Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Thu, Feb 10 2005
Thanks, Mr. Murray
The city of Salinas has had such a tough time with its budget that they were planning to close their libraries. Thanks to the kind heart of Bill Murray, the city got some better press this week. They've taken a lot of ridicule since they issued the news that they would reluctantly have to close all three branches of the public library system. During the 3M Celebrity Challenge for charity, Mr. Murray decided to donate his portion of winnings to Rally Salinas!, which is the campaign that is heading the drive to raise money for the libraries. With all the dirt we see dished up on folks who happen to be in the public eye, it's nice to know that the positive celebrity stories still make it to the top of the headlines once in awhile, at least on a local basis. Mr. Murray will go on to do other tasks, but he's leaving behind a legacy that will make locals save a warm spot in their hearts, just for him. You can read more about the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at this site.
On a lighter note, I wonder if that down-and-dirty creature who's been dong the Gopher's Blog will ease up on Bill Murray now.
posted at: 13:21 | category: /Playing | link to this entry
The city of Salinas has had such a tough time with its budget that they were planning to close their libraries. Thanks to the kind heart of Bill Murray, the city got some better press this week. They've taken a lot of ridicule since they issued the news that they would reluctantly have to close all three branches of the public library system. During the 3M Celebrity Challenge for charity, Mr. Murray decided to donate his portion of winnings to Rally Salinas!, which is the campaign that is heading the drive to raise money for the libraries. With all the dirt we see dished up on folks who happen to be in the public eye, it's nice to know that the positive celebrity stories still make it to the top of the headlines once in awhile, at least on a local basis. Mr. Murray will go on to do other tasks, but he's leaving behind a legacy that will make locals save a warm spot in their hearts, just for him. You can read more about the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at this site.
On a lighter note, I wonder if that down-and-dirty creature who's been dong the Gopher's Blog will ease up on Bill Murray now.
posted at: 13:21 | category: /Playing | link to this entry
Another Round Of The Drivers Licenses For Illegal Aliens Issue
I'm afraid the mayor of Watsonville is not thinking clearly. Illegal aliens are just that: illegal. Giving them a license to drive cheapens the process for those who have obeyed the law. But I can understand how the politicians are willing to go for the majority vote. I applaud Judy Doering-Nelsen and Dale Skillicorn for their interpretation of the situation of the problem from the true standpoint of lack of federal support. We have a lot of laws designed to make our roads safe already. Making it easier for criminals to get a driver's license is not going to cause people to suddenly obey more traffic laws than they do now.
posted at: 13:01 | category: /Politics | link to this entry
I'm afraid the mayor of Watsonville is not thinking clearly. Illegal aliens are just that: illegal. Giving them a license to drive cheapens the process for those who have obeyed the law. But I can understand how the politicians are willing to go for the majority vote. I applaud Judy Doering-Nelsen and Dale Skillicorn for their interpretation of the situation of the problem from the true standpoint of lack of federal support. We have a lot of laws designed to make our roads safe already. Making it easier for criminals to get a driver's license is not going to cause people to suddenly obey more traffic laws than they do now.
posted at: 13:01 | category: /Politics | link to this entry
How To Expose Your Own Book And Publisher Without Really Trying
There's a press release you should read if you're contemplating having some of your writings presented by certain publishing houses that operate as, or very nearly as, vanity publishing houses. The press release tells the tale of a book called "Atlanta Nights" by one Travis Tea. You can read more about the actual contributors on the Cold Ground blog. You can download a copy (and read fabulous one-liner reviews full of double meanings) at Embiid Publishing
I have always had mixed feelings about vanity publishing. If someone is determined to have their book in print, and is thwarted at every turn by publishers who demand that authors submit their work through an agent, the world is going to lack some really great books. If an author is willing to pay to have their work published and printed in book form, I believe there should be a market for that. But it should be plainly stated that the arrangment requires that you pay them to publish. And a word to the wise: if you pay to be published, you should still have your work checked by someone who can catch glaring spelling and grammatical errors. The collective of Travis Tea did a great job (and had a lot of fun) with their covert operation. The lesson for writers is to not let the thrill of having work published get in the way of diligence in the practical matters.
Any proceeds from "Atlanta Nights" will be going to SFWA. The SFWA site has specific information regarding the publisher involved in this particular sting.
posted at: 05:29 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
There's a press release you should read if you're contemplating having some of your writings presented by certain publishing houses that operate as, or very nearly as, vanity publishing houses. The press release tells the tale of a book called "Atlanta Nights" by one Travis Tea. You can read more about the actual contributors on the Cold Ground blog. You can download a copy (and read fabulous one-liner reviews full of double meanings) at Embiid Publishing
I have always had mixed feelings about vanity publishing. If someone is determined to have their book in print, and is thwarted at every turn by publishers who demand that authors submit their work through an agent, the world is going to lack some really great books. If an author is willing to pay to have their work published and printed in book form, I believe there should be a market for that. But it should be plainly stated that the arrangment requires that you pay them to publish. And a word to the wise: if you pay to be published, you should still have your work checked by someone who can catch glaring spelling and grammatical errors. The collective of Travis Tea did a great job (and had a lot of fun) with their covert operation. The lesson for writers is to not let the thrill of having work published get in the way of diligence in the practical matters.
Any proceeds from "Atlanta Nights" will be going to SFWA. The SFWA site has specific information regarding the publisher involved in this particular sting.
posted at: 05:29 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
