Random questions
1. We're going to be reprinting A THRONE OF BONES for re-release before AODAL BOOK 2 comes out. Markku prefers casewrap, which is more durable, where the image is printed directly onto the hardcover. The reason the mainstream publishers use dustjackets is because the retailers prefer them. Since these are being produced for direct order, is there a strong preference for one versus the other? The problem, of course, is that the original Marcher Lord hardcover was printed with a dustjacket. Anyhow, if you're planning on buying a hardcover, please let me know your opinion. If you're planning on buying the ebook, go ahead and say so, but please stay out of the case vs dust discussion.
2. AWAKE IN THE NIGHT LAND by John C. Wright will be published in hardcover with a dustjacket. It will be available very soon. As, we hope, will the excellent ONE BRIGHT STAR TO GUIDE THEM ebook.
3. The pair of ads on the right sidebar are a test that will last until tomorrow. If the ad company makes me a decent offer as a result, I'll consider keeping them. On a scale of $100 to $10,000 per month, how annoying are they? By which I mean, at which point would you say I should ignore your opinion about how annoying they are.
4. As usual, I have been tardy with the VPFL stuff. Please get your keepers in right away. You get to keep three, but you don't have to keep any. Draft is Sunday, August 31, 2014, 3:00 pm. Get your keepers in by Saturday.
UPDATE: The people have spoken. Much to my surprise, it appears we will go with casebound for ATOB and Book Two.
2. AWAKE IN THE NIGHT LAND by John C. Wright will be published in hardcover with a dustjacket. It will be available very soon. As, we hope, will the excellent ONE BRIGHT STAR TO GUIDE THEM ebook.
3. The pair of ads on the right sidebar are a test that will last until tomorrow. If the ad company makes me a decent offer as a result, I'll consider keeping them. On a scale of $100 to $10,000 per month, how annoying are they? By which I mean, at which point would you say I should ignore your opinion about how annoying they are.
4. As usual, I have been tardy with the VPFL stuff. Please get your keepers in right away. You get to keep three, but you don't have to keep any. Draft is Sunday, August 31, 2014, 3:00 pm. Get your keepers in by Saturday.
UPDATE: The people have spoken. Much to my surprise, it appears we will go with casebound for ATOB and Book Two.
Labels: etc
132 Comments:
Wouldn't you normally start ignoring our opinions at $100 per month?
It is nice of you to ask, however. Shows you are not completely socially autistic.
The ads are no big deal. if its enough to take SB out for a good dinner a couple times a month... I'd keep them.
Also... I'm with the Fin on the hardcovers. I hate dust jackets.
AODAL 2 for Kindle.
$500
What ads? I don't see no ads and everything on the page is enabled. (prefer dustjacket and I have ATOB)
I don't see any ads either, apart from the six book covers on the right and two on the left. Have tried with adblock disabled, and on Chrome which doesn't have it at all.
Also, I seem to notice that Vox has considerably sanitized my phrasing on the dustjackets.
Because _my_ Skype history would seem to contain the words "utterly hate".
I can't see any ads either. Running Pale Moon with NoScript, but with all .js allowed on this site.
They do show up in IE11 though. $100, as long as the girls stay reasonably hot.
The ads are amusing considering the blog. Celebrity news, something about a princess and a pretty foot in a shoe, Angelina Jolie's house, honestly, they are ironic and I'd keep them just for the humor factor!
Perhaps you only see the ads if you are on blogspot.com . I'm directed to blogspot.fi so perhaps I don't see ads for that reason. Tried Internet Explorer just now, no dice.
Oh, Oh, the "15 most successful soccer coaches ever" is quite apropos!
Yep, used a US web proxy. See them now. Hilariously inappropriate for the blog.
Weird. I can see them on blogspot.co.uk but not blogspot.fr.
I'm sensing a theme. 4 ads so far related to feet. Prettiest celebrity feet, celebrities show off their feet, see Emma whoever from Harry Potter's feet....
This ad thing is gonna be GRAND!
By the way, I see them on my phone just fine using the skyfire browser app
If direct ship then definitely casewrap.
Wouldn't you normally start ignoring our opinions at $100 per month?
I usually do that free of charge. But I'm thinking of going pro.
Nate, you're not in the league yet. I've sent several invites.
