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October 03, 2014

Want to find out what pros think of your unpublished novel?

Double Bridge Publishing Company, Inc.. Double Bridge is a new online publishing service based in Washington, D.C. launched last month by Florida businessman Richard O'Brien. Double Bridge uses a crowdsourcing model to identify, evaluate, edit, market and publish fiction and nonfiction works of published, unpublished and new authors. It was established to get the best writing to an eager reading public without the usual bottlenecks caused by entrenched literary agent-publishing house regimes that affirmatively limit the number of titles published each year.

Unlike most established brick and mortar publishers, Double Bridge relies on crowdsourcing for much of its publishing functions, and provides valuable review services, close to cost, to writers and the public. A manuscript is reviewed for a small fee by several qualified reviewers who help decide the next steps for the work. Double Bridge has over 100 reviewers to critique and edit manuscripts quickly, usually within 24 hours, to get the process moving in the right direction. If you indeed know writers who are seeking publication of their work, please let me know who they are or have them contact me by our blog, by Messenger or by emails. Just find me. See also www.doublebridgepublishing.com.

Posted by JD Hull at 06:00 AM | Comments (0)

Prisoner of Rock 'n' Roll: The Eagle Flies on Friday.

Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 01:49 AM | Comments (0)

October 02, 2014

Authentic and American: Ben Bradlee Story #1

Earlier this week we weighed in briefly on the life of former Washington Post managing editor Bill Bradlee, now 93 and ailing. Bradlee served at the Post during a long and often-turbulent period in American history (1968-1991). There are lots of great stories about Bradlee--who was outspoken, forceful, combative and funny. Many highlight verbal or written comebacks Bradlee made to those who made unfriendly or hostile remarks about the Post or him. During a spat with the publisher of another newspaper, Bradlee once wrote:

To the Publisher:

Editors do run the risk of appearing arrogant if they choose to disagree with anyone who calls them arrogant.

You sound like one of those publishers who aims to please his pals in the community and give the what they want.

No one will call you arrogant that way. No one will call you a newspaperman, either.

Source: Vanity Fair, June 6, 2012

Bradlee and Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward circa 1980.

Posted by JD Hull at 04:31 PM | Comments (0)

September 29, 2014

American Authentic: Ben Bradlee is 93, ailing and irreplaceable.

You had a lot of Cuban or Spanish-speaking guys in masks and rubber gloves, with walkie-talkies, arrested in the Democratic National Committee Headquarters at 2:00 in the morning. What the hell were they in there for? What were they doing?

--Ben Bradlee

If you read this blog and don't know who Ben Bradlee is, you should, and so we are going pretend that you know anyway. Tons has been written about Bradlee (and will continue to be written about him) due to his colorful management style, years as a reporter, close friendship with President Kennedy and celebrated mentor-editor role in the two years of coverage of the Watergate break-in of June 1972. Patrician yet famously profane and often hilariously bawdy in his language around the newsroom, Bradlee as Managing Editor of the Washington Post (1968-1991) supported reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward in their reporting on Watergate which, with Bradlee playing stage manager at the Post, prematurely ended Richard Nixon's presidency. Nixon resigned in August of 1974. There are lots of interesting stories down through the years about Bradlee himself--but lately the news is sad. Based on a recent C-Span interview with Bradlee's wife, soulmate and fellow Post star Sally Quinn, Politico notes that Bradlee, now 93, is suffering from dementia, sleeping most days away in a hospice, and apparently steadily declining. When Bradlee does leave us, there will be no one left in American journalism or letters who is even remotely like him. We will start today rounding up a few of the better stories. Bradlee was a storyteller with a powerful intellect, and he was funny as hell.

Benjamin Crowninshield Bradlee, circa 1971

Posted by JD Hull at 05:50 AM | Comments (0)

September 28, 2014

Sunday: "There's a man down there. Might be your man..."

Ain't no way in the world I'm going out that front door.

--Sonny Boy Williamson, Marshall Sehorn and Elmore James

Posted by JD Hull at 04:39 AM | Comments (0)