Will It Go Round In Circles? Paying It Forward, One Byte at a Time
Here’s an excellent, first-person account of how two people in Japan are coping with the aftermath of the quake/tsunami/reactor drama, from The Global Post.
originally posted 3/21/2011
tags: earthquake,Japan nuclear disaster,Japan nuclear plants,Japan quake,Japan tsunami,tidal wave,tsunami
Yesterday’s 5.8-magnitude earthquake on the East Coast claimed a rather unexpected casualty: The Washington Monument.
Structural damage was apparently severe and the monument will be closed to visitors indefinitely. Here’s a quick read from The LA Times.
I can remember visiting this iconic landmark as a child of four, when my family lived in McLean, Virginia. My grandfather, who had a horrendous fear of heights, braved the ride up the elevator and held me up so I could see all of Washington with a “bird’s eye view.”
For many visitors, the monument IS Washington. Only time will tell if they can repair it or if it will have to be rebuilt. I really can’t imagine the skyline without it…
—–
Originally published 8/24/11
Just re-posting my ancient blog. No new content, for now.
This is the first in a series of posts/conversations about freelance Book Publishing, undertaken to help a friend (you know who you are, my friend!) and hopefully, it may be of interest to others, as well.
This is just the barest beginning of the exploration of this topic, with more posts coming soon.
To me, the ability to communicate clearly and thoroughly explore a subject is part of the fun of writing, so let’s get going:
1. Amazon
2. Amazon also has its own Publishing House with numerous imprints. If you’re an established, multi-published writer (HELLO!), THIS might be your path to publishing success, since you will have a team of professional editors and marketers assisting you with your project. Learn More Here.
3. Amazon also now owns Audible, the audiobook service. This provides opportunities for both established writers and voiceover artists. Learn More Here.
4. Amazon also offers the ability to self-publish print books ON DEMAND via CreateSpace. “On Demand” means just what it sounds like: your books are produced as they’re ordered, helping you avoid inventory issues, storage costs, initial capital outlays, etc. Learn More Here.
5. Amazon also has its own in-house Media Production House, Amazon Studios which works to bring stories to life on the screen. Learn More Here.
6. Amazon’s Customer Reviews give unorthodox, embraceable exposure to a HUGE reader base. Ditto for another Amazon property, Goodreads.
I’ll post more info for you in the days to come, but for now, that should give you some useful links and ideas to explore.
—–
DISCLAIMER: I am not an Amazon employee, but I do write Customer Reviews RECREATIONALLY (not for pay or compensation of any kind) on Amazon (I’m a Top 500 Reviewer as of this writing) .
Study to be published in the journal Behavioural Processes.
If you’re a cat owner, I know you know you’re being manipulated on a daily basis : ); read this study to find out just how.
What makes people behave as they do? Which belief systems ground and motivate? Which stifle and constrict? How do people work their way through life, either hastened or hindered by what they believe?
Here’s an interesting modern example of this phenomenon and shows the clash between two modern world views in stark relief:
From the BBC: Surrogate Mother Vows to Care for Down’s Syndrome Baby
And, the book version is available from Amazon: Rising from the Ashes
Read it here in the Washington Post: Alzheimer’s Researchers Hunt for New Tools to Identify Disease’s Onset.
We’ve all heard many, many anecdotal stories of happy people living longer. To me, this study hints that happy people may live longer, smarter.
See what you think.
Drinking a cup of tea,
Asking myself this morning,
Do I own my computer or does it own me?
