#loren beauchamp

[transistoradio]

Four pulp novels with cover illustrations by Paul Rader.

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Sin on Wheels - art by Paul Rader (1962)

[esonetwork]

No One Wants to Read Your Crappy Book

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/no-one-wants-to-read-your-crappy-book/

No One Wants to Read Your Crappy Book

Hey, M. D. Jackson here. I’ll be back next month with more art related content. This month I’m giving over my post to my good friend Jack Mackenzie. Jack’s an author and he’s going to talk to you about writing.

Hey. Get in. We’re going for a ride.

No, don’t worry. We’re not going far. I’ll have you back before dinner.

So, I hear you’re writing a book? What’s it about? No, wait… don’t tell me… No. Really. Don’t tell me. Don’t care. I got my own books to write.

What I want to do is give you some straight talk about writing a book in this day and age. You’re probably not going to like it but you need to know it.

The first thing that you have to know is that no one wants to read your crappy book.

Mean? You think I’m being mean? I’m trying to help you. Sit back and listen for a minute, will you?

First off, here are the cold hard facts. It’s estimated that fewer than 1000 fiction writers in North America make a living from their writing. And I’m being generous at 1000. I’ve read some estimates that put that number at only 300. That’s out of around 45,000 writers and authors working in the United States alone. That’s .6 percent… not six percent but POINT six percent… less than 1 percent… of all writers.

Ahh, what the heck! I’m feeling generous. If the number actually is 1000 writers making a living at writing, that’s 2%.

Well, Okay, you have a better chance of making a living as a writer than winning the lottery or getting struck by lightning, true, but, those are still some slim odds.

Yes, I know, there was a time when writers who churned out short novels on a regular basis could make a living Not a great living, to be sure, and, yes, they would occasionally have to churn out some cheap porn novels under a pseudonym to make ends meet.

You think I’m joking? Have you ever heard of Loren Beauchamp? She was the author of such sleazy paperbacks as Campus Sex Club, Unwilling Sinner, and Strange Delights. She was also the pseudonym of science fiction author Robert Silverberg. I kid you not! Look it up.

My point is that it has never been easy making a living as a writer. Few authors could do it, even in the so called “Golden Age” of the paperbacks after the death of the pulp magazines. They needed day jobs or, like Mr. Silverberg, they needed to wear a mask and turn to the dark side.

How did this situation come about? Let me digress for a bit.

Back in the 1960’s the typical science fiction novel ran to about 60,000 words. These were slim volumes of about 130 to 150 pages. Mass market paperbacks in the US were sold mostly at grocery stores or neighbourhood pharmacies. They were displayed in wire racks that rotated. That’s where the thinner books were more desirable. The thinner the book, the more you could stack. You used to be able to fit about six paperbacks in a three inch rack.

So what happened? Why did these compact volumes grow to such monstrous size?

There are a few reasons, but chiefly it comes down to inflation. In the 70’s and 80’s the price of just about everything rose. That included paper and printing costs. Publishers found that they needed to increase the prices of their books to compensate.

But according to grocery store logic if you want to charge more for a product then it has to weigh more. You can’t just start using bigger typeface or thicker paper to do that so you start looking for longer novels.

And there was also this massively big book that came out in paperback, a little story about elves and stuff, called The Lord of the Rings. At 473,000 words it was a massive book that had to be broken down into three parts. But, oddly enough, that little book sold an amazing number of copies.

So, given that consumers would buy longer books and pay more for them if they were thicker, well, the writing was on the wall and there was a whole lot of it.

At the same time distribution channels dried up. The wire racks were gone. Publishers were charging more and more for thicker books, but the places that were left to sell these books couldn’t sell massive hardbacks unless they were bestsellers. Those pesky midlist volumes weren’t moving off the shelves fast enough. Stop sending us midlist books, the big bookstores told the publishers. Only send us bestsellers.

What’s that? Oh… you plan to self publish? Ahh, well, that’s different, then.

You see, according to a survey by Guardian in 2015, the average self-published author makes less than $1,000 per year. In fact, a third of them make less than $500 per year. And there’s over a million self published authors with more joining the ranks all the time.

I know, I know, I read those stories all the time too, about how a self published author sold a million copies of his book and got rich. I also see lots of stories on the news about the guys who won big on the lottery, or got struck by lightning. The fact is that most people, the vast majority of the population… don’t.

