Myspace mock #1 - Michael Smith

[matgb]

Just got in, so before I catch up, read comments, etc, I thought I'd respond to the email in my inbox. OH good, a friend request on MySpace (feel that irony there). Now, see, I hate MySpace; it has uses, but they're not really for me. My profile says:

NB: if you want to add me and it's not obvious from your profile that I know you, send me a message; I'll deny any request from people I don't recognise, so don't waste each others time, ok? I'm hear to keep in touch with actual friends on here, I use Livejournal, Facebook and similar, better sites for meeting new people.

Basically, I'm interested in three types of people on MySpace; people I actually know that aren't on Fb or LJ, people I've met through the former two that use MySpace as well, and authors/bands that I actually know of^[1]. So I don't want random requests, and I always deny them if I don't know the person; sometimes I reply, mostly I don't. I think from now on I'll post here, publicly, especially if I get a request from someone as easily mockable as this idiot:

Hello I'm Michael Smith, 21yo, living in Oxford. I'm a writer and am currently busy finishing my debut novel, Jamie Roberts and the Puzzle of Darkness. It's the first in my epic fantasy series; Wielder of the Stones. It's out on October 8th.

Right. Jamie Roberts and the blahdy blahdy, part one of an epic... Sound a bit familiar? Look, it gets worse:

THE PLOT Jamie Roberts is 16 years old, orphaned and has never known his family.

Now, I've not actually read the books, despite many attempts to make me, but I do know the basics. A certain Harry Potter is an orphan as well. Hmm, let's have a look at his interests:

Books: I love fantasy stories. I particularly like The Inheritance Trilogy written by Christopher Paolini, and the Alex Rider series written by Anthony Horowitz. My big reading passion is Harry Potter. July 21st can't come quickly enough.

Yeah, there's a surprise. 21 year old wannabe author, spamming friends requests (probably using a script) to people who've specifically said they don't want to know, with no follow up message. I'm pretty sure he's not someone I know from here or elsewhere, but even if he is? A bit, um, challenged in the verbal comprehension stakes methinks? Scary: It's out on October 8th. WTF?!? There are smart, intelligent capable, decent writers on my friends list, yet this kid has a book deal and they don't? FFS. Mr Smith? If you do read this, you did kinda ask for it there...

Meh, the book signing I mentioned yesterday went well, more on that later, but was very very cool.

---

[1] Oh, I sometimes make exceptions for very attractive women, but I blame Jennie for that.

Comments

[rho]

My bet would be some sort of on-demand or vanity publishing, rather than any sort of a proper book deal. Probably something like Lulu. At least, I sincerely hope so.

[matgb]

I'm hoping so to, but you never know. Fantasy is in big time at the moment; between Potter and scott_lynch publishers are doing some very silly things.

[foxfirefey]

I vote for this. The novel's not even finished.

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about the book trade, but I'm not sure its possible for him to be 'just finishing' the novel and for it to be out in October. Unless 'just finishing' means proof reading the gallies, and even then I'm not convinced.

I suspect this is wish fulfillment or some vanity publisher, but maybe someone with more experience can comment...

[matgb]

rho above suspects Lulu, or it could be advance + galleys, or it could be deluded fool. I mostly suspect the latter but you never know.

[eccles.livejournal.com]

"I'm hear to keep in touch with actual friends on here,..."

*blink* language Timothy!

[matgb]

Gah! Thank you; just goes to show, everyone need an editor...

[raggedhalo.livejournal.com]

The plot sounds more like Er*g*n. Man, that film sucked. I can only imagine the book's worse. And I have this horrible, car-crash-like feeling that I'll end up watching future films.

But at least I'm enough of a pleb to resist reading the books!

[matgb]

I avoided that one completely, I paid attention to the warnings, but yeah, not looking good at all. I'm likely to watch the HP films, too many friends want me to, but beyond that...

[raggedhalo.livejournal.com]

I avoided the first Potter movie, but it was the in-flight movie when I went over to Canada (before my Green Party days!) and so I watched it. My innate need to know how stories progress/end has meant I've seen every single movie since in the cinema.

I do, however, have an Unlimited card, so it's not quite as bad as it sounds.

Still not read the books. Still don't want to.

[misscoollinda.livejournal.com]

My husband got a friend message for myspace. It said " I saw your picture! You're cute!" He has NO pictures posted on his myspace page.

[matgb]

Yup; scripts - I have links bookmarked somewhere about the history and suckiness of Myspace, but it was designed by spammers for spamming, and has very little protection to stop bots from doing that sort of thing; you can buy software to do it for you :-(

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, it's all MY fault. Everything's my fault.

:P

[matgb]

Well, obviously. I used to blame Mike for everything, much more fun to blame you ;-)

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

You can punish me on Wednesday ;)

[matgb]

Well, if you insist...

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

Oh, I do. I do.