(note, this is the same post as over on our sister site Pink Petal Books. Thank you!)

You may notice some of your favorite websites going dark today. Wikipedia and Reddit are two of the biggest names, but others, like Google, will be hosting information. You may wonder why SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act is bad. And you may also wonder why the only industries listed as being affected are movies and radio.

First, no one is saying that piracy is good. Piracy costs content providers a lot of money on an annual basis. Piracy hurts not just the “big” guys like bands and authors who are household names. It also hurts the little people who work for these companies because a loss of revenue means potential loss of jobs. However, no one knows how much revenue is lost, and it is wrong to equate one illegal download with one sale. I know, let me pause while the chorus of SOPA supporters gasp and sputter. But the truth is, we honestly do not know how many people would actually buy the work if they could. Some probably would. (We know, for example, that readers/listeners/viewers in foreign countries may pirate because the work isn’t available for legal electronic sale in those countries. They’d buy it if they could.) Now, even if the percentage is a small number, even like ten, five, or even one percent, the loss of revenue is big.

Secondly, most of us agree that something needs to be done. The problem is that technology has evolved faster than the law and the means to deal with piracy.

Third, we live in a global society. As much as we would love to have all countries follow the same copyright laws, we are all individual people and individual countries with our own belief about rules and law and justice. It is true that the majority of pirate sites are hosted outside the US because other countries (like Russia, the Grand Cayman Islands, and others) don’t enforce international copyright law. But a one-size fits all approach is like using a 2×2 piece of gauze. It might be too much for a pin prick and not enough for a gaping wound.

And fourth, every industry is different. You know what bugs me the most about mentions of online piracy and SOPA in main media outlets? No one ever mentions books! It’s all movies and music, RIAA, MPAA, blah, blah blah…. I don’t say that to be dismissive. Music and movies deserve the same copyright protection as books do. However, what movies and music do have are umbrella organizations which do not splinter different genres, different parts of the creative process, and different groups into separate entities, all of whom contain less numbers than a larger group might, and who must fight twice as hard to get their voices heard. Agents have the AAR. Publishers have the Small Publishers Access Network (or other publishing groups). Authors have groups based on their genre, or Novelists, Inc. (NINC) or the Writer’s Guild. But, all of these various groups have their own barriers to entry. (RWA, for example, is one of the genre-based organizations that let anyone join. The others have sales or contractual bars which must be met.)

But I’m also digressing on the bottom line here, which is the reason why we sport the banner on our homepage and why websites are going dark today…

SOPA is not good legislation. It does, as I explained to my significant other during a very interesting discussion about it (Up with Chris Hays on MSNBC, Sunday 01/15/2012 link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46004493#46004493), SOPA is like taking a sledge hammer and trying to hit a thumb tack. Yeah, you’re going to hit the thumb tack (you hope), but you’re also going to ruin your wall and possibly bloody your finger in the process.

Because really, SOPA is designed, and can only affect, US websites. Yeah, the guy from NBC (i.e. big, corporate conglomerate who is probably enmeshed in the old ways of doing business and not understanding that everything is changing) says it won’t. But US law can only affect what happens in the US. It’s like Vegas, but with more bickering and gridlock.

And if a court order (yay for more income to attorneys?) makes Google (for example) delist a piracy site, then guess what, Google is a US company and has data centers in the US, which makes its websites…wait for it… US websites!

The truth is the the technology to get around such blocks already exists and is being used in countries to get around the censorship put in place by opressive regimes.

The truth is, SOPA won’t stop piracy. As we authors are well aware, if someone wants to pirate, they will. The good news (?) of that is studies have shown that people are less likely to read a book or document they downloaded for free than one they paid for.

The truth is, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work here.

And, the truth is, there are others who can explain this far better than I. *smiles*

For more information, please visit

http://americancensorship.org/

The Problem With SOPA (and how to stop it)

And the always informational and articulate boingboing.net (link: http://boingboing.net/2012/01/14/boing-boing-will-go-dark-on-ja.html)

Please act. Please contact your elected officials (and even those officials for whom you didn’t vote, but who represent your state anyway). And please, spread the word.

