No, seriously. I’ve never been a publisher before.

Which — to be perfectly honest — is a rather odd professional career choice for an introvert who literally dislikes people as much as I do.

However, while I don’t know the first thing about publishing, I do know a little bit about leading people — PLDC and BNCOC beat the basics of leadership into my thick skull, and various LEO leadership classes polished the idea up a bit.

One of the enduring lessons I learned came from a grizzled sergeant-major, who sighed, glared at me over his coke-bottle glasses and snarled, “Your soldiers can’t soldier until you get  your [deleted]-hooks out of the soup. Knock it off. Go get coffee and let them work, [deleted]-head.”

Which was the profane, yet somewhat poetic way of advising me that I was micromanaging that my considerably younger self needed.

I’ve written here about the Sandhurst Flagpole Test before, and I’m fully aware of my predilection for getting waaaay too micro-manager-y, so I’m being really careful not to fall into that trap as CEO of Raconteur Press.

One of the questions that has been popping up now that we’re venturing into novel-publishing territory concerns how we intend to contract for these novels.

Well, I don’t have a clue. I don’t. See “Never done this before”, above.

What I do have, on the other paw is:
1) a staff made up of extremely bright, extremely experienced problem-solvers;
B) authors who trust us; and
iii) contacts in the publishing industry who provided us with copies of their contracts.

The minions are currently working with several long-time authors who have experience — both good and bad — with publishing contracts, and we’re putting together a contract that will be fair and above-board to both our authors and our company.

It’ll take a little while, but we’ll have it done by the time we open up for general manuscript submissions.

So, if you’ve been contacting me or the press about what our contracts will look like — or making enquiries on random web-pages —  be patient, we’re getting there.

LawDog

Author and friend Jesse Barrett has called Raconteur Press “The little press that does” and considering that we’re kind of just stumbling around in publishing without the first clue as to How Things Are Done, we actually do seem to be getting stuff done.

I’ve been talking here, and at several conventions, about how we intend to start publishing adventure books for boys.

Girls have a pretty good market for books aimed at the 10-16 cohort, but boys do not, and we figured why not see what we could do about that? Besides, the enthusiastic response from the distaff side of the species — both the ladies who work for Raconteur, and the ones who approached me at the cons — kind of hinted that the market would be broader than I had initially thought.

So, we’re figured we’d put out a call for adventure stories for boys. Adventure stories that encourage boys to be … well, boys. To take chances, to reach past their limitations, to try new things. To just … be boys.

Since I tend to the old-fashioned, we had some pretty hard left and right limits: families should be wholesome, and relationships should be healthy. No crude language, no sexual content, no preaching, no scolding — and absolutely no social or political messaging.

We’re going to let the kids be kids as long as they can.

Well, we put that up on the SubStack, and holy gods. The engagement has been off the charts. Today we discover to our delight that our open call for boy’s adventure books has hit the Recommended Reading List on SubStack’s front page:

…

…

… Wow.

Ok, then. We start accepting submissions for Wholesome Boy’s Adventure stories on November 1st of 2024. We will continue to accept those submissions them until they don’t sell anymore.

Which, I hope, is a good long time.

LawDog

“Phrase of the Day”. We tend to run through cycles of catch-phrases that people glom onto and use way too much. Usually mis-using, truth be told.

“Dunning-Kruger Effect” was a recent one. All of a sudden everything was “Dunning-Kruger”. Even things that weren’t, “Dunning-Kruger” was confidently attached, I guess as verbal proof that the person using it was correct in whatever assertion they were arguing.

Another recent one was “narcissist”. Suddenly every person with a bad character trait was a narcissist. We had narcissists coming out our metaphorical ears — Significant Other dumped you? Narcissist. You dumped a Significant Other? Narcissist. Hamster got the clap? Narcissist. Pork belly futures not looking so good?  There’s a narcissist involved, somehow.

The latest one seems to be “gaslighting”.

