Saturday, June 29, 2013

Paula Deen Media Stir Gets Hotter

News has been flying about Paula Deen the past couple weeks. The famous southern foodie has been getting a lot of flak for using the "N-word" once when she was growing up, information that surfaced while Deen was giving a deposition for a lawsuit against her for racism.

Not only has the incident caused her show to be dropped by the Food Network, and other deals suspended, but now even more peeps are joining in the blackballing. Like the publisher of her upcoming cookbook, who just yesterday announced that they were canceling her contract. The New York Times tells us more:

Paula Deen got a rare bit of good news on Thursday: Her new cookbook hit No. 1 on the best-seller list at Amazon.com, as thousands of fans — many of them springing to her defense as she faces accusations of racism — ordered the book months before its October release. 
But on Friday, its publisher, Random House, said it would not publish the cookbook, and would cancel a five-book contract it signed with Ms. Deen last year. 
The book deal was one of the last remaining lucrative business relationships for the embattled celebrity chef. Its cancellation came on a day when Sears, Kmart and J. C. Penney announced that they would stop selling products, including cookbooks, branded with her name. 
Since last week, the Food Network, Smithfield Foods, Walmart, Target, Caesars Entertainment, QVC and the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk have decided to suspend or sever ties with Ms. Deen after her admission in a legal deposition that she had used racist language in the past and allowed racist, sexist, homophobic and anti-Semitic jokes in one of her restaurants. Ms. Deen was deposed on video as part of a discrimination lawsuit filed last year by a former employee. 
Her frantic efforts to stanch the flow of negative opinion by defending herself on the “Today” show and posting apologetic videos on YouTube have rallied many of her admirers. They have threatened boycotts of Walmart, created a “We Support Paula Deen” Facebook page that has well over half a million “likes,” and started a campaign to flood the Food Network offices with empty butter wrappers, a symbol of Ms. Deen’s indulgent cooking style. 
But these efforts have not, apparently, made a difference to Ms. Deen’s corporate partners.
Stuart Applebaum, a spokesman for Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, said in a statement Friday afternoon, “After careful consideration, Ballantine Books has made the difficult decision to cancel the publication of ‘Paula Deen’s New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up.’  
The book, co-written by Melissa Clark, a dining columnist for The New York Times, was to feature lighter fare than the fat- and sugar-laden recipes Ms. Deen has promoted in previous books and on her television shows. 
A person with knowledge of Random House’s decision to cancel the contract said, “When Walmart, Target and J. C. Penney all announced they are discontinuing their Paula Deen business, including books, it is awfully tough to stay the course of a publication. It was a business decision.” 
Ms. Deen has published 14 cookbooks, starting in 1998 with “The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook.” Together, they have sold more than eight million copies.
But many of the sales outlets that normally sell thousands of Ms. Deen’s books — like Walmart, Target, Kmart and QVC — would have refused to carry the new one. 
Random House would not disclose the amount Ms. Deen was to be paid, but a person with knowledge of the contract said it involved millions of dollars. It is unclear whether Ms. Deen will have to return any of it, or whether a clause in the contract would allow the publisher to cancel the pact because of Ms. Deen’s behavior. 
“That’s why God invented lawyers,” said Mr. Applebaum. 
On Thursday, the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk said it was suspending its use of Ms. Deen as a spokeswoman for the drug. The company, which has the top-selling portfolio of diabetes medications in the United States, has reached out vigorously to black Americans in its marketing and medical sponsorships. 
Ms. Deen began a multiplatform campaign to promote the drug on the same day last year she revealed she had Type 2 diabetes. That set off public criticism that she had misserved her audience. She had received the diagnosis two years earlier, yet had continued to promote recipes high in sugar and fat. 
Didra Brown Taylor, the executive director of the Beautyshop Project, a national diabetes screening initiative that offers free blood tests in hair salons in low-income neighborhoods, said that Ms. Deen’s conflict of interest was noted by program participants at the time, and that the current crisis had confirmed many in their beliefs that Ms. Deen might be more opportunistic than honest. 
“She was cooking food that a diabetic would not eat,” Ms. Taylor said. “And to profit from that and then to profit from a diabetes drug, that’s hypocrisy.” 
She said African-Americans were unlikely to forget Ms. Deen’s more recent admission that she used racial epithets. “It’s more than a rumor,” Ms. Taylor said. “She can’t say that she didn’t say it.” 
See the original post HERE


