A couple things have been happening around other things. I shall sum up.
1. A Gift of Magic, Writing Neep, Barnburner, and Gunshy have been epubbed and are now available ( in addition to previously existing Kindle and Nook editions) at Kobo, iBooks, Oyster, Scribd, and Tolino. If you use any of these sites, those books ought to be available to you now.
1A. Because D2D offers this service, I’ve been considering pubbing paperbacks of Barnburner and Gunshy through CreateSpace. Still thinking about it; what’s holding me up at the moment is needing to find art in an appropriate size and dpi, as well as the realization that, given CreateSpace’s costs, I’d have to charge $8.99 per book — for books that each come in under 60,000 words — in order to make anything for myself.
2. 100 copies (5 cartons) of A Liaden Universe® Constellation Volume III arrived at the Confusion Factory today via UPS. Steve and I signed and personalized them this afternoon, and In Beautiful Theory, UPS will pick up the boxes tomorrow and carry them all the way to Minneapolis, where the Uncle lets us know that he has spent much of the day taping together the boxes that will protect them from the vagaries of the US and even International Mail, until the come to rest with you.
3. Hearing loss is a strange and unsettling thing. Apparently, I really depend on rhythm cues nowadays. For women’s voices in the higher ranges — and especially voices that are musical, or accented in non-USian ways — I’m really struggling for sense in the sentences in phone conversations. That’s. . .frightening. But what’s dangerous is that — for USian accents, I depend on the rhythm and on what I assume will/have been said, which is — wow, oh wow, have I got to watch that. Note to self: Practice saying, “Would you please repeat that?”
4. It was really hot today (by which I mean 89F/32C) and it’s going to be hot for the next couple days. For some reason, I’m not being as zen about this as I probably should.
5. Tomorrow, need to get with Droi.
6. There is no 6.
Sharon,
Never hesitate to say, “I’m having difficulty understanding you. Please let me speak with someone else.” Usually, they cooperate. I just act like the problem is mine (whether it is or not.). ????
I was taught in the Navy to say “Say again” when something was not fully heard & understood during shipboard communications.
I’ve used a more polite “Say again please” ever since. I’ve found it to be simpler, faster and less likely – since its less common – to upset the other person. Some people seem to regard a more formal “Would you please repeat that?” as aggressive(ish).
I have had the “I can’t understand you” since age 16. Evidently my hearing level has Not changed for the worse much. But my hearing in the left ear is under the range for speaking voices and the right ear is just barely above it. Use a hearing aid in public. But between my hearing and some people’s accents…I cannot understand. Usually ask for a repeat, if still don’t get it, especially names or one word, “please spell that, between my hearing and your accent, I just am not understanding!” Sometimes I tell them what I heard and they understand my confusion. If it does not work the first couple of times, I ask someone else to “translate”. Unfortunately, I hear bass beats way too well…i.e. rap beats. They make my heart skip and I hate them! High pitches get on my nerves very fast and I cannot understand high voices either.
Would it be more cost effective for you to release the 2 Jen mysteries together in one paperback omnibus edition? One ISBN, one setup cost, etc? Just a thought.
I wish I had a suggestion for the hearing issue.
I’m off to Kobo to buy ecopies. I think I have some of these in dead tree editions but it’s good to have them on my reader.
Still exploring possibilities. One of the things in the way of pubbing both together is Writer’s Guilt, which yells, “No, no, no! If you want to do an omnibus, you have to write the third one!”
. . .which isn’t going to happen for. . .awhile, I fear.
But — still exploring.
I have often had to resort to using various kinds of text chat or text messaging to understand what is being said.
I could just let it all pass by, and actually I do sometimes if I think someone else on the conference call will pick it up, but if understanding is important than I just interrupt and ask for clarification. Repeatedly.
I have hearing loss that really interferes with hearing the higher pitched voices. Coupled with rapidity of speech and the lack of lip movement by younger persons, I even have trouble understanding while Wearing my hearing aids. So I say, “Please slow down. I am hard of hearing and I want to understand you”. That works for me.
Would like to read and enjoy “the third one.” Will wait until the time is right