The Vampires of Intellectual Theft

Image copyright Sandra Ormandy

My two worlds collided tonight, and it wasn't in a blaze of glory. It was in a sadly prosaic way. I discovered while doing a self-google (is this some odd form of a selfie?) that some very nasty folks (intellectual, moral, and economic VAMPIRES) have stolen my work from Amazon, where it is for sale for quite a paltry amount, and are "giving" it away.  After all, they think, they aren't hurting anyone. Or perhaps they imagine they are only hurting the huge corporate entity of Amazon?

I take this personally. Like many folks who discover I am a college instructor, they might believe that I am well cared for economically, and thus don't really need the small sums I make from each sale. To most American's, a college teacher = gravy train. Show up nine months of the year and earn, earn, earn.Not true for part-time instructors. We are technically fired at the end of each term, and then rehired at the will of the institution. No health benefits. No PERS.

I need every penny I earn from the Kindles I write and place in the Kindle store. I am a migrant. Like most part-time college instructors (and yes, I would love a full-time position), I am legally classified as a migrant by the unemployment people; and thus I am not eligible for benefits if I am not scheduled for classes any term. I NEED every dime I can scrape together. Yet I keep the prices for my Kindles low enough that pretty much anyone can buy a full set for less than the price of the Starbucks they are undoubtedly swigging.

I am not flattered that thieves chose me and my work. I am not flattered that vampires such as these folks find such usefulness in my work that they would steal it and then make others party to their thievery.This was not a victimless crime. I have been victimized. So thief's, I have been victimized. And you have victimized me.

Coffee Makes the World go round

To an Ormandy, coffee is a necessity. If one of us turns a cup of Joe down, it means the apocalypse is at hand and the four horseman are riding. Coffee is as necessary as air.

  It is mid-afternoon, and the sun is starting to bake the chairs and tables outside. My own deck is shadowed, which makes it the perfect location on warm days to sit in the shadows cast by the overhanging trees with a great book, a cat flaked out on the concrete by my feet, and a cup of coffee at hand. Even if it is not a very  attractive coffee such as that depicted here; the apocalypse is not at hand. The day will turn into evening, the night following like it is meant to follow. An Ormandy has her cup.

 And it is good.