tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post116169821263880290..comments2024-02-20T07:06:56.933+00:00Comments on THE SKINNER: Snippets 1.Neal Asherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13933911904170752700noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162400949977659862006-11-01T17:09:00.000+00:002006-11-01T17:09:00.000+00:00The replacement Polity Agent arrived today and is ...The replacement Polity Agent arrived today and is perfect, sent the damaged one back. I'm surprised it got past their quality control, if it had been sold second -hand then ok, but not new.Bob Lockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03141837277102776901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162242971334706942006-10-30T21:16:00.000+00:002006-10-30T21:16:00.000+00:00LOL - I'm not sure that the Torchwood people would...LOL - I'm not sure that the Torchwood people would be able to contain that particular situation!Alex Cullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00138628377297964672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162224200334677732006-10-30T16:03:00.000+00:002006-10-30T16:03:00.000+00:00I would just love to see an eight-foot-tall brass ...I would just love to see an eight-foot-tall brass man, with wide-brimmed hat and long coat, kicking down the door to number 10 with his hobnail lace-up boots. I visualize all the armed police firing their weapons to no effect. I see him coming out spattered head to foot with blood and bits of intestine. Then going next door to number 11. It's a dream I have...Neal Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933911904170752700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162124920556695062006-10-29T12:28:00.000+00:002006-10-29T12:28:00.000+00:00Hi Alex,I didn't threaten them with violence, just...Hi Alex,<BR/><BR/>I didn't threaten them with violence, just notified them that Neal had dispatched a certain alloy based person of copper and zinc to negotiate on my behalf... seems it worked :)Bob Lockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03141837277102776901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162065387110791282006-10-28T20:56:00.000+01:002006-10-28T20:56:00.000+01:00Glad to hear that the inimitable Mr Crane will be ...Glad to hear that the inimitable Mr Crane will be back! Hoping that he'll be a little more forthcoming about his inner processes & thoughts, etc. this time around..(In between slicing, dicing, mangling and pulverising his opponents, that is.)Alex Cullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00138628377297964672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162051666922178352006-10-28T17:07:00.000+01:002006-10-28T17:07:00.000+01:00yup, hard to argue with the old throat punch.yup, hard to argue with the old throat punch.Kirby Uberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874606287336491866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162038557657713082006-10-28T13:29:00.000+01:002006-10-28T13:29:00.000+01:00Had an email back from Amazon this morning, they'r...Had an email back from Amazon this morning, they're going to send me a new Polity Agent.<BR/>Should get it early next week and they want the old one back and will refund postage, which I'm pleased about, however, I'm surprised their quality control let the original one out.Bob Lockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03141837277102776901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1162021071661665422006-10-28T08:37:00.000+01:002006-10-28T08:37:00.000+01:00bob,threaten to punch them in the throat. it's alw...bob,<BR/><BR/>threaten to punch them in the throat. it's always worked for me.<BR/><BR/>8)Kirby Uberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874606287336491866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161976229932082942006-10-27T20:10:00.000+01:002006-10-27T20:10:00.000+01:00That's bloody terrible. Demand a new copy, Bob, an...That's bloody terrible. Demand a new copy, Bob, and be quick about it (I don't know how many 1st editions they printed).Neal Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933911904170752700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161975693215879182006-10-27T20:01:00.000+01:002006-10-27T20:01:00.000+01:00Hiyahs Neal,Had my delivery from Amazon today, Pol...Hiyahs Neal,<BR/><BR/>Had my delivery from Amazon today, Polity Agent, 9Tailfox and Ender's Game. Originally I'd ordered Polity Agent and Morgan's Black Man but the latter was delayed and had no date so changed my order.<BR/><BR/>But... although I'm pleased with the two paperbacks, I'm very disappointed with the condition of the hardback, Polity Agent. The cover is badly scratched and has small rips in it, the book seems to fall open at specific pages and there are fingers marks over it, all which leads me to believe it's be read by someone before being sent out. I'll be complaining to Amazon forthwith.<BR/><BR/>However, this is the first time I've ever had a problem with their service, must be that your book is popular!Bob Lockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03141837277102776901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161975508205300092006-10-27T19:58:00.000+01:002006-10-27T19:58:00.000+01:00Skar, I go backwards and forwards through the book...Skar, I go backwards and forwards through the book until my eyeballs start bleeding. It then goes to my boss and main editor who uses up about three pencils on the typescript. I make the alterations as I see fit. It then goes to a copy editor who goes through it all with a dictionary, English grammar and a microscope, putting commas where they should be altering punctuation and spelling to house style and, really, everything.Neal Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933911904170752700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161968592886014932006-10-27T18:03:00.000+01:002006-10-27T18:03:00.000+01:00What is copy editing ?SkarWhat is copy editing ?