CDBurns

This kind of relates to a sneaker convo we are having about Amazon and how and why we need to get away... but won't. Amazon's Createspace is indeed a distributor. The person who owns the ISBN is the publisher because without that ISBN there isn't an ability to distribute the work and if there isn't any distribution there isn't any money. Amazon is not a publisher, but the person who decides to place the book into print is. I read this and I realized that it was rather redundant, but it does clarify the position of those who self publish and say that Amazon is their publisher. When I published The History of the Black Solider and Really, Come On America and a number of other books I was a publisher using either Lightning Source, Lulu or Amazon to print the books. I did not use Amazon's "Free" ISBN. I used my ISBNs that were paid for through RR Bowker. This meant that I was the Publisher. I built the webpage for the books, added author's info, and then promoted the books in whatever way I saw fit. This gave me the rights to extend contracts to my writers. The contract relationship with Amazon and other distribution platforms gives them no rights to the content only to the production. At the end of the day, this is not really that big of a deal. Whether you are published by a large publishing house or a small one, without the right connections and without doing some form of advertisement your product will be overlooked it doesn't matter the price or content. It today's atmosphere all writers will have the responsibility of doing marketing for their work and being accessible to the reader. Oh, the reason I brought up sneakers is because Amazon takes 15% and a monthly fee no matter what is sold. That 15% is brutal, but you have to be where the people are buying because the people no longer look for the best deal even if they know where to find you.

These are the questions we get all of the time. Everyone discusses the topic, but when I look at it I always come back to the same solution: reestablishing responsibility. The only thing a person really has control over is their own circle. If I start a business and it inspires my mother-in-law to start a business and then my sister-in-law starts a business I've created change in my circle and this has radiated out and it may create more change. It's like when people ask teachers how can the school system be fixed? My response is better parenting. If a parent isn't capable of being stronger and better, then what will happen? The quick answer is you get a few kids like the Cook County sister who grew up in Cabrini who make it through. What typically happens though is the kids just don't have a real chance when the parenting is not very good. It doesn't take money to be an attentive parent or to do better parenting either. It takes a real understanding that a kid needs to be heard. Is it easier to be an effective parent when you aren't worrying about eating? Of course, but at the same time the Black family has to re-learn cohabitation. My family was poor just like most kids in my neighborhood. The difference was everyone lived in the apartment and everyone shared parenting duties. So Big Momma, Auntie, and Big Sister all supported Momma when she couldn't be there. The whole house all participated in the child rearing and there wasn't a father around. The only type of guy that was around tended to be the preacher and the reason he was effective is because he worked and held a job as well as ran the church, but today the preachers don't work so the church is not as vital and now, people don't live with each other so kids are really alone when the parents aren't there. There isn't a system of support. You can't trust the next door neighbor and the lack of community and family fails the parenting system. I guess I'm rambling, but 40 years ago, even the poorest kid in our neighborhood, knew they were going to get one good meal from the church each week and that if things were really tough they could go next door or across the street and eat a little. There weren't any dads around, but there was a community. The community center had free one lunches in the summer and in the fall, people pooled their money together to help out. You ask how can we fix things? I say it happens from the inside out. As we fix our families, the communities get better and the people get stronger. It's a lot easier said than done.

If there is a candidate who begins to address entrepreneurship and small biz, that candidate could literally push themselves ahead. I'm idealistic so Bernie appeals to me, but on some level and I know it's sacrilegious, Trump is interesting just because I get how business people are for themselves and really don't care about anything except how to strengthen their own position in a capitalist society. I would never vote for Trump, but a business person running for the White House who really doesn't need lobbyists to enhance his life is very compelling. I guess Kennedy was such a person so maybe I'm looking for someone with the savvy to figure out free two year college, regulating banks and forcing a "type" of equal opportunity in lending, and someone smart enough to realize the government doesn't need it's hand in every cookie jar and won't send my fellow military brothers to war over the control of fossil fuels. As of right now every candidate hits on almost all of these points. Not a single one of them is addressing the small biz person and like you said Cynique I think this is a bloc that is playing the waiting game in deciding who to really throw their vote behind.

