On Writing: This book...

has just decided to leap joyously out of control in the very last chapter, requiring me to go back and input an entire damn subplot throughout said book.


Which of course makes perfect sense and will wind itself seamlessly (we hope) into the exisiting plots like yet another green vine on the jungle-tree, but DAMN it's annoying to come to the last line in the book and have my muse poke me hard with the DUH! Oh course! stick.



Short stories, like dogs, are so much easier to train.

on chutzpah

I got a mass-mailed e-letter tonight, that says, pretty much in toto:


"My new novel (title deleted to not promote the guilty) is now hitting bookstores, and I hope you'll help me spread the word by turning my books face-out on the shelves, asking your local library to order it, and mentioning it wherever you talk about books. I appreciate your support, and hope you're having a great summer."


1. This person is not a friend, a close acquaintance, or a former author or client of mine.
2. Facing books is something you expect of family and best-beloveds, not strangers/casual acquaintances. Especially strangers/acquaintances who have books of their own those shelves that also need facing.
3. Spamming someone to ask them to read your book is bad enough. Asking them to promote it (without sending them a copy, even) is... beyond tacky.



Lesson learned? 'k, then.