Tor site update
Kate Nepveu
[...]
> Tor has updated their site. As such it now
> includes an announcement of the title.
And they've updated their published schedule through August, yay. Now
next time I'm in the bookstore I have to pick up the pb of _Deep
Secret_.
Kate
--
http://lynx.neu.edu/k/knepveu/ -- The Paired Reading Page; Reviews
"I rise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save)
the world and a desire to enjoy (or savour) it. This makes it hard
to plan the day." --E.B. White
Grainne McGuire
> John Hamby <jha...@cub.kcnet.org> wrote:
> > Tor has updated their site. As such it now
> > includes an announcement of the title.
> And they've updated their published schedule through August, yay. Now
> next time I'm in the bookstore I have to pick up the pb of _Deep
> Secret_.
FWIW I'll add my voice here. Deep Secret is a great read. Diana Wynne
Jones in general is, IMO, to be highly recommended, even the kiddie's
books. [two of us had a deep discussion on Sunday morning on the
thinking behind Homeward Bounders and the plot conclusion].
Next adult one is 'The Darklord of Derkholm', I don't know if that's
hit the states yet.
Grainne
Michael Harrison
wrote:
>No doubt by the time I send this there will
>be twelve other posts about the matter.
>
>Oh well.
>
>Tor has updated their site. As such it now
>includes an announcement of the title.
>
>So instead of dredging up the old announcement
>posts, all inquiries can be directed to Tor.
>
> http://www.tor.com/tor.html
>
>Unfortunately there is no news of a new Jordan hotline.
>Can't have everything I guess.
>
>---
>JSH
Where on the site is any mention of the new Wheel of Time book? I
can't find it, and there's nothing on their Jan-Aug 2000 schedule by
RJ. I see no announcement.
DriftWood
wrote:
<snip site ref>
Oh! and the bit about publishing schedules is toooo Funny!
Devin L. Ganger
refracted through a pocket of swamp gas in rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan
made Michael Harrison <mha...@interlog.com> write:
> On Thu, 20 Jan 2000 08:34:23 -0500, John Hamby <jha...@cub.kcnet.org>
> wrote:
> > http://www.tor.com/tor.html
> Where on the site is any mention of the new Wheel of Time book? I
> can't find it, and there's nothing on their Jan-Aug 2000 schedule by
> RJ. I see no announcement.
At the above URL, in the second paragraph under the "Announcements" heading:
The next "Wheel of Time" novel by Robert Jordan will be called
Winter's Heart, and we tentatively plan to publish it in Fall 2000.
--
Devin L. Ganger, Chief Systems Administrator, Premier1 Internet Services
"I'm worried Usenet is making me the woman I'll be tomorrow."
Frossie in the Scary Devil Monastery
** Please don't email & post responses to my Usenet articles unless asked **
Michael Harrison
wrote:
><flashything!> Remember only that on Thu, 20 Jan 2000 10:48:43 -0500, light
>refracted through a pocket of swamp gas in rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan
>made Michael Harrison <mha...@interlog.com> write:
>
>> On Thu, 20 Jan 2000 08:34:23 -0500, John Hamby <jha...@cub.kcnet.org>
>> wrote:
>
>> > http://www.tor.com/tor.html
>
>> Where on the site is any mention of the new Wheel of Time book? I
>> can't find it, and there's nothing on their Jan-Aug 2000 schedule by
>> RJ. I see no announcement.
>
>At the above URL, in the second paragraph under the "Announcements" heading:
>
> The next "Wheel of Time" novel by Robert Jordan will be called
> Winter's Heart, and we tentatively plan to publish it in Fall 2000.
This is what I see under Announcements on that URL, and I have done a
cache delete/refresh:
We note, with deep regret, two deaths. James White, born 1928, author
of the "Sector General" series and many other well-regarded SF novels
and stories, died on August 23. We were privileged to publish his last
three novels. A final novel of Sector General, Double Contact, will
appear from Tor in October 1999. White was a gracious gentleman and a
fine SF writer whose loss is very much felt.
Also, over Labor Day weekend, Thaddeus Dembinski, a well-liked
assistant editor at Tor from late 1994 to 1997, passed away suddenly.
Our condolences to his family and friends.
Artisan Entertainment will release Stir of Echoes, based on the novel
by Richard Matheson, this fall. Check out the movie site.
E-text is here, now. We are publishing a selection of our books in the
Rocket eBook, Softbook, and Peanut Press formats; you can find out
more at barnesandnoble.com,softbooks.com, and peanutpress.com. Check
these sites out!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Krazy Kat
I saw it available in the Science Fiction Book Club. It would certainly
help if you read The Tough Guide to Fantasyland first, as that is part
of the basis of Darklord. Actually, read it anyway, as it's hilarious,
though some of the stuff may make you think of Mr. Jordan's work.