1. Dustjacket.
2. Should not this inform #1? Consistency is not always a hobgoblin....
3. Not annoying at any price.
4. N/A, but loving the format of the new Dynasty league
Chrome shows the ads, Palemoon not. Celebrity feet, Angelina, ... back to Palemoon.
3. $100. They are minimal intrusion compared to most other net locales.
3. Didn't even notice the ads until you pointed them out.
I'm not planning on buying the hardcover, but if I end up on the fence about it, casewrap could be the thing that pushes me off. Dust covers are for collectors, not readers.
2. Should not this inform #1?
Well, I wanted to do Awake in case laminate, but apparently Vox figured that John C. Wright is not the correct person to use as a lab rat...
Item 4:
Godspeed coaches...big night indeed!
I think 100. Who cares about them? It's your site and they aren't distracting. My only question is do they have to be so gay??
They're not at all annoying. I have AdBlock.
1. I plan on buying the hardcover. I don't care what's printed on what.
2. Good times.
3. It's not annoying at all. Go out and make all the monies. God bless capitalism.
4. N/A to me.
Will buy AODAL book 2 (already have ATOB), and honestly don't care. Would like the dust cover simply because it'd match, but whatever is nicer and/or cheaper is good.
I think I'd prefer it on Awake, which I'll buy no matter what (already have it on kindle).
1. Odd and diminishing but brings in revenue requiring no extra effort... do it.
1. I am indifferent to casewrap vs dustjacket, with the following exception: a plastic laminated dustjacket is exceedingly annoying. (My Safehold hardcovers have the plastic delaminating from the rest of the dustjacket and peeling off.) Of course, the same goes for a thin plastic over softcovers. If casewrap can eliminate that, that would be a point in its favor. The point in favor of dustjackets to me is that it is a built-in bookmark.
2. Huzzah. What was Mr. Wright's reasoning process?
3. On a scale of $100 to $10,000, I'd say server costs. They're jarring, because they don't fit in, but there aren't many of them, and you can easily scroll past them. And it's easy to tell what is site content and what is advertising, which is a plus.
4. N/A.
"Nate, you're not in the league yet. I've sent several invites."
goddammit
I'll rectify.
Modern printing techniques for glossy direct-printed casewrap produces a high-quality cover that I and my readers prefer. Ingram's POD casewrap from Lightning Source (the distributor for print books for my imprint) is a great example of a nice cover for a decent price.
Feedback on the casewrap hardcover caused me to discontinue the paper cover.
Kindle for me.
Ads are fine, will even click through now and then to support the blog. Her feet might be worth seeing.
More into casewrap than hardcover. As well as more thsn into Kindle.
1 I own ebook, but plan to buy hardcover, prefer no dust jacket.
2 I finally finished this book today, I will definitely be getting the hardcover.
3 most of my reading is on a kindle, I just zoom in to the text. Didn't even notice the ads until someone pointed it out last night. They don't bother me at all, so I guess: $100.
Can't wait.
I'm normally reading on mobile so ads don't bother me. I'd say if you can make money on something you'd do for free, that's a deal. As long as it isn't annoying enough to make someone click less no prob
Regarding the ads: I didn't see them, so I disabled adblock. Still no ads. So I checked noscript and found a new entry for nster.net. I allowed scripts for it. Then the ads showed up. This is with Pale Moon for Linux on voxday.blogspot.com. They apparently blocked by both noscript and adblock.
Since I always run with the minimum possible in scripts enabled and adblock on, I don't care one way or the other, so if they help keep the blog running, go for it.
Regarding the book issue, I'm not buying books right now, so I have nothing to say on the matter. Though if you keep publishing Mr. Wright, you'll manage to snare me eventually. :)
Regarding football, I would wish Nate good luck on Saturday, but we all know there's now way WVU will stay within 3 touchdowns of Alabama. Maybe under Rodriguez with White and Slaton, but not with the current coaching staff and players. I'd love to be proven wrong, of course.
Growl. No way.
Prefer case wrap.
Ads are fine; they help satiate my foot fetish.
I say keep the ads, they are small and unobtrusive. I would prefer hardbacks without the dust jacket, I always take them off to read and then cannot find them when I am done.
1) Dust jacket
3) The foot fetish ads are mildly amusing.
