Tuesday 25 January 2011

Questions For You ... Questions For Me? (caution: possible offensive content ahead)

I have a few questions for you:

1. Does abundant cursing in literature put you off reading the book? If so, why? 'Fuck', nowadays is used as much as 'hello'.
2. What do you think distinguishes between a real poem and just a bunch of flippin' sentences chopped up into different lines?
My name is Jessica
and I can write poetry.
How cool.
Look at this awesome
line break
I'm a genius!
3. Do you put pressure on yourself to read a specific number of books per year? If so, why? Isn't that unessesary stress? Man, isn't there enough of it in this life? Just enjoy reading your book, instead of reading it to start the next.
4. What makes you buy a fellow blogger's published book? Your friendship with the person, or the fact that you're actually interested in reading it? Honestly now, folks ... :o)

5. Do you shy away from buying books from Small Presses? If so, why? *tsk tsk* *slap slap*

So, I'm going to follow Candyland's suit and ask you, to ask me, anything you want to know. And tomorrow, I'll post the answers. Go on, embarrass me if yer like. Ah got tough skin ;o)


44 comments:

  1. 1- Hmm... I'm utterly indifferent to swearing- no that's not quite right, I welcome it provided that I am interested in the story and that it makes sense for the character.
    Gratuitous swearing is boring and it takes more that culturally frowned upon words to make a character edgy: actions speak louder than words.
    -
    2- Art is many things to many people.
    For me "poetry" is what differentiates chopped up lines from poems. Yeah, that's a cheat answer...

    Poetry is a form of expression, and the expression of a meaning, a concept, a feeling is essential...

    Prose poetry changes and blurs the lines of what is what.

    I'd be tempted to say that like art, poetry is what the poet claims it to be... But, of course, we the readers are there to label bad poetry as bad poetry. It's entirely subjective.
    -
    3- Nope, I only get a strong urge to read every book in a series when I start one... But that is another story. : p
    -
    4- I only buy books if I am really interested in reading it, I already have more books than I can read in my lifetime. Personal acquaintance with the author doesn't factor for me.
    -
    5- If I want a book, I go wherever I can to get it. Big, small, chain, indy... You got my fix, I'm your customer. : p
    --
    Question: what was that green thing that used to be next to your signature supposed to be? A photoshopped apple? A microscopic view of a spore?

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  2. This is great!

    1. I don't mind swearing. If it's severe I might be uncomfortable. Though that language is used a lot that doesn't mean I use it.

    2. Poetry is passion. I think if you find the beauty in it that's the difference.

    3. I'm not a numbers girl. I enjoy reading, if I put a count to it I lose the fun.

    4. I'm a huge blogger book buyer! If I love their blog I'll buy their book!!

    5. NEVER! I love books no matter what publisher! I just ordered Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner

    My question for you: What's your favorite condiment?

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  3. 1) Fuck no.

    2) This is hard to put into words. It's kind of like porn: I can't define it, but I know it when I see it. No offense, but your example is not poetry. I have, however, seen you write some that is.

    3) Nope. I usually read about 30 books a year without trying too hard, and I consider that plenty. I like long books and I like to savor them.

    4) Honestly, I haven't bought a single fellow blogger's book yet. Mostly I work people for ARCs, but - oh, I lied - I did buy Beth Revis' Across the Universe, and I bought Nightshade City, I forgot. I bought both of those because I actually want to read them. I'll be buying String Bridge as well this fall.

    5) No not at all, though honestly I'm sure I hear about good books from small presses less often. Not because they don't exist but because the marketing hype is not as big.

    So, a Candyland style question, huh? Hmm. Have you ever based a character in your writing on yourself or someone you know?

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  4. 1. I don't mind swearing in books. I talk like that, so reading it is second nature.

    2. I don't understand poetry and what makes something "poetry". I probably shouldn't have joined the Poetry Pact. LoL.

    3. NO. I wouldn't ever finish any books if I did that! When I'm inbetween projects, that's when I read. I generally inhale 5-10 books in a matter of weeks. Like right now, when I've already read two books since last Friday.

