrate.
OK, I'm jazzed that I have something to crow about.
My short story "If You Love Me" will be included The Devil's Coattails: More Dispatches from the Dark Frontier, an amazing anthology edited by Jason V. Brock and William F. Nolan. It has just gone up for pre-order. Take a look at this list of contributors and tell me how lucky I am.
Ramsey Campbell, John Shirley, Jason V Brock, Marc Scott Zicree, Norman Corwin, Dennis Etchison, Earl Hamner, Jenny Brundage, Nancy Kilpatrick, Jerry E. Airth, Sunni K Brock, Richard Christian Matheson, Paul J. Salamoff, Paul G. Bens, Jr., William F. Nolan, Dan O'Bannon, Max Brand, Richard Selzer, James Robert Smith, and Wilum Pugmire/Maryanne K. Snyder.
http://jasunni.mybigcommerce.com/pre-ord
and here's the TOC
http://blog.jasunni.com/2011/08/02/relea
I also hear a major signing event may be in the works. More as it becomes available.
My short story "If You Love Me" will be included The Devil's Coattails: More Dispatches from the Dark Frontier, an amazing anthology edited by Jason V. Brock and William F. Nolan. It has just gone up for pre-order. Take a look at this list of contributors and tell me how lucky I am.
Ramsey Campbell, John Shirley, Jason V Brock, Marc Scott Zicree, Norman Corwin, Dennis Etchison, Earl Hamner, Jenny Brundage, Nancy Kilpatrick, Jerry E. Airth, Sunni K Brock, Richard Christian Matheson, Paul J. Salamoff, Paul G. Bens, Jr., William F. Nolan, Dan O'Bannon, Max Brand, Richard Selzer, James Robert Smith, and Wilum Pugmire/Maryanne K. Snyder.
http://jasunni.mybigcommerce.com/pre-ord
and here's the TOC
http://blog.jasunni.com/2011/08/02/relea
I also hear a major signing event may be in the works. More as it becomes available.
Tags:
All royalties from sales of Kelland and Talk Story that I receive for the next 6 months will be donated to the American Red Cross to benefit Japan Earthquake and Tsunami relief.
So, if you want to donate in a small way and get something to read, pick up a copy of both or either. Or better yet, take what you would spend on my book(s) and donate it directly to the Red Cross
https://american.redcross.org/site/SPage.
So, if you want to donate in a small way and get something to read, pick up a copy of both or either. Or better yet, take what you would spend on my book(s) and donate it directly to the Red Cross
https://american.redcross.org/site/SPage.
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For their anniversary, Michele & Jeff Book Reviews are doing a number of giveaways and amongst them is a chance to win one of 2 e-copies of "Talk Story" and one print copy of "Kelland."
Check it out. Thanks to Michele, Jeff & Lisa and congrats on your 1 year anniversary!
http://michelenjeff-reviews.blogspot.com/2
Check it out. Thanks to Michele, Jeff & Lisa and congrats on your 1 year anniversary!
http://michelenjeff-reviews.blogspot.com/2
Next week (March 6 - 12) is Read an E-book Week and Smashwords is doing a promotional event wherein you can find lots of e-books at majorly reduced prices, some even for free.
The price of my e-book "Talk Story" will be dropped 50% and the e-book of "Kelland" will be up for 25% off.
So, starting Sunday, check out Smashwords...and spread the word.
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/P
The price of my e-book "Talk Story" will be dropped 50% and the e-book of "Kelland" will be up for 25% off.
So, starting Sunday, check out Smashwords...and spread the word.
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/P
Tags:
Well, since the president of the Horror Writers Association posted it on his facebook page, I guess it is safe to post.
Today the preliminary ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards was announced and somehow (by the kindness of strangers) my short story The Beheld from Dark Discoveries #16 made the ballot for Short Fiction. Yay!
Now what does this mean, you ask. Is this a nomination? NO. Inclusion on the prelim ballot is not a nomination. The active HWA membership will vote on the works listed on the prelim ballot and the top 4 in each category will become official nominees for a Bram Stoker Award. Still, it is very nice to make it to the prelim ballot and I'm glad to be in such good company. I don't think I have a shot at being an official nominee as the competition is stiff, but it really is an honor to have gotten even this far.
