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January 31, 2007
News of the World
One of the things that occurred to me while in Egypt was the paucity of international news we receive here in the states. Over there, the few times I had the TV on, we wound up watching BBC News. And when I sought an English language newspaper, I wound up reading The International Herald Tribune several days running. In both cases, I was learning things about countries or seeing analysis that is sadly lacking back here.
The major papers, The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, etc., certainly do a fine job. But they reach only a fraction of the nearly 300 million Americans living here who are affected by decisions and trends made on other hemispheres. Network newscasts and local papers only devote space to news that directly affects us such as Iraq or the latest outbursts of Hugo Chavez, only because he gets away with calling our president an idiot.
In these days of Globalization, we need to better understand what is happening in places large and small, near and far. This will affect labor practices, outsourcing, fiscal issues, social trends and the relations the United States will (or will not) enjoy with other countries. We need to stop caring as much about the blood and gore headlines or celebrity nonsense that too often dominate the papers read by the masses and spend just a little more time understanding what’s happening around us.
It wasn’t too long ago, after the Berlin Wall fell, that all we seemed to need worry about was Libya’s Gaddafi or maybe butchers like Amin and Milosevic. Today, though, Hugo Chavez has suddenly galvanized South America; Kim il Jong scares the beejezus out of me in North Korea (always a more important problem than Saddam Hussein), and Vladimir Putin has made Asia a scarier place. Not to mention the horrors of the Congo and Sudan or the growing threat of Iran.
But you open the New York Post or my own Connecticut Post, you don’t read a lot about it. A quick look at my local paper’s website has one international story on the home page, and when you click for AP headlines, all you get are national stories.
That’s certainly one reason I love The Week, which helps shine a light on what’s happening around the world, but they can cover only so much as a weekly news digest. Time has also beefed up some of their international coverage and their new recurring feature on China should be interesting.
There’s no way to force people to pay attention to the real important issues of the day, but starting to expose them to the global issues is a first step.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 11:01 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 28, 2007
Egypt - Final Thoughts
My final report from the road.
Kate looks good and is happy here; having adjusted to what is essentially Third World life. She has managed to fend for herself as she has moved from the dorms to a flat and secured DSL and basic services. Her Arabic allowed her to help us deal with cabbies, waiters and others and we’re proud of her accomplishments.
The standard transportation is taxi and here the drivers are fearless. I can’t recall a single taxi without a ding or three but despite how close they got to other cars (we’re talking like centimeters) we never saw a collision. Headlights, stop lights, turn signals and seatbelts seem optional and, despite the meter, everything is negotiated in advance or approximated. We tell them where to go, the women climb in the bank, me up front and then wee go. Upon arrival, I get out, hand over some bills and walk away. Only once or twice did they argue with the amount and Kate intervened for us. On our last night, one even stopped our drive to get gas, something that we would never tolerate in America. The drivers must make good money, though. One cabbie with excellent English told us how he began driving a cab 15 years ago, after his dad died, and somehow managed to support his family which included two brothers and a sister all at college, plus a wife, a two year old and another on the way.
Our dollar stretches very nicely here but we never seem to have enough small bills so we scramble all day long. The reason is that everyone expects baksheesh, a cross between a tip and a bribe. At the train stations and tourist attractions, every toilet (or W.C.) had attendants that expected baksheesh. In exchange they’d hand us tissues or bits of toilet paper since neither existed in the facility itself. Tourism Police, attraction workers, and the like also would sidle up to you and try to show you something in exchange for baksheesh. Some earned it such as the TP officer at the Roman amphitheatre but most tried to show us things we could find for ourselves and were annoying about it. Deb got very good at ignoring them, me less so although I did get very good at saying “la shukran” a.k.a. “no, thank you.”
We get a lot of looks but none as many as our blonde daughter. With her parents, at least the comments are missing. Police at tourist attractions ask where we’re from and we have gotten nothing but thumbs up and bright smiles as we identify ourselves as Americans. When Deb and Kate ignore the hucksters trying to speak to them in English, the next language tried was invariably German which we found amusing.
The hucksters are shameless and called after Kate repeatedly. She was hailed as “Magic Eyes”, or “Shakira”, even “Heidi” or “Claudia Schiffer.” The best offer I had for her was 25,000 chickens from someone at Giza, but I admitted I had nowhere to keep 25,000 chickens and he admitted he was poor and didn’t have them to give.
