At least it is at BN. Not yet at Amazon. Why does it take them so long? The book was fine in epub format. I don't know what it really looks like in mobi. In the Kindle emulator the right hand margin disappeared. Again I find myself at a loss as to know how to fix that. If it's fine on my computer screen, and the Nook, then it's something more esoteric than I can get my mind around.
I had problems with uploading the zip file. If you open an html file in Calibre it *looks like* you are given a nice zip file, too. Don't believe it. I don't think the images are included. I don't know what's in there but I couldn't use it and had to revert to Open Office just because it's more predictable. Yeah it only took me 90 min. instead of a whole morning or whatever.
I'm not done with the work involved. I still need to add promo pieces to the other books and then upload the changed documents. So more hassle with zip files.
Why zip? Because if you include images, kindle requires a zip file.
I got a 2 star review on Not Low Maintenance call it yesterday. I think several things are in operation. We are now very accustomed to being on the internet and pretty much able to get to anyone. There are forums galore where we can comment on everything. Anonymously. Without fear of repercussion. This coupled with a general meanness, gives people the idea they can or should say anything they damn well please as if there is wisdom attached to their random notions.
Look at me! Look at ME!
It's mostly a form of attention seeking. Sure there are plenty of reviews that are an attempt to help people. I was reading vacuum reviews yesterday and some are very informative. But as for the poor reviews books garner (yes, I went around reading reviews on other people's books yesterday, too) I can't now guess what psychology they spring from. Sad people.
Apparently the bad review NLM got hasn't impacted sales all that much because on Monday it sold 244 copies and today it's 196. Which I suppose is significant if you're talking about going from 0 to 50 but it's just not that significant when it's selling 150 copies a day and it's still #2 and #3.
I'm not done talking about reviews, though (you hoped!). No, because the comments are not astute literary criticism, they're just petty personal reactions basically saying "I'm not pleased with the way you did this. In fact, I'm damned irritated and I'm going to get you for it."
Writing, however bastardized it is at the moment, is still an art. Yes, there is skill involved. Technique, intelligence and knowledge. Writers sit down and make artistic choices. For whatever reasons they have, this is what they want to say. It's art not computer programming.
As I said yesterday, if I comment on someone's work, I don't set about to rewrite it. I try to spot where they may have gone wrong structurally or dramatically. I don't give two hoots and a holler about their specific choices. If I say something I'm prepared to defend it in a logical way based not on my emotions but on the reality of storytelling.
The way things are set up now, writers and their books are like the clown dunking tank at the carnival. Everyone takes pot shots at you and you can't respond. No wonder Caleb Carr went nuts at Amazon creating a sock puppet to defend his book.
So this woman didn't like the end. I guess Joel and Viva together at the end, however predictable that is, is what she required. I didn't want to do that. I don't think like that. This is what I chose. Or was it more of the end, like Act 3 as the end? Was it what happened to David? Was it what happened afterward? What about the "end" bothered this woman so grievously?
Okay so she hated it. What about all the Jews in the book? This was a drawback for traditional publishing and yet readers don't seem to notice. No one says anything about that.
These are not interactive novels. You don't get to choose your own ending. If you want to choose your own ending, write your own book.
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