1LShelby
This is the author introduction thread for 2022.
Please tell us about yourself, what you're working on and any interesting facts about you! (I.e. what hobbies do you enjoy.)
We are interested in who you are, where you are from, what genres you write in, and why you write about what you write. But do remember that you are introducing yourself, not your book.
There is also a reader introduction thread.
There was also an Author Introduction thread for 2022
Please tell us about yourself, what you're working on and any interesting facts about you! (I.e. what hobbies do you enjoy.)
We are interested in who you are, where you are from, what genres you write in, and why you write about what you write. But do remember that you are introducing yourself, not your book.
There is also a reader introduction thread.
There was also an Author Introduction thread for 2022
2LShelby
As usual I will start by introducing myself. (Longtime members can just ignore this post, it's mostly copy and pasted from the last thread's post.)
My pen name is L. Shelby, but the L doesn't stand for anything much, I actually go by Shel, or Shelby. :)
I am the Hobnob Group moderator, but even though it says I'm the creator of the Group, I'm not. I was actually elected by the group some years back, when the original creator disappeared.
I am a 'pro' author with three sales of short works to traditional markets, and have also self-published five novels and a novella. I write fantasy and science fiction because I love worldbuilding. I also play a concertina, designed and coded my own website, enjoy art, and do tatting. I have six children, all grown now, I love nature, and I also unfortunately suffer from CFS/ME which causes me to disappear from the group randomly. (Sorry about that!)
I'm a Canadian, but I live in Ohio.
And I love, love, love talking about writing, which is why I'm here. I look forward to meeting you all.
My pen name is L. Shelby, but the L doesn't stand for anything much, I actually go by Shel, or Shelby. :)
I am the Hobnob Group moderator, but even though it says I'm the creator of the Group, I'm not. I was actually elected by the group some years back, when the original creator disappeared.
I am a 'pro' author with three sales of short works to traditional markets, and have also self-published five novels and a novella. I write fantasy and science fiction because I love worldbuilding. I also play a concertina, designed and coded my own website, enjoy art, and do tatting. I have six children, all grown now, I love nature, and I also unfortunately suffer from CFS/ME which causes me to disappear from the group randomly. (Sorry about that!)
I'm a Canadian, but I live in Ohio.
And I love, love, love talking about writing, which is why I'm here. I look forward to meeting you all.
3ShiraDest
Hi, Shel and all:
I am an academic author, with a few journal articles, academic books, and nonfiction work published, as well as a few published poems from some time ago. I have been an educator, and try to keep that as part of everything I do, so I have recently self-published a work intended to build community through various kinds of education. Now, writing.
Yes, I am an accidental writer. I started my career as a s/w engineer, but then became a teacher and professor of mathematics, and then began writing poetry (actually, I always wrote verses, even on the old green and white dot matrix line printer paper while working in the computer lab as a CS student...), and someone in my group published several of my poems, to my surprise. That reminded me of how many poems I had stashed away in old notebooks. When someone suggested that one of my poems would make a good story, that got me to writing prose, and some years later, to my great surprise, I wrote a story based on a nightmare I'd had that night which turned out to be very popular. The irksome thing was that I really wanted people to be more interested in my nonfiction so that I can hand off my big project to others, and go back to writing historical fiction, which is my first love. Even when the writing has me in tears.
Oh, yes, and I love inkle weaving and tablet (aka card) weaving, too, but have not had time lately.
And I love languages, which will be evident from my blog (French Fridays are book or show reviews in French, Turkish Tuesdays reviews my favorite family show, Sihirli Annem, and Ministry Mondays reviews episodes and books mentioned in episodes of El Ministerio del Tiempo): I speak French, Turkish and Spanish, and am learning Esperanto.
Look forward to meeting you all, any questions, please do ask!
Shira
I am an academic author, with a few journal articles, academic books, and nonfiction work published, as well as a few published poems from some time ago. I have been an educator, and try to keep that as part of everything I do, so I have recently self-published a work intended to build community through various kinds of education. Now, writing.
