If this had happened to me (never would, I DO write my own stuff, such as it is)...
"What?? That no-good, nasty, evil ghostwriter I hired did WHAT??? I'm SO sorry, there's been a terrible mistake and I'm going to fix it right away! I really hope no one thinks I did that on purpose, because it was just a mistake. Although I've never read any of David Gemmel's works, I apologize to Mr. Gemmel's family and please be assured that it was a grevious error that I deeply regret."
See how much better that is, as opposed to "I've done nothing wrong and you're all a bunch of nuts and I'm disabled, don't blame me"?
Again, right way and wrong way. Right way keeps your dignity and some respect.
I used Lulu for a family history book last year. As long as you can format the book to .pdf, you're golden.
No contract, no minimums, no fuss. Perfect for such things as family histories and recipe books and the like.
Ian...punctuation helps us to understand you more clearly, that's all. Read about the panda who eats, shoots, and leaves if you don't believe me.
You could have Lanaia post a public apology on her website. I think that would do.
And if you're 'not qualified', why did you even say it??? Just wondering.
Yeah, Cheryl, that apology was lame.
I mean, I agree with whoever said you need to own up to the mistake, and do it graciously.
There should be NO evidence of that passage on the website, an apololgy to David's family and brief explanation should be in it's place. You apologize profusely and explain how you made a grevious error and will use this as a learning experience and how you hope it will make you a stronger person and a better writer. (see, I went and did all the hard work, where's MY $400??)
I would also consider writing a formal apology to the newspaper who did the original interview, pehaps offering to explain your side of the story, before they get a hold of it and do a nasty expose piece. You made them look foolish, and they won't forget it.
What you don't do is threaten people. Jane is welcome to post what she likes in this case, you have no basis for suit, especially since what she posted was the truth.
There are right ways to do this, and wrong ways, and guess which road you took?
Just my bit of advice for you. Free of charge.
Dear Dog. What a fiasco. See, now if it were me, I'd be shocked and horrified and outraged when I realized what my ghostwriter had done. Of course, I might have googled the opening line, just to be sure. Then again, maybe not.
I wouldn't be defensive and throwing around baseless threats of legal action. Apparently Cheryl went to the PA/BB school of law. Dragoons!
It's really such a shame to see two people so obviously clueless about publishing trying to have an argument with those who do.
Really, Cheryl... Xlibris AND PA??? And you really think you know about publishing?? You take MONEY from people to hook them up with vanity presses?
I'm sure we'll be seeing your name on one of Victoria and Ann's list in the near future.
And don't threaten people with magic. It makes you look foolish, and tells those of us who know how to use it properly that you...don't. Or else you'd never even consider such a thing for fear of it whiplashing back on you. Times three. Believe me, you don't want that.
I don't have the fortitude to slog through all four hundred odd comments. JKR has stated that Arthur Weasley is the character who got the reprieve. Not surprising - I always thought one of the parents would die. He was supposed to die in Book 5 when the snake bit him, but she rescued him at the last moment.
Also, she notes that Harry and Ron are now in the Auror Department, Harry being the head. Hermione is very high up in the Magical Law Enforcement Department.
Victoire is Bill and Fleur's oldest daughter (took me a couple of minutes to figure that one, then I remembered how much Fleur liked Victor Krum)
I cried over Dobby. the others just made me sad. Especially for George - how do you cope with losing your other half?
And poor Colin Creevey!
Knew Snape loved Lily. Knew it in Book 5. Also figured that was why he left the Death Eaters, Voldy went after Lily.
The Ron copying Parseltongue thing did seem a little forced to me - as did the Chamber of Secrets thing. How did they get out of there? When they went the first time, they held on to Fawkes' tail. You can't apparate inside Hogwarts, so how? It just seemed like she had written herself into a corner and used it to get out. Felt a little cheap.
Loved the rest of the book. Thought the whole locket making them feel strange was a bit too LOTR, but there you are.
A)I watched Katrina, like everyone else, fill up the Gulf of Mexico, for DAYS before it came ashore. There was time to prepare at least something. Even if you didn't know the levee was going to break, a catagory 5 hurricane is nothing to sneeze at, and yet...they did. There was no WAY you were getting out of the way of that thing, and not one agency warned people. What kind of crap IS that?
