Derek Raymond Still Lives

December 16, 2009

The Rap Sheet continues its series on Derek Raymond.

The Book You Have to Read: “He Died with His Eyes Open,” by Derek Raymond by writer Tony Black

I arrived at the genius of Derek Raymond too late. But, as the adage goes, better late than never. If memory serves, I’d been struggling with a reading slump. One of those dispiriting patches where nothing I picked up seemed to be what I wanted to read. Everything was too wordy, too writerly, or the voice grated, the story took too long to start, the prose lacked sparkle. I turned to the recommendations of well-meaning friends but struggled to get past the first few pages of anything I picked up. I couldn’t re-read, either. Even old favorites seemed unappealing. The printed word was dead to me.

The Book You Have to Read: “The Devil’s Home on Leave,” by Derek Raymond by writer John Harvey

He knows how to get you, Derek/Robin; knows how to pull you in.

There are days I sit here resenting every minute I’m not instead re-reading Derek Raymond’s books.

Previously here:

Derek Raymond Is Your Year-End Reading


Quote Of The Day: Writer Moxie Mezcal

December 16, 2009

Moxie Mezcal Interview

I’m going on record as saying I hate hardcovers. I mean, sure there’s probably some archival value to it, and maybe you need a sturdier binding for something like the Oxford English Dictionary, but other than it – there’s no reason you’re making me pay $30 for the fucking hardcover for new releases. Just give me the cheap paperback and the ebook right away, you godless-fucking-swine.

There is more awareness in this interview than any others I’ve seen with writers lately. And it’s infected throughout with great stuff I could quote. Go read.

Moxie Mezcal website
And read her Guerilla Fiction Manifesto there!

Previously here:

Edgar Allan Poe Knew The Score In The 1800s!
What Publishing Fears: The John Galt Maneuver
Writing Quote Of The Year: Paul Witcover
She Who Measures
Writer Peter Watts Beaten, Arrested
The Invisibles
Book Publishing Thinks It’s A Darwin Exception!
eGether Is The Future Of Book Marketing
Writer Eddie Wright: Broken Bulbs
Quote: Writer Moriah Jovan
Quote Of The Day: Kathy Sierra
How It All Works
YOUR Creation, YOUR Work, YOUR Art
For Writers Only
Twilight Of The Suit System
Writer Declan Burke: A Sad Post
Quote Of The Day: Jenn Topper
And Just Who Are You?
The D In DIY
Think And Grow … Um, What?
DIY Does Not Mean Do It FREE
Writers: DIY Or Die!
Curation: A Dead Idea Of Dead Thinking
Quote Of The Day: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
Because.
Writer Jason Pinter On What Matters
Keeper Quotes
Why Read?
The Amanda Fucking Palmer Effect
Who Stole The Audience?
Prominence Versus Influence
Pay The Artist!
TV’s Bonanza: With Charles Dickens
A Contrast In Scale
Advice Too Good To Lose


Video: Writer Eddie Wright

December 16, 2009

See him reading chapter one from the above after the break.

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Sony: How Can An eBook Go Missing?

December 16, 2009

A retweet popped up today re-announcing Sony’s rechristening of its eBook store to the Reader Store.

Why am I always baited like this?

Naturally, I go to investigate. This is my curse in life: curiosity.

I go look up Ken Bruen, because he’s a writer I like and I noticed earlier that the number of books of his carried by Sony is inexcusably low.

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When Real Life Intrudes On eInk Dreams

December 16, 2009


IDPF Screws Up ePub eBook Covers For Everyone!

December 16, 2009

In an earlier post, Barnes & Noble Nook Vs. Archos 5 Internet Tablet: Round Two, I closed with this:

One flaw in that video: Aldiko did not create a thumbnail of the cover; it’s using a generic placeholder. I will ask about that and report back.

I doubt anyone but me would have even noticed that. But I did and it bugged me.

I had to know what was going on here.

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