Yes, I am an accidental writer. I started my career as a s/w engineer, but then became a teacher and professor of mathematics, and then began writing poetry (actually, I always wrote verses, even on the old green and white dot matrix line printer paper while working in the computer lab as a CS student...), and someone in my group published several of my poems, to my surprise. That reminded me of how many poems I had stashed away in old notebooks. When someone suggested that one of my poems would make a good story, that got me to writing prose, and some years later, to my great surprise, I wrote a story based on a nightmare I'd had that night which turned out to be very popular. The irksome thing was that I really wanted people to be more interested in my nonfiction so that I can hand off my big project to others, and go back to writing historical fiction, which is my first love. Even when the writing has me in tears.
Oh, yes, and I love inkle weaving and tablet (aka card) weaving, too, but have not had time lately.
And I love languages, which will be evident from my blog (French Fridays are book or show reviews in French, Turkish Tuesdays reviews my favorite family show, Sihirli Annem, and Ministry Mondays reviews episodes and books mentioned in episodes of El Ministerio del Tiempo): I speak French, Turkish and Spanish, and am learning Esperanto.
Look forward to meeting you all, any questions, please do ask!
Shira
4ShiraDest
>2 LShelby: Nice to 'meet' you, Shel, and thank you for taking on the work of moderating this group!
Shira
Shira
5LShelby
>3 ShiraDest:
Hi there Shira, welcome to Hobnob!
Unfortunately, although this is the right place to introduce yourself, it's not the right place to meet the other denizens. Everyone else seems happy to leave greeting the newbies to me. To really participate in the group you need to join some of the other discussion threads.
(While looking for a discussion to join, please ignore all threads where people are just pitching their latest book: they aren't supposed to post those in separate threads, but alas, not everyone reads the rules before posting. To be fair, not everyone can manage to FIND the rules before posting, although I do try hard to make them easy to spot.)
But engineer to published poet is a fairly unusual career path, I think. :)
What sort of poems were they?
I have a thing for narrative verse myself. I'm a fan of Rudyard Kipling and Robert Service.
At one point in my life I went through my old notebooks and collected all the poems I wrote as a teen into a binder. My daughter was so delighted by these that she typed them up for me. I keep thinking I should maybe turn them into an ebook... but I haven't looked at them in decades. Maybe I would find them too embarrassing now.
What is inkle weaving?
Do you have a favorite historical period that you are trying to write in?
Hi there Shira, welcome to Hobnob!
Unfortunately, although this is the right place to introduce yourself, it's not the right place to meet the other denizens. Everyone else seems happy to leave greeting the newbies to me. To really participate in the group you need to join some of the other discussion threads.
(While looking for a discussion to join, please ignore all threads where people are just pitching their latest book: they aren't supposed to post those in separate threads, but alas, not everyone reads the rules before posting. To be fair, not everyone can manage to FIND the rules before posting, although I do try hard to make them easy to spot.)
But engineer to published poet is a fairly unusual career path, I think. :)
What sort of poems were they?
I have a thing for narrative verse myself. I'm a fan of Rudyard Kipling and Robert Service.
At one point in my life I went through my old notebooks and collected all the poems I wrote as a teen into a binder. My daughter was so delighted by these that she typed them up for me. I keep thinking I should maybe turn them into an ebook... but I haven't looked at them in decades. Maybe I would find them too embarrassing now.
What is inkle weaving?
Do you have a favorite historical period that you are trying to write in?
6ShiraDest
>5 LShelby: Hi, Shel!
Thank you for the welcome, and I must apologize in advance if this is incoherent at all, as I am very tired, this weekend. Yes, I suppose that CS to writing is not the norm, but I wanted to be a historian/translator/writer when I was a kid. Unfortunately, engineering was where (we were all told) all of the scholarships were, so that was my only choice on offer back in High School. In the immortal words of my dad, "You like to eat, kid? -Yes, sir. -Then you'll be studying engineering, won't you?'
I will also admit that pressure from my community or origin also played a large part in my early life, especially to go to the US Naval Academy, which was a time that definitely put the kibosh on any poetry. But after I finished my CS degree, I found myself writing quite a lot of fairly gruesome poetry around topics that most people cannot really connect with. I was never really a fan of poetry, it just bounced around in my head until I was forced to write it down, and when a friend found a few of the poems moving and suggested I join a local library poetry group, they wanted to publish some of my work. That moved me into writing more, as people liked my style, which for me was a surprise, and rather impractical, but now I have learned to embrace it.
