Goldfish Dreams

[jimhines]

Back in March of 2002, I sold my very first novel. This was several years before Goblin Quest. Nope, this was a mainstream novel which almost nobody has ever heard of.

Goldfish Dreams was my Masters project at Eastern Michigan University, and the second book I ever wrote

Comments

Wow.

[exapno]

I hate you - just so you know. :)

Only saying that because i just lost a good hunk of my day. There was quite a lot that i was supposed to accomplish today.

I believe the book is pretty good. (But I'm the author, so you shouldn't trust my judgement on that.)
You're right, we shouldn't because you're wrong. Well, at least i don't think it's "pretty good" - not sure exactly how i'd term it, but "rather incredible" comes much closer.

Re: Wow.

[jimhines]

Thanks ... your hate is gratefully accepted ;-) And I apologize for stealing so much of your afternoon.

Re: Wow.

[exapno]

Just try to pick a slower day next time! ;)

Heh - and normally i'm not an e-book fan. Actually, still not - that instant accessibility is DANGEROUS *grin*

Seriously, have enjoyed everything of yours that i've read so far...this was definitely a different tone, but still quite powerful and compelling. Thanks.

Re: Wow.

[jimhines]

I'll do my best. And thank you. Given how personal this one was to me, that's very nice to hear.

[andyleggett]

I'd heard about the book before because I saw it on your site awhile back... It sounds like the kind of book I would like and probably should read. Sucks that it'd be so hard to get a hard copy of it... it looks neat. ;)

I find this post interesting, because my friend Eve has considered self-publishing her book, which is pretty much not catching on (though I don't know how much exactly she's sending it out). Her book, though, is sort-of a cross between a short-story collection and a novel, extremely literary, and by definition not the most accessible. One of those books that reveals its true joys on rereading...

Of course, she and her husband are totally punk, so they'd prolly go for the more grass-roots thing you're talking about; her husband is a rock-poster artist, and I can imagine him drawing the cover and them printing it and maybe even selling copies when he has shows. XD

[chris_gerrib]

Sometimes I think there is a difference between "publishable" and "marketable."

Publishable means that the book is, well, good. It's well-written, follows the conventions of English, etc.

Marketable means that the book is not only publishable, but fits into a marketing category such that it can in fact be sold.

[cathschaffstump]

Jim:

As a survivor, thanks for writing this book. This is a niche market, but it's an important niche market, and most of us in recovery appreciate these efforts. It's a very closed subject, so every book about it is a step in the right direction.

As to accessibility, I will try to hunt it down, but I fear the other messages in this post show me that that could be a difficult task indeed. But we'll keep trying. We all need a new grail now and then.

Catherine

[jimhines]

I'm sorry to hear that. Even after all these years, it still surprises and upsets me to hear how many of my friends are rape survivors...

If you're interested in reading it and can't find a copy, please let me know and I'll see what I can find.

[cathschaffstump]

Thank you, Jim. I would be interested in reading it, but I'll try to generate some legitimate revenue for you first by actually buying a copy.

Catherine

[jlapp]

Another awesome post, Jim. I have no idea how you can keep posting the awesomeness and still have time to write. Keep it up. Out of maybe 50 feeds, yours has gotten be my favourite (even beats out Scalzi, who's also in my reader).

[jimhines]

That's high praise - thank you! To be honest, I worry sometimes that the blogging will start to detract from the fiction. So far, so good, but if things get tight it's the blog I'm going to cut back on...

Hopefully it won't come to that, though :-)