Bears and Bearish
Sunday, January 8th, 2012 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniI think that I may not have mentioned here that there's a "new" eChapbook up at the Nook and Kindle stores* -- a single story entitled "The Day They Brought the Bears to Belfast," by Sharon Lee. This story is a reprint; if you have the SRM paper-book Double Vision, you have this story in your possession.
An interesting factoid about this particular story, which was written, it says here, in 2002, is that it was the first story we ever offered on the read-it-and-donate-if-you-like-it model. I believe it earned a hundred dollars over the four or five months that it was on the web -- less than a penny a word, with less than a fifth of the people who read it (based on page hits -- yes, yes: I know, but that's what it's based on) donating.
I considered the experiment to have delivered mixed results. On the one hand, some people had read the story (more, indeed, than would have read the story had I tried to sell it to a magazine, since magazines pretty much don't buy our-or-my stories, and by 2002 I had long since stopped submitting), and some of those had liked it enough to donate. That total donations hadn't been at the then-pro rate of $0.03/word was. . .disappointing.
Another interesting factoid about "...Bears..." is that it is, of course, a True Story. But it's also a true story about the First Annual Belfast Bearfest, in Belfast, Maine. While everything didn't happen Exactly as I Wrote It -- that's the True Story part -- the fact of the Bearfast is true, and some of the bears described in the story were indeed on the streets of Belfast, to the delight of visitors, though, as it came about, not to the delight of all the residents/business owners, some of whom deemed the whole business "undignified."
Steve and I came to the Bears by accident. My brother-in-law and his wife were just completing their annual trip to Maine, and wanted to meet us for lunch and catch-up before they took off back south, for home. Based on where they were and where we were, we decided that Belfast made the most sense as a meet-point.
And so we went, all unaware of Bears.
Our first inkling that Something Was Up, was as we entered town. A strangely shaped shadow drew my eye upward, and there! just over the telephone wires! Was a bear! in a bi-plane!
I pointed, but just then Steve, who was driving said, "Look! There's a bear on a bicycle!"
There were also lots of people afoot, cameras in play, so our progress down Main Street was slow enough that we got to see quite a number of Bears before arriving at the town landing, the Weathervane, and our highly-bemused relatives.
"Did you know. . .THEY were going to be here?" my sister-in-law asked, pointing at a leather-jacketed bear wearing a rocket-pack.
"No," I said, "but I'm glad they are."
I may have mentioned that we are without fail to turn in Dragon Ship before we leave for Chattacon. We are, indeed, Very Nearly Finished the book, and I'm really, really looking forward to getting it onto somebody else's desk so that I Never Have To Look At It Again (cue laugh track).
Faithful auditors of this journal will recall that on Monday I thought it would be fun to roll down an icy hill and sprain my ankle. I did this thing (so that you! don't! have! to!) and may reliably report that it isn't nearly as much fun as you might think. Especially the sprained ankle part, which means a more-or-less permanent residence on the couch, bad leg elevated, while I type on the Leewit.
Now, I adore the Leewit; she's light and portable and I can type rough drafts and blog entries on her all day long without hearing a word of complaint. What she's no good for at all, however, is doing the last-draft cut-n-pastes, scene rearrangements, and the inevitable etcetera.
Yesterday, Steve gave his Scene to me. I redlined it whilst reclining on the couch, then, after lunch, I went back to my office, the big screen, and the full-sized keyboard, and keyed in the revisions. I did not ignore my ankle; I propped it up on a paper box underneath the desk. And then I went to work for a couple hours.
This proved to be an error. The ankle swelled up again; the pain, which had backed down, returned with a vengeance, resulting in a very bad night, and? I still have work to do that must be done at the big desk (The Big Desk), so that's where I'll be, after lunch.
Who said being a writer wasn't risky and dangerous?
January 16 -- Dragon Ship (due November 15) turn in
January 17 -- leave for ChattaCon
February 15 -- tax stuff due to accountant
February 17 -- leave for Boskone
March 9 -- talk at Limestone Magnet School
March 15 -- Necessity's Child (due January 15) turn in
March 20? -- turn in short story for Baen website
April 5 -- talk at Rockland Public Library
May 15 -- Trade Secret (due March 15) turn in
May 22-ish -- leave for ConQuesT
. . .we've just been asked by a colleague to participate in a project; not sure of the deadline for that, yet. Plus, we intend more stories for Splinter Universe, and we're still kicking around the idea of a Kickstarter Project -- obviously, that'll be something for the second half of the year.
