tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post5940579202569136039..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Some thoughts on swagJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-10974410436037572132015-10-29T12:30:54.834-04:002015-10-29T12:30:54.834-04:00Thanks for the tips, and as a new author starting ...Thanks for the tips, and as a new author starting out it will be a good way to get the word out about my books. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-81172692798838516362015-10-19T14:49:03.801-04:002015-10-19T14:49:03.801-04:00Thanks for picking up CODE OF HONOR! Hope you enjo...Thanks for picking up CODE OF HONOR! Hope you enjoy it -Alan Gratzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528858793775172285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-58405545748179998002015-10-19T10:23:08.431-04:002015-10-19T10:23:08.431-04:00I also never understood character trading cards. W...I also never understood character trading cards. Why would I want a trading card about a character I don't know from a book I haven't read? I don't know that I want trading cards for books I HAVE read. I think I came into the book publishing world after that trend had waned, but I did receive one at an RWA conference in 2013. The art on it is SO BAD (think poorly rendered 1980s fantasy art) I kept it for a gag gift. <br /><br />The swag I take from authors are bookmarks and post it notes. Maybe a pen.Stephscohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06328839483008086049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50815347676070201782015-10-18T12:11:18.895-04:002015-10-18T12:11:18.895-04:00Donna: Your story reminds me of a time when the or...Donna: Your story reminds me of a time when the organization I worked for was bringing a couple trainers up from the states. <br /><br />The trainers said they were there on business. The customs folks decided that meant they were here to work, and so the trainers spent hours while they cleared up the fact that no, they didn't need a work visa. They were only here for a couple weeks.<br /><br />There used to be someone in the US with a name similar to mine, who seemed to have a bit of a legal problem there. I tried to open an account to send a friend some money once, and I had to go through all sorts of extra loops to prove I wasn't that person. I'm very careful to use my full name in any legal documents now, just in case.<br /><br />Julie: I had a blue pencil with Chris Humphreys once. Wonderful, nice guy. He deserves to be adored. I showed him an action scene from the novel I'm shopping around, and he loved it. I've felt so much better about my action scenes since then. I figure I'm doing something right. :)BJ Muntainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977414826388000094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-22411431309511741412015-10-18T11:35:28.040-04:002015-10-18T11:35:28.040-04:00Thanks so much for this post! I love it so much! ...Thanks so much for this post! I love it so much! My favorite swag ever from an author was a nail file. Sounds strange, but I LOVE it. I carry it in my purse and use it all the time. 2nd favorite was a bookmark. Never been lucky enough to get a book :-) Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06062617625363141689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-45076904332201485462015-10-18T11:35:05.306-04:002015-10-18T11:35:05.306-04:00John,
I kind of hate you. After your microwave p...John, <br /><br />I kind of hate you. After your microwave popcorn comment, I spent an hour or more on an advertising merchandise site thinking about what would be good swag items. I would go broke. There are too many fun things out there. I better stick to bookmarks.<br /><br />After that foray into fantasy land, I figured I better decide what I was taking to blue pencil. I have an appointment with Chris Humphreys, who I adore. That's probably supposed to be whom, but I'm a hick. Then I thought, hmmm, you might get a chance at some more blue pencils if people cancel. Better pick out two more pieces. <br /><br />So, I missed the joke about microwave popcorn, but I would have guffawed at 2:00 as I did later.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55029037083599827152015-10-18T11:27:13.353-04:002015-10-18T11:27:13.353-04:00Steph - this is the time of year we see people we ...Steph - this is the time of year we see people we haven't seen since last winter :)<br /><br />Off to the theatre. Happy Sundy, y'all!CynthiaMchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12175917641033760408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-44643163383815101812015-10-18T10:17:06.652-04:002015-10-18T10:17:06.652-04:002N's - at the moment, it's flat lining. :...2N's - at the moment, it's flat lining. :)<br /><br />Steph - oh, don't I know the feeling. True story here too - I was traveling to Canada - yes, our friendly northern neighbor!!! - when I made the apparent faux pas of stating I was in the country for a Business Law class. My boss was waiting patiently past the secured area, when I was motioned to follow one of the agents. They whisked me off by my lonesome to some tiny room where I sat for the better part of an hour, clueless as to what the problem was, or why I was there.<br /><br />They finally let me go, and when they did, I told my boss, and he said, "Yeah, never mention anything to do with the law."<br />Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-51420227233090747852015-10-18T09:39:06.576-04:002015-10-18T09:39:06.576-04:00Pens, paper, postcards (what a great way to recomm...Pens, paper, postcards (what a great way to recommend books), mugs all sound good to me! Recently I've read several books that incorporated recipes (brilliant for when the books make you super hungry, I could see recipe-cards going really well with them.