Saturday, July 27, 2013

I am now a published author.

So today I got a book in the mail.  This came as a surprise because I didn't order a book.

Then I opened it.  And all made sense.

I wrote a short story for an anthology called Shifting Hearts for which I will be (when the check arrives) be paid $30 (that'll make me a professional author) and was given a complementary copy of the book, which now sits beside me.

Mine is one of seven stories, I haven't read the others.  Probably should at some point, now that I have the book and all.

Shifting Hearts is an anthology of real world based (no magic and such) otherkin romance stories.  My contribution, beginning on page 95 is called "Looking the Real You in the Eye".

Since I was paid a fixed price financially it doesn't matter to me whether the book sells seven billion copies or zero, but I'd like it to do well.  Also, if you buy from Amazon through my site (links coming) I should theoretically make pennies.

The Kindle version is here.

The Paperback version is here.

[Added] Link to Amazon UK page for the book. [/added]

That's all the versions there are.

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As part of the deal I retain copyright on my story but agree not to release anywhere else for a certain period of time.  Six months as I recall but I'd want to double check the contract before doing anything.  Point is: if you don't want to wait half a year or more to read my story, you kind of have to buy the book.

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Oh, about the 11th commandment.  The 11th commandment is, of course, "Don't get caught."  This can be used for good or ill.  But the thing is, the only reason it can ever be used for good is because we live in an imperfect world.  Very imperfect.

On the way to my psychiatrist's office I pass a historical marker about the underground railroad.  These were people who lived by the 11th commandment to the betterment of many.

Closeted people live by the 11th commandment.

And we come to levels of wrongness.  Using the 11th commandment isn't bad unless used for bad things.  There's nothing wrong about the 11th commandment when looked at on that level.  But the fact that the 11th commandment ever has to be used for good things is wrong.  If what you're doing is not wrong then there should be no reason that getting caught is a problem.  And so the need for the 11th commandment points to a wrongness in our world.

And so I believe in the abolition of the 11th commandment, but not by taking aim at it directly.  Instead by improving the world to the point that it is no longer needed.  A world where, "Don't get caught," is something that's absurd to say about good things because getting caught would produce a response of, "Why were you trying to hide that?  There's nothing wrong with that."

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The first rule, Rule 1 (which is so basic often times I forget it is Rule 1 and call it Rule Zero), is, "Try not to be an asshole."

12 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your new published author status! *throws confetti*

    Total agreement on the 11th commandment.

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  2. Chris, I'm so excited about this! I've purchased the Kindle edition -- I have no idea when I'll read it, but HOLY CRAP CHRIS IS ON MY KINDLE. This is really exciting to me!

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    1. That's really exciting to me as well.

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    2. Whoa, you're not just published, you're on famous awesome Ana's Kindle! Wheee!

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  3. Welcome to the club, and congratulations!

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  4. Nice, Chris!

    Let's hope the book does well enough that they want you to do more! You deserve it, and much more.

    Kind regards,
    Graccus.

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  5. If you put a link to the UK version (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shifting-Hearts-ebook/dp/B00E253WWW/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375350216&sr=1-3&keywords=Shifting+Hearts+[Kindle+Edition]) on your blog and I buy it, will that get you any kind of commission? I can't buy from amazon.com with my account. Will buy it either way as I love your writing.

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    1. Unfortunately no. I'm pretty sure. I put a link in the post just in case but I'm pretty sure I get nothing unless the purchase is from amazon.com.

      I think I'd need to specifically be an Amazon UK affiliate to get a commission on something bought on the UK version. Why they do it that way I don't know. (I've been meaning to look into becoming a UK affiliate but haven't yet.)

      That said, I could be wrong because they do have a habit of changing the contract.

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    2. I know entities which have Amazon UK and US affiliate status, and the codes are different.

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    3. Well, autumnpsyche, US persons (I volunteer, for example...) could buy it on your behalf and ship it to you. But that would take longer.

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    4. Thanks all for replies. :-) I was going to get the ebook version so I will follow the above link just in case.

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  6. Woohoo! That is awesome! I am impressed and a little jealous! :P

    ...also I don't suppose there's a nook version out? If not I'll probably wind up buying it on my husband's account, and just wait for him to go "Uh, honey? Why is there a new book on my Kindle?" "Because we're switching readers for a week, that's why!"

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