    4. Both. If I'm not "interested" in it, and they are my friend, I will probably still buy and read it. My interest stays primarily with romance, but I'll venture out. ;-)

    5. *ducks* Yes. I fear to explain.

    My question ... hmmm ... I'm not as clever as some, or funny as others, so I will ask:

    You have a bar of chocolate, a piece of copper wire, and a match, and you are locked in room. Your going to die in 20 minutes unless you can get out (and use all three items). What do you do?

    ~JD

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  5. 1. I think the fewer the curses, the higher the impact when they happen.

    2. I don't really "get" poetry, but I think it's all about the imagery. If you can invoke an idea in someone's head, then you've accomplished something.


    3. I heard that in your entire life you're only going to read 6,000 books total. Better get crackin'.

    4. I'll definitely buy if it's someone I know - but if the plot looks good, I'm there.

    5. This is one thing I'm happy to have the blogging community for. It gives me access to books I wouldn't have heard about. And hell yeah, I'll buy 'em.

    As for my question to you...

    If you could choose a penname for yourself, what would it be and why?

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  6. 1) I don't mind curse words, so long as they feel realistic to the character and the situation. If a high society woman in Regency England is throwing around 'fuck' every other sentence, it's going to make the whole thing feel fake to me.

    2) LOL, I know so little about poetry, I believe it's a poem because someone tells me it is.

    3) I don't stress about the number of books I read per week/year, but I do set a goal. Only because if I don't, when life gets busy I'll let it slip down the priority list. . .and my creative energy suffers as a result.

    4) If they're a friend, I'll buy it even if it's not a genre I'm particularly jazzed over. Otherwise, if they're just a fellow blogger I kinda sorta know, I have to be interested in reading it/hear good reviews.

    5) If I can buy the book in a store or on my Nook, I don't care what publisher/press releases it. But I def tend to shy away from SELF published books.

    Question: If an evil sorcerer was turning you into one of Alvin & The Chipmunks, whom would you rather be? Alvin, Simon or Theodore?

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  7. 1. Fuck no. ;)

    2. i have no idea, i've never given it much thought. However i LMAO at your poem

    3. i do, but i don't actually feel any pressure from it. If i fail, no biggie. It just helps to remind me that maybe i should read a book instead of watch Back to the Future on TNT for the 8th time that week

    4. friendship first. If i'm your pal, i'm buying your book. It may go onto the bottom of the TBR pile, but i'll get to it some day

    5. Yes. I've had some bad experiences with small press reads, so it's based purely on past experiences. BUT, #4 always trump the small press bias i have

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  8. #1. actually my favorite swear word but limit its use. Reading it.. must fit the scene/dialog or serves no purpose.

    Like poetry, I read/buy only that which interests me and will serve some value. Theodore, I like being under estimated. :)
    Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

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  9. 1. Swears don't bother me at all. One of my best friends is the most colorful, amusing swearers I know, and I love it.

    2. I think a true poem at least has to have some thought behind it. Line breaks need to be broken at that specific point for a reason, usually emphasis. A poem needs to say as much as possible in as little as possible. And a million other things. Like Matthew said--I know it when I see it.

    4. No. I'll only buy the book if I really want to read it. I'm a pretty tight budget, so...

    5. Yes, I do. (you wanted honesty? here it is:) It makes me wonder if people went with a small press only because they couldn't land an agent/big press, so instead of realizing their story needed more work, they took the easier way out. That being said, I've read some good small press books, and if the book sounds good enough, I'll still give it a shot.

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  10. 1. If it's part of a character's personality or the narrator's voice (like in "The Catcher in the Rye") then it doesn't turn me off. But sometimes cursing sounds forced and then it makes the character seem ridiculous.

    2. If it's published that means someone thought it was a real poem so then it must be.

    3. No. I read when I want to read and how much I want to read at any given time.

    4. If I've been following the blog and commented on the posts often, and also if that person has made an effort to comment on my posts then I consider us "friends," or at least acquaintances. So then I buy the book so show my support. (Plus if we meet in real life I can get it signed!) If I don't know the blogger, then I'll buy it if it's something I'm interested in.