<BR/><BR/>SkarAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161879897014033632006-10-26T17:24:00.000+01:002006-10-26T17:24:00.000+01:00My copy of Polity Agent arrived yesterday in NYC f...My copy of Polity Agent arrived yesterday in NYC from Amazon UK. Like it so far. Copyediting seems a little rough, though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161866383393651312006-10-26T13:39:00.000+01:002006-10-26T13:39:00.000+01:00bascule, thanks. 8)yeah i wondered on the suspicio...bascule, thanks. 8)<BR/><BR/>yeah i wondered on the suspicious "9 - 11" days to ship. i sucked it up and went back in and clicked "ship as items become available" thingie. PA should roll in next week. 8)Kirby Uberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874606287336491866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161851648273049052006-10-26T09:34:00.000+01:002006-10-26T09:34:00.000+01:00e.jim, I have a rather complicated arrangement on ...e.jim, I have a rather complicated arrangement on word counts. I used to aim for 10,000 a week - 2,000 per day of a five day week. With the huge amounts of editing involved this isn't tenable, so every editing day I count as a 2,000 worder. Anyway, in that count I include everything: journal, emails, this blog, this reply. I also keep a 'word bank'. If I don't achieve my aim that's a debit, if I do achieve it, that's a credit. Presently I'm 3226 words in debt. My aim at present is to go 10,000 words into credit, then I'll exclude something from the word count - probably the journal.<BR/><BR/>Yep, Skar, I really need to stop smoking, but my life seems so mapped out that I'm like that guy in the movie Airplane - hanging upside down from the ceiling saying, "I really picked a bad day to give up sniffing glue."Neal Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933911904170752700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161840961883160412006-10-26T06:36:00.000+01:002006-10-26T06:36:00.000+01:00Lay off the smoking as well.Its too dangerous for ...Lay off the smoking as well.<BR/><BR/>Its too dangerous for your long term productivity.<BR/><BR/>Heh I know I am being selfish, but tough ;)<BR/><BR/>SkarAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161814846717302062006-10-25T23:20:00.000+01:002006-10-25T23:20:00.000+01:00Hey Neal!Hope this isn’t too personal but do you h...Hey Neal!<BR/><BR/>Hope this isn’t too personal but do you have daily word count goal when your writing a book? When I'm writing I usually do 1000 words/day. 2k on a Sat/Sun. Or do you quit when your fatigued? Just curious. <BR/><BR/>JimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161793179289566562006-10-25T17:19:00.000+01:002006-10-25T17:19:00.000+01:00When I was young and fit I took a course in full c...When I was young and fit I took a course in full contact origami but never got past the round-ended scissors level due to accidently poking myself in the eye with them. <BR/>However, I did achieve third dan status in the ancient practice of Feng shui (wind and water), until, that is, I was banned for the use of excessive wind and poor control of my water. <BR/>Now I seek enlightenment by studying my navel (in a mirror, obviously) and drinking copious amounts of Guinness, the wind seems to have stabilized but after about five pints the water problem kicks in... perhaps I should change to shorts?<BR/><BR/>At least my trouser legs wouldn't get wet then...<BR/><BR/>Wax on... wax off... :)Bob Lockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03141837277102776901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161780681133560832006-10-25T13:51:00.000+01:002006-10-25T13:51:00.000+01:00oh. jesus. 30 miles a week... ok, i feel slightly ...oh. jesus. 30 miles a week... ok, i feel slightly better. 8)<BR/><BR/>shotokan karate is just a few hops from mastumura kenpo, which i was doing whilst living in seattle. in fact, the club was shotokan right up to a few months before i joined.<BR/><BR/>now, however, gas prices being what they are and the kung fu joint i joined being a 45 minute drive one way, joining a gym seems like a brilliant idea.<BR/><BR/>polity agent is still making it's way too me currently, and i fear i may have prolonged that wait by ordering morgan's black man in the same batch and failing to check "ship each item as soon as available."<BR/><BR/>so i can keep weeping on that note. 8)Kirby Uberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874606287336491866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161765865123356682006-10-25T09:44:00.000+01:002006-10-25T09:44:00.000+01:00Perhaps I should also add that I'm cycling 30 mile...Perhaps I should also add that I'm cycling 30 miles a week, going on three 3-mile walks and weight training 2-3 times a week in my garage.<BR/><BR/>Regarding martial arts: I used to do shotokan karate and once trained so much I knocked my weight down to ten-and-a-half stone and my waist to something ridiculous (this was three sessions a week because a new club had opened and members from the old club were going there to help support it, and because I was training to enter competitions at Crystal Palace). However, I was in my twenties then...Neal Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933911904170752700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616976.post-1161706982628516382006-10-24T17:23:00.000+01:002006-10-24T17:23:00.000+01:00"have a 32 inch waist and am thinking that maybe I..."have a 32 inch waist and am thinking that maybe I can ease up a little."<BR/><BR/>i read that, noted my own 35 inch waist after a year plus of kung fu and 'healthy eating' and wept.<BR/><BR/>i am weeping still...Kirby Uberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02874606287336491866noreply@blogger.com