EVERYTHING IS WEIRD AL AND NOTHING HURTS.
I'M GOING TO A BOOK SIGNING FOR AL YANKOVIC'S NEW BOOK NEXT MONTH AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME.
ETA: I WENT AND I GOT TO MEET WEIRD AL AND IT WAS GLORIOUS.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
On Death and Why It's Sad
I think I finally figured it out. Why death is sad. It's not the losing of the physical presence, it's not even so much the loss of the person- it's the fact that in 20, 30, 40 years… they won't matter anymore.
Now before you grab your torches and pitchforks, let me explain. It's not that they won't matter to some people, because to those who loved that person, they'll always matter.
But try explaining that person to someone who never met them. Try to explain why you laugh at something they did all the time. Try to explain why you use certain phrases or words- it's like you're the Doctor having a laugh at a gas mask, but the only person who would understand the joke is trapped in an alternate universe.
This is why death is sad. Death is sad because when someone dies there are thousands upon thousands of connections that are severed in an instant. Suddenly inside jokes no longer have meaning. That phrase your mom taught you that was super special to her and your dad- no one but you and your dad understand it anymore.
You'll laugh at things that nobody else finds funny, cry at things that everyone finds hilarious. This is why death is sad.
Now before you grab your torches and pitchforks, let me explain. It's not that they won't matter to some people, because to those who loved that person, they'll always matter.
But try explaining that person to someone who never met them. Try to explain why you laugh at something they did all the time. Try to explain why you use certain phrases or words- it's like you're the Doctor having a laugh at a gas mask, but the only person who would understand the joke is trapped in an alternate universe.
This is why death is sad. Death is sad because when someone dies there are thousands upon thousands of connections that are severed in an instant. Suddenly inside jokes no longer have meaning. That phrase your mom taught you that was super special to her and your dad- no one but you and your dad understand it anymore.
You'll laugh at things that nobody else finds funny, cry at things that everyone finds hilarious. This is why death is sad.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
My Experience with PublishAmerica
So I figured that it's probably been long enough since I published with them to talk about it. I've passed a royalty period and made nothing. This doesn't surprise me. The only thing that I've really gotten from publishing with them has been that pretty book cover for Fatima. I've got to say I never did expect to make money off them, but I'm willing to bet that they thought they'd make money off me. And I can guarantee that no, no they haven't, unless they've been selling my book and not reporting the sales to me (as if they could make money selling a 50 page book for more than $15). I stopped checking the email that I gave them when I signed up months ago. For all I know they're still whining at me to purchase $59 options like "10 copies of YOUR book!" "SEND 'FATIMA' TO THE 'insert european city here' BOOK FAIR!"
Yeah no. If I really wanted to send it to those places, I'd just spend extra money at one of the cheaper self publishing sites, like lulu.com.
But at least I got that pretty book cover out of it!
Yeah no. If I really wanted to send it to those places, I'd just spend extra money at one of the cheaper self publishing sites, like lulu.com.
But at least I got that pretty book cover out of it!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Ideas, Writing, and Me
I know I don't post very often, nor do I post lengthy posts. I know some people might expect that out of a blog. But I just can't do that. I'd rather spend my time typing on a novel or a story, rather then pounding the keys to put out a massive blog post.
But I've been wanting to write this post for a long while now. I just wanted to clear the air about a few things.
I like to talk about every little idea I have. I like to set deadlines for myself that I know I can't possibly keep. It makes me work harder. It also burns me out on certain ideas. So when you hear me talking about an awesome story idea that I'm totally behind, like Cedarcrest, Mr. Thomas, or Mommy Tales or even the Smitten trilogy… I always plan to finish them. I just don't.
They sit on my hard drive and eventually I revisit them. I do plan to finish them all, even if it takes me until I'm thirty, but I forget.
I start a lot of projects knowing full well that I'll never be able to finish them. I also start a lot of fanfics and intend them to go for chapters and chapters and chapters and then end them after the first or second chapter because I get bored.
That's my main problem. Everything ends up boring me in the end. Even if it's a really fun, exciting story with characters that are snarky and awesome, I end up pulling away from them. I think part of it is that I know that once I finish their book, once I finish the story, it's over. Those stories will never come back, except if I read my work.
And that's not the same. It's not the same as creating something that first time. It's such a thrill to have total control over a cast of characters. But so many of my characters are one story characters, almost all of them are single book or even single chapter characters. It's hard to say goodbye to them after their stories have been told.
So please always take my release dates with a grain of salt.
And never be afraid to give me a new idea. Even if you're excited for the release of something else, starting me on a new idea is a good way to get me to look at my old stuff with fresh eyes.
But I've been wanting to write this post for a long while now. I just wanted to clear the air about a few things.
