Bitchin' Blog Posts
Link Round Up
by SB Sarah | by SB Sarah | May 26, 2011 | Thursday at 7:34 pm | 16 CommentsWant some stuff to read? The internet is happy to oblige.
First: Kobo has announced their Read On initiative, focusing on getting one trillion minutes read on Kobo devices and apps. From their site: Sign up, and tell us the school or community organization you would like to support. For every 10 million-minutes read on Kobo, we will make a contribution of eReading valued between $1,000 and $20,000 to a school or organization in your community. I think this is spiffy. And it makes me curious how many minutes I actually do read!
Second: librarians at BEA discussed the impact of ebooks, and the role of librarians currently. Robin Nesbitt of Columbia Metro Library in Ohio said,
“Right now anybody, any age, any demographic, if you are poor, wealthy, took a shower yesterday or you didn’t, you can walk into the library, pick a book up, and check it out,” she said. “We are starting to have this divide in this country with the haves and the have nots. So, if I can afford an ereader I can get ebooks. If not [you’re out of luck]. And libraries are all about agents of democracy, we are about bridging that gap. ... As publishers and librarians that’s even a bigger issue to start thinking about. Does everybody in this country have access?”
Despite the arguments and hurdles that ebooks present, Nesbitt said there remains a positive element at the core, which is that people are “whipped up about reading.”
“What I like about this whole thing is it keeps reading in the forefront of people’s consciousness. Let’s focus on that…. We’ve got people excited about reading…woohoo it’s controversial!” she said.
Third: Dorchester had a booth at BEA, which prompted quite a few comments, including this tweet from Jason Pinter. Later, Ed Champion stopped by the Dorchester booth at BEA and asked some questions
Why hasn’t Dorchester paid its authors, some of whom have been waiting for years?
“No comment.”
How did you cough up the several thousands of dollars for this booth when that money could have gone to paying off an author? (According to BookExpo America, the bare minimum booth size (100 square feet) costs $3,960.)
“No comment.”...
I was then told told that Dorchester is maintaining its commitment to paying its authors. I was given no specifics on how this commitment would be upheld.
What about your vendor LibreDigital? You can’t pay them. So they won’t remove ebook titles that Dorchester doesn’t own? (Because authors are struggling, it’s difficult for them to mobilize on the class action front and uphold their rights.)
“No comment.”
And fourth, in less fractious news, I am over at Kirkus talking about Why Romance Matters:
n romances, the woman’s experience, in every possible permutation, is a major part of the focus of the novel. Romances are valuable because they allow exploration of female experience, which also makes them hard to describe and defend to those who are hell-bent on dismissing and mocking them.
A single romance can connect with a reader’s heart, mind and body, providing emotional recognition, provoking thoughtful debate, and inciting tears and excitement. That is why romance readers are so defensive of our genre—or, at least, I am. The books I love are important to me on a personal level, and the relationship I have with my favorite novels is an intimate one.
What are you reading on the internet this fine day?
Filed: General Bitching, The Link-O-Lator
Tagged: romance, readers, publishers, librarians, kobo, kirkus, ebooks, dorchester, bea
Amber said on 05.26.11 at 08:01 PM • [link]
As for what I am reading:
Hey, look, a politician is publicly saying women should take steps to plan for rape, just like he plans for flat tires (fabulous!):
http://ohnoa.com/2011/05/rape-is-not-an-appliance/
And, hello, women are not to blame for rape (a very good article):
http://sexgenderbody.com/content/only-rapists-can-prevent-rape
Sharon said on 05.26.11 at 10:40 PM • [link]
I’ve been reading up on Barry Eisler’s 6 figure deal w/Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint (the mystery/thriller version of Montlake). Also dicking around on FB because I should be working and I don’t wanna…
Pete DeGraaf actually lists “counselor” in his bio on his own website. Srsly? Counselor?? Can you imagine him chastising a rape victim who goes to him for counseling because she forgot to purchase a rape insurance plan?
He has three sons, God help us all. At least we know who not to let near our daughters in the state of Kansas.
Josie said on 05.27.11 at 03:25 AM • [link]
I am glad that the librarian brought up the financial implications of ereaders for people who use libraries. If almost all your reading comes via the library, it doesn’t matter to you whether or not ebooks are cheaper than paper books. They cost money you may not have. And there are plenty of readers in this country for whom $100-$200 for an ereader is a significant hunk of change, especially when a library card is free.
