While I am off praying for world peace, and awaiting the Resurrection, I hope all my very treasured blog readers will use these few days to post a link to their blog or website so you can all get to know each other.
The links are in the comments section of Thursday's blog post here.
Have a very happy start to April, and the new spring season!
40 comments:
Colin's idea has exploded Thursday's comments section! It's going to be fun hopping 'round the internet and visiting.
I'm sensing a theme to your "on holiday" posts.
Who?
What?
Where?
How?
Why?
Happy Good Friday!
I've been hoppin' around since yesterday and this morning, so much, my little bunny feet are aching. You guys, I had no idea. From beach sand to mountain tops, forests to plains, I've been everywhere. You are amazing folks.
Hey, I'm old-school so to be able to visit on the other side of the world in seconds is like sci fi. Oh wait it is sci fi. I feel like I'm living in an Arthur Clark novel and Colin is the puppet-master.
Whoo who Colin, the linkmaster.
AND may I add, I think this weekend linking event will go down in blog history. Mark my words, the finale in QOTKU's book. (Come on Janet, visit the dark side with the rest of us and pound it out).
The Puppet Master! lol! Of course, us Brits are always the evil villain, are we not? I just need a nice long twirly mustache and I'll be set! :)
BTW, Christina, if you're around, you inspired today's flash story on my blog. :)
Holy cats! I didn't realize there were 107 comments and links and musings! That's so crazy!
Carolynn (may I call you two N's?), I'd like to borrow whatever device you use to teleport through the internet. I have an internet. But no teleportation device. And Minnesota just went from 85 to 35 degrees in two days... I need some warmer weather. Oh, and I agree -- history was made.
I'm starting to think Colin might be an evil genius. His blog is very cool. I give it two thumbs up.
Brian - 85 to 35 degrees? That just makes me cry. Although being from Boston, I can sympathize. This winter I did a Minnesota-to-LA-to-Boston trip in the same day, with an actual 100 degree temperature swing twice in the span of 24 hours. Remind me again why we don't all live in Hawaii?
Brian: I'm there with you. Had to turn he furnace back on to take the bite out of the air. (yeah, I know. My daughter and I are neverending optimists.)
2Ns: Colin as Puppet Master? Made me think of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
ooops
the furnace, not he furnace. Ha.
Haha yeah!
Honestly I wouldn't have known any better until I spent a month or two in Florida over the winter and didn't have to bust the permafrost off my clothes...
"Winter doesn't have to be horrible? What?"
It was a confusing time...
But hey, at least you have the ocean, Steve. I'm pretty sure Polar Bears summer in my backyard. Not encouraging.
Yes BrianSchwarz, you may call me 2Ns, may I call you BS, hahahaha, sometimes I just crack myself up. I love this teleportation stuff, gets me here, there and everywhere until I don't know where I've been, where I'm going and how to get back. Wait a minute where am I now, is where I was and is where I am. Jeez, I should switch to decaf.
Well the last two weeks have been 90+ degrees here. This week is better, in the 70s. There is a small chance of rain next week, but I'm not holding my breath.
California just mandated new water rationing regulations, which of course do NOT apply to the agriculture industry which uses 80% of California's water.
Come to think of it, I have a vague memory of a Star Trek episode where the inhabitants of a planet used their last remaining water to try to keep a sapling alive. We'll be there shortly....
2N's, if you don't offer up that device... i'll take it by force... which will be pretty hard because I hear the "internets" are everywhere...
Lisa - my wife controls the temperature in our house, and the rules are easy.
Under 75 - turn on the furnace.
Over 75 - turn on the furnace just in case.
For true-blooded Minnesotans... the Schwarz residence can be a pretty wimpy one. :)
Oh my goodness! "Who" made that amazing Pinterest board? I am sure I do not even understand Pinterest but I love it!! Thanks bazillions!
In our query class at the mini binder con she said agents aren't in the business of helping authors. (Paraphrasing) and basically if that's what one is telling you, run the other way, because they should be doing what they do to make money. I didn't say it then because I didn't want to burst the magic bubble but of course, janet has been helping authors all this time. Maybe it's not her job but it certainly is her passion! Thanks as always and again.
bessie: I don't know who said it, and I would hate to be disrespectful, but someone who thinks what Janet does here to help authors isn't connected to how she makes money, then I want to suggest that person is a little short-sighted.
I don't for one moment think Janet's desire to help is 100% profit-motivated. I believe she genuinely cares about writers with an undying burning passion. I could imagine her doing this even if she was independently wealthy. That's who she is.
But it would be silly to ignore the fact that she builds a LOT of goodwill within the industry by helping writers and her fellow agents like this. There are writers who will query her that may not otherwise if not for this blog. And there are agents and editors who know her by reputation (favorably), I'm sure, which can only help when trying to negotiate contracts or build business relationships.
