Wolf's Den

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November-

39- The Mermaid's Madness by Jim C. Hines

Amazon Says Glitch to Blame for "New" Adult Policy
By Rachel Deahl & Jim Milliot -- Publishers Weekly, 4/12/2009 5:49:00 PM
A groundswell of outrage, concern and confusion sprang up over the weekend, largely via Twitter, in response to what authors and others believed was a decision by Amazon to remove adult titles from its sales ranking. On Sunday evening, however, an Amazon spokesperson said that a glitch had occurred in its sales ranking feature that was in the process of being fixed. The spokesperson added that there was no new adult policy.

For most of the weekend on Twitter, in conversations with the hash tag "#amazonfail," users were discussing the fact that the e-tailer was removing the sales rankings for books that it deemed featured "adult content." Many readers, and writers, decried the fact that Amazon appears to be removing the sales ranking for titles that feature gay and lesbian characters and/or themes.

The director of the Erotic Authors Association, who goes by the pen name Erastes, told PW that many of her members "noticed their titles had been stripped of their sales rankings" on Amazon. One, Mark Probst, contacted a customer service representative at Amazon and wrote about the exchange on his blog. Probst wrote that the Amazon rep responded to his inquiry by saying that "'adult' material" is being excluded from appearing in "some searches and best seller lists" as a "consideration of our entire customer base."

Whether a glitch or new policy, titles like James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room and Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain are among the titles who have lost their ranking.

I call bullshit and backpeddling.

Amazon removes rankings of nearly ALL LGBT books.And then some.

Meta Writer Comm has list of books affected, is being updated regularly.

I don't care what the fuck you call it, censorship is censorship is censorship and should NEVER be tolerated in any shape or form.

SmartBitchesTrashyBooks has created a Googlebomb called "Amazon Rank"

Twitter #hashtag - #amazonfail

LATimes blog has picked up the story.

Apparently this deranking by Amazon has been happening since FEBRUARY.

elfwreck says it all perfectly-
Amazon has gone off the deep end.
On Amazon.com two days ago, mysteriously, the sales rankings disappeared from two newly-released high profile gay romance books: “Transgressions” by Erastes and “False Colors” by Alex Beecroft. Everybody was perplexed. Was it a glitch of some sort? The very next day HUNDREDS of gay and lesbian books simultaneously lost their sales rankings...
When asked for an explanation, Amazon came back with,
In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude "adult" material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature."
That's right. Amazon has decided all "gay" content is "adult." Including textbooks, and books like "Heather Has Two Mommies."

Book list here, with more being added as people find them.

Anyone know how to file a suit for discrimination in business practices? I'm pretty sure that's not allowed in California.

Yes, this book, right here...




You MUST go buy this book. This is a one of a kind story. The kind that you remember for the rest of your book buying days.

Don't believe me? Here, have a trailer...



( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWmyamLrMKo&feature=player_embedded )

Go buy this book. Make the publisher have to reprint it, again and again and again...

Off to lose myself in the City...

EDIT- COMMENTS ARE NOT BEING FORWARDED TO MY EMAIL, SO THERE MAY BE A DELAY IN MY RESPONSE TO YOUR REPLIES.

I don't get it.

Over the past month or so, I've read several entries about people combining books with their Significant Other, 'finally'. Somehow, this seems to denote either a major stepping stone in a relationship or a huge breakthrough. It appears to mean that they now consider the relationship to be permanent, and that they are officially 'together'.

Today's entry that leads me to question why this is so significant is here. Yes, Mindy Klasky, the author of the Glasswright series.

I don't get the whole 'keep our books separate ' deal. I don't understand why this whole merging of the books is such a big deal, and when did it suddenly become a major step in a relationship?

When Mark and I first moved in together, we combined EVERYTHING. I had the majority of the books between us, mostly due to having more room in my barracks room than he did. It never once occurred to either of us to keep our books separate. Combining them was the natural thing to do.

Yet, for some reason, it's become this THING that occurs in a relationship, something that let's you know it's for real and true.

Why? When did this happen?

When did BOOKS and combining them/not combining them become a measure of how long or well a relationship will last or be? Isn't the fact that you moved in with the person enough of a sign? Wouldn't the fact that you said yes to the question of marriage be enough? Wouldn't the years together after said marriage be enough proof?

We've been together 16 years this past Sunday. We've been married 15 years this coming August. We have, at last count, 1463+ books. I say plus because several new ones are enroute.

I cannot imagine never combining our books. I don't understand why this became a measure of a relationship.

Do you? If you haven't combined books with your Significant Other, why not? What's stopping you from doing so? What made it something 'special'? What gave it such meaning? Is it a sense of finality? Of permanence? What?

