Books, beautiful inside and out

As a self proclaimed book lover, I truly appreciate books. Now I've discovered there is an artist who appreciates books in a whole new way. Nicholas Jones is a book artist. He takes books and turns them into his own sculptural art forms. What a unique idea. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for the words written on the pages, which after being turned into art, are not able to be read and enjoyed. Of course, there are plenty of books out there, and unless he is sculpting the only copy, a duplicate can be read. Is he destroying the book or recreating it? It is obviously a little bit of both. Destroy, however, is a strong word which I don't think applies here in its literal sense. Jones is passionate about his art. In his own way, he is paying tribute to the books he uses. Not only is he honoring the author but also the publisher and printer. He is demonstrating that there are more uses for a book than just reading and shelving. I guess, if someone has an artist's eye, he could see design in just about anything. Take an inanimate object and carve, paint, paste, sculpt, etc and create something new and fresh. As one who appreciates art in all its forms, I can value Jones intrinsic view upon the printed word. He sees potential in the volumes of bound paper around him.
I remember, as a child, I was taught to create a Christmas tree out of a Reader's Digest. We folded each page into a triangle. Then we spray painted our fanned out Digests and added glittery decorations. I wonder if Jones had created the same thing as a child? I always thought that it was a wonderful craft idea but, even then, I hated to see the written words destroyed so easily. I knew that the Digests had already been read and would only end up in the trash. The Christmas trees created from them was surely a tribute to the small magazine.
Michelangelo once said that within every block of marble there is a great sculpture waiting to come out. Apparently, Jones sees the same thing in the books he uses. Here's to art in all its wonderful forms. May each one of us learn to see the potential in all things.

Support coming from all sides

Since Amazon blacklisted many of the POD and small publishers who refused to sign with Booksurge, support has been filtering in from all over. Several groups have stepped up to the plate like Nothing Binding, You Write On, Google, American Society of Journalists and Authors with more each day. On the surface, it makes sense that Amazon would support it's own POD business over its competitors. However, Amazon isn't just a POD publisher. Amazon is a huge retailer.
Walmart has spent years trying to be everything. They force manufacturers to cut back on their product quality in order to sell for less. Walmart even forces the music industry to cut out offensive lyrics in their CDs if they want to sell through America's largest retailer. Amazon, like Walmart, seems to be dealing in ultimatums rather than good old fashioned marketing.
Booksurge customers are beginning to speak up about the poor quality of their books. Amazon has to decide who they want to be. If they want to be a huge online retailer, then they must play by the rules that govern retailers. If they choose to be a publisher, then they must follow those guidelines. The laws which curtail monopolistic practices must be carefully considered when analyzing this latest move by Amazon. Amazon depends on the publishers more than the publishers depend on Amazon. Publishers have shown, much to Amazon's chagrin, that they can sell their own books very well. Read this. Without the product to sell, Amazon wouldn't exist. There comes a time when the hard working manufacturers, publishers, writers, etc. must band together in the effort of fair play. There is power in numbers. Amazon's numbers exist because of the millions of people behind the products they sell. Most independent countries of the world exist because a group of people banned together and said "enough!"

Amazon monopolizes the small publishing industry

Amazon has decided to remove the "buy" button from all self published and select small or independently published books. Amazon has decided that if the company doesn't print their books through their own Booksurge, then they will stop selling their books. Not only is this a monopolistic attempt to rule the publishing industry, it is also unfair. Authors deserve to have their dreams encouraged. A book will stand on its own merits regardless of how it was published. The book, The Celestine Prophecy, started out as a "self published" title before being picked up by a mainstream publisher. It has since gone on to top the New York Time's Best Seller List and has been made into a movie. This is, by far, not the only book to have become successful after a small start.
There is a petition against Amazon's strong arm tactics here.
Amazon, like Walmart, has become too big for their own good. What started out as a wonderful avenue for readers and writers to unite has turned into a "big brother" type of company who can tell readers what to buy. Amazon is still allowing secondary sellers to peddle the books they removed. However, the prices on some of the books are inflated and unfair. Also, when buying from a secondary seller, you must pay shipping costs on each seller. That would really add up if you have more than one seller in your basket.
Book burnings and banned books have long since been condemned in modern society. Amazon must be brought to task for their refusal to sell competitor's books. Otherwise, the millions of authors who are ostracized should ban together and create their own Amazon-like company where ALL books are sold in the effort of fair play.

