Apparently, famous writer Margaret Atwood believes that autographing books via remote-control robot is good enough for her fans.
Margaret Atwood has had enough of long journeys, late nights and writer’s cramp.
Tired of grueling book tours, the Booker Prize-winning Canadian author on Sunday unveiled her new invention: a remote-controlled pen that allows writers to sign books for fans from thousands of miles away.
Some fear Atwood’s LongPen could end the personal contact between writers and readers. Atwood says it will enhance the relationship.
“I think of this as a democratizing device,” said Atwood, whose appearances draw hundreds of fans willing to stand in long lines for a word and an autograph.
“You cannot be in five countries at the same time. But you can be in five countries at the same time with the LongPen.”
Does this mean the end of the traditional sadistic publicist-demanded book tour, the bane of writers throughout history?
But the real question is whether Army Of Davids author and gadget-addict Glenn Reynolds will start resorting to a remote-controlled robotic puppy-blender to handle public appearances? Or do robotic puppy-blenders only blend robotic Sony Aibo puppies? (Wasn’t that a Philip K. Dick novel?)
Does Glenn Reynolds dream of electric puppies?
Good news for all those misanthropic authors out there, which is most. All that book signing gets in the way of sipping bourbon and lamenting the human condition while waiting for your editor to call and tell you that your manuscript sucks and the cookie crumbs between the pages are distracting.
I would have called the Longfellow.
Who the heck buys many paper books anymore anyway? Last hardcover I purchased (not counting textbooks) was Harry Potter (6). Everything else is ebook, checked out from the library, and the occasional paperback for emergencies. I just wish the publishers were on the stick, so I could purchase only ebooks.
Di I get a remote-controlled hand to slap the silly bitch with?
Fair’s fair.