Long time, no update
Sep. 16th, 2005 09:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jpskewedthroneWell, it's been a while since I posted something not a quiz. So here's the update.
The new semester has started. I've got 4 classes, all 100-level introductory math classes . . . and it's been an adjustment. Recently, I've only been teaching 300-level courses, so switching gears had been a trial. I can see why professors "lose touch" with the lower level math courses after teaching at the higher levels. I think I've adjusted well though. I only have one class that annoys me. The rest seem to have a great attitude about the class, even if they don't particularly enjoy math. But the one . . . yeesh! They have that horrible attitude that if they do bad on quizzes and stuff it's totally my fault. So rather than actually trying to do the homework and learning the material, they get angry at me and make it known in class. Of course, it isn't the entire class, just a few students, but that pretty much ruins everything. In fact, it really only takes one bad apple. But I survived the third week and now seem to have some free time.
One thing that kept from LJ was the romance writing conference held by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pbray and jennifer_dunne. I wasn't attending, but I had agreed to run the bookfair. I'd ordered the books through a local bookstore and they kept assuring me that everything was fine, the books would be here, the order was processed, etc. I pestered them for 4 weeks, asking at least twice a week. Past experience has indicated that nothing works as they seem to think it works at the bookstore. They've screwed us over twice before, but the other local bookstore won't work with us, so . . . Anyway, as Britney would say, Oops!! They did it again. No books. Well, a few books, but only ones that were already in the store. So I ended up loading up on those, then went to the uncooperative other bookstore in town, bought everything they had in stock (about $400 worth), went to another bookstore an hour away, bought what THEY had in stock (another $400 worth), and then went to the bookfair/signing. A few authors were without books, but I gave out $5 coupons. It didn't make up for the lack of books, but I didn't know what else to do. In the end, we sold over $900 worth of books though, so that was good. Returned the ones not sold. So while it was a disaster, it was a minor one. I don't think anyone was too annoyed.
No writing has been done. I did finish the last read-through of the novel coming out in January and sent the corrections in. But I think I've reported on that already. However, in a wild googling episode, I found out that the book is being imported by a bunch of people and is already up for presale in foreign countries, like the UK, Germany, Japan, Korea, etc. It's extremely weird to think that my book will be read by people worldwide. So the DAW edition is being imported. In the meantime, I also found out that DAW is attempting to sell publication rights to a UK publishing house. If they're interested (won't find out for a while) then there will be a UK edition of the book for sale in the UK, its territories, and Australia.
Shivers run up and down my spine at the thought.
In other writing news, I'll be attending Albacon 2005 in Albany, NY on October 7-9. You can check out their website: http://www.albacon.org/
Also, I'll be attending the World Fantasy Convention in Madison, WI in November. Check out their website as well: http://www.worldfantasy.org/2005/
In both places, I'm hoping to be able to do a reading. Can't sign books of course, since it won't be released yet, but I'm thinking I'll bring in, like, postcards or something to sign, with the title, cover art, my name, and the release date on them. I can sign them or just hand them out for promotional purposes. Maybe do bookmarks. If you were there, what would you prefer, bookmarks or postcards?
Hmm . . . can't think of anything else at the moment. Hopefully I'll be more active on LJ now that things have settled down.
PS--Check outpbray and jennifer_dunne's LJ. They're posting (in installments) 10 things that keep manuscripts from being accepted by agents and publishers. Good stuff for new writers.
PSS--I've noticed a bunch of new names on my friend list. Step up and say HI!
The new semester has started. I've got 4 classes, all 100-level introductory math classes . . . and it's been an adjustment. Recently, I've only been teaching 300-level courses, so switching gears had been a trial. I can see why professors "lose touch" with the lower level math courses after teaching at the higher levels. I think I've adjusted well though. I only have one class that annoys me. The rest seem to have a great attitude about the class, even if they don't particularly enjoy math. But the one . . . yeesh! They have that horrible attitude that if they do bad on quizzes and stuff it's totally my fault. So rather than actually trying to do the homework and learning the material, they get angry at me and make it known in class. Of course, it isn't the entire class, just a few students, but that pretty much ruins everything. In fact, it really only takes one bad apple. But I survived the third week and now seem to have some free time.
One thing that kept from LJ was the romance writing conference held by
pbray and jennifer_dunne. I wasn't attending, but I had agreed to run the bookfair. I'd ordered the books through a local bookstore and they kept assuring me that everything was fine, the books would be here, the order was processed, etc. I pestered them for 4 weeks, asking at least twice a week. Past experience has indicated that nothing works as they seem to think it works at the bookstore. They've screwed us over twice before, but the other local bookstore won't work with us, so . . . Anyway, as Britney would say, Oops!! They did it again. No books. Well, a few books, but only ones that were already in the store. So I ended up loading up on those, then went to the uncooperative other bookstore in town, bought everything they had in stock (about $400 worth), went to another bookstore an hour away, bought what THEY had in stock (another $400 worth), and then went to the bookfair/signing. A few authors were without books, but I gave out $5 coupons. It didn't make up for the lack of books, but I didn't know what else to do. In the end, we sold over $900 worth of books though, so that was good. Returned the ones not sold. So while it was a disaster, it was a minor one. I don't think anyone was too annoyed.No writing has been done. I did finish the last read-through of the novel coming out in January and sent the corrections in. But I think I've reported on that already. However, in a wild googling episode, I found out that the book is being imported by a bunch of people and is already up for presale in foreign countries, like the UK, Germany, Japan, Korea, etc. It's extremely weird to think that my book will be read by people worldwide. So the DAW edition is being imported. In the meantime, I also found out that DAW is attempting to sell publication rights to a UK publishing house. If they're interested (won't find out for a while) then there will be a UK edition of the book for sale in the UK, its territories, and Australia.
Shivers run up and down my spine at the thought.
In other writing news, I'll be attending Albacon 2005 in Albany, NY on October 7-9. You can check out their website: http://www.albacon.org/
Also, I'll be attending the World Fantasy Convention in Madison, WI in November. Check out their website as well: http://www.worldfantasy.org/2005/
In both places, I'm hoping to be able to do a reading. Can't sign books of course, since it won't be released yet, but I'm thinking I'll bring in, like, postcards or something to sign, with the title, cover art, my name, and the release date on them. I can sign them or just hand them out for promotional purposes. Maybe do bookmarks. If you were there, what would you prefer, bookmarks or postcards?
Hmm . . . can't think of anything else at the moment. Hopefully I'll be more active on LJ now that things have settled down.
PS--Check out
pbray and jennifer_dunne's LJ. They're posting (in installments) 10 things that keep manuscripts from being accepted by agents and publishers. Good stuff for new writers.PSS--I've noticed a bunch of new names on my friend list. Step up and say HI!