"Regarding football, I would wish Nate good luck on Saturday, but we all know there's now way WVU will stay within 3 touchdowns of Alabama."
I expect a total beat down... but if the Bama o-line hasn't gelled it could be closer than you're expecting.
3. Should test penis enlargement and libido boosting scrotum cream ads. Guaranteed way more hits from the fanboys.
If more revenue is truly the goal...
1) Casewrap. Fear the Finn.
2) Sweet. This is a question?
3) What can I say? I am swept away by the wonderful feet. They look so much like faces! $5.
Never gave much thought to it, but no dust jacket seems more permanent. No dust jacket.
Casewrap books are my preference, by far. Dusk Jackets are made for people who don't read books.
I happen to prefer plain canvas book covers, which essentially equates to a dust jacket preference even though I don't like dust jackets themselves.
Ads: $200.
I didn't know about the ads until you pointed them out. $100.
Case laminate, because I want both kinds. I am what you call a niche market.
I usually do that free of charge. But I'm thinking of going pro.
Good thing that one-liner is copyrighted. You'll be making royalties on it in the Borscht Belt in no time.
New tagline suggestion: "Funnier then Mel Brooks when he was funny."
1. I didn't but ATOB the 1st time around because Marcher only seemed to take pay pal, which I refuse to use. If I can just buy it with a credit card then buy it I will, and I would greatly prefer case.
3. Meh, I've learned to ignore them, just don't do anything obnoxious like popups or audio ads.
than, of course.
As long as the ads don't have AUDIO, I'm pretty good at ignoring them. Ads with audio drive me away from the website, and I NEVER buy their products.
Dust jacket vs direct print? I like both/either, but the wife hates dust jackets.
I don't know that I've ever had casewrap on a book... My problem with dustcovers is toddlers can destroy them merely being in the same room.
"Celebrities show off their feet."
If you're that hard up you should have said something. Get a Patreon account.
I have ATOB in eBook but will rebuy it in hardcover and the new book if you choose casewrap. Casewrap looks nice and dust covers usually end up torn.
I have always like dust jackets because I can also use them as bookmarks to keep my place during the times I am making my spouse his sammich.
Really surprised you are considering ads. You always seemed to be against that sort of thing. As long as you are considering it, make them pay through the nose. You have prime space her Vox.
> I expect a total beat down... but if the Bama o-line hasn't gelled it could be closer than you're expecting.
I can only hope so. This coaching staff has given me no reason to be optimistic.
1. eBooks for the win. Do as you will with the hardcovers. After rats destroyed by beloved cache of 2000+ books in storage, I had to let go of the printed book thing or go into mourning.
3. Don't see the ads in palemoon with Adblockplus. I see them in chrome.
Small enough they are not annoying. Is it possible to dial up the inappropriateness to the venue? Not WRT violence or sex, but something more along the lines of fluffy puppies, unicorns, and grrrl power? I like the idea of VD femist-thumping clickbait juxtaposed with "More STEM for Girls" or "Join the Slutwalk!!!!"
I would say hold out for $1000/month. Because they need to be punished and $100 isn't going to get 'er done.
VD
By which I mean, at which point would you say I should ignore your opinion about how annoying they are.
considering that you were going to ignore our opinions ANYWAY ....
otoh, i am clicking on them madly in order to fake blog traffic to them. :3
Nate August 27, 2014 8:19 PM
Also... I'm with the Fin on the hardcovers. I hate dust jackets.
paper dustjackets are just an artificial way to make the book 'easy to damage'.
First off, I like dust jackets because I'm used to them and think they look kind of cool, and I'll ignore the ads for a hundred.
But, I do want to finish asking my question from yesterday (I had to leave before I could give all the background info you asked for).
I bought Wright's "City Beyond Time" from Castalia House. When I got the e-mail and tried to download it using Adobe, it said that either the program I was using was wrong or the link was damaged, for example "wasn't decoded properly" when e-mailed.
Any ideas what's up with this?
Thanks a lot.
1. Planning to buy ebook.
2. Ditto for One Bright Star (already have Awake ebook).
3. As currently formatted, not annoying in the slightest.
1. Ebook for now, no preference when I get around to purchasing hardcovers.
3. Ads are not visible to me.
keep the ads, ill even page view them from time to time if i think you get revenue from them. Click bait is annoying, but i think of it as a tax on the stupid, as theyre stupid to pay you when i follow a link, and they pray on the stupid who buy from them.
