# Congratulations, Encinitas! Now who else on SMDB is a published author? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 15, 2002, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542 "2002-03-15T23:01:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/1 "2002-03-15T23:01:49Z")
First of all, congratulations to **Encinitas** for his/her first professional sale. It’s a great feeling when someone tells you, “I like your work well enough that I’ll use my money to publish it”. Well, Encinitas’ thread got me to wondering who else on SMDB has been or shortly will be published professionally–defined as getting a check or checks for something you’ve written and actually seeing it in print. Back in 1994, I published a paperback, saddle-stitched booklet with a small publisher in Chicago, a one-man operation which is now defunct. It was a small dictionary of pagan gods and goddesses, and while I got no advance, it did generate a number of royalty checks over the next several years ranging from as little as fifteen to as much as fifty dollars. Almost the entire printing of 1000 copies sold out over four or five years time, and I got a little under $500 altogether. The publisher was planning a second and much fancier edition just before he went under. Several folks on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) spoke kindly of it, and I got the immense pleasure of seeing something I’d written on the shelves of local bookstores. Okay, so I didn’t take the literary world by storm. 😃 Even so, it was a major event in my life, and I’d like to know who else among our merry band has had that immense satisfaction. So let’s hear from the other folks here who can stand up and tell us (beaming with pride, no doubt), “I am a published author!” (If you’re someone who’s really makin’ in the publishing world, let’s hear about that all-important first sale.) ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/2 "2002-03-15T23:18:23Z")
Well, at least one other Doper is now a published author - **The Bad Astronomer**! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/3 "2002-03-16T01:23:23Z")
Um, hello? What about [**Eve**](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-keywords=eve%20golden&bq=1/103-9941104-8742228)? ---
**Author:** ![KillerHamster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/41988e/32.png) [@KillerHamster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KillerHamster)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/4 "2002-03-16T01:40:53Z")
I wrote “How to Throw Poop Like a Monkey”: [http://www.flash.net/~honchie/merchan/august/august.htm](http://www.flash.net/~honchie/merchan/august/august.htm) It was the proudest moment in my life. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/5 "2002-03-16T02:02:12Z")
I’m published! I’m one of about half a dozen contributing authors of [Build Your Own Combat Robot](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0072194642/qid=1016243932/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_7_1/102-9364771-9980127). I wrote 3 out of 18 chapters for the book, and contributed a lot of the photos and diagrams. Didn’t get my name on the cover, but I am listed with the other authors inside. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/6 "2002-03-16T02:02:19Z")
Well, you dropped the hat . . . One novel, **Staroamer’s Fate,** published some time ago by Warner/Questar Books. It was named one of the best first novels of the year 1986 by Locus. 30+ short stories in science fiction/fantasy markets including _Fantasy and Science Fiction, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Realms of Fantasy, Galaxy, Aborginal SF, Marian Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy, Absolute Magnitude_ and anthologies like _Blood Muse, Vampires,_ and _Swashbucking Editor Stories_. I’m also online at [Strange Horizons](http://www.strangehorizons.com/2000/20001009/arroyo_de_buho.shtml). I’m also treasurer of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer of America. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/7 "2002-03-16T02:31:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*Warner/Questar Books. \*\* Was Brian Thomsen your editor? Great guy! – Uke, also published ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/8 "2002-03-16T04:29:49Z")
I sometimes write articles for _Poker Digest_, and I’m listed as a contributing editor in their magazine, although I’ve never done anything to deserve it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/9 "2002-03-16T04:57:08Z")
I was first published in 1979 i **Scientific American**. I’ve had articles in American Journal of Physics, Physica Status Solidi, Optics Communications, and a lot of other technical journals. I’ve also had stuff in Parabola, the Magazine of Myth and Trdition, New Jersey History, the Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, and the Double Star Observer. And my first book came out in 2000 – **Medusa, Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon** (see my site at [www.MedusaMystery.com](http://www.MedusaMystery.com) )If enough people buy copies, I may actually make back my advance, which I foolishly blew on illustrations. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/10 "2002-03-16T05:36:31Z")
