Scribd Lanches Scribd Store

Of potential interest:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--May 18, 2009 -- Scribd, the world's largest social publishing company, today announced the beta launch of Scribd Store, a first-of-its-kind e-commerce destination and publishing marketplace where anyone -- from professional publishers and authors to students and enthusiasts -- can upload and sell their written works to a readership of 60 million.

You can read the rest of the article here

It will be interesting to see how this will work - will people use this as an alternative to Lulu, or other POD/ e-download stores. I imagine some authors who already put shorts/ novellas on Scribd for free will continue to do so, but I wonder whether there will be an influx (or even a trickle) of people who haven't used Scribd before listing their work and selling it direct?

Any thoughts?

Samhain & Kensington get hitched.

Jane, over at dearauthor.com, has learned that Samhain and Kensington are set to create a new imprint - this to be announced at BEA sometime today. The new imprint will consist of 1-2 releases a month, both available in trade and mass market paperback editions.

Click here for the full post.

Even with only 1-2 releases a month, it will be interesting to see whether this makes a significant difference in the number of Samhain books available in stores. I'm presuming that Samhain will also continue to release titles in print, apart from the new imprint, so perhaps we'll see more titles (some/ any Samhain titles) in UK bookshops? (Apart from Murder One in London which is already very good about having print titles from Samhain, Ellora's Cave, New Concepts and others). My local Waterstones (formerly Ottakers) is small but also appalling in its range of stock; my local independent tried to be too like them in order to hold onto the market and now is just as bad and we won't mention WH Smiths at all. Grrrrr. (Borders - please don't go!)

*_________________________________________________*

Listening to: Drink Up Me Hearties from PotC3

Temp in office: 23.1˚C

Mood: Tired and cranky

Last day before the weekend

I'm off tomorrow (work, that is) while the car is being done to and then I'm off to the pater's all things being equal.

I had an unpleasant series of thoughts last night. I'd finished typing up what I'd done so far on the short I'm working on and then thought of how it could go better in first person, with completely different characters and set in a completely different country! Does this mean it's not going well? ;-) Sigh. I'm not changing it. I'll finish it, then if I think it's unmitigated crap I'll either do a re-write or stick it in the drawer of 'work to draw lessons from, but that should never see the light of day'!

On a happier note, the visit to my papa's will mean plenty of reading time so I can get stuck into Lara Adrian 's 'Kiss of Midnight' (and hopefully the new Jayne Ann Krentz (The River Knows - writing as Amanda Quick) that I swore I wouldn't buy in trade size, but would wait for the mass-market version will arrive tomorrow, in trade format, before I go.

***********************************************************************
Side Note 1:
There've been posts and comments pinging their way across the blogosphere about the e-publisher Triskelion and their un-invitation to attend RWA here. Quite a bit from both sides of the debate at DearAuthor (all the entries are from the 16th of May) and the comments on SmartBitches are quite interesting as well.

Side Note 2:
Jessica over at BookEnds, LLC has put together a (brief) sub-genre encyclopaedia to 'give you a better idea and understanding of what publishing professionals are talking about when they mention a specific sub-genre.' Click here for the full post. (the comments are pretty interesting too.)

All authors are not (apparently) created equal

Going round the blogosphere in the last couple of days have been posts about the treatment of Laura Baumbach (NB: site is for over-18's only) at the RT (Romantic Times convention) in Houston.

Laura seems to be getting a lot of support from authors and readers across the blogosphere (irrespective of whether they like m/m romance or not); unfortunately, she apparently didn't get the same support from the organisers of the convention. The ones she'd paid good money to.

On a different note, more insanity sprang up at the start of the week - directed at Karen Scott. You can read DearAuthor.com's take on it here.

Have the Sith Lords taken over, or something?

On Nano: Track 15 of Enigma's MCMXC a.D. (yes, I loaded it onto iTunes without being online/ typing in the track titles - I was in a rush ok?!)

Mood: Tired because BB got me up four times in the night, but looking forward to the Bank Holiday Weekend (#1 for May!) I won't be back at work until Thursday so that's cool.

It's Friday!!! Yay!

