Busy stuff

[altivo]

Harry Potter year 7 arrived at the library today, in a box that was marked "Do not open until July 21" but of course, you can't have the books ready to circulate at midnight unless you open the box somewhat sooner. So I got to catalog, stamp, and label them. Then they were locked up until Saturday morning. I did not cheat and look at the story. I can tell you that it is 759 pages long, though, and the book weighs 2 pounds, 11 ounces because we put it on the postal scale to see. The retail price is obnoxiously high, even for a book of that length: $34.99 US. I think they're trying to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Or maybe the large price increase was needed to pay all the lawyers who wrote the tangled agreements we had to sign in order to even get copies in time. Audiobook versions and large print yet to come.

I hear that Rowling says the outcome of the story is hinted at by the dustjacket art, but I don't see how. The picture of that is all over the web (check Amazon, for instance) if you haven't seen it yet.

We thought we were now free from the negative influence of the BMUC, but this week we discovered that our billings for OCLC services are thoroughly messed up and it seems that BMUC had something to do with this situation. The bad news is that the powers that be (no one owns up to be actually responsible for the change or able to explain it, and the bills are worse than any phone bill ever was) have now decided to double our annual charges, for no evident reason. The good news is that we found that as much as a $1600 credit may exist in our account that was never applied. (OCLC pays libraries back a scheduled rate when they perform certain mutually beneficial cataloging tasks.)

When I got home, a parcel was waiting for me. It contained two books. One is Ben Goodridge's novel, White Crusade, which was released for Anthrocon. The other is ROAR volume 1, which contains my zebra-lion story. I was delighted to find that Ben (who is the editor) put my story first in the book. I don't take this to mean that it is better, but rather that it's like an opening act at a concert, the "warm up" performer who gets the audience ready for the main act. I'm just really pleased to see my writing in the company of some of the other well known by-lines that appear on the other stories. Oh, and it's nicely printed with a sturdy binding, and somewhat larger in size and type face than its big brother publication, FANG volume 1 was.

Oh, and the weaving proceedeth apace. I'm now past the first pattern repeat, so about nine inches of fabric are woven. It looks almost exactly as I intended, which is good, and it's moving quickly, in spite of the complex pattern that requires me to work more slowly than usual and with more rest breaks.

Comments

[captpackrat.livejournal.com]

759 pages and over 2-1/2 pounds for the regular version, I can only imagine the size of the large print edition....

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Now I had to go check. It turns out the HP #5 (Order of the Phoenix) was 870 pages but only weighs one ounce more.

The large print will probably not be much worse. They have ways of compensating: smaller margins, thinner paper. It will be more pages, but probably will not weigh any more. The paper and bindings of most large print editions are lighter and cheaper because the publisher assumes less readership per volume and thus less wear and tear.

[linnaeus.livejournal.com]

Perhaps she's talking about the dust jacket art for the UK edition. At least there's a little more going on there.

[(Anonymous)]

They get filthy rich?

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

I'm curious about this story of yours... I'm attempting to write, too- any advice?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Well, to write, you have to write. That's the best advice there is. I'm sure you've heard it before. Crank stuff out. Put it aside, come back after a month or two and revise it. Then send it off to somewhere to see if they'll publish it.

Read lots too. That's how you get an idea of what different publishers or publications will consider. As in I don't submit anything to Sofawolf because my writing is nowhere near as explicitly erotic as most of their published titles.

National Novel Writing Month is November. That can be a good way to kick yourself into gear. You pledge to write a 50,000 word book in one month, and sign up, posting your daily progress. You get support from other writers, and if you get to the end, you have a manuscript to revise and edit. XD

Actually useful advice! O_o

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't heard that before, thanks!

I'm still finding my style, but I doubt I'm much for erotica- oh, I can if I'm motivated(just ask alexis whitepaws!), but it doesn't hold my interests...

This novel thing sounds intriguing... how can I find out more?

Re: Actually useful advice! O_o

[altivo.livejournal.com]

National Novel Writing month is based at http://www.nanowrimo.org/. Go have a look at what's there. Usually the sign up for the current year starts around the first of October.

Re: Actually useful advice! O_o

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

*smiles* Thanks, Alt! I've been writing short stories off and on for years- I've always wanted to write a novel... assuming I can, I may just do it.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Why would you be getting the book ready for circulation at midnight o.O, couldn't you just wait for the next day? Or is everyone clammering to get the book at a library? (Libraries here only put them up after a week or so, cuts down on thefts)

What are OCLC services?

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Nothing's better than to come home and find a parcel for you :D
Congrats on the publishing :)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm really waiting to hear what people think of the story. ;)