I'm convinced Janet does this for the love of it (and us). But to say it doesn't have a positive impact on her livelihood is just foolish, IMO.
Hopefully it wasn't Janet herself that said that...! :D
brian: I meant to say thank you for your kind comment about my blog. Sort of. OK, I'll take evil genius as a compliment. But I'll need to practice my bwaahaahaaa-ing and grinning to really fit the part. :)
I can honestly say, if you want to get to know me, read my blog. I try to make it a reflection of the things that interest me. You don't need to read the whole thing (I've posted over 800 articles for crying out loud--and some of them are more verbose than my comments if you can believe it), but even a glance at the "Recent Articles" gives you a taste of my insanity. :P
Colin, I have it on authority that Janet IS indeed wealthy beyond belief. Janet Reid is not her real name.
She was born, Oprah Trump Buffet and out of the goodness of her pea-pickin' heart she donates her free time to starving woodland creatures such as ourselves, unless you are one of her clients and NOT starving.
Thank you Ms. OTB and may the bunny drop many eggs at the base of your throne.
John "Ol' Chumbucket" Baur,
I commented on the other post but I think it might be lost amid the deluge, so I'm reproducing here.
I saw a bumper sticker this morning that said "To err is human, to arrrgh is pirate."
Colin, sorry, I may have miscommunicated.
I simply meant, Janet is very helpful to all of us and I appreciate it. I know it's her business. She just does a very good job bridging the space between razor teeth shark agent and being very wonderful and encouraging, etc. All the good stuff we know and love and experience through this blog. And how lovely too praying for the world and making a space for all of us to connect. Anyhoo...she was the one saying you want to have an agent in it for the money. And I agree. I just found it ironic and still do...it's a moment that comes back to me when I read the blog because she is helping writers all the time. And aren't you also very helpfully with your links, so thank you!😊
Oy, i pad. Helpful. Not helpfully.
bessie: OK... I understand. And I'm sure Janet would agree with what I said. I hope so, anyway, or I'm in deep doo-doo... ;) Of course agents are out to make money. But you can't put in the hours agents do if you don't love your job.
OK, I'll stop digging my hole now. :)
Hahahaha. I am laughing in my living room in brooklyn. Deep doo doo is very funny. In person, she is lovely too and not deep doo doo ish at all. But you have carkoon now and don't need a hole or anything. C is for crab, you could be a crab in carkoon too and when in doubt climb inside your shell and hide out till the deep doo doo feeling passes. 😉 I have a litle self promise not to spend too too much time on the Internet or I am much less productive. Off i go! Back for more writer blogs soon.
bessie: Hopefully I'll find out for myself in October when, DV, I'll meet Janet at Bouchercon... speaking of which...
Is anyone else going to Bouchercon in Raleigh this coming October? I know of a few in the Tank here who are going. Any others?
When I read the phrase "puppet master" describing Colin, my first reaction was a flashback to the Heinlein novel, "The Puppet Masters," the first book to really give me a scare. Colin seems like a much nicer guy than that.
And Donna – you forgot "When."
I've enjoyed reading your blogs, and have already started following several of them.
I might be visiting Brian's house soon. Things were a little cooler here in Saskatchewan. Temps went from 17C (62F) down to -11C (12F) yesterday. And my furnace refused to turn on until after midnight last night. Hence, my late arrival this morning. Not easy to sleep when it's 14C/57F in the house...
She was right, though. It's not an agent's job to help authors - unless they're her own authors. There is absolutely no reason why an agent should help other authors out. Unless they have a heart big enough to fit Manhattan in. But that's not part of her job. That's not 'business'.
'Business', for an agent, is finding fabulous authors to represent, and then help *those* authors become the best they can be so they can get published and make more money (thereby making more money for herself).
But if an agent were to say to me, "I'm in the business of helping authors (I don't represent)" then you have to wonder what she's doing for the authors she does represent. And how helping non-clients is a 'business'.
Example: "I'm in the business of helping authors." *Author-helping agent opens a door that says 'Editorial services'.* "Come in. Have I got a deal for you!" ... Well, those are the agents you want to be wary of. And, unfortunately, they do exist.
Lest I be misunderstood, I agree with bj. Of course, the agent's primary job is to help his/her clients get their work in print and build a career. My only beef is with those that see no business value in helping the unagented. Sure, an agent can be successful only concentrating on his/her clients. But... well, I said it all above. :)
John Ol' Chumbucket Baur,
I sure did. Hey. I have an excuse. *note time stamp*
FYI...I've been working my way down the link list and I thought I'd let a couple of you know that I tried to visit your blogs and was unable to leave a comment.
