Established Propaganda

I spent most of the week filming a short comedy in preparation for the delayed Booker's World web-series. I also managed to squeeze in a re-write of my second novella, Cripple, which I hope will be out in about a month. My online book sales have doubled to two.
Luckily I have managed to shift most of the print run through more mainstream means. Work on the ebook is continuing and it's launch will coincide with the web series. A digital download appeals to more people these days and I'm looking forward to diving into the digital world.

I had hoped to grab the attention of an ebook publisher in Ireland, but after emails 'went missing,' as well as a print copy of the book I travelled miles to place in hands, and a series of bluntish emails, I decided to go across the water, as let's face it, you want a good relationship with a publisher, especially when they are the ones that profit from much of a writers hard work. I should not be overly surprised as I won a book on their website over a month ago and it still has not arrived. Considering it is only up the road, there is little excuse, so in the long term, one feels they are well rid if that's the way people carry their business.
I follow a few agenting blogs and the sense I'm getting in the publishing world is the savvy agents are now becoming publishers and taking advantage of the ebook explosion. Those in the field of writer representation who don't dabble in the publishing end of things seem a little perturbed of late though. Broad writings of the advantages of having an agent are turning a little desperate in some quarters. I think writers are more savvy these days. An agent can be a great asset to some writers, but again it goes down to relationship. The trouble in some cases is some agents - and indeed publishers - are well capable of talking, but when it comes to walking, legs begin to disappear.
I've always felt that if you do something primarily for money, then the pursuit of that may be counterproductive in other quarters. A lot of business worldwide have sham customer services.

The worst I ever came across was Sky TV, where the customer PAYS for the privilege of making Sky aware of problems with their services. And that's only the tip of the iceberg.
Perhaps now large stakeholder, Rupert Murdoch will put more of a focus on the people who are his bread and butter. But I doubt it. I'm sure Rupe has more things to worry about with the hacking scandal in the UK firing up more each day, and rumours of the hacking of 9-11 victim families phones threatening to implode the Fox News' capitalist war-mongering Propaganda machine.
The arrest today of former News Corp chief executive Rebekah Brooks adds even more intrigue to a scandal, that despite mass efforts at diffusion, refuses to go away.
With British Prime Minister David Cameron having a cosy relationship with Brooks, as well as the Murdochs and Andy Coulson, there is an air of scandal not seen since the days of Profumo in the air. Even the British Police service is subject to much ridicule for officers accepting payments and perks for stories from Journalists who stain the profession.
The Established order is under more scrutiny than ever before. The danger in all this is a suspression of freedom of speech in some quarters. The day of Internet regulation may not be far away, because with the number of devices carrying it these days and connecting people everywhere, it is the greatest threat the established order have ever faced. Usually when a threat exists to that, it is quelled pretty quickly.
Isn't that right, Bashar al-Assad?

Right, I'm off to watch the end of the Golf. There's a fairytale story in the making, one even the most brilliant of writers wouldn't dream up. It could be the end of a very good week.