I, personally, am horrified about how the media is handling this situation. From what I've heard, the prejudicial speech used by Deen was a long time ago, and a one-time thing, which when you are growing up in the South is kind of anticipated, to be honest. It's sad but true. We are a product of our upbringing, particularly when we are young, and then we start to grow and change and make up our own minds. 

I also don't think I know a single person who has never told an off-color, non-PC joke once or twice in their lives, or at least laughed at once. It doesn't make us prejudice. It makes us human.  In our society, there are stereotypes, whether we like it or not, and from all kinds of stereotypes come perhaps less-than-kosher humor. There's a line, of course, with what's lighthearted (like my just "less-than-kosher" descriptor. No harm intended and no harm done) and what is malicious. From what I know, Deen was not being malicious, and someone's intention is not to be ignored. People reacting on emotion and on fear, dropping support of someone because of something like this, is just not okay in my book. 


Friday, June 28, 2013

Double Vision Editorial Now Up and Running!

This past week has been a crazy one for me, getting all the finishing touches ready for my official Double Vision Editorial launch, as well as the usual editing jazz. But I've now got two edits down, two in progress, and a press release (below!) out to the world.

Though I've been freelance editing for six years now, I've got to say that it feels different having sent out my launch announcement. Nothing has really changed, but I feel like I'm now finally giving myself a true chance at success.

Working with authors (and being one myself) has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I used to play "publishing" with my Barbie dolls, dreaming of owning a publishing company where I could help writers make their books the best they can be (little did I know at the time, that was called editing). It's a scary thing, working for myself, not knowing where my next rent check or medical insurance bill is going to come from. But they say you should always at least try to follow your dreams, so this is me trying. Fingers crossed everything else just starts to fall into place. (With a ton of hard work and dedication, of course!)


June 28, 2013
Press Release

Danielle Poiesz, former Big-Six publishing industry professional, has officially launched her independent editorial company, Double Vision Editorial.

Aimed toward quality collaboration at fair prices, Danielle offers both book and non-book editorial services, including content editing, copy editing, and proofreading/cold reading for fiction, nonfiction, digital, educational, and technical projects. She is also trained in script/manuscript analysis, as well as the creation of various types of original content. Through Double Vision, Danielle hopes to share her knowledge and expertise in a way that helps writers, students, and businesses improve upon their original vision to create a finished product they can be proud to introduce to the world.

At Double Vision, we believe that just one pair of eyes is never enough. With the help of an imaginative and trained editorial specialist, an initial vision and inspiration can be amplified and deepened to give any project a broader appeal and brighter shine. But making it possible to perfect any project involves teamwork, mutual respect, trust, joint effort, and of course, creativity. The client-editor relationships brought about through Double Vision aim to be professional and personal partnerships that last for longer than just the course of a single project.

As owner and editorial guru of DVE, Danielle would love to work with you and yours on any of your editorial needs. Please visit her at http://www.doublevisioneditorial.com for more information, or feel free to email her directly at danielle@doublevisioneditorial.com.

Follow DVE at @DoubleVisionEds
Facebook Page Coming Soon!

