Any writers want to try out for The Rolling Stone and a reality show?

Oh. my. GOD.

runs screaming

Dude, my sister worked for and with Jann Wenner, back when the dreaded t.rex (whether I'm referring to the band or the big lizard, I'll leave up to your own instinct) roamed the earth. Very scary thought.

Any writers want to try out for The Rolling Stone and a reality show?

Sure. I'll be the guy on Thompson's acid who thinks he is Russell Crowe. Wait! Cameron Crowe.

One of those Crowe guys.

Sure. I'll be the guy on Thompson's acid who thinks he is Russell Crowe. Wait! Cameron Crowe.

One of those Crowe guys.

loves Gus

My husband's reaction to that link:

"What, you WANT to move to NY to work for Jan Wenner, interviewing people like Mudvayne, for $6.75/hour? Better you should ping him directly to see about a real gig as a free-lance contributor. Get him to give you a press pass and an entre; you'll write features and op-eds for him. For real $$.

Skip the MTV crap and go straight to the source. Hell, Alice (that's the abovementioned sister) could probably hook you up...

No thank you, darling. I'll just stay here on the island and eat my own flesh.

I talked to a rock star once. Jimmi-His-Own-Self-Hendrix.

I got the impression that he was bright, in an utterly incoherent sort of way.

I got the impression that he was bright, in an utterly incoherent sort of way.

Well, since he once told a reporter he (Hendrix) was from Mars, I'm not sure "bright" is the word. "Alien" might do it. But yes, the man was not dumb, that's for sure.

And I still wouldn't want to interview him for Jann Wenner.

It's just sad, Rolling Stone resorting to a Trumpish reality show as a surrogate for actually finding and nurturing real live gonzo journalists.

And I don't even *like* real live gonzo journalists much.

Doing galleys tonight.

People ... doing galleys is like reading your own stuff.

You are pretty sure the author is an idiot, 'cuz you happen to know them.

Because you like the idiot, you don't want to say a bunch of negative stuff. You have to, though, or your friend will look like an ... idiot.

Frack it. Print the sucker.

HA! Gus, I just spent two days dealing with the first pass copy edits on the current Haunted Ballads novel, "Cruel Sister".

From which there is a six-page section missing.

And a 7 April deadline.

And a copy editor who writes on frickin' post-it notes.

See, here is the thing ... you can not drop six pages and impose deadlines and have copy-editors who use "repositional notes" to make remarks.

These are rules. Respect them.

Gus, you're being logical and everything. Please to stop that?

And thanks, Deb. That's what I did: very straightforward, here's the story, I've been doing X for the last 10 years and that's why I know a bit more about the topic than the rest of your contributors (the last bit being implied). Please to read and throw me money.

Figures the thing that gets me off my ass to actually submit is a pre-set topic I know a lot about (even though I hate ficathons and writing to spec), and the prospect of $0.30/word.

Why, yes, I'm very lazy.

These are rules. Respect them.

Did I mention that the manuscript reeks, literally reeks, of cigarettes? Apparently, Mr. Anal-Retentive Post-It Guy is also a chain-smoker. My cats sniffed and back away hissing. I only wish I could have.

That's what I did: very straightforward, here's the story, I've been doing X for the last 10 years and that's why I know a bit more about the topic than the rest of your contributors (the last bit being implied). Please to read and throw me money.

Yep. Simple, straightforward, no foof or frill. Very few editors have the time for cute or fancy, especially when they're likely to get multiple submissions.