HarperCollins, KU, UFO?
It's getting cold out there! This week I've been breaking out the wool while DMB debates whether to grow back his mountain-man beard.
But in the wider and wilder world out there, the Navy has requested we use the abbreviation UAP instead of UFO. This generated quite the debate around the HQ. Which is ultimately better? This is important stuff for sci-fi writers! So we need you once again to weigh in and break the log jam. UAP or UFO?
Without further ado, let's take a lear at what's been happening in the writer-sphere!
Looking for an AI Study Buddy?
A Post on the Passive Voice takes a look at the role artificial intelligence is playing in higher education. For a while now schools and school curriculum have been talking about being interactive and dynamic--able to adapt to a student's learning journey.
In this case, that is actually happening! Passive Guy's post goes on to say, "Through AI, digital twins can materialize into a functional and personal study buddy."
While this sounds like a potentially great technology in real life, it sounds like an even better plot for a technology-gone-wrong sci-fi novel...
HarperCollins Inks Deal with Frienemy Amazon to Enter Backlist Titles in Kindle Unlimited!
I know! This is more proof that aliens exist, because some alien life form must have entered the executives at HarperCollins.
The New Publishing Standard reports that the details, of course, have not been disclosed, but then they go on to speculate on what all of this could mean. It's a solid read.
For my two cents, I'm wondering how this is going to impact indie authors relying on KU as their main source of income. If Amazon brings in backlist titles from HarperCollins, and eventually the rest of the big publishers, that's going to mean more competition for indies in a space where the big players have been mostly absent. Will there be fewer page reads to go around?
And if Amazon is paying out the publishers at a higher rate than the indies, what does that mean for the sustainability of Kindle Unlimited? Will the subscription price have to be raised? Will the payout rate for indies decrease? I suppose only time will tell!
Dead Cows are Rock-Solid Proof of Aliens Among Us
So...just to keep things on the weird side, I couldn't help but go down this bunny trail. You know how it happens. One minute you're researching serious stuff, and the next...
Very expensive bulls are being killed in Oregon and sucked dry of their blood! This certainly stinks for the ranchers, but it's gold for storytellers. Of course, DMB thought el chupacabra first. But it's getting cold, and we're talking about Oregon.
I'm familiar with the Grimm episode about the Wesen who need some ground up part from cattle to survive...or something like that. But, I'm putting my money on aliens.
Just last month the Navy admitted that the video footage out there with UFOs is real. Although, they ask that everyone start calling them UAPs instead of UFOs. This is a standard rebranding campaign to distance the subject from nutter-butters. But that's beside the point!
This story totally writes itself. Whoever decides to use this fiction dynamite has got to send it to me when they're done!
Well, you've survived another week! It's Friday. And you know what that means. It's time to reward yourself with a weekend of hot chocolate and...