<br /><br />Cynthia, don't take this personally: I may hate you a little, we had snow in the air on Wednesday :(<br /><br />Donnaeve, (Ignore the passport pic unless they try to put you in the pokey b/c they think it's someone else) <br />It's only funny till it actually happens! This summer I was flying home out of Tel Aviv. I handed the security agent my passport, smiled, and waited, expecting to get it back in about 10 seconds. Then I kept waiting. And waiting. Finally I asked if everything was okay. She said it was hard to tell if it was me because I was smiling now, but not in the picture. I stopped smiling, feeling distinctly discomfited. One minute later, she asks if I have another picture id. After another two minutes with both my passport and my driver's license she let me go.Stephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17301936980049346654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-10571688747345462492015-10-18T09:09:59.444-04:002015-10-18T09:09:59.444-04:00I know this is OT and way to one on one for Janet,...I know this is OT and way to one on one for Janet, God bless her, but Donna, your comment begs me to ask, what is your brain doing?Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15048084391046713752015-10-18T09:00:47.605-04:002015-10-18T09:00:47.605-04:002N's - that's way too deep for what my bra...2N's - that's way too deep for what my brain is doing.Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-65707821406580587682015-10-18T07:41:55.544-04:002015-10-18T07:41:55.544-04:00Not that anyone cares, or will notice, but I would...Not that anyone cares, or will notice, but I would like to amend my comment at 5:45 AM.<br /><br />Ah John, how astute. My jar opener is three banks ago. Now when I use it I think of simpler times, as in how little money I had then as compared to how little money I have now.<br /><br />Thank you. Back to your regularly scheduled comments. Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-11902152099920601642015-10-18T07:35:23.884-04:002015-10-18T07:35:23.884-04:00Donna, maybe it's a refection on a time which ...Donna, maybe it's a refection on a time which holds the weight of our memories closer, or maybe it's our discomfort regarding change, or maybe it's age, or maybe it's because our synapses almost always take the shorter road to what was, instead of what is, or maybe Wachovia is easier to say than Wells Fargo. Ah...forget the last one.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-53565119858764850272015-10-18T06:51:14.718-04:002015-10-18T06:51:14.718-04:00What a coinky dink. I recently reverted back to c...What a coinky dink. I recently reverted back to calling my old bank Wachovia. (it's Wells Fargo) My son works there. We were talking and I said, "How's it going at Wachovia?"<br /><br />Silence.<br /><br />Then, "You mean Wells Fargo."<br /><br />It would be okay but I've done it like three times now. And the name change happened years ago. Strange how the brain will do that.Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-20675512697550413742015-10-18T05:45:49.208-04:002015-10-18T05:45:49.208-04:00Ah John, how astute. My jar opener is three banks ...Ah John, how astute. My jar opener is three banks ago. Now when I use it I think of simpler times, as in how little money I had then as compared to now.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-77492236451459676842015-10-18T05:10:24.433-04:002015-10-18T05:10:24.433-04:00I guess I'm gonna have to become a morning per...I guess I'm gonna have to become a morning person to hang out with you guys. Either that or you're giving me a hint, but I've never been quick to pick up on those.<br /><br />That's okay, I can play solitaire and hold up both ends of the conversation. <br /><br />True story: Ed Sullivan, the guy who introduced the bee-uhls to America, used to write both ends of his interviews. He'd give his guests his questions -- and their answers. <br /><br />So yeah, I can do that if nobody is gonna come out to play.John Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01702305890462479118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14197618010332248482015-10-18T02:25:24.519-04:002015-10-18T02:25:24.519-04:00Aye, but Julie I'm lining my microwave popcorn...Aye, but Julie I'm lining my microwave popcorn bag with a silver metallic strip. That, combined with a typo misplacing the colon and instructing consumers to place in microwave for 23:00 will lead to permanence. <br /><br />One in ten will ignite a microwave into A Million Little Pieces. No lie. (Works in the microwave only, no freying.) Once the negative publicity tapers off, Oprah will be calling.<br /><br /><br /><br />This post is brought to you by an unreliable narrator. Who is still editing, mind you, which means the ninth draft might've been in worse shape than the eighth. I'm learning when the Law of Diminishing Returns sets in on a manuscript.John Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01702305890462479118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-23415366041447029592015-10-18T00:38:29.201-04:002015-10-18T00:38:29.201-04:00Susan,
