Miffed but in Denial

Yeah...I think that's how I feel. I should probably be more miffed, but I'm sure the denial helps with that.

It seems that a certain publishing titan is removing reviews based on the fact that the author 'knows' the review writer. Sounds silly, doesn't it?

I mean, isn't that the point of networking? To reach your readers, bloggers and other authors? Isn't that the reason we do blog tours and create author pages? To get people to buy our books, read them, and write reviews? Incidentally, here's a link to my author page: Donna Milward, Author

It's actually been going on for some time, but I've been reluctant to comment on it, because I don't want to bite the hand that feeds me.

It doesn't make any sense. Writers work hard to connect to people in order to entice them to buy our books. I am still a firm believer that if a reader likes an author as a person, they will like their work. So they like your page in order to connect back, and writers are being punished for it? Maybe we're supposed to wall ourselves off from humanity in order to write MORE?  Are they willing to do ALL our marketing for us? Most writers never even talk to all the people who follow them on social media. We're talking hundreds and sometimes thousands of people here!

I'm in denial, because I honestly believe this idea won't stand, and will soon be abandoned. If this titan uses algorithms to remove all reviews, then eventually there will be precious few reviews left for any author. And that's bad business. It's also about control, and that's a little scary. It's anti-community.

I think we should hold our ground. Write those reviews, and let our feelings about removed reviews be known. And you don't just have to review books on their site either. There's always blogs, Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads. Leave the titan in the darkness of Tartarus if it wants to be stubborn.

I'm going to go about my business as usual. I'm going to write, blog, and write reviews. I will support my fellow authors when I can, and talk to my readers. I'm miffed, but I'm hoping this will all blow over eventually.

Femusing...FeMuse #3

Lucy O'Brien is Assistant Editor at IGN AU, and Carrie Fisher is her rolemodel. Follow her on IGN at Luce_IGN_AU,or @Luceobrien on Twitter.

I've always associated the word 'muse' as a sexual thing...something that inspires because one finds the subject sexy or attractive because of talent, looks, or other things that cause one to think outside themselves. My muses are Bruce Dickinson and Henry Rollins. Both are older men in the music industry, known for re-inventing themselves and helping the world become a better place.

I've decided it's time for me to express my appreciation for the feminists who use their gifts to make this planet a little more awesome with their presence. They don't need to be sexy, it's irrelevant. They just need to be women who make me want to stand up and CHEER.

 There are so many...Emma Watson, Susan Anthony, Gloria Steinem, Lydia Pajunen, Tina Turner, Joy Maruno, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, The list really is endless.

I have decided on three women who I can look at and think "Yeah! They did it. I can too!"

Number Three is Carrie Fisher. And it's not just because of Star Wars, although she's brilliant as Princess Leia. So iconic was the movie, and her role in it, that people still shout "Princess Leia!" and she still answers.

Did you know she's an author as well? Titles I've read are : Postcards from the Edge, Delusions of Grandma, Surrender the Pink, and The Best Awful. There are more. LOTS more. Carrie Fisher Author Page

What I like about her, both as an actor and an author is her willingness to bare all, GIVE all. She's an open soul.

She's blunt and honest. She speaks of her own mental illness without shame, shares it with readers in The Best Awful, and expects people to accept her as she is. She'll have it no other way.

She's funny. She pokes fun at herself in pages, in interviews and in cameo appearances. She'll joke about her experiences in rehab and her weight. That's refreshing in anyone, never mind a Hollywood starlet.

She's talented as Hell. I loved her as Princess Leia. And she was so young at the time! She gave kids like me a REAL princess to look up to, not a damsel in distress. One who put herself in charge of her own rescue when the boys got them shot at. That role was MADE for Carrie Fisher. Who else could have pulled it off?

I liked her in The Burbs. I loved her appearance in Ellen, the sitcom. I loved her cameo in Big Bang Theory. I love her in interviews.

I love her most as a writer. When I grabbed Postcards from the Edge, I confess it was just curiosity. I didn't expect much. So many actors try to branch off into other fields like books and music, only to find they can't make the transition. But Carrie made it look effortless. She spoke to me in her own personality, and somehow it worked. She knew what she was doing. She knows how to write.

I can't wait to rediscover her in her role as General Organa-Solo. Yes, I'm aware it's January, and I'm probably the only person who hasn't seen the new Star Wars movie. I've been kinda busy, so no spoilers, please. There's so many of her books I haven't read yet. I'm very much looking forward to reading those too.

I'm glad Carrie Fisher is back in a new Star Wars movie, because I'm glad I found her again.

I Like Big Words and I Cannot Lie.

Image courtest of:StuartMileas@FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I was inspired to write this blog because of a fellow author's post about how a critique partner's suggested 'dumbing down' words for readers. She was told perhaps she should use smaller words in order to relate better to the reader. She disagrees, and so did many of us in the comment section.

I was always very proud of my vocabulary, and I learned much of it from reading books. If I found a word I didn't know, I either learned from the context, or looked it up in the dictionary. Not difficult, especially when the spelling is GIVEN to you. I always considered it valuable to learn.

I don't even remember what word I was looking to spell when I found the word 'percipaciousness'. It's so rare, I don't have it in my current dictionaries. I had to google it. 

It was for the character of Dr. Stuart Thompson. I think I may have been looking for the word 'persnickety', or something relatively similar. The recent search for this word is close to what I read that day: Having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious. 

The original meaning, in a different dictionary said something more like: The uncanny ability to predict the outcome based on extensive knowledge and/or a 'hunch'. This is closer to the one I had, but I digress.