The food has been universally tasty and we’re making sure we sample all cuisines and classes of food (from street side shawarma to upscale Indian). American drinks like Coke taste a bit different here and we made a studious effort to avoid the American chains which were everywhere. There might be nothing more disappointing than staring at the Sphinx in awe and then turning around to see that he is staring at a KFC and Pizza Hut, just outside the gates.
Walking down the streets in Cairo, Aswan, Alexandria or even poor Esna, I remain amazed at how many tiny shops all seem to sell much the same stock. Fruit and vegetable vendors, butchers (with freshly slaughtered cows hanging in the doorway, tails still attached – no refrigeration or even careful wrapping), sweets and groceries, hardware, and so on. Everywhere we went, people strolled by holding small trays filled with glasses of tea being taken to nearby shop keepers. Street vendors strolled with carts selling cooked sweet potatoes, hot corn, or nuts. Beggars, of which there are many, offer a pack of tissues (a necessity as noted above) for a pound when they cost something like 10 for a pound or two. Children come up to you and try to sell you tissues, and your heart goes out to them until you see in some cases how well dressed they are. There are genuinely poor and destitute people here, begging to survive and I have no clue what sort of social services, if any, exist for them.
Another sight is the constant presence of police and army, a benefit of mandatory conscription. They are everywhere, rifles in hand, but look incredibly bored as they remain on duty and have nothing to do. The traffic cops seem to only occasionally do actual traffic management. Kate observed that if they were sent out to do actual infrastructure work, the cities would be in better shape.
It’s another world and one that seems to work as people go about their day-to-day business. I keep thinking things would be better if some of the rules we grew up were applied here but there’s no real outcry. President Mubarak is trying to upgrade the cabs but it’s the beginning of a process and one that displeases the cabbies since they will need to actually buy new vehicles and actually use the meters (which may wind up costing the citizens more). The country has been largely at peace, working with its neighbors to try and normalize relations on topics such as Palestine and Israel but there’s little real progress.
Kate is here until June 2 and the experience will do her well for the real work ahead of her. We’re very proud of how she’s managed both academically and socially. She’s taken advantage of once-in-lifetime opportunities and gotten to understand the Middle East a bit better. Our visit was certainly a busy one and for us, probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as well.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:24 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 27, 2007
Egypt Week Two
WEEK TWO
Friday:
Week two began with the first of several early mornings. We were up and out by 5 in order to get to the airport for our 7 a.m. flight to Aswan. Even at that hour, cabbies somehow manage to sniff out fairs.
From the airport, we taxied to the port and after a little trouble found Movenpick’s Radamis I, a recently refurbished cruiser. The Nile is littered with dozens of almost identical boats, ferrying passengers either up or down the famous river.
Despite this being a four day cruise, we spent the entire first day in port. We had a suite at the prow of the ship, providing us with a panoramic view of the river. Kate loved everything about her first cruise experience.
The ship was an international smorgasbord with people from Taiwan, Syria, India, England, Germany, France, America, Egypt and elsewhere all together. Most were with tour groups complete with guides. We independents were clustered together and were assigned Hamouda, a freelance guide, and very knowledgeable fellow. After lunch we began touring Aswan, starting with an unfinished Obelisk which gave us some insight into how the Egyptians constructed monuments. We then drove over the Old Aswan Dam to the new Aswan Dam which was a modern day feat of modern engineering. The final stop of the day was the unfinished Temple of Philea which was very nifty to see.
We crashed after dinner, skipping the introductory dance.
Saturday:
We didn’t sail until Noon so I took the morning to go wander a few miles in the hopes the Egypt Air offices were open so I could try and book us on an earlier flight home. Once that was complete, I joined Deb and Kate on the top deck, enjoying the sun and my book.
We docked and immediately after lunch were on our way to see Kom Ombo, a temple dedicated to the gods Sopek and Horus. It was a short walk from the ship and another look at how another culture lived. It was also the first ancient Egyptian example of painting. All the hieroglyphics we were used to had been the color of stone but it turns out that the builders painted everything using egg whites and minerals to make paint and it was a thrill to see some of it, still surviving millennia later.
The evening activity was ice-breaking games all pretty much variations on Musical Chairs but we participated and had some fun.
Sunday:
We were up at 5:45 and after a hasty cup of coffee, were led to horse and carriages that took us to Edfu temple. This was another good visit despite losing time to lines and crowds. The key was to see everything and be sailing by 8:30.