So, check out the nominees and go read some of them. I haven't read them all, but I have read a number and there's good, good stuff to be found here.
Congrats to all those on the ballot and many, many thanks to all those who recced my little story.
( Full Prelim Ballot after the cut )
Today the preliminary ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards was announced and somehow (by the kindness of strangers) my short story The Beheld from Dark Discoveries #16 made the ballot for Short Fiction. Yay!
Now what does this mean, you ask. Is this a nomination? NO. Inclusion on the prelim ballot is not a nomination. The active HWA membership will vote on the works listed on the prelim ballot and the top 4 in each category will become official nominees for a Bram Stoker Award. Still, it is very nice to make it to the prelim ballot and I'm glad to be in such good company. I don't think I have a shot at being an official nominee as the competition is stiff, but it really is an honor to have gotten even this far.
So, check out the nominees and go read some of them. I haven't read them all, but I have read a number and there's good, good stuff to be found here.
Congrats to all those on the ballot and many, many thanks to all those who recced my little story.
( Full Prelim Ballot after the cut )
Tags:
My short, foot-fetish story Toe Tag is now available as a free read through Smashwords!
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/366
Reviews, good or bad, are always appreciated.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/366
Reviews, good or bad, are always appreciated.
Tags:
Hands down, of all my short stories, Kama is the one people have commented to me the most on. So, I've made it available as a free e-book (e-story, really) through Smashwords. Check it out and, as always, love to hear what you think.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/365
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/365
Tags:
Since all copies of Dark Discoveries #16 are sold out, my extreme, short horror story The Beheld is now available as a free e-book.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/36
I hope everyone has a safe, sane and Happy New Year.
Here's hoping 2011 is a spectacular year for one and all.
This is massive news. While not a definitive cure, this is an amazing breakthrough.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/14/h
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/14/h
A huge, huge thank you to Lisa over and Michele 'n Jeff Reviews for this amazing review of Talk Story: Three Tales of Hawai'i.
Here's a snippet of what Lisa had to say:
Talk Story: Three Tales of Hawai’i often feels like a glimpse into a private journal filled with thoughts and confessions and emotions of a deeply personal nature. The credit for that goes to the author’s absorbing prose and vivid imagery.
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I've noticed a disturbing trend lately.
No, I'm not talking about "vendetta reviews" (which do happen, are awful and are pretty easily spotted). I'm talking about professional writers ranting about reviewers and, in particular, whining about how "anybody and everybody can be a reviewer these days because of the internet." Yeah, I have a problem with writers whining about that. But even that isn't what's disturbing me.
What is disturbing me more than that is the recent upswing in authors who are very clearly upset about some bad reviews they have been receiving who then use their professional writer organizations' website, newsletter, internet face to the public in order to publish "articles" or "studies" about how "everyone and anyone" can be a reviewer.
They all start the same. "Oh, what a sad state the world of reviewing is in." The "big, bad internet makes everyone think they can be a reviewer." They whine about how Amazon--eghads!-- asks its customers (who, you know, actually purchase the items) for their opinions. And these writers don't even try to be subtle about it. "Lord, they let anyone with an account and a paypal account" write reviews. Essentially, what they're implying is that Joe Consumer shouldn't have the right to write a "review"...even if they purchased the book (i.e., a product). The only people who should be able to write a review is a professional reviewer. And then, when a professional reviewer does give them a negative review, they do another article on who should qualify as a professional reviewer. And let's not even go into the disdain shown for "book blogs" where people review books. They get slammed in these "articles" as well...except when that book blog is "needed" to spread the word or when a book blog gives a good review to their book.
Now, keep in mind that these writers aren't just whining about this on their personal blogs...they are writing "articles" and "studies" and "op/ed" pieces which are being published by professional writers organizations. In essence, they are using their position within an organization to use that organization so that their rant will seem more legitimate. All of this is happening through PROFESSIONAL writers organizations.
