I like to think that there are little things we can do to help the cause…
Take this case in interest:
I had never heard of the author previously, but someone handed this book to me to read and it showed many of the troubling legal issues arising from the Patriot Act from someone that seems to actually have a knowledgeable background in the field of law and the Patriot Act.
It is written from a bit of a liberal slant, but captures much of what is good from the left political spectrum view and capsulizes it in a character (perhaps a lawyer based on Terry Olsen’s own legal background?) trying to navigate through the legal problems created by the Patriot Act in defense of his client.
I find Olsen’s style of writing to make this book an enjoyable read as well: Creative, entertaining and very insightful as far as the human aspect of his characters and the story.
Feel the love down Below:
Sorry BoJo if I didn’t spell your name correctly… (Terry Olson, eh? OOPS! And never mind if I missed the “jist” of your book!)
But since I made that entry as a comment on your book it has gone from the 400,000 numbers to the 200,000’s in it’s category in a little over a week.
Can you help BostonJoe out? (One Amazon comment from a relative iliterate and it jumps 200,000 spots!!! HMMMM?)
All you have to do is make a comment based on what you know and, perhaps, what you think. (My god! I have to think? Damn-fucking-straight you do!)
Why the fuck not?
You are talking about a exposing a LIBERAL character that is humane and realistic to the masses. The same masses that seems to have lost its humanity and reality under bush.
Can you afford to not make a comment on this book?
Personally, I think not!
Place your book title here and let us all build on the humanity and LIBERAL views that you espouse in your writings!
Amazon ratings can make or break a book! Help make this one, and any of the others in the wake of this diary.
(P.S.: I expect to have the right of refusal of marriage to your first [and/or best looking] daughter for this unsolicited advertising for your book, BostonJoe… NOT! Just kidding. All I expect is an honest thanks… And LINKS to any other books that all of you think we should review FOR OUR BENEFIT! 🙂
(P.P.S.: Shakespeare’s Sister, Inc. had a recent ariticle on getting your work published… WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU WAITING FOR?)
You know the facts… You write the facts better than the corporate sponsored pundits (AKA: The MSM and the SCLM)… Get your facts in print! The real, honest truth. Then we can write more Amazon comments on even more REALITY BASED BOOKS!
So BooMan, susanhu, Pat lang, Larry Johnson (OK, so a couple of you are already published! Point us to the Amazon links, DAMNIT! Let us rate your efforts up!:), Steven D, Catnip (Wherever you are?), Jpol, etc, (add any other regular participant to this blog), MORE ETC., and the many others that collaborate here…
When will we get to rate up YOUR BOOKS on Amazon?
Some of you write every fucking single day of your lives… Given my new job there is an effort and skill that is inherent to what you do that is something I can really appreciate even more now.
Take it all a notch up! Put the screws to these Corporatist motherfuckers!
PUT YOUR MESSAGE OUT IN THE MAINSTREAM ANYWAY YOU CAN!
Go to Amazon… Rate UP the fucking books that have a message you agree with!
PLEASE RATE DOWN the pieces of republican crap while you are there as well!
That was very kind of you to diary this. And for the Amazon rating. And for reading the dang book. The whole process has been a rough road to hoe. Many of my ex-lawyer comrades believe I have lost a screw or two. But kind support from the small public I have reached have made all the difference. I wouldn’t change one thing. I love writing, and I completely believe that we are going to have to be the media we want to read. Because the corporations are just not going to be a media for the people. Not quite at this stage. At least no en masse.
I caught the tail end of John Perkins’ (Confessions of an Economic Hitman — a pretty informative read in my humble view) interview on C-SPAN yesterday. He was talking about the meme of being the change you seek. He was preaching to his audience to go out into the world and make the changes they want. And he said something like, “I write and I speak, and I’m going to keep on doing that… And I thought once I wrote this book published by Penguin, my message would be out into the MSM and they would welcome me with open arms. But they didn’t. That’s not the case. But I still go around and speak. And there are lots of people here. So we can make a difference.” I paraphrase mightily, but I believe I captured his sentiment. And I loved that. I’ve done what he did. On a much smaller scale. In a far different manner. But dang it, when I go out into communities and talk about the book, I know that there is a whole reality out there that has been created by the MSM (books, TV, movies, newspapers) that is nothing more that a gigantic message projected on a screen none of us can avoid. And many simply swallow that message as it is the only one they see. But we here, in blog land, get a slightly different message. And books like mine give a different message. And when I speak, it is a different message. And when that message reaches people who have only been exposed to the MSM “reality,” you can see a dissonance in their eyes. Some reject it completely. They do not want to awaken from their peaceful dream-inducing sleep. But many have a smile in their eyes. They are happy to have what I believe is a false reality (MSM version) challenged. They are open to it. Almost enchanted. As much by my message as by the life I’ve chosen. They interact. They may become curious. And they just might start to take some action. It is like rolling a rock. And I’ve seen some tiny movement in this process.
So, long comment short, I love what you have said here — about demanding our writers on this very site to make the media. I think most of them are, by blogging. But I like your spirit of wanting more. Encouraging. That is important. I love that Ghandi quote. Put it in the book. And I’ve found it to be true. You have to become the change you seek. It is one of those weird quotes. That sounds good, but seems mysterious. Until you actually feel it take hold in your life. Do something toward making the world more like you know it must be. Then suddenly it is just a truism. A joyous truism.