Wow, my little announcement inspired a whole new thread where I learned of the various literary successes of my fellow dopers. But I must confess that I was not actually paid _cash_ for my article. Instead I will be receiving a year’s free subscription to the newsletter in which it appeared! WooHoo! I wrote the article partly as a favor to a friend and partly as a test to see if I could do it. Now that I know that I can…the sky’s the limit!😃 ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/11 "2002-03-16T05:56:17Z")
I got a letter to the editor published in _Car and Driver_ and a story in _Penthouse Forum_. Does that count? [sup]Yeah… I made the last one up…[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/12 "2002-03-16T06:09:44Z")
Well, I’m published in an academic journal, but I don’t get a check for that. So I must turn to my other literary success, which was being paid $100 for a contribution to “True Confessions.” It was for their regular feature “My ESP Experience” and not a word of it was true of course. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/13 "2002-03-16T06:54:23Z")
Well, I’ve had several magazine articles published (though of a very specific nature), and in my current job, I write stuff for a living. Still, it’d be nice to do stuff with short stories, if only I got off my duff and did it… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/14 "2002-03-16T10:39:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by artemis \* > \*\*Well, at least one other Doper is now a published author - **The Bad Astronomer**! \*\* Yes, I believe it just came out a few days ago. It’s called **Bad Astronomy by Philip Plait** Here’s a link: [Bad Astronomy](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471409766/qid%3D1016273565/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F0%5F1/103-6068372-8896628) ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/15 "2002-03-16T16:04:03Z")
Generally you can throw me into the mix. True, I have no books yet, but a good number of short stories (By far most are in the mystery and SF genres), some of which have been anthologized. Periodically, when working out plot ideas and run into road blocks, I come to SDMB for assistance and the “teeming millions” are consistently helpful. I have also published tons of non-fiction stuff, but that’s what I do for a living (write and shoot photos for newspapers and magazines). Years ago I also wrote and had published two (what I now consider very bad) plays. Fortunately they are no longer being carried by any publishing house although while they were, the occasional (tiny) check was welcome. I would have to agree that **Eve** and **RealityChuck** are two of this board’s most respected authors and I should also add that they both have excellent first-hand knowledge about the publishing business. They have on different occasions disspelled misconceptions I have held about my publishers, agent, editors and once a reviewer. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/16 "2002-03-16T16:55:41Z")
I’m a free-lance writer, which means that I’ve done just about anything and everything you can do to make money in the field. Just for some highlights, I’ve published several non-fiction books, edited an anthology, written magazine articles, did a series of profiles for a business newspaper, have been a columnist, written sf short stories, written reviews and criticism and even academic articles, although I’m not an academic. And yet by far the most luctrative work I do is technical writing. Sigh. I do not recommend the life of a free-lancer, BTW, unless you have a working wife. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/17 "2002-03-16T16:59:11Z")
Didn’t the Preview button used to be on the left? (My three-digit post count got wiped out by the recent unpleasantness. I’m not quite that much of a newbie.) Anyway, technical writing is lucrative. I.e. well-paid. A boring necessity. Books are better. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/18 "2002-03-16T18:54:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\* > > Was Brian Thomsen your editor? Great guy! > \*\* Yes, he was. I liked working with him. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/19 "2002-03-16T20:32:58Z")
I’ve been involved in two books: one researching(Wonder Woman’s 60th Anniversary Book), and in a high school English text book by McGraw Hill that I have an article about feminism in. ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542/20 "2002-03-16T21:23:49Z")
A handful of short stories in small-press horror. Just made my first pro sale to an anthology edited by [Edo van Belkom](http://www.vanbelkom.com) . Also had a piece published in FATE Magazine’s “True Mystic Experiences” section. And I’ve had a couple erotica short stories published as well. Sheri [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-encinitas-now-who-else-on-smdb-is-a-published-author/98542.md?page=2)