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AEI CLIENT & VENTURE PARTNER JOHN REID DECIPHERING DOLPHIN SPEAK WITH HIS SOUND-DISPLAYING CYMASCOPE
Brit's Communicating With Dolphins Claim
A real-life Doctor Dolittle says he has come up with an invention that will allow us to talk to dolphins. Catherine Jacob has been to find out if it could work.
VIEW VIDEO: Dolphin language: audio engineer John Stuart Reid claims invention can translate sounds
Device For Humans To Speak To Dolphins
8:58am UK, Tuesday April 07, 2009
Catherine Jacob, Environment correspondent
Dolphins' secret underwater language has intrigued generations of scientists, but no one has come close to cracking the code to understanding their mysterious sounds - until now.
Specta, a one-day-old bottlenose dolphin
Humans could soon be realising Dr Doolittle's dream of talking to the animals
A British acoustics engineer claims he may be close to deciphering the clicks and whistles that make up "dolphin speak".
In a lab in his Cumbrian cottage, John Stuart Reid showed me his Cymascope, a new invention which transforms sounds into pictures.
He explained the principle behind it using sand, a brass plate and a violin bow.
"You see what happens when we bring the bow down the side of the plate," he said.
"It's almost like magic because we can see now the imprint the sound has made on the surface of the plate, through the sand.
"It's literally the pattern of sound. That's the shape the sound would be if we could see it.
"That's exactly
the principle of the Cymascope. Instead of using a brass plate, we're using the surface of water."John Stuart Reid and wife Annaleise in their laboratory where they developed a device to turn dolphin sounds into graphics
John Stewart Reid and wife Annaliese
John has been working with Florida-based cetacean researcher Jack Kassewitz, who collects the dolphin and whale sounds in the field and sends them back to the UK.
He then showed me the Cymascope in action, using a pre-recorded whale sound, and explained how the process works.
"Inside the business end of the Cymascope there is a very small area of water. A light ring illuminates the water and then a video camera points down onto the water's surface," he said.
"So what we're going to do is excite the water by introducing the whale song, then look what happens on the TV monitor when we play that lovely song. What you see is the image of the sound.
"We have to start with very simple sounds. So Jack Kassewitz will be working with dolphins in future to capture sounds, while the dolphin is imaging simple objects.
Waves from the Cymascope device that changes dolphin sounds into graphics
Waves from the Cymascope device
"For example, he'll use something as simple as a ball, or something they'd normally see like a sea urchin. And it enables us to actually see that sound pattern on a Cymascope and to label that particular pattern as the dolphin word for ball, or for sea urchin."
However, some acoustics and dolphin communication experts told Sky News Online they're sceptical about how much of a breakthrough the Cymascope represents, as so much research in this field is being carried out already.
Among them is dolphin communication expert Dr Nick Tregenza from the Institute of Marine Studies at Plymouth University.
He told Sky News Online: "They have produced a device that gives a visual image of a dolphin sound; several methods already exist of doing that.
"That is not new, and it looks as though their device creates an image that contains a lot of resonances from the device.
"The images are pretty, but unfortunately they may be garbling the original sound and losing valuable information."
The Cymascope team's ultimate aim is to build up a library of sound pictures which they eventually hope may allow them to speak to dolphins. However, even they admit, this is still some years off.
More on Susan Boyle
Watch her YouTube Video
Unknown and Underestimated, Contestant Wows on TV and Web
By Mary Jordan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, April 16, 2009
LONDON, April 15 -- Before YouTube, Twitter and Simon Cowell, Susan Boyle's angelic voice might never have been heard outside of parties and church services in her tiny Scottish village.
But now, thanks to a digital flash flood in the media age, the 47-year-old unemployed woman who claims to have never been kissed is suddenly a global sensation.
Last weekend, the frizzy-haired, squarely built Boyle walked onto the stage of "Britain's Got Talent" to barely suppressed snickers from the audience and skeptical eye rolls from Cowell, the unfailingly caustic judge on both "American Idol" and the British TV show.
