Hasn't the future got Deed Poll? Mainly Ranty

[erastes]

What is it with sci-fi names? asphodeline mentioned this the other day and I admit that it's something that gets up my nose. Don't give your characters names I can't pronounce because I will skim over their name for the entire book and not empathise with them!!

Things that annoy me part 23: People who stop in the middle of an aisle in a supermarket.

I have to praise Media Fire for their swift action yesterday – I was informed that Standish was being offered free online so I asked Media Fire to take it down, and they did, within 2 hours.  Of course, the scumbag put it back up again (and if I find out that DMOONEY is anyone I know there will be trouble) almost immediately, but a swift email to Media Fire had it taken down again within 20 minutes.

While there is a limited amount we authors can do, because it’s like chopping off the hydra’s heads one at a time, we can encourage our publishers to change things, and in future I will not be handing out PDF files willy-nilly, that’s for sure.  There is no PDF file of Transgressions (well, there IS, obviously, but I don’t have one) – and while this restricts me from asking many online review sites to give a review, it’s a little bit safer as the file isn’t being sent everywhere. Of course, you can never stop anyone scanning your book in page by page and making their own PDF, but people will always find a way, in the end!

And on a not entirely unrelated note, why is it that the most opinionated people object so strongly to other people having opinions?

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Comments

[enolabloodygay.livejournal.com]

1 Opinionated people have no problem with other people having an opinion. As long as it is the same as theirs.

2 I have actually failed to read past the first half page of an Anne McCaffrey novel (admittedly written in conjunction with another author who I have never heard of) because, although I could pronounce the characters names, there were 14 words (yes,I counted) that had been invented to replace words like home, field, family or clan. And they were printed in italics, just in case I had missed the fact they were made-up words. I like Anne McCaffrey's writing, maybe it was just her co-author or her editors, but it still put me off reading it.

3 There are placenames in Australia and New Zealand that seem unnecessarily long winded to me (remember that 70's song?) but evolved as a result of the language the people used. I find it easier to cope with that than Xrslpt or Jklha though.

4 I find saying loudly, but politely, 'Excuse me, can I get past without diturbing your trolley?' usually shames most people into behaving with consideration for the rest of that visit to the supermarket, at least.

5 On a totally unrelated topic, I watched Stephen Fry on a programme called something like 'Guilty Pleasures' admit to loving Georgette Heyer novels, just like me. I thought of you as he said it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Good point, i don't mind made up words, but not tub thumpingly italicised!!

You are more polite than me. I find a sharp shove in the calves works just as well.

One day i will be a guilty pleasure!! :D Thanks, hun!