Tag: rants

One Task Accomplished

It’s after 5:30 in the morning. I just finished going through the copy edit of the next TJB book SOMEONE LIKE YOU. This is an easy part of the process, since the manuscript doesn’t have to be read, just changes approved. The next two steps–reading it when we get the typeset and reading it when we get the advance copy–are more time-consuming.
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An Editor’s Wet (D)ream

You’d think editors would have work forever considering the abundance of errors in anything you read. However, we get no respect.

In reading copy about Tim’s and my next novel, which will be published under the name “Cochrane Lambert” (at any time over the past six months, I could have ranted about the name “Cochrane Lambert” but I’ve restrained myself), I came across this jewel:

Cochrane Lambert is the writing ream of Becky Cochrane and Timothy Lambert, authors of The Deal, and (under the name Timothy James Beck) It Had To Be You, He’s the One, and I’m Your Man.

The writing REAM? What the hell is that? AND WHY CAN NO ONE REMEMBER THAT IT IS TIMOTHY J.–J.J.J.J.dammit!!–LAMBERT?

Tim, it’s nice to be on the same ream with you. We’ve got ream spirit! Let’s win one for the ream!

Or something.

Kraft and the Gay Games

Lately my e-mailbox is full of messages from various organizations asking me to react to some heinous new effort by the intolerant or unjust to further screw up the planet in one way or another. Politically correct overload!

But then… I hear—via Towleroad in this case–of a company that gets targeted for doing a good thing:
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Back to Alabama

They’re talking about that legislation again. Banning from Alabama’s public libraries books that blah blah blah.

The quote I am fixated on:

Pinto said the state is protecting taxpayer money by not promoting what he calls a deviant lifestyle.

I pay taxes. Where’s my damn questionnaire? Where’s the interviewer at my door asking me how I think my money should be spent in libraries and schools and hospitals and…

Yes, I KNOW that my vote is supposed to be my voice about how I think my money should be spent. But I’ve noticed this odd trend over the last five-ish years that indicates that my vote is being ignored in this government by the privileged for the privileged.

One of life’s mysteries

Maybe it’s just me, but…

When I am a customer in a store, and I complete my purchase, and I thank whoever helped me, I don’t think it’s appropriate for that person to say “No problem.” Or “Uh-huh.” Or “Next!” Or even the unadorned, “You’re welcome.”

Aren’t they supposed to thank me, too, for shopping there? It’s been a long time since I worked with the public, but I’m pretty sure that’s the way it was done.

Message to the rude: You hate your job. You’ll never be on “American Idol.” You probably won’t win the lottery. But you know, you don’t have to be brilliant, wealthy, talented, or beautiful to have good manners. Really!

And by the way? Thank you for reading. =)

Questions for which I have no answers

1. Why does a HUGE roast cost half the price of three small boneless, skinless chicken breasts? Is it the beef people’s revenge for those clever cows?

2. Why am I still not a vegetarian?

3. Is the current flea infestation at my house the fault of the Suicidal Cat Next Door and its sibling, Cat With No Name?

4. Where did the cookies go?

5. Will I ever get this book proposal to my editor?