Enthralled is now available on amazon! Its the same price as on smashwords, but it might be a little more user friendly.
I'm still figuring things out. Like if I can give my book for free through amazon...I know I can do that with smashwords. I will try to get a better link up to my site soon!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Do we like spoilers? If so, what does that mean for writing?
I keep hearing abut this study done by UCSan Diego that tells us that we will actually enjoy a story more if someone has already ruined the plot twist. Their study included not only literary works, but mysteries, and ironic twist stories as well. (keep in mind that I don’t prescribe to the journal the article was in, so most of my understanding is coming from secondary articles).
This sounds counter intuitive. However, one of the authors of the study argues that we will like the story more because we can spend more time learning the deeper meaning in the story than trying to figure out what is going to happen. Is it true that the plot of a story isn’t as important as writers believe they are?
The study also covered a little about where and when we like to get our spoilers. When given a paragraph outside of the story that told the twist of the work about to be read people enjoyed reading the story the most. But if the spoiler is inserted into the story “It didn’t go over as well”. The article also said that people liked spoilers the least when they were smack dab in the middle. Does that mean we want spoilers, but only from outside sources? Is it possible that we will enjoy a piece the best if given a spoiler right at the beginning of the story? (Like Romeo and Juliet?)
What does this mean for writers? Will literary works become simpler as writers become more engrossed with simply selling the most copies of their book? What will happen to books like Utopia that make us reflect not only about ourselves but society? Will EVERY facet of entertainment slip into the reality-tv-esk plot where characters are never cleverer than getting drunk and stripping?
Maybe I am being overly panicky. They did hypothesize that people don’t care about spoilers because they were looking for the sort of deeper meaning that usually takes a second read through a book. But what’s the point in being clever if people don’t want to read it? Sure it easier to go through life with someone giving us all of the answers, but shouldn’t there be at least a little bit of a struggle for knowledge to make us appreciate it?
This sounds counter intuitive. However, one of the authors of the study argues that we will like the story more because we can spend more time learning the deeper meaning in the story than trying to figure out what is going to happen. Is it true that the plot of a story isn’t as important as writers believe they are?
The study also covered a little about where and when we like to get our spoilers. When given a paragraph outside of the story that told the twist of the work about to be read people enjoyed reading the story the most. But if the spoiler is inserted into the story “It didn’t go over as well”. The article also said that people liked spoilers the least when they were smack dab in the middle. Does that mean we want spoilers, but only from outside sources? Is it possible that we will enjoy a piece the best if given a spoiler right at the beginning of the story? (Like Romeo and Juliet?)
What does this mean for writers? Will literary works become simpler as writers become more engrossed with simply selling the most copies of their book? What will happen to books like Utopia that make us reflect not only about ourselves but society? Will EVERY facet of entertainment slip into the reality-tv-esk plot where characters are never cleverer than getting drunk and stripping?
Maybe I am being overly panicky. They did hypothesize that people don’t care about spoilers because they were looking for the sort of deeper meaning that usually takes a second read through a book. But what’s the point in being clever if people don’t want to read it? Sure it easier to go through life with someone giving us all of the answers, but shouldn’t there be at least a little bit of a struggle for knowledge to make us appreciate it?
Friday, October 7, 2011
Enthralled- promotional coupon
Speaking of coupons I forgot to put this in my last post.
XW33H
Enter the code above to download my book at smashwords for FREE. This coupon expires on the 10th of October, so don't waste this opportunity! A deal like this wont come around again until Christmas. Please remember to review my book after you have finished reading it.
XW33H
Enter the code above to download my book at smashwords for FREE. This coupon expires on the 10th of October, so don't waste this opportunity! A deal like this wont come around again until Christmas. Please remember to review my book after you have finished reading it.
Enthralled - now available
Yes, Enthralled is now available on Smashwords. It has taken a lot of formatting, and has caused me untold amounts of grief. The pain started in word when I couldn't get it to stop certain auto-formatting even though I turned off the autoformatting (Not all of what I learned about Word was bad. Its a much more clever program than I gave it credit for.) Then I had to make all kinds of changes so that Smashwords' automated system would recognize and properly convert the file. I wont go into detail about that. Next, I went to publish it and had the headache of attempting to understand the US tax code. THAT is a mire steeped in lawyer jargon that is incomprehensible to mere mortals like myself. And of course the smashwords web site had to keep crashing while I was converting my book, and my internet was tweeking out in general...Then there was the fear of "do I hit refresh and risk accidentally publishing my book twice? Did it finish converting before the internet crapped out on me?!" After that I noticed the cover image file was not uploading properly and was cut in half for some inexplicable reason. I think I finally fixed that after the 3-4th file upload. Needless to say I wish the process had gone much more smoothly than it did. At least the formatting part will be easier the next time now that I know what I am doing.
Anyway, this post isn't all about complaining. I just felt I should give a heads up. If you find a formatting error please send me an e-mail and I will hunt it down and attempt to fix it. If its something really glaring that I managed to overlook then I may even jot down your name so I can remember to send you a coupon when I write the next one. Smashwords lets me do that :) and the percentage off is of my choosing, but it has to be used at their website.
