Latest Industry News

It's Friday, and I'm exhausted from birthing a book Tuesday through Wednesday, so here's a round-up of news that may have slipped under your radar:

Bowker (you know, the folks you get your ISBNs from) plans to start monitoring ebook sales in the U.S. My question--how are they going to monitor ebooks without ISBNs? Not even the big boys are bothering with ISBNs when they upload their goodies to Amazon and B&N these days. In fact, the only e-tailers still demanding ISBNs on ebooks are Sony and Apple. So ditching the ISBN: great cost cutting measure or road to inaccuate sales reporting?

Ooo la la! Amazon France is officially open.  Don't know about you, but I seriously need to find a translator.

Both Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million stomped their feet over Amazon's exclusive Kindle Fire deal with DC Comics (currently owned by Time Warner) and pulled all DC graphic novels from their virtually and physical shelves. I know Barnes & Noble doesn't give a rat's patootie about my dollars spent on corrupting nieces and nephews with copies of Sandman.  It looks like it's time to visit my local indie comics shop Bedrock City Comics.

On a side note, the whole brouhaha over DC will be a moot point if they don't improve the writing on their books.  Another re-boot? Again? How many does that make over the last thirty years? And that last issue of Wonder Woman? Yeesh!

Then there's the snark over Barry Eisler's exclusive deal with Amazon for his latest ebook.  People repeat after me, "There is no DRM on Eisler's book from Amazon." Convert the damn thing if you want it on your NOOK. Frankly, if you can't convert it or get your kid to do it for you, then maybe it's not something you should be reading. Barry uses some pretty big words.

Okay, kids. That all we have time for. Have a snarkalicious weekend!

Summer is here!

I wanted to make sure all my links were live before I made the official announcement, but Seasons of Magick: Summer is out!

The Blurb
Welcome to Morrigan’s Cauldron! But be careful what you ask for because this little Greenwich Village shop can deliver your heart’s desire. Or your greatest nightmare.

Shan Wong thought when she broke up with her boyfriend Mark, he couldn’t hurt her anymore…until she discovers he’s planned his revenge on her by committing suicide and turning himself into a kiang shi—a zombie with super-human powers.

Jamal Washington has loved Shan since they were children. When he thinks he finally has a chance with her, her ex comes back from the dead to kill her…and anyone who gets in the way. Is the ancient sword the magick shop owner gave him enough to stop Zombie Mark? And is Jamal brave enough to win Shan’s love as well as save her life?

Novella, approximately 25,000 words or 90 printed pages

“This story somehow combines hot sex, young love, and some startling zombie moments that still make me shudder!” –Author Nina Cordoba

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

All Hallows Read

Here's a positive Public Service Announcement from the ever-charming Neil Gaiman:



Now go buy or borrow scary books for your loved ones!

Let Them Eat Cake

I took today's title from a quote attributed to Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France. Supposedly, it was her response when told the peasants had no bread and were starving.  While the quote isn't real, it is endemic of the disconnect between those in power and the general public.

Over two hundred years later, leaders are making the same mistakes. Look at how the Occupy Wall Street protests are spreading across the country.

What the PTBs don't get is that the loss of one leader isn't going to stop the revolution. Nowhere was the more prevelent than Publishers Weekly's gleeful headline last Friday: 'Konrath to Take Hiatus From Telling Authors To Abandon Publishers.'

Just because Joe stops blogging for a while (and frankly, I'll be surprised if he lasts more than two weeks) doesn't mean writers will accept bad contracts and crappy deals. Not to mention, there are plenty of other bloggers like Bob Mayer, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Dean Wesley Smith, and Passive Guy who are trying to educate the writing public.  And these folks aren't going away any time soon.

Last week I talked to two friends, both whom had books with a certain publisher.  In both cases, these ladies were now self-publishing.  Apparently, their former publisher is sending out e-mails to their authors or former authors asking for submissions. At least for one publisher, it's sinking in that they do need writers.

The real question is will the publishing industry as a whole get a clue before the guillotine is sharpened.

Songs I've Been Listening to a Lot Lately

I indie publish 'cause I'm Workin' For A Livin'!

Conference Time!

Sorry about the lateness, folks! I had a post scheduled for 7AM this morning. Really, I did. And it simply went poof! It's gone.

So I'll run Monday's public service announcement instead.

The Northwest Houston Chapter of the Romance Writers of America puts on their annual Lonestar Conference every October. The conference is next Saturday, October 15th, at the Greenspoint Marriott. The speaker is the wonderful Alexandra Sokoloff.

Seats are still available. The conference itself is $125 for an all-day workshop, plus agent and editor appointments. If you want to spend the night, the Mariott is offering a fantastic rate of $69 per night for conference attendees.

The conference is run by our V-P, who also poses as Stacey Purcell of Musetracks.  And believe me, she does a bang-up job!

For more conference info, click here.

In Memorium

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." - Steve Jobs, 2005

Vampires Are Just Regular Folks

Please welcome my special guest blogger, the terrific Tea Trelawny!  Take it away, Tea!

