Posted on by Amanda Brooks

sex with coworkers

I’ve been remiss in my Advisor Amanda idea. This jumped out at me from the Advisor column. It hit me on so many levels. This is either a guy with some serious issues, or rather sensitive man pursuing love in the wrong way.

December 07’s Question

I work at a restaurant. Last week I slept with a co-worker. Earlier this week we were waiting around after our shifts and I asked her out for a drink. She said she was waiting for one of the kitchen guys to finish because they had made plans. When I got upset she said I had no right to act like a jealous boyfriend. Although I know we’re not a couple, I feel it’s disrespectful for her to spend time with somebody else we work with. How does the Advisor interpret the rules of dating here?
Advisor’s Answer: We’re sorry to disappoint, but the rules of dating apply only if the woman agrees you’re dating. She is free to work her way through the entire restaurant without consulting you.

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Posted on by Amanda Brooks

a better book cover

It’s only taken them six books, but the cover designers for Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series have finally figured out how to make a cover for the story inside.

Yes, everyone knows how much I love the series — but is is just me, or is this cover hot?

It’s the last book in the series so I can’t wait to read it. Gotta wait until June.

Posted on by Amanda Brooks

girl-on-girl “outing”

I debated whether or not to post this, but decided to (obviously). This is my personal blog, so I feel it’s ethically okay.

An online competitor of mine sells e-books (something I’ve been encouraged to do by several different people, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon — sorry). Competitor in the sense we’re presumably going after the same market. Since I don’t trust e-books or e-book sellers (the exceptions can be named on one hand), I never bought her book, plus it was too expensive for mere research purposes.

In my Google Alerts, I noticed she had a new blog. Its subject matter seemed a little odd, but okay. Then I discovered she outs people on her blog. In particular, customers who order her e-books. I found this out because an escort paid for the e-book, never received it and got blasted when she dared contact the seller about the issue. Not only has the poor girl not gotten her money back, all the information she put into the ordering system is now posted online in connection with the escort book.

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Posted on by Amanda Brooks

#1 secret of business success revealed!

In an interview with the founders of California Pizza Kitchen, a Newsweek article revealed their #1 business-success secret. Hold on to your hats, folks, it’s gonna be a shocker: they were really well capitalized.

In other words, to make money they needed money — lots of it.

I know this is a revelation to all those out there who hope to make a go of it without any money behind them or believe in the power of prayer to run a business, but it might not be so shocking to anyone who has actually tried to run a business.

In the same issue a few pages later was an article gushing about this obscene yacht built by the guy who used to run HP. What’s the message?

Money makes the world go round.

PS: This is a toss-off post, I’m swamped right now and this has been sitting in my admin panel for a couple months now. I found the story hilarious in a way the journalists never intended. I’m sure it’s on the Newsweek site, but I’m not feeling like digging for links at the moment.

Posted on by Amanda Brooks

self-publishing award

I entered the Writer’s Digest International Self-Publishing Awards last spring (and totally forgot about it). Today I discovered who the Grand Prize winner was.

She wrote a book on creating a harmonious environment. It’s a lovely book, as you can see here. It looks like a grand prize winner. (An interview of her shows that her book spends a lot of time discussing “energy.” Hmm…writing tips for 2008.)

One thing immediately struck me. Her company is Lingham Press. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that essentially the same as calling it Penis Press? I’m certainly interested to see where she takes her sexually-oriented publishing company.

This isn’t sour grapes. Not in the least. I actually did win an award and I’m thrilled (I never expected the Grand Prize, not even in my fantasies), but I don’t know if I should publicly mention it yet. I don’t want to inadvertently anger the gods of awards and have my one little honor taken away from me. (Besides, in all honesty, with my award and $3 I can maybe get a hot tea at Starbucks.)