Paul Dubuc
<1gbe8s4hcigh819pq...@4ax.com>...
: Where on the site is any mention of the new Wheel of Time book? I
: can't find it, and there's nothing on their Jan-Aug 2000 schedule by
: RJ. I see no announcement.
Front page. You gotta scroll down. Or search on "Duh". Really.
--
Paul
Kate Nepveu
[Dianne Wynne Jones]
> Next adult one is 'The Darklord of Derkholm', I don't know if that's
> hit the states yet.
_Derkholm_ is already out, though I don't know that it's out in paper.
_Deep Secret_ was considerably delayed here for some reason.
I'm looking forward to reading _Derkholm_, because I did enjoy _The
Tough Guide to Fantasyland_.
John S. Novak, III
<mha...@interlog.com> wrote:
>Where on the site is any mention of the new Wheel of Time book? I
>can't find it, and there's nothing on their Jan-Aug 2000 schedule by
>RJ. I see no announcement.
Do you have a browser that doesn't let you search for text (like, say,
'Jordan') as well as a newsreader that doesn't let you edit?
I mean, really.
--
John S. Novak, III j...@concentric.net
The Humblest Man on the Net
Marc Sanders
> Tor has updated their site. As such it now
> includes an announcement of the title.
So, how long was the time between the update and this post?
Anyone... anyone... T. N. Hayden?
--
Marc Sanders (marc...@mindspring.com)
"Irony, thy name is Usenet." - John S. Novak, III
Mike Kozlowski
Michael Harrison <mha...@interlog.com> wrote:
>On Thu, 20 Jan 2000 16:51:07 GMT, de...@premier1.net (Devin L. Ganger)
>wrote:
>
>>
>> The next "Wheel of Time" novel by Robert Jordan will be called
>> Winter's Heart, and we tentatively plan to publish it in Fall 2000.
>
>This is what I see under Announcements on that URL, and I have done a
>cache delete/refresh:
Try doing a shift-reload. The problem is probably that you're getting
your Web pages from a caching proxy -- shift-reload forces the caching
proxy to go get a fresh copy, where a regular reload just grabs another
copy off the proxy for you.
Or just wait a bit; it shouldn't keep it cached forever.
--
Michael Kozlowski
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~mkozlows/
John Rowat
> John Hamby wrote on Thu, 20 Jan 2000 08:34:23 -0500:
>> Tor has updated their site. As such it now
>> includes an announcement of the title.
> So, how long was the time between the update and this post?
> Anyone... anyone... T. N. Hayden?
Heh. She did comment last time about the sample chapters... I think they
should have a pool going, for amount of time, in half-hours, it takes
before an unlinked sample chapter has it's URL posted here.
-John
--
"Can you tell me why / It seems so hard to carry on
When you hear a voice / From long ago, so bittersweet
Too late to turn back time, / To look over my shoulder.
Maybe one day I'll return again." -- Hammerfall, "Remember yesterday"
P Nielsen Hayden
<01bf6387$d5fc9be0$e600a8c0@PDUBUC>:
>Michael Harrison <mha...@interlog.com> wrote in article
><1gbe8s4hcigh819pq...@4ax.com>...
>
>: Where on the site is any mention of the new Wheel of Time book? I
>: can't find it, and there's nothing on their Jan-Aug 2000 schedule by
>: RJ. I see no announcement.
>
>Front page. You gotta scroll down. Or search on "Duh". Really.
Don't search on "Duh." After a couple of responses forcefully
suggested this was insulting to Robert Jordan fans, I recast the
paragraph to eliminate it.
I don't believe in hollow ass-covering corporatespeak, but I also don't
believe in needlessly offending people.
--
Patrick Nielsen Hayden : p...@panix.com : http://www.panix.com/~pnh
Kate Nepveu
> Don't search on "Duh." After a couple of responses forcefully
> suggested this was insulting to Robert Jordan fans, I recast the
> paragraph to eliminate it.
> I don't believe in hollow ass-covering corporatespeak, but I also don't
> believe in needlessly offending people.
I thought it was kind of funny, but I can see how it might have been
considered offensive. And I hope that Geocities guy has been slapped
firmly with a ruler (assuming that's the one you're talking about--I
hope there wasn't more than one...)
DriftWood
John Rowat
> p...@panix.com (P Nielsen Hayden) wrote:
>> I don't believe in hollow ass-covering corporatespeak, but I also don't
>> believe in needlessly offending people.