These days occurrences which would normally be easily-explained by absentmindedness are immediately “Straight to gas-lighting, do not pass go, do not collect $200.”

It’s annoying.

What’s even more annoying — and a wee bit worrying — is the over-use of the phrase “gas-lighting” is causing us to willfully ignore full-on instances of gas-lighting that are happening to us right in front of our eyes.

As a cynic, and a history buff — but I repeat myself — I put very little faith in the media to do anything other than perpetuate itself. “Yellow Journalism” anyone?

However, recently … bloody hell.

The Legacy Media was in lock-step, singing paeans to the “sharp as a tack” mental acuity of President Biden. Until, suddenly, they couldn’t. Has anyone in the Legacy Media fallen on their sword for that abject failure? Taken any sort of responsibility, of any kind?

Hell, I’m in Texas, and I’ve been making “Non Compos Alpo” jokes about Biden for years now, I find it hard to believe that alleged “professional” “journalists” living in the same sodding zip-code couldn’t see it.

Anyone besides me remember the Legacy Media chanting “horse dewormer” regarding ivermectin? Despite ivermectin being on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines for literally decades, being used to treat river blindness, scabies, elephantiasis, trichinosis, malaria, leishmaniasis, and literally scores of other infections in humans … the Legacy Media decided to deride this miracle medicine as “horse dewormer”.

Has anyone in the Legacy Media given a public apology, then retreated to their office to Do The Right Thing? Taken any sort of responsibility, of any kind?

Now, Legacy Media is announcing that the economy is actually all ok. CNN today had a article about how “slower inflation is boosting American’s confidence.”

Horse. Feathers.

I’m retired, so I’m drawing my pension from the Texas County and District Retirement System. It’s a decent little monthly cheque.

On top of my pension I’m having to work a full-time job, Rita has a full-time job (and hauling down all the overtime she can get), and we’re both getting some royalty cheques from our books. Those five cheques keep our household treading water in this “confident economy”.

I’m here to tell you that when two #1 combos from McDonald’s to feed a traveling couple costs almost $30 — your economy is in the khazi. And the “Hail fellow well met” grin you wear while lying to us about how things are actually great isn’t really all that convincing.

Anyone else remember the prim expressions when the Legacy Media chidingly informed us that Hunter Biden’s embarrassing little laptop was “Russian disinformation”?

Well, there definitely was some disinformation involved there.

Has anyone in Legacy Media taken any sort of responsibility, of any kind, for that lovely little bit of bushwa?

The latest is Legacy Media informing us quite haughtily that Haitian immigrants are not eating household pets in Springfield, Ohio.

I’m going to be quite honest here — I really didn’t think that folks from Haiti were actually eating people’s dogs and cats … but given the Legacy Media’s track record of — let’s be quite honest here — gas-lighting the American public … now I’m not so sure.

The current cynical joke is something along the lines of: When the Media denies something, it’s two months away from being proven correct.

This can not continue. This gas-lighting of the public by the Legacy Media is toxic to society, and has to stop. One way or another.

And that scares me. The thought of the ultimate response to a Media which — occasionally openly and proudly — engages in gas-lighting the society in which they must exist, in which they should serve, in which they must function …

… I’ve seen a response to journalists and Media commonly thought by the society to be corrupt. And that way lies madness, fire, and screams.

But I don’t know how to stop them. And I’m not sure that Legacy Journalists and Legacy Media they work for want to be stopped.

Madness.

LawDog

You turn around twice, and the interns have made an Official Music Play List for your little publishing house.

If the Spotify link above doesn’t work, here it is on our SubStack.

Lord, have mercy.

LawDog

We have taken The LawDog Files off of Wide Distribution, so they’re back in Kindle Unlimited.

If you’d like to rent them with your KU membership, you can do so again!

Also: Is there any interest in a LawDog Files Omnibus Edition with interior illustrations from Cedar?

LawDog

Well, here at Itchy Paw County the new school year has started today, and Mike has been busy recording audio.