The audience laughed mercilessly as Boyle did a saucy hip wiggle and said she'd like a chance to prove she could be as good as Elaine Paige, a legendary singer often called the first lady of British musical theater.
Those present were clearly prepared to howl.
Then Boyle opened her mouth. And within the first few bars of "I Dreamed a Dream," from the hit musical "Les Miserables," the audience was standing and applauding. The judges pronounced themselves shocked and impressed with Boyle's soaring vocals, and millions watching knew they had just seen a rare gem of a moment on live television.
"Without a doubt this is the biggest surprise in three years of this show," said one judge, Piers Morgan.
"Everyone was laughing at you -- no one is laughing now. Susan Boyle is not just a good singer, she's a fantastic singer. Someone whose stunning range, tone and delivery is worthy of comparison to anyone," Morgan said.
Somewhere out there in the couch-potato universe, American actress Demi Moore and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, were watching. And they, naturally, Twitter.
Within minutes Kutcher flagged the performance in a tweet, saying, "This just made my night." Moore told the couple's huge digital following that Boyle's voice "made me teary."
Between the huge television audience and the endorsement of the Hollywood Twitterati, Boyle went viral on YouTube. More than 9 million people have watched her on the site.
Bookmakers say she is now favored to win the popular TV talent contest and perform at a Royal Command Performance attended by members of the British royal family.
As Boyle left the stage after knocking the world's socks off, Cowell told her she could return to her village "with your head held high."
She has indeed gone back to Blackburn, her home about 20 miles from Edinburgh in West Lothian, Scotland, where children are now clapping as she walks into stores and television crews from around the world have begun rolling into town.
As details of her life emerge, Boyle's story only becomes more unlikely. The youngest of nine children, she lives alone with her cat, Pebbles. She spent years taking care of her mother, who recently died, and she lives in a government-subsidized home.
She always wanted to sing in front of a large audience, but mostly she just sings in church.
On Easter Sunday, the day after her television debut, Boyle -- dubbed "The Woman Who Shut Up Simon Cowell" in one headline -- received a standing ovation when she went to Mass.
"We let out a wee bit of a cheer for her. We are quite proud of her," Boyle's parish priest, the Rev. Ryszard Holuka, said in a telephone interview.
He added that Boyle is a "quiet soul."
"At gatherings and anniversary parties, she'd stand up and give a song," he said. "She never flaunted her voice; this is the first time it's been publicly recognized."
Charles Earley, a neighbor who has known Boyle for 20 years, said it's a stunning turnaround for a "shy, solitary person who is suddenly somebody."
In a news release Tuesday titled "Susan Boyle Goes Global," Tom Kerr, a civic leader in West Lothian, said "tributes from across the globe are flooding in" to Blackburn, a village of 5,000 that is now "firmly on the map."
All the adulation has come with a tinge of guilt. On Internet sites where Boyle's story has been endlessly churned over, much of the discussion centers on how people initially expected nothing from Boyle because of her decidedly unglamorous looks.
Many have said it was a poor reflection on both the live audience and others watching that they were surprised when a "frumpy woman" turned out to have the "voice of an angel."
Boyle herself has noted the issue but seems to be unfazed.
In a British newspaper interview, she said she entered the contest at the behest of her late mother, who urged her to "take the risk."
She said it was "a bit of a shock" to see herself on television, and she thought she looked too fat -- "like a garage."
"Modern society is too quick to judge people on their appearances," she said. "There is not much you can do about it; it is the way they think; it is the way they are. But maybe this could teach them a lesson, or set an example."
Special correspondent Karla Adam contributed to this report.
THE MISSING ROSE
After its Phenomenal Global Entry, THE MISSING ROSE
Continues to Build Readership Worldwide
Successfully representing contemporary Turkish Literature in the international arena, Serdar Ozkan’s debut novel, The Missing Rose, has so far been published in 26 languages in over 30 countries worldwide, making Serdar Ozkan the 3rd most translated novelist in the history of Turkish Literature.