Think of it like this: You’re at a concert… an open-air, rock festival-type concert… You’re on the ground several meters distant from the stage. The stage is 100 feet high and the approach to it slopes up. 1000 people are standing on the slope. The headliners… say, Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, James Patterson and Neil Gaiman… are 100 feet in the air.

You’re on the flat ground. You’re trying to get closer to the stage. But you just can’t seem to push past all the others surrounding you… and there are a lot! They’re all waving their books in the air. Occasionally some author with a toothy grin and the right connections blows past you. Or one of the concert promoters escorts a cute red-head to the front simply because she’s a cute red-head.

You’ve been on the ground, pounding away at the ground for years on end and these fortunate few keep slipping by you and the grounds just keep getting more and more crowded.

That’s what the publishing industry is today for most authors.

So what does that mean for you and your book? Well, like I said, no one wants to read your crappy book. But… you can change that. Or at least make it more likely that someone will want to read it.

Here’s the thing: don’t focus on the stage 100 feet in the air. Focus on those around you. Be interested in their work. Talk to them. Make friends. Don’t moan and whine that you haven’t sold any of your books. Talk about your books if others are interested. If they’re not (and believe me, most people aren’t) talk about something else. What do you like? Comic books? Movies? Stamp collecting? Cookie recipes. Talk about that. Be genuine. Be present.

Have a website. Have a Twitter feed. Have a Facebook page. Talk about things you are interested in. People will find you. If this seems like a waste of time, just remember that those 1000 writers up there near the stage? They’re doing it too. So is Steve, J.K, James and Neil. They’re always out there, always talking. People like them. They like them and they read their books.

No one cares about your book. But if you are out there online or (post Covid, of course) in person at conventions or other gatherings… heck, even house parties… just be yourself. Be the best version of yourself. Be friendly. Be interested in others. If people like you they might read your book.

Look… maybe your book will resonate with a lot of people. Maybe some weird confluence of events will thrust you into the spotlight. Strange things happen. But you can’t control that. The only thing you can control is yourself. Be yourself. Be the best version of yourself. Don’t brood. Don’t moan. Don’t whine.

That’s all I got for you. I’m sorry it’s not more encouraging, but that’s life, right? And, hey! Look. This is where we started. I told you I’d have you back in time for dinner.

Take care now. Good luck with your book. Honestly. You seem like a nice person. I’m rooting for you.

jackmackenziewriter.wordpress.com

[gameraboy2]

Another Night, Another Love by Loren Beauchamp Midwood Books 27, 1959 Cover by Paul Rader

[dozydawn]

The Love Lush by Vivian Connell. (1960) Artwork by Robert McGinnis.

Sin on Wheels by Loren Beauchamp. (1961) Artwork by Paul Rader.

Pick-Up by Harmon Bellamy. (1949) Artwork by George Gross.

Pleasure Girl by John Nemec. (1962)

Death at Three Lives by Brett Halliday. (1955) Artwork by William George.

To Keep or Kill by Wilson Tucker. (1956) Artwork by Robert Maguire.

The Girl in the Spike-Heeled Shoes by Martin Yoseloff. (1954)

The Judge and His Hangman by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. (1958) Artwork by Harry Schaare.

[trashmenace]

Unwilling Sinner by Loren Beauchamp

Paperback from AbeBooks

[bewitchingbooktours]

A Bewitching Monday A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops Interview - Alex McKenna and A Winter’s Night by Vicki-Ann Bush #YA #Paranormal #LGBTQ #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/3U2Y50HfiB2 A Cry in the Moon’s Light Book One Alan McGill #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/t43n50HfivR Scattered Legacy by Marlene M. Bell #Mystery #Suspense #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/362u50HfiLb As Above, So Below Box Set by Loren Rhoads #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Hly650HfiHi Santa’s Destiny by Tami Lund - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HvAH50HfiOx Rise: The Liminal Chronicles by Amy Winters-Voss - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rE1050HfiMg Stolen in the Dark by Scarlett West - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/XRU150HfiRG The Romance Novel Formula by Alicia Leigh - Book Tour + Giveaway https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2021/12/the-romance-novel-formula-by-alicia.html Beyond Atlantis: An Epic of The Ancient Americas by Lucius Beauchamp #Atlantis #Fantasy #Adventure #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/bNWE50HfiJU The Romance Novel Formula by Alicia Leigh #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/BZ4o50HfjeW HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA w/EXCERPT - PNR - AS ABOVE, SO BELOW BOX SET by Loren Rhoads #bewitchingbooktours https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blogspot.com/2021/12/holiday-extravaganza-wexcerpt-pnr-as.html