Turns out we sailed at 8:50 which meant we lost hours to the traffic dam at the locks. With a mere two boats clearing the locks every thirty minutes, and dozens of ships making the same journey, things got stalled. As a result, we weren’t getting to Luxor this day. Instead, we were stuck in the squalled town of Esna. After lunch, with time on our hands, we took a horse and carriage ride through town. As the ride ended, things got ugly. Deb negotiated thirty minutes for 20 pounds but the driver insisted it was 30. He followed us to the docks, insisting we give him his due. A tourism police officer stood between us and the driver, motioned us toward the ship and that’s when the driver took the 20 and stormed off.
Fortunately, the rest of the day passed smoothly. We read and played cards and finally, toward 7, the boat sailed for the locks. Kate and I watched from the room while Deb was on the top deck. One of the crew saw us, and waved me to join them on the prow to watch. Amazingly, it remains a largely manual process of making sure the boat fit into the narrow space with literally inches to spare on both sides. After making the first lock, we headed for the second where we were to be lowered eight meters and released. By the time dinner was being served, we were still waiting our turn so of course, between the time I stepped out of the room and into the dining hall, we began to lower. Fortunately, we caught the last few meters from the dining room windows.
Monday:
We had a lot to cover in our last day so once more it was up and out by 7. We started at Karnak, the 63-acre home to temples. And then went to Luxor Temple, a mere three kilometers apart and originally connected by a long walkway where a god went to visit his wife. Both were different and incredible with more surviving color to amaze us. We then headed out to the Valley of Queens and checked out the tomb of Queen Titi where she and her 11 year old son were buried. Actually, the son’s bones are now on display under glass.
The Valley of the Kings, where nearly 100 Kings were laid to rest, was incredible. While we only saw three of the 63 tombs so far discovered, it really put things we saw at the museum into perspective. Again, the surviving details and color were superb.
Further out, we were taken to the Tomb of the controversial Queen Hatshepsut. This was unlike any other tomb, three stories tall and carved out of a mountain so it had an impact on all who approached.
The last stop was a look at two giant statues that had largely succumbed to the ages so it was brief.
Suddenly, it was 2 p.m. and the cruise and touring was over. The boat kindly held our things as we went into town for lunch. We found a surprisingly good café and then got to hang out on the top deck of the ship until it was time to leave. The flight back was uneventful and the earlier flight made everything easier.
Tuesday:
While Kate was at dance, we began to gather things to pack. Additionally, her DSL was supposed to be installed so we were on call. Of course, they never called and she is royally pissed.
Meantime, we were both under the weather; me with a worsening cold and Deb with something unidentified. As a result, there was some napping and rearranging of plans. We did enjoy the leisurely pace after the cruise, though.
Kate really wanted dinner and a movie so we went to City Stars, local city mall. It’s the American Dream come true: you can live at the mall. The complex comes complete with hotel and condos. Located on the edge of town, it’s in a newer, richer section that was very Western in style. Our dinner was at the Lebanese chain, Chase & Garabelli, with a very American mixed cuisine menu with huge portions and higher than usual prices. With everyone sort of out of it, we skipped the movie and just browsed before returning home.
Wednesday:
The final day and packing took up a chunk of the morning. Kate’s dance class was canceled so we had more time with her, which was a good thing. We headed to Costa Coffee, Cairo’s Starbucks equivalent and lingered over large, hot drinks. We then did some more stock up shopping for her and walked the streets, enjoying the mild, sunny weather. We lunched and headed back to Khan el Khalili for some final browsing and amusement.
We had arranged with Mustafa, our friendly cabbie, to collect us for the return to the airport. The flight to Madrid was without incident. We somehow managed to sleep, read, knit and while away the 9+ hour layover then survived the 8 hour flight home. By the time we walked in the door late Thursday afternoon, we more or less lost track of what day it was. But we knew we were home and that was just fine.
Next: Some final thoughts and observations about life in Egypt and our trip.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:22 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 26, 2007
And we're back...
Greetings from Egypt. Or more like There and Back Again. Despite my hopes, internet connectivity was spotty right up through the end of the trip.
When we’ve been away before I have tended to provide detailed reports from the road but with a trip of this length, that’s really not practical.