The thing is too keep working and do the b...Susan,<br /><br />The thing is too keep working and do the best you can. Recognize the first draft for many people is less than stellar, but at least you have the bones of the story. <br /><br />John,<br /><br />The problem with consumables, even the beloved chocolate, is how many people keep the wrappers? Yes, people love getting it and it would be a nice addition to something, but I think you want something more permanent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-6823072877423408592015-10-17T23:42:35.549-04:002015-10-17T23:42:35.549-04:00I don't know if curiosity got the better of me...I don't know if curiosity got the better of me or I'm just finding new ways to put off editing, but ...<br /><br />Microwave popcorn - 300 bag minimum with a 4/c 1/s custom imprint comes in at a buck a bag. <br /><br />I'm thinking for an extra dime a bag you can perforate it so the popper can convert it into a bookmark when the popcorn is gone. <br /><br />And it's chocolate covered. <br /><br />This post has been brought to you by the game, Two Lies & A Truth.John Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01702305890462479118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-75522151968769682272015-10-17T23:36:34.803-04:002015-10-17T23:36:34.803-04:002NNs, I'm wondering about the bank logo on you...2NNs, I'm wondering about the bank logo on your jar opener that's so old. How many banks ago was that? Around here, banks change names about every two years. I figured it was an FCC rule or something. <br /><br />One swag item I'm surprised hasn't been mentioned so far is a mouse pad. I still use one for my laptop. Don't most people.<br /><br />I'm definitely in the camp to keep bookmarks, Post-Its and pens. <br /><br />What about microwave popcorn? Too expensive? Maybe the minimums are too high. I'll check ... after a little more editing.John Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01702305890462479118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-75875974067347937482015-10-17T21:01:41.214-04:002015-10-17T21:01:41.214-04:00Julie/Julia: That's how I feel about The Damn ...Julie/Julia: That's how I feel about The Damn Novel (the WWII-based book) and why it's 8 years in the writing. I'm so in love with this story--the idea, the setting, the characters--but sometimes I'll sit down to write and think I don't have the maturity for it yet, that I won't be able to do it justice. So in a corner of my heart it stays until it's ready. It's grown and evolved and gotten better over the years, and I credit that to time; sometimes ideas have to marinate and confidence has to grow. <br /><br />In the meantime, now that the book I needed to write is finished and out in queryland and I'm back to writing what I want to write, some of the self-doubt has abated. There's a joy in writing again, and with that joy comes the flow. Try to find that space of just wanting to tell a good story, of escaping to a world with characters that only you know, so that you're the one to share it. Maybe that can ease some of the pressure where that panic usually stems from.<br /><br />Kara/Jennifer: I'm terrible at talking. It's why I can't use dictation software for writing. Jennifer, I think you're onto something that we use different parts of the brain for different methods of communicating. It certainly feels different. Then again, my brain takes a long time to buffer anyway.<br /><br />Colin: Sharing is caring!<br /><br />Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05332570278984058081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-39243446174451715482015-10-17T20:56:28.871-04:002015-10-17T20:56:28.871-04:00Kae: Exactly. I was working in marketing, too, whe...Kae: Exactly. I was working in marketing, too, when they were first a 'thing'. We put them on posters. We put them on brochures. We put them on signs and swaggy stuff all over the place. I had a manager who thought QR codes were the best thing since the barcode. But, like I said, they're pretty much ignored, the way a barcode would be. There are many people out there who don't know what a QR code is for, and what they can do with one. QRs just never became as popular as many marketers and others thought they would.<br /><br />Julie: Thank you so much for e-mailing Kathy on my behalf! That was so kind of you. I'm hoping to find out on Monday (Tuesday at latest) if I'll be able to go. I appreciate that so much.BJ Muntainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977414826388000094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-71074057951294658292015-10-17T20:07:02.599-04:002015-10-17T20:07:02.599-04:00Swag! Great ideas here for book and author promoti...Swag! Great ideas here for book and author promotions.<br /><br />I love interesting book marks and always like receiving them. I would also use notepads, both sticky and none. Pens, too. I would welcome un-sharpened pencils because I have a few sharpeners around the house and still like to write with pencils.<br /><br />Emery boards and glass cleaning cloths sound very useful as well as a bit unique for promoting a book. I would certainly remember an author who gave me chocolate or a bottle opener.<br /><br />Oh, but to receive a mug or a tote bag! That would be very impressive.Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18165072684559960801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-89160926244809849212015-10-17T19:18:23.787-04:002015-10-17T19:18:23.787-04:00BJ,
I corresponded with Kathy Chung. She said the...BJ,<br /><br />I corresponded with Kathy Chung. She said they have a little flexibility. If you think you're coming email the coordinator at registration at siwc dot ca. You can still register on site if you want.<br /><br />Hope to see you.<br /><br />Julie Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-31908807662322776392015-10-17T19:13:08.125-04:002015-10-17T19:13:08.125-04:00I love the idea of refrigerator magnets and emery ...I love the idea of refrigerator magnets and emery boards. Those would be awesome here. I think I'm too used to library check out receipts for bookmarks. <br />Dena Pawlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14444683810125395220noreply@blogger.com