Entering bestseller lists as the No.1 bestselling foreign fiction in various countries, The Missing Rose has remained on bestseller lists for weeks. Often compared and likened to all-time favorites The Little Prince, The Alchemist and The Seagull Jonathan Livingston, The Missing Rose has received great acclaim from readers all over the world as well as the world media:
“Turks’ Little Prince charms the whole world”
Helsinki Sanomat - FINLAND
“The Missing Rose is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read in my life! A magnificent story, what this novel does is so magnificent. It addresses everyone. One would say that this book has the power to unite us."
Christine Michaud, TVA Television – CANADA
“If you like books such as The Alchemist or The Little Prince -a bit of mysticism, a bit of fairy-tale- you will love The Missing Rose.”
Time Out
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Go to The Missing Rose website.
Guest Post: For Authors
AEI Recommends
[via Linda Radke]
Have an author? Have a script? Need a publisher? Now what? A partnership publishing agreement with Five Star Publications may be just what the word doctor ordered!
A partnership with Five Star lets your clients see results now, leading them through every step of the publishing process with unsurpassed professionalism and industry expertise. We also offer award-winning marketing services, unparalleled client support and a full-range of contract options to accommodate every budget.
Got a good script? We can help. Visit www.FiveStarPublications.com today!
BOOK WRITERS: WHAT’S A GOOD AGENT OR REPRESENTATIVE?
“What's a good agent?" is a difficult question to answer. Authors’ representatives work strictly on commission and are, as a result, mainly interested in highly commercial "properties." Authors’ representatives often help new writers, but most deal only with writers they regard as solid commercial prospects or extraordinary literary talents. Most representatives nowadays ask writers to query before sending the manuscript. This doesn't mean they won't read your work; it means they don't want to read subject matter that doesn’t fit in with their own marketing. Since they work on speculation and commission, they have to deal with several (or many) writers at a time, and are more inclined to devote their energies to promoting a potential best-seller. They're usually interested in working with an author who produces continuously. Someone who writes two short stories a year will not be worth taking on. Authors’ representatives may urge new writers to handle their own submissions of short stories, poetry, and children’s books. And authors’ representatives may or may not help you sell articles.
Some reputable agents now charge reading fees, deductible from future commission (AEI does not). Authors’ representatives receive a commission on everything they sell for you, ranging from 10 to 15 percent, and will nearly always negotiate a contract that will more than justify their commission.
A literary manager like AEI performs the same marketing functions as an agent, but also serves as a producer when your work is filmed.
Other tips about authors’ representatives:
Although it’s not as true today as it once was, many new writers were published for the first time through their own marketing efforts, not through a representative's. Finding someone who believes in your work as much as you do-enough to go out there and sell it-is rare indeed.
Many writers swear by their reps. Many swear only at them.
Few agree about them. If you don't feel the need for someone to stand between you and the publisher, you don't need an agent or manager. If you decide to use an attorney, make sure the attorney has had direct experience with publishing contracts. A literary attorney can negotiate the contract for you as well as an agent or manager.
One way of getting a representative is to make the sale yourself, then call the manager or agent to represent you in the contract negotiation. Few reps will turn down this opportunity, even at a reduced commission, and you've automatically become "represented." Agents or literary managers are especially useful for working out package deals which include screenplays, TV
scripts, and foreign rights. Large publishers often prefer to deal through reps (though a few still deal directly with the authors), and most major U.S. publishers will deal only through reps. Jeff Herman’s The Writer’s Guide to Agents & Publishers [click here to order] offers extended discussion of authors’ representatives and rights.
[excerpt from A Writer’s Time, Chapter 6, “Publishing in Time”]
© Kenneth Atchity 1986, 1995, 1999
Buy A Writer's Time on Amazon
Some reputable agents now charge reading fees, deductible from future commission (AEI does not). Authors’ representatives receive a commission on everything they sell for you, ranging from 10 to 15 percent, and will nearly always negotiate a contract that will more than justify their commission.
A literary manager like AEI performs the same marketing functions as an agent, but also serves as a producer when your work is filmed.