There is so much in this section that just the fifth grade year alone could be a chapter by itself. I was bussed to school like you. I was also placed in "honors" classes. Your story is very common as I carried the problem of being smart from elementary into the Navy. I never wanted anyone to know I had a brain. This became progressively worse as I reached high school. It all eventually led to me going down some very twisted paths. Excellent chapter and I will undoubtedly buy the book when it drops. It's rare to get a coming of age narrative. The last one that felt familiar was Michael Datcher's Raising Fences. That book though hit close to home because it was set in LA and a lot of the names on the Poetry Scene used to come to the Gallery 504 poetry readings I hosted in San Diego. This is like reading my story set in NY.

Great change in dialogue here. If I'm honest, I'm for the person that will assist small business. Which none of the people who are running are addressing so my vote is still in the air (although in the primary I voted for Bernie, which didn't matter since Hillary swept the South anyway.) The person who will address the small business infrastructure in the US (Basically the person who will force the banks to lend money to the everyday person instead of the million dollar businesses will definitely get my ear in a big way. As of right now because I import my footwear, I have to pay attention to the trade agreements and how the taxes are going to applied and if the duties will decrease. This begins to place me in no man's land because while Repubs want to decrease taxes, they don't want banks helping the little guy.

You know I simply overlooked this post. I just finished the Walking Dead Series last book titled Invasion by Jay Bonansinga. I just finished the revised Harry Potter and Sorcerer's Stone release featuring some beautiful artwork. I read that with my daughter. My daughter and I are reading Coraline now. I'm reading "Why Your Five Your Old Could Not Have Done That" I think the reason people aren't writing in what they are reading is because people really aren't reading that much and it's kind of embarrassing to say you're not reading much when you are visiting a book website. I typically don't share because most of my reading is based around my children and reading to discuss things with them. I am also reading business books.

It is easier to steal in the charter school system because there has to be a foundation set up to garner the government funding as a non profit. In that structure I have seen non-profits have lavish offices, all of the people at the top drive BMWs and carry Gucci bags. The schools have a mediocre tech infrastructure and the people who run the schools are not academics and don't have any real understanding of how to empower teachers. These schools also tend to cater to the "struggling" student making the atmosphere very tense and also allowing for the abuse of kids due to fear of not having any where else to go if they are kicked out. The public school system is a very difficult place to hide discrepancies, but it happens. The overall issue is that people look to schools when there isn't anything a school can do without a good parent or parent involvement. The school in the poorest area in the country can be successful if the parents support the kids.

The worst part is people are going to share this as fact. These folks may have created jobs, but they have not created a VC... although if they did I wonder how the small businesses would be chosen for investment. I finally have my first telephone meeting with an investor set for next week. It's taken 6 years and I had to create the opportunity myself by doing cold calls to VC firms. While another sneaker company that hasn't ever sold anything and is basically selling a knock off Roshe rasied 2.7 million last month! Based on their use of wool as a fabric for uppers... crazy. Anyway, I'm sure someone has already shared this and I probably shouldn't have said anything on FB, smh.

Yeah you can definitely alter the html, but I have a feeling most people aren't going to mess with it out of fear. I still think it's a great opportunity for another video. I'm realizing now that video is king and daily update of content is right there with it. I'm not getting huge views on the YouTube, but it's growing slowly. I'm cool with that since it's not a primary income, but a new venture. I'm okay with the length because I have my blog set up to show 50 posts which makes the page long so it looks fine in my sidebar. I do need to get a compression plugin, but like you I'm having issues with Wordpress themes. I may have to bite the bullet and build my own.

I actually used Mel's site in a video to show the press this feature so our community is doing some good work. Oh, I added the widget, but man that is one long widget. I would have to imagine it would be better to create a post for the backlink and then embed it into the post. I guess it's not important though because most people don't know how to add it to a widget or to their site. You may want to do a video just for the heck of it to show the process.

Good stuff, now if only I can figure out why my site is loading so darn slow I would add it. I have to work on a few things with CBP, but as soon as it is done I will add the link somewhere. Nice suggestion Mel!

