I'm not sure of the date when this was posted, but author Jackie Collins discusses self-publishing openly on her blog and gives a few basic, valid reasons on why she decided to do this. Many of which are the same reasons smaller authors like me decided to self-publish as well.
There's a new term going around in publishing about authors who both self-publish and get published with publishing companies...Hybrid Author. Frankly, I'm relieved to see this because one of my biggest worries when I decided to self-publish was that publishers wouldn't like it. And while I'm sure there are some publishers who don't like to see authors self-publish anything, when big authors like Jackie Collins become Hybrid Authors it makes things a little easier for the rest of us small authors.
First, I have fantastic relationships with my two publishers, Simon & Schuster UK and St. Martin’s Press US. No juicy story about a tiff or spat between us—we’re good. I’m currently writing my 29th book “The Power Trip,” and it will be published by both companies, respectively.
But times are changing, and technology is changing, so I wanted to experiment with this growing trend of self-publishing.
That last sentence is about as honest as you can get. And sometimes it really is that simple. You can read more here. And if you haven't read The Bitch, shame on you.
Google Glass Wearable Technology
Speaking of technology, I'm getting more excited each time I read something new about Google Glass. I've posted about it before (can't find the link), and here's something else I found recently.
Glass could be all or some of the above. But at this point, it's a technology demo that costs $1,500. The current iteration is aptly called the Explorer edition because that's what Google is doing with the fancy eyewear -- going where others have not gone before commercially.
If this is the future, and I think it is, I want one of these. I would imagine the price will come down and like everything else there will be other versions. But I think this would be the ultimate experience to date. According to this article at CNET the concept seems to be getting a good deal of support.
Frank Bruni on Jason Collins Coming Out
I think the world at large mentioned something about Jason Collins coming out of the closet this week, and Frank Bruni wrote an excellent op-ed piece for the NYT on the topic...plus a few of his thoughts on coming out in general.
I know this from my in-box, where some readers routinely tell me that they’d be less bothered by homosexuals if we’d just please shut up about it.
Many of us want to, and will: when a gay, lesbian or transgendered kid isn’t at special risk of being brutalized or committing suicide. When the federal government outlaws discrimination against people based on sexual orientation, which it still hasn’t done.
That's what we've all been trying to say for a long time, and there's not much more I can add to that except for one thing. We need to eliminate the shame factor. Because that's what's keeping so many closeted gay men riddled with guilt and terrified to do what Jason Collins did. This shame is always the one fundamental theme I get in letters from gay men who have not come out of the closet. This brand of shame comes from all angles, too, from the coach in college who calls his players fags to the kids on the playground who torment and bully the one little boy who carries his books "like a girl."
And when we can finally eliminate the shame that has always been so highly associated with being gay that will eliminate the self-loathing associated with so many gay people and put an end to the desperate need some gay people have to hide who they are. When guys like Jason Collins come out, and make history for the LGBT community, it's one step closer to less of the shame that has always been associated with being gay.
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