Friday, June 21, 2013

Friday Fun with Books and Booze

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is read outdoors, a cold drink in hand. Sometimes alcoholic, sometimes not. ;)

For those of you with a similar inclination, Kirkus has compiled a list of the "Best Summer Books and Their Corresponding Drinks" (article reposted by the Huffington Post) for 2013:
We don’t condone drinking while reading, no sir. Or at least not when our reviewers are reading. Summer, a good book, alcohol: They go together well. Here’s our guide to books that won’t disappoint and what you might want to imbibe while reading them. 
  • With a Mexican martini: Philipp Meyer's The Son
  • With an entire bottle of the hard liquor of your choice: Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman's Louder than Hell

Cover art for THE CROCODILE
FICTION
Released: July 2, 2013

"In this crisply translated novel, de Giovanni explores Lojacono's loneliness and vulnerability while simultaneously revealing his brilliance as a detective."

A wonderfully suspenseful novel in which de Giovanni restores life to the cliché of the world-weary detective. Read full book review >
Cover art for CRAZY RICH ASIANS
FICTION
Released: June 11, 2013

"An elegant comedy and an auspicious debut."

Jane Austen, or maybe Edith Wharton, goes to Singapore, turning in this lively, entertaining novel of manners. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE WAY OF THE KNIFE
NONFICTION
Released: April 9, 2013

"A well-reported, smoothly written book for anyone who wants to understand contemporary American military might and the widespread hatred for the U.S. that has been the result."

Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times national security correspondent Mazzetti demonstrates in horrifying, persuasive detail how the new-style warfare approved by both George W. Bush and Barack Obama has led to controversial assassinations by the U.S. government and blowback yielding new terrorists determined to harm American citizens.Read full book review >
Cover art for TO AMERICA WITH LOVE
NONFICTION
Released: July 9, 2013

"A stirring, funny, thought-provoking appreciation of the place, the idea, the experiment, the United States of America."

An ardent mash note to the vast, vital nation that confounds and beguiles its European cousins in equal measure. Read full book review > 

See the rest of the original post HERE

If you are dipping into some classics this summer, you might also like these recommendations from Flavorwire:

As the bookish among you are most likely aware, literature and liquor have gone hand in hand since time immemorial. But while we know which drinks our favorite authors liked to imbibe while creating, that’s not necessarily a good indication of which drinks are best to read their work by. We’ve already given you our suggestions on the cocktails you should pair with your favorite TV shows, but if you’re more likely to be curled up with a book than in front of the small screen this weekend, we have a few thoughts as to how to best keep the party going in your living room. Click through to read about the cocktails we would pair with ten of our favorite novels, and if you’ve found another winning combination, give us your own recommendations in the comments!

Lolita 
Amaretto Sour 
1 jigger amaretto almond liqueur
1 oz. lemon juice
maraschino cherries as desired
sugar to rim glass 
Though we were tempted to pick something bright red for our Lola, we think the Amaretto Sour might be her drink — sweet enough that she’d like it, serious enough that it would make her feel grown up. Not to mention the fact that that very tension between the playfully sweet and deadly serious also happens to be one of the joys of the novel — so why not indulge all the senses?


Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 
Death in the Afternoon 
2 ounces absinthe
4 ounces Brut champagne 
We know this cocktail is a Hemingway classic, but come on — what better to fuel your trip down the rabbit hole than a hallucinogenic, celebratory mix of absinthe and champagne?




The Catcher in the Rye
Old Fashioned 
1 sugar cube
3 dashes Angostura bitters
dash of club soda
2 ounces rye whiskey
1 orange slice and/or 1 maraschino cherry 
We know Holden is a Scotch and Soda man himself, but it’s the Old Fashioned that most reminds us of existential angst and dark evenings in New York City in the fifties (or today, really). But don’t be a phony — only drink this if you’re a real whiskey fan.



The Great Gatsby 
French 75 
1 jigger dry gin
1 teaspoon simple syrup
the juice of 1/2 lemon
5 ounces Brut champagne 
While reading The Great Gatsby, you should really drink the cocktail that most lets you indulge in your own fancy 1920s fantasies — for us, it’s the oh-so-classy (and time period appropriate) French 75, which originated in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris. Yes, it’s ever so chic, my darling. Plus, you can thrill in solidarity with Fitzgerald — whose favorite drink was gin (harder to smell on the breath, you see).
See the rest of the original post HERE

Here are some of my own more commercially driven recommendations--because, come on, let's face it, we don't always want to read literary fiction while we sit back in the summer sunshine!

Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas -- Enjoy a nice Firefly vodka and lemonade concoction, or opt for some non-alcoholic sweet tea.

Bite Me by Christopher Moore -- With a Bloody Mary, of course! Or just some healthy V8. ;)

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien -- Some good old mead would make this family-friendly tale, much less child-focused.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella -- Try a classic '20s cocktail like the fun and flirty Mary Pickford.

Shake, Stir, Whatever. Just enjoy!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

An Inky Obsession Those Literary Tattoos

Dinner is in the oven, the wine has been poured, and all I can do is WATCH THIS VIDEO posted on YouTube by Buzzfeed:




A-MAZ-ING. My personal faves are the ones for Peter Pan and The Tempest.

But while Buzzfeed just posted this video yesterday, this isn't the first time they broached the subject of literary tattoos. In March 201, they shared a list of “20 Awesome Literary Tattoos.”

Among those on display are the following:

Samuel Beckett's The Unnamable

Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree

Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five

If only all tattoos were this meaningful...

(Mine are, but I've seen some doozies! :-p)


Thanks go out to GalleyCat for giving me the heads up on this one!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Penguin Gives BEA-Goers Sneak Peek at Book Truck

Last week, Penguin introduced the public to a very fun new concept at BEA. As a way of selling books to the masses in a manner similar to the ever-popular food trucks, Penguin will be launching their brand-new book truck on a cross-country journey.


GalleyCat tells us more:

The 27-foot-long Book Truck contains two bookshelves with 96 feet of shelf space, LED lighting, awnings and café tables and chairs. The Book Pushcart was “inspired by the design of the classic New York City hotdog cart.”  The mobile booksellers will travel the country, you can track them at the Penguin Book Truck site. Here’s more from the release:
The Penguin Book Pushcart will be at the Delecorte Theater in New York City’s Central Park for performances at the 2013 season of Shakespeare in the Park.  The Penguin Book Truck and Pushcart will also visit the American Library Association Conference in Chicago, “Tom Sawyer Day” at the Mark Twain house in Hartford, CT and numerous other bookstores, festivals, library events and author signings throughout the year.  In October, in conjunction with the National Steinbeck Center’s kickoff of the 75th Anniversary of the publication of John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Grapes of Wrath, (published by Penguin) the Penguin Book Truck will travel West on Route 66 from Oklahoma to California, following the route of the fictional Joad Family and stopping at numerous museums, universities and historical sites along the way.   
See the original post HERE 
I've gotta say, I'm pretty stoked about this idea (though it's not the first time the concept has been employed. Book Riot has a fun post about the history HERE).

It reminds me of the good ole days when the Scholastic Book Fair came to town. A bookmobile like this can be not only a great marketing tool with the buzz and build-up of excitement as people await the truck's arrival in their hometown, but it's a way to hand-sell books again, to get people excited about reading (and reading in print).

Of course, the idea does pose a few concerns in terms of getting the truck stocked and with a varied enough inventory, but those kinks can be worked out. ;)

I just hope they take the book truck to the beach!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Getting Back On the Summer Reading Addiction Wagon

I can't believe it's June already. The past month was spent half in the US, half in the UK, but all deep in edits. It hasn't been anything like my childhood summers, where I'd check out a stack of library books and read them one after the other. FOR FUN. I miss those days. *sigh*

Heck, when I had the time to read for pleasure (which I hope to do again soon. Maybe? LOL), every single one of Buzzfeed's fun "25 Signs You're Addicted to Books" were true for me.

This summer's goal? Read. Write. Blog. For fun. (And, of course, edit. For a living.)

1. When you were little, books were your best friends in the world.

2. When you’re reading a good book, you forget to eat or sleep.

When you're reading a good book, you forget to eat or sleep.