Coraline in 3D

Neil Gaiman's book, Coraline, is on its way to becoming a 3D animated film. Reminiscent of The Nightmare Before Christmas or Corpse Bride, Coraline is a dark fantasy with a whimsical side to it.
The official link is here.
Coraline, who discovers a door to an alternate universe, journeys into a bizarre domain of talking cats and chocolate eating dogs. In this parallel world resides her "alternate" parents who enthusiastically greet her. Eventually, Coraline begins to miss her "real" parents. She ensues a dangerous, precarious journey back to find the "real" world in which she left.
Gaiman, a master story teller, weaves a full tapestry of fantastic happenings and wonderful mysteries. If the movie is half as good as the book, it should be a sight to see. Here is a trailor.

When I Crossed No-Bob

This book is the sequel to, How I Found The Strong, by Margaret McMullan. Fresh from the Civil War, families in Mississippi strive to adjust to the reunited country with all of its new problems. The book is written from the perspective of Addy, an abandoned twelve-year-old girl who was taken in by the reluctant Frank Russell and his new bride. Frank's, coming-of-age story was portrayed in the prequel, How I found the Strong. Now, Frank is married and facing a life of added responsibilities due to the addition of Addy. Addy's past and family reputation precedes her as she is from the aggressive O'Donnell clan.
Addy's attempt to please is overshadowed by her former life as an O'Donnell. Unfortunately, the past which she is determined to defeat comes back to haunt her. Addy, like the man who took her in, must face some tough decisions.
McMullan takes the idealistic adolescent girl and infuses a coarse, tomboyish charm. Addy is full of the idiosyncrasies and flaws which come from living a hard life. Addy's loyalties are put to the test. She rises above her circumstances and demonstrates that ancestry doesn't have to define you. No, Addy proves that character is not guided by blood.
Written in the language of the times, this story develops a genre all its own. Historical references along with life changing events weave an intense vignette of post war life in nineteenth century Mississippi.
No-Bob, like the patch of woods it is named after, takes the reader off the beaten track deep into the grueling life facing the war-torn, post-war south.

Free Book!

Author Neil Gaiman and his publisher, Harper Collins, asked fans what Gaiman book would they like free. The votes were tallied and the winner was American Gods. On his blog, Gaiman has posted the link to the free book. He asked that everyone spread the word since it will only be free for a limited time. So, I'm doing my part and letting people know. What a great idea this is. It gets his work out there for those who had never read it, plus it promotes reading. Its a win win situation. So read and enjoy.

Why writers have day jobs.

One case in point illustrates the reason why many, very good writers, must work in big buildings following corporate warlords in order to survive. The author of The Cheetah Girls thought life was taking a turn for the better when Disney opted to use her stories in a movie franchise. We're talking Disney here. Deborah Gregory had visions of a debt-free world where she could actually live off her craft. See link
What wonder of wonders, her creation, The Cheetah Girls, had actually hit the big time. Now, as time has passed and merchandising has hit an all time high, Deborah Gregory has yet to see her riches! It turns out that Hollywood accounting is so creative that it baffles the mind. The corporations behind the movie/book franchise is covered but not the creative genius behind it. To think that during the writer's strike, there were those who actually accused the writers of being greedy. We need to have the accounting books, for writing related franchises, laid out for all to see. People would be amazed at how much the corporations are making off the creative minds who feed them the ideas that make them rich. The profit is sometimes funneled into the expense and overhead category. Those who work for the corporation could, say, go to Macy's and buy a new wardrobe. Then, they could write off the cost as a work-related expense. This happens more often than most people realize. The problem isn't just the questionable expenses, though. The problem is that once the money is pushed through the accounting funnel, there doesn't seem to be any left for the creative mind that started the whole thing to begin with.