My post on Wednesday about divorce in the Internet era detailed many of the ways that social media sucks when you’re going through a hard time, but the outpouring that came my way in the last few days has been a really wonderful reminder of how great it can be too. Thank you so much to everyone who reached out via comments and/or e-mail, your kindness means so much to me. I’m sorry if I haven’t responded to you yet – I shall!
Next week I’ll be shifting gears into happier territory as it’s launch week for Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe! Also known as the 2012 election that won’t stress you out (unless you should somehow have a deep-seated fear of space monkeys).
Back to digest form for this roundup as I have seven million e-mails to answer, but stay tuned for next week! Prizes, for reals writing posts… good stuff coming! Stay tuned.
First up: My dear friend The Rejectionist has a name! And a face! And (drumroll) a book deal!!! So so excited.
Author Greg Leitich Smith on How to Plan a Book Launch (Part One)
Watch Arthur C. Clarke Predict the Internet and iPads Decades Before They Were Invented
5 Things You Should Do on the First Page of Your YA Novel
A Feast of Data to Interpret in New Pew Survey of Book Readers About E-books
In lieu of Comment! of! the! Week! I would like to hereby institute a collective Internet group hug. Seriously, thank you everyone!
And finally, this is pretty amazing. What if Facebook were invented in the ’90s? (via CNET)
Have a great weekend!
Thanks for the link on how to plan a book launch. It's good timing. My debut novel, KILLER OF KILLERS launches this summer.
Great and useful post as always Nathan.
*hugs* Thanks for a useful post, especially the link for book launch planning. SEND, a book about a former cyberbully, comes out this August!
The internet is a weird and woolly place.
Yeah, I was going to comment about the divorce post but 7,293 people had beaten me to it. But now here's a fresh chance — seriously, the best post you ever did, Nathan, not just because of the candor, but also because of the insight into what too much connectedness can do to us. Anybody who missed it, go back and read it now. Now, I said!
It feels so strange to finally "meet" Le R (Sarah) after so many years, but still: CONGRATS!
I may be some sort of misfit, but I read your blog because it is an astute commentary on the business we're in, (You much more than I :)) and didn't know you got married, had a rough time of it, (a spouse who blogs about marriage will do it) and that you are now divorced. I was ignorant, and now I know. But that's as much as I will ever know about that.
On the general point of how invasive and stalking-friendly the Internet is, you gave all of us a good a good reminder. So nothing is ever wasted reading you, Nathan.
Best and onwards.
I'm sorry to be so late in offering my sadness at hearing about this news. I never heard a thing about it until now.
Um, who DOESN'T have a deep-seated fear of space monkeys? ;-D
Nathan, as johnnaskins said above, many thousands of people commented on your last post, so I'll just comment here. Your blog has helped me tremendously in thinking about the business side of writing, and Internet-style hugs for going through what you did last year and being able to keep your offline life…well, offline, while maintaining such a wonderful online space. Your blog is one of only two in my Google reader, and while I don't frequently comment, I always read. Best of luck to you in everything, Nathan. You deserve it, for all the help you've given so many others.
Ok, I had to go look at Le R's face before commenting. Still freaking out a little. I mean, I knew the skull wasn't her real face but I still expected some sort of amazon…with huge muscles and scary eyes.ha
She is adorable.lol Which makes the razor wit and passionate tirades even more incredible somehow.
I missed your post Wed. but went back to read. So sorry for what you went through and continue to deal with. But the online writing community is the best and you can definitely count on us for support!
I also have a sister who's single…I'm just sayin'.
I want to get a space monkey and keep it as a pet. I love monkeys.
The links on what you need to do on the first page of your YA novel and how to plan a book launch look faboo – thanks for those!
And the Rejectionist page has been taken down. So I still haven't seen her name or face! Boo for me. But yay for her! I've been a fan of her blog since I first read about it on your blog about three years ago.
Best to you.
That A.C. Clarke clip was amazing. I've read most of his work, including the RAMA series.
I couldn't get to the Rejectionist link either.
Thanks for the cornucopia of links, Nathan. Particularly the Pew data should be interesting.
Ishta & D.G.: Le R's page is still up, but the link in this posting is a bit funky.
Try this: http://www.therejectionist.com/2012/04/oh-hi.html
Le R link should be working now, sorry about that.
Congrats to the Rejectionist, and it's wonderful to finally have a name and face!
Thanks for the cool links, Nathan, and I'm really looking forward to your book launch this week! Should be really fun and exciting. 🙂
I'm just catching up on blogs. I didn't see your original post about your divorce, but went back to read it. It was very moving. I'm sorry, Nathan, for what you're going through. You're such an awesome person. Hopefully, many great things are in store for you and all the buzz about JACOB WONDERBAR will soon fill all your first pages on Google. 🙂 Congratulations on the publication of another novel in the JACOB WONDERBAR series!