CLOG - Comedy Literature Only Group discussion

Long time with no contact as usual. A couple of years back I came on here with a manuscript I'd just finished. In the intervening time I've edited it as per the feedback you gave me and a publisher in the US has taken it on (Artemesia Books). I signed acontract early this year and it's due out March 2025. Jemahl, Rob (if you're still about) - I've put you in the acknowledgements as you really helped me out.

I see the book is already up here but the cover is a placeholder. An artist has created something that looks much better for when it launches.

Anyway, I'm never comfortable promoting myself and I'm.. er.. looking for someone else who might do it. The publisher is sending it around to see if they can get any reviews they can use as blurb on the book i.e. not the general Amazon/Goodreads type that we look for when it's launched. I've been asked if I know anyone, short answer is no, at least when it comes to someone with a meaningful name. I thought I'd post here in case anyone has any contacts.

Anyway, wish me luck and let's hope this works out (for the publisher's sake as much as mine :) ).

I'll bump this in case anyone comes back in here (I've disturbed all the dust, sorry). I wish I was better at this online socialising lark...

Alastair wrote: "I'll bump this in case anyone comes back in here (I've disturbed all the dust, sorry). I wish I was better at this online socialising lark..."

Hi, Alastair. Congratulations. I've already replied by email but, you're right - this place has gone deathly quiet and it's about time that we put it back into use. With any luck, a few CLOG / Authonomy types will pick up this thread and we can apply our collective talents to helping out.

I've got your latest draft and I should probably re-read it before sending in a review. To what sort of timescale is your publisher working?

Tomb Raider Raymond makes his way down the cobwebbed corridor of the ancient necropolis of CLOG. Holding the torch before him, stepping wary for booby traps of ancient gags. Rake handles to the face, trip wires to launch cream pies...

Stopping at time to decipher hieroglyphs of ancient humor. Primitive jests to make a knock-knock joke feel sophisticated.

At length he comes to the throne room, a vast darkened hall where only the cold wind of the internet blows, muttering ancient punch lines. And in the throne sits a cowled figure....

"Rob? That you? And hey, Alister!" Send me the mss or the link or whatever. I'm in."

Raymond wrote: "Tomb Raider Raymond makes his way down the cobwebbed corridor of the ancient necropolis of CLOG. Holding the torch before him, stepping wary for booby traps of ancient gags..."

Ah, Mr St Elmo. Welcome. We've been expecting you...

I've emailed you both. I'm assuming that "email" is still a thing in the outside world?

Rob wrote: "I've emailed you both. I'm assuming that "email" is still a thing in the outside world?"

Package received!

CLOG lives! Hello again and thank you. I've seen the emails but had a look on here first. I used to get an email whenever there were signs of life here but I must have turned something off, or on, or broken it - I don't know. To that end, I'm sure there are some jobs relating to national defence that I'm really not suited for...

And I think I've fixed it.

Looks about, breathes sigh of relief, hears rumbling, sees rolling boulder, hangs onto top hat and runs for it...

Hi all, I'm still around too (over on Wattpad, at least, and occasional lurking here).
Sorry, I don't know any famous authors, unless Rob & Ray count, but if you tell me where I can buy a copy I'm happy to offer my own humble opinion.

Hi, Maurice!
I have not had the heart to enter Wattpad since Jim Heter's passing.
But: I shall dare the door, just to see what's what, who's up, who's down.

Hope you and yours are well, whether the world is well or not.

It was very sad to hear about Jim. He was one of a kind, and still posting fresh takes on his unique world-view right up to the end.
All's good down here. Dunno about the world, but it can seem a long way away from where I am. Hope things are likewise going well with you.

Maurice wrote: "Hi all, I'm still around too (over on Wattpad, at least, and occasional lurking here). Sorry, I don't know any famous authors, unless Rob & Ray count..."

Hi Maurice. Great to hear from you. Welcome back. I'm sorry we're so short of chairs; I had to burn most of them for warmth.

Alistair will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Sub-Luminal is on sale yet; I think his publisher is just looking for some suitable comments and reviews up front. I'm doing a quick beta-read right now but I will offer a few words of my own before the end of the month (valiantly disregarding the fact that no one will actually know who I am).

Would you like a PDF copy to review?

Maurice, what have I told you about talking to strangers?
You've no idea who this Rob fellow is.

But, but, but,... isn't he a famous author? And aren't authors always harmless?

Hi Rob, If you can send me a copy that would be great. Do you still have my email?

Maurice wrote: "Hi Rob, If you can send me a copy that would be great. Do you still have my email?"

I think so; assuming it's still based on your translation business domain. I've just sent it over. If you haven't got it, please let me have an updated address.

I got it. Thanks. What are you up to these days? Anything new in the works?

Maurice wrote: "I got it. Thanks. What are you up to these days? Anything new in the works?"

Nothing creative, sadly. I'm not sure if it's just everyday 'time pressures' or a general lack of inspiration but it's not happening right now. I've been musing on something in the comic non-fiction area but that's only a half-formed idea. How about you? I haven't been keeping tabs on Wattpad.

Alastair: just so you know, I have emailed you some comments / thoughts on your MS. I hope they're helpful.

Nothing creative, sadly. I'm not sure if it's just everyday 'time pressures' or a general lack of inspiration..."

Time is always the challenge, though I'm in the process of being replaced by AI (not as off-putting as it sounds), so have more than I used to. So still doodling away over on Wattpad. They rejigged the algorithm a while back, though, bumping my book down the lists, so I no longer get the random-stranger reads I used to.
I have just finished a new one (I think) that I will post once I've decided it doesn't need any more changes. It's novel length and,... I guess you would call it contemporary fiction. It's the sort of book that figuring out what it is about is meant to be part of the fun, so I have yet to come up with a pithy tag line for it that doesn't give the game away. "It's about the characters in it" is accurate albeit not very helpful.
It's called This is What Tomorrow is For

Maurice wrote: "I have just finished a new one (I think) that I will post once I've decided it doesn't need any more changes.

Excellent. I look forward to that. If you want any pre-launch feedback, please let me know.

Interestingly, rekindling these conversations with you and the others has got me thinking. I'm dangerously close to feeling inspired again...

Rob wrote: "I'm dangerously close to feeling inspired again..."

Good to hear it. I will be awaiting developments ...

Hmm, so I thought I'd persuaded Goodreads to let me know when poeple posted here. But nothing. However, I'm glad to see a few familiar faces and... I've noticed another notification box I can tick, so I'll try that.