The Return of the Curator
Last week I handed in the final section of my book manuscript to my publisher. I think I originally anticipated completing it in June or July. So yeah, it took me a little longer than anticipated.
The title, I've recently learned, is going to be Electrified Sheep. This refers to a series of experiments in which sheep were placed in lightning simulators. I didn't actually come up with this title. I suggested a whole bunch of other titles including The Indestructible Atomic Pig and Psychoneurotic Atomic Goats, but the publisher decided to go with the sheep. The lesson is that authors don't get to choose the titles of their books! But the sheep title has been growing on me. I like the fact that it evokes Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
Anyway, I took a few days to decompress, and now I'm ready to turn my attention back to the Museum of Hoaxes. I'm not sure if there are any people still reading the site, except for the forum regulars... but that gives me the opportunity to make a fresh start and change things around a bit.
First of all, the comments pages need to be completely revamped, because the comment spam has run out of control. I'm thinking of making it so that all non-member comments have to be approved by a moderator, and all new members also have to be approved by a moderator. This will mean that far fewer comments get posted, but to me that's an acceptable trade-off.
And before I do that, I need to upgrade the entire site software, which will take a couple of days.
I also want to change around the front page of the site to highlight the fact that the site isn't just a blog, but is more like a blog sitting on top of a hoax encyclopedia. I want to put a "featured hoax of the day" on the front page, much like wikipedia has a featured article of the day.
So that's my plan.
I'd also like to say hello to everyone whom I haven't communicated with in almost a year. I'm finally back from secluding myself in the archives! I don't know why I write such research-intensive books. I guess I just like torturing myself. If I were smart I'd write my next book on a topic that doesn't require any research at all... maybe a novel about teenage vampires. I've heard those kind of books sell well -- a lot better than non-fiction books about sheep in lightning simulators, that's for sure!
The title, I've recently learned, is going to be Electrified Sheep. This refers to a series of experiments in which sheep were placed in lightning simulators. I didn't actually come up with this title. I suggested a whole bunch of other titles including The Indestructible Atomic Pig and Psychoneurotic Atomic Goats, but the publisher decided to go with the sheep. The lesson is that authors don't get to choose the titles of their books! But the sheep title has been growing on me. I like the fact that it evokes Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
Anyway, I took a few days to decompress, and now I'm ready to turn my attention back to the Museum of Hoaxes. I'm not sure if there are any people still reading the site, except for the forum regulars... but that gives me the opportunity to make a fresh start and change things around a bit.
First of all, the comments pages need to be completely revamped, because the comment spam has run out of control. I'm thinking of making it so that all non-member comments have to be approved by a moderator, and all new members also have to be approved by a moderator. This will mean that far fewer comments get posted, but to me that's an acceptable trade-off.
And before I do that, I need to upgrade the entire site software, which will take a couple of days.
I also want to change around the front page of the site to highlight the fact that the site isn't just a blog, but is more like a blog sitting on top of a hoax encyclopedia. I want to put a "featured hoax of the day" on the front page, much like wikipedia has a featured article of the day.
So that's my plan.
I'd also like to say hello to everyone whom I haven't communicated with in almost a year. I'm finally back from secluding myself in the archives! I don't know why I write such research-intensive books. I guess I just like torturing myself. If I were smart I'd write my next book on a topic that doesn't require any research at all... maybe a novel about teenage vampires. I've heard those kind of books sell well -- a lot better than non-fiction books about sheep in lightning simulators, that's for sure!
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Categories: Miscellaneous Posted by Alex on Mon Nov 15, 2010 |
Comments (29) |
| More from the Hoax Museum Archives: | |||
Woah!!! Welcome back, old chum! (Old forum regular here, probably haven't posted in about a year, though!) Glad to see you back in the saddle here.
Posted by Stargazer on Mon Nov 15, 2010 at 11:06 AM
It's good to hear from you again, I was starting to get a little worried. I've been a long time reader, since I first read the original "Museum of Hoaxes" book at least five years ago, so I wouldn't let a little thing like no real posts in almost a year stop me from checking the RSS feed every day...
Any chance you will be returning to Weird Universe after you get caught up on Museum of Hoaxes?
Posted by Salamander Sam on Mon Nov 15, 2010 at 01:34 PM
Any chance you will be returning to Weird Universe after you get caught up on Museum of Hoaxes?
*celebrates*
I'm not liking the sound of all this extra work, though...although I'm sure that it will be better in the long run! 😉
Posted by Smerk in to mischief on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 05:18 AM
I'm not liking the sound of all this extra work, though...although I'm sure that it will be better in the long run! 😉
Yay! Welcome back, Alex.
Posted by Tah in Idaho (Yes, Idaho) on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 08:42 AM
Huzzah! The Prophecied one has returned! Break out the festive hats and noisemakers!
Posted by Robin Bobcat in Californian Wierdo on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 08:49 AM
Huzzah!! Huzzah! Huzzah!! Welcome back Alex!!
Posted by daveprime in Deep in the sticks...*yay internet!!* on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 10:14 AM
About friggin' time you lazy dick.
I kid because I love.
Posted by John Fisher on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 12:03 PM
I kid because I love.