    5. Who looks at the publisher when buying a book? I look at the title and the back cover summary. If it sounds compelling, I'll buy it. I don't pay attention to who publishes what book!

    If you could pick any career other than what you do now, what would it be?

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  11. 1. It's all about whether it feels appropriate and right. If it fits and seems necessary for the characters, for the voice of the novel, then use it. If not, it can probably be done without. It depends on the world that's being created (or reflected).

    2. Well, that's the problem with free verse, I guess. Once upon a time poetry was defined by strictures that bound it into certain forms. And it was these strictures that defined the poem and challenged the writer - challenged them to find lyrical expression and beauty and meaning in the confined spaces and rhythms of a sonnet or ode. But free verse changed that, opening the door to new possibilities and new writers. Which is good and bad.

    It took a lot of study and training and practice to write fine poetry within the old structures of the forms. Free verse? No. And the people who started writing free verse, who opened the door to new expression, were great poets who knew all the old rules and forms. They broke out for particular reasons. It's like that old saw "Know the rules before you break them."

    So now free verse poetry is open to anybody. Free verse, like computers and the internet, provides an opportunity to everyone. And that works out beautifully, at times, with writers finding new voices and modes of expression, voices that would never have been found in the old forms. But it also allows anyone to whip some lines down on the page with line breaks and call it poetry. And it might be. But, it's not necessarily good poetry.

    People can just take the shortcut, now, without studying, reading, learning. And it's much easier to have an accidental success with free verse than it is with metred couplets. And that accidental success can spur the writer to think "I don't need any of that old stuff."

    But, of course, bad poetry has a long tradition, too, whether it's rhymed or not. Subjectivity is the rule of the day.

    3. I don't pressure myself to read a certain number of books. I read a ton anyway. Even in my craziest, busiest years, I probably still hit close to a hundred books. Often much more. I read because I want to. End of story.

    4. Well, mostly if it's a book I'd buy anyway, with a possible exception for close friends. If it's someone with a tangential blogging connection, well, I probably wouldn't buy it unless I'm utterly jazzed about it. (I'm poor. Or poor-ish, anyhow.)

    5. No, I love small presses. Dalkey Archive! Rockin'. Some of my favourite recent books first came out from small presses: Shane Jones' Light Boxes, and Tinkers, which won one of the biggie American awards.


    Question: What led you away from the sunny shores of Australia? To the, uh, sunny shores of Greece? (yeah, I'm sick of the Canadian winter)

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  12. 1- Cussing? If it's needed.
    2- Poetry? Only by those talented to write it
    3- I read what & when it pleases me.
    4- I'll buy if interested. An author's job is to interest me.
    5- If the copy on the back cover or the first page don't engage me, we don't get married.

    ?- What's in the bottles?

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  13. hi miss jessica! heres my answers.
    1. yep if it distracts out from the story and nope if it doesnt
    2. i cant think theres a differecnce long as it could mean something to the guy that wrote ti
    3. i dont never do a goal on how much book im gonna read. i just read when i could feel like it.
    4. its gotta be for my age and one i could wanna read like miss hilary wagners nightshade city. i love that book
    5. i dont care who presses out a book long as it one i could wanna read.
    question for you - you mostly dont say so much bout your boyfriend. i could wanna know more bout him like what he does how he looks why he loves you. :)
    ...big hugs from lenny

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  14. 1. No, it doesn't put me off. I live with a mother trucker.

    2. I'm not big on poetry, but I like stories in verse (i.e. Ellen Hopkins)

    3. I read what I can when I can. No pressure, no goal.

    4. I read a book if it sounds interesting whether it's a friend's book or not. I hate hype and usually do what I want regardless.

    5. Small presses, to me, have nothing to do with it. If I like it, I like it.

    NOW, hmm...

    When you're not working/writing/being awesome, what do you do in your spare time (if there is such a thing)?

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  15. Wow, that's a long list. Okay, here I go.

    1. Abundant? Yes. Because then it gets stuck in my head all day, and I hate that.

    2. I have no idea. They all sound difficult to write to me.

    3. No. But this year yes, because I have to read 30 ya books for a college writing class, I'm a little excited about that.