The MAIN Question is this- WHY did it become such an important step in a relationship to combine books?

I just don't get it.

Author John Updike, regarded as one of the greatest and most prolific writers in modern American letters, died Tuesday, his publicist said. He was 76.


John Updike won many literary awards. His books, such as "The Witches of Eastwick," were best-sellers.

Updike passed away Tuesday morning after battling lung cancer.

"He was one of our greatest writers, and he will be sorely missed," said Nicholas Latimer, vice president of publicity at Updike's publisher, Alfred A. Knopf.

Updike was a rarity among American writers: a much-esteemed, prize-winning author whose books -- including "Rabbit, Run" (1959), "Couples" (1968), "The Witches of Eastwick" (1984) and "Terrorist" (2006) -- were also best-sellers. Updike won the Pulitzer Prize twice: for "Rabbit Is Rich" (1981) and its successor, "Rabbit at Rest" (1991).

The "Rabbit" series, about an angst-ridden car dealer in a town much like Updike's hometown of Shillington, Pennsylvania, spanned four novels, a novella and 42 years. In the books -- which also included 1971's "Rabbit Redux" and a 2001 novella, "Rabbit Remembered" -- onetime basketball star Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom negotiates marriage, divorce, wealth and health problems, never quite understanding the larger forces shaping his life.

Updike was incredibly prolific, penning essays, reviews, short stories, poetry and a memoir. His works frequently appeared in The New Yorker, including a famed 1960 essay about Ted Williams' final game, "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu."

He was hailed by his fellow author Nicholson Baker in "U and I" and even appeared as an animated version of himself on a "Simpsons" episode as the ghostwriter of a Krusty the Klown book.

Updike's most recent novel, "The Widows of Eastwick," came out in 2008. A collection of stories, "My Father's Tears and Other Stories," is due out later this year.

New, Used and Rare bookstore down in Grandin Village is going to get me into serious trouble.

Not only was I able to replace the 2 books in the Flux and Anchor series by Jack Chalker, I got the original covers, and an original Ace books printing of The Hero and the Crown to replace the one I lost.

I also found at least TWO Black Stallion series books I'm missing, in hardcover, looked original.

Mark found an entire series that he didn't know there was more of.

Found a couple John Norman books, one I KNOW I'm missing, but not sure. Need to check for the other.

Yeah, that place is dangerous.

So is Plan 9 music store. Yup.

We'll be going back down there next weekend.


Coolness- Had my first ever Hummingbird Moth on the Buddelia bush, with the season's first TigerSwallowtail and numerous Bumblebees.

Occasionally, you come across two authors who work so well together, that they exude energy. The repartee between them is humorous, witty and light-hearted.

Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman are two such authors.

I got to meet them tonight, at Hollins , where they were speaking about the collaboration that is The Fall of the Kings.

Where Ellen is forthright, frenzied almost, seeming to overflow with words and thoughts, Delia is a poignant counterpoint- thoughtful, calm, laid back. The perfect match between two extremely talented Artists.

Robert Lynn Aspirin, author of the Myth books and co-author of the Thieves' World series, died unexpectedly yesterday.

He was known as 'Yang the Nauseating' in the SCA and was a Founding Member.

This royally SUCKS.

Ranks right up there with the days Andre Norton and Marion Zimmer Bradley died for me.

JUST had a new series start this year too. Now it'll never be finished.}:(

Hey Atlanta-area garbage pickers!
Sean Wallace (oldcharliebrown), Publisher/Editor with Prime Books/Wildside Press needs help. SF/F publisher Meisha Merlin, which declared it was shutting down in November, has a rather large amount of stock (tens of thousands of books) in its Stone Mountain warehouse (1440 Kelton Drive, Stone Mountain) that needs to be rescued or it will all be destroyed/recycled. MM has abandoned the marketplace. Indeed, the inventory was all going to be shoved in a Dumpster a while ago, but the local sheriff crew freaked out at the amount of work lugging tens of thousands of books outside to the curb would be, so they left them for a while. Sean paid some rent on the space to get access to the books, but the landlady wants them out out out out out!

Sean is renting a truck which can fit fifteen pallets, single-stacked, or thirty double-stacked, but there's no forklift available, only a pallet jack. So he has to fill the truck by hand. He'll be in town Tuesday and Wednesday (4/22 and 4/23) to load up, and he's desperate for volunteers to help him. Anyone who volunteers can cart off any books they want that don't fit into the truck.

If you can help out or know of folks who might be able to, email Sean at: mailto:seanwallace@comcast.net

Meisha Merlin titles include awful books and some decent ones. Collector Bill Lexner discusses some of the bad moves the publisher made with limited editions here.