Instead, let’s go to the highlights over the next few days:
Week One
Thursday/Friday: Getting from JFK to Egypt involved a six hour layover in Madrid where we discovered there wasn’t much to do with little in the way of shops and only two restaurants. The entire 18+ hour trip was uneventful and right on schedule. Kate met us at the airport and we went to her apartment.
Saturday: Deb was still battling a horrendous cold and we were both sluggishly adjusting to the time change. We each took an afternoon nap which helped. We walked around Zamalek, the island she lives on, and had dinner with her GWU and dance pals Hesh and Sarah at a fine Indian restaurant.
Sunday: We were up and out and on our way to the train station for a ride to Alexandria. The train ride gave us a chance to check out the lifestyles between cities. Lots of tiny villages and farms, little sign of electricity. Got to Alexandria, checked in at the hotel and hit the streets. Our one stop was at the new Alexandria Library which was equally impressive inside and out. We took a long stroll along the road back the hotel and had dinner with Kate’s pal Kristen and her mom.
Monday: We were up and moving to fit a lot in before going back to Cairo. After securing train tickets, we hit the Roman amphitheatre. While there a tourist police officer took us into the live archeological site and showed off some fresh digging, a collection of bones and the like. Apparently, this sort of service is done in of the hope of earning baksheesh -- tips – to supplement their income. He was the only one all day to offer something out of the ordinary and really earn his money.
We then went to see Pompey’s Tower which is tall and impressive. From there we strolled through a more typical section of town en route to the Catacombs. The Catacombs are very impressive: down 99 steps, cool, dry, and eerily silent. Over 300 crypts were down there along with banquet hall and we enjoyed it. Our last stop was the Fort built on the site of the ancient lighthouse, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. It would benefit from some signage but here, a helpful officer proved useful. Deb took a million pictures of the Mediterranean Sea and enjoyed herself a lot. On the way back to collecting our luggage, we made an impulsive stop at a seafood restaurant which was amazing. As we walked in, before being seated, we were taken to a table festooned with all manner of fish. They held up the day’s catch piece by piece and we selected one of this, three of that and so on. They held up still wriggling shrimp which was a first. Seated, we were given eight plates with different salads that were all pretty yummy, followed by an oily and peppery seafood soup. We made quite a mess cracking open crabs and shelling shrimp and loving every moment. It was our most expensive meal and still totaled a reasonable price when converted to dollars.
Tuesday:
We ventured out on our own for the first time, wandering the streets of Zamalek. It’s a mix of embassies, schools, businesses, and apartments, some very quiet and traditional neighborhood streets and some chockablock with small shops and busy people.
When Kate got back from a dance class (in preparation for playing Adelaide this spring in AUC’s production of Guys & Dolls) we rode over to the Egyptian Museum. Given how poorly the state pays its staff, the Egyptologists double as tour guides and we hired one for a two hour trip through the building. To do it right probably requires twice that amount but the two hours were fine. It was a well done tour and we learned quite a bit. The evening was spent with Kristen and her mom, first enjoying a felucca ride (sailboat) on the Nile and then dinner.
Wednesday:
With Kate at class, we were deposited at Costa Coffee, the chain in Cairo that most resembles Starbucks and has the most recognizable coffee. We enjoyed lattes until the internet café opened across the street. Then we dipped our toes back into the real world until we were joined by Kate. She took us to her favorite falafel stand, where she was recognized as a regular. From there, we headed out to Giza. We arrived somewhat late in the afternoon and were immediately hassled by aggressive hucksters selling everything from camel rides to the pyramids to trinkets. We had just enough to time to take a good long look around the Great Pyramid, the substantially smaller Queen’s pyramid and the Sphinx. By 4:30 as the sun began to set, we were shooed out by the Tourism Police. If anything, this was a disappointment in that we did not allow enough time to see the entire site and the constant harassment grew tiresome very quickly. Having said that, I need to stress that the pyramids remain incredible to stand beside, to walk where the ancients did, and marvel at what they managed to construct with the help of nothing more than human hands (unless you believe my paper, then aliens had something to do with it). The Sphinx, from our vantage point, was smaller than expected and struck me as somewhat lesser in stature than expected.
We returned to Zamalek and did what parents around the world do when visiting students: take them grocery shopping to stock up the apartment. We followed that with dinner at Sequoia, a trendy spot on the water with couches and overstuffed chairs, dim lighting and an extensive menu. Expensive, even by American standards, but tasty.