    4. Interest. Definitely.

    5. No. I've read many books from small presses, some good, some bad.

    Question for you. What's your favorite dessert? (I'm a little hungry right now.) =)

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  16. 1. Fuck or hells to the yeahs, I love a good curse word every now and again - but not abundant.

    2. Poetry really isn't my thing.

    3. I read when I want to read. It's a pleasure, not a goal.

    4. I would only buy a book I'm interested in...

    5. No, the press a book is published at wouldn't make a difference - big or small.

    Hmmm. A question. If you had to choose one of the following professions (life or death) which one would it be and why? A telemarketer or a sewer inspector?

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  17. Hi, cutie! I don't read a book to start the next. I do feel left out of the train when my fellow author friends know more about them than I do, but it's not a priority for me. Is that bad?

    As far as reading books from small publishers--I'm fair. I read them and they are just as good, sometimes better, than others. IE: The Hidden Sun by Jason Lloyd Morgan--and he's self-published!

    So, how do you feel about self-published authors?

    *hugs*

    ♥.•*¨ Elizabeth ¨*•.♥

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  18. Those are quite the questions! To be honest, after a full day of editing, I really don't have the brainpower to answer any. So I'll just ask you this:

    WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO LONDON?

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  19. 1. If it's not overdone.

    2. Poetry can be beautiful if it's written by a talented poet. Not everyone can write it.

    3.I have little time for reading books, so when I do I really enjoy it.

    4. I'll get a fellow bloggers book if the subject interests me. I won't read horror.

    5.I would definitely buy from a small press. Many talented authors write for small presses.

    What's you favorite book of all time? ONLY ONE.

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  20. 1. As long as the cursing fits the narrative or the characters, I don't give a fuck. But if it's profanity for the sake of profanity, fuck that.

    2. Real poetry has rhythm, and flows naturally. If you stop abruptly and shift to new lines whenever you feel like it, you're not a poet. You're a hack. (By which I mean: a taxi driver.)

    3. Not a chance. Reading should relieve stress, not be the cause of it. Besides, if I strove for a certain number, I'd likely never read anything over 400 pages, and I'd be missing out on some phenomenal books.

    4. It's all about interest. Friendship may sway me, but if the book's not something I want to read, I won't read it. (Although, I might buy it for a family member.)

    5. No, of course I don't shy away from small press books. And stop slapping me, already!

    And my question for you: From which author would you be most thrilled to get a blurb for String Bridge?

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  21. 1. Swearing...I'm not offended and hope my readers won't be either. One of my mentors told me I should always consider the impact...but my characters do their own things half the time anyway.

    2. I have no idea. I just know when something sounds good to ME. I do not write poetry for that very reason - I'm not sure how to define it.

    3. Ha! Uh...yeah, I do put pressure on myself. Last year I tried for 100, got to 57 (not bad). I lowered my expectations to 75 this year. The reason I challenged myself though is because I didn't want to lose "reading" in the bustle of life. It reminds me to take a break. I don't whip myself if I can't complete the task though.

    4. Both.

    5. Absolutely not.

    Great questions. xo

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  22. 1. Abundant cursing rarely puts me off, with one exception: If I don't believe that character would talk the way s/he does, then the cursing gets on my nerves.
    2. Real poetry = poetry that whispers to my soul. What whispers to me may shout annoying obscenities to the next person. And what shouts at me, makes me cringe, may whisper like real poetry to someone else...
    3. Yes, I challenge myself to read a minimum number of books per year. Sometimes it ends up being too much, and I find I'm not enjoying myself. When that happens, I drop the challenge. No sweat.
    4. I buy fellow bloggers' books to show my support of their dreams, and because I like to say, "I 'know' this person," and because I hope they'll buy my book when it comes out.
    5. I would never shy away from a book based on the size, or absence of, the publisher.

    Question for you:
    How do you feel about the rising e-publishing industry, both from your viewpoints as a writer and as a reader?

    Thanks for pimping my blogfest on your sidebar!!!!!

