The Clan have now reached Gibraltar … and the story continues of the tribe haunted by the past; lies threaten their future; therein is the reason to find the truth.
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| Jacqui Murray - and a copy of this book |
The wonderful trailer Jacqui has put together … it is enticing – and I hope you've seen it elsewhere! … while I've always thoroughly enjoyed her books. This the third of the trilogy … where we're invited into the Neanderthals' world.
As you read be ready for clever minds, brilliant acts, and innovative solutions to life-ending problems, all based on real events.
Today – are we as ready?
I selected “Do authors write for money or love of their art?”
From having 'met' the blogging fraternity here, I feel certain most of you started writing as you loved to tell stories (even as littlies) and have just gone on writing – until the encouragement or desire to publish took over.
Thinking how much has changed in the time from Jacqui's Neanderthals to today … when conversation per se wasn't possible, past clay tablets, on past papyrus and vellum sheets, to the time of mechanical invention: the printing press and so on to the books of today …
Now we're into looking at those things called electronic books … fortunately some of us still prefer the paper variety … and we have libraries and archives full of paper books.
Life is changing isn't it … authors and other creatives are losing their personal ideas: the books are being scraped by ruthless, selfish monopolies – who want to own and rule everything on the web … thus losing many authors their rightful place as producers of books.
It is a worrying time … the electronic waves must allow a place for smaller businesses to own their place in life.
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| Oddly - I just received this book ... I'd forgotten I'd ordered it - but appropriate for this post |
So to answer the question … personally I believe all authors write for the love of their story, while obviously some will become profitable, others will achieve a reasonable income from their output …
Thank you Jacqui for your wonderful books … so much fun to think about our ancestors … I am so glad we can read, write – while the e-internet does allow us access to 'meet' others …
The future … challenging times ahead …
... enjoy The Savage Land trilogy … at Jacqui's blog:
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
30 comments:
Gee whiz, I have always been a writer! I love to blog but no money from it. I am a non fiction gal and no one likes those unless it's the self help kind. I miss old books, their lovely thick pages, in a beautiful binding.
Hari OM
Phew - comments are back.... I was wondering if you ever read the Earth's Children series by Jean M Auel? All set in the caves of Neanderthals, and meets the Cro-magnons, with mammoths roaming the land... from about 1980. I adored those books and held onto them until I had to do the major 'unload' when repatriating.
I mostly read e-books now, as libraries and vans tend not to mix. YAM xx
I am sure that Jacqui appreciates your ringing endorsement, Hilary, and I hope her books do well. I just read the distressing news that AI companies are buying up used books by the million, literally, and having the pages sliced out and scanned to feed their database. Even rare editions have been destroyed in this sacrilegious practice. What is humanity becoming? Glad to see you back with us! Very best wishes - David
I am so thankful to you for hosting me. You have such an interesting community. Thanks for the kind words about my book.
@Kay--I was first a non-fic writer. I originally planned these prehistoric books as non-fic, but I don't have the sturdy credentials required for this topic so fiction fit me better. I love the research.
@Yamini Loved Clan of the Cave Bear as well as the sequels. Auel was a genius with this topic. I don't pretend to have her voice, but I hope mine is good enough to engage readers!
@David--I add a warning to all of my books (and my blog) that it is not allowed to be scraped though I doubt it does any good. What are my recourses? Thanks for commenting!
I write purely for the fun of it! As for 'prope'r books, I live opposite a library which is as busy as ever. I recenty heard that young people are increasingly turning to book reading which I find very encouraging.
Two errors in three sentences - not good for someone who likes writing!
Oh, I am sure you are a wonderful writer! I meant no disrespect for fiction writers, I promise. Research! Are you like me and spend hours researching almost everything? Anyway, positive vibes to you in sunny California! My in laws lived in Eastbourne for 30 years, so I love Hilary's blog! x
If we wrote for money most of us would've given up years ago.
@ Kay - yes we've always written haven't we ... but blogging is my mojo ... interestingly I need to be educated with my books. I agree lovely old books well pulished look so good - cheers Hilary
@ Yam - thanks for yur help with the commenting aspect - it's good to know you''re there for us!! I tried one of Jean M Auel's books and I'm sure i'd have enjoyed the others ... I just find Jacqui's wonderful!. I don't enjoy e-books ... but totally understand your need with your travelling in the Grey. Cheers Hilary
@ David - great to see you ... Jacqui is great with her appreciation of our support. Yes - those bulk buying of books: just to 'scrape' them for AI ... we are in a weird world.
@ Jacqui - pleasure to host you ... and apply some thoughts on life over the Neanderthal time frame period. And yes we do enjoy a fantastic blogging world ... so supportive.
@ Jacqui - thanks for replying to commenters ...
@ Keith - you do well with your fiction pieces -love reading them. Yes - it does seem that the young are reading ... though a friend here has been helping out at one of the local primary schools helping kids who struggle with their reading.
Oh don't worry re the slips - as we age our brains, fingers and eyes don't always co-ordinate properly!!
@ Kay - I'm in Eastbourne ... oh I do enjoy authoring articles for the blog. I remember your in-laws lived here ... I'm going to get to that Church this Autumn and see if Richard's pics are there.
@ Alex - thanks for being so supportive ... and yes I couldn't live on any wiring I've done - but I do enjoy it.