I don't know if I will be buying a hardcover. However, I would like to begin doing that in the future. Add or ignore my opinion, on this particular book, at your leisure. I vote for no dust jacket. I prefer imprintment. Finances are starting to make sense, so some of my preferences can be attended in spite of the price differences.
As to the ads? Don't know, don't care. They don't appear to my browser setup. Bilk em' blind, and tell them Doom sent you!
Ads are no big deal. I'm just curious whether you would make enough for the average mortal to the pay rent on a house.
I bought A Throne of Bones and I would kind of like the next book to match. But I will purchase it no matter which option you choose.
The ads are not so obtrusive that it would bother me if they offer you enough money for you to consider it worth your trouble. Considering your published feelings on changing to the newer blogger template I am sure that they will have to cough up enough cash to make it worth your while for you to keep them.
I despise dust jackets. They're annoying as hell and end up in the garbage. As for ads, whatever, if it buys you an espresso or every so often I say go with it.
$100
1. No dust jacket. Inevitably they get off center and crushed along some edge or another.
2. I'm more relieved that other people are getting celebrity feet than worried about annoyance. I kept thinking what on earth is in my internet history that would trigger such ads, and they were amusing with regards to the anklebiter thread.
Any ideas what's up with this?
The format is not meant for Adobe programs. Simply download the file. Then, if you want to read it on your computer, we recommend the free Calibre reader. If on Android platform, the free Aldiko reader which you can get from the Android market. If on iOS, then iBooks.
3. The pair of ads on the right sidebar are a test that will last until tomorrow.
Adblock hides 'em, so take their money ;)
No one likes to admit that they have fallen on hard times, but you should just swallow your pride and ask for help. I am sure Nate has some gold he could cash in.
Have you considered renting out your Lamborghini?
If you keep the ads from being wierd, they be good.
I have the original hardcover of A Throne of Bones so I would prefer a dust jacket but I'll be getting it either way.
Hardcover: Dust jackets are silly, and you have to take them off before you loan them to friends.
Ads: I've been enjoying the awkwardness of the ads. Keep 'em.
Like the one I am looking at is right now is Celebrities Show Off Their Feet.
The ads. I won't go to sites that have movement or sound. I won't even visit Brietbart anymore if it is a link. If I am trying to read something it is already hard enough without annoying video or giff files. or someone talking about an new Ford truck ect... And the bastards that you have to click on to get them out of the way really piss me off.
Mr. Nightstick August 27, 2014 11:48 PM
If you keep the ads from being wierd, they be good.
you seem to forget that the primary purpose of this blog is to amuse VOX.
Note: Choosing case laminate would mean a SURPRISINGLY large increase in the amount of money we pocket per unit. Somewhere in the order of 25% more. But this is not as important as you may think, because we're producing the hardcopies for status, not money. They just don't sell that much compared to ebooks. But authors like to hold their precious little book baby in their hands, and that's basically why we make them.
So, the important thing is, do people widely consider the cloth + dustjacket as more luxurious than case laminate. If they do, then we'll do that. If they don't (which is my hunch), then I sure don't mind the 25% increase.
I mean, I like my book to be one thing, not two things. Why would you want your book to be two things? That just makes it more likely that one of them gets damaged, and that's enough for your book to lose its collection value.
All those pictures of feet are going to attract even more anklebiters.
The ads are hilarious. One ankle biter post and they're catering to the foot fetishists among us. How about a "she'll look beautiful in chains" post? (Do the comments influence them? If so, imagine if we had them for the moo-cow melt down.)
So ads okay as long as just a jpeg file with no sound movement or popup in text.
One ankle biter
Ah, I see. Now it makes sense.
Vox should turn this into a sport. The weirder he manages to make the ads without the post actually being about that weird thing, the more points.
1. Plan to buy the e-book on release day.
2. Is One Bright Star to Guide Them by John C Wright? If so I look forward with great anticipation.
3. Not sure on the dollar scale, but it probably would've taken me a week to notice them if you hadn't said something. Which probably means they won't make you much money.
Ads fine. No pop ups.
Outlaw X August 27, 2014 11:58 PM
The ads. I won't go to sites that have movement or sound.