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  23. 1. I find too many curse words distracting.
    2. Apart from high school experience in lit, I know nothing about poetry. However, when the words touch something inside me, I know I’ve read something that has meaning.
    3. I don’t read as much as I should, and read what takes my fancy at the moment. Having a goal would be self-inflicted pressure I don’t need.
    4. I’ll only buy a fellow blogger's book if it appeals to me, or if I know the person is a good writer.
    5. Nope. I’m published by a small press myself so I can’t be prejudiced, can I? :D
    6. Question for you: If you had to live anywhere else in the world, where would that be and why?

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  24. 1. I don't mind "fuck" if used in moderation in reference to the sexual act, but it gets annoying when overused as an expetive or an adjective.

    2. Poetry should have flow and rhythm that distinguishes it from prose. It should have unique imagery and outlook. Somethings that people pass off as poetry are just word collections.

    3. I read for enjoyment or information. I don't like to pressure myself and don't set reading goals that are set in stone.

    4. There is a cool factor in buying and reading a book by a fellow blogger or someone I know, but I am also curious to know what the writing is like. I have often been surprised.

    5. I don't buy that many books and most I buy are from book clubs that I belong to so I guess they probably don't sell many small press books. I would have absolutely no qualms about buying small press books, especially if I had more liquid funds to spend.

    Lee
    Make sure you check my Wednesday post!
    Tossing It Out

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  25. Oh, and here's my question:

    If you only could pick one, which would you choose as a career: Music or Literature?

    Lee

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  26. 1) So long as the cursing (and other graphic scenes) are within the context of the story, it doesn't throw me. It's when the author gets gratuitous with it, using it for shock-value alone, that I throw the book against the wall.

    2) Real poems are thoughts I understand, brief, following a line structure, and usually involving a good metaphor.

    3) I read when I can, as much as I can, which isn't much these days.

    4) I only buy books I want to read. This includes fellow bloggers. I do NOT buy books out of patronization. I expect even my fellow bloggers to step up and hit, not just stand and swing and ask me to take pity on their hard work.

    5) I hardly notice the press when I buy a book. See #4. I buy what I want to read, doesn't matter who wrote or published it, but I have the same expectations for a little pub as a big pub.

    I expect anyone who wants me to read their work to either shit or get off the train.

    - Eric

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  27. Now you've gone and made me think.

    1) Depends on the characters. I am not expecting cops and thieves to talk like the Queen of England.

    2)Art and ability

    3)No. And I still read more than people set the goals for. Don't tell them though. ;-)

    4)My intense and never-ending curiosity.

    5) Nope. I buy what interests me.

    But... then our answers weren't really the point of the post. You wanted to make a point. (Most of them I agree with at least once a month) Brave.

    Salut.

    :-)

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  28. 1) Cursing doesn't put me off at all. It's part of life. People swear. Some lace every sentence with choice words, while others save them for special occasions. If a character falls into the former category and the writer keeps them from expressing their true nature, it doesn't ring true.

    2)I'm not incredibly well-versed in poetry, but for me it's about flow. There's something too staccato and unnatural in the random sentence-chopping.

    3)I don't really put pressure on myself to read a certain number of books. It takes the pleasure out of the act.

    4)I have yet to buy a fellow blogger's book, but no matter how much I like a person, I don't think I can bring myself to buy something I'm not genuinely interested in. It takes the enjoyment out of reading, makes it feel like work, and isn't fair to the author.

    5)No! I don't care who publishes a book, as long as it piques my interest.

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  29. I think cursing should not be done in public, in front of children, or in mixed company. I’ve heard people was swear every other word and they just sound silly. Books that have a lot of cursing bore me. It’s uncreative. However, if one character goes off constantly because that is his/her character that doesn’t bother me.

    What do you think distinguishes between a real poem?

    Do you put pressure on yourself to read a specific number of books per year? No, that’s crazy.

    What makes you buy a fellow blogger's published book? Usually to support him or her. I always at least start to read it too. ;)

    Do you shy away from buying books from Small Presses? No

    Alesa asked my question. What is that green thing which of course currently I don’t see?