Well, Friday has landed - and I'll be going home in just over 2 1/2 hours. No work this weekend! I've managed to read a couple of books this week, as well as write more on the Mirror of Andras short story. It's going to need monster edits when it's done, but it's better to acknowledge that now than have it preying on my mind. Otherwise I'll end up editing and re-editing what I've written without getting any further forward. :(

In other news: Samhain Publishing has just got RWA recognition, so congratulations to Samhain and all of its authors!

Mood: Pretty damn upbeat y'all!

On the Nano: Right Here Right Now by Fatboy Slim

Interview with Cindy Hwang from Berkley

Go to the Running with Quills website to read an interview Jayne Ann Krentz did with Cindy Hwang, Executive Editor at Berkley Publishing Group. In this interview she talks about the rise of the paranormal, why it's hot and what some of the sub-genres of the paranormal genre are. Cindy also lists a few of her authors.

So, have a look. See what you think & add your 2p!


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the me front - I've mostly been doing tours and presentations for new students coming into the University (when they turn up, that is) and consequently I feel absolutely knackered and can't quite believe that I've got another three-and-a-half days before I can have a lie-in -- which I probably won't get anyway because I have to get up to let the dogs out and if you're awake enough to get up and let them out, you may as well get dressed and take them for a walk as well. Right? Well. That's what they think anyway.

Mood 1: Knackered!

Mood 2: Knackered!

Listening to right now: Moulin Rouge Soundtrack - Disc One

Reading : Jenna Starborn by Sharon Shinn (and I will update my "I have read" list - it's on the to-do list I have, but it's not near the top)

Romance Diva's Erotica Industry Q&A 19th-21st Sept

NB: If you're not already registered with Romance Divas you'll need to do that before the event, because you'll need to request access to the Steamy Workshop after registration - it's not automatic.

So come along and join in the fun and get some of those burning industry questions answered!


Ready to learn from the Pro's?

Please join us at Romance Divas from September 19th - 21st as we host some of Erotic Romance's hottest names!

This free question and answer session will be held in the Divas Steamy Workshop section of our forums. Because of the adult themes and language, this workshop will be limited to our members who are 18 and older. Click here to visit out our Steamy Workshop and make sure you have access before the event begins!

Our confirmed guests include :

Erotic Romance Authors: Eden Bradley, Joey Hill, Shelley Bradley, and Sunny

Agents: Jessica Faust and Laura Bradford

Editors : Treva Harte of Loose ID and Raelene Gorlinsky of Ellora's Cave.

Contact Karen if you have any questions prior to the event.

Writers, readers, fans, and anyone curious about one of the fastest growing segments of romance are welcome. Be sure to join us to ask these industry professionals your most burning questions, and learn from their suggestions and advice!

permission to forward granted



Mood: Excited!

Knight Agency Group Chat today!

Kristin Daly from HarperCollins will be chatting with the Knight Agency today (12:00-13:00hrs EST - which works out to 18:00hrs in the UK (if I got my time conversion right - British Summer Time gaaah!))

You need to be a member of the Knight Agency Yahoo Group to take part.

Friday, August 25th from Noon to 1 pm EST, We at TKA are thrilled to be chatting with Kristin Daly. (I know you're dying for more so here's a bit about Ms. Daly...)

Kristin first became interested in children's books as a career in high school, when she worked in her local public library shelving—and often covertly reading!—books in the children's room. In May 1999 she was hired as an Editorial Assistant at Golden Books, where she worked on picture books, series fiction, and the Road to Reading line. In January 2002, she began working at HarperCollins, where she has been for the past four and a half years and counting.

Kristin has been privileged to work with authors and illustrators such as Valeri Gorbachev, Charles Santore, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Jack Prelutsky, Suzy Becker, and Barbara McClintock. Currently, she is especially excited to be working with best-selling author Gary Blackwood on his first I Can Read Book, The Just-So Woman, and talented newcomer—and SCBWI member—Sudipta Bardhan on her first Harper picture books, Snoring Beauty and Hampire! Kristin edits a range of children's titles, from picture books and easy-to-reads through middle-grade, and is currently on the hunt for her first YA novel.

So go along and say hi and get some of your questions answered.

Merry

Mood: Grumpy
(I have a cold - just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend!)