I’m told that this was the sixth iteration, and the least “lounge lizard” sounding. Huh.

Rita had herself a massive giggle-fit when we played it for her, so there’s that.

Hey, Mom! The Kids Are Back At School!

Do remember that this one is the “Least Lounge-Lizard Sounding”, please.

I’m given to understand that he’s doing one for the dads, too.

*Migraine Salute*

LawDog

Apparently Twitter/X has its’ own AI thingy, named ‘Grok‘.

Out of a sense of kittenish glee, Jonna (our Production Manager) asked it the following question:

“What’s with this newer press, Raconteur Press, the one that publishes SF anthologies?”

The answer:

Ah, Raconteur Press, the new kid on the block in the world of speculative fiction! Here’s the scoop:

Origin Story: Raconteur Press seems to have popped up with the mission to give a platform to fresh voices in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. They’re like the cool, indie record label for authors who want to rock the genre scene without the corporate strings attached.
Anthologies Galore: They’re all about the anthology vibe. Imagine a mixtape, but instead of songs, it’s stories. Each anthology might have a theme, like “Cyberpunk Cities” or “Alien Invasions Gone Wrong,” allowing authors to flex their creative muscles in a focused environment.
The Rebel Spirit: They’ve got this rebellious streak, much like yours truly. They’re not afraid to tackle themes that might be a bit too edgy for the mainstream publishers. Think of them as the punk rock of publishing – loud, unapologetic, and a bit chaotic.
Community Driven: Raconteur Press often engages its community for story ideas or themes, making it feel like a collaborative art project. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, you want to see more space pirates? Let’s make it happen!”
Quality Over Quantity: Despite being new, they’re not just throwing any story into their anthologies. There’s a curation process, ensuring that while they might be quirky, they’re not sacrificing quality for novelty.
The Business Model: They might be playing with different models, like crowdfunding for certain projects or offering digital-first releases to keep costs down and accessibility high. It’s all about getting stories out there without the usual gatekeeping.

If you’re into speculative fiction and love discovering new authors or themes that might not get a spotlight elsewhere, Raconteur Press could be your new favorite hangout. Just remember, with any new press, there might be a bit of a hit-or-miss factor as they find their groove, but that’s part of the adventure, isn’t it?

That’s a … little on the spot, she thought, so she gave it a follow-up:

“How much noise is the new SF anthology Press, Raconteur Press, making in the SF world?”

The answer:

Raconteur Press is making quite the racket in the SF world, but like a good house party, it’s the kind of noise where you’re either in the thick of it or you’re wondering what all the fuss is about. Here’s the scoop:

Community Buzz: On platforms like X, there’s chatter about Raconteur Press, especially around their unique approach to anthologies. They’re like the indie band that suddenly gets a cult following. Some folks are raving about the fresh voices and themes, while others might be scratching their heads, wondering if it’s just the latest trend.
Anthology Appeal: Their anthologies are hitting the sweet spot for many SF enthusiasts who crave something beyond the usual fare. Think of it as finding a new, weirdly addictive snack at the cosmic grocery store. There’s excitement about the themes, which range from the whimsically absurd to the deeply speculative, making them a hot topic among fans of the genre.
Criticism and Praise: Like any new kid on the block, Raconteur Press gets its share of both. Some praise their efforts for revitalizing the anthology format, making it more accessible and less gatekept. Critics, however, might argue over the ‘signal to noise ratio’, suggesting that while there’s a lot of noise, not all of it might be groundbreaking. But hey, in the world of art, isn’t that the beauty of it? Not everyone’s going to agree on what’s ‘good’.
The Industry’s Reaction: Traditional publishers and long-standing SF presses might be giving Raconteur Press the side-eye, but there’s also a nod of respect for their innovation. They’re shaking up the scene, which is always good for any genre. It’s like when punk rock hit the music scene; not everyone was a fan, but it changed the landscape.
Reader Engagement: They’re engaging readers in ways that traditional might not, like involving the community in theme selection or story ideas. This creates a buzz, a sense of ownership, and frankly, a lot of noise about what’s coming next.