Cheers to you all - and thanks for commenting - Hilary
Hi Hils, How are you? So nice to see Jacqui here. Thanks for sponsoring her. She's really found her niche. Write faster, Jacqui. I'm ready for the next one.
Hils, Here's wishing you a healthy, happy, energy-filled day.
@Kaye I get what you're saying. In a sense, NOT being academic means I can write for us lay people easier.
@Sandra Hilary is my guilty pleasure. She always has such interesting posts. I am thrilled to be hosted here.
If anyone jumps into this industry thinking they are going to get rich, they're disillusioned. I believe most of us write because we have stories inside us that beg to come out. I love the craft of creating with words. It satisfies something deep inside. Would I love to make money doing it? Of course, but it's not my motivation.
@Jan "creating with words"--the perfect way to say it. Thanks.
I have an elderly fire tablet that cost $30 and will sometimes read a book on it when it's inconvenient for me to carry a "real" book. I prefer a book I can hold in my hands and when possible, I buy or request hardcovers. I follow the author Joyce Maynard on Facebook. She's pretty successful, and two of her books have been made into movies. She has written since she was a child. Maynard writes because she is a writer. She loves to write. But she is very much aware of the need to write for money so she can support herself. She raised three children as a single parent and she did it with her writing.
Love,
Janie
@ Sandra - yes poor Jacqui I've put her off for so long - anyway it's been posted finally. There's so much research she does for each of her books - so great to read - and yes I'm looking forward to the next one.
Health-wise - a mixed bag!! I'm around and going to try and be here regularly now. Thanks for asking.
@ Jan - you've put the answer to the question perfectly ... if it happens it happens if not ... lets just continue writing and crafting to satisfy ourselves. Good to see you here ...
@ Jacqui - thanks for replying - always good to know commenters get their appreciation.
@ Janie - we read as we can ... and good for you for preferring a real book - me too. So glad you're enjoying Joyce Maynard's books ... I'll look her up. Congratulations to her on doing so well and being able to support herself and her kids - amazing.
Thanks to you all for commenting - have good autumns - cheers Hilary
The Clan have now reached Gibraltar … and the story continues of the tribe haunted by the past; lies threaten their future; therein is the reason to find the truth.
Are people afraid?
@Hels That's a good question--how much fear did our ancestors experience? I'm pretty sure it didn't incapacitate them. Maybe energized them, the fight/flight end of fear, not freeze.
Hi Hilary,
Nice to meet you here and thanks for hosting Jacqui. I love her trailer and all she puts into these amazing stories and sequels. It's clearly a labor of love and I hope she is profitable.
You bring up lots of good points. I write for the love and happy my books cover my expenses and toasts to celebrate along the way.
It truly is sad and upsetting that AI is buying up books like this. You have an electric blog, Jacqui is right!! ❤️
Happy Labour Day weekend, Hilary! Lovely to see a post from you, and I hope you're doing well. ♥ Also great to see Jacqui featured here today. ☺ What an ambitious project, to write about our prehistoric ancestors! The research must have been fascinating. Kudos, Jacqui, for your prolific output. May they all be bestsellers! 🎉
Big publishers and AI books are driving out small publishers and authors, which does make it more difficult to make a profit.
@Cindy--So nice of you to visit. That's my goal, too, Cindy--to cover expenses. I'm OK if it does that.
@Debbie--I was pretty excited to find that 40,000 years ago, there is evidence of man and dog together. Not definitive, but enough for me to run with it!
It is a challenging time to be a storyteller. But some of us do have that need to tell stories.
@ Hels - thanks for coming across ... lots to find out about the Clan ...
@ Cindy - how lovely to hear from you and to seeing your support for Jacqui - she is quite amazing and I certainly learn from her. I'm sure she gets satisfaction from her authorship ...
Your views on why we write are so true ... well done on covering your expenses and (the important bit) to celebrate along the way,
AI at the behest of itself, and its masters, is a dangerous tool, as well as offering a great deal for us as humans - lets hope we work a way to keep the benefits ... it is an interesting/ worrying time though.
@ Debbie - thanks we had our bank holiday last weekend. I hope I'm back! Jacqui's ability to write about the Neanderthals ... researching so much, as you mention. I'd love to see her workings!! Also like you I wish her so well with her output and that they attract lots of buyers.
@ Diane - I bet you understand AI and its impact much more than we do ... I hope you find a way to keep going and helping struggling authors starting out on their journey.
@ Jacqui/Cindy - covering expenses is a very good start - I hope you'll both be more successful than that.
@ Jacqui/Debbie - so fascinating about the canines joining with Neanderthals so many millennia ago ... they are wonderful creatures - the dogs!!
@ LIz - yes it's challenging to keep our creative ideas ours and not having them grabbed by others. The oral tradition of storytelling will rise.
Cheers to one and all - great to see you - Hilary
Hi Hilary. Lovely to see Jacqui featured at your blog today. I think all us authors here must write for love of writing, especially in these AI times of thievery. 💜
@DG Thanks for the visit!
Hi Debbie - I'm hoping to be back and yes I've owed Jacqui a post for a long (long!) time ... and note your comment part on AI - it's very worrying for us all - cheers Hilary. (oh! that's better!)
You provide such support for writers, blogs, and your positive influence is wonderful. We, on the blog, just have a love for writing, reading, and the real deal. Thanks for posting!
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