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I just watched Immortal Beloved for, like, the bazillionth time, and it got me all blubbery for, like, the bazillionth time. I know it's kind of like an AU fanfic of Beethoven's actual life and music, but day-um it's an effective one.
I don't think it will surprise anyone if I admit I've been a nerdy classical music fangirl since forever--my dad used to play 78s and 33s of the Masters on the gigantic cabinet-sized stereo in our livingroom when I was growing up. (Along with the Clancy Brothers, the Beatles and the Carpenters, Jesus Christ Superstar, the Chipmunks singing the Beatles' hits, OMG, but we don't need to go into all that right now, because yes, that's exactly how old I am.) And Beethoven's 9th symphony has always been one of those pieces of music that can make me conduct all by myself in my car and not care what someone in the other lane thinks. But the way Immortal Beloved portrayed the 4th movement of it just... gah. No words. Or, you know, lots of words but very teary ones. That little boy running and running and grasping for some kind of freedom then immersing himself among the stars. If I wore pearls I'd be clutching them. (Shut up, I have a lot of feelings.) If I could do for a reader what that scene and that music does for me...
Sublime.
On another note, there are apparently now just as many links to torrent downloads for my books on a Google search as there are legitimate sales links. Sigh again. Which might not be so bad, if it wasn't for the attitude on some of them. See, I don't generally worry overmuch about the torrent sites, because I figure those aren't people who were going to buy my book anyway. If they couldn't get it by stealing it, they weren't going to buy it, so it's not like I'm losing anything. (Unless they go around one-starring me on review sites or something, because that would just be... wrong. Somehow. Insult to injury, or something.)
But the cheek on some of these people is truly amazing sometimes. I saw one where the girl (I'm assuming--the pseud was kind of chickish) posted every single one of my books, and left a note on the post that said it would be nice if anyone whosteals downloads them would leave her a thank you.
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Seriously. A THANK YOU. I was kind of tempted to sign up for a membership just so I could leave her a note that said, yes, thank you for stealing my books and making it so easy for others to steal them as well. I didn't. I'm so freaking lazy. Plus, I'd probably be the one coming out of it looking like the troll. Anyway, you send out one desist order and ten new links crop up, so feh. Entitlement, man. It's a goddamned epidemic, I swear.
I remember Josh Lanyon once talking about a comment on one of his books threads, where the person said they were a huge fan, had read every one of his books, and proudly stated they hadn't paid for a single one of them--they couldn't afford it, see, but they'd gone out of their way to hunt down a free download, because that's just how dedicated they were. And you know, I get that a lot of people can't afford to pay for their reading habits. I really do. (You have no idea how poor I was at one time, and I've been a voracious reader all my life. Except I generally tend to reread the books I have on my shelves when I can't afford something new. 'Cause, you know, the stealing thing.) And it totally sucks to desperately want a new release from an author you love but you can't afford it. But Jesus, stealing it really doesn't make you a fan. Stealing it makes you a thief who happens to be a tiny bit discerning. No one is actually entitled to reading material, and certainly no one's entitled to steal it if they can't afford it. But there are tons of people who seem to think they are.
I'm not really griping, I swear. I mean, I kind of am, but like I said, I don't see myself as losing anything to the free downloads. It's a sincere lack of respect for the authors from whom they steal, but I'm a mother of four--I'm used to no respect. It's the principle. And the entitled attitude bugs the crap out of me.
Er. Sorry. I really just logged in to see how everyone's doing and to gush about Immortal Beloved. I'll stop now.
Hope everyone's been having a great, if unreasonably hot, summer.
xoxo
Extra shout-out to Julia and Marlene! Hope you're both doing better, <3 <3 <3 <3, and check your inboxes! Michelle, don't check your inbox just yet. (See, you should never forgive me for late correspondence, because I'll just be later the next time.) This week, I swear. You know I adore you, right?
I don't think it will surprise anyone if I admit I've been a nerdy classical music fangirl since forever--my dad used to play 78s and 33s of the Masters on the gigantic cabinet-sized stereo in our livingroom when I was growing up. (Along with the Clancy Brothers, the Beatles and the Carpenters, Jesus Christ Superstar, the Chipmunks singing the Beatles' hits, OMG, but we don't need to go into all that right now, because yes, that's exactly how old I am.) And Beethoven's 9th symphony has always been one of those pieces of music that can make me conduct all by myself in my car and not care what someone in the other lane thinks. But the way Immortal Beloved portrayed the 4th movement of it just... gah. No words. Or, you know, lots of words but very teary ones. That little boy running and running and grasping for some kind of freedom then immersing himself among the stars. If I wore pearls I'd be clutching them. (Shut up, I have a lot of feelings.) If I could do for a reader what that scene and that music does for me...
Sublime.
On another note, there are apparently now just as many links to torrent downloads for my books on a Google search as there are legitimate sales links. Sigh again. Which might not be so bad, if it wasn't for the attitude on some of them. See, I don't generally worry overmuch about the torrent sites, because I figure those aren't people who were going to buy my book anyway. If they couldn't get it by stealing it, they weren't going to buy it, so it's not like I'm losing anything. (Unless they go around one-starring me on review sites or something, because that would just be... wrong. Somehow. Insult to injury, or something.)
But the cheek on some of these people is truly amazing sometimes. I saw one where the girl (I'm assuming--the pseud was kind of chickish) posted every single one of my books, and left a note on the post that said it would be nice if anyone who
0.0
Seriously. A THANK YOU. I was kind of tempted to sign up for a membership just so I could leave her a note that said, yes, thank you for stealing my books and making it so easy for others to steal them as well. I didn't. I'm so freaking lazy. Plus, I'd probably be the one coming out of it looking like the troll. Anyway, you send out one desist order and ten new links crop up, so feh. Entitlement, man. It's a goddamned epidemic, I swear.
I remember Josh Lanyon once talking about a comment on one of his books threads, where the person said they were a huge fan, had read every one of his books, and proudly stated they hadn't paid for a single one of them--they couldn't afford it, see, but they'd gone out of their way to hunt down a free download, because that's just how dedicated they were. And you know, I get that a lot of people can't afford to pay for their reading habits. I really do. (You have no idea how poor I was at one time, and I've been a voracious reader all my life. Except I generally tend to reread the books I have on my shelves when I can't afford something new. 'Cause, you know, the stealing thing.) And it totally sucks to desperately want a new release from an author you love but you can't afford it. But Jesus, stealing it really doesn't make you a fan. Stealing it makes you a thief who happens to be a tiny bit discerning. No one is actually entitled to reading material, and certainly no one's entitled to steal it if they can't afford it. But there are tons of people who seem to think they are.
I'm not really griping, I swear. I mean, I kind of am, but like I said, I don't see myself as losing anything to the free downloads. It's a sincere lack of respect for the authors from whom they steal, but I'm a mother of four--I'm used to no respect. It's the principle. And the entitled attitude bugs the crap out of me.
Er. Sorry. I really just logged in to see how everyone's doing and to gush about Immortal Beloved. I'll stop now.
Hope everyone's been having a great, if unreasonably hot, summer.
xoxo
Extra shout-out to Julia and Marlene! Hope you're both doing better, <3 <3 <3 <3, and check your inboxes! Michelle, don't check your inbox just yet. (See, you should never forgive me for late correspondence, because I'll just be later the next time.) This week, I swear. You know I adore you, right?