There are a couple of cases of this lately. The one that really got my goad was a very well-received writer who wrote an "article" for a very, very well known national organization. It was couched, in the opening, as a study of how reviewing has de-evolved. But then the article very quickly turned to this writer using an example from his own personal experience (bad idea!) of having received a bad review. He then named the reviewer and gave his entire background with particular reference to the fact that he had written two "relatively unsuccessful novels" in the same genre as the person writing the article. Well, you can see where this is going...the article de-evolved itself into nothing more that a rant at this particular bad review and this particular bad reviewer. In short, this article (published on the website of a fairly well respected organization) became a rant against one reviewer. When a number of people pointed this out in the comments to the "article," the writer said that people were reading too much into it and as it was his "treatise" on reviews, he was using pertinent examples. (Note, however, he didn't mention any other bad reviews or reviewers, just the one). And then he proceeded to trash those commenting as being "unable to comprehend" what it was he was trying to do with the "article."
Now, keep in mind that some of the authors writing these "articles" are the same authors you see trolling GoodReads groups for reviews, encouraging people to review their book on Amazon, or crowing about the 5 star review they got from XYZ Book Blog. These are also, a majority of the time, authors who go out of their way to review books by big name authors on all the visible websites and expressing their opinions left and right on others' books. And when these folks get good reviews, it suddenly doesn't matter to them that that particular reviewer isn't a "professional reviewer." But god help them if that reviewer later gives a "bad review." Because then they will become a non-professional reviewer in a snarky article for a well received organization.
For me...every review is important, whether it's good or bad. Don't get me wrong...I hate bad reviews. I've gotten my share of them. But despite popular belief, reviews are not written for authors. Reviews are not marketing tools for authors...well, that's not why they exist but that is certainly how many, many authors view them. They are a reader's opinion written for the edification of other readers. And every reader--professional reviewer or not--is entitled not only to have an opinion, but to put that opinion wherever they like.
So, my advice for writers:
1.) If you do not want a bad review, then don't write.
2.) If you can not deal with a bad review, then don't write.
3.) If you submit your book to book blogs, readers groups, etc., then take whatever review you've gotten graciously, good or bad.
4.) If you find yourself writing an "article" about the sad state of reviewing for a major organization, stop and remember that you're a professional writer, not a petulant child with access to a bully pulpit.
5.) If you decide to write that "article" under the banner of that organization, remember that what you say reflects on them and the membership. Act like a child and the esteem of that organization and its membership takes a little hit.
6.) Remember, reviews aren't for you and it is just tough shit if one happens to negatively impact your sales.
7.) Degrading the level of education/experience of any reviewer is always a bad idea (not to mention elitist snobbery)
8.) Remember that being a professional writer means dealing with the biz in a professional manner; that includes bad reviews.
And to organizations, the next time one of your members pitches an "article" about the state of reviewing...read it before publishing it. And if it's a rant, send it back for revision or reject it. You'll save yourself and your membership the embarrassment of looking unprofessional.
No, I'm not talking about "vendetta reviews" (which do happen, are awful and are pretty easily spotted). I'm talking about professional writers ranting about reviewers and, in particular, whining about how "anybody and everybody can be a reviewer these days because of the internet." Yeah, I have a problem with writers whining about that. But even that isn't what's disturbing me.
What is disturbing me more than that is the recent upswing in authors who are very clearly upset about some bad reviews they have been receiving who then use their professional writer organizations' website, newsletter, internet face to the public in order to publish "articles" or "studies" about how "everyone and anyone" can be a reviewer.
They all start the same. "Oh, what a sad state the world of reviewing is in." The "big, bad internet makes everyone think they can be a reviewer." They whine about how Amazon--eghads!-- asks its customers (who, you know, actually purchase the items) for their opinions. And these writers don't even try to be subtle about it. "Lord, they let anyone with an account and a paypal account" write reviews. Essentially, what they're implying is that Joe Consumer shouldn't have the right to write a "review"...even if they purchased the book (i.e., a product). The only people who should be able to write a review is a professional reviewer. And then, when a professional reviewer does give them a negative review, they do another article on who should qualify as a professional reviewer. And let's not even go into the disdain shown for "book blogs" where people review books. They get slammed in these "articles" as well...except when that book blog is "needed" to spread the word or when a book blog gives a good review to their book.
Now, keep in mind that these writers aren't just whining about this on their personal blogs...they are writing "articles" and "studies" and "op/ed" pieces which are being published by professional writers organizations. In essence, they are using their position within an organization to use that organization so that their rant will seem more legitimate. All of this is happening through PROFESSIONAL writers organizations.
