Author: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

This author has written 1997 articles
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Pottermore—When Disintermediation Goes Awry

While it's interesting to see the affiliate script flipped on Amazon, with their redirecting traffic to purchase the ebooks (surely with a nice cut of the revenue), the user experience leaves a lot to be desired, especially if you're used to purchasing your ebooks via the Kindle itself and/or the apps. The whole setup seems to be targeting hardcore fans—most of whom have probably already downloaded the ebooks for free via a torrent site—while asking the more casual reader to jump through hoops Amazon and B&N, in particular, have worked hard to eliminate.

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

How John Carter MIGHT Get a Sequel, Despite Disney’s Apparent Efforts to Kill It

Licensing decisions are made well in advance of the release of a movie, so I have to wonder if this had anything to do with Burroughs' estate, what's considered public domain and who has the rights to what's not, but it's difficult to justify treating this movie like a niche play—not with a reported $250m budget on the line.

Continue ReadingHow John Carter MIGHT Get a Sequel, Despite Disney’s Apparent Efforts to Kill It
An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Ebooks and Libraries: Is it Worth the Effort?

Since publishers are so concerned with the “perpetuity of lending and simultaneity of availability” of their ebooks, I have to wonder if libraries shouldn’t just help them out and hit the STOP button themselves? Stop buying ebooks across the board, at any price, under any terms.

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Asian = Fortune Cookies, and other American Blindspots

Having our own kids growing up around a relatively diverse group of kids was an important factor for us when we left the Bronx nearly four years ago, and while we technically found what we were looking for, what we didn't account for was the overwhelmingly white staff that would be teaching them.

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Moving Beyond THE BOOK; Three Takeaways from #Book2

The latest edition of Book^2 Camp, a publishing and technology "unconference," took place yesterday, and while it lacked the star power of last year's Margaret Atwood appearance, it was another worthwhile Sunday afternoon full of thoughtful conversations about the future of publishing. Three quick takeaways.

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

5 Career Tips to Survive Publishing’s Digital Shift

Transition, transformation, disruption, disintermediation... whichever word you prefer, the publishing industry is undergoing a massive shift that's being driven by the Internet, with the news and magazine sides arguably a bit further ahead of the curve than the book side, for better or worse, though few major players among them are seeing any light at the end of the tunnel. The Atlantic is one of my favorite examples that I've cited often, and 2011 was the second great year in a row for the "legacy" brand that went all-in on a digital-first strategy in 2007 and are now reaping the…

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