Inkle weaving is a old form of narrow band weaving using yarn that produces a very thick work, used for belts, sometimes for halters and the facial part of horses harnesses, etc, dating back to ancient times. Tablet weaving is a far more complex and sturdy version of narrow band weaving often used for things like bridles, belts too, but also for uses requiring a stronger material. It is also a very old style of weaving, so reaenactors and those who make medieval period costume like it (I was also part of the SCA for a while, and did reenacting).
Finally, my historical fiction is also not what I might call my choice, initially. My family research into enslaved ancestors led to some nightmares that I turned into story, and turned out to be popular. I tend to write most easily in the 1838-1855 period, although my reading tends to be much more all over the map.
Sorry if this has gotten a bit long. I'll try to stop by the discussions groups later.
Warmly,
Shira
Thank you for the welcome, and I must apologize in advance if this is incoherent at all, as I am very tired, this weekend. Yes, I suppose that CS to writing is not the norm, but I wanted to be a historian/translator/writer when I was a kid. Unfortunately, engineering was where (we were all told) all of the scholarships were, so that was my only choice on offer back in High School. In the immortal words of my dad, "You like to eat, kid? -Yes, sir. -Then you'll be studying engineering, won't you?'
I will also admit that pressure from my community or origin also played a large part in my early life, especially to go to the US Naval Academy, which was a time that definitely put the kibosh on any poetry. But after I finished my CS degree, I found myself writing quite a lot of fairly gruesome poetry around topics that most people cannot really connect with. I was never really a fan of poetry, it just bounced around in my head until I was forced to write it down, and when a friend found a few of the poems moving and suggested I join a local library poetry group, they wanted to publish some of my work. That moved me into writing more, as people liked my style, which for me was a surprise, and rather impractical, but now I have learned to embrace it.
Inkle weaving is a old form of narrow band weaving using yarn that produces a very thick work, used for belts, sometimes for halters and the facial part of horses harnesses, etc, dating back to ancient times. Tablet weaving is a far more complex and sturdy version of narrow band weaving often used for things like bridles, belts too, but also for uses requiring a stronger material. It is also a very old style of weaving, so reaenactors and those who make medieval period costume like it (I was also part of the SCA for a while, and did reenacting).
Finally, my historical fiction is also not what I might call my choice, initially. My family research into enslaved ancestors led to some nightmares that I turned into story, and turned out to be popular. I tend to write most easily in the 1838-1855 period, although my reading tends to be much more all over the map.
Sorry if this has gotten a bit long. I'll try to stop by the discussions groups later.
Warmly,
Shira
7LShelby
>6 ShiraDest:
This is not a time sensitive environment, so there's no need to rush and answer something right away. Even if you are gone for a month, the discussions will still be waiting for you when you come back. :)
My kids mostly paid for college using Pell grants (which can be applied to pretty much any major) and savings from their summer jobs, but both my sons studied Engineering anyway. Engineering (and in the past fifty years, computers) runs on my father's side of the family, and I seem to have inherited it, but I apply the engineering tendency to my world-building (and to coding myself a website)*.
One of the reasons I ask about time periods is because I also read historical fiction and write history-informed (is that a good term?) fantasy. I started out deliberately doing research on the regency period because I admired Georgette Heyer's historical comedy-of-manners romance fiction and wanted to write something similar. But currently the books in the queue are set either a hundred years later or about 150 years earlier. (Or in worlds where our dates don't mean much.)
Turning personal nightmares into fiction sounds very courageous. I hope doing so helps you sleep better at night.
*On the "engineering and computers run in my family" front, I'm currently taking a break from re-doing my own website to build a web-app for the son who has a degree in Computer Engineering and who works as a programmer. Oh, the irony!
This is not a time sensitive environment, so there's no need to rush and answer something right away. Even if you are gone for a month, the discussions will still be waiting for you when you come back. :)
My kids mostly paid for college using Pell grants (which can be applied to pretty much any major) and savings from their summer jobs, but both my sons studied Engineering anyway. Engineering (and in the past fifty years, computers) runs on my father's side of the family, and I seem to have inherited it, but I apply the engineering tendency to my world-building (and to coding myself a website)*.
One of the reasons I ask about time periods is because I also read historical fiction and write history-informed (is that a good term?) fantasy. I started out deliberately doing research on the regency period because I admired Georgette Heyer's historical comedy-of-manners romance fiction and wanted to write something similar. But currently the books in the queue are set either a hundred years later or about 150 years earlier. (Or in worlds where our dates don't mean much.)