Ahhh, welcome back. I had begun to despair.
And thanks for dealing with the spam, that was hugely annoying.
Posted by J. Jacob Markin on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 01:16 PM
And thanks for dealing with the spam, that was hugely annoying.
(And, of course, congratulations on the new book! Let us know when it comes out, yes?)
Posted by J. Jacob Markin on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 01:16 PM
Hurrah - you're back! 😊
Posted by Madmouse in Edinburgh on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 05:01 PM
Salamander Sam -- Yes, I will be posting on WU again.
J. Jacob -- Well, I haven't actually dealt with it yet. I just have plans to deal with it.
Posted by The Curator in San Diego on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 05:31 PM
J. Jacob -- Well, I haven't actually dealt with it yet. I just have plans to deal with it.
Glad you're back, Alex!
Posted by LadyPython on Tue Nov 16, 2010 at 10:30 PM
yeah..good to have you back
Posted by frank on Wed Nov 17, 2010 at 04:12 AM
Another welcome back, Alex. Can't wait to get the book. Assume that site redesign will shake, rattle and roll the user experience. Will look forward to the waves. :coolsmile:
Posted by Danny on Wed Nov 17, 2010 at 09:50 PM
Like I for one second believe this is really Alex! Pfft. :p
Posted by Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA on Wed Nov 17, 2010 at 10:57 PM
Yay, you're back! Yay!
Posted by Cranky Media Guy on Thu Nov 18, 2010 at 02:42 AM
Thrilled to (belatedly) see you back, Alex, and congratulations on finishing the book!
Posted by Boo in The Land of the Haggii... on Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 09:54 AM
Hey, welcome back!
I missed the Museum of Hoaxes.
Congratulations on putting the book to bed. I would have preferred "The Indestructible Atomic Pig," but I'm looking forward to reading "Electrified Sheep," anyway.
Maybe the publisher thinks that title goes better with "Elephants on Acid"?
Posted by Big Gary on Mon Nov 29, 2010 at 05:58 PM
I missed the Museum of Hoaxes.
Congratulations on putting the book to bed. I would have preferred "The Indestructible Atomic Pig," but I'm looking forward to reading "Electrified Sheep," anyway.
Maybe the publisher thinks that title goes better with "Elephants on Acid"?
Welcome back!
There's an episode of the old sitcom Dharma and Greg where Greg is confronted by UFO believers/conspiracy types, and does his best to debunk the conspiracy - in the process discovering that there -is- a conspiracy - a conspiracy to make people believe in UFOs....
Maybe that latter would be a good subject for you novel?
😊
Posted by John Ordover on Tue Nov 30, 2010 at 06:18 PM
There's an episode of the old sitcom Dharma and Greg where Greg is confronted by UFO believers/conspiracy types, and does his best to debunk the conspiracy - in the process discovering that there -is- a conspiracy - a conspiracy to make people believe in UFOs....
Maybe that latter would be a good subject for you novel?
😊
Note to self: start checking the MoH on a more regular basis...
Posted by Joe Littrell on Sat Dec 04, 2010 at 12:08 AM
Phew, you've been gone so long that I almost removed your website from my tool bar. Decided to check one more time and yay, here you are.
Congratulations on the new book. I like the title, but I liked yours better (Atomic Pig).
Welcome back!
Posted by Minx McCloud on Thu Dec 09, 2010 at 09:02 PM
Congratulations on the new book. I like the title, but I liked yours better (Atomic Pig).
Welcome back!
Ah, the world is back to normal. How welcome. Hey, wait a minute. Is THIS a hoax??? Ha ha, I'm hilarious.
Posted by hoaxinghal on Fri Dec 10, 2010 at 02:54 PM
He are here! He have arrived! Hooray!
Posted by Tobester in New Jersey on Sat Dec 11, 2010 at 10:43 AM
:red: It had been so long that I always just logged straight into the forum when I came here...sorry it took me so long to see you're back!
Can't wait to read the new book!
Posted by Nettie in Perth, Western Australia on Wed Jan 19, 2011 at 05:03 PM
Can't wait to read the new book!
Don't think I'm falling for that old "Robot-Alex" ruse... I'm stupid, but not that stupid...
Posted by Hairy Houdini on Thu Mar 31, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Hey, welcome back!
I missed the Museum of Hoaxes.
Congratulations on putting the book to bed. I would have preferred "The Indestructible Atomic Pig," but I'm looking forward to reading "Electrified Sheep," anyway.
Posted by Deepak on Thu Apr 14, 2011 at 12:16 AM
I missed the Museum of Hoaxes.
Congratulations on putting the book to bed. I would have preferred "The Indestructible Atomic Pig," but I'm looking forward to reading "Electrified Sheep," anyway.
Another welcome back, Alex. Can't wait to get the book. Assume that site redesign will shake, rattle and roll the user experience. Will look forward to the waves.
Posted by Harshad on Thu Apr 14, 2011 at 12:16 AM
Salamander Sam -- Yes, I will be posting on WU again.
Posted by Krunal on Thu Apr 14, 2011 at 12:17 AM
{stupid336x280}
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