36 Comments
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Mona Morstein's avatar

Interesting story! I didn't know about Wattpad, thanks! I wrote "The Childhood of Sherlock Holmes" and had a patient involved with books try to sell it to, well, anyone. No one came close to biting. I watch bemused from the sidelines.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Mona, it sounds appealing to me! Always fascinated by him and anything about him

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Kelly Turner's avatar

Yeah, Mona - have you read Catherine’s piece on doing the AMA on Reddit?

https://open.substack.com/pub/poecansaveyourlife/p/how-to-get-a-million-people-to-your?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Sherlock Holmes is the type of thing it seems like you could get a lot of ppl to show up for.

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Mona Morstein's avatar

Yes, I did read it. It was really informative. I simply haven't moved forward in that regard.

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Stanley Stocker's avatar

Just that idea sounds compelling. I bet you have something there.

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Erin O'Malley's avatar

I’m not a big romance reader either but now feel compelled to read this book. Love your writing/voice.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Super kind of you, Erin - thanks and cheers!

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Deanna Kreisel's avatar

Thank you for this -- it perked me up in the middle of a despondent mood. You never know! (And I really hope your surfer romance gets picked up -- I will watch the hell out of that thing.)

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Deanna, believe me, I feel you. It’s part of why I wrote it this week. Who among us doesn’t need a little light entertainment right now? Hope you have a good Saturday

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Bougie Hippie's avatar

Needed to read this. My book 'Escape to Mexico' is going through the tv rounds.

This helps me stop nail biting and just hit the keys to finish my next novel.

It's a roller coaster. I'm reading the first chapter now of your sex and surfing book on Wattpad. Juicy.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Crossing my fingers for your book! You've got the right idea re: hitting the keys.

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helen jonsen's avatar

I gotta say, I loved reading this. I never heard of Wattpad but I know the Gold Coast well and have written four books on Aussie-English for Yanks. Once I get this nonfiction book and work out of the door and then my childhood memoir —I will talk about the lead up to marrying my hunky Aussie. But that’s a story for later. Looking forward to reading more from you.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Helen, thanks so much for reading! The books on Aussie English sound like lots of fun. Nothing wrong with a hunky Aussie :)

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Maria Soares de Albuquerque's avatar

I am writing my eighth book. I write Brigerton-like stories. Anyway, I published the first chapter of a contemporary romance on Wattpad today. Its weird and funny and weird.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Break a leg, Maria! Rooting for you!

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John Hamilton's avatar

Great story, with a good deal of mystery. Specifically Wattpad, which I never heard of before.

And that good-in-a-room thing: I've run across people with that skill, as in natively with that skill. But—just my opinion—that skill seemed so transferable to anything they were talking about that it always made me uneasy. And hopelessly incompetent.

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Lindsey Grossman's avatar

Love this! Thanks so much for sharing your candid behind-the-scenes experience.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

You're so welcome, Lindsey! Thanks for reading.

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Saran's avatar

This was such an interesting story to read! Thank you so much for sharing! I always learn something after reading one of your posts :)

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Catherine Baab's avatar

I'm so glad to hear that, truly. Thanks for the kind words :)

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Patricia Hunt Holmes's avatar

Great advice! I haven't come that close to anyone wanting to make my books or essays into a film, but stories like yours give us hope. Thanks.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Hope is good! Rooting for you, Patricia.

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Kristin Fellows's avatar

Sex & surfing to Poe — you’ve got quite a range, Cat!

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Kind of you, Kristin (and hey, back at you, seriously). My literary hero, Kinglsey Amis, said that a competent writer should be able to work in any genre, from epic poems to ads for sheep de-lice-ers. Always been my hope to get there though by its nature it's sort of always more a tantalizing possibility. Oh well, what are you/we gonna do? Keep going, I guess. :)

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Kristin Fellows's avatar

Thanks, Cat — I’ve been a professional strawberry de-topper, and could write an ad for that, but not so sure about the sheep de-licers 😂🍓

But yes, no matter what, we keep writing.

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Jessica Dylan Miele's avatar

Just wondering: Is there any hope this could still turn into a movie? I would love to see it!

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Catherine Baab's avatar

It’s still getting pitched around, so maybe? Honestly as a consumer I’d happily watch it too. Thanks for the kind words :)

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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

That view!!! This gave me such a pep in my step. Thank you. I think your surfer romance will find new life. Not enough of them out there, IMO.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

It's funny - Surfers Paradise definitely has its grungy side (people say it's the Myrtle Beach of Oz), but overall it's like a supermodel of a landscape. Ditto the entire Gold Coast.

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Margie Peterson's avatar

I just finished a memoir about an actor’s career path. It’s about the work and the work ethic.

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Sounds useful! Hope it goes :-)

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Stanley Stocker's avatar

Love this, Cat!

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Catherine Baab's avatar

Thanks Stanley! Appreciate the read 😀

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Amelia Wilson's avatar

Love this story - what a ride! And I grew up in Brisbane spending weekends at Surfers!🏝️ Greatest beaches in the world. 😉

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Catherine Baab's avatar

You lucky thing, Brisbane is so beautiful! Very fond of that place. And you’re right about the beaches, never seen any better ones

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