Another heads up, the MOBI and EPUB formats are the only ones that smashwords loads the cover image on, but I wanted to make sure that the other 6ish formats would also have the cover image. So I had to place it in the beginning of the book. If you use the EPUB or MOBI formats it will look like you have two covers...because you do. Mainly this means that the book will take up a little more space. Just don't be confused if you turn the page and see the same image.
For now Enthralled is only available for purchase through the Smashwords website. You can get it here. Once it has gone through their review process it will be sent out to smashwords' other distributors like apple, Sony, Barns and Noble, Kobo, etc. I will give a shout out when that has been done.
Setting up a smashwords account is free and easy. You can do that here!
I tried out the Adobe Digital Edition earlier today. I like it so far, so I do recommend that you download it if you don't have an ereader.
In case you are wondering, I have started working on the second book in the series this week. It will probably be a few months before I am ready to give a release date. I will keep my blog updated on what stage (ie drafting,writing, editing, etc) I am in.
Well thats it for now. Lets all go out and have a great friday!
Anyway, this post isn't all about complaining. I just felt I should give a heads up. If you find a formatting error please send me an e-mail and I will hunt it down and attempt to fix it. If its something really glaring that I managed to overlook then I may even jot down your name so I can remember to send you a coupon when I write the next one. Smashwords lets me do that :) and the percentage off is of my choosing, but it has to be used at their website.
Another heads up, the MOBI and EPUB formats are the only ones that smashwords loads the cover image on, but I wanted to make sure that the other 6ish formats would also have the cover image. So I had to place it in the beginning of the book. If you use the EPUB or MOBI formats it will look like you have two covers...because you do. Mainly this means that the book will take up a little more space. Just don't be confused if you turn the page and see the same image.
For now Enthralled is only available for purchase through the Smashwords website. You can get it here. Once it has gone through their review process it will be sent out to smashwords' other distributors like apple, Sony, Barns and Noble, Kobo, etc. I will give a shout out when that has been done.
Setting up a smashwords account is free and easy. You can do that here!
I tried out the Adobe Digital Edition earlier today. I like it so far, so I do recommend that you download it if you don't have an ereader.
In case you are wondering, I have started working on the second book in the series this week. It will probably be a few months before I am ready to give a release date. I will keep my blog updated on what stage (ie drafting,writing, editing, etc) I am in.
Well thats it for now. Lets all go out and have a great friday!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The Meaning of Lyrics
Sorry this post has taken so long to get up. I have been rather sick this week, so I have fallen slightly behind.
So I have been listening to alot of Death Cab for Cutie lately. Definetly one of my favorite bands by the way. I have had their Narrow Stairs album for a while now, but everytime I listen to their song titled "Talking Bird" I think that they are saying hope my talking bird, but its actually "oh my talking bird". I guess my subconsious is just supplimenting its own word choice when I hear the song. One little word change, and the song takes on a new meaning. Its kinda funny.
I'll show you what I mean. I'll take the lyrics as shown at azlyrics.com and replace the word "oh" with hope where appropriate. I'll make the changes bold so you wont confuse them with the actual lyrics.
"Talking Bird"
Hope, my talking bird
Though you know so few words
They're on infinite repeat
Like your brain can't keep up with your beak.
And you're kept in an open cage
So you're free to leave or stay.
Sometimes you get confused
Like there's a hint I am trying to give you.
The longer you think, the less you know what to do.
It's hard to see your way out
When you live in a house in a house
Cause you don't realize
That the windows were open the whole time.
Hope, my talking bird
Though your feathers are tattered and furled
I'll love you all your days
Till the breath leaves your delicate frame.
It's all here for you as long as your choose to stay.
It's all here for you as long as you don't fly away.
***
Tell me what you think. I guess there is another possibility. It could be that they are saying hope, but every site I went to with the lyrics was wrong.
I personally like the song better as a metaphore.
I really need to go buy more of their music.
So I have been listening to alot of Death Cab for Cutie lately. Definetly one of my favorite bands by the way. I have had their Narrow Stairs album for a while now, but everytime I listen to their song titled "Talking Bird" I think that they are saying hope my talking bird, but its actually "oh my talking bird". I guess my subconsious is just supplimenting its own word choice when I hear the song. One little word change, and the song takes on a new meaning. Its kinda funny.
I'll show you what I mean. I'll take the lyrics as shown at azlyrics.com and replace the word "oh" with hope where appropriate. I'll make the changes bold so you wont confuse them with the actual lyrics.
"Talking Bird"
Hope, my talking bird
Though you know so few words
They're on infinite repeat
Like your brain can't keep up with your beak.
And you're kept in an open cage
So you're free to leave or stay.
Sometimes you get confused
Like there's a hint I am trying to give you.
The longer you think, the less you know what to do.
It's hard to see your way out
When you live in a house in a house
Cause you don't realize
That the windows were open the whole time.
Hope, my talking bird
Though your feathers are tattered and furled
I'll love you all your days
Till the breath leaves your delicate frame.
It's all here for you as long as your choose to stay.
It's all here for you as long as you don't fly away.
***
Tell me what you think. I guess there is another possibility. It could be that they are saying hope, but every site I went to with the lyrics was wrong.
I personally like the song better as a metaphore.
I really need to go buy more of their music.
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