Sime~Gen Perspectives Newsletter

FEBRUARY 2007

Contents:

*JACQUELINE ATTENDING CON-DOR MARCH 1-4
*NEW WRITING WORKSHOP
*COAL FOR CHRISTMAS
*SIMECENTER NEWS
*HELP WANTED ~ SIMECENTER
*NEW IN A COMPANION IN ZEOR -- THE FARRIS FACTOR
*BORDERLANDS UPDATE
*NEW REVIEWS
*EPPIE CENTER
*REREADABLE BOOKS
*NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS
*HELP WANTED
*PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
*ADVICE FOR PROMOTING YOUR BOOK OR WEBSITE
*AVAILABLE RELEASES
*SITES TO REMEMBER
*SUBSCRIPTION AND CONTACT INFORMATION

**COPYRIGHT NOTICE**

******* JACQUELINE ATTENDING CON-DOR MARCH 1-4

I'd have to say I'm fully functional again! It's enough to say I'm planning to be at ConDor in San Diego March 1-4.

JL

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******NEW WRITING WORKSHOP

A 5 Article Lesson by Anne Phyllis Pinzow on the art of Visual Writing in Journalism is an exercise in factual writing, editorial writing, and slant -- combining and separating these elements.

All 5 parts of this Journalism lesson are labeled in the section index. Just click the link above.

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****** COAL FOR CHRISTMAS

Jean Lorrah and Lois June Wickstrom are happy to announce that Barb Doyon of www.extremescreenwriting.com has recommended their script "Coal for Christmas." Read all about it here.

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****** SIMECENTER NEWS ******

SimeCenter proudly announces the next installment of:

     Savage Empire (by Jean Lorrah)
     Chapter 7: Attack of the Dragon
     - This is the first book of the series we've been discussing on our list. (Re)read it now--it's fun!--and support a worthy charity.

The accompanying artwork is:

     Godscape II (by G.B. Chew)
     - this is special: he created it in High School, an early experiment with one of the first 3D graphics programs, called Bryce. He revised it in 2004...sample some of his oldest & newest work in one place.

These compelling works were contributed in support of the American Cancer Society and their "Relay for LIfe" (a celebration of survivors!). Events are taking place all the time...more than 3 million participants nationwide. Find one one near you.

When you donate to this worthy organization, be sure to tell them you were referred by SimeCenter .

Send your comments, questions, etc.--about the site, the stories and art...whatever--to the address below.

In Service to Unity,
Kaires Tevesu
[If you write to me, mention 'SimeCenter' in the subject. This EMail address gets a lot of spam.]

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****** HELP WANTED -- SIMECENTER

Friends, Simes, Tecton citizens: I've been maintaining the SimeCenter for five years, as of this month. I'd like to hand it off to a worthy successor...or at least start training an assistant.

It's not a hard task. We have a good backlog of stories and art that have been donated. There are HTML templates for all the code elements that get changed each month, and a WORK file on the domain to test the changes before they go live.

Maybe you don't want to take over. That's okay. Want to learn to program in HTML? and how to upload and test pages on the web? I could use the help.

It's a good way to start off a career as a webwright. (I had never even SEEN HTML when I started. If I can do it, anyone who is basically comfortable with a computer can do it.) Working on SimeCenter will give you valuable experience, that you can put in your resume.

If you even vaguely think you are interested...let's talk.

Kaires Tevesu
SimeCenter Gatemaster
http://www.simegen.com/simecenter/ or you may write to Simegen@simegen.com for more details.

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****** NEW IN A COMPANION IN ZEOR -- THE FARRIS FACTOR

Doreen DaBinett has given us a new work about her character RYAN FARRIS... It also appears this will continue for a few more installments.

She writes: This is the first in a series of short stories surrounding the life and times of Ryan Farris who first appeared in A New Beginning and The Sands of Time: Part Nine; chronicling the major points in his rather colourful and adventurous life ‹ read, and hopefully, enjoy.

The first three parts , which were sent, have now been posted.

******BORDERLANDS UPDATE

Part 20 This one is called "Healing the World" (which you can also read as "Tikkun Olam" if you are so minded). It follows the adventures of Kat and Nick after they reach Gumgeeville: they find a place to stay and some work to do until they're back in touch by their naztehrhai. Nick also takes a side-trip to Hannard's F

Sidebar episodes feature the Moonbean Cafe and our three college students, a view into Norrin Radd's disjunction camp, and an interesting discussion at Householding Teiu. http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html#part.20

The index is as always at http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/fans/bev/boom/index.html . Share and enjoy!