I like to talk about every little idea I have. I like to set deadlines for myself that I know I can't possibly keep. It makes me work harder. It also burns me out on certain ideas. So when you hear me talking about an awesome story idea that I'm totally behind, like Cedarcrest, Mr. Thomas, or Mommy Tales or even the Smitten trilogy… I always plan to finish them. I just don't.
They sit on my hard drive and eventually I revisit them. I do plan to finish them all, even if it takes me until I'm thirty, but I forget.
I start a lot of projects knowing full well that I'll never be able to finish them. I also start a lot of fanfics and intend them to go for chapters and chapters and chapters and then end them after the first or second chapter because I get bored.
That's my main problem. Everything ends up boring me in the end. Even if it's a really fun, exciting story with characters that are snarky and awesome, I end up pulling away from them. I think part of it is that I know that once I finish their book, once I finish the story, it's over. Those stories will never come back, except if I read my work.
And that's not the same. It's not the same as creating something that first time. It's such a thrill to have total control over a cast of characters. But so many of my characters are one story characters, almost all of them are single book or even single chapter characters. It's hard to say goodbye to them after their stories have been told.
So please always take my release dates with a grain of salt.
And never be afraid to give me a new idea. Even if you're excited for the release of something else, starting me on a new idea is a good way to get me to look at my old stuff with fresh eyes.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Subreddit!
http://www.reddit.com/r/EmmalineWestlundBooks/
There's now a super-duper awesome subreddit for my books and writing. I will post not-published stuff there for free for all to read. You should totally go subscribe!
There's now a super-duper awesome subreddit for my books and writing. I will post not-published stuff there for free for all to read. You should totally go subscribe!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Just a thought
If you're a writer and you've got a following- why do you give half a shit about someone posting a bad review of you on a website? What does it matter if one person doesn't like you and voices their opinion?
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Thursday, May 09, 2013
It's Bloh-og it's bloh-og*
This is just a quick blog entry, mostly because I haven't done a proper update in a little while and I think I owe it to you, dear reader of my blog, to actually attempt to update it once in a while.
So basically what I've been doing is writing Ice (book #1 of the Smitten trilogy), which is easily going to be novel-length before I'm done with it (which is good, as I've been itching to actually put out a novel). I've been fighting the urge to work on my other plot bunnies (and believe me, they multiply faster than regular bunnies), and so far it's been working out all right. I kind of miss the freedom of writing Cedarcrest, though. I can't wait to get back to working on Corporeal (which will be the next release after Ice).
I've also been looking for a job (had a decent interview today, hoping it leads to a job! It would be nice to not be a completely broke-ass writer) since I've been out of work since the end of February.
To combat boredom (and complete brain atrophy associated with it) I've been working to revamp the Book Bitch youtube channel (plus it will eventually generate money, so yeah) and trying to come up with better blog entries to do.
I read The Fault In Our Stars by John Green a couple weeks ago and cursed just about everything because that book is so good. It literally brings you from laughter straight to sobbing very quickly.
AND I've been working to get Destruction Productions (which, if you look at my e-books, is my publisher) ready to start taking queries, and took the plunge and opened up the email inbox for queries!
So as you can see I've been a very busy person. And I'm hoping to stay just as busy because otherwise the crippling depression that usually follows very close behind me will catch up to me and beat me senseless. And I don't think any of us really want that to happen, do we?
*Note: Blog entry is not big, heavy, or wood. However, it is better than bad, it's good!
So basically what I've been doing is writing Ice (book #1 of the Smitten trilogy), which is easily going to be novel-length before I'm done with it (which is good, as I've been itching to actually put out a novel). I've been fighting the urge to work on my other plot bunnies (and believe me, they multiply faster than regular bunnies), and so far it's been working out all right. I kind of miss the freedom of writing Cedarcrest, though. I can't wait to get back to working on Corporeal (which will be the next release after Ice).
I've also been looking for a job (had a decent interview today, hoping it leads to a job! It would be nice to not be a completely broke-ass writer) since I've been out of work since the end of February.
To combat boredom (and complete brain atrophy associated with it) I've been working to revamp the Book Bitch youtube channel (plus it will eventually generate money, so yeah) and trying to come up with better blog entries to do.
I read The Fault In Our Stars by John Green a couple weeks ago and cursed just about everything because that book is so good. It literally brings you from laughter straight to sobbing very quickly.
AND I've been working to get Destruction Productions (which, if you look at my e-books, is my publisher) ready to start taking queries, and took the plunge and opened up the email inbox for queries!
So as you can see I've been a very busy person. And I'm hoping to stay just as busy because otherwise the crippling depression that usually follows very close behind me will catch up to me and beat me senseless. And I don't think any of us really want that to happen, do we?
*Note: Blog entry is not big, heavy, or wood. However, it is better than bad, it's good!
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