Note I never said "Bestselling". I only said New York Times List. I said recalled because I didn't want to look it up, but I did take the time to find that because you said you don't talk about yourself or accomplishments, but if I took the time I can find several instances where you brag about your history and info. My point was to address the statement that you don't talk about yourself or history. That was a lie. Liars lie and then rant to throw people off of what was the primary point which was you said you don't gloat or brag or talk about your accomplishments. 1 book was what I wanted, but your privacy is yours and I have no right to request that. I'm wrong for mentioning your name. I will agree with you on that. I was wrong for even addressing you and this is definitely my last response to you. I request of you the same. There isn't any need to respond to this post or any of my posts. Keep it moving. Cynique you are definitely more engaged with this person so have at it.

You know it's never random when these attacks happen. They start with one person and then it radiates to their network. I currently use a combination of Akismet and Stop Spammers for my sneaker site since it has an auction site now. It's unfortunate, but I guess the job calls for vigilance.

Like I said I recalled New York Times, but it was New York Publishing houses. I should have made that adjustment, but honestly that isn't the point. The point is you ran your mouth saying you never say anything personal about yourself. This was proof that you do. I can find others, but why should I? You blab so much that you don't remember what you've written and even if you did you would attempt to make some random comment to justify your own lies. If you are willing to share this FACT about your publishing proliferation, why not let us on to the names of some of the books? I think that's a reasonable request since you are so proud of your accomplishments. I don't think you will because I don't think you have anything to show. 115 books is a ridiculous amount of writing to get published by a publishing house/ or houses unless you are selling a ton of books. I think the most published writer has written about 1000 books, you've written a tenth of that which is crazy impressive... if it's true. But it can't be true as I don't know any writer who isn't interested in promoting their work and having more people read it. Oh insecure... you are by definition the meaning of insecure. A person who is "not confident or assured; uncertain and anxious:" enough to basically troll boards without using their real name or evidence that they have accomplished all of the many accolades you've professed to attain. If I was insecure I wouldn't even have a picture up on this board or a multitude of ways to know who I am. So let's just squash this. Until you tell me the name of at least one of your books, you are just an insecure, silly trick of a woman/man/transgender/whatever, who just wants to get on a message board and talk to feel self important. You can go ahead and rant because I don't expect you to write the name of one of your 100+ books published by those New York Publishing houses.

"Posted 31 Dec 2015 · Report post Just hit me.... As a published - NYC publishing house, NOT self-published - author whose books are in 115 (and counting) libraries in the U.S. and U.K., words are my game. I am sincerely hoping that by addressing your post to me on a board dedicated to "books," you're not saying that as a newbie, I must lay down my literary arms and accept abuse from the old heads on the forum as a condition of membership. Just asking." There you go Sara. It's on page 3 of that long discussion where you first appeared.

I shouldn't even jump in since I've long stopped getting engaging with you (Sara), but the first thing I remember you (Sara) saying on this board is that you've had a multitude of New York Times listed books and all of your books were published, not self published. Whether that was a slap at those of us who chose to self-publish, is a matter of perception. At that time we all kept asking what books you've written but you overlooked our questions in order to establish your position. I post this simply to say that you have definitely thrown in the boards face your life by stating that your books are in libraries and have appeared on the New York Times list and are not self published.

Okay, some people just randomly use ellipses so I didn't even think about that as the reason for the choppiness. It's good writing anyway.

I read Chapter 11 and it's engaging, but the pacing is a bit off and some transitions are rough, but it's still good stuff.

I actually think that's what will happen Sara. I think repubs are going to come out of the woodworks and we will finally get what America wants, a reality tv presidency. One that is based on entertainment and idiocy. Trump is what our country deserves.

Hey Fox just cancelled their Republican debate because Trump backed out of saying that they don't need another debate. The dude has serious media influence.

It's a good policy.

See, this is why you rock. Calm, cool, and right on top of it. I get her desire to have the review up. I just couldn't help but think, "2005?" lol.

Troy you are one great dude. My first response would have been, "Damn, you ain't been here since 2005?" Which is why you do such a good job.

Once again we end up right where we always end up and I as always I will add that we all need to bookmark websites and remember to visit the sites as much as possible.

Dang we've been saying this for how long? People will listen to her, she has a huge platform as a blogger. Could it be, she's a lurker and has seen us making this case for the last few years? hmmmmm either way it's good that someone with a bigger platform is starting to get it. What may be happening is she is seeing her own profile decrease since Facebook has become the destination for people who peruse her site.