There are a couple of cases of this lately. The one that really got my goad was a very well-received writer who wrote an "article" for a very, very well known national organization. It was couched, in the opening, as a study of how reviewing has de-evolved. But then the article very quickly turned to this writer using an example from his own personal experience (bad idea!) of having received a bad review. He then named the reviewer and gave his entire background with particular reference to the fact that he had written two "relatively unsuccessful novels" in the same genre as the person writing the article. Well, you can see where this is going...the article de-evolved itself into nothing more that a rant at this particular bad review and this particular bad reviewer. In short, this article (published on the website of a fairly well respected organization) became a rant against one reviewer. When a number of people pointed this out in the comments to the "article," the writer said that people were reading too much into it and as it was his "treatise" on reviews, he was using pertinent examples. (Note, however, he didn't mention any other bad reviews or reviewers, just the one). And then he proceeded to trash those commenting as being "unable to comprehend" what it was he was trying to do with the "article."
Now, keep in mind that some of the authors writing these "articles" are the same authors you see trolling GoodReads groups for reviews, encouraging people to review their book on Amazon, or crowing about the 5 star review they got from XYZ Book Blog. These are also, a majority of the time, authors who go out of their way to review books by big name authors on all the visible websites and expressing their opinions left and right on others' books. And when these folks get good reviews, it suddenly doesn't matter to them that that particular reviewer isn't a "professional reviewer." But god help them if that reviewer later gives a "bad review." Because then they will become a non-professional reviewer in a snarky article for a well received organization.
For me...every review is important, whether it's good or bad. Don't get me wrong...I hate bad reviews. I've gotten my share of them. But despite popular belief, reviews are not written for authors. Reviews are not marketing tools for authors...well, that's not why they exist but that is certainly how many, many authors view them. They are a reader's opinion written for the edification of other readers. And every reader--professional reviewer or not--is entitled not only to have an opinion, but to put that opinion wherever they like.
So, my advice for writers:
1.) If you do not want a bad review, then don't write.
2.) If you can not deal with a bad review, then don't write.
3.) If you submit your book to book blogs, readers groups, etc., then take whatever review you've gotten graciously, good or bad.
4.) If you find yourself writing an "article" about the sad state of reviewing for a major organization, stop and remember that you're a professional writer, not a petulant child with access to a bully pulpit.
5.) If you decide to write that "article" under the banner of that organization, remember that what you say reflects on them and the membership. Act like a child and the esteem of that organization and its membership takes a little hit.
6.) Remember, reviews aren't for you and it is just tough shit if one happens to negatively impact your sales.
7.) Degrading the level of education/experience of any reviewer is always a bad idea (not to mention elitist snobbery)
8.) Remember that being a professional writer means dealing with the biz in a professional manner; that includes bad reviews.
And to organizations, the next time one of your members pitches an "article" about the state of reviewing...read it before publishing it. And if it's a rant, send it back for revision or reject it. You'll save yourself and your membership the embarrassment of looking unprofessional.
Tags:
For all those who are going away for Thanksgiving, be safe and have fun. And to all those staying home (like me) or who don't really celebrate Thanksgiving, have a wonderful kick-off to the holiday season.
A huge thank you to Kassa over at Three Dollar Bill Reviews for this amazing review of Kelland.
Check out the review, but in the meantime, here's a snippet:
Kelland proves that Paul G Bens is an exceptional author. After reading his collection of short stories, I knew I wanted to read Kelland and it doesn't disappoint. While well written and technically easy to read, the topics broached are anything but light. The characters suffer, deeply, but this isn't a depressing book. Instead it's compelling, interesting, and dynamic on several levels. You can't put the book down and don't want it to end yet you know what's coming isn't necessarily good.
Just a heads up for those who may not have read it...Armistead Maupin's "Michael Tolliver Lives" (the official-unofficial 7th Tales of the City novel--the recent Mary Ann in Autumn being #8), Amazon is giving away the Kindle version for free this week only.
Barnes & Noble is doing the same thing with the NookBook version.
Barnes & Noble is doing the same thing with the NookBook version.
.
