hildie block's workshop

So, then it came to pass, on April Fools Day, that the Washington Post ran this little wonder . .. .

ME, a BOOK EXPERT!

Seriously.  Okay, so that's pretty exciting.  Would have been more exciting if they hadn't cut me from the print edition (I suspect over photo quality, as I was told I would be in it on Friday and yet there seemed to be on going drama with me not understanding what High Resolution was). 

I should NOT become a photographer.  Okay.  So that said.

Anyway, I had a lot more to say than there was room for about the topic -- so I'll keep I think I'll do a series here on my own.

The reality of ebooks and publishing is that a lot more responsibility is gonna fall to you, the writer, for making this thing a success. 

And that, well, sucks in many ways.  But at least it does give you control of your own destiny.  Publishers were backing off before there was an Internet to make it easy for you to pick up the slack.  In the late 90s, my mom had a friend who pubbed a great handyman's handbook with a major label and he was so angry that they didn't really promote it.  Now, at least, you don't have to wither on the vine if you choose not to. 

Right?

Oh and have you seen this?  okay just a little excited!

--hildieblog

Shhh.  It's a secret.

I'm writing something for the Washington Post.   (YAY! right?)

And the deadline is noon.

And it was pretty much done since Friday, but I'm touching it up.  You, know.  Over and over.  'Cause, this is a nice thing, right?  Should be good?

Then, BAM, the husband, who is oblivious to all this, walks, in and hands me a LIVE GENADE.

For real.  Hands me a LIVE GRENADE (not a typo, just for emphasis).

And article from WIRED about the same topic that uses two of the EXACT SAME EXAMPLES pretty much in the same way.  Enough that I checked the byline.  (Duh, no HILDIE, you didn't write it.)

And my first thought was, well, okay, but right, so like HOW MANY PEOPLE GET WIRED? 

Then Leslie Pietrzyk posts the article on Facebook -- and like 30 people read and comment.  Seriously.  This all happened after 4pm yesterday.

And now I'm rewriting. By noon.

So now you know.  The backstory.  When you see the thing in Style.

Call me Sysphus.

--hildieblog