THE GIRL WITH WORDS
WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER
I typed the comment, and when it came to getting the credentials...the reCAPTCHA wouldn't come up. Tried multiple times on each site...probably my crazy Wordpress LOGIN, but..., anywhoo! Just wanted you to know I was "there." (Jenny those cartoons were hilarious - I especially liked the Snoopy one)
Whoa. Some of you seem to be implying that Janet is *gasp* NICE. Maybe you enjoy being chomped? I wouldn't want to be standing next to some of you when she gets back from Easter break.
Colin, since I am a writer who lives in Raleigh, and since I can't quite come up with a good excuse (other than being an introverted hermit) not to attend, I'll most likely be at Bouchercon. I'll be the one hiding, somewhere quiet, hoping Janet doesn't remember our twitter conversation about going out for NC BBQ. Who else over here is attending?
Brian, I grew up in MN and still have family there. By all accounts, you all had a very mild winter this year. With almost NO snow. A high of 35 degrees in early April is downright balmy. Wimp (she said politely).
I will commence blog stalking, er, reading once I finish writing the next two chapters. Is there any way to view a Pinterest page without joining? Seems they're now blocking non-users. Bastards. Must be in cahoots with Google.
BJ: I'll keep the temp at a balmy 97 for you. I have a fireplace, a UHDTV and a kitten that will likely sit on your face if you fall asleep.
KDJames: I was a cold-weather acolyte until I spent a winter in Florida. Worst decision of my life. And that's why I'll be buying the state of Florida (and moving the Minnesota Vikings there) after I sell my ninth YA Vampire-Werewolf Zombie-Apocalypse-that-turns-into-a-dystopian-government (which is eventually overthrown by a teenager) trilogy.
The story may sound familiar to you, but trust me. You've never read ANYTHING like it. Ever. I'm certain of it.
This sucker is gonna be good. ;)
Hi folks! Colin, love your blog today! SCARY story about that crab. Yikes!
I haven't finished putting everyone's pages on the Pinterest board yet, but will as soon as possible.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful Good Friday!
Hi kdjames, I'm from Raleigh (literally) and live in Dunn now, but I go regularly (every Tuesday to help my mom) and will be at Bouchercon. I'll look for a person ducking behind plants. That would be you, I'd assume?
:)
Donna: I rather think saying "I'll be the shy and reclusive one" at a conference full of writers is not really very helpful. ;)
Like Donna I've been visiting links and such and not always able to leave comments. But I've shown up, so I should at least get one of those little gold stars. Do you still have to lick them.
kdjames – If they were in Cahoots with Google, I hope they brought sunscreen. The afternoon high in Cahoots yesterday was a balmy 18F. Of course the overnight low dropped to near absolute zero, but in another week they'll be able to start their tomatoes.
Brian: I have the same rule as your wife for my ouse (much to The Hub's disgust)
Colin: I wish I was coming to Boucheron :( I'm going to make it, just not this year (flight costs are prohibitive - need a year or two more to save my pennies). Wish I could swim the Pacific like her Sharkiness... hmmm, think she'd offer me a tow?
Hopefully when I do make it there will be other from here going so I don't have to hide by myself in the palms.
Oh :( My robot isn't dancing anymore.
Whoa, you guys have some really quality blogs! I've been having fun hopping from blog to blog and saying hello, and following the ones I simply LOVED, and now I'm exhausted. And I haven't even FINISHED!
Wouldn't have missed it for the world!
Also, Colin: anyone with a curly mustache is set, because curly mustaches are awesome.
I just keep thinking how surprised everybody would be if I turned up at Boucheron and everyone finally found out I was really 21, Goth, with gauged-lobes and a ring in my nose.
I gotta figure out how to get there.
I'm trying to make it my goal to visit each and every one of you who've left a link. And if I can't put my "fingerprint" on your blog (b/c of the unreliable reCAPTCHA thing) I'll try and come back here to say I tried.
HANK - I was out to your site yesterday. It too would not let me comment. Maybe my poor old laptop just needed a break.
Brian, I spent four years living in south FL. It was way too far south for me. NC is perfect. Please reconsider and bring my Vikings here instead.
Donna, I'd love to meet you next fall. One can never have too many writer friends! I'll try to stay out of the plants. I'm not exactly shy, just introverted (ie, people are exhausting, in real life).
AJ, I wish you and, um, your dancing robot (?), were able to make it this year. You too Carolynn! Keep trying to figure out how to get here. It's a big state, tough to miss. ;-)
John, this is the first time I've consigned anyone to Cahoots and don't know much about it. Sounds like it has quite the brisk climate. Perhaps it's one of those remote desolate northern provinces to which Canadians banish People Who Don't Play Well With Others. I've heard hockey players spend the off-season there, randomly hip-checking unruly denizens into the side of whatever building is handy. Harsh place. I can think of a few people who might benefit from a stint in Cahoots. Present company excepted, of course.
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