To quote Schoolhouse Rock: Knowledge is Power!

*permission to post granted, encouraged, and appreciated*

Full guidelines available here: http://natureschildezine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=62

Theme: Renewal (though we welcome all submissions)

Submissions should be suitable for viewing by children and contain no racism, no violence or no profanity. By submitting work to Nature’s Child eZine, contributors certify that they are the authors/creators of said work. We accept previously published works provided authors can show they have the rights to republish the work.

We do ask that all work not have been published for a minimum of six months prior to the intended issue’s publication date. In addition, we ask that authors not republish their work for six months after an issue’s publication. After that time, while the work will remain in our archives indefinitely (We have no way of breaking up individual magazine issues.), the author is free to reprint work elsewhere.

Articles should be typed and edited please (All work is subject to editing). Please send the full article in MS WORD format. Please send high-quality artwork in PNG, GIF, or JPG format, and see our Artists Wanted page.

Contributors are paid are paid in FREE advertising in the form of the bio posted with each article. Bios may include links back to sites. Back issues are on permanent display in our Issue Archive. Contributors retain all rights to their work. Please include in the footer of your article, your bio and website info. We will also post a picture of you if you provide one.

Your submission will be acknowledged when we receive your material; we cannot guarantee exact publishing dates but will attempt to keep you up-to-date on the status of your work.

If there are any questions that these guidelines do not answer, please feel free e-mail us for more information. Thanks again for your interest in Nature’s Child eZine. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Submissions may be sent by e-mail to natureschild(a)jupitergardens.com. Please put ARTICLE SUBMISSION in the title field.

Any questions can also be sent to that email address. We appreciate your support. Backissues are available for PDF download on our site, or for print copy purchases/subscriptions through our Jupiter Gardens store.

*Please share and repost. Thank you!*

Spiritual Scents, an anthology of incense alternatives

Theme: Alternatives to incense or scented candles for spiritual working.
Length: up to 7500 words
Deadline: November 1, 2011
Published: February 16, 2012
Format: Electronic and Print
Payment: A token advance of $10 per article. Once advance is paid out, our regular royalty rates will be split among all contributors. (Please see our regular guidelines for regular royalty rates.)
Rights: Print and electronic publication rights.
Reprints: Reprints are okay provided the author can prove all rights have returned to him or her. The work cannot have been published anywhere within the ninety days prior to submission.

From the practical concerns about fire hazards to health or allergy issues, there are many reasons why individuals cannot use incense or candles during spiritual practices. Since scent is such a powerful sense and one that can conjure up memories faster than any other, it’s important that this sense is involved in spiritual practice. There are plenty of ways to do this, which don’t involve the traditional incense and candles. I’m looking for essays ranging from first person accounts of working with alternatives to “how to” articles about creating your own variations on incense and candles in ritual.

It is my hope that the articles and essays contained within this volume will help those who cannot use incense or candles for a variety of reasons with a focus on allergies and health concerns, for themselves or their family members, including pets. (For example: Parrots have very sensitive respiratory systems and it’s best not to burn scented candles or incense around them, so in order to respect and help our feathered family members, we need to choose alternatives for incense and candles.)

Send your submission or questions to: submissions(a)jupitergardens.com.

Full writer’s guidelines can be found on our website: http://www.jupitergardens.com

 

 

A quick update to let you know about some exciting things we have coming next month. First of all, I hope to have our new site redesign done. I think you’ll really like it, and I can’t wait to show it off!

In addition, we have three books coming out next month.

Cutting Cords is the third book in Jo Ramsey’s Reality Shift series. This continues the stories of Jonah and Shanna and while it is a series, the book can be read on its own. We hope you enjoy all three books, though.

Shapeshifting For The Win is a debut book by a writing duo that I’m sure you’ll love. The story of teenagers, werewolves, and two very interesting parents makes great reading!

Shamanic Self-Healing is our nonfiction offering. This is an invaluable book when it comes to personal growth, and we hope you find it to be a great addition to your library.

Stay tuned!

