I can climb the highest mountain; I can cross the widest sea

[rolanni]

No checks in today's mail, either.

Well.

*looks at pile of bills on desk*

This is going to be interesting.

#

Moving on -- Answers to questions from the Roll Call!

*Sword of Orion was written as a work for hire -- that means the publisher owns the copyright, the ideas, and the characters. The publisher went out of business after releasing the first books in about six series, one of which was the Sword of Orion series.  Therefore!  No more Sword of Orion stories.

*Er, no, I actually wouldn't move to Liad, if I could.  For one thing, as a non-Liaden, I would be beneath most people's notice, not to say contempt, except if I managed to insult somebody, which the odds are good that I'd do so within ten minutes of achieving the Port.  I'd rather go someplace where my life expectancy would be longer than ten minutes.

*The Gathering Edge will not be published until May 2017, that is correct.  In the larger scheme of things in publishing, that's really hardly any time at all.  No, I'm afraid we can't write much faster than we already do.

#

Today, I learned things.

I learned that orange sticks (aka "cuticle shapers") are now made out of plastic.  They used to be made out of orange wood, but apparently not anymore.

I learned that I can prop my tablet up on the little ledge built into the treadmill at the gym and read as I walk.  And! I don't have to worry about walking into a wall, when I do.

I learned that Microsoft thinks that a $1,000 tablet can "replace" my laptop, which costs 1/3 of that amount.  Research indicates that it does neither the dishes nor laundry, so I fail to see the advantage.

I also learned that my fingers -- my fingers, not my wrists, which is usually the case -- apparently took a beating yesterday, and if I'm a Schmott Guy, which really isn't the way to bet, I'll give them a break today.

#

Do I have any Hollywood historians here, or perhaps a Mae West aficionado?  I was wondering if she actually needed the stick she often had with her, or if it was only a fashion accessory.

#

Don't forget that Steve and I will be at Flights of Fantasy in Albany, New York on Tuesday, July 5 to celebrate Alliance of Equals' book day!  Be there or be somewhere else!

#

In other news, I wrote about 2,200 words yesterday, for a net gain to the manuscript of. . .33 words.  I think that we are now at an end of Backward Growth, and will be proceeding from here on in a forwarder direction.

You heard it here, first.

#

Progress on Book the Next
36,569/100,000 words OR 36.57% complete

"I believe it wished me to know that Theo might be in a pickle."

Miri snorted a half-laugh, and he smiled.

"Yes," he said.  "Precisely so."

Today's blog title comes to you courtesy of Mr. John Parr, "St. Elmo's Fire/Man in Motion".  Here's your link.

Comments

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Turkeys out the window?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Not that I saw. I believe she was watching the wind, but, yanno -- I'm not a cat.

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

In general, when the publisher of a work for hire goes out of business, do the rights revert to the author, or if not, who holds them?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

No. We had no rights to the story, we only wrote the story, under contract, with input from the publisher, which owned the copyright/characters/plot/all, all, everything. Think "contractor." If Microsoft goes out of business, the rights and profits to its software *do not* devolve to their millions of contractor/employees.

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

Ah - that clears it up. I always wondered about that situation.

[thewol.livejournal.com]

In re: Mae West, she was rather short (only 5 feet tall), and wished to appear taller, so wore custom made, 8-inch platform shoes. Walking on same was the reason for her distinctive (and while we have to walk this way anyway because of the shoes, let's do it as provocatively as possible) sauntering walk. The stick may have been a balancing accessory. See Here. (https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/new-museum-takes-step-mae-west%E2%80%99s-shoes)

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Now, I didn't know any of that. Thank you!

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit bemused still about the cheque system. Does anyone know the reason it's still so strong in the USA rather than direct deposits into bank accounts?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

My last two day-jobs paid me a day early if I took direct deposit.

In the case of publishing checks -- we have an agent. Who takes 15% off the top of anything we make. Therefore, the check from the publisher goes to the agent, who deposits it and waits a few days to make sure it doesn't bounce, then mails us a check (or, if the person who routinely makes out the checks is on a month vacation, doesn't mail us a check).

To further complicate matters, we are one of several authors publishing with the same house who are represented by our agency. The publisher therefore, sends One! Big! Check! and a wodge of paper, which are the earnings statements for each book being sold by the publisher for each author, to the agency. Who then separates, sorts, writes individual checks, and mails.

You're right that it's an archaic system, but I'm not sure how to bring it into the 21st Century. Possibly our agent could do a direct deposit, once the publisher's check has cleared and email our accounts to us, but it probably seems just as easy to do it all manually.

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

I suppose so. That does clarify somewhat. Though if your postal rates are going up as fast as ours is it may reach a point where it's significantly cheaper to do it via direct deposit. (I know that my online account lets me save information for people or businesses I regularly pay money to so I don't have to remember or look up what their details are every time)

[malkingrey.livejournal.com]

No checks in today's mail, either.

Well.

*looks at pile of bills on desk*

This is going to be interesting.

I hear you. Oh, lord, do I hear you. I'm currently waiting at the bus stop for an arriving check myself, also in the company of several eager and hungry bills.

[gerald heaton (from livejournal.com)]

"The check is in the mail"
One of the oldest untruths since "honest politician"
Right up there next to "Yes, I'll respect you (still love you) in the morning."

As a person who does "direct deposit" for several of my payroll people, I can tell you it is a PITA sometimes.
Their bank has to allow "out sourced" (as opposed to "in House" access to the paying account(s) (and lately that is becoming more and more a REAL PITA)

No, the Macrohard surface doesn't do the dishes, etc.
Some times it doesn't do the computing either.
And that flimsy detachable keyboard???? "nuf said.

And Missouri is MO (Say what?) and Mississippi is MS (I think) and Michagen is MI (maybe), and add Minnesota (MN) No wonder the mail is FUBAR.