Thursday:
After a somewhat lazy morning, with Kate skipping dance, we headed for the Citadel, home to the original Muhammad Ali’s mosque. This incredible facility houses two mosques and several other buildings including museums dedicated to the police and the military. Deb adored the mosques and this may have been her favorite attraction of the trip, it’s certainly Katie’s favorite part of Cairo. We carefully saw all there was to see and then headed for a vastly different part of town.
Imagine an Egyptian lower east side and you can start to picture Khan el Khalili, the shopping bazaar. This is where locals and tourists come to shop with bargaining a part of the fun. Deb was hunting for some specific things which gave her some focus but we took in the sights, sounds and smells. Everywhere we went we were invited to come look. I tried to find some t-shirt souvenirs and one vendor lured me in with a 1-pound offer and suddenly by the time I was ready to pay, 1 had become 30. Kate surprised most merchants with bargaining in Arabic and playing hardball with them. I was impressed at her skills, from wide-eyed shock at their audacity to her willing to walk away. And every time we walked, they agreed to our price. By the end, though, I was feeling a little overwhelmed while Deb was exhilarated. We finished the night with simple take away shawarma from the place on her corner.
Next: Cruising the Nile
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 11:57 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
January 11, 2007
On the Road
My bags are packed I’m ready to go…
Tonight, Deb and I leave for Egypt, anxiously awaiting a two week visit with Kate and a chance to visit an exotic locale. We’ve had this on the horizon for so long that when it finally arrived, we were more than a little surprised. But ready.
Robbie declined a chance to join us, despite missing his sister. So, he’s home, watching the dogs until he returns to school. He’s been nothing short of amazing with the amount of help and support he has provided this week.
Being the day I leave, things at work got crazier than usual as I ripped up page maps and juggled stories all the way from issue 6 (which goes to press tomorrow) through issue 12. I’ve also worked ahead to make certain that those covering my absence have as little do as possible.
The RTM put off discussing my zoning ordinances until February so I don’t miss the debate and I’ve made certain my various editors know what’s going on.
I had hoped to have time to prep some posts to cover my absence. Alas, time ran out.
Unless circumstances allow me to post from Cairo, I won’t be back with news, observations and commentary until month’s end. Be good until I get back, please.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 03:38 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 10, 2007
Quick Hall of Fame Thoughts
I am second to none in my approval of Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn being voted into the Hall of Fame. Heck, if possible, I would have enshrined Ripken the summer after his retirement.
Some players are terrific and deserve to be in the Hall given their accomplishments, like Gwynn.
Some transcend the game and come to represent all of baseball and Ripken did that with his record setting consecutive games streak. He also was a terrific international representative of the game who did so with dignity at a time most looked unfavorably on the players in the wake of the 1994 strike.
He wasn’t alone in bringing respect and excitement back to the game. Joining him was Mark McGwire, who bashed his way into the record books but did so in an appealing way.
His 23.5% vote yesterday showed that people put his post-game activity ahead of those accomplishments and to me, that’s wrong.
McGwire was his own worst enemy at the 2005 hearings. He knew what was expected of him when he appeared and he took a cowardly way out. On the other hand, he admitted to using Ando back when it was allowed. He's been a lot straighter about what he's put into his body than most players.
The Sports Writers have turned the Hall election process into a popularity contest rather than recognition of a player's skills. Tony Gwynn was absolutely right: McGwire's on field efforts are what matter. And on the field, he excelled. He was also a great ambassador for the game during his home run chase and how he handled breaking Maris' record.
It's been forgotten and it's a shame.
I was also pleased to see how close Goose Gossage got to the Hall and have faith he'll make it next year. David Justice in 2008? Please.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:59 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
January 08, 2007
Seeking Convergence
This week the Consumer Electronics Show is in Las Vegas and the dazzling new gadgets will fill web pages and newspapers for days to come and then, later this week, all eyes will turn to MacWorld and the latest doodads from Apple.
Within the next year or so, many of the items being ballyhooed this week will seep into stores and be available mere mortals like you and me to purchase. The question, though, is do we need it all?
One of the headlines this morning was about Verizon introducing a 2” screen for a phone to allow a better image for their V-cast video, now with expanded programming options. Now, to me, 2” is too damned small to see anything but the phone number I’m dialing or the text message I’m receiving. To date, nothing offered as a cell phone video has once enticed me to consider upgrading my phone and paying an extra monthly fee.