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******NEW REVIEWS

PROTECTOR by Laurel Dewey

LITTLE GODS by David L. Hoof

SWAMP BABY by Adra Steia

NO ONE'S EVER SICK IN SPRINGFIELD by Chaz Thompson

DEADLY LAWS by Jim Michael Hansen

JIM'S BAHAMAS ADVENTURE by Stephen L. Blain

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******EPPIE CENTER by Margaret Carr

Any author or publisher can enter an ebook in the EPPIES. They are not nominated by someone else. It is an INCLUSIVE setup, not EXCLUSIVE. I think this is good. It means that not only big or even small publisher produced books can be entered but also self-published and even vanity published. Granted that many self-published and vanity published books are dreadful but some are good and a few are outstanding. I'm not positive, but I think more than one self-published book has finalled in the past.

Most are probably entered by the authors. Our epress-online entries have all been entered by epress but larger publishers probably couldn't afford this. I did it because I think the networking and other benefits of EPICauthors membership are among the most valuable resources available. So, I told our authors that if they joined I would pay the entry fees. So far they've all taken me up on the offer.

The judges are EPICauthors members. Most are author members but industry members, publishers, editors, agents, etc. can also participate. Judges cannot judge in a category in which they have an entry.

In the first round the judges each receive two or more ebooks to evaluate. All entries are sent to at least two judges. (Note that I strongly recommend a minimum of four when volunteering. It is possible to get two dreadfuls but so far with four or more I've found at least half worth reading and some outstanding.

Each book starts out with a score of ten points. The judge deletes points, or half points for flaws.

Approximately ten percent of each category finals. In the second round of judging each judge simply ranks them in order, 1, 2, etc.

We don't find out the winners until EPICon in March.

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******REREADABLE BOOKS

The ReReadable Books Review columns for November, December and January are now up for free reading.

http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2006/ -- scroll down to the end of the year.

http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/2007/ January is now available.

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******NEW ITEMS FROM ARTISTS AND AUTHORS AT CAFE PRESS

A SIME~GEN postage stamp is now available to order on cafe press. It can be used just as you would use a a regular postage stamp. Be the first on YOUR block to have them!

We've got a new page for Cafe Press items from our artists and authors. Now you can get t-shirts, greeting cards, clocks, mugs, and other great stuff with work from your favorite artists. You can even buy books about Nessie, the Orange Forest Rabbit and The Reluctant Spy that aren't available anywhere else.

http://simegen.com/marketplace/cafepress/ is a direct link to all our items and merchandise stores. Use of this page will give the domain extra income.

If there is an item that you wish to see that isn't offered, just write Lois at lois@lochness-monster.com and she'll get it ready for you to order.

Think about magnificent, hand-crafted Starred-Cross Jewelry for your holiday giving: http://www.simegen.com/marketplace/jewelry/

The image comes in four designs:
- silver & enamel brooch *
- silver & gold brooch
- silver & gold outline pendant
- small silver pin
(The first three are 1-1/2" square; the pin is about half that size.)

* Enamel can be almost any color - think Householding colors! How do you describe the color you want? Try: http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_colornames.asp

Follow the link to the artist's own page for ordering. The artist who created these items apologizes for not replying to some early queries.

Apparently, the 'Shopping Cart' was sending notices to an obsolete mailbox, and he didn't receive them until very recently.

He says the page still has some problems, but at least the notification works, and ordered items will be created and shipped within a few days, by First Class mail.

Any questions or comments go to Kaires Tevesu. (Please mention 'starred-cross jewelry' in the subject line, because that address gets a _lot_ of spam.)

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******HELP WANTED

The spotlights section of Simegen.com currently needs interviewers, spotlight posting personnel, an assistant spotlights gatemaster, and a keygifts store manager. We are also requesting an Assistant Reviews Co-coordinator - duties include covering when other staff are unable to perform tasks. We are almost finished revamping our reviews section and expect activity to be at a constant high level. We're looking for a versatile quick learner able to put in some time daily. Pluses are: A good command of the English language (syntax, grammar, punctuation, in that order), some computer experience or ability to learn, and an interest in books. Direct all inquiries to simegen@simegen.com.

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******PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

We have had to withdraw the entire Sime~Gen project from Meisha Merlin for a wide range of reasons. They missed several deadlines for publication of TO KISS OR TO KILL and showed no signs of intention to get it out any time in the foreseeable future. That stalled everything else. It was very disappointing.

So we are now actively in search of another publisher.

THE UNITY TRILOGY should continue to be available for some time -- they have the right to dispose of all stock in the Meisha Merlin warehouse.

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*****ADVICE FOR PROMOTING YOUR BOOK OR WEBSITE

A new year is dawning, and you are probably taking stock of your success as a writer in 2006.

Imagine for a moment that it's a year from now. The ebook that you published just twelve months ago is an EPPIE finalist, and has been riding high for months with four-star reviews on all the review sites. It has also remained on the best-seller list on the site where it is sold. You have even received enough in royalties to pay for all the promotion you have done for your book.

