I don't do product endorsements. No. Really.
You might be thinking, "well, Tom, that's because no one really knows who you are," which would be true. But that's not the reason. No, no, even if I were famous, I wouldn't do them.
You see, I don't like becoming unpaid customer support for companies selling the products I recommend. And each time I mention to someone that I like a product (and this seems to be especially true for technology products, doubly so when I recommend them to one of my loving parents), I seem to be inviting calls at all hours questioning how to use the product or complaining about reliability. So the idea of actually endorsing a product to thousands of people terrifies me. I'd need to outsource myself to India.
And that's why, candidly, I am particularly frightened to link to two videos of me testing out beds by our new partner, Select Comfort. While I found my conversation with the team there on sleep really interesting, I hesitate to think of the questions I might receive if I recommend this particular product to family and friends.
You might, at this point, be wondering why these videos were made in the first place. The story actually dates back to the early spring, when I met the Select Comfort CEO, Bill McLaughlin at their headquarters in Minnesota. And I learned something.
That may not sound remarkable, really, but I didn't expect to learn much on this particular morning. After all, I had been sleeping on beds most of my life. I considered myself something of an expert, ever since I stopped falling off them as a child. And so, as I sat down with Bill, I was pretty amused by how he started.
"How did you sleep?" he asked. The triple latte in my left hand would have called me a liar if I had been anything less than honest. "Just ok, I guess," I replied, feeling like I had let him down already. "I don't seem to sleep as well on the road."
"It's funny," he replied, "that's one of the answers I get a lot. We also hear about people who were 'up worrying about the kids' or 'stressed about a big project at work' or perhaps the folks who just 'had crazy dreams all night.' But almost no one ever blames the bed. It's one of our biggest marketing challenges."
Now you may have thought that the demonstration models in their lobby, the "sleep store" with related body pillows and sheet sets adjacent, or the fact that I was sitting in one of the worlds largest bed manufacturers might have helped me answer the question better. But I hadn't thought of the bed myself.
And I hadn't thought that there would really be a difference in beds, either. Bill promised that their technology (chambered air mattresses) allowed for a far better nights rest than traditional (spring) beds. I had my doubts.
"Go to our stores," Bill suggested. "We do a body map of every customer and help them see their pressure points while they sleep. Those are the points that make you uncomfortable.”
Now you may know that start-up CEOs like just one thing better than a new sponsor, and that's a really good night's sleep (ok, ok… we take the sponsors first). So I promised Bill that I would check out a store. And I did, just last month in New York.
It happened that, as I planned my trip, we were in the final stages of launching video. “Send someone with a camera,” I suggest, despite deep misgivings about videotaping myself in bed (it turned out poorly for Paris Hilton). “It will be fun to capture the experience.”
Video #1- “Lower back” is a euphemism and my ‘sleep number’ is 35
Video #2- I fall in madly in love with a body pillow
Well, I learned three things. It turns out that I like a much softer mattress than I expected (I had always been told that firm mattresses were better for your back, that turns out not to be the case). White is not a slimming color like I had hoped. And, I have to admit, Bill’s probably on to something.
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Comments: 30
I can not tell you how many times I have told someone about something, from a product to a free trial through a companies website, and had to do all the footwork for the person to get the item myself! Then there is the issue if something is wrong with said product or god forbid the shipping takes too long... I could go on and on about this.
Anymore, I keep my mouth shut unless it is a really great thing I want to share with Hubby's folks or his sisters. They are the only really patient people I know, anyone else seems to pester about these things.
I have, in other places, responded to your queries regarding the genre classification for this contest. While I understand that you don't find this answer sufficient, David, I am afraid I can offer no other.
Classification (and genre definition) are meant to help people find the books that might interest them; separating the books into areas of interest makes sense. We create separate classifications because they have to be separate for the classification to be useful (otherwise, in the most extreme case, we'd just have shelf after shelf labeled "books").
In this case, basic classification logic applies. Those interested in gay and lesbian romance may not be interested in straight romance. Those interested in straight romance may not be interested in gay and lesbian romance. And there are, of course, people who are interested in both. There are, quite simply, different audiences for these books.
Classifying the books differently therefore makes sense. It helps those who want one type of title find it more easily. Those who want both types, can check both places. This is, of course, how classification works (and is supposed to work).
The industry uses these classifications to develop expertise in editing, packaging, and marketing titles. They establish imprints which focus on specific genre. They build author relationships in their area of focus. They have marketing people in this genre that are good at talking about the genre to buyers at booksellers. The establish relationships in the industry that are helpful in building awareness and momentum for these books as well. They don't, therefore, publish books outside the focus of the imprint.
After the first First Chapters contest, our members suggested we build genre-specific contests. When building genre-focused competitions, we need to find imprints that match our genre focus for each contest. Our first genre-focused competition is for the genre typically called "romance" (by which the book industry means straight romance). Again, this classification helps people who want to read straight romance find those titles. There is a separate genre (gay and lesbian fiction/romance) that helps people find (and in the industry, create, package, market, and sell) titles for that audience. To be clear, we welcome all authors (straight, gay, bi, or preferring not to self-classify) to compete in this competition. But all submissions must focus on the genre selected.
This is the first of what we expect will be many genre-focused competitions.
We are, as I promised, working to find a gay and lesbian imprint that will allow a competition for gay and lesbian romance. We will also launch other competitions for other genre, too (in which authors of all backgrounds will be welcome, too).
Finally, David, let me answer the broader question: should we seek to "fight the system" and force a change in classification. I think we should not. Classifying novels about straight romance, gay romance, and lesbian romance differently makes sense. It serves authors and audiences well, by helping them write and read what they want. It's not a judgment call on the validity of same-sex relationships. It's not questioning whether same sex couples deserve the same rights under the law. It is, quite simply, helping people (gay and straight) find the books they want, efficiently. And I don't think that that system is broken.
Tom thanks for changing your icon pic...but honestly would it hurt you to smile.....but it is better than the last one.
I guess I missed why David is so volitile????
Rebecca I think the reason David is so volitile (good word) is because in the romance competition it specifically stated that it had to be boy-girl romances....now here is MO on that....I think they are looking for commercial viability in the writing. They are not trying to discriminate against anyone based on their sexual orientation but since selling books is a business you have to think of it like that. Homosexual love stories will only appeal to a small amount of people so it isnt good business sense unless you are targeting that audience.
I have heard the same thing about incest and survivors of sexual abuse books...they dont have the appeal of the masses.....for the most part anyway.
As for you stomping around like a child...yes I think you are. I do understand why you are upset but again this is business and emotions dont play a role in it.