Could it be that I’ve crossed that line that divides generations and I’m now “old”? To me, cell phones are communications tools not portable entertainment centers. No review I’ve read has made any single phone worth purchasing just for its audio or video capabilities. If I want portable music, nothing seems to be the iPod for fidelity, storage and ease of use (and even their screens are too damned small to watch a TV episode).
All along, I’ve been waiting for some form of convergence where a nifty portable eBook reader and PDA would solve some issues. I saw a Sony unit that came really close but was way too expensive. Additionally, while I could download books to the unit, I still can’t download magazines with their color photography. Nor can these run any sort of video even though the screen size is a lot more palatable for use personal use away from home.
My impression is that the electronics manufacturers are trying to make the simple cell phone do too much and are asking for too much money for the services. Instead, they need to be addressing larger issues that require more versatile all-in-one devices at a size that makes sense.
Discuss.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 04:01 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
January 07, 2007
Bob the Freelancer Update
There hasn’t been all that much activity on the writing front and suspect the first half of 2007 will be on the slow side since I am working on the unnamed project which has a due date of June 15 and honestly, I can only take on so much. But, as I prepare for vacation, I have the following on my plate:
Completed and Awaiting Publication
Cutting Edge Careers: Artificial Intelligence (Rosen)
"Things that Aren't", Analog Magazine, April 2007 issue (on sale February)
In the News: Suicide Bombers (Rosen)
“Troubleshooting”, Star Trek: Corps of Engineers (Pocket eBook) (available for download this month, honest!)
Essay for Webslinger - Spider-Man, coming this spring
“Winter in Fairfield”, Fairfield Magazine
Delivered to Editor and Awaiting Edits or Proofs
14 essays in You Said What? (William Morrow), made copy editor’s corrections 1/5, awaiting galleys
“Ghost Hunting” in untitled Phantom anthology (Moonstone Books); King Features approved, awaiting copy edited ms.
“Steel and Chrome” in untitled BattleTech anthology; editor indicates project back on line, may see a contract and editorial notes soon
Essay for untitled Wonder Woman collection (BenBella Books); awaiting copy edited ms.
Media tie-in comic book – script in, awaiting approval before announcing
"Only the Best for Cristina Yang" -- essay for BenBella Grey's Anatomy collection – edited and approved, awaiting copy edited ms.
Writing Projects
"Things That Aren't"-sequel -- Michael A. Burstein and I hashed out a rough story
Actionopolis novel – currently being written
Predator: Flesh and Blood – ion the hand of my co-writer, Michael Jan Friedman
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows Book Five – outline now with Paramount for approval, ms. due July 1.
Back Issue: Round table discussion about Star Trek comic books, being finalized.
Media tie-in novel – first pitch nixed, second pitch with editor
Media tie-in book – Publisher investigating license
Media tie-in book 2 – writing begun in December, due June 15
Original novel – revising proposal
Non-Fiction book collaboration – prepping outline and sample chapter
Essay for Batman essay collection for BenBella – topic pitch to editor December 4
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 05:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 04, 2007
Nice Review
A good way to enter the New Year…
After lamenting the sad state of book royalties yesterday, my pal Dave Galanter shared with me a fine review of the anthology we share, Star Trek: Constellations, which appeared at Stephen Hunt’s SF Crowsnest.
While Eammon Murphy generally likes the book as a whole, he did say the following about my entry:
“I really enjoyed 'The Landing Party'. Set shortly after 'Where No Man Has Gone Before' at a time when McCoy and several new crew members have just come aboard, it tells of Sulu's switch from science to command staff and his first time leading a landing party. Robert Greenberger juxtaposes an emotional Sulu in sickbay telling his story to Yeoman Rand with Spock at his console dispassionately assessing the expedition's tricorder readings to see what happened. There are some good insights into the old characters here.”
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 11:55 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 03, 2007
The Royalty Check
One of the discussions we seldom get into at writers’ panels at conventions is the financial side. For some, they’re uncomfortable discussing what they earn for their efforts. Others truly can’t figure out their finances so can’t talk about it. For whatever reason, it’s just something that doesn’t get explored often.
As most know, a writer of books usually receives an advance for their efforts. Publishers differ so some will pay in steps such as on signing the contract, on delivery of the manuscript and on delivery of final corrections. Others will pay in halves; some won’t pay anything until publication. For most books, the advance works to keep the writer motivated and then once the work is in print, there is the tantalizing promise of royalties.
