Dwelling in Probabilities

I've decided to start a Patreon - www.patreon.com/CLundoff/ - and got the whole thing set up yesterday. Why am I starting a Patreon? I still have a job and don't need the money at this point on a personal level, but I do a lot of donating and funding and helping folks out when I'm flush. But one of the grants that kept my wife employed has been redirected to a different organization, her Etsy hasn't really taken off, I've had medical bills, the house needs work, some of my project fell through, I'm starting a business, etc. None of it is dire at the present time, but it is stressful and mildly uncomfortable. And it's cut into what I can afford to donate to things and people I'd really like to be supporting. That would be where this comes in. I get asked about a lot of things and provide tons of free advice and connections on all kinds of things. I'm also not always great about carving out writing time when I get stressed out. So the idea is that you pledge me, I donate your money to cool things, I produce recommendation lists on various topics and writing about interesting stuff (and fiction!). This is all spelled out in detail on my Patreon - I'm hoping this is enough to get you to check it out. Please let me know what you think; I am open to suggestions.

In other news, Out in Print gave my new book Out of This World a very nice review. I'm really pleased since I'm pretty certain that this reviewer is not familiar with my previous work so there's that moment of "Yes! New people reading me!" that's always cool. Out in Print gave my novel Silver Moon one of my all time favorite reviews so I'm really glad to see them up and running again. :-)))

And in appearance news, I've had to drop the Golden Crown Literary Conference trip I was hoping to make this year. I didn't get a workshop or programming items and at this point, pricier out of town conventions have to pay for themselves to one degree or another (no programming = less likely to sell books or be able to use as a tax writeoff). I have added one podcast appearance, a new reading at DreamHaven and am in discussion on some other things so I will be out and about.

One of my backlist titles (edited, not authored) "Haunted Hearths and Sapphic Shades: Lesbian Ghost Stories: Lesbian Ghost Stories" gets a nice new review - http://lesbrary.com/2012/09/25/danika-reviews-haunted-hearths-sapphic-shades-lesbian-ghost-stories-edited-by-catherine-lundoff/

You know those reviews that just make your week (if you're a writer)? "Silver Moon" just got one like that at Out in Print. :-D
http://tinyurl.com/7b5btgf

Out in Print says wonderful things about "Hellebore and Rue" - http://tinyurl.com/84fbvtg
:-D

I'm seeing the question of whether or not writers should or do read reviews of their work on a couple of lists I'm on. To some extent, the question baffles me. Why I wouldn't I want to know what's out there? But I'm a rip the Bandaid off kind of gal. Here's my take on it: if I don't read the reviews, I'm missing the good with the bad. And I've been fortunate enough to get some awesome, thoughtful reviews. I want to be able to thank and acknowledge those reviewers. I also want to be able to say, "Yay! Someone gets my work!" But what about the bad ones, the haters and the clueless or the reviewers who just plain hate my work? Well, I may not be reading those reviews but other people are. I want to know how my books and stories are doing and it's one way to tell. If I only want to see the rainbows and sparkle ponies, I'm not getting the full pictures. Writing is a business for me as well as a necessity and I try hard to treat it as one. I've survived and will survive rejection, I'll survive the occasional bad review. And someday, if I make it big, I'll have my assistant do summaries of my press, the good and the bad. Now there's a goal to shoot for. :-)