Turning personal nightmares into fiction sounds very courageous. I hope doing so helps you sleep better at night.
*On the "engineering and computers run in my family" front, I'm currently taking a break from re-doing my own website to build a web-app for the son who has a degree in Computer Engineering and who works as a programmer. Oh, the irony!
8econley123
Hello!
Thank you for allowing me to join your group. I’m a first-time author and my book launched into the world on October 25, 2022. My author name is Edward L. Conley, but I usually go by Ed. Title of my book is Promote the Dog Sitter: And Other Principles for Leading During Disasters.
Before becoming an author, I spent nearly 30 years as a responder, deploying to disasters such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. I pretty much worked all the big disasters between 1989 and 2015.
Since early childhood I’ve been fascinated by stories about people who rose to the occasion during a crisis and how they did it. I’m a huge fan of Doris Kearns Goodwin, Hemingway, Wouk, McMurtry and many others who have also explored this topic.
Thank you again for welcoming me to this forum.
Respectfully,
Ed
Thank you for allowing me to join your group. I’m a first-time author and my book launched into the world on October 25, 2022. My author name is Edward L. Conley, but I usually go by Ed. Title of my book is Promote the Dog Sitter: And Other Principles for Leading During Disasters.
Before becoming an author, I spent nearly 30 years as a responder, deploying to disasters such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. I pretty much worked all the big disasters between 1989 and 2015.
Since early childhood I’ve been fascinated by stories about people who rose to the occasion during a crisis and how they did it. I’m a huge fan of Doris Kearns Goodwin, Hemingway, Wouk, McMurtry and many others who have also explored this topic.
Thank you again for welcoming me to this forum.
Respectfully,
Ed
9LShelby
>8 econley123:
Hello there Ed, nice to meet you. Welcome to Hobnob!
Looks like you are a non-fiction author. Awesome. I love your book's topic. :)
One of the things I do when I welcome people is I check out their profile and author pages so I can help them if they are running into trouble.
Mostly your pages look pretty good so far, but I strongly advise you to add more books to LibraryThing. It really irks the local denizens when they see authors only listing books they have written. The site software also does more for you if you add more books, because books that are in the same "Library' (aka user catalog) are connected to each other in regards to automatic recommendations, similar libraries and so forth. A book in a Library by itself has no connections.
The most effective books to have share connections with yours, are books that are not best-sellers, but that are a good readership match for your book. Think "People who would like to read my book will also like reading..." Those are the books you want to prioritize adding. (But if you end up eventually adding every book you own, that is great too -- it is what the site is for, after all.)
Adding books you own is probably done fastest by typing in ISBN numbers into the Add Books tab's search box. Or, you can downling the LibraryThing app for your phone, and scanning the books' barcodes with the phone's camera might be even easier.
You also probably want to "claim" your author page. This is done by clicking on your name where it appears as an author name in the Your Books tab, and then searching that page for the "Is this you?" link and clicking on it.
Now, about you.
What part of the world do you live in? Is there anything you especially like about your home? Do you have pets? Family? Hobbies? Are you working on another book?
I hope you will check out the other threads in this group and join in any conversations that look interesting.
Hello there Ed, nice to meet you. Welcome to Hobnob!
Looks like you are a non-fiction author. Awesome. I love your book's topic. :)
One of the things I do when I welcome people is I check out their profile and author pages so I can help them if they are running into trouble.
Mostly your pages look pretty good so far, but I strongly advise you to add more books to LibraryThing. It really irks the local denizens when they see authors only listing books they have written. The site software also does more for you if you add more books, because books that are in the same "Library' (aka user catalog) are connected to each other in regards to automatic recommendations, similar libraries and so forth. A book in a Library by itself has no connections.
The most effective books to have share connections with yours, are books that are not best-sellers, but that are a good readership match for your book. Think "People who would like to read my book will also like reading..." Those are the books you want to prioritize adding. (But if you end up eventually adding every book you own, that is great too -- it is what the site is for, after all.)
Adding books you own is probably done fastest by typing in ISBN numbers into the Add Books tab's search box. Or, you can downling the LibraryThing app for your phone, and scanning the books' barcodes with the phone's camera might be even easier.
You also probably want to "claim" your author page. This is done by clicking on your name where it appears as an author name in the Your Books tab, and then searching that page for the "Is this you?" link and clicking on it.