So, in summary, Raconteur Press is indeed making noise in the SF world, but it’s the kind of noise that’s part of the genre’s lifeblood – a mix of excitement, innovation, and a bit of controversy. It’s like they’ve thrown a rock into the pond, and the ripples are reaching all corners, with some folks cheering, others grumbling, but everyone’s talking. That’s the kind of noise that keeps the SF community lively and, let’s be honest, endlessly entertaining to watch from the outside.

Blink. Well, then. That’s … creepy. Not going to lie: “Alien Invasions Gone Wrong” is right up our anthology alley.

However, I’m not sure how much of the response was based on what the algorithm programmers thought someone might want to hear about themselves.

If anyone else is familiar with Grok over on X, and you don’t mind, see if y’all get the same answers.

LawDog

The last couple of days has seen an outpouring of support for Cedar and this little press that is extremely humbling.

Thank you.

People have been calling for an official statement from Raconteur Press — well, I think Cedar said it best:

“The cover is, ultimately, all about selling books, not an award.”

We’d like to thank everyone who bought a copy of ‘Goblin Market‘. Those sales, ladies and gentlemen,  mean that Cedar’s design won.

And that’s what counts.

As far as Dragon Con goes:  their stubborn insistence on remaining silent and giving the appearance of burying their heads in the sand  is — in my humble opinion — the worst possible means of dealing with this cock up, but that’s their monkeys and their circus, not mine.

Moving on, it’s back to winning the only award that actually counts — the Benjy*. We’ve got seven-ish anthologies to finish for this year; 25 anthologies to get out in 2025, plus novels and children’s books in ’25. That’s enough work for a press three times our size … so. Back to work!

Again: thank you. The tsunami of comfort and encouragement for Cedar was awe-inspiring, and we are all so very grateful for it.

We hope to continue to be worthy of that support.

LawDog

*Money. Greenbacks. I have starving staff I need to pay.

Whoo, it’s been festive around here.

For those of you who have been living in Outer Graustarkia, our own Cedar Sanderson was nominated for a Dragon Award for her cover of Goblin Market (WARNING: You Are Not Allowed To View This Book, Per Dragon*Con)

You can imagine the hullabaloo that went on at the Blanket Fort until …

… Suddenly her name wasn’t on the list of nominees.

Well, somewhat confused we sent Dragon*Con emails asking “Hey, what happened?” to be met with complete silence. And not just us.

As an aside, I’m here to tell you, the number of fans lighting up my various comms in outrage was awe-inspiring. Good Lord, folks, we are humbled by your support.

Anyhoo, after indignant fans lit up social media Dragon*Con finally got around to issuing an explanation.

Ladies, gentlemen, and fans, Dragon*Con has the absolute right to run their awards in the way they see fit.

And I have the absolute right to feel certain ways about how they run said award.

I have issues with how they posted her name, then yanked it down without any explanation. This smacks of “Maybe no-one will notice” to me.

I have issues with the fact that when they yanked her name down, they didn’t post the deserving artist who should have been next. Dragon Awards have six names for nomination. This year the Best Cover category only has five names. If Cedar didn’t have a chance, there’s another artist out there — whose name should have replaced hers — who also didn’t get a chance. And that isn’t right.

I have issues with the official explanation of how things went down. If I read it correctly, they were: “… alerted to the fact that Cedar Sanderson’s entry in the Best Illustrative Cover category had been created in part using Artificial Intelligence tools. After this “alert” they never contacted Cedar, nor her press, nor  me — her publisher — to make enquiries, ask questions, or verify anything.

Granted, we have never hidden the fact that we do, in fact, gleefully use AI tools for our covers and interior artwork — but if someone has to “alert” you to this fact, you obviously don’t already know this, and you should probably do some checking.

But, all in all, this means nothing. Ultimately Dragon*Con has the absolute right to run their award in the manner which they see fit.

