Nice things and bloody hoops

[erastes]

No, Paypal, I’m not a bloody money launderer. I’m a WRITER, and I don’t earn a fortune. 

I have a “Merchant’s Account” with them, and this morning they accuse me of being a launderer because I’ve had over a certain amount of money transferred in a year.  (This sum consists of probably a months salary for most people, specially if they live in London, so don’t go thinking I’m getting in a fortune) – it’s not exactly much cop for a merchant’s account then, is it?

I bit the bullet and bought a laptop yesterday. Dad had offered to get me one for my birthday 2 years ago and I hummed and hah-ed for several reasons, don’t like to sponge, it’s a lot of money, do I REALLY need one blah blah but I just went and ordered it yesterday and blow it. It’s probably the wrong one, but I don’t care.  It means at the very least I can sit in different places and work on the PC and won’t get stared at by people who’ve never seen someone sit at the PC for hours.  (Haven’t they ever been in an office?)

The nice thing was getting a royalty payment for Standish which is still selling as strongly now as its release. (which spurred the “MONEY LAUNDERER” shouts from Paypal.  I continue to be grateful and amazed and very pleased about my first book. Thank you to anyone who bought it this last quarter (Or in fact, at all, to be honest)

HELP NEEDED – It seems almost impossible to find a royalty free picture of a Oxbridge type of student (preferably in flannels) lounging around – if anyone has anything similar or is a whiz at stock photography searching, can you have a look and helps?  Speak Its Name needs a new cover and Alex Beecroft is tearing her hair out as the usual lack of suitable photos.

Talking of covers…

  This seems to be rather foolhardy – wearing so little in the snow – specially when the heroine is all wrapped up..

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Comments

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

Whatever happened to the days when people commissioned an actual artist or photographer to create the cover rather than just rely on stock?

I guess us artists are just too expensive to hire (though lately all the covers I seem to have been doing seem to be either for terribly small amounts or on a royalty basis i.e. effectively unpaid). It's odd though, since we can actually create something just how you want it.

I agree about the guy in the snow btw - he really ought to put something on before he freezes to death. Maybe he intends to steal her coat, and she is warning him off with the gun?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Sadly, the tiny presses simply don't have the budget for it - I have no idea how much a professional photo would cost to buy, but the entire budget is usually around $50 including the creation, so that's why they rely on stock.

I am sure that Anne Cain can command a lot more for her painted commissioned covers, but then people will be drawn to a book with her pictures on them.

This is why we need someone to be creating, - I'm sure that the small presses would pay more for exactly the right photo. If Alex says "I need a 1920's student in flannels, leaning against a wall" that can be done.

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

An open agreement with a photographer to shoot material that can be used for a cover and then the shoot itself being usable as stock might make sense. Or even some sort of arrangement with some of the people creating stock on something like deviant art (some of whom are actually quite good).

The problem is alas that in the end you generally do get what you pay for though. It's always a problem for small presses. I see it an awful lot with the rpg industry as well. I guess the big hope is that people create some stock that will fit their needs, but in the end I imagine that's often just luck. Informing a few photographers of what might be useful could perhaps help-as you say, you need people to be creating things that would be useful.