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  30. Oopsie, answer #2 got dropped off. ...purpose

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  31. Funny, I don't mind some swearing in movies but I don't like to read it. And I buy books I want to read.

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  32. 1. Sometimes. If it feels in character with the book, then no. If it's there for impact, then yes.

    2. I just know it when I see it. ?

    3. No, but I try to read 2-3 per month.

    4. If I'm following and commenting on a blog, then the writer has something I'm interested in to begin with and so the answer would likely be yes.

    5. Doesn't make a difference to me.

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  33. 1. Depends. If it fits the mood of the prose, it's fine. If it's just stuck in there, the it's a nuisance but not offensive.

    2. It needs to move me or make me think in some way - original use of language and imagery to describe something.

    3. No.

    4. I'll support friends. After that it's about content / interest.

    5. Thus far, I have only purchased books from writers I know. Either I went to their reading or we met in cyberspace.

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  34. 1. The cursing thing doesn't bother me if its a genre thing. I love cop dramas and hardened, street cops cuss its a little different than say an Amish chick.

    2. My brother is a poet and his work has clear themes. His lines evoke images or emotions...its purposeful.

    3. I only read what strikes my fancy. With eReaders, its easier to pull something up where ever I happen to be. I try to stay abreast of what's happening in my genre, but I also have general market favorites.

    4. I buy fellow bloggers books if I've read their work in blogposts or blogfests and know its what I like. I usually like what my author friends write.

    5. Never, I love books from small presses. There are a lot of factors that go into an editor's decision whether or not to publish and I think small presses tend to be more nimble. Some of the best break-out authors started with a small press.

    Edge of Your Seat Romance

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  35. 1. I don’t mind swearing and am actually more put off when it should obviously be there, but ISN’T. That said, I typically have a character or two who do it quite a bit and other people really don’t much, as that seems most realistic.

    2. I don’t understand poetry. Except Dr. Suess. Totally did some rhyming iambic pentameter. Mostly though, I will call it poetry if it has a nice cadence, evokes imagery that is fresh and doesn’t try to confuse me with obtuse words or wonky word order.

    3. Not NUMBER, but I do sometimes challenge myself on TYPE—if I think I should read more of this or that to improve something…

    4. TIMING. If I have money when they have a book release… sadly, I rarely have money.

    5. Press size doesn’t matter to me, though I do have a tendency to ‘browse Borders’ and I know their small press representation is limited. That is entirely because Borders is ‘on my way’ and I live in the city it is headquartered.

    Question: Imagine you end up with an international best seller and the financial means to do anything you want. Where will you throw your giant follower party and how will you entertain us?

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  36. 1. As long as the swearing isn't just done for shock value I don't care. If it's authentic to the authors "voice" I'm fine with it. I actually don't swear much in person unless I'm upset. But like most people I do like to have an occasional guilt-free fuck... added into the lingo to spice things up from time to time.

    2. I know next to nothing about poetry. Any attempts I've made at poetry I make sure they rhyme so you can tell I'm clueless, and then I read it and they sound like rap lyrics to me. I'd like to learn how to construct old school poetry with all the rules sometime just for fun. Which makes me a huge nerd.

    3. No pressure, I just read one till I'm done and then pick up another. Some weeks I'll get through three and then the next one will take me a month. Just depends. I won't read more than one book at a time though.

    4. I have to be interested in reading it. I have no problem helping spread the word a bit but I have to know it'd be something I'd be interested in or that they just have an insane amount of talent so I have to read it. It's kind of tricky because I think pretty much all of my blogger friends who are in the process of getting published or have been published write YA and I just don't read YA. It doesn't appeal to me, so I always end up leaving comments like I hope you have great success and all that! Because the genre just ruined it for me so I can't say I'm going to run out and buy it right away.

    5. I would prefer to buy books from small presses. I'm all for the democratization of literature and having it open to more people and on different scales.

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  37. Interesting questions. My answers below =)

    1) I do have a problem with too much cursing in a story. That is because I actually don't curse at all so I find it distracting and unappealing in stories. I also love to recommend books to friends and family, many of whom also don't appreciate copious cursing.

