• Welcome to The Audio Annex! If you have any trouble logging in or signing up, please contact 'admin - at - theaudioannex.com'. Enjoy!
  • HTTPS (secure web browser connection) has been enabled - just add "https://" to the start of the URL in your address bar, e.g. "https://theaudioannex.com/forum/"
  • Congratulations! If you're seeing this notice, it means you're connected to the new server. Go ahead and post as usual, enjoy!
  • I've just upgraded the forum software to Xenforo 2.0. Please let me know if you have any problems with it. I'm still working on installing styles... coming soon.

Most of These Stories Are Somewhat True - Now Available!

JeffMackwood said:
You know, one of the great thrills of being a writer ( I still have troubling referring to myself that way) is knowing that people are actually reading you. Just as thrilling is hearing that they enjoy reading what you have written.
Click to expand...
Spoken like a true artist. I'd also be interested in knowing how you'd feel if/when you came across a negative comment.
 
Zing said:
Spoken like a true artist. I'd also be interested in knowing how you'd feel if/when you came across a negative comment.
Click to expand...
Me too!

:)

I suspect that, because of my very introverted personality, folks are finding it hard to offer up negative comments.

:) again!

To be honest (which is a rarity for me) I've not yet received anything anywhere close to being considered a truly negative comment.

In a couple of cases "friends" have told me they've bought the book but have had better things to do than read it! So on the one hand that's left me feeling somewhat disappointed (they're in effect judging a cover by a book) but at the same time ambivalent given that it's a criticism of me, rather than the book - at least the way I see it. What has tamed such disappointment over the months is that in quite a few cases similar "friends" have told me that they finally got around to reading it and really liked it!

I've now had three people tell me that the book has inspired them to write their own books. I met with one of them for a few hours a couple of weeks ago and have just spent a couple of hours today reading and providing feedback on some stuff he's started to write.

But back to your original comment Zing. If I were to do an honest self-assessment, and then imagine receiving truly negative feedback, I suspect that I would feel deeply hurt. Simply because that's how I have tended to react, over my life, to such events. That's just the way / who I am. If the feedback contained something (anything) that I could take and use in some positive way, I'd do so. If it didn't, then it would probably gnaw on me for quite a while.

Jeff
 
When my book was released last year it was suggested to me that I register for the Canada Council for the Arts' Public Lending Right Program. Without getting into the nitty gritty details it basically allows Canadian authors and others - like editors, illustrators, photographers, etc. - to register their books / contributions to books (not all books - there's a bunch of criteria) with the Program and if accepted you get a cut of a pot of money intended to compensate you for your work being available for free through libraries. I just made the narrow 2016 application window / deadline - and promptly forgot all about it.

Apparently I qualified because on Friday I got a cheque in the mail. Not a huge amount, but enough for Gen and I to go out to dinner together - which we did.

The nice thing is that this will now be an annual thing for the rest of my life!

Jeff
 
I have a negative comment. I feel I was mentioned not nearly enough in the book.

All kidding aside I have your book in a drawer next to my tiolet. The short stories make for a timely read.
 
Last edited:
MatthewB said:
All kidding aside I have your book in a drawer next to my tiolet.
Click to expand...
Is that like a fancy-schmancy designer-label upscale crapper?

Jeff

ps. My totally unscientific polling system tells me that that is the second-most common place to find my book - a woman's bedside table being the most common (based on my... well that's for a sequel!)

:)
 
As one might also expect, my totally unscientific polling of ladies' bedside tables showed that in 87.8% of books surveyed, a bookmark was inserted between pages 104 and 105.

:biggrin:
 
JeffMackwood said:
As one might also expect, my totally unscientific polling of ladies' bedside tables showed that in 87.8% of books surveyed, a bookmark was inserted between pages 104 and 105.

:biggrin:
Click to expand...

I don't have access to my copy right now as it is home by crapper, but I am assuming the bookmark is labeled "Best Comedy"?
 
I keep my copy next to my toilet as well, but I am running out of pages with which to wipe my ass, so I need to order another copy soon.
 
Flint said:
I keep my copy next to my toilet as well, but I am running out of pages with which to wipe my ass, so I need to order another copy soon.
Click to expand...
Signed or unsigned?

Regular or Priority Post?
 
True enough I'm sure. Jeff doesn't care what you use them for as long as you keep buying them.
 
I may have mentioned in passing, in some other thread, that I have been dealing with the US IRS. My application for an ITIN (a personal identification number that allows me to claim tax exempt status as a foreign national under an existing Canada-US treaty) was rejected twice: the first because I (almost literally) forgot to dot an "i" on the application form (my bad); and the second because of their mistake (their bad.) So I sent in the third application (after talking, yet gain, to a helpful IRS phone agent - they have all been very friendly and willing to help). Anyhow, several weeks ago I finally received my ITIN. This then allowed me to update my info for one of the online sellers of my book - in this case e-books - which in turn then allowed them to finally start making royalty payments. (I'd had them hold off until I got my ITIN - not wanting to then go through the hassle of applying to the IRS to get the 30% withholding tax back. For reasons unknown, other sellers neither required an ITN, nor did they withhold anything - the info that I supplied when registering with them (essentially the same as on a formal ITIN application) being enough for their system to do so.)

Anyhow, the amount of the now-flowing royalty is small (enough for a fine bottle of wine), but it's still neat to get nevertheless.

So yeah, as Randy says, just keep buying them folks - and if you are ever up my way I'll even let you drink the profits with me!

Jeff
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top