> I thought it was kind of funny, but I can see how it might have been
> considered offensive. And I hope that Geocities guy has been slapped
> firmly with a ruler (assuming that's the one you're talking about--I
> hope there wasn't more than one...)
And now I regret not looking at the page, because apparently it was much
more interesting than I had anticipated it being.
"Duh"?
Michael Harrison
Kozlowski) wrote:
Actually, I couldn't get it to refresh, but then I upgraded to IE5.01
(was using IE4) and now it has refreshed the page to the most current
one.
John S. Novak, III
>>Front page. You gotta scroll down. Or search on "Duh". Really.
>Don't search on "Duh." After a couple of responses forcefully
>suggested this was insulting to Robert Jordan fans, I recast the
>paragraph to eliminate it.
Heh.
I kinda liked it.
This is why I'm not in PR.
--
John S. Novak, III j...@concentric.net
Marc Sanders
>
> As roses wither, so does Marc Sanders:
> > John Hamby wrote on Thu, 20 Jan 2000 08:34:23 -0500:
>
> >> Tor has updated their site. As such it now
> >> includes an announcement of the title.
>
> > So, how long was the time between the update and this post?
> > Anyone... anyone... T. N. Hayden?
>
> Heh. She did comment last time about the sample chapters...
Which is why I asked.
> I think
> they should have a pool going, for amount of time, in half-hours, it
> takes before an unlinked sample chapter has it's URL posted here.
For all we know, they already do. Or plan on it.
--
Marc Sanders (marc...@mindspring.com)
"Irony, thy name is Usenet." - John S. Novak, III
JJVORS
>John Hamby wrote on Thu, 20 Jan 2000 08:34:23 -0500:
>> Tor has updated their site. As such it now
>> includes an announcement of the title.
>
>So, how long was the time between the update and this post?
>
>Anyone... anyone... T. N. Hayden?
>
>--
I went to the tor site tried to get to the root directory and couldn't. Then I
tried ~/html and failed. Then I
noticed /gifs as the index page was loading. I went there and got a directory
listing of the parent. Here
it is:
from
Index of /gifs
Name Last modified Size Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
Parent Directory 19-Jan-2000 22:35 -
then assuming
-Hamby's post time of 8:35 am EST is correct,
-the parent directory update matches the page update
-the Tor server's time is correct and in EST too.
-Hamby's server time is correct
that makes
ten hours between the web site change and John's posting.
A little slow, but then it was 2nd and 3rd shift.
Jeff Smith
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotton Son, that whosoever believes in Him should
not perish, but have everlasting life."
Leigh D. Butler
> On 21 Jan 2000 13:06:46 GMT, P Nielsen Hayden <p...@panix.com> wrote:
>
> >>Front page. You gotta scroll down. Or search on "Duh". Really.
>
> >Don't search on "Duh." After a couple of responses forcefully
> >suggested this was insulting to Robert Jordan fans, I recast the
> >paragraph to eliminate it.
>
> Heh.
> I kinda liked it.
>
> This is why I'm not in PR.
Oh, I think there are a few more reasons than that...
--
Leigh Butler dal...@concentric.net
**************************************
Who personally can't think of anything more incongruous
Patrick Nielsen Hayden
<slrn88i3o...@ts007d18.chi-il.concentric.net>:
>On 21 Jan 2000 13:06:46 GMT, P Nielsen Hayden <p...@panix.com> wrote:
>
>>>Front page. You gotta scroll down. Or search on "Duh". Really.
>
>>Don't search on "Duh." After a couple of responses forcefully
>>suggested this was insulting to Robert Jordan fans, I recast the
>>paragraph to eliminate it.
>
>Heh.
>I kinda liked it.
>
>This is why I'm not in PR.
I liked it too; I wrote it. And of course it's patently obvious to me
that everyone should share my sense of humor.
More broadly, I _am_ in PR; at least, that's one of the skills an
editor should have a bit of. I also think most of the norms of
standard corporate PR are quickly becoming wrong; for an excellent
piece detailing why, read the "95 Theses" at www.cluetrain.com.
John S. Novak, III
>>This is why I'm not in PR.
>I liked it too; I wrote it. And of course it's patently obvious to me
>that everyone should share my sense of humor.
>More broadly, I _am_ in PR; at least, that's one of the skills an
>editor should have a bit of. I also think most of the norms of
>standard corporate PR are quickly becoming wrong; for an excellent
>piece detailing why, read the "95 Theses" at www.cluetrain.com.
<Novak goes to skim the theses.>
Okay, most if not all of those make sense.