You can get a flash blocker somewhere maybe. I got one for my browser and it works like a hot damn, and I need it because my system is old, like me.
I just think it would be cool if I could find hardcover copies of your fantasy and sci-fi books at my local Ralph's or Von's, VD. Right next to the Shades of Grey trilogy and the latest Stephen King release!
Markku:
Thank you. Trying the calibre thing.
I don't see the ads on blogspot.com.au
" . . .do people widely consider the cloth + dustjacket as more luxurious than case laminate."
Not more luxurious, more practical.
"That just makes it more likely that one of them gets damaged, and that's enough for your book to lose its collection value."
More or less what I said above, and if I've bought a book that's going to have any real collectible value, I'm intending to keep it until I die in the first place. I don't give a damn about what it sells for at the estate auction.
If you want to give me more luxury, give me screened cloth, no jacket.
kfg, your comment fails to make sense in multiple ways. You call cloth+dust jacket more practical, but then you appear to agree with me on the perils of dust jackets. Then you want cloth, but obviously with cloth+dustjacket, you'll have that simply by throwing the dust jacket away.
I can only assume that you somehow read something I said as the opposite of what I said.
Cloth.
I'm mainly going for Awake, but cloth + dustjacket is my strong preference. Except for textbooks, books to take outdoors and a few cheap and cheerful ones, dustjackets dominate my shelves for hardcovers.
Maybe you should print a few extra dustjackets to sell to the unfortunates who manage to ruin theirs. I've never figured out why booksellers don't do that.
Also, acid free paper, please.
Any ideas what's up with this?
Send me an email and I'll email you a file to test.
"You call cloth+dust jacket more practical . . ."
Mea culpa, I meant to say that it was the casewrap that was more practical, as I did in my first comment on the matter. I lost track of the subject in editing.
"I can only assume that you somehow read something I said as the opposite of what I said."
Not exactly, but the pragmatic effect is the same.
"Then you want cloth, but . . . you'll have that simply by throwing the dust jacket away."
The silk screening was a key element, that it be produced to be the principle graphic. The dust cover, should there be one, a plain brown wrapper intended to be disposed of.
When I was just short of two years old and could respond to the question, "What would you like for your birthday?" I responded : "Books."
I still have those books. I read those books to my own child and still read them myself now and again.
The only way a dust cover can survive me in the first place is to be immediately removed and filed away, for the estate sale I guess, and for all practical purposes, any graphical content of the cover goes with them.
So yes, I consider cloth bindings more luxurious if, like my old Tom Swift books, printed before the whole dust cover thing got started, they are designed to be viewed without a dust cover. Otherwise casewrap would be preferable, it is more practical than a dust cover intended to be a permanent element of the book.
Take the 25%.
Re: the ads,
Im seeing a three legged Asian babe and soccer crap. Not sure how these things work but if its the user specific stuff -like when I check my e mail and the ads correspond to my latest porn surfings,.. no, I dont want to meet mature singles in my area yo- then Ill just ignore it. But if it's blog related then the comedy that ensues will be worth it.
I prefer dust jackets so long as the hard cover inscription beneath is good enough for the shelf.
But I'll continue supporting blue sci and whatever other ventures so long as the pape flow allows.
1. I'll be buying hardcover copies of AODAL 1 and 2 (and 3, and...). Go with the casewrap. Dustjackets are just the worst.
2. Yes, please.
3. I'm amused (but not surprised) at how many of the Ilk can't see the ads. Go nuts.
4. Football science is the best science.
I don't plan to buy ATOB, but I do plan to buy John's book and I really wish he were choosing the casewrap. Mark me another dust jacket hater.
3. The two advertisements are small and although they have nothing whatsoever to do with your site, unassuming. Your site is already extremely not safe for work simply due to the content being so radically politically incorrect so some girl in her underwear probably wouldn't make it any worse. Go for as much money as you can - don't worry about us.
I hate the ads. I hate them everywhere I see them. I noticed them right away and went looking for why they were suddenly there, and I will continue to notice them as long as they are there.
I always assume they're some kind of spyware-delivering trap baited with the intellectual equivalent of crack-infused whipped cream. I'm not sure I'm wrong.