B) I specified the people that were supposed to protect the citizens. I realize not everyone could get away themselves, but the government agencies also stood by and did nothing. It was OBVIOUS it was going to be a huge storm, just from the satellite photos, and they did nothing to prepare.
C)I wasn't saying you should prepare last minute, but I wouldn't keep around a kit all the time either. If the weatherman said, 'oh, hey, see this storm way down here in Fla? There's a good chance it'll come our way.' I'd go and get ready. As opposed to tornadoes, where if I lived somewhere we had them, I'd probably be more prepared on a constant basis.
That's all, sorry for the confusion.
The thing about hurricanes is...you see them coming. Miles and DAYS away. Not saying you don't need to be prepared, if nothing else you should have a list ready to be filled, but hurricanes don't just pop out of nowhere and hit. Unlike tornados, which are much scarier, IMO. Tornadoes DO just jump out an bite ya.
People in the area where Katrina hit (and the government agencies that protect them) had almost five days to prepare. Whether they did or not, well... They still had the time.
We haven't had too many hurricanes hit here in NJ in the last few years. Floyd, in '99, was the last one, IIRC, that actually was still a hurricane when it got here. Oh, wait, no, there was one other, my sister fled Va. Beach to get away from it...but maybe it was only a tropical storm by the time it reached us.
Yes we had water in the basement and some snapped branches, but nothing terrible.
Gloria was the last really terrible one I can remember. But my memory isn't what it used to be.
As an amendment to the above sentiment...
Please make sure your children's car seats are installed properly and they are also buckled up.
There's nothing more heart wrenching than walking up on a scene where one half of the car is in the road, the other fifty yards away, and the child in the back had no carseat and is lying somewhere in between.
Now go hug your kids.
Wow. There's a special circle in hell for GWB. He really needs to meet my sisters ex-husband, who is also an idiot who wouldn't know a good idea if it hit in the balls.
I was never a huge Buffy fan. I watched an episode here and there, never a hardcore, can't miss it fan. Charmed was the series I devoured, from first to the last, eight seasons lagter. Still watch re-runs, though my hubby remids me often I've already seen them. I miss that show.
Yes, Buffy was occasionally an a-hole. Remember the movie (which I LOVED, btw): she was a perky cheerleader who wanted to "marry Christian Slater and die."
She never wanted to be a slayer; she was a spoiled brat. She occasionally reverted, I think.
Not to imply that HP doesn't have terrific characters. But SH is just less intense, and still has terrific characters.
You know what I mean.
I agree - Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville have many good 'reluctant reader' books. He might also like the Angie Sage 'Septimus Heap' books - they're like a step down from Harry Potter, but with terrific characters.
The "Butt" books and there's always Captain Underpants, which seem to be a hit with young boys, because, yanno butts that try to take over the world and toilet humor are funny when you're a ten year old boy.
I think bigger boys find them funny too...
The only problem with these sting manuscripts (or any showcase of terrible writing for that matter) is that they sometimes contain accdiental brilliance. Stuff that wouldn't be out of place in a good comedic novel.
"..he knew he couldn’t loose too much more blood without serious consequences that would require him to go to the hospital, maybe even the morgue."
This is dangerously close to a really good joke. I fear that it's the good writing showing through.
Bad, BAD writer! How dare she! :D Sorry, I guess I couldn't help it. It was the melodrama queen in me coming out. That and too many cheesy detective novels.
(thank you for the compliment)
that should be 'vanity if you buy one from them' meaning an ISBN
But lulu is honest. Sure, they're a printer if you have your own ISBN and a vanity if you buy from them, but they never claimed to be anything else.
PA is just so much... worse.
Hey, mebbye we should send one to old Babs, see if she offers representation.
...if you first use these editing servies...
Someone suggested "Crack of Atlanta"
I like that idea.
How about "Nights of Death" or "Atlanta Cracks".
How about going for the less than subtle "Three Stooges and a Floozy".
It was the color of chestnuts.
And I was sure they'd pick up on the misspelling of Twenty, I didn't want to push my luck.
:raises hand:
Yeah, that chapter was...mine.
Really.
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