In that vein, I have a comment and some questions:
I noticed from the updated webpage that you've licensed some of your
books for e-book publication, like Softbook, Rocketbook, etc. This is
cool, as a first step.
(I also hope that Gemstar's buying Softbook is a good thing.
I'd have bought a Softbook in a heartbeat, if Softbook hadn't set
their reader up physically so that I have to deal only with Softbook
Press for publications. I don't WANT a proprietary telephone
interface to Softbook. I want an open serial port interface to my
computer, which can then download content from any publisher. Why is
Softbook supposedly supporting open publishing standards, if I still
can't buy content from someone else?
(And I certainly don't want to be muddling around with some
business-card display like the Rocketbook has. But I digress. But
then, maybe you can tell the e-book community in general that we're
not stupid-- we want a display at least as good as the Softbook, and
with an openinterface, so that if Softbook goes under, or fails to
sign for a book we want, we're not left high and dry. 'Cause unless I
misunderstand Softbook's interface, that's the situation.)
Question: I notice (at Peanut Press, anyway) that you seem to be
selling mostly books that have already gone to market as paperback
versions. Do you think that'll be likely to change, so that you
release electronically at the same time as you release in hardback?
Question: Who sets the pricing on stuff once the electronic
sellers get their hands on the books? I'm pretty sure I know the
answer to that one after checking two different sellers, but it'd be
interesting to get some confirmation.
Question: And what's the general business model on that like?
Presumeably, the sellers are taking some money out of every purchase
transaction as their own profit. I'm trying to figure out why the
actual publishers (that'd be you, and McGraw Hill and all the other
traditional publishing companies, who contract with authors and
provide content) are invariably going through other third party
sellers (ie, Softbook, Peanut Press, etc) when it seems to me that
you could be distributing that stuff yourselves, saving money on that
leg of the deal as well.
--
John S. Novak, III j...@concentric.net
Patrick Nielsen Hayden
>In that vein, I have a comment and some questions:
>
>I noticed from the updated webpage that you've licensed some of your
>books for e-book publication, like Softbook, Rocketbook, etc. This is
>cool, as a first step.
>
>(I also hope that Gemstar's buying Softbook is a good thing.
>I'd have bought a Softbook in a heartbeat, if Softbook hadn't set
>their reader up physically so that I have to deal only with Softbook
>Press for publications. I don't WANT a proprietary telephone
>interface to Softbook. I want an open serial port interface to my
>computer, which can then download content from any publisher. Why is
>Softbook supposedly supporting open publishing standards, if I still
>can't buy content from someone else?
I dunno. As a reader, I have the same reaction you do.
>(And I certainly don't want to be muddling around with some
>business-card display like the Rocketbook has. But I digress. But
>then, maybe you can tell the e-book community in general that we're
>not stupid-- we want a display at least as good as the Softbook, and
>with an openinterface, so that if Softbook goes under, or fails to
>sign for a book we want, we're not left high and dry. 'Cause unless I
>misunderstand Softbook's interface, that's the situation.)
You're not the only person making these very fine points.
>Question: I notice (at Peanut Press, anyway) that you seem to be
>selling mostly books that have already gone to market as paperback
>versions. Do you think that'll be likely to change, so that you
>release electronically at the same time as you release in hardback?
Yes, it's changing already.
>Question: Who sets the pricing on stuff once the electronic
>sellers get their hands on the books? I'm pretty sure I know the
>answer to that one after checking two different sellers, but it'd be
>interesting to get some confirmation.
Generally, the e-texts go for hardcoveriosh prices when the book is
available only in hardcover, and then go down when the pb comes out.
>Question: And what's the general business model on that like?
Constantly changing. Or are you under the impression anyone has a clue
what's actually happening in this end of the business? It is to laugh.
We're all playing pin-the-tail-on-the-dinosaur in the dark.
John S. Novak, III
>>(And I certainly don't want to be muddling around with some
>>business-card display like the Rocketbook has. But I digress. But
>>then, maybe you can tell the e-book community in general that we're
>>not stupid-- we want a display at least as good as the Softbook, and
>>with an openinterface, so that if Softbook goes under, or fails to
>>sign for a book we want, we're not left high and dry. 'Cause unless I
>>misunderstand Softbook's interface, that's the situation.)
>You're not the only person making these very fine points.
Good.
I can rest somewhat contented, then.
I know that it will only be a matter of time before the market forces
make this point blindingly clear to the gadget makers, but I'd rather
see that time be one year rather than five years.
>>Question: I notice (at Peanut Press, anyway) that you seem to be
>>selling mostly books that have already gone to market as paperback
>>versions. Do you think that'll be likely to change, so that you
>>release electronically at the same time as you release in hardback?