So if they stay up, I'll be spending less time here (because my laptop mouse thingy is hyperclicking everything in sight and I can't get the thing to stay turned off!). Since I'm so busy with non-computer life and good at finding things to do, that's probably doing me a favor. And since I'll never be an Ilk, that's probably no loss for anyone else, either.
Can't speak for my husband--he does what he wants--but that's my unwanted input. See you guys around.
Sigyn August 28, 2014 7:19 AM
(because my laptop mouse thingy is hyperclicking everything in sight and I can't get the thing to stay turned off!
plug in a real mouse.
Ads are fine as long as they don't talk or move.
I did not notice the ads until you pointed them out. I have become so used to ignoring that crap that it is now second nature.
VD and Markku,
Thank you both. I downloaded the program Markku suggested and it worked like a charm.
By the way, I started out early on slightly unimpressed, but now I'm a few chapters in and have completely changed my mind. What an incredibly original and entertaining book! Wright quite clearly is going to be a giant in his own right when all is said and done, if he isn't one already. One Hell of a talent.
This ad density is OK. Please, just don't become like the Daily Caller, a site I like but rarely go there anymore due to the ridiculous amount of extraneous crap that slows my normally fast enough browser to a crawl.
Books. No opinion. I get the ebooks and may get the hardbacks some day.
Please, just don't become like the Daily Caller.
No worries.
Wright quite clearly is going to be a giant in his own right when all is said and done, if he isn't one already. One Hell of a talent.
Without question.
I own ATOB in HC and I would probably buy another to have it match the others to follow.
If printing on the cover looks the best, I'd say that.
Ads are fine as long as they don't talk or move.
I agree.
"The feet of these celebrities will astound you."
Yeah, that's the reason I come to this blog. The astounding mind of VD and astounding celebrity feet.
The ads aren't annoying. If I confused them with the book covers, I'd be annoyed.
> I always assume they're some kind of spyware-delivering trap baited with the intellectual equivalent of crack-infused whipped cream. I'm not sure I'm wrong.
In many cases, you're absolutely correct. :)
> So if they stay up, I'll be spending less time here
With Pale Moon (or Firefox, if you prefer), the Adblock Plus extension keeps them from showing up. The NoScript extension keeps them from even being delivered. Give them a try. With NoScript, I have to allow google.com, blogger.com, gstatic.com, googleusercontent.com, and blogspot.com for posting to work. But if you don't allow nster.net, the script for displaying the ads can't run.
A Man Two Times Bigger Than Any Ordinary Guy!
plug in a real mouse.
Tried that. The stupid pad still turns itself back on when I least expect it.
Oh well, I just have to avoid places where I could be accidentally shanghaied off to a site that has no problem suggesting I "keep abreast with modern technology" by showing me Anne Hathaway as Catwoman riding the Batcycle.
Ads are fine and amusing. Do it for whatever the price.
Sigyn (out of character) August 28, 2014 9:18 AM
suggesting I "keep abreast with modern technology" by showing me Anne Hathaway as Catwoman riding the Batcycle.
you need to send me your browsing history.
because i WANT to get google adservs like that.
The ads are fine. I can deal. If you have pop up windows I'm out-a-here.
1-2 I have bought all I have or our stuff but TIA on kindle so obviously not an opinion leader on this
3. Oh the humanity! yet another of my idols has fallen on by the way of mammon and filthy lucre to the detriment all that is right and holy......oh well...your blog, your rules yada yada...I hope SB enjoys the night out on you. I guess women really do ruin everything in the long run....
4. Not into football as a going concern.....either version. Carry on as before....
James Dixon: "With Pale Moon (or Firefox, if you prefer), the Adblock Plus extension keeps them from showing up."
Same with Iron. I can't see them.
Long as the ads don't get bigger or pornographic I don't mind. If they tell me there's a lonely wife near me who wants to hook up or show pics of 'porn stars' those are tiny.
Sorry distracted - I meant to say as long as they remain small non-pornographic and few in number who am I to complain?
Ads are still "celebrity feet". WTF? If they make you money I can ignore them but certainly I'll never click on them.