Now, about you.
What part of the world do you live in? Is there anything you especially like about your home? Do you have pets? Family? Hobbies? Are you working on another book?
I hope you will check out the other threads in this group and join in any conversations that look interesting.
10econley123
>
Hi LShelby!
Very nice to meet you and thank you for your message. I really appreciate your review of my pages as well as your suggestions for engaging with readers. I plunged ahead this afternoon and made some early updates to my profile. Fingers crossed I clicked the right buttons. I’m not the most tech savvy guy.
I’ll keep adding to my library. One of the best things about publishing my book is i can start reading again. I barely read any books while writing. There’s a huge stack of books waiting on my side table.
More about me. I live in Seattle, Washington, where the mountains meet the ocean. Early mornings are spent drinking coffee on my deck watching the boats on Lake Union.
After coffee and breakfast, I head daily to a nearby dog park. My Golden Retriever tags along as well. I grew up in large family with many siblings, two parents, and a never ending array of longtime live in friends, relatives, and relatives of friends. We also had a lot of dogs.
Right now I’m developing my positioning/scope document for book two. I haven’t started writing yet. Yes, my first book is nonfiction. The title refers to person we appointed to help manage the search dogs in New York after 9/11. He became an unexpected hero and made a huge contribution during that response.
I’ll check out the other threads. Looking forward to participating in more discussions.
As far as my author pages, please let me know if you see any misstep or missed opportunities. No ego here!
Best,
Ed
Hi LShelby!
Very nice to meet you and thank you for your message. I really appreciate your review of my pages as well as your suggestions for engaging with readers. I plunged ahead this afternoon and made some early updates to my profile. Fingers crossed I clicked the right buttons. I’m not the most tech savvy guy.
I’ll keep adding to my library. One of the best things about publishing my book is i can start reading again. I barely read any books while writing. There’s a huge stack of books waiting on my side table.
More about me. I live in Seattle, Washington, where the mountains meet the ocean. Early mornings are spent drinking coffee on my deck watching the boats on Lake Union.
After coffee and breakfast, I head daily to a nearby dog park. My Golden Retriever tags along as well. I grew up in large family with many siblings, two parents, and a never ending array of longtime live in friends, relatives, and relatives of friends. We also had a lot of dogs.
Right now I’m developing my positioning/scope document for book two. I haven’t started writing yet. Yes, my first book is nonfiction. The title refers to person we appointed to help manage the search dogs in New York after 9/11. He became an unexpected hero and made a huge contribution during that response.
I’ll check out the other threads. Looking forward to participating in more discussions.
As far as my author pages, please let me know if you see any misstep or missed opportunities. No ego here!
Best,
Ed
11LShelby
>10 econley123:
The view from your deck sounds awesome! I'm envious, all I can see besides my room is sky and a tree. (But the tree did have a cute little Downy Woodpecker hopping around it this morning.)
I came from a big family too. (Not so many dogs, though. I like dogs -- but I seem to be allergic.)
And now I would like to share a handy little tip. :)
If you look at the top of this message it says >10 econley123:
That's a link that will take you to post 10, written by econley123 (it ought to look familiar). :) The system uses a special quick code to create these links. The actual message only contains the > sign followed by the post number (no space), and the computer adds the name and the link automatically.
When you hit reply the system automatically inserts that little code at the top of your message. So If you see a > and a number at the top of the text box while you are writing, that's why it is there. (But on post 10 there appears to be only the > so I'm thinking you must have deleted the number?)
You can add these handy links yourself anywhere in your message, not just at the top. Like so:
I would like to welcome >3 ShiraDest: and >8 econley123: to the Hobnob Group!
If you want to play around with the feature, hit the Preview button instead of the Post message button, and you can see your quick codes turn into links, without cluttering up the thread with test messages. :)
LibraryThing also has shortcuts to create links to user profiles (@ and the username), and links to book, author and series pages. (Surround them with square brackets: one set for book titles, two sets for author names, three sets for series titles).
The view from your deck sounds awesome! I'm envious, all I can see besides my room is sky and a tree. (But the tree did have a cute little Downy Woodpecker hopping around it this morning.)
I came from a big family too. (Not so many dogs, though. I like dogs -- but I seem to be allergic.)
