Update / spam bots / LaunchPad

[AgentPete]

The week is already running away with me... Mal’s funeral is on Friday, and since I’ll be staying down there, it’s almost like the hectic rush you go through before going away. Except... it’s for Mal’s funeral

I’m dangerously close to re-opening The Houses (collective sigh, I can hear it). I just need the best part of an undisturbed day... which I’m unlikely to get this week.

We’ve been visited by spammers twice in recent days, which is a bit irritating. I’ve just made the signup procedure a bit tougher... but it may be that we will need to scrutinize signups rather more closely, manually. Any volunteers for this thankless task, please let me know!

You’ll see from the front page that we’ve significantly upgraded the LITOPIA LAUNCHPAD product. Any thoughts on this, please let me have them. The first new LaunchPad product will run on the next LAD this Friday evening, which is a corker of a show... featuring a former Top gear presenter... how topical can you get! And you may notice that it’s for former Litopian Jamie Mollart’s debut novel... which was successfully workshopped right here in The Houses! Full circle!

 

[Carol Rose]

What great news for Jamie!! Hooray!!

 

[James Marinero]

A House, a House, my kingdom for a House!

Ah yes, I remember them well...

 

[Jennifer Stone]

Understanding this is a stressful time for you and others involved, patience has always been a virtue of mine and I shall always be available to help in any way possible, though I don't really know much about computery things lol if I may ask a stupid question (backing up my previous statement), how does this launchpad thingy work and how can I access it? I'm eagerly intrigued.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

We can wait, there are more important priorities Pete

 

[AgentPete]

Jennifer, thank you so much for the offer... frankly, if computer things make your head spin, I would not want to torture you with the wacky world of spam... it would not be fun

Alastair has most kindly offered to be our official Spam Assassin, so many thanks to him for that. Should anyone come across any examples of this particular form of online entropy here, please let Alastair know via a message, and he will spring into action with the sword of truth and trusty shield of fair play. Now where have I heard those words before...?

 

[AgentPete]

how does this launchpad thingy work and how can I access it? I'm eagerly intrigued.

It’s a way of promoting your new book! Hopefully the options are straightforward – please let me know if not.

Litopia (the Colony) will always be free. What goes on in here is not to be monetized, nor should access be dependent on payment. Frankly, an awful lot of good writers don’t have many beans to rub together, especially at the start of their writing careers, and I would not want their talents excluded from the Colony just because they can’t pay to get in.

However, Litopia cannot run on good wishes and thin air. We need to make some money, and the LaunchPad is one way for us to do this.

I’m thinking of “launching” the LaunchPad with a pretty massive discount for Litopians. You could take advantage of this, even though your book may not come out for another six or twelve months, i.e. buy it now, and use it when convenient.

More on this anon.

 

[Jennifer Stone]

It’s a way of promoting your new book! Hopefully the options are straightforward – please let me know if not.

Litopia (the Colony) will always be free. What goes on in here is not to be monetized, nor should access be dependent on payment. Frankly, an awful lot of good writers don’t have many beans to rub together, especially at the start of their writing careers, and I would not want their talents excluded from the Colony just because they can’t pay to get in.

However, Litopia cannot run on good wishes and thin air. We need to make some money, and the LaunchPad is one way for us to do this.

I’m thinking of “launching” the LaunchPad with a pretty massive discount for Litopians. You could take advantage of this, even though your book may not come out for another six or twelve months, i.e. buy it now, and use it when convenient.

More on this anon.

Thanks Pete, very helpful now I've found it lol, it's not something I can consider atm but definitely in the future

 

[tabby3]

I’m dangerously close to re-opening The Houses (collective sigh, I can hear it). I just need the best part of an undisturbed day... which I’m unlikely to get this week.

Dangerously is my middle name.

 

[Octopus Messiah]

Still so sad about Mal... A part of Litopia has gone missing.
But glad that you're soldiering on.
I mean, how great is it that we interviewed a former Top Gear presenter right as Clarkson used his fists instead of his words (not that the latter are always better)? Allegedly.
It's almost like we planned the whole thing.
Looking forward to seeing it up!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Our old lady puddy tat, Willow Catkins Hazeldine passed away suddenly and very peacefully yesterday. 17. So many memories under the bridge. 'Only' a cat, some might say, and I was not unprepared, I was braced in fact for 'something' ; no Death card, but Swords aplenty. Grief is the price of love, and that's a wind that bloweth where it listeth. The price is high but we can't begrudge it.

I didn't know Mal but I saw what he was, and still is, in essence somewhere. Bless him and those mourning him.

 

[Octopus Messiah]

A kind, sentient being in your life is a beautiful thing.

 

[AgentPete]

Mal’s funeral will be quite something, I think. People are coming from all over. He was so big-hearted that everyone has a Mal story or three. Plenty of tears yet to come, but also much love and warmth.

 

[1408]

I'm sorry for your loss, @Katie-Ellen Hazeldine. A cat is definitely never only a cat to me, and according to studies more people than would like to admit! 17 is a good age and I'm sure Willow led a good life full of mousing and cat naps.

@AgentPete, Even though I'm sure there will be many tears at Mal's funeral I hope you hear and share lots of heartwarming stories about him, too. Don't worry about The Houses and now we have Sir Alastair as spam assassin you can leave those worries behind also!

I'll take a look at Launchpad! Although I think I've come to the "I can't be bothered with this book anymore" stage. I want to move on, even if that means leaving KDD on a digital shelf for a while! I have other books I want to write and I think I'd be more open to critique on a new project than one that I'm ruddy fed up with! Maybe in the future when I've had more practice in writing I'll come back to it, but I really want to have a go at an adult mystery or something. Must learn to plot...

 

[Katie-Ellen]

The gentle dozy Will Bill never caught so much as a mouse. The occasional leaf
(I was q glad about that though she might not have been)

Alistair.......

.

 

[Marc Joan]

Sorry to hear about your cat. Our furry friends can certainly irrevocably entangle themselves in our lives. At least the goodbye was peaceful.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Had a dog that went to 17 and a cat to 20, miss them both. Glad to see I can use the whips somewhere though

 

[James Marinero]

You’ll see from the front page that we’ve significantly upgraded the LITOPIA LAUNCHPAD product.

This looks like a good package - given the amount of time that I put into marketing this looks like reasonable value for money. I hope you will be able to give us some feedback on results/marketing leverage.

 

[Richard Sutton]

Sorry to hear of your loss of Willow, KTLN. We've loved and lost many over the years, and while the pain of loss is always there, the good memories eventually surpass it's sting a bit. Can you bring a new kitten into your home?