Principles are Stupid
How are things with the new newsletter platform?
As many of you remember, I was on Substack for a while, and I was very happy. It was a free service, and produced a nice newsletter, and offered an internal community of avid readers and writers…an internal community that resulted in a constant organic growth of subscribers.
Ha ha, I read that as “a constant orgasm.”
I was very happy.
But then all this stuff came out that Substack was banking off Nazis, and their whole operation seemed very shady.
Banking off Nazis?
Yeah, they had a bunch of prominent Nazis - not Nazis in the way I called that Olive Garden waitress when she said they were out of “unlimited” breadsticks, but actual ones - on their platform and were happy to take a cut of whatever they were charging their subscribers. Basically profiting off hate speech.
So what happened? With the Nazis, not the breadsticks.
There was a lot of anger among Substackers. Ominous threats to leave the platform. Lines drawn in the sand.
And then, like a dum dum, I’m pretty sure I’m the only person who left.
Ha ha, loser.
I know! I was, like, “People, I thought we were doing this together.” I made a stand! And I rarely make stands! You know that I hate having principles. They make life super inconvenient.
Are you calling everyone who stayed cowards?
Oh, not at all. Catherynne M. Valente had a really good point about all this, when she pondered why we’re always the ones to leave the party when Nazis show up and ruin everything. She’s not wrong! We have this nice happy space, and then some jerks wander in and do jerky things, and we leave in a huff. Why not stay and fight?
Instead, I went off and sulked.
That’s a really good point. Are you going back?
Well, I really can’t think of a way to do it without going against my stated principles, so that SUCKS. I’m just going to stay here, for now, and watch everyone party for free and feel sorry for myself.
Hi, E.A. Sorry to interject, but this is Buttondown HQ, Do you mind not complaining about us so much while you use our platform?
Fair. Buttondown isn’t terrible, by any means. I looked at a lot of newsletter platforms (in addition to principles, I also hate doing research, but HERE WE ARE), and I thought Buttondown was the best of what’s left. The interface is pretty easy to use and my newsletter delivery (which is, honestly, probably the most important metric) has definitely improved.
The strikes are somewhat mild. The finished product isn’t as pretty, any organic growth is entirely up to me, and I have to pay every month ($33 for the 5,000 of you, which is cheaper than any other paid service).
Just give in and go back to Substack, like you did with Olive Garden. You won’t feel good about yourself, but you’ll be with family.
Sigh, I can’t. I wouldn’t feel right and, honestly, the Substack/Nazi thing does make me feel a little shaky.
Bro, aren’t you on Facebook, and don’t you access it through an iPhone? And don’t you wear boots made out of panda skin?
Those boots are super comfortable. And, yes, we all use products that are cheerfully destroying the world and exploiting workers and run by people who seemingly represent the worst of humanity. But I still feel like going back to Substack would be…like littering. Yeah, a Coke can tossed out of my car isn’t going to ruin the world, compared to the smoke towers I’m driving past as I do it, but it doesn’t help.
Anyway, the point is, principles are stupid and, if you have them, you should keep them to yourself because you might have to stand by them someday. Ugh.
EA
If you’re in the DC/MD/VA area, or you’re willing to fly a Boeing on Southwest for a cheap fare because you’re a risktaker, then make sure you come out to the Looking Glass Lounge on Wednesday night, June 26, at 6 pm. I’ll be hosting DC’s Noir at the Bar, featuring seven incredible writers (and double thanks to Robert Creekmore, for reading and creating the graphic below). DC’s Noir at the Bar has been called “the greatest event in literature since the Globe Theater held it’s first Shakespeare production” and “the reason Gutenberg invented the printing press” by…I forget who, probably the New York Times. Anyway, it’s free and at a bar and it’s a Wednesday night and you’ll have fun and LOOK AT THIS LINEUP:
Also, for those in the DC/MD/VA area, my friend and the super talented singer Sara Jones will be singing at Reston Town Center on Friday, June 28! If you’ve attended one of my virtual Noirs at the Bars, or some of my in-person events, then you’ve probably had the chance to hear Sara sing…but getting to hear her for more than just a couple of songs is really special. Also, there’s lots and lots of wine. I know a lot of you perked up at that last sentence.
I first met Nadine Nettmann when the debut novel in her Sommelier Mystery series was published. Decanting a Murder was nominated for the Anthony, Agatha, and Lefty awards, and led to two more popular books in the series, Uncorking a Lie and Pairing a Deception. Unfortunately, her publisher (the late, great Midnight Ink) folded, but Nadine returned with a new novel this year, published by Lake Union, edited by the fantastic Chantelle Aimee Osman, and currently reaching a wonderfully wide readership, The Bootlegger’s Daughter:
It’s 1927. Letty Hart’s father is long gone, but his old winery provides a meager wage and a legal livelihood for selling sacramental wine. But when that contract goes bust, Letty stumbles upon a desperate option: her father’s hidden cellar—and enough liquor to tempt Letty to bootleg the secret stash. In an underworld dominated by merciless men, Letty is building an empire.
Officer Annabel Forman deserves to be the first female detective in the LAPD. But after two years on the force, she’s still consigned to clerical work and policing dance halls. When Annabel connects a series of unsolved murders to bootlegging, it’s a chance at a real investigation. Under the thumb of dismissive male superiors, Annabel is building her case.
As their formerly uncompromised morals erode, Letty and Annabel are on a collision course—and determined to prove they’re every bit as ruthless and strong-willed as the powers that be who want to take them down.
I’ve had the pleasure of being friends with Nadine for years now, and she was kind enough to play Kiss, Marry, Kill with the characters from The Bootlegger’s Daughter:
Kiss: Officer Annabel Forman
Forman is an extremely hardworking police officer and well-deserving of a promotion, but she keeps being overlooked and even worse, assigned to clerical work instead of the real cases. But she’s determined to be the first female detective in the LAPD even when all of the odds are against her. She connects a series of murders and starts building her case as well as her career, breaking down barriers left and right. She’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Marry: Letty Hart
Letty Hart is someone you want on your side for life. A winemaker by trade and circumstances (she took over the family winery after her father left a few years ago), she keeps the place running while looking out for her mom, her land, and her livelihood. Even though it’s the middle of Prohibition and alcohol is banned across the land, a contract with the church for sacramental wine keeps the money coming in. But when the wine contract ends and she’s out of options, she finds a way to survive: bootlegging. Letty will always protect her family and her land.
Kill: August Raymond
While you might see him at first as a hardworking detective and even a family man, don’t be fooled by first impressions. A detective by day, a criminal by night, alternative motives are definitely his game. He’s 100% deserving of this position in kiss, marry, kill.
Thank you, Nadine! And check out The Bootlegger’s Daughter HERE.
It's giveaway time! The winner of a copy of The Bootlegger’s Daughter is:
jami____hards__9@gmail.com
Congrats, and I'll send you an email soon!
Thanks to Christianne Meneses Jacobs, who I met at the Tucson Festival of Books, for having me on Latino Book Chat. We had a really great chat, and she was such a terrific host. You can check out my sexy sexy voice HERE.