>Yes, it's changing already.
Cool.
>>Question: Who sets the pricing on stuff once the electronic
>>sellers get their hands on the books? I'm pretty sure I know the
>>answer to that one after checking two different sellers, but it'd be
>>interesting to get some confirmation.
>Generally, the e-texts go for hardcoveriosh prices when the book is
>available only in hardcover, and then go down when the pb comes out.
Yeah, I know, and that's a perfectly reasonable thing.
But it doesn't tell me whether the prices are set by you guys, or by
Softbook, Peanut Press, et al.
By observation and inference, it seems to be that the electronic
sellers (I'm trying not to get into the habit of referng to them as
publishers-- in my world, Tor is a publisher, Barnes-n-Noble and
Softbook are both book sellers, just of different sorts) are setting
the prices.
Which seems unfortunate for everyone concerned _except_ Softbook and
the electronic sellers, and a direct consequence of their closed
interface business model.
It's unfortunate for us consumers because their pricing models
(with the exception of Softbook, sometimes) invariably match the
price of a physical book, which somehow seems unjust. After all, the
technology just eliminated every physical cost of production from
printing to binding to physical shipping and distribution, and has
reduced the distribution and storage costs to almost nothing... but
we're not seeing that benefit.
It seems unfortunate for the publishers, because it seems to me that
the only companies actually realizing much of the profits from those
savings are the sellers. And it's also unfortunate for the publishers
because it's doing nothing to stimulate book sales, at least not in
your market. (Journal publication is a different matter.)
Other than the way the interfaces work right now, I just don't quite
see the reason anyone-- publisher or purchaser-- would want to go to
the trouble of dealing with the sellers for any reason other than
buying the gadget in hand. After that, they're only impediments,
driving up the price and cutting back on availability when they take
their slice of the purchase.
I know why the sellers want it that way-- it's their license to print
money.
>>Question: And what's the general business model on that like?
>Constantly changing. Or are you under the impression anyone has a clue
>what's actually happening in this end of the business?
I was rather hoping.
Maggie
<*snip*>
> We're all playing pin-the-tail-on-the-dinosaur in the dark.
<*choke*>
Thou hast been .sigged!
--
Maggie UIN 10248195
http://www.chocolatefiends.com/princessmoo/
"I will. For chocolate."
Bill Garrett
} More broadly, I _am_ in PR; at least, that's one of the skills an
} editor should have a bit of. I also think most of the norms of
} standard corporate PR are quickly becoming wrong; for an excellent
} piece detailing why, read the "95 Theses" at www.cluetrain.com.
Shrug. Many of those 95 theses read like drivel from a self-esteem
building exercise. More than half of them are merely restatements of
the general idea, "Customers are savvier about the market now than
ever before. Neener neener." A few of them are outright, laughably
absurd. Frex, "74. We are immune to advertising. Just forget it."
Scattered throughout the list are a few things I agree with.
Companies do need to recognize sophisticated customers and stop
marketing to them as if they're 8 year old children. Don't write
web content with dry language like an SEC report, unless it's an
SEC report. Don't write web content like a 1-page print advertisement.
People expect your website to be much more useful than your print ad
on page 17A of the newspaper. To the extent that customers develop
relationships with your employees for sales and service, make sure
they get access to people who can genuinely help them instead of
merely reciting a script.
--
Bill Garrett Lead me not into temptation...
wfg1 @ concentric.net unless you know a shortcut I don't.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden
<2000Jan2...@130.62.16.132>:
It sounds to me like you basically agree with the piece, but you want
to make sure we understand that you are a fellow of fiercely
independent mind who wouldn't do anything so passive as "agree."
James Robinson
<p...@panix.com> wrote:
> wf...@concentric.net.REMOVE (Bill Garrett) wrote in
> <2000Jan2...@130.62.16.132>:
>
> >p...@panix.com (Patrick Nielsen Hayden) writes:
> >} More broadly, I _am_ in PR; at least, that's one of the skills an
> >} editor should have a bit of. I also think most of the norms of
> >} standard corporate PR are quickly becoming wrong; for an excellent
> >} piece detailing why, read the "95 Theses" at www.cluetrain.com.
> >Scattered throughout the list are a few things I agree with.
[snip general criticism]
> It sounds to me like you basically agree with the piece, but you want
> to make sure we understand that you are a fellow of fiercely
> independent mind who wouldn't do anything so passive as "agree."
It's much more complicated than that, actually. The germ of your
thesis is accurate, but...
--
James
http://avalon.net/~amorph