My father in law has successfully made me cry. And in a good way.

I had a package waiting for me on the front porch today when I went to get mail. I wasn't really expecting anything, so it was rather a surprise. It turned out to be from my mom in law and dad in law. It was a heavy package and I wondered what on earth they could be sending me, especially since I told them not to get me anything else from my birth day, after I saw the cost of the Cirque Du Soliel tix in May they got for us.



I came upstairs and opened it. Mom in law sent me a new cookbook (I collect them) from Taste of Home, this one dedicated to Chicken recipes. Pretty cool, we like chicken and it gets boring after awhile, using the same recipes over and over. And a really cute card, the mom in law makes all her cards on her computer, and does a great job with it too.}:)

But the REAL treat in the whole package, was this book...



The very book I'd been wanting since I first heard about it roughly a month ago on the Akita rescue list. Not only did he send me this specific book, but he went so far as to cut an article out about the book and the man, and send THAT to me as well.

This book is about the man who single handedly SAVED the Akita-Inu breed from extinction during WWII. Yeah, THAT book.

I lost it. I hadn't said a word to anyone that I wanted this book. And here it is. Wow.

Garden needing finished? Rabbit bedding neading changed? What garden? What rabbits? *stares at book*

The man is 92 years old and still living in Japan. I need to so win the lotto so I can go meet him. And thank him for my Dante-Inu.

MatchItForPratchett.org — As you know best selling Author Terry Pratchett (the Discworld books) was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. He's donated roughly $1,000,000.00 to Alzheimer's Research. This site is running a donation drive to match his donation.

You realise you may have an addiction...

316 total

And that's just from one book case, a small 3 shelf bookcase, mind you.

This is when you realise that maybe 2 6ft bookcases aren't going to be enough. Especially when the other small, 3 shelf bookcase is just as full, as is the 6ft one on the other side, and there's another 3 shelf one in the hall, just as full, the 6ft bookcase in the hall is also nearly full, the corner shelf from Mark's antique desk downstairs is just as full, and there's still a stack of several dozen books on the chest on your side of the bed...


Nah, I don't have an addiction.


Edit- You know it's time to straighten up your desk when you are tapping in a nail and the stack of papers and such 3 feet away, slowly slides over and falls.

In showing Mark a series of Books that I was recently conversing with one of the editors of in her LJ, I came to the conclusion that Every. Single. Book needs to come off the shelves, sorted by Author, then put back in alphabetical order, by Author, then by Series/Title.

With 1400+ Books, this will be no easy undertaking. It's also something I think about everytime I try to find a particular book.

BUT, I think I will actually do it this time.

Need to get 2 new 6ft bookcases first though. Books are triple stacked and triple deep on the shorter shelves.

So maybe I'll start Friday instead of tomorrow.

Finished the sleeves on my Quilt Show entries. Got the forms and fees sent off yesterday. Now I wash them, block them out and wait until towards the end of this month before I drop them off at the drop off site closest to me.

My last day at work was yesterday. Well, technically, it wasn't really my last day. I'm going extreme part time, meaning when the manager needs me for an emergancy that she has to have someone cover the paperwork for her, once or twice a month when she needs a day off type thing. means my time is still mine, but that I can have abit of spare money coming in every so often.


Melanie Rawn finally released/published a new book. Not 'The Captal's Tower' like I've been patiently waiting for, for nearly 7 years, but a completely different style of book. 'Spellbinder' is a good book, nonetheless. And her reasons for it having been so long since she's written/been published are very eye opening.

Clinical Depression.

Yup, she got so bad, she had to get help. She literally could not write. So this new book is a form of therapy for her. And she does an awesome job with it. Just got it yesterday and I'm on chapter 7 already. And these are relatively long chapters.

Here's hoping she gets back to 'The Captal's Tower' soon though, I miss the Ruins of Ambrai series.}:P

Found out today that I am no longer a qualified member of Etsy Dark Art. In fact, Etsy Dark Art doesn't exist anymore. It's now 'Spirit of Dark Art'.
There's a whole list of criteria that you have to meet with your shop. Most of which I have no issues with, I can come up with at least 12 items of Dark Art orientation. I have no issues with promoting the group or the website, etc. Handing out postcards, including them with my items, that sort of thing. Because it's all behind the scenes type stuffs.

It's the $10.00 entrance fee, which is fine in and of itself, honestly, and then the $5.00 a month fee for advertising funds. And writing articles for the website. Hel, I have enough trouble articulating myself properly within my own blog, let alone writing something for a website that thousands may or may not see.