Tina C. said on 05.27.11 at 03:38 AM • [link]
I was reading about a certain radio/tv personality trotting out the “slut” word against a woman who doesn’t share his politics. God forbid the man actually formulate a cogent argument against anything she might have said. No, he’s got to go for the cheap, misogynistic insult instead. Way to debate, idiot. On a much more positive note, I was also reading about a number of the missing from the Joplin tornadoes turning up alive and well. That was wonderful news.
Finally, it’s not exactly “reading on the internet”, but I spent a good deal of time reading an ebook that I borrowed from our local library. Unfortunately, I sent it back because the author kept using a certain word that doesn’t mean what she seems to think it does—at least, not as she describes it. (Also, the heroine made fun of the hero’s kid one too many times and it ticked me off.)
SWegener said on 05.27.11 at 04:57 AM • [link]
I’m a librarian, and I can say that the ereader issue is not straightforward. Most of the people who come into the library to get help with e-books from the library have been given an ereader from their family. Many don’t have the means to buy the books they want and many don’t have the technical skills to shop around. Some don’t even have a computer at home, which means they can’t actually get ebooks from the library on their nook or kobo. I’m hoping when Amazon allows library lending it will not require people to have a computer with ADE.
Abby said on 05.27.11 at 06:27 AM • [link]
Amber- Thank you so much for sharing that. Even though I know this is how many men feel about women, women’s bodies, and rape, I am somehow surprised every time I hear about these kinds of comments. It’s sickening, but the word MUST be spread.
Ash said on 05.27.11 at 03:54 PM • [link]
Oh, as much love as I have for the Bitchery I can’t handle this much of being so pissed off at rapists and Pete DeGraaf and elitists and Dorchester before 7am. It all just comes out an angry, muddled growl.
I guess you could just point me in a direction and leave them the victims of my Morning Breath. I hear tell it’s pretty epic.
Mary Beth Bass said on 05.27.11 at 04:27 PM • [link]
On Why Romance Matters, I’m printing out the paragraph from Kirkus and hanging it on my wall. Wow, awesome and lovely and it almost made me cry.
Karenmc said on 05.27.11 at 05:31 PM • [link]
I can leave work early today, so that means I have to get my morning round of websites in quickly. I start each day with DA/SBTB, then move on to TGTB, AAR and a few author blogs. Usually I’m in a pretty positive mood when I finish. Later I check out a political blog (which can negate the positive REAL fast, depending on how much of teh stupid is being reported) and HuffPo. All of that takes place between long bouts of working my butt off.
maybeimamazed02 said on 05.27.11 at 06:09 PM • [link]
Even those of us WITH ereaders can’t afford to buy every ebook we want. I have a Nook, but I used part of my tax refund to buy it. I can maybe buy a few books on payday, but that is it. And I read very fast (part of the reason I invested in an ereader).
Most of my reading comes from the Free Friday ebooks (most of which are good!) and from library ebooks. The Chicago Public Library has a nice selection. When it comes to print/DVDs/CDs, however, they have almost EVERYTHING, and will deliver whatever you want to any branch in the city. And that is wonderful!
Kerry Allen said on 05.27.11 at 07:20 PM • [link]
A friend of mine made what she swears was a typo: “Douchester House.”
I thought it was both appropriate and catchy.
Ann G said on 05.27.11 at 11:45 PM • [link]
Today I’m reading THE LADY MOST LIKELY ....by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway. I’ll go back to reading MOST EAGERLY YOURS by Allison Chase afterward.
Ann G said on 05.27.11 at 11:58 PM • [link]
On E-readers: I have a Kindle, and I love it, but so far my library system doesn’t support Kindle books. I’ve heard that 11,000 library systems will be handing Kindle books, but I haven’t heard yet if my local library will carry them. I am happy that there are plenty of free and inexpensive e-books, but I have to budget in my e-book purchases.
Cialina said on 05.31.11 at 06:46 PM • [link]
Awesome links! Thanks for sharing. Librarians made a great point about ebooks!
L. Rain said on 06.01.11 at 06:07 PM • [link]
I can’t get Dorchester to pay me for a story the Media Division contracted for over a year ago. It’s so disappointing. I had really liked writing for them.
L. Rain said on 06.01.11 at 06:10 PM • [link]
Oh—I’m sampling Regencies, and today I’m reading Jo Beverley’s An Arranged Marriage.
L.
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