Did you ever wonder what vampires do when they’re not imbibing their favorite beverage or sleeping the day away? If ‘real’ vampires are anything like the ones in the books we read, they do just about anything they like. If you’re a regular reader on this site, then you know that Suzan Harden’s sexy vampire hero Duncan St. James is suspected to be a mobster in her book Zombie Love (Bloodlines). In Kerrelyn Spark’s Love at Stake series, the vampires pursue many occupations from security specialists to genetic scientists and television stars. Robin Badillo’s heroine Raven Prince in her Blood Hunter series is unemployed as she runs from vampire hunters in the series opener.

In my new Moon Racers erotic romance series, the vampires race motorcycles in between seductions. The first book, Start Your Engines, features Rory Shaw, a young man turned into a vampire as he was dying from injuries sustained in a terrible motorcycle crash. Horrified when he nearly kills the first woman upon whom he feeds, he allows his lover Cherry Lee to believe that he did die in the crash. But Cherry discovers he’s alive and she is determined to win back her man. Fearing he will accidentally kill her, Rory tries to resist her advances. But Cherry uses her erotic charms to seduce him and help him learn to trust himself, even as other vampires in the series may not be such honorable characters.

Detectives, doctors, deep sea divers…today’s vampire heroes and heroines can be just about anything they want. But no matter how ‘regular’ they are, in romance novels, vampires remain seductive and attractive. They intrigue our imaginations and help us, as readers, to feel a little less regular ourselves.

Start Your Engines, Book One of the Moon Racers, the erotic vampire series by Téa Trelawny

Adult excerpt:

Rory caught her wrist before she could hit him again. In spite of how much he wanted her at that moment, he gave her a shake—gently, mindful of his increased strength. One wrong jerk and he’d snap her delicate bones.

Still holding her wrist, he leaned close to her and said, “Calm down, Cherry.”

“I will not calm down.” She tried to pull her arm free. “I want answers.”

A shadow fell over Rory’s face.

“Perhaps I can be of assistance.”

Rory looked up. Damon stood barely two feet away, watching Cherry with that look of hunger in his eyes once more.

Whispers swirled through Rory’s mind. He had lowered his guard and the inner thoughts of others were sweeping into his head. His gaze shifted and he saw that they had drawn a crowd of onlookers.

He pulled Cherry close to his side as he faced Damon. “I think you helped plenty seven months ago.”

Damon’s lips curled upward, parting just enough to reveal his incisors. His canines remained hidden. But not for long, Rory feared. He pulled Cherry closer.

“I just thought Cherry might want to hear the truth,” Damon said, folding his arms over his chest.

“I’ll be the one to explain the truth to her.”

Rory felt her shudder. Like other humans, she could sense something was wrong with Damon…and with him. But she didn’t want to accept what her primitive instincts were telling her.


Available in digital formats at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Suzan's Note:  Since Tea and I are critique partners, I got to read Start Your Engines before anyone else.  This is one hot story, and I'm already nagging Tea to finish the tale of Rory's cousin Cameron.

TxDOT v. Christie Craig: The Write-In Campaign

Several writers in the Houston area, including me, wrote to the Texas Department of Transportation in regards to Civil Action No.1:11-cv-726, i.e. their lawsuit against Texas romance writer, Christie Craig for alleged violation of the state's trademark.  The responses most of the writers recieved were generally dismissive and condecending.

So we're going over TxDOT's head, and we're asking all writers and readers to help.

Please contact Texas Governor Rick Perry and ask him to stop this travesty.  The main points that refute this lawsuit are:

1)  TxDOT's counsel admitted to Judge Sam Sparks in open court that NONE of TxDOT's trademark registrations apply to books.

2)  TxDOT claims that Ms. Craig's book ruins their reputation because it contains scenes between a heterosexual couple in a committed relationship practicing safe sex.  Yet, TxDOT believes selling men's thongs with the trademark clearly stamped on the front does not.

3)  TxDOT has not sued other entities using the title 'Don't Mess With Texas.' Other works using the title include a rap song, a magazine article and several country songs.  Please note that ALL of these other situations I mention involve an artist or a controlling party who is MALE.

4)  TxDOT is wasting money pursuing this action that is all likelihood they will lose when Texas is in a fiscal crisis.

We ask that you contact Gov. Perry directly and protest this lawsuit.

Snail Mail:  The Honorable Rick Perry, PO Box 12428, Austin, TX 78711-2428
Website:  http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/
Phone No:  (512) 463-2000
Twitter: @GovernorPerry (mention @TxDOT and @Christie_Craig)

We also ask that you tweet, FB and blog this information.

Even if you don't live in Texas, this matter concerns you since Gov. Perry is running for President of the United States.

Please spread the word.  No government should bully a writer because they dislike that writer's content.  And frankly, this lawsuit is not about a trademark. It's an attempt by a state to bypass the First Amendment and harass a author based on her subject matter and her gender.

Songs I've Been Listening to a Lot Lately

I'm an indie writer.  Take a Chance on me.