I emailed Ahna back and told her to let me get my shop sorted out and back up to speed first, then we'll go from there. Right now, I just don't know... I feel so out of my league when looking at the things the members have made.

So I guess we'll see what happens.

Right now I have two dye schemes for silk scarves in a shibori pattern floating in my head and a few beadwork pieces that need finishing up and listed. As well as the photos of the Quilt Show pieces to upload, tweak and post. Tomorrow, Mark and I are going up to Floyd to pick up that hand quilting frame, if it's still there.

Oh and my hair to bleach and dye. Purple.

Was perusing the latest email from the Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Scion, etc...)website, and I remembered... she lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan...

45 minutes from where I will be in July.

I wonder if I can find her house and camp out on her doorstep until she signs all my books by her.}:P

Nah.. crazy, not stupid.

So a month back, beginning of Jan, I preordered a book. The first thousand to preorder this particular book, got a signed copy.

( Well, I wasn't entirely certain I was within that first thousand range.... )

Soo..

your newest book is released today? Good for you. I won't be buying it, or any other books you get published.

Oh look, you state that you'll barter with those who can't afford to buy the book and you'll even autograph them..

Wow, rather like the barter for one of your books you never completed with me?

Careful, any promises you make, and then proceed to break, will come back and bite you in the ass.

There is simply nothing like finding a few authors' whose books you recently(as in the last year) picked up, really liked and want more of, on LiveJournal.

Not much else to report. Considering cutting back my hours again at work(I'm at roughly 19-20 hours a week, thinking of going back to 12-15). Really tired of being, well, tired all the time. Wasn't like that during the 8 months I wasn't working there. The store is starting to suck my spirit away again. It's only taken 3 months, but they are right back where they were before I left.

Shorthanded with the weekend person wanting to be off until Tuesday.. will be interesting to see who works this weekend, because it sure as Hel won't be me.

It's odd having family in town. After 15+ years of not having family closer than 2 hours away, they are now 2-5 minutes away, depending on traffic. Odd, I tell you.

Went over to Dale and Kat's last night. Hey, they offered to feed me, so I went. Besides, Mark had school last night. Kat makes the comment that this will probably become a regular every other Tuesday event. Umm, love ya sis in law, but no. I may not have much of a life, but I do have one and it doesn't, hasn't, revolved around family for over 15 years, so why start now?

Did I mention the mom in law and dad in law are coming down on Thursday? Yeah. Luckily there's at least 3 transports going this weekend, that if I have the money for gas, I can do. Tried talking Mark into going on one or two so he wouldn't have to deal with his dad, but he didn't bite}:P

Last Sat, while we were in Danville packing/loading, Dante decided to chew on 2 cans of her Neura 95% meat and one of Max's Royal Canin Urinary SO canned in gel. Why? Who the Hel knows. She had food, she had water, she had several fresh RMBs. What she didn't have, was me there hanging out with her after roughly 6-7 hours, as per normal. Luckily she didn't break anymore teeth.

Max is slowly starting to drop the excess weight. They are getting used to not being able to free feed overnight. A few more weeks of little/no food at night and I can start scaling back on the daylight feedings. I've noticed a difference already though. He doesn't wheeze as much after bouncing, yes bouncing, he doesn't run, up the stairs anymore.

Still waiting to hear whether exandthecity</lj>received her package or not.

Off work tomorrow. Yay. Get to spend the day trying to kill off Sims. Ok, not really. But I do know why I don't want kids.. the incessant bawling drives me batty. 'course, most of my Sim kids get sent to Military School. *shrugs* Go figure. Oh, did have one taken awat br Social Services, because the %$^&^&*$ butler wouldn't get out of the way, so they were charged with 'neglect'. Err, yeah, right.

Did I mention my sis in law thinks I'm a prude? O.o Told Mark she needs to hang out at work with me or read some of the stuff I talk about online. Heh. His comment? 'She's a blonde, give her a break.' Sorry, love, so are you but you don't think I"m a prude.}:P

Only 3 days left on the sale at Dante's Spirit. I'm thinking of running a Buy One, Get One half price on Scarves towards the end of the moth. Thoughts, Interest, Bueller?

So a few months back, I signed up to be a BzzAgent.  They had a Penguin books promo thingy going on, and I reviewed one of the books there. It was quite good, a different take on the DaVinci Code style of story. They only had the first few chapters, but it was enough to make me want to read more, and I said so as well. 

So imagine my surprise when I opened the mailbox and found THIS inside...

SA-Weet!  A Free book! A real, live, authentic, 25.00, Hardcover book that I didn't have to pay a penny for! Wheee!