Self-publishing novelist R.W. Ridley has some interesting comments. In order to sell a million copies of my novel, he says, I have to change the culture such that *I* am so fracking interesting that people will buy my books because they’re by me. In other words, people are buying the novelist, not the novel.
Not quite sure how to go about making myself that J.K. Rowling/Tom Clancy/Stephen King/Thomas Pynchon(??) -style compelling character, but I’m working on it. In my own bumbling manner. Very bumbling. . . Pynchon???? . . .
John’s Tweets
The murder rates in Trump-voting states from 2020 have exceeded those in Biden-voting states every year since 2000. https://bit.ly/3RdZbmz
A new Twitter whistleblower has told the FTC and Congress that major privacy violations continue under Elon, noting it’s possible for Twitter engineers to enter “Godmode” to post from anyone’s account, or read their private DMs… without leaving any trace. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/01/24/whistleblower-twtter-ftc-settlement/
I. have. been. warning. you.
November 4, 2018: https://twitter.com/vickerysec/status/1059183496088846336Voice cloning will, for a time, be comparable to quantum computing for gathering secrets.
Consider how much information you might be willing to hand over if you "recognize" the voice of a coworker or family member on a call, even if that person is calling from an unusual number.23 years ago I was on tour, MA to Silicon Valley & back, touting my self-published novel Acts of the Apostles, having some success, also getting laughed at, sleeping in fleabag hotels or in my freezing car. This year I'll be republishing Acts with a foreword by Cory @doctorow 1/3