Other tips about authors’ representatives:
- Where the representative lives is not important. How often the representative goes to New York, and how many New York publishers the representative deals with, is important. It’s difficult to be an effective authors’ representative without regular personal contact with the New York publishing scene. Don’t be afraid to call the publishers direct for a reference to the representative you’re considering—or to ask a prospective rep to give you editing and publishing references you can call.
- Independent representatives may be more open to new clients than large agencies or management companies, and may work harder for them.
- Don’t be afraid to ask a representative for credentials and track record. The best criteria for choosing a representative are the representative’s previous sales. If a candidate won’t share his or her list of clients, don’t deal with that representative.
Although it’s not as true today as it once was, many new writers were published for the first time through their own marketing efforts, not through a representative's. Finding someone who believes in your work as much as you do-enough to go out there and sell it-is rare indeed.
Many writers swear by their reps. Many swear only at them.
Few agree about them. If you don't feel the need for someone to stand between you and the publisher, you don't need an agent or manager. If you decide to use an attorney, make sure the attorney has had direct experience with publishing contracts. A literary attorney can negotiate the contract for you as well as an agent or manager.
One way of getting a representative is to make the sale yourself, then call the manager or agent to represent you in the contract negotiation. Few reps will turn down this opportunity, even at a reduced commission, and you've automatically become "represented." Agents or literary managers are especially useful for working out package deals which include screenplays, TV
scripts, and foreign rights. Large publishers often prefer to deal through reps (though a few still deal directly with the authors), and most major U.S. publishers will deal only through reps. Jeff Herman’s The Writer’s Guide to Agents & Publishers [click here to order] offers extended discussion of authors’ representatives and rights.
[excerpt from A Writer’s Time, Chapter 6, “Publishing in Time”]
© Kenneth Atchity 1986, 1995, 1999
Buy A Writer's Time on Amazon
2009 San Francisco Book Festival Deadline Looms
The 2009 San Francisco Book Festival's deadline is fast approaching, with regular registration ending on April 15.
The event will hold its awards ceremony on Friday, May 8 at the Hotel Rex for its annual program celebrating the best books of the Spring season.
The San Francisco Book Festival will consider non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children's books, compilations/anthologies, teenage, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, audio/spoken word, history, wild card, gay, photography/art, poetry, unpublished, travel and spiritual works. There is no date of publication deadline.
Our grand prize for the 2009 San Francisco Book Festival winner is $1500 cash and a flight to San Francisco for our gala awards ceremony. The winning author will also have a choice of a free vendor table at our family of festivals day events, including events in New York and Hollywood.
Genre category winners will receive a combination of books, software, cash awards and free vendor tables at our New York or Hollywood Book Festivals.
Submitted works will be judged by a panel of industry experts using the following criteria:
1) General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.
2) The potential of the work to reach a wider audience.
ENTRIES: Please classify your book and enter it in the following categories. Multiple entries must be accompanied by a separate fee for each book.
- General Non-fiction
- General Fiction
- Children's books
- How-to
- Spiritual
- Photography/Art
- Gay
- Poetry
- History
- Teenage
- Biography/Autobiography
- Audio/spoken word
- Compilations/Anthologies
- Best Unpublished Short Story
- Cookbooks
- Science Fiction
- Wild Card
1) Author of the Year- Honors the outstanding book of the competition.
2) Book Design of the Year - Honors outstanding and innovative design.
3) Publisher of the Year- Honors the top publisher based on materials displaying
excellence in marketing and promotional materials, as determined by our judges.
FESTIVAL RULES: San Francisco Book Festival submissions cannot be returned. Each entry must contain the official entry form, including your e-mail address and contact telephone number. All shipping and handling costs must be borne by entrants.
NOTIFICATION AND DEADLINES: We will notify each entry of the receipt of their package via e-mail and will announce the winning entries on our web site (www.sanfranciscobookfestival.com). Because of the anticipated high volume of entries, we can only respond to e-mail inquiries.
Deadline submissions in each category must be postmarked by the close of business on April 25, 2009. Winners in each category will be notified by e-mail and on the web site. Please note that judges read and consider submissions on an ongoing basis, comparing early entries with later submissions at our meetings.
TO ENTER: Entry forms are available online at sanfranciscobookfestival.com or may be faxed/e-mailed to you. Please contact our office at 323-665-8080 for fax requests. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee of $50 in the form of a check, money order or PayPal online payment in U.S. dollars for each submission. Multiple submissions are permitted but each entry must be accompanied by a separate form and entry fee.
Entry fee checks should be made payable to JM Northern Media LLC. We're sorry, but entries must be mailed and cannot be delivered in person or by messenger services to the JM Northern Media offices.
Entry packages MUST include:
1) One copy of the book;
2) A copy of your official entry form or a reasonable facsimile;
3) The entry fee or receipt for online payment;
4) Any press/marketing materials you wish to send. Marketing is used as a tie-breaking
consideration by our judges.
Entries should be mailed to:
JM Northern Media LLC
attn: San Francisco Book Festival
7095 Hollywood Boulevard
Suite 864
Hollywood, CA 90028-0893
Phone: 323-665-8080
AWARDS: The San Francisco Book Festival selection committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project.
The 2009 San Francisco Book Festival is part of the JM Northern Media family of festivals, which include the DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books, New York Book Festival and Hollywood Book Festival. The San Francisco Book Festival is sponsored by The Larimar St. Croix Writers Colony, The Hollywood Creative Directory; eDivvy, Shopanista and Westside Websites.
CONTACT:
SanFranciscoBKFest@sbcglobal.net
323-665-8080
How to Find an Agent
[excerpt from A Writer’s Time, Chapter 6, “Publishing in Time”]
BOOK WRITERS
HOW TO FIND AN AGENT
OR REPRESENTATIVE
….The first step in finding an authors’ representative is to write something that will interest the representative. The writing must be good or the subject-matter important before anyone will represent you. But, basically, you find a representative exactly as you find a publisher:
© Kenneth Atchity 1986, 1995, 1999
BOOK WRITERS
HOW TO FIND AN AGENT
OR REPRESENTATIVE
….The first step in finding an authors’ representative is to write something that will interest the representative. The writing must be good or the subject-matter important before anyone will represent you. But, basically, you find a representative exactly as you find a publisher:
- Write a one-page query, making clear what your book is about in one or two sentences. Be professional.
- Write a five- to ten-page synopsis, outlining your book chapter by chapter or event by event. Some editors don't like synopses with novels, but almost every representative and many editors will request one.
- Book titles should be clear and immediately intriguing but generally not based on catchy phrases or puns. A book may go through several title changes before its final title is established.
- If you have significant publishing credits, cover your publishing background in your letter. (If you don’t, your letter should be brief.) Whatever you do, don’t emphasize your lack of track record.
- Send the query, synopsis, and letter with the first chapter of your book to an agent or manager by name. A list of authors’ representatives can be found in Jeff Herman’s Writer’s Guide to Book Editor, Publishers and Literary Agents, as well as in LMP (Literary Market Place). [click here to purchase]
- You can send your presentation (query, synopsis, and letter) to as many authors’ representatives as you like. Agents and literary managers will understand that this is only a query that doesn’t oblige either of you. Mail—or email, depending on the representative’s preference--ten to fifteen presentations at a time, as you can afford it.
- Plan several mailings in advance in order to avoid rejection syndrome. If a representative expresses interest, call the representative and ask how this particular representative can help you.
© Kenneth Atchity 1986, 1995, 1999
"WINTER WARRIOR" CLARENCE JONES FEATURED IN OBAMA ISSUE OF TIME
From TIME: Clarence B. Jones
Scholar-in-residence, Stanford
Those of us who were very close advisers to Martin Luther King Jr. — I think it's reasonable to say that we didn't anticipate that there would be an African-American President elected in our lifetime. It says more about our country than it says about Barack.
Read the entire article and listen to TIME talks to Clarence B. Jones.
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