lørdag den 6. april 2019

Ebooks and (the Lack of) Success

I love my books, both paper backs and ebooks, some more than others, but I do have feelings for all of them. However, I may feel the most for my ebooks as they were written and designed without the interference of editors or publishers. To write and create them gave me a feeling of freedom and creativity that was quite seductive.


Because I liked the process so much I kind of "forgot" that the mechanics of the book market do not favor books that haven't been through the ordinary marketing processes. My books never had the chance of becoming well known because I never had the reviews that creates fame. However, some of my readers have published favorable reviews of some of the books, which of course made me proud like a mother of her kids who are doing well in school


OK, fame begets fame, sale begets sale, etc., etc. and I couldn't afford a literary agent or had social connections to the press. That's the weak spot in this kind of publishing: The book may be all right - or even more - but it's "invisible" which means that one only sells a few and that it's forgotten before it's time - so to speak .... Still, I love my books and feel that they are worthy of being published. However, that's how all authors feel and it isn't in itself a proof that one is right. If I read them some years from now I may find that I hate them. I don't think so, but it may happen ....


Sex and the Flintstones



Wilma and Fred Flintstone sexy? Naaaah, more like cute, and I suppose that's why it was allowed to show them in bed.


 Now, after watching some programmes on MTV for a while, I'm flabbergasted at what is shown on TV, but even more about what is implied. The main thread is sex and being sexy. Actually, I think that being sexy is considered more important than sex itself. I suppose that the reason for this is that sex in a teenage universe means being grown-up, to be in command of oneself and of one's world. Or put another way: Sex is a proof of success ....





As to Fred and Wilma they soon get two children which of course prove that they do have sex, but do we see them either kiss or fondle each other? No, I don't think so because they do not imply sex even though they were - or may have been? - the first couple to be shown in bed together.

lørdag den 7. april 2018

Old ladies for Fun



One thing is the often bothersome old age alle of us experience if we live long enough. Another thing is the difference between being old and being one's age. As long as one doesn't be one's age, life is still an adventure and worth living.






No, old age is not the same as not being able to appreciate male beauty. Why would it be? After all many old men still notice (beautiful) women.




When she was young she may have been sedate and a "good girl", but now she set her true personality free and has fun. Maybe her kids and grandchildren are shocked, but obviously she doesn't bother about that.


mandag den 11. juli 2016

Forlaget mellemgaard

Jeg har udgivet tre bøger på forlaget Mellemgaard, og det er - set fra mit synspunkt - tre for mange. Der kan godt være de forfattere, der finder det helt OK at bare få deres bøger ud, og som blæser på alt det, andre forlag står for, nemlig PR, indtægter, bibliotekspenge, etc., etc., for det får man ikke her. 


Til gengæld vil jeg indrømme, at bøgerne er nydelige, men det er de jo også på det, jeg vil kalde et "normalt forlag", hvor man ikke betaler for at se sin bog udgivet. Jeg betalte ikke noget, for jeg fik fondsmidler, men hvis jeg havde skullet punge ud til disse udgivelser, så ville de ikke være kommet.


Før i tiden var bogudgivelser en begivenhed i bogverdenen, men som det er nu, kommer der et hav af bøger, hvoraf mange er selvudgivne ebøger, og interessen for en bog holder sig som regel ikke mere end et par måneder. Dvs. at man udgiver til glemsel, og det er en trist oplevelse for en forfatter.
Det er selvudgiver-formen, jeg har været glad for, men den er næppe bæredygtig i længden, for bøgerne regnes ikke for værd at anmelde, og de holdes ude fra bibliotekerne. Trist og ofte dybt uretfærdigt, for man kan altså ikke sætte lighedstegn mellem forlags-udgivelser og kvalitet. Det kan lige så godt være selvudgivelserne, der har det, der gør dem gode.






Mine Mellemgaard-bøger føles som et spild, men jeg har kun mig selv at "takke" for oplevelsen, for jeg havde ikke sat mig tilstrækkeligt ind i forlagets status i bogverdenen. Det var dumt og uansvarligt af mig, og jeg ærgrer mig den dag i dag ....

onsdag den 20. april 2016

The Last Days of Tua: The Last Harvest/ A Última Vindima (Pedro Duarte)





This is a touching account of the history of some hard working people and their culture. Something like this has happened many times ever since the first humans were born and it feels like it will happen over and over as long as we are here on this planet ...

lørdag den 16. april 2016

Some of my Facebook pictures



I haven't posted many photos of me, my family or my friends. No, what I like to post is weird, pretty or cute pictures that I find on the internet. I can't quite explain why I do this, and I can't guarantee that I shall go on doing so for the years to come, but for the moment I enjoy doing it, and that's what counts ....


søndag den 7. februar 2016

A few of my ebooks












I do have plans of writing (and publishing) more books, but all of these early publications were published before I saw the difficulties in publishing without a publisher. Now I know, and I must say, I learnt my lesson the hard way, so if I decide to publish more books I'm not sure that I shall venture out with ebooks once more.
Hmmmmmmmm ....