Future of Books

Interesting editorial on future of ebooks, which essentially argues that by 2015, ebooks will be the dominant format for publishing.

One sign of the times is NYTimes decision to start e-book best seller list.

Judith Giggs Disaster....

Excellent blog posting at "Online Journalism Blog" on "What Judith Giggs should have done....

I note particularly Giggs' failed attempt at apology: "I did apologise to Monica via email, but aparently [sic] it wasnt enough for her,” she wrote, before saying “You did find a way to get your “pound of flesh…" which observers correctly pointed out was a fine example of "blaming the victim" and "compounded the situation and merely confirmed Judith’s misunderstanding of the anger directed at her." As I stated in my previous post, Giggs likely sees herself as the hapless victim here of people who just don't understand...rather than being chagrined for being caught out as an idiot and thief...

See also Kathy E Gill detailed timeline on the disaster. Fascinating stuff!

Plagiarism in the 21st Century

Fascinating watching viral firestorm explode around editor of Cooks Source Magazine today for telling an author who had complained about Cook's Source plagiarizing her article and for saying that everything on the web was public domain and the author should be paying her for editing and reprinting it. Within hours of the author's original posting of excerpts from the editor's email, thousands of writers were decrying the plagiarism on Facebook and Twitter and various author listserves, with the result that Cooks Source Magazine came under intense scrutiny, which in turn result in many more allegations of plagiarism (including that the site had taken material from a Disney site -- certain suicide if they didn't have paid permission!), which exploded into even more media attention, leading to an email campaign to the Cook's Source's advertizers, which naturally lead to said advertizers withdrawing their ads from the website etc etc etc. Not sure where Cook's Source will be tomorrow, but definitely on a downward spiral, so general prognosis is crash and burn for editor and publication....

But I not sure this is the end of her.... this sort of fraudster tends to crop
up again with another project/website a few months later. They are too
stupid*, too arrogant*, too self-absorbed to really get why other people are
complaining. I'm sure she sees herself as the hapless victim of a mean
spirited, unprofessional writer who stirred up an angry mob against her for
no reason; that all these emails (I doubt she is looking at the Facebook commentary and comments, Twitter etc) are just from people who "don't get it", outsiders
who don't understand the publishing business. It will be business as usual
at her next stop, because the business to her is selling advertizing and
finding suitable content on the web -- I'm sure she saw herself as providing
a valuable service for her readers by gathering content from all over and
presenting it conveniently in one spot. Writers should be flattered that she
chose to reprint their stuff. The idea that a writer should be paid for
content is self-evidently stupid to her. If you didn't want her to print
your stuff, why post it on the web where she could get it so easily?

Most of my students/colleagues get that stealing writing from the web is
wrong, because that represents someone else's work. But almost all of them
routinely download art without a second thought. Because, well, how else
would they illustrate their powerpoints or whatever? Because they themselves
can write, they recognize that writing is work and valuable. But when it
comes to art, since they can't do it, they think it is okay to take if off
Google images, because, you know, it's on the web. So while many of us are
incredulous over the attitudes of this editor, I don't have to look very far
to find other examples of such ignorance, arrogance, and thievery....

See some of the coverage at: http://howpublishingreallyworks.com/?p=3450

Original post that started it all.

(*I don't use the words 'stupid' and 'arrogant' here without some basis: see the editor's original email comments to the initial complainant. Outstanding example of ignorance and arrogance....)

New Scientist Flash Fiction contest

New Scientist says: Send us your very short stories about futures
that never were. Tell us where we'd be today if the ether had turned out to
exist after all, or if light really was made up of corpuscles emitted by the
eyes. You don't have to be scientifically accurate, but the more convincing
your story, the more likely it is to win!


Your story should be no more than 350 words long, including the title - do
watch your word count, we hate having to disqualify good competition entries
because they're just a bit too long - and should not have previously been
published anywhere else. Only one entry per person, please.

Details at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19561-flash-fiction-competition-2010-forgotten-futures.html

Victoria Strauss on Plagiarism

Interesting post on Plagiarism at Writer Beware. Aside from identifying a particular individual said to be a plagiarist, a very balanced commentary on how rare it is, and how to protect yourself.

New Canadian SF market/publication

The Canadian Science Fiction Review is a new e-pub. Worth a look, either as a reader or potential contributor. Early days yet, so hard to judge staying power and so on, but always good to see new outlet for Canadian content.

The website was spectacularly slow when I accessed it Friday night, but maybe they had huge volume as the issue launched, eh?

Submission guidelines say they pay 6 cents for fiction, $20-30 for short non-fiction. Canadians citizens or residents only at this time. Have a look!

Edge Publishing celebrating first decade

Grab your goggles and gear and join them November 20th at 6:30 pm to celebrate EDGE's first decade of publishing quality speculative fiction, fantasy and horror.

Dress in a steampunk costume (optional) and enjoy an enchanting evening of:

Madcap Music and Magic:
With slide guitar virtuoso Ellen McIlwaine.
Parlor prestidigitations by Richard (the magician) Rondeau.
Experience the amazing balloon sculptures of Big D. Wilson.

Tomes and Trivia:
The pseudo-Victorian parlor game that doles out trinkets, trophies, and tea.

Ripped from the Pages:
Listen to a smattering of our new books - read by the actors of Gas & Light Productions.
Attend a command performance of poet Christian Bök.
Enjoy the story telling tales of Lana Skauge and Tom Doyle.

Munching and Crunching:
Finger food for everyone.
Enjoy the latest in steampunk libations from the mad scientists in the EDGE lab.
Be certain to try our special EDGE elixir!

Costume Capers:
Secret judges will declare (at evening's end) the Lord and Lady of the Steampunk Social.

Fun for all:
Get photographed in your costume - steampunk accessories provided!

This celebration takes place in Calgary's historical Aeronautical Space Museum (4629 McCall Way NE, Calgary) on November 20th. Doors open at 6:30 pm with wandering entertainment, and light refreshments. Performance parlor shows begin at 7:30 pm.

Please RSVP by emailing events@hadespublications.com, or by calling EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing at 403-254-0160.

For further information please contact:
Janice Shoults
Marketing and Events
EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
events@hadespublications.com
www.edgewebsite.com