I’m rambling. But your kindness has touched a good nerve. And I thank you. (I saw some nice stuff you said on dKos, and also saw your Amazon review before — so don’t think that your efforts went un-noticed — I see everything. 🙂 And I would have got around to thanking you even without this really kind diary). All right. Yammer-yammer. Now I’ll sit down and stop gushing.
I’m going to thow this in. Because of the good Cedwyn. Remember to patronize Powells and Barnes & Noble, if your wallet can afford it, as opposed to Amazon.com. Green and Blue versus Red. The whole Wal-Mart shopping thing. I hate to be critical of the poor people shopping at Wal-Mart because they are really trying to make ends meet. But, you know the systematic nature of the problem.
But undoubtedly, many of the masses shop at Amazon. So I’m thankful for reviews there and sales numbers when they rise there too.
A bit off topic, but as long as you brought it up, I’d say: better yet, buy at Powells from the link here. I just bought a few books that way and Susan tells me that I grew their receipts for the month-to-date by quite a bit! It made me think that we underestimate how much a little something like this can make such a big difference to those we have come to depend on for this great place.
i feel loved…
BOston JOe’s book was ordered for a small library somewhere in Lake County Calif. 🙂
It was also ordered at a smaller bookstore there but I had to cancel that order due to the move.
While shopping at B&N in Decemeber I commented that their “new” shelf was lacking a hot writer by the name of Terry Olson and they commented they’d order one for me, and I said that it was a book that should be available to their customers. Not just one.
I still haven’t got that damn book.
Cedwyn howzabbot you and me meet up at Powells, there’s two of them near me. Portland and here near Hillsboro.
Hey, you like Winter Hawks hockey?? I might be getting season tickets next year. Would be great to maybe hook up for a game with you. 🙂
As to Wal-Mart and Amazon. I gave up my Amazon account and basically told them to fuck off. I’m not rich, but I feel that “cheap” has a price.
My new loves: New Seasons Market – affordable organic food
greencine.com – NOT netflix 🙂
It costsa teeny bit more, but I support supporting businesses who are trying 🙂
You thought I bought the book at Amazon? Hell no! I only reviewed it there! lol
I ain’t stupid.
If you weren’t paraphrasing someone else I would say you just wrote my diary better than I could ever have done it… lol
As for thanks? I was just kidding about that part. I didn’t do this for you… I did it for LIBERALS. Small comments everywhere about what is good or what can be better about being LIBERAL can, over time, take back the real meaning of the word from the right-wing radicals.
I reviewed the Davinci Code and a few other blockbusters while I was there. Now whenever someone clicks “other books people like that liked the DaVinci Code”… Your book should pop up somewhere on that list. (Especially if other people do that! hint hint.)
Smart reviewing habits can be useful for marketing, eh?
Most excellent idea Connecticut Man, most excellent!
Hey- let’s all request that our libraries buy it!
Just check in with your reference librarian.
Asking your library is a great idea. People are more likely to read something from a relatively “unknown” author (at least to them, not to us… lol)if they can get their hands on it for free.
All it takes is one librarian to actually like it (they read the new books often before they hit the libraries shelves) and they will recommend it to people that enjoy certain genres of writing.
Our local librarians know what my wife and kids like to read and they recommend new books that are “similar” to their likings all of the time. Books and authors that they would never have heard of otherwise.
Amazon
Rose, I always noticed you were a fine writer, but had no idea!
Thanks.
Roseeriter for Author of the Month. We’ve got so many here.
I will try to buy it on the next paycheck so I can read it before I rate it. 🙂 (If not, I will check the local library…)
God! There are a lot of published people at this site. lol
I trust you all saw my little diary about rating and commenting on John Yoo’s book.
I was sorely disappointed to see that our very own Sybil’s comment only had one star.
LET’S DO IT! it’s such fun anyway.
What do you mean, Susan?
sybil wrote a (brief) review and gave Yoo’s book a 1-star rating. Just the way it should be.
At present, 2 of 4 find the review helpful. Someone has noticed, and is pushing back.
sparking a lot of flaming on Amazon is a mark of a truly great book. Check out the thread of reviews following Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States.” Those on the right just can’t stand to hear a critical statement of history. Drives them completely insane.
Oh never mind .. I’m dense. (Thanks for the explanation! )
(((Susan))) I went and rated it too!!! I just couldnt find it in my heart to write something down either at Amazon or here. The last time there was a discussion on John Yoo, it took me a few days to get my b/p down to normal range. Really!!! it did. I am fanatic about the man..I detest him from all views. I am afraid I could not have any compassion for him what so ever! even if he was to be known as having a dreaded disease of some sort. Not this one man!!! NOt ever!!!! Seriously with my feelings on/about him, and I do take hypertensive meds, I must not get so ralled up as to become uncontrolable like that ever again. I went and downgraded his book and will do it again if I thought I could get by with it.
Poor guy was just born at the wrong time .. he could have been an even bigger player back in the Inquisition. And Pol Pot woulda loved the guy!
I’ll post a review as soon as I finish it. Just started it a couple of nights ago and I am so totally hooked! Kinda interesting this week that eco-terrorism is now in the news while I am reading it too :->
Ripped from the headlines. Literally. 🙂