Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing (TM): Hi, Mike. I did read a bit of your story and found it had a relentless, hard-edged tone that didn’t appeal to me. I had intellectual sympathy for your main character and his situation, but emotionally, I didn’t care because you didn’t take the time to create a character with whom I could empathize. 

Frazer

Note from the Wicked Witch of Publishing (TM): Wow, Frazer, that’s just terrific news about Path of the Butterfly!!! And thanks for the note of support.

Just to clarify: I handpick the recipients to whom I send an email announcing a post. I go to their Web sites, read them, and even leave a comment if appropriate. I don’t consider this spamming; I consider it proactive marketing

Also, “googol-fold” was NOT a typo. As I like to tell the High School students and Intermediate School students I was teaching the past couple of years as their Super Substitute, “the dictionary is your friend,” and it’s the one book that you cannot be without. Although Google is omnipresent, it has not yet changed the language of mathematics. Perhaps I should have said “googolplex-fold.?”

Note from the Wicked Witch of the West (TM): Hi, Dave! Sorry, I automatically corrected what I thought was a typo. I’m changing it back right now to “googol-fold.” Sounds like you have a GREAT job!

Now I bet we’ll see some Really interesting comments on the subject! Should be an interesting debate.

And all you were trying to do was announce a service that will be invaluable to new writers. The whole thing has certainly taken on a life of it’s own.

Using “counsel” and “solict[or]” in the prior sentence makes me think back to the day I met John Scher (an East Coast Rock Music Promoter) while in my role as a very young attorney. He used a pet phrase of his: “What goes around, comes around.” It was the first time I had ever heard that cliche. I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. What went around? Around what? Anyway, I eventually figured out what that phrase means.

One can only hope that Ms. Nancy Fey feels the full weight of what she sent around when it comes back around and hits her in the back of the head, after being magnified a hundred-fold (or, perhaps a googol-fold) by the power of the World Wide Web. Me thinks she will soon regret not having learned to be more solicitous when speaking into a virtual “open mike.”

Also the diagnosis of the other blogger you cite is dead wrong. Ms. Fey is clearly not suffering from too much caffeine but, rather, a surfeit of bile. She needs to come to The Hamptons on a glorious, sunny day, sit on the patio of a winery (e.g., the one where I was just made the new Tasting Room Manager), gaze out upon the vines while sipping a delightful, cold summer wine, contemplate what life’s all about and realize how short and unpredictable it, and then utter the mantra: “What goes around, comes around.” Cheers!