[dr-archeville]

Bookmobile Bad Girl is not the original title of this book.  This is a parody made by Lisa Zawadzki for her collection of fake professional literature for librarians. The original title was Sin on Wheels by Loren Beauchamp.  [source]

[angelariasdominguez]

§ 2.384. El mundo en sus manos (Thomas Carter, 2009)

Historia vital muy emocionante, de un niño negro en un hogar desestructurado que fracasa irremisiblemente en el escuela pero que consigue a fuerza de voluntad hacerse médico. Un médico célebre, famoso. Realmente un médico muy importante, cirujano pediatra que se enfrentó a la separación de niños siameses unidos por la cabeza con éxito. El primero que lo conseguía.Luego participó en política y formó parte del Gabinete del presidente Trump. Estas cintas emocionales por encima de todo o te gustan o las repeles. Está muy bien narrada, tiene un metraje muy civilizado y hoy tengo ganas de ver algo suave y que te levante el ánimo. Realmente no me encuentro bien, me pesa mucho lo del ojo. Es una faena y no me sobrepongo. No sé cómo hacerlo. La verdad es que estoy asustado y acojonado...El reparto: Cuba Gooding Jr., Ele Bardha, Loren Bass, Geoffrey Beauchamp, Tajh Bellow, Ron Coden, Lesley Bevan, Jesse Christian, Wayne David Parker, Angela Dawe, Gregory Dockery II, Zac Douglass, Kimberly Elise, Aunjanue Ellis, y Ithamar Enriquez.

[theconservativebrief]

Vox Sentences is your daily digest for what’s happening in the world. Sign up for the Vox Sentences newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox Monday through Friday, or view the Vox Sentences archive for past editions.

Peter Strzok is struck from the FBI’s rolls; Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party confront accusations of anti-Semitism.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Federal Bureau of Investigation fired Peter Strzok, the agent who became famous for anti-Trump text messages, on Friday. [The Wall Street Journal / Del Quentin Wilber and Sadie Gurman]

In December, a series of texts exchanged between Strzok and Lisa Page, a former FBI lawyer, leaked to the public. The duo, who were having an affair, expressed their discontent with Trump and fears that he would be win the 2016 election, going so far as to say “we’ll stop it.” [NYT / Michael S. Schmidt, Matt Apuzzo, and Adam Goldman]

Strzok, who was briefly a part of Robert Mueller’s probe into interference in the 2016 election, is clearly biased against Trump. However, a report from the Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, found there was no evidence Strzok’s personal views shaped his investigations. [Vox / Zack Beauchamp]

President Trump is certainly pleased with the FBI’s decision. Strzok was continuously the subject of Trump’s tweets since the text messages leaked. Following today’s news, Trump also expressed his content (and his discontent for both the “bad players” who remain in the FBI and the alleged illegitimacy of the Clinton investigation) in a series of tweets on Monday. [AP / Mary Clare Jalonick]

FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich fired Strzok despite a recommendation from the Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, that his punishment be less severe. Strzok was initially suspended for 60 days and moved to a position with human resources. [Vox / Andrew Prokop]

Bradley P. Moss, a national security lawyer, said that the firing was legal, but “highly unusual” and “definitely not standard practice.” [Twitter / Bradley P. Moss]

Though Strzok has been fired, Trump’s (one-sided) fight with the FBI and Robert Mueller won’t end here. [Washington Post / Paul Waldman]

Friends of Strzok are asking for $150,000 on a crowdfunding site to cover his legal fees. [Axios / Khorri Atkinson]

The news, but shorter, delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and European users agree to the data transfer policy. For more newsletters, check out our newsletters page.