And now I would like to share a handy little tip. :)
If you look at the top of this message it says >10 econley123:
That's a link that will take you to post 10, written by econley123 (it ought to look familiar). :) The system uses a special quick code to create these links. The actual message only contains the > sign followed by the post number (no space), and the computer adds the name and the link automatically.
When you hit reply the system automatically inserts that little code at the top of your message. So If you see a > and a number at the top of the text box while you are writing, that's why it is there. (But on post 10 there appears to be only the > so I'm thinking you must have deleted the number?)
You can add these handy links yourself anywhere in your message, not just at the top. Like so:
I would like to welcome >3 ShiraDest: and >8 econley123: to the Hobnob Group!
If you want to play around with the feature, hit the Preview button instead of the Post message button, and you can see your quick codes turn into links, without cluttering up the thread with test messages. :)
LibraryThing also has shortcuts to create links to user profiles (@ and the username), and links to book, author and series pages. (Surround them with square brackets: one set for book titles, two sets for author names, three sets for series titles).
12ShiraDest
>7 LShelby: :-) Building an app for the one who has the current degree?! That is ironic! But wonderful! And thank you, yes, those nightmares finally did disperse, particularly as readers told me how much they looked forward to installments of A&A, which pushed me to keep writing them as I worked on editing the Do Better manifesto, so they were also a good, if sometimes difficult, break from the nonfiction. But those dreams, and the thought of those ancestors being upset with me for refusing to write about them, took a bit of time to go away. Actually, it all dispersed by the 21st or 22nd installment, at which point some of my readers were vocally upset with me for ending the series, but I felt that I had done my duty by those who came before me to "bear witness," as Toni Morrison said.
13LShelby
>12 ShiraDest:
Enough really is enough. If you are ready to move on, then you need to move on; you won't grow as a person or as a writer otherwise.
And now I will explain something that came up on another thread, but if I explain here, maybe other new users will see it (that's why I'm bolding it too):
Currently there are no notifications for Talk posts. You get email notification for posts made to your personal profile only.
So if you really want to get someone's attention, go to their profile. :)
Here in Talk, I really wasn't kidding about conversations waiting for you for a month. One of this group's regulars only appears to pop in about that often. Seriously. Week long delays between responses are not at all uncommon, so you don't have to apologize for not reading and responding right away. This isn't that kind of an environment. You can take all the time you want... and we will do likewise.
(But I feel bad when I don't respond to an introduction within a day or two, because I worry that people will think there is no-one here.)
Enough really is enough. If you are ready to move on, then you need to move on; you won't grow as a person or as a writer otherwise.
And now I will explain something that came up on another thread, but if I explain here, maybe other new users will see it (that's why I'm bolding it too):
Currently there are no notifications for Talk posts. You get email notification for posts made to your personal profile only.
So if you really want to get someone's attention, go to their profile. :)
Here in Talk, I really wasn't kidding about conversations waiting for you for a month. One of this group's regulars only appears to pop in about that often. Seriously. Week long delays between responses are not at all uncommon, so you don't have to apologize for not reading and responding right away. This isn't that kind of an environment. You can take all the time you want... and we will do likewise.
(But I feel bad when I don't respond to an introduction within a day or two, because I worry that people will think there is no-one here.)
14econley123
>11 LShelby: Thank you for catching that. Yes, I must have accidentally deleted the number. I'll keep playing around with the feature, as you suggested. Appreciate all your help. I'm really enjoying Library Thing!
15econley123
>11 LShelby: Each night he stood, once again, in a bubble of mud, looking down at a frozen alien. And every night, just as he turned to leave, he saw an alien eye open and close beneath its coating of ice.
LOVE THIS!
LOVE THIS!
16LShelby
>15 econley123: "LOVE THIS!"
Thanks!
(To give other people some context, that was a quote from my science fiction murder mystery short story Frozen Witness. ...The one that sort of won an award.) :)
Thanks!
(To give other people some context, that was a quote from my science fiction murder mystery short story Frozen Witness. ...The one that sort of won an award.) :)
17MythButton
Jed Overstreet here. Completely new, I published my first novel a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I've been working hard to get it promoted on other websites.
Believe it or not, my writing style attempts to recreate the vibes of films as opposed to books, stemming from some positive criticism my dad told me about an early (and unfinished) novel I was writing, saying that he felt like he was "reading a movie." So much of my storywriting technique stems from comparing the best and worst movies in the world. As a result of this, I haven't read as many books as I'd like, but I'm working my way through many more to change that.
My favorite books are Frankenstein, 20,000 Leagues (F.P. Walter's translation), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Catherine Called Birdy and Tarzan. I largely write fantasy and horror, often incorporating fictional languages with unique alphabets.
Believe it or not, my writing style attempts to recreate the vibes of films as opposed to books, stemming from some positive criticism my dad told me about an early (and unfinished) novel I was writing, saying that he felt like he was "reading a movie." So much of my storywriting technique stems from comparing the best and worst movies in the world. As a result of this, I haven't read as many books as I'd like, but I'm working my way through many more to change that.
My favorite books are Frankenstein, 20,000 Leagues (F.P. Walter's translation), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Catherine Called Birdy and Tarzan. I largely write fantasy and horror, often incorporating fictional languages with unique alphabets.
18LShelby
>17 MythButton:
I won't say "Nice to meet you", since we have been conversing for a while now, but I would like to officially welcome you to Hobnob. :) Thank you for your enthusiastic participation in the disscussion threads!
Are you willing to tell us anything about your hometown, family or pets? What about hobbies besides writing?
If you are trying to create a movie vibe, do you use an omniscient viewpoint?
Do you consider Plan 9 From Outer Space one of the worst movies in the world? (I tried Touchstone-ing that just in case, and it actually worked!) Which movies do you consider the best movies?
I get stories that want to be movies (or more accurately TV Series) in my head, but I've mostly just been writing plot outlines for them in the hopes that they will leave me alone.
Finally, lets start a thread on fictional languages! It might just be you and me at first, but I seem to recall someone mentioning Esperanto recently, so maybe we'll suck someone else in. :)
(But either you have to start it, or it will have to wait for Saturday. It's my birthday tomorrow, and my husband plans to take me out in the woods where there is no wifi and keep me there all day.)
I won't say "Nice to meet you", since we have been conversing for a while now, but I would like to officially welcome you to Hobnob. :) Thank you for your enthusiastic participation in the disscussion threads!
Are you willing to tell us anything about your hometown, family or pets? What about hobbies besides writing?
If you are trying to create a movie vibe, do you use an omniscient viewpoint?
Do you consider Plan 9 From Outer Space one of the worst movies in the world? (I tried Touchstone-ing that just in case, and it actually worked!) Which movies do you consider the best movies?
I get stories that want to be movies (or more accurately TV Series) in my head, but I've mostly just been writing plot outlines for them in the hopes that they will leave me alone.
Finally, lets start a thread on fictional languages! It might just be you and me at first, but I seem to recall someone mentioning Esperanto recently, so maybe we'll suck someone else in. :)
(But either you have to start it, or it will have to wait for Saturday. It's my birthday tomorrow, and my husband plans to take me out in the woods where there is no wifi and keep me there all day.)
19CaptainTime
My introduction: My name is Garland Coulson, known as "Captain Time." I am the author of "Stop Wasting Time" a book on ending procrastination.
I am currently working on additional time management books and eventually some science fiction. Pleased to meet everyone.
I am currently working on additional time management books and eventually some science fiction. Pleased to meet everyone.
20MythButton
>18 LShelby: I got this list right here. https://letterboxd.com/theanalyzer/list/every-film-ive-ever-seen-ranked-from-bes...
This took twelve years to get this far.
This took twelve years to get this far.
21LShelby
>19 CaptainTime:
Hello Garland, Nice to meet you! (Can I call you Captain?)
I have to assume that you are not procrastinating about writing the science fiction, but are just waiting for a more appropriate time. ;)
We are apparently hereditary enemies: you are from Edmonton, and I was raised in Calgary. But even so, I just have to say it...
... I checked out your profile and I LOVE your hat!
LibraryThing claims that we share no books, but just so you know, it is mistaken: we have some Bujold in common. :)
I notice that you have yet to add your own book to LibraryThing. There's no rule that says you have to, but some authors are super shy about this, so I always want to assure them that they don't have to be. If you own a copy of your own book then of course nobody will have any issues with you listing it; that is what LT is about.
(LT members do tend to be annoyed by authors who only list their own books, they go "What? You wrote a book but you don't READ?" but you don't need to worry about that!) :)
If you do add your non-fiction book, you might want to add some more non-fiction books to go with it, so that LT is more likely to automatically recommend it to people