So apparently Publishers Weekly -- who I used to have quite a bit of respect for -- has decided to "embrace the self-publishing phenomenon" and create a "quarterly supplement announcing self-published titles and reviewing those we believe are most deserving of a critical assessment." But wait -- there's more!
This whole shebang costs you only $149! (You could buy a new Kindle for less than that.) Of course, some of the e-books submitted will be reviewed. It's not like you're paying to have your stuff reviewed. PW would never lower themselves to that, would they?
Ah, yes, well it's good to see that they haven't decided to sell out completely. After all, they are professional. Then again, this entire "supplement" is nothing more than a way to make self-published authors pay for ad space. And you know what that eerie voice in Kevin Costner's corn field says: "If you build it, they will come." (Yes, yes, the actual quote is "he will come," but you get the idea.)
And, sadly, I guarantee self-published authors will come in droves with their wallets open.
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In other news, I've added a new widget to the sidebar of upcoming appearances for the Hint Fiction anthology's release. The Vroman's and McNally Jackson events I've mentioned already, but there will also be an event at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore in Philadelphia on Friday, November 19. I have also been asked to speak at the Morgantown Poets gathering on Thursday, December 16; this is in Morgantown, West Virgina for anyone close by. And there will most likely be something around my area on Monday, November 1st, but nothing has been decided yet. Once I get a full list of anthology contributors attending each event, I'll make an official announcement.
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The Los Angeles Review's fiction editor Stefanie Freele asked me to do a blog post for their website. I wrote a little something called "Our Best Work" and you can read it here.
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You're probably wondering why I'm blogging when I said I wouldn't be for awhile. Well, that Publishers Weekly thing really ticked me off for starters. Work on the Y.A. book is coming along nicely, and I'm on the downswing, really getting momentum, so it would make sense that I would have to put off writing for a few days. This Wednesday I'll be headed to Las Vegas; my brother-in-law is getting married so my wife and I will be there for a few days to attend, and I'm not about to take my laptop along with the intention of continuing to work on the book. I mean, I could take my laptop, but we all know I wouldn't get any writing done.
So ... yeah, that's about it. Hope everyone's doing well. I must now go rewatch The Hangover in anticipation for this week. I wonder if they have some kind of bus tour dedicated to the movie. It wouldn't surprise me if they did.