Well. All I can say is that quitting the day-job was an Inspired Move; I honestly don't know where I'd fit it in.
_______________
*Coming eventually to Smashthing -- note the word "eventually." The Smashwords translation process is. . .I think "cumbersome and picky" is not an unfair assessment. . .compared to those for Kindle and Nook, which is why the Smashwords edition always goes up last. . .and is sometimes, as now, Very Tardy.
For those paper-oriented folks -- yes, we're still trying to crack the paper book nut; no, we don't have a solution yet; and, unfortunately (see schedule above) don't know when we might have a solution. There are only so many things we can fit around the edges of edges of other things.
Thank you for your patience.
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no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 11:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 06:42 pm (UTC)(Lee won't let me redesign hers. I.Don't.Know.Why. *looks innocent*)
2. I too am handing in a book on the 15th. I think Rachel is, too (or thereabouts). The GoHs may be small, incoherent puddles....
no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 11:34 pm (UTC)We have alerted the con to the possibility of needing a wheelchair. I'd really rather not, yanno?
(Lee won't let me redesign hers. I.Don't.Know.Why. *looks innocent*)
Won't she? What a
wise and sagacioussuspicious woman she is!If it turns out I need the wheelchair, sure, you can decorate it. If you embarrass me, I know where you live.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 06:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 11:36 pm (UTC)I want to put our stuff up there as an alternative to the Big Guys and for folks who want formats Other Than the ones used by the Big Guys, but, yeah, lots of extra work.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 08:21 pm (UTC)You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go out to Belfast today
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their Bearfest.
Bearfest time for teddy bears,
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them Bearfest on their holiday.
Bike bears, Biplane flying bears.
A leather jacket bear
That looks like a Rocketeer.
At six o'clock their mommies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears.
If you go out to Belfast today,
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely out in Belfast today,
But safer to stay at home.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their Bearfest
Bearfest time for teddy bears,
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them Bearfest on their holiday.
Bike bears, Biplane flying bears.
A leather jacket bear
That looks like a Rocketeer.
At six o'clock their mommies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears.
Every teddy bear, that's been good
Is sure of a treat today
There's lots of wonderful things to eat
And wonderful games to play
Along the streets, where everyone sees
They'll pose and preen as long as they please
Today's the day the teddy bears have their Bearfest
Bearfest time for teddy bears,
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them Bearfest on their holiday.
Bike bears, Biplane flying bears.
A leather jacket bear
That looks like a Rocketeer.
At six o'clock their mommies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 10:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 10:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-08 11:37 pm (UTC)Smashthing
Date: 2012-01-09 12:21 am (UTC)The Ankle; Misc
Date: 2012-01-09 03:52 am (UTC)The Ankle: If you can find a recommended massage therapist that would be good. Perhaps your Doctor will recommend physical therapy.
The Schedule: seems very full. It's nice to be busy as they say....
Thank you very much for taking into consideration the feelings of those who are still reading on paper. I saw from a distance what was declared by my friend to be a Kindle Fire at the orthopedic surgeon's office. Looked very impressive. Many tablets are now appearing. We also went by an I Pad in Starbucks.
C.
Writer aid
Date: 2012-01-09 04:35 am (UTC)Dan
Good excuse for hardware upgrade
Date: 2012-01-09 06:23 am (UTC)Bad ankle sprains take time to recover, and need to be treated gently until they do or they swell up and have a relapse. Please, we want Dragon Ship, but we really want you to recover.
Another thank-you for the effort you put into Smashwords
Date: 2012-01-09 11:41 am (UTC)On the other hand, I'm perfectly willing to wait until your overful schedule has time to tackle it, maybe in the second half of the year?
Please take care of yourselves, regarding both the ankle and the overload. Staying healthy is more important than self-imposed deadlines.
Hanneke