Self-Pub Author Angry His Spam Is Flagged As Spam In Forum

Self-published author M.R. Mathias started a thread to advertise his own novels at www.fantasy-fiction.com, and administrators moved his discussion thread to the "Self-Published/Small Press" forum on the site. This ticked off Mr. Mathias, who responded to administrators:

I am not a small press. I am an author with 18 titles for sale. That is more titles that some big publishing houses. I have advertising currently running in Locus, Publishers Weekly, Fantasy and Sci Fi, and Revolver magazines. I have blog advertising across the entire blog-o-sphere. I am not a small press or even self published. M. R. Mathias’ books are PUBLISHED by Michael Robb Mathias Jr. and should be treated no differently that any big named publishers title. WHY? Because I do my job as a publisher too. Please quit sending my posts into the self published/small press thread. My titles are neither. I have 92k twitter followers @DahgMahn and 10 titles in their genre bestselling list. There is nothing self pubbed, or small, about books written by M. R. Mathias.

Thank you,

M.R.Mathias’ publisher, Michael Robb Mathias Jr.

On Twitter, he added the following addendum, targeted towards fantasy-fiction.com's Twitter account: "I broke NO rules! #NAZI #Censorship #InEffect"

I checked out Mr. Mathias' Twitter feed. While he does have 92k followers, he also follows 40k people back. Make of that what you will. Additionally, the only things he tweets are links to his own books -- every day, all day long. His Twitter feed is simply one long stream of spam. Also spam? Visiting readers' forums and starting "discussions" about your own books.

There are other ways to promote your books (which Mr. Mathias seems to do as well, to his credit). Spamming forums and calling administrators "Nazis" is not the route to go.

(via fantasy-fiction.com)

On the Emotional Attachment to Printed Books

"My rooms are piled from floor to ceiling with books so that I have to think twice about where to put another one. If by some unimaginable accident all these books were to melt into air leaving my shelves bare with only a memorial list of digital files left behind I would want to melt as well for books are my life."

- Jason Epstein, founder of Anchor Books, in the New York Review of Books

Worst Headline Ever, or Worst Headline of All Time?

TMZ's headline last week about the rise in sales of vaginal ball sex toys (as featured in Fifty Shades of Grey). Unfortunately, as this is worded, it sounds like EXPLODING BALLS INSIDE VAGINAS. Which is not cool.

New Parties Added to the Ultimate BEA Party Guide This Week

New BEA parties added to the Ultimate BEA Party Guide this week! More to come!

Monday, June 4

Consortium's BEA Blogger Party. Theatre Communications Group Offices, 520 Eighth Ave. 5:30pm-7pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.

Tuesday, June 5

DUMBO Lit, feat. Readings by Cave Canem, n + 1, Verso Books and Melville House authors. The powerHouse Arena. 37 Main St, DUMBO, Brooklyn. 7pm-10pm. No cover. RSVP not required, but appreciated.

Wednesday, June 6

The Devil's Causeway Signing (with Cocktails and Hors D'oeuvres). BookExpo America, Javitts Center. Lyons Press Booth 3033. 3:30pm-5pm. Technically not a party, but hey, free wine on the BEA floor!

Tumblr Reading & Party w/ Baratunde, Alexander Chee, and More. Housing Works Bookstore. 126 Crosby St. 7pm-9pm. Open bar. No cover.

Penguin USA's First Annual Blogger Bird Bash. Saatchi Event Space, 375 Hudson Street. 7pm-9pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.

Comedians With Books. Reading/standup lineup TBD. Union Hall. 702 Union St. Brooklyn. 8:30pm - ???. No cover.

Thursday, June 7

Chuck Klosterman Book Release Party. BookCourt. 163 Court St, Brooklyn. 7pm-8pm. No cover.

See the full list!

Join the EvilReads Street Team!

I totally see hip-hop artists and punk bands doing this all the time, so I thought, why not start a street team? What is a street team, you ask? It's simple enough. Members:

• Receive postcards and stickers to help promote local readings and new releases like Fifty Shames of Earl Grey
• Generally help get the word out about projects (but not in a spammy way)
• Receive an exclusive annual holiday card and other goodies

It doesn't cost anything to join, and you're free to opt out at any time. Spots are limited based on location.

Click here to submit your name for the Street Team!

Bezos: Amazon Is a "Gardener"

"I see the elimination of gatekeepers everywhere . . . Sixteen of the top 100 best sellers on Kindle today were self-published . . . You have to think of yourself not as a designer but as a gardener." - Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in the New York Times

But what kind of gardener is Bezos? Does he cultivate crops, or let the weeds grow wild?

COVER REVEAL: "Fifty Shames of Earl Grey"

Da Capo Press' art department really knocked this one out of the park... The ebook and audiobook will be released July 10, with the paperback scheduled for July 31 (dates subject to change).

Pre-order (US/CAN): Amazon | B & N | BAM | Powells | IndieBound

A shrewd, laugh–out–loud parody of E. L. James' bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey series:

Young, arrogant, tycoon Earl Grey seduces the naïve coed Anna Steal with his overpowering good looks and staggering amounts of money, but will she be able to get past his fifty shames, including shopping at Walmart on Saturdays, bondage with handcuffs, and his love of BDSM (Bards, Dragons, Sorcery, and Magick)? Or will his dark secrets and constant smirking drive her over the edge?

"Parodies of best sellers are hot items these days, and E. L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey erotic trilogy was just begging for a spoof." – USAToday

Gilbert Gottfried's "Fifty Shades" Reading (VIDEO)

Ellen Degeneres already did a Fifty Shades of Grey "audiobook recording" parody video, but that doesn't mean that every other comedian or voice actor on the planet can't get in on the action. Here's the latest spoof reading, by Gilbert Gottfried...

(via Jest)

Good Advice From Fake John Mayer

Had a dream this week with John Mayer. He told me he "wears condoms 24/7, cuz you just gotta be ready, man."

Good advice.

Facebook #FAIL

I have somehow hidden all of my *own* Facebook posts from myself on Facebook. Those privacy settings are dangerous in the wrong hands!