Have you ever dreamed of being the person described above? Of course you have--but which part of that scenario is hardest for the experienced writer to imagine? Sadly, ebook authors are more likely to win an award than make more money in royalties than they spend promotingtheir books.

It's a fact of writing life today that the author must promote his or her own books, whether ebooks or tree books. That fact is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

But promotion is expensive. Some reviewers accept ebooks as email attachments, but others want print copy, requiring the author to pay for print copies, as well as postage to send the books to the reviewers.

While it's not too difficult to get free web space, you then have to either hire a designer or design your site yourself. And of course your website is just like your book: no one will visit it unless you advertise it.

Which brings us to the cost of advertising: a website, banner ads on other people's websites, bookmarks, flyers, prizes for contests you run on your site. It quickly adds up.

Think what it would be like if you could stretch your advertising budget so you could continue to advertise each of your books for a full year.

There is a way: text ads.

Link exchanges are of course your best deal, because they are free. However, a link exchange is not actually a text ad, because it doesn't promote your book. It just tells visitors to the exchange site that your site also exists.

But many websites and newsletters offer actual text ads for your book at very low cost, frequently as low as $5 per month. You're a writer, so your appeal is to readers--right? And your particular skill is with words--right? You don't have to beg, barter, or buy a text ad, as you might a banner or web page, and if you're not satisfied with your first attempt, you can change it yourself until you are happy with it.

There are four rules for creating a great text ad:

1. THE SHORTER THE BETTER. Try to keep the description of your book or promotion on your website to as few words as you can manage. The idea is to get your audience to CLICK on your hotlink. There they will find further details.

2. HOOK your audience with what Hollywood calls a high concept. The idea is to put together something familiar and comfortable that your audience already knows they like, with a new twist to pique their curiosity. Another alternative is to put together two ideas that may both be familiar, but never before juxtaposed with one another. Would you be interested in a book described as "Dracula meets Desperate Housewives"? How about "Girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gains robot"? Use your imagination to find the wildest way to describe your book, yet be truthful to its content.

3. TEST YOUR LINKS! Your ad won't do you much good if when people click on your hotlinks, they just get error messages. DON'T USE TOO MANY HOTLINKS. Many advertising venues limit you to one or two--and they are actually doing you a favor. Readers who want to investigate the book you have described in such an intriguing way now want a more detailed look at it--they don't want to be taken away to descriptions of three OTHER books. Or if they want to enter your contest, they don't want to be taken to the Amazon page for your book instead. Generally, the two hotlinks in your text ad should be one to your own web page, and the other to the best place to purchase your book.

4. LINK TO THE RIGHT PAGE. If you are running a contest or promotion on your website, don't take readers to your top page and make them hunt around for more links to take them to that contest or promotion. Use the actual page where the contest or promotion is to be found as your hotlink. The same rule goes for selling your book directly. If you have separate pages on your website for each of your books, link to the actual page for that book. The same thing goes for the link to where they can purchase it. Link as directly to the sales page for your book as you possibly can, so you don't send people to a page where they may choose to buy some other book instead.

So now you've made your great text ad. I'll bet that feels pretty good. But where are you going to put it, besides as your email signature?

Do you see text ads in the newsletters you receive? Find out how much they cost! For example, check out the New Year's Special Sime~Gen Inc. is running: 40% off the usual rates for text ads in six different newsletters: http://www.simegen.com/agreements/NewYear'sSpecial.html .

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******AVAILABLE RELEASES

~ the Omnibus reprint of Jean Lorrah's SAVAGE EMPIRE: DARK MOON RISING -- is #1 in the reprint program.

~ Trade Paperback edition of DREAMSPY from BenBella Books and you can order on Amazon and some other places.

Read the comments here .

~ SAVAGE EMPIRE: PROPHECIES is #2 in Jean Lorrah's and Winston Howlett's omnibus reprint of the Savage Empire series.

Still Available in Trade Paperback, SIME~GEN: THE UNITY TRILOGY .

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***** Sites to Remember *****

Author spotlights

Chats

Romance articles

Reviews of books by Jacqueline Lichtenberg

Reviews

Shopping

Sound files of Jacqueline Lichtenberg pronouncing Sime~Gen vocabulary words can be found at http://www.simegen.com/jl/nivetsoundfiles/index.html .

To sign up for classes, go to http://www.simegen.com/school/SchoolForms.html .

To volunteer, go to http://www.simegen.com/agreements/helpwanted.html for the latest openings.

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*Please Note all material posted on Official Virtual Tecton is copyright © by Sime~Gen Inc. and all rights are reserved. To get your Sime~Gen(tm) material sanctioned for web posting or to get permission to repost from official materials, e-mail ambrovzeor@aol.comor contact simegen@simegen.com. Sime~Gen (tm) is the trademark of a fictional universe copyright © by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986 and Sime~Gen Inc. 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.