It looks like we cross-posted. :)

I do wish I had signed up for a chapter when Jim announced the project, but something distracted me. But oh, how delicious, how awful, how wonderfully perfect the final result. I hurt myself laughing, and that was just from chapter one.

If you read my post, you'll see the timing of PA's "withdrawal" is rather interesting. Jim announced the sting on the AbsoluteWrite forum, which PA monitors. Three hours later, the point person received the "we changed our minds" email.

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Oh, you've got the links to work--people curious to explore further should visit your posting.

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I have links to the manuscript, acceptance letter, and the sample contract.

And I must tell Matthew that you wrote the first chapter. We read it together and we were both shrieking with laughter. Rob thought we had gone insane.

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This reminds me somewhat of the story of a novel called Naked Came the Stranger, which I trust you are familiar with. It was a clever idea then, and it still is today. Authored by "Travis Tea" - oh dear. Was that the name that was actually on the submission?

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I don't know--but it's the one on it now.

Yes, I know about the Naked joke, plus the Jerzy Kozinsky one as well.

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No, they didn't use "Travis Tea" for the submission name. Jim made that change when he set up the version for Lulu.com.

And yes, the project organizers were making a deliberate nod to Naked Came the Stranger.

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I read that first chapter and just about wet myself, I was laughing so hard. Truly, a masterpiece - it warms my very tittles.

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"Need pee." ;)

Ahh, the good old nursie novel-- I wonder if anyone still publishes those.

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The opening chapter was yours? I dl'ed the rtf Jim posted last night and couldn't get past the second page, it was so bad. Congratulations!

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Oh, but you must persist! Not in my chapter--it's pretty much the same through--but some of them are brilliantly funny, they are so awful.

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If I can't make time to read the Bujold ARC sitting on my coffee table at home looking reproachfully at me . . .

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Holy crom!


*sitting up as though stung"

Yep. that's busy, awright!

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Yup. Back to it, but have some puppies as a congratulations:

http://www.livejournal.com/community/baaaaabyanimals/409299.html

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My daughter and I both squeeed!

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Of course, now that PublishAmerica has recinded their acceptance, they will probably twist the facts to support the fact that their "system" works, and that the badly written MS was one of the ones they "rejected."

I actually liked the first chapter. I was very engaged with the sexy boobies.

M

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I've been following the updates on AW. The acceptance email is currently with counsel, along with the copy of the sample contract. Things could get interesting.

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Well, since no contract was executed, it would seem that the offer can be recinded without too much legal difficulty (especially if PA is willing to abandon all claims to their big $1 advance) Kinda makes me wish that the "reveal" could have been delayed until after the plotters had a signed contract in hand.

But I'm sure there are great lawyers involved here, so, as you say, this should get interesting.

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Urgle.

Read about 1/4 of the way through and I feel ill.

Good job, guys. I... guess. :)

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I am sitting at home, sick and bored, and this is the most entertaining thing I have heard and read all day. This novel is unbelievably bad - kudos to you! I am seriously impressed.

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It's one of those that you could open to any page and read snippets at a party, and have everybody howling.

*feel better quick!*

(Maybe this thing will kill germs!)

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Read chapter one. Glad I wasn't eating anything at the time. You know, if you ever decide to give up writing *real* novels, I think you could have a career writing for TV soaps. :-)

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Oh, this "Sting" was a master stroke!

Congrats on the "sale," Mr. Tea!!!!

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Okay, that's *too* funny, Sherwood!! So glad someone put it those PA scum.

~Maggie :)

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That is beautiful. It's made my day much happier, if a bit less gramatical.

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The joy has also left me unable to spell.

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*ow*

Lied down. *dies*

Eeeeeeviiiiiiilllll!

Zhaneel

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and "laid in bed"

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Incidentally, you still wrote too well. You should have broken more rules and been truly horrid. I know you can. C'mon. You let your actual author in there to give a cohesive storyline!

Zhaneel

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*hanging head in shame*

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I'll forgive you. Just this once, mind. ;-)

Soooo cool.

Zhaneel

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I wish I'd seen this in time to hook up with it. I can write really good crap all day long. :D

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Given a universe of choices, lol, I especially liked this gem: " Her sisters, all of them far more beautiful than she, had coasted through life like a toboggan down the snow hill of life."

Congratulations on a job well done.

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*g*

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I laughed so hard at the lulu.com reviews that I cried. It's as craptastic as Circle's. And Inside Circle's. ("Maybe if we beat these two books together hard enough, we can even out the punctuation.")

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ROFL!!!!!

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