The Reiki Guidebook by Sasha Vivelo
non-fiction book, reiki
ISBN# 9780982909973
Cover Art by Winterheart Design

Have you ever wondered how energy healing works? Ever wanted to try your hand at it? Reiki is an easy but powerful approach to natural healing using life-force energy. Practitioners believe it enhances physical health and emotional wellness. Some say Reiki brings us closer to spiritual enlightenment.

Reiki began with one seeker on a mountaintop in Japan and spread throughout the world. With it, you can reach out to soothe a loved one’s pain with a simple touch or center yourself and feel deep peace and comfort even in challenging times.

With The Reiki Guidebook, you can relieve stress and help those around you while feeling more grounded and in control of your life. Experience the beautiful simplicity of healing with your own two hands using this easy guide.

Read an excerpt or buy in print or electronic formats.

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For the remainder of October, Jo Ramsey, will donate a portion of her proceeds from the books in her Reality Shift series to a non-profit organization assisting victims of domestic violence. October is domestic violence month. Be aware and help out someone in your community, or purchase one of the books in the Reality Shift series and help someone in another community. Thank you!

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Filtration System by Jo Ramsey
Reality Shift Book 2
full length fiction novel, 203 pages
ISBN# 97809827637-97

BLURB:
Jonah Leighton never expected to have a close friend, especially one he met at his school, where he’s usually either picked on or ignored. A few weeks after meeting Shanna Bailey, he’s realized that she’s a kindred spirit. Intelligent, funny, and interested in the things he can teach her, Shanna is the first person with whom Jonah’s ever been comfortable sharing his knowledge.

However, Shanna’s frequent injuries cast a pall over their friendship. Jonah suspects that Shanna’s mother abuses her, but without proof, he can’t do anything. And his concerns about Shanna take a back seat when he becomes aware of a threat to our universe: An entity from another reality wants to cross over into ours, and the resulting energetic backwash will vaporize our world.

Read an excerpt or purchase in print or electronic formats.

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Jupiter Gardens…bringing your inner worlds to life
www.jupitergardens.com

CONTACT: Donna M. McDine

Children’s Author

Email: dmcdine@optonline.net

Phone: 845-721-7802

For Immediate Release

Three Indie Debut Authors Share Their Experiences about Publishing with a Small Press

Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity sponsored by The Ferguson Library Harry Bennett Branch http://www.fergusonlibrary.org and the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators of Lower Fairfield http://lowerfairfieldwriters.blogspot.com as they offer a unique panel of three indie debut authors on Saturday, September 25, 2010, 11:00 am at 115 Vine Road, Stamford, CT. The author’s panel will consist of an open discussion on their personal experiences with publishing with a small press with an opportunity to ask questions.

Lori Calabrese’s first picture book, The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade, was named Dragonfly Publishing, Inc.’s 2009 Best Children’s Book. Her articles and stories have been published in Boys’ Life, Odyssey, Appleseeds, Focus on the Family Clubhouse, Jr., Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids, and Stories for Children Magazine.

Donna McDine placed twice in the top 100 of the Children’s/Young Adult category in the 78^th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Her book, The Golden Pathway, was published by Guardian Angel Publishing.

Jo Ramsey is a former teacher. When she was five years old, she wrote her first story and hasn’t stopped since. Her first published YA novel, Connection, was published in January 2010 by Jupiter Gardens Press.

Event location:

The Ferguson Library

Harry Bennett Branch

115 Vine Road

Stamford, CT

203-351-8292

www.fergusonlibrary.org

We look forward to seeing you there.

Thank you in advance for your interest.

Des Moines, Iowa – August 17, 2010 – Heidi Telpner, an RN with over twenty years’ experience, shares her stories from working as a hospice nurse with you. She describes her work as a labor of love, and with honesty and humor, details the stories of the many patients with which she’s worked. Her writing transcends all the divisions that separate us, and instead, brings us closer to the humbling experience of caring for those in the last stages of their lives.

Available in both print and electronic formats, One Foot In Heaven, will share the various, and yet similar, experiences of the hospice patient, friends, family, and the nurse. This book can be purchased direct from the publisher or from your favorite book seller.

Contact:
Jupiter Gardens Press
http://jupitergardens.com/onefootinheaven