'another excellent ebook'

We've been a bit unbloggerly lately. However, a burst of enthusiasm for the medium (the coloured pencils, the rat) was kindled by firm praise for The Linen Way appearing on Library Thing: … a very moving personal memoir by a poet whose work drew the praise and admiration of such great poets as Derek Walcott and Joseph Brodsky …

… another excellent ebook from New Zealand's Rosa Mira Books, whose adventurous publishing programme includes writers from the US and Argentina as well as New Zealand. 

The reviewer is author and poet Tim Jones who often makes generous salon-space for fellow writers on his site, Books in the Trees, including, recently, poet Saradha Koirala and (on sfsignal.com) SF Legend Award finalist, Helen Lowe.

Also of interest this week has been discussion with Ryan Christiansen of Knuckledown Press, a 'small Midwestern literary press' on a similar scale and with similar aspirations to Rosa Mira Books. We're looking for ways to draw more readers. Doing this kind of thing, for example. Do go and check out their enticing list of ebooks.

If only Ratty would get on with his job.

"a good south wind sprung up behind"

This week albatrosses galore have flown between Buenos Aires and Dunedin. You'll see some of them in due course but the beautiful birds are the work of talented cartoonist and animator Pablo Accame who is putting together the cover image for Amigas. Pablo happens to be Elena's son. Elena Bossi is my co-writer.

As I hinted last week, it's not an entirely comfortable decision, to publish one's own work. It's definitely been seen as the second cousin three times removed to meticulous trade publishing, and all too often the home-grown product is immediately recognisable. However, with the current turmoil of publishing, the scene is changing. Knowledge is available to anyone with an internet connection; there's no reason why the diligent author shouldn't put her work through the same stringent processes that a publisher would, and establish his own sales and marketing base. And I think that's the key: stringent processes. If an author is prepared to seek and pay for assessment/s and editing (their writing apprenticeship is another topic), then find designers who know what they're doing, and oversee the final product, then they can produce a book – hard copy or digital – worthy of their writing efforts.

So, am I apologising or what? I'm very proud of Elena's work and I'm prepared to say that mine is happy in the company of hers. We certainly had a great time working together, and continue to do so. Anyway, we have a publisher: Rosa Mira Books.

The decision to publish with Rosa Mira means that we can produce an edition in which English and Spanish versions sit side by side. Not page for page (most devices are more comfortably read with a single page open, and anyway, our translations are not word for word) but with links at the end  – and possibly the start – of each chapter so that the reader can switch between the two versions if they wish to.

Okay, that's enough for now. It's Saturday morning: the garden beckons, so I'll leave Ratty contending with the bird. More soon. Suggestions, questions and comments are welcomed.

Walking the dog

Ratty's crossed the Tasman, leaving Lily and the ratadilloes camping out while he takes charge of a very large dog whose owners are away. He quite likes the 'don't-mess-with-me' feeling it gives him to step out with Maximus. He carries a tennis ball in a string bag, to throw on the beach. Max ploughs up the sand, chasing the ball, which gives Ratty's tail a few minutes' break.

This week Elena Bossi interviewed Tim Jones about his Slightly Peculiar Love Story 'Said Sheree'. You can read that interview on Elena's blog, Teoría y Crítica Literaria. Yes, it's in Spanish but what do you think a dashboard translator is for?

This week I've made contact with my trans-Tasman counterpart, Really Blue Books, 'Australia's first independent digital-only trade publisher'. Well, we've exchanged emails, one each, but with excitement that we've found someone else to talk with about the journey thus far. Check out the website; I like their attitude.

Slightly Peculiar Love Stories author Coral Atkinson wrote a story for Anzac Day about returning her father's war medal collection to Ireland. It appeared here on Beattie's Book Blog.

I like Dan Blank's blog. He's a generous encourager of authors and independent publishers. Here's his latest exhortation to remember what matters on this creative ride.

Rattitude

That's what's needed. Someone has to start selling ebooks around here. Someone with verve, tenacity, a smooth tongue and a tricycle. Rats have no shame, no reputation to lose. Those went out with the Pied Piper and the original sinking ship. My only goal is to weasel my way into your pockets affections.

So, first things first. I've bound and gagged the publisher. I popped a straw in the corner of her mouth with a nice cup of lapsang souchong nearby. And I discounted the books — slash, slash. They're down to half price, for a fortnight only. Think of the pleasure to be gained for $5.50 from the lyrically erotic shenanigans of darling Chjara Vallée in The Glass Harmonica; imagine 20 perfectly curiously amorous couplings (and near-couplings and would-be couplings) for only $5 in Slightly Peculiar Love Stories.

I know, I'm just a rat but by all accounts these writers chew it up.

Look, you don't even have to buy an ebook. You might just feel sorry for the outfit called RMB with its high flying ideals, or for the kids in India still waiting for RMB to break even so they can benefit from a cut of the profits and learn to read . . .

Just go through the pay procedure, take an ebook or leave it — call it a donation if you want to.

Tell you what, every time I wake up and find a book sold or a donation made, I'll change my outfit, antic and vehicle. Watch me.

I am the rat.

Pssst . . . pass it on.