    2) I think poetry is kind of like music. A series of notes has all of the elements, but may or may not be 'music.' Rhythm, cadence, musicality, diversity - all of them are necessary. But who knows - maybe it's different for each person.

    3) Nope - I just read what I want to when I want to. It's supposed to be fun!

    4) If I like it. I will usually borrow a book or check it out from the library before I buy it. I do have a few very close friends whose books I would buy regardless.

    5) The only reason I wouldn't buy a book from a small press is if it wasn't available to read first from a library or friend. Otherwise - if it's a good book it's a good book!

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  38. I don't like to hear or read cursing, but if the book is good and the cursing isn't constant, I'll look past it.

    I do purchase fellow bloggers' books, but only if they interest me. My budget doesn't allow me to buy tons of books, so I'm selective!

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  39. Interesting questions. Sorry it took me so long to get over here. Work. Bleh!

    Okay here goes:

    1. No, as long as it's authentic.

    2. Hrm...that's so subjective.
    Perhaps it's the writer's intent.

    3. Absolutely not. I put enough pressure on myself as it is. I read for pleasure.

    4. It's a combination of both. If I'm friends with the person, I will buy it no matter what. If I'm lukewarm to him/her, then I need to be excited about the premise.

    5. Nope!

    And now for my question:

    Select one moment from your past that you feel defined your path. What was it and how does it impact your choices today?

    <3

    ReplyDelete
  40. 1. Eh, I suppose it depends on the context. I curse a lot in real life, so I'm certainly not going to judge a book for doing so. That being said, if it's used in excessive vulgarity, it might put me off a bit. But that's more about the vulgarity than the cursing.

    2. This is something I struggle with. I used to be so strict with what I thought a poem should be - rhyming, metering, and all of that. Just recently have I started branching out an experimenting. ;)

    3. I always have a general goal in mind, but I don't push myself to meet it. I'm not really sure why I do it, except I seem to make goals for myself for everything.

    4. It's a bit of both, I suppose. Though honestly, if I'm not interested in the book at all, I won't buy it just because it was written by a fellow blogger.

    5. I've recently come to discover that I tend to gravitate towards unknown, obscure books. Even though I love to read popular books, I also love finding the books that aren't backed by a big publisher, because sometimes those can be the best, and who deserves my support more - an okay book backed by a big publisher, or an amazing book backed by a small press? :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. Cursing only works when it fits the character and the scene. In fantasy, this tends not to work since language would have developed differently in these created worlds e.g. it's glaring and detracting in The Last Stormlord, but fits perfectly in Kraken.

    2. Poetry for me
    means an abundance of
    imagery
    and fancy messing
    around with layout
    means bugger all
    to me.

    3. I'm putting pressure to read a book within a set time limit so I can review as much as possible, but I rarely stick with my own guidelines so there's little stress :P

    4. Friendship gets me to look at something I wouldn't otherwise look at, but it's the merits of the book itself and its relevance to my reading that makes me buy it.

    5. Small presses are less accessible and have less presence, but that's the only reason I tend not to buy books from them. Otherwise I'd be fine to do so :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Damnit, forgot to ask a question.


    umm...

    err...

    Why is the rum gone?

    ReplyDelete
  43. I love buying books from small presses. I've been let down less there than at Barnes and Noble. For sure.
    And yes, I have bought fellow bloggers books, even though I wasn't totally interested BUT there were only a few bucks and more often than not, I enjoy them, even if it's not something I would have picked up on my own.

    ReplyDelete
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“I'm using my art to comment on what I see. You don't have to agree with it.” ~John Mellencamp

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“I don't ever try to make a serious social comment.” ~Paul McCartney

“I'd make a comment at a meeting and nobody would even acknowledge me. Then some man would say the same thing and they'd all nod.” ~Charlotte Bunch

“Probably what my comment meant was that I don't care about the circumstances if I can tell the truth.” ~Sally Kirkland

“We're not going to pay attention to the silliness and the petty comments. And quite frankly, women have joined me in this effort, and so it's not about appearances. It's about effectiveness.” ~Katherine Harris