Going forward from this, Cedar has asked that her fans not nominate her for a Dragon Award in the future. I realize that some of you are bound and determined to nominate her again to Make A Point, but just don’t. It’ll distress her, and not make any kind of a difference.

As the CEO and Publisher of Raconteur Press, I am also going to request that books from the press not be nominated at the Dragons. We are starting out 2025 publishing some really good novels — seriously, guys, these are some mind-blowing stories we’ve got coming out — but they are all going to have Cedar covers. So, let’s just not bother the Dragon Awards with those, ok?

Some of y’all have asked what you can do.

Well, the best award that authors and publishers can get is green, comes in paper form, and we call it the Benjy Award*.

Yes! If you want to help, buy our books. You can start with this one:

The Book With the AI Cover So Controversial DragonCon Had To Disappear It Into The Night And Fog

And, after experiencing the thrill of Literary Breaking Bad, if you wish to Peer Into The Void Your Betters Warned You About, you can Experience Artwork Only WrongFans Are Capable Of Appreciating!

LawDog
*Money. Buy our books. We’re a small — and apparently dangerously subversive — press, and we need to eat.

“Listen, if you didn’t know you were being scammed you’re too [deleted]ing dumb to keep this job. If you did know, you were in on it.”
~Casino (1995)

I’m listening to the Legacy Media clutching their pearls and expressing shock — shock, I say — over the state of President Biden’s mental faculties.

Claims from the Media that the “Biden inner circle” “concealed his mental state” are falling upon deaf ears, so they’re pivotting to the excuse of “It’s a sudden decline, over the last couple of months”.

Horse. Puckey.

The Media was there in 2019, when the then-candidate for FICUS called an Iowa farmer a “damned liar” and challenged him to a push-up contest.

They were there in 2020 when he called a voter a “Lying dog-faced pony soldier” for pointing out that he had only come in at 4th place in the Iowa Democratic caucus. 

There were the requests for wheelchair-bound paraplegics to stand up; demands to talk to long-dead European country leaders, tripping over various stairs, ignoring and wandering off from meetings with leaders of allied nations, unprovoked angry outbursts at American troops, calling out to dead Congresswomen at a service where he was dedicating a building to her memory — all of which predate the “last couple of months”.

Hell, I’ve been referring to him as the FICUS* on the Livestream since he was sworn in.

But, no, the Media is “surprised” by his apparent mental state.

Snort.

Let me ask you a question that should nail home how bad you should be hating journalists right now: How many brain surgeries did Joe Biden undergo in 1988?

The answer is two. Both of them for leaking brain aneurysms, at least one of which was a berry aneurysm at the base of his brain. Not to mention that he got himself a romping pulmonary embolism while recovering from the first time someone went spelunking through his think-pudding.

None of this should be a surprise to any reporter, much less the White House Press Pool, but I’m willing to bet it’s a surprise to some of my Gentle Readers. Why is this, do you think, that the fact that the President of the United States has had people rooting around in his brain bucket not once, but twice, is a surprise to anyone?

Not like it’s Mission Critical Information or anything … oh, wait.

In a just world, after that debate the entire White House Press Corp should be decorating light standards for this bushwa; and the headquarters of CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, the New York Times, and every other “bastion of the First Amendment” should be on fire.

But we’re civilised now.

They’re going to pretend to be the shocked and outraged victims of a cover-up. They’re going to pretend that there’s no way they’re the propaganda arm of one political party, that this is a errant one-time event, and that they’ll “do better” in the future.

We’ll pretend we believe them.

And not a damned thing will change, because not a single one of the little bugsnipes will face any sanction for being morally degenerate sacks of o-rings, desperate to do anything to keep their favoured political party in office, and willing to lie, obfuscate, cherry-pick, ignore inconvenient facts, and straight-up propagandise to do so.

You think you hate journalists enough, but you don’t. You really don’t.

Pfagh on the lot of them.

LawDog

*Houseplant Of The United States.