Is It HOW or WHERE Books Are Bought That Counts?

     I recently did a survey of authors as to “how” they go about buying the books that they like. I wanted to try and nail down the “kernel of knowledge” that motivates one to buy a particular book-be it by author, cover, blurbs, word of mouth, etc.  The interesting thing that I noticed as the comments came in and the topic evolved, was not so much how one buys a book, but where.  The hands down overall venue was the bookstore and not Amazon, or any other internet point of purchase.

 That tells volumes to me, pun intended.  The fact that most people wanted to feel, read, and have the book in their hands when making their decision shows me that even though the internet is a powerful purchasing tool, it still hasn’t replaced many of the habits of book readers.  Ergo, I could postulate that the lack of shelf space inhibits and great reduces exposure for that sale, regardless of genre, price point, or any other factor.  And that “missing link” may be the mainstream distribution of that book, and that would make sense as no movie or music product can survive without that aspect either. 

     To take it one step further regardless of what may be an unpopular and most probably highly criticized statement that it portends is that those books with the power of the major publishers behind them are the most successful and their ability to place books in those stores are what is missing in the lack of substantial sales of self-published and independent titles. So you may ask, who didn’t know that?  I did realize that, but it was confirmed with the evidence that came from those who do actually buy books and are authors themselves.

This is not to say that a book cannot become successful outside that machine, but it makes the odds considerably less favorable. So now the issue is how to overcome those odds or build a better boat.  In this revolution of publishing, the old school is still the dominant method of getting distribution.  One day soon, that may change.
“[Bad] writing is not easier than good writing; it’s just as hard to make a toilet seat as it is a castle window — only the view is different.” ~ Ben Hecht (thanks Philip!)

Fly Like an Eagle, Walk Like a Turkey

Many years ago someone who did my astrological charts told me that my birth sign (Scorpio) with all the other factors show that I had the capability of flying like an eagle or playing it safe and walking like a turkey. I pondered that for years and have come to the conclusion that if I’m flying high there’s always someone taking shots as me on the ground with a high-powered rifle and laser scope, and if I’m on the ground there is always someone chasing me with a hachet, lips smacking, especially this time of year. Lesson? Either path there are prices to be paid and danger no matter what. Failures bring more knowledge then success, they just don’t taste as good to us. Success rides one high, but watch out for the bullets. Baste your turkeys often for the best results and remember they taste better than most other birds.  Feast on a fat turkey, but don’t eat too much or you will never get off the ground.

Musical Codes Abound in Art

News Headlines for Saturday by Ariel David 

Musical Code Found in Da Vinci Painting

By ARIEL DAVID, AP  Posted: 2007-11-09 18:47:48

Filed Under: Science News, World News

ROME (Nov. 9) – It’s a new Da Vinci code, but this time it could be for real. An Italian musician and computer technician claims to have uncovered musical notes encoded in Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” raising the possibility that the Renaissance genius might have left behind a somber composition to accompany the scene depicted in the 15th-century wall painting.
“It sounds like a requiem,” Giovanni Maria Pala said. “It’s like a soundtrack that emphasizes the passion of Jesus.”
Painted from 1494 to 1498 in Milan’s Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the “Last Supper” vividly depicts a key moment in the Gospel narrative: Jesus’ last meal with the 12 Apostles before his arrest and crucifixion, and the shock of Christ’s followers as they learn that one of them is about to betray him.

More Musical Codes Found in Art

by Walter Web, EP  Rabbit’s Foot, Arizona

After some research I found that this is not the only instance of finding musical codes in art. Here are some other instances not publicized but just as important:

Artist, Benito Pastability, a sculptor, has found evidence of another musical piece based on Rodin’s “The Thinker.”   He has diagrammed a musical score from the various points of the sculpture and played them on a synthesizer.  “It sounds a lot like Boy George from Culture Club,” he commented, humming the tune “Where Did Our Love Go.”

In another related development Michelangelo’s extensive painting on the Sistine Chapel ceiling was analyzed and a computer programmer from Austria, Hans Zimmerfish, has come up with more hidden musical codes.  Zimmerfish explains that he spent 12 years toiling and has come up with a 30 second score that mimics exactly Edwin Starr’s “War, What Is It Good For?”  “The phrase, ‘absolutely nothin, say it again,’ can be heard over and over distinctly,” commented Zimmerfish.

The infamous “Noah’s Ark” painting by Edward Hicks has completely established a musical pattern by Alfred Aquatic of Auckland, New Zealand.  “It is without a doubt the most amazing of all the discoveries as even though the painting was finished in 1840’s if turned upside down and slightly angled to the right, shows a rudimentary musical scoring of James Cameron’s Titanic theme, “My Heart Will Go On,” but the more incredible discovery is that when it is tilted to the left produces “There’s Got To Be A Morning After” the theme to the original “Poseidon Adventure,” by Maureen McGovern.

In Bivalve, New Jersey a researcher has duplicated all the exact cuts for the points of the infamous “Hope Diamond” and using a custom computer program has uncovered another musical mystery.  It seems when David Diablo had spun the diamond simulation counterclockwise at exactly 33.3 RPM,  he recorded something that one can hear the as the words “I Bury Paul.”  His research ended when he mysteriously “got blisters on his fingers” and fell off a calliope to his death.

And lastly, Yuri Dickulous from an unknown village in Republic of Kazakhstan has discovered that “Whistler’s Mother,” that famous painting by James Whistler was encoded with what he describes as a melody that exactly duplicates the theme from the movie “Deliverance.”  Further research showed James had an explorer brother named Louis, an avid canoist.