New Free Pictures

This may be of interest to other bloggers: PicApp now has Reuters photos available.

If I didn't have a chihuahua in my lap that would have been much easier to type.

Anyway, here's an example of a Reuters News Photo... Steve Nash right after breaking his nose in the May 23 game against the Lakers. Like I couldn't have copied that from a million other places, right? But I suppose that knowing I'm not stealing it from some starving photographer means something.

Anyone want to take bets on what facial feature of Nash's will get dinged up tonight?

Clearly, my mind is not on my work! But a post is a post is a post.

For the record, I have sent out over 170 queries in the last two years for my wonderful historical novel. Discounting the last dozen who haven't had time to reply yet, that means 158 agents will be beating themselves up soon over missing the opportunity to handle this bestseller. Man!

Not Applying for This Job!

Craigslist ad:

Research/Writing Partner (city omitted)
Freelance writer seeks research partner for article on "Planned Kidnapping" a new fad that's moved from New York to Los Angeles. The article is for a relationships/love tips-type online magazine, and I'm looking for a partner that will help me research and field-test this new fad. It will be a fun, unique and interesting case-study!!!!


When the article is published, we'll split the money evenly.


Please send pictures and resume if interested.

•it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
•Compensation: no pay

I suppose this could have been written by an incredibly naive person who thinks he/she has a great idea, although if that's true, he/she just gave it away. I don't read into this that the writer is on assignment, do you?

But the less benevolent side of me suspects there is no magazine and no story, only someone seeking an incredibly naive partner or two who can be urged into playing kidnap games, with all that that entails.

"Please send pictures and resume if interested." As Mr. T says, "I pity the fool."

A Productive Week or Two

Yes, indeedy

I polished off an article that should earn up to $500, and did my first restaurant review (for $75). Both have been accepted, so let's hope the checks are in the mail--or at least on the way to Paypal.

I also submitted a last-minute piece for $40--but the editor has not yet acknoweledged receipt. Grr! Bad editor, bad!

I put the last coat of paint on 1/3 of my bathroom (no one's gonna pay me for that, but I sure feel good about having it done.)

I heard a wonderful, inspiring speaker at a monthly meeting of the Independent Writers of Southern California. I've gotten both hopeful news and a rejection from two different agents. I've kept ahead of the bills, attended two family birthday parties and had fun (not too hard!)

I watched the Phoenix Suns move to the next level of the play-offs with a bit of blood, sweat & tears, got a paycheck, and have lots of work for the week ahead.

Other than the fact that I haven't had time to blog (this will have to do), does life get any better?

Keeping Up With Technology...or not

Who remembers the "The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock?"

I grow old, I grow old

I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

I feel that old and silly, after reading what should have been an interesting article about digital magazines and how they're marketed. Oh goody, this will no doubt give me another reason to buy an ipad--I can have Newsweek electronically delivered!

So I thought, but the focus of the piece ("The Digital Newsstand: How Magazines Will Be Sold in the Tablet Age") was about existing media storefronts--which I didn't know existed--or more complicated stuff. Like creating apps for the magazines and positioning them on clients' websites.

I'm at the age where discovering a whole new world is more often exhausting instead of exciting. A fuddy duddy, iow. Bah! New apps? Something with small print, no doubt, and I forgot where I put my glasses.

Don't younger folks also get tired of having to master new technologies every five weeks?

Am I really a fuddy duddy? Wait! No!

That is not what I meant at all.

That is not it, at all."