My point is: I learned much of my vocabulary as a reader, even more as a writer, and I know I'm not the only one. I personally believe a writer has a responsibility to write BETTER words, and therefore build the vocabularies of any one who reads us. 



Give the reader some credit. Just the fact that they enjoy reading is a good enough reason to indulge their delight for new things they might just find useful. If you are a reader or a writer, chances are you'd love a new word.

I had a school friend who liked to argue.(Hi Garth) He was MUCH smarter than me, as in Valedictorian smarter. He and I used to get into word wars. He called me out over the word 'notorious'. (I was a Duranie at the time, and that was the name of their current album. I referred to MYSELF as 'notorious' and he corrected me. "In order to be 'notorious' you must be KNOWN for doing something evil."  He actually gave me a backhanded compliment with that.  I guess he figured even beating people with my drumsticks didn't make me terrible,  but it resulted in a war of words until a teacher made us use our vast vocabularies to compliment each other.

I told him he was axiomatic...It means 'Proven existed.' or 'self-evident'. I don't remember what his actual response was, only that he was shouting again! 

I saw him just a couple weekends ago. Our conversation must have sounded infinitely incomprehensible.

I really like big words, and I'd like to think I use them well.  Too bad I'm not smart enough to get this blue highlighter crap off my blog.

One Week...

Just a little reminder....This is my last contest of the year, and you have one week to enter. 

The prizes are 1) One personally autographed copy of 'Aphrodite's War', an 'Aphrodite's War' Notebook, and a magnetic calendar.

Prize #2 One personally autographed copy of 'Aphrodite's War', a keychain and a magnetic calendar

Prize #3 One personally autographed copy of 'Aphrodite's War' and a magnetic calendar.

The rules are simple. Simply spread the news about 'Aphrodite's War' on as many social media sites as you can Facebook, Twitter etc. (every post counts as an entry) and tag me so I can see you. Or you can 'send your friends to 'like' my author page. Tell them to tell me who sent them. This contest is in no way sponsored by Facebook, Twitter or any other social entity. 

Contest closes at midnight Mountain time on November 21st. Thanks everybody! <3

An Early Contest

Cover by Terra Weston-Koster

I almost got caught with my pants down. You'll notice my last two posts were interviews? Jay Mims and Loush O'Raven were so awesome that I almost didn't have to do any work!

So this week I had nothing prepared, nothing interesting to say. I forgot I had to do anything. Whoops! But wait...

I checked my calendar and sure enough, I found an escape route.

CHRISTMAS CONTEST!!

I was planning one anyway. I got a few printed copies and a tiny bit of swag left. They'll make some pretty decent prizes.

Too early you say? I disagree. Is there someone on your list who might like a personally autographed copy of Aphrodite's War? If you win, there's still plenty of time for me to send it to you before the Christmas rush. (And I don't trust the Canadian Postal Service to bring it in time otherwise.) Or if you're keeping it for yourself, is there anything better than curling up with a good book in the stolen moments when family isn't making you crazy?

Here are the prizes:

Prize #1...Personally autographed copy of Aphrodite's War, a notebook featuring the cover for Aphrodite's War and a magnetic calendar.

Prize#2...Personally autographed copy of Aphrodite's war, an Aphrodite's War keychain, and magnetic calendar.

Prize #3...Personally autographed copy of Aphrodite's war and a magnetic calendar.

As always, promotion is the name of the game, and every post counts as an entry. I want to see Twitter and Facebook and Goodreads ALIVE with mentions of Aphrodite's War with my name tagged on. But there's new ways to enter.You can join my new Street Team "Milward's Minions". Or send your friends to my "Donna Milward, Author" page. Make sure your friends tell me who sent them ;)

I'll announce the winners on November 21st. Have fun with it, and I'll be looking for you all. <3 Thank you very much.

I Don't Want to be Pushy...Honest.

Photo by Karen Bursey

I just read an article that makes me feel as though I've been scolded. And rightly so. Here's the link:

http://www.jroseallister.com/2013/05/why-authors-shouldnt-promote-books-on.html?m=1


It talks about how writers have become those aggressive sales people of social media, and she's absolutely right.

When I started this blog, I did it in 'Thoeba's' character, to give readers a feel for her. Then maybe they might buy the book.

After awhile, I found it harder and harder to come up with new and interesting things for Thoeba to think about our planet. She experienced fashion, transportation, camping, caffeine, various human holidays along with the food that goes with it. She learned how to use a credit card and she hates aerobic exercise combined with Disco music.

It occurred to me that if I wanted to keep up the blog, I would have to come up with something else. So I decided to be myself.

I have this theory...If you like the author, you're going to like the book he or she wrote. If you don't like this blog, most likely you won't enjoy my work, right? I still believe that, but I may have strayed a bit.

I'm on Facebook as myself and an author page with my name as well. Donna Milward and Donna Milward, Author. I'm also on Twitter @DonnaMilward. Plus of course, Goodreads and Smashwords.

My personal page is where I post about my feelings and opinions, as well as life stuff, silly statuses and cat pictures.

My author page is where I publish all writing related things, such as my own author posts, other author promotions as well as writing related cartoons and articles.

TWITTER however...I post links from mostly author pages, and my own best friend is so BORED with my feed, she is thisclose to unfollowing me. She doesn't read much so she looks for my blog, reads it, retweets it and ignores the rest. And why wouldn't she?

I've become a pusher for book addicts, and I'm sorry.

So I'm going to turn over a new leaf, and I'd love some feedback. How's the blog? The author page?

www.facebook.com/DonnaMilwardAuthor  Twitter might take more thought. What do you think? What would you like to see?