Reporters and constituents alike are unearthing anti-Semitism (in the form of Facebook posts, comments, speeches, and alliances with anti-Semitic figures) from years past within the United Kingdom’s Labour Party. [New Yorker / Sam Knight]

Many members and allies of the Labour Party have made anti-Semitic comments over the years, including a continuous comparison of the Israeli persecution of Palestinians to Nazism and the Holocaust. Labour Party members say these claims are “unfounded.” [Washington Post / William Booth]

Jeremy Corbyn, Labour’s leader, has been hit with accusations of anti-Semitism, too. Corbyn was seen defending an artist who had painted an obviously anti-Semitic mural, referred to anti-Semitic members of terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah as “friends,” and appeared on Iranian state TV for a good chunk of money. [Vox / Zach Beauchamp]

Corbyn, for his part, apologized by writing a regretful op-ed for the Guardian. He promised he would “take whatever measures are necessary to guarantee the security of Jewish communities.” However, parts of the piece are very similar to an apology he made in April. [The Guardian / Jeremy Corbyn]

The issue of anti-Semitism was brought to the forefront of British politics when the Labour Party refused to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism. The Labour Party instead wrote its own version of the definition and omitted a variety of the IHRA’s “contemporary examples of antisemitism” that some say are poorly worded and contentious. [The JC / Daniel Sugarman]

One in four British citizens believes that Corbyn is outright anti-Semitic. [The Independent]

Iconic performer Aretha Franklin has fallen “gravely ill,” according to multiple sources. Send all your positive energy to the Queen of Soul tonight. [CBS]

NASA launched a spacecraft designed to study the Sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona, into space on Sunday. If it successfully travels the necessary four million miles, the Parker Solar Probe will be the first human-made vehicle to enter the sun’s atmosphere. [The Verge / Loren Grush]

Conservative news sites like the Daily Caller and Breitbart are entering the world of White House fashion news in an attempt to appease the needs of conservative audiences that haven’t been met by mainstream outlets. [Racked / Rebecca Jennings]

Rapper Azealia Banks has allegedly been alone “for days” in Tesla founder Elon Musk’s house waiting for Grimes, his girlfriend, to return. [Stereogum / Peter Helman]

“If we make this a friendly departure … you can look at your time here in the White House as a year of service to the nation and then you can go on without any type of difficulty in the future relative to your reputation.” [White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, while firing Omarosa Manigault-Newman. Unbeknownst to him, he was being recorded. / TIME]

Juul tried to design a solution to a public health problem. It wound up creating another one. [YouTube / Christophe Haubursin]

Every August 14 primary election you should know about, briefly explained

“They have no allegiance to liberal democracy”: an expert on antifa explains the group

“Snapchat dysmorphia”: why people are getting plastic surgery to look like edited photos

Boris Johnson’s offensive comments about the burqa, explained

This pregnant black mom was accused of hiding stolen goods under her shirt

Original Source -> Vox Sentences: Strzok out

via The Conservative Brief

[pulp-life]

Sin on Wheels Loren Beauchamp PlanetMonk books finally back on Kindle (at Perry Heights, Ohio)

[gameraboy2]

Meg by Loren Beauchamp Midwood Books 30, 1960 Cover by Samson Pollen

[imahighwaystar-blog]

I think I saw this gal the last time we went to Bristol. 

[trashmenace]

Sin a la Carte by Loren Beauchamp

Paperback from AbeBooks

[morebadbookcovers]

Men always went for the woman that grew out of her back..

[bewitchingbooktours]

A Bewitching Thursday A Round-Up of Daily Tour Stops In the Kitchen with Angie Day's Legends & Shadows Characters #YAUF #YoungAdult #UrbanFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ZPGk50Hc4ke Guest Blog by Vicki-Ann Bush Spells, Rituals, and Little History About Me #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rmja50Hc4cG INTERVIEW - NON-FICTION - THE ROMANCE NOVEL FORMULA by Alicia Leigh #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/lSz550Hc4x4 Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza & #Giveaway ~ The Holiday's Best Ginger Cookies by Loren Rhoads, Author of As Above, So Below Box Set @morbidloren #PNR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Aq7050Hc4fk Flash Fiction – The Perfect Christmas by Tami Lund https://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/2021/12/santas-destiny-by-tami-lund-deck-halls.html Stolen in the Dark by Scarlett West - Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/y1fn50Hc4qa Scattered Legacy Annalisse Series Book Three by Marlene M. Bell - Mystery - Suspense - The Truth Has Claws #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/StXi50Hc4o2 HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA - PARANORMAL ROM-COM - SANTA'S DESTINY by Tami Lund #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Pmk750Hc4mz Beyond Atlantis: An Epic of The Ancient Americas by Lucius Beauchamp #Atlantis #Fantasy #Adventure #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/5piu50Hc4hE