Casualty and being ecumenical

sharingYesterday I had a health scare and spent a significant part of the day in Casualty/ER/Urgences (take your pick), so I don’t have a prepared post. Lying hooked up and waiting for blood test results, the next ECG, whatever, I had time to think. And this morning in the shower, my random thoughts solidified.

No, it’s not the life/death thing or bucket lists. It’s about the strange book world I now live in. For some reason, a writing friend’s question came back to me. A couple of weeks ago, I’d been sorting out some guest posts for this blog and she (a rather keen self-publisher), was surprised at the list. She thought now I had followed the indie route that I would be exclusively ‘of that world’.

‘What do you mean? I asked.
‘Well’ she said, although you’ve had quite a lot of full reads, you’ve had over XX rejections. I thought you wouldn’t want anything to do with any of them.’

Where to start? I have demoted her to acquaintance in my head.

Friends are friends wherever they are and whatever they’re doing.They may do things you wouldn’t, or live with people you wouldn’t. You may be just a teensy-weensy bit envious of their achievements. But the friendship stays. When you first meet somebody and something goes click, the spark of an answering smile in their eyes, you know you’ll be friends. So it is in the book world.

I’m inviting some of my book friends onto my blog mainly because I’m nosy. It’s the historian in me: why, what, how, etc. They’ve done interesting things and have interesting things to say that I think my readers will enjoy. And they come from the entrenched mainstream/traditional to the radical self-publisher and all stops in between.

Ecumenical? Yeah, that’s me.
Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers, INCEPTIO, and PERFIDITAS. Third in series, SUCCESSIO, is out early summer 2014.

10 comments to Casualty and being ecumenical

  • smart move, the demotion 😉

    • Alison

      I don’t know her very well, but I was surprised at the comment. There’s enough competition in the market place for authors without squabbling among ourselves.

  • Firstly, good health, Alison! I get so annoyed when the ‘them and us’ situation rears its ugly head.

    • Alison

      Thanks, Glynis. Sometimes enforced halts like lying in casualty for four hours lets your brain think things through without all the everyday clutter invading.
      Each way has its merits; I’d love an agent to sell my other rights such as overseas editions, but I do relish the ability to chose e.g. covers, editors and production. Not everybody is such a control freak as I am and are happy for a publication house to do all that for them.

  • I agree! Self-publishing is not for everyone, nor likewise is traditional publishing. Do you prefer watching a movie on DVD or in a theatre? It doesn’t matter, it’s still a movie, good or bad, despite the medium via which it is delivered.

    It surprises me that some people see such a big divide. We’re all authors, and the art must stand on its merits, not the medium.

    I hope you’re feeling better today.

  • Alison

    As you say, Petrea, it’s the art that has to stand up for itself. And who else but the readers should decide our fate?

  • Glad it was only a scare, Alison. Wouldn’t want to lose my critique writing partner! (How selfish is that?) Mmm, strange comment indeed from the writer acquaintance. Friend is a friend, end of…(to quote you!)

    • Alison

      Your critique partner wouldn’t want to be lost! 🙂
      Strange about people, isn’t it?

  • Hope you’re now fully recovered. I suspect that with the ease of ebook publications the whole industry will very soon be undergoing a major change. Feet in both camps, that’s my motto!

    • Alison

      Thanks, Rosalind, much better now, but taking it a little carefully.
      It’s a little choppy on the book world waves, but exhilarating. I’m a big fan of living ‘in interesting times’ as the Chinese saying goes.