Sometimes a film is more than just a film

Thought I'd get your opinions on films today, Friday, March 11th 2011.  There are those films that make us laugh, those that make us cry, and those which wring us out and make us laugh as well. Then there are westerns which some of us love, horror films, some crave, romance and chick flicks needed by others. And then occasionally a film comes along that just is memorable and shakes up our notions of what we felt so comfy in accepting--like our reality.  When our reality gets shaken to the core, some of us react to such a film well while others not so well.

For me a film is only as good as the lasting effect it has on its viewers as holds true for readers of books. In this vein, I would name for comedic effect Tootsie for instance, so many memorable scenes yet I have not seen the film in years, maybe ten years.  Also for laughs as well Being John Malchovich and My Cousin Vinnie.  I also loved the more recent Sherlock for its historical breath and background as well as the repartee between Holmes and Watson  and am looking forwrd to its sequel. For horror, I loved Stir of Echoes. For Westerns it has to be The Wild Bunch.

However, while science fiction like the classic Outlnder, Star Wars, Star Trek are all fun, what of the book that rocks your world or the film that rocks your universe?  One such film that shook me up so thoroughly as to jar my insides to wrench my gut and mind at once is a little known film but a fantastic movie entitled The Man From Earth.  The effect is powerful.

To attempt to summarize The Man from Earth would only lesson its power. This is a film one needs see twice for the sheer power and beauty and simplicty and complexity all rolled into one.  Star gazers, history buffs, philosophers, theologians, anyone who ponders imponderables --this is the film for you.

What about you?  Seen any good films lately?  If so share them in the comments section.  We have made it so simple and easy to leave a comment at ACME, so please, share.

Robert W. Walker (Rob)
http://www.robertwalkerbooks.com/ - free intro. chapters

Have I got books and things to do! by Morgan Mandel

Monday night my author copies of Killer Career arrived at my brother's home, all 11 boxes of them. At work on Tuesday, I had the pleasure of giving one to my technical advisor, my boss, Guy, and then selling three more. It's always a thrill when a new book comes out because that's when people are the most responsive.

I'm hoping my selling streak continues for a long time. I've got some bubble envelopes addressed and ready to drop off tomorrow at the post office for reviews and friends, and many more to set up. It's fun, but frenetic right now.

I've printed out my Christmas card mailing list and will be send out invites to my Book Launch Party on August 16 at the Arlington Heights Historical Museum from 1-4pm.
All are invited, not only those who are on my mailing list.

Bookmarks are coming soon. I hope they turn out all right. In all the mad, exciting rush, I hope I don't forget anything.

I'm signing off now. Still have to figure out how to make an ebook out of Killer Career.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com
http://choiceonepublishing.com

Even editors get a pink slip

I receive the electronic version of PW Daily from Publishers Weekly and lately there have been lots of annoucements about folks who've lost their jobs at publishing houses and some of them are editors. So tough times have hit all of us.

This isn't the only evidence of cost saving moves at publishing houses. Even the big guys are starting to use Print-On-Demand (POD) something that was considered tabu not that long ago. Truth is that POD is a very cost-effective way of producing books and printing only those books that readers want to purchase. Blend this with the availability of electronic books and the green effect is dramatic.

As the major publishers began to use POD it was mostly refered to as short press runs, but the processes were effectively the same. The quality of POD has increased dramatically over the years and given the current economic strife POD is finding a much broader audience. Ironic isn't it? Ironic that it took a financial crisis for elitist attitudes to be humbled into accepting such a process. But this isn't the first and only time. I often say that money makes the world go round and it's amazing what changes will take place when money does the talking.

When I first started reading romance novels, most people looked down on the books as well as the readers. Granted, some of the novels were wanting of substance but so are lots of other passtimes or other forms of escapism. But enough of them were well worth the read and hey they brought lots of happiness to lots of people. Fast forward to today and more romance novels are sold than any other genre and business is booming. So, not so many editors at the publishing houses with this genre seem to be getting pink slips.

Message to publishers - keep those happy endings coming and readers will help you keep you bottom line healthy, even in tough times.

Signed books and all that stuff

On one of my author forums the subject came up of politics.

Ha, ha, ha !

No, we're all sick of politics. Let's move past the whole Republican, Democrat, Green, Independent and Left-Handed vs. Right-Handed schisms and talk about something way more important.

Signed books.

Yeah, signed books.

What is more special for a reader than actually owning a book that has a personal transcription from his favorite author?

I've got a small collection of such treasured books ... signed books by Lee Childs, Barry Eisler, Dave Barry, Garrison Keiller, Christopher Moore and ... um more ...

Oh, and my buddy Robert Walker and my friends on Acme Authors ... sorry, can't forget you.

Anyway, the subject came up today because as authors, we want to do the same thing for our readers. Get them books ... actually, they buy the books (grin) ... and then we deface the books in a way that would have gotten us in big trouble in grade school.

Yep, we get to scrawl in the books. Even better, someone will treasure our scrawl.

I love to sign my books ... try to write something witty and pithy inside ... try to spell their names right (do you know how many ways there are to spell Cathy or Kathy ... Ally or Allie ... Loren or Lauren ... John or Jon ... or Erin or Heron ... Norm or Knorm ...

Besides that little stress, give me a pen ... give me a book (preferably one of mine), and I'm thrilled to mark it up.

But there are only so many events that I can go to, and with the price of gas and travel and stuff nowadays, it's even harder to get around. And I know that some of my readers are in other states, and it's not very likely that I'll get out to their neck in the woods.

So the topic came up. How can we make signed books available to our readers?

For myself, I don't have an answer to this, but I'm sorta working on a couple things. My preference would be to find a nice little Indie bookseller near to my house who would be willing to accept Internet orders, stocking a bunch of my books, and handling the whole 'taking payment,' packaging and shipping thing.

I found one that plans on doing it eventually, but not yet. Another listened politely, but didn't seem all that interested.

Where does this leave me?

I don't really want to give out my home address and take payments directly, because this, well, means that I give out my home address. I mean, I love my readers, but I don't want any stalkers or anything. And I mean stalkers in the very best way ... like they bring me beer and stuff ... but I don't drink that much beer.

Plus, I don't take credit cards, so the options would be cash and checks. Cash I like, but checks can be, um, problematical. Hey, things are tough nowadays .. thanks to our fun little buddy George Bush and friends.

Oops, sorry, I said I wouldn't be political.

My website server has Paypal options, but here I am again, packing and mailing and stuff. Ask my wife, I am not good at packing. I've sent my books to a few people and I hear grumbling about how much tape I use ... I like tape.

Anyway, the bottom line is ... I'm going to find a way to sell autographed books by mail. It's going to happen one way or another by the time my next book comes out next year.

So if you're looking for an autographed copy of either of my Adventures of Guy books, or Fang Face, my upcoming YA humor/vampire book, fear not ... it's going to happen. Sooner rather than later.

Stay tuned.

Norm

www.normcowie.com

Fang Face (coming Aug. 2009)
The Adventures of Guy ...written by a guy (probably)
The Next Adventures of Guy ...more wackiness
The Heat of the Moment