We are off to an unconscionably early morning meeting and, while we’d prefer to hang out with our blog, have no time. Let us just say the husband has started wielding an iron and asking questions about how it works. Like we’d know. Thus we leave you with an article to ponder. There will be an essay test later. Curiously unsatisfied with the idea that being a successful novelist requires the ability to write books that a consistently large number of people are prepared to buy, jaded scribblers search instead for an explanation that will permit them to retreat with […]

Yeah, we’re in a picture sort of mood this morning. We should be back to normal soon. Doonesbury, Monday, August 29

Have you been spammed by Bookman Marketing LLC? If not, it’s only a matter of time. The proprieter, one Brien Jones, apparently spends his days harvesting email addresses (based on our admittedly limited research, he trolls various websites; today’s spam was addressed to an address that has nothing to do with writing, via a website completely unrelated to writing and/or publishing). Mr. Jones seems to think he can help you! He can’t. He’s obviously clueless, not to mention irritating, not only because he’s indiscriminate in his spamming but because he believes Bookman Marketing is the only company in the publishing

Hmm, let’s see, one hand you have a product that dominates a certain market. On the other, not so much. You, a business, decide to utilize a particular technology to provide your services to your customers. It makes perfect sense that you would choose the less popular, less ubiquitous platform to deliver your goods. After all, you don’t mind setting yourself up for failure. Librarians say they had little interest in audiobook downloads just a few years ago, but they have since noticed what everyone else has: the ubiquity of people sporting earbuds on streets, buses and malls. Nearly 28

Yesterday, we observed an interesting conversation about text messaging (observed because we, alas, do not play this game). One person lamented the fact that text messaging isn’t a true American sport; another noted that texting is great, something to do in those moments between breaths; and, yet another declared that a text message is like an email — it’s not necessary to respond in real time. The key component here is that each person accepted that text messages to their cell phones are a given. Now, as promised, more and more advertising is being done to cell phones. Sure, it’s