Note: I meant this to run on Monday, but we were using the monkeys that normally write romance to rebuild the database that hosts our site bitty bit by bitty bit. So enjoy - a bit late.
Thanks to SonomaLass for this link that about raised my eyebrows right off my forehead: PoD publisher uses Artificial Intelligence to develop books, and the total number sold puts him among the top authors on Amazon.com.
Of course, that depends on how you define “Author.”
Philip M. Parker, according to the article, has “generated” over 200,000 books on a staggering variety of topics, some of which contain crossword puzzles in multiple languages, and some of which “collect publicly available information on a subject.” Using computers and a few programming humans, Parker prints them on demand of a customer - individuals who are looking for information and who are not familiar with the internet, or medical libraries who collect “nearly everything he produces.”
The kicker? Paragraph 7, as SonomaLass pointed out:
If this sounds like cheating to the layman’s ear, it does not to Mr. Parker, who holds some provocative — and apparently profitable — ideas on what constitutes a book. While the most popular of his books may sell hundreds of copies, he said, many have sales in the dozens, often to medical libraries collecting nearly everything he produces. He has extended his technique to crossword puzzles, rudimentary poetry and even to scripts for animated game shows.
And he is laying the groundwork for romance novels generated by new algorithms. “I’ve already set it up,” he said. “There are only so many body parts.”
Fire the monkeys! Return them to their happy habitats! Our genre of choice will be written by GLaDOS, and other AI computers, because there’s only “so many body parts” about which to write a romance.
Three words: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
Today’s MacZot is lovely interesting if you’re into hearing your own books: Narrator reads text aloud, using multiple voices if you’d like. Once you’ve selected a portion of text you want to hear, you can identify which voice reads what, and then export the whole thing to iTunes. Make your own audio books? Listen to your work in progress as an editing technique? Ask the different voices to read vaguely obscene phrases so you can giggle like a 10-year-old boy? Whatever blows your skirt up. Very cool.
Bitchery reader Kerry forwarded me a most excellent video celebrating National Library Week, and highlighting a most startling statistic about American spending habits.
May I say, if there was a vending machine in my world that had Kleypas novels in it? Like a Big Red Box for books? I’d be all over that. Screw the funyuns.
Whatcha doin’ tomorrow? It’s Drop Everything And Read day, and a few folks are rounding up a posse of people to head to Central Park in New York City to set aside at least 30 minutes to read. Sorry, drop everything and read. I am embarrassed to say I didn’t know this was a real program - I thought it was just part of the Ramona Quimby books, which I looooooved as a child.
Folks are going to be showing up at Central Park West between 86th and 90th street, from 8am to 6pm, and the goal is to get about 10-20,000 people to go outside and read.
Of course, there’s a 40% chance of thunderstorms on Saturday, but why let a little rain stop you? Rain is perfect weather for reading (of course, if you’re me, so is sunny, foggy, rainy, snowy, and any and all weather patterns). Bring a book and enjoy - and let me know if you see any famous New York residents out in the park reading.
Marianne Mancusi forwarded me news about romance novel covers making the news, thanks to her efforts:
I recently worked with Dorchester to do a story on how a romance novel cover is created, from concept to finished product. We followed CL Wilson’s next book through the process. The piece aired on our affiliates yesterday and now it’s up on our website.
Wanna see? Check it out. Am I the only one who is fascinated by the behind the scenes creative stuff?
A website that reviews romance novels from a couple of smart bitches who will always give it to you straight. No bullshit. No gushing--unless the author really deserves it. To find out more, read all about us or check out our minty-fresh and funkadelic FAQ section.
This is actually a very interesting post.
I can’t say I’ve seen a lot of clever viral marketing campaigns launched by authors. There were the authors wearing swan hats and manga costumes at RWA. Those created a bit…
Hokay, I simply don’t believe that Chuck’s writing made anyone pass out at a reading. Throw up, maybe, especially if the reading was after-hours at a sleazy bar. But pass out, no.
Here’s my plan for a viral…
A netwok of 8-12 people? Doesn’t help if they’re preschoolers, I’ll bet!
spaminator--quite34--try quite 3 and 4, and you’ve got my social circle!
LOL. Coming from Chuck Palahniuk, that does not surprise me at all. This is the same guy who wrote a story that routinely caused readers to pass out at live readings. He’s a master of shock.
I had no idea about the title, and I don’t think I’ve read this. But thanks for reminding me of sneak-reading my mom’s copy of Forever Amber when I was in junior high (early 70s.)! I don’t remember why I…