3. Your ups and downs are completely dictated by the book you’re reading.

Your ups and downs are completely dictated by the book you're reading.

Sometimes there is yelling.

Sometimes there is yelling.

Sometimes it’s more subtle.

Sometimes it's more subtle.

4. You’ve been traumatized by things that “only” happened in books you read.

You've been traumatized by things that "only" happened in books you read.

5. The picture window in your wallet displays your library card instead of your driver’s license.

The picture window in your wallet displays your library card instead of your driver's license.

6. You think of colors in terms of Penguin classics.

You think of colors in terms of Penguin classics.

7. Rainy days > sunny days.

Rainy days > sunny days.

Although you do manage to get outside on a pretty day…

25 Signs You're Addicted To Books

8. This is all you think about when you picture your “dream home.”

This is all you think about when you picture your "dream home."

And your idea of a fun weekend is rearranging your library for the 100th time.

And your idea of a fun weekend is rearranging your library for the 100th time.
Source: santos  /  via: prettybooks.tumblr.com

9. Walking by a closed bookstore is torture.

25 Signs You're Addicted To Books

When they’re open, you’re incapable of going in without buying something.

When they're open, you're incapable of going in without buying something.
Source: reddit.com

You’ve even developed a crush on a bookstore employee based solely on their staff picks.

You've even developed a crush on a bookstore employee based solely on their staff picks.

10. Anytime you undertake any idea or project, the first step is to read a lot of books about it.

Anytime you undertake any idea or project, the first step is to read a lot of books about it.

You assume that a book can teach you anything.

You assume that a book can teach you anything .

11. You would never shame someone for reading.

You would never shame someone for reading.
Source: reddit.com

But you’re happy to shame them for not reading.

25 Signs You're Addicted To Books

12. When others come to you for advice, you just give them books to read.

When others come to you for advice, you just give them books to read.

13. When you go on vacation, your suitcase looks like this.

When you go on vacation, your suitcase looks like this.
Source: futuregirl

You’re not sure what people who go to the beach without a book even do there, to be honest.

You're not sure what people who go to the beach without a book even do there, to be honest.

14. TV is OK…sometimes.

25 Signs You're Addicted To Books

15. The stack of books by your bed resembles the beginning of a Jenga game.

The stack of books by your bed resembles the beginning of a Jenga game.

It’s a pressing concern in your life.

It's a pressing concern in your life.

16. The sexiest someone can look is when they’re holding a good book.

The sexiest someone can look is when they're holding a good book.

The bigger the book, the better.

The bigger the book, the better.

17. You make decisions about people based on the number of books they have.

You make decisions about people based on the number of books they have.

But books are better than having to deal with people, anyway.

25 Signs You're Addicted To Books

Yeah, you have your priorities straight.

Yeah, you have your priorities straight.

18. But when someone reads a book you recommend to them, your faith in humanity is completely restored.

But when someone reads a book you recommend to them, your faith in humanity is completely restored.

19. The book is always, always, always better.

The book is always, always, always better.

20. One of your life’s greatest pleasures is the smell of old books.

One of your life's greatest pleasures is the smell of old books.

21. Book violence concerns you greatly.

Book violence concerns you greatly.

You’re angry this picture didn’t come with a NSFLIFEwarning.

You're angry this picture didn't come with a NSF LIFE warning.

22. Sure, you work out!









You know that even reading itself can be exhausting.

You know that even reading itself can be exhausting.




23. You often have spats of, uh, “insomnia.”And sometimes it’s downright painful.

And when you do fall asleep, it’s often with a book still in your hands.

And when you do fall asleep, it's often with a book still in your hands.

24. Finishing a book you loved is like losing a best friend.

Finishing a book you loved is like losing a best friend.

25. When you’re between books, you feel lost.

When you're between books, you feel lost.

That is, until you open another.

That is, until you open another.

See the original post HERE