About 85% through A Throne of Bones and very much enjoying it. I haven't bought fiction in years, relying on my local public library for stuff I'll probably read only once (or, if again, it's usually still there), but I'm happy to pay ebook prices for a story like this. When I was a SF fan I was into collecting (once had a sizable trove of Unknown and other pulps, still findable in the mid-1960s), but now my aim is to reduce my physical belongings to a monastic level if possible, so ebooks are a wonderful innovation. (Thus I have no opinion on #1; I wish the other ebooks I'd like to buy were DRM-less.)
I've read a lot of historical fiction set in Rome, both Republic and Empire, and find the rich mix of "realistic" and fantasy elements in these stories very satisfying and entertaining. Pure fantasy with no relation to the "real" world I probably wouldn't find very interesting. I quit reading SF in the 60s, when I felt I was already living in the "future"; and now the past interests me more.
It's a very complex story, with so many different yet related story lines; I'm impressed by the skill with which they're all kept going at a good pace but never hurried, and consistently coordinated. And that at nearly 1000 pages (of 1139 in the size of type I'm reading it) the story still has the same "density" as at the beginning; there's no feeling of haste to get through what could have become an onerous chore for the writer. I'm guessing you were still enjoying the writing even after putting so much time and effort into it. Which is, of course, the very best thing that can happen to any story.
The religious element is what I guess the "Pink" SF crowd finds most objectionable about these stories, but for me it adds a depth that raises them from mere "entertainment" to something much more well-rounded and satisfying. Though not Christian myself, it's clear to me that a life without awareness of the primacy of spirituality – however that may be expressed – is rootless and ephemeral. Thus I recognize, honor and appreciate sincere religious intent when I meet it – so long as it's not expressed as hostility to those following other paths. The present fashion of secularism cannot last by its very nature, as it is attached not to the Deathless, but to what dies.
According to the Selenoth Wiki, it looks like I've read all the other stories in the canon, but I'll now be going back to them in the recommended order. And awaiting with some anticipation the next book set in this most satisfying "fantasy" world. Well done!
3. As for the ads, since I usually read VP on my iPad and enlarge the text column, I hadn't even noticed them. That "three-legged" chick was cute enough to inspire a click, which I ordinarily don't do with ads (even when they're interesting, I'll instead go to the web page on my own). Otoh, I've never understood the rabid reaction to advertising on Web pages, which I know cost money to put up and maintain, so I don't run any adblocking software, figuring I owe it to the website's proprietors (so long as I'm using their product) to at least allow the ads to appear even if I almost never click them. If the ads are annoying (motion and sound) that'll discourage me from visiting the site, which is only fair. It'll be interesting to see if these ads do actually attract enough clicks to make the advertisers want to pay you for hosting them.
Finally, something creepier than Gamma Rabbit. Celebrity Feet. At least this pic. It was subsequently replaced with a head shot of a pleasant to view woman, then one with short hair
1. I'm way late on this one and buying the ebook anyway. For what it's worth, I always despised dust covers when I was buying paper books. I usually threw them away.
3. I've wondered why you didn't have ads of some sort for a while now. So long as they don't start auto-playing, flashing, expanding on mouseover, etc., I say keep them.
I'm just now reading ATOB. I hope you 're-edit it for all the pesky typos that spell check obviously didn't catch. As for the ads, they are not annoying at all because I don't see them on my mobile browser.
I pay almost no attention to covers as all of my reading choices come from recommendations from friends and writers I follow. That said, this is a spectacular cover. I'm incredibly impressed.
1. Glad casebound approach was chosen.
3. Hold out for at least $1000, this isn't Whatever with minimal viewers. I do think the ads may have slowed down the page loading (at least w/ Opera on a Mac, haven't noticed on Dolphin on IOS).
Mr. BAD, is it the ebook, and have you purchased it much earlier but only now started to read it? I so, then we have a much better version we can send you. We are currently at edition 9.
#3 -- $100. Keep them ... they are innocuous.
Was absent the internet for a couple days, so here's my two cents worth:
1. I would have voted casebound, so excellent choice !
2. Can't wait to have an actual hardcover of AWAKE IN THE NIGHT LAND. Loved it and will love reading it again.
3. The more money they offer the less you should pay attention to us who think they are annoying. Distracting yes, not overtly annoying. If they bring in a nice hunk of $, go for it.
Moving/ auto play ads MOST annoying and a deal killer for me. Have already abandoned a number of previously-enjoyed blogs. Enjoy your blog.
Post a Comment
Rules of the blog