Royalties are a negotiated percentage of the book’s cover price so the author may profit should the book sell well. The advance is actually that, an advance on the royalties the book will begin generating from the first copy purchased (thanks, Mom).
In theory, writers accept assignments knowing full well not only when the work is due but what they will be paid and when they can reasonably expect their money.
Since every publisher works differently, and their accounting systems work with varying degrees of efficiency, freelance writers have very sporadic incomes. Those trying to earn a living solely as a writer have to ensure they have a deep cushion to pay their monthly bills irrespective of when their publishers will cough up any cash. For those who write on the side, which is the vast majority of writers I point out, we count on the extra income in different ways. Some need it to live on, others put it aside for their retirement and others use it for things like home repair or even vacations.
However, given the iffy state of book publishing, no one except a small handful of top selling authors can expect much in the way of royalties above and beyond the advance. As a result, there have been some debates elsewhere on the net regarding whether or not authors should forego the advance and just start taking the royalties. The reverse is also argued, that authors should get as fat an advance as possible since few books actually earn royalties worth a damn anymore.
Given my own experience, the latter seems to be the way to go. I discuss all of this today to provide a peek into the process. Upon returning home tonight, I opened up the mail and there was the 113 page royalty statement from Pocket Books. Buried within the 113 pages was the check. I excitedly said to Deb, “I had more books out this year; maybe the check will be for $6.” I was off.
It was for $4.14.
Yes, since Pocket Books began publishing my fiction in 1990, I have produced 28 separate works according to the royalty statement. Those 28 works breakdown to several editions of books and electronic versions of these same books. Some were actually printed without advances so should be generating cash in perpetuity.
And I still got a check for $4.14.
I’ll point out the postage for this 113-page masterpiece of arcane accounting cost over $5.
Now, I don’t blame Pocket Books for the $4.14 check. They printed the books, paid me handsome advances in all cases, and marketed them as well as can be expected for media tie-ins. In the past, when errors have been noticed, they have corrected them and sent fresh cash. But, this is how the publishing business works and would-be writers should understand this going in. Especially since I will be taxed for this income.
So, why do we write? Certainly not to get rich on the royalties. And thank goodness for that.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 08:59 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
January 01, 2007
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
I meant to write this yesterday but wound up spending just about the entire day ensconced in the office, working on that darned unannouncable project. Managed to get the first section completed, though, and therefore wound down the year on the positive note.
In looking back, 2006 was a far more transitional year than I ever expected. After getting fired a mere six days into the year, I found myself adrift for the first time in my professional career. Several things helped me through the nearly six month stretch starting with the outpouring of comments and support from people throughout my field. They were brave enough to complain on their websites and kind enough to be there for me in private correspondence.
One of the supporters, Jeff Rovin, proved to be my lifeline. While Jeff and I have been professional colleagues, traveling in the same circles with scads of mutual friends, we’ve never really spent much time together. And yet, within days of my newfound freedom, he offered me work at Weekly World News which ultimately led to my current job.
I’ve come to appreciate my network of friends and contacts across a variety of fields, most of who were more than willing to refer me to people they knew or have me come in to discuss possibilities.
While only one led to a job, one was all it took. Additionally, this also led me to be writing a wider variety of material than I’ve written before. My list of credits for 2006 impressed me as I began to tidy up the list for the inevitable tax season. Newspaper articles, web site items, historic comics pieces, Star Trek fiction, essays, and the Predator project among other assignments. I think it’s all made me a better writer and certainly stretched me in good ways.
The family weathered the storm and survived intact. Both kids took interesting new steps with Kate off to Cairo and Robbie beginning college. I couldn’t be prouder of the steps they’ve made this year.
Deb went back to college, starting grad courses to upgrade her technical skills and to no one’s surprise, got an A in Java. She really enjoyed the experience and begins her next course in a week. I wouldn’t be surprised if we throw her a Master’s Degree party in a few years. She’s also become quite the accomplished knitter, refining her skills and knowledge and crafting intricate and impressive projects that look great on her.
It wasn’t a great year in many ways but it was also a year of change and looking into the New Year, it seems to have been a year to lay foundations for the future. It’s one I can honestly say I am looking forward to.
May it be the same for you and your friends and family.
Posted by Bob Greenberger at 07:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack