In Novemeber of last year, I was contacted by Dan Tynan who writes for PC World Magazine. He was working on an article about PayPerPost and, since I was in the top ten earners for PPP, he wanted to do an interview about my blogging. WOW! I had read some of Dan's works. I felt honored to be interviewed, even though there was a risk that I might be slammed for getting paid for some of my posts. A few weeks later, Dan's editor, Tom, wrote me about having my picture taken for Dan's literary piece. Unfortunately, I read his email three days after he had sent it. By that time, he had already selected someone else for the photo shoot. OH well.
So, how did the article turn out? Well, it has been two months since the interview. As of yesterday, I had heard nothing from either gentlemen and proceeded to send an inquiry to both of them. After sending that email, I did a quick search. Ta-Da! I found the article and discovered that it had been published online a month ago! I wonder why no one had let me know that it was online? I guess it is a good thing that I sent an email. This morning, I received a reply from Dan that included the same link that I had found to the article. He also mentioned that the print edition might be on newsstands in February or March. I hadn't heard from Tom yet.
If you visit that link to the story, you notice a picture of a guy next to the Dan's work. For you girls that think he's hot, well yeah, that's a good approximation of me. ::: cough, cough ::: At least they spelled my last name right. Not that the article is a bad one. If Dan or Tom had let me now their plans, I could have helped keep the article current. You see, PayPerPost changed its disclosure requirements for bloggers a couple of weeks before PC World published Dan's work. I was a little disappointed that they didn't include links to my blogs. Perhaps they didn't want anyone to interpret such linking as an endorsement of PPP. All in all, I think it is a good piece. The only thing that bothers me a little (and I'm not sure why) is in that last paragraph: I'm not referred to as "Mr. DesGroseilliers" or "Ron DesGroseilliers", just "DesGroseilliers". Maybe it's because when I have heard people address someone solely by their last name, it is usually in a derogatory context. Or maybe it's just because I've been taught that it is disrespectful to refer to someone only by their last name.
Oh well, I guess this concludes this interview adventure. You would have thought that someone would have let me know when it was to be published. Perhaps common courtesy isn't a part of the publishing world. Still, I am glad to be part of that article.
4 comments:
Hello Mr. DesGroseilliers,
What a surprise that must have been to discover the article on your own. Nevertheless, I am very proud of you! It's a nicely written article and as you stated, they spelled your name right! Forgive me if I am biased but that guy is no way near as "Hot" as you! :*
ILY,
Ms. GG
Too bad it wasn't handled in the best way but congratulations anyway!
ron:
thanks for blogging about my story. sorry for not notifying you when it was posted online, but I didn't know myself. (I'm just a freelancer, and not really in tune with the mag's publishing schedule.) I think I did tell you what issue of the print magazine it would appear in, though. If you bug Tom Spring he'll probably send you a copy, if he hasn't already.
Yes, Payperpost changed its disclosure rules, but that was after my story was put to bed. The online version probably should have had an update noting that, however. Our bad.
As for the last name biz, as I explained in my email, that's just a style convention followed by most newspapers and magazines. The NY Times (and The New Yorker, I think) would use "Mr. DesGroseilliers" throughout, but that's an old form that's really dying out.
cheers,
dan tynan
Awww ... Dan wrote you a note about the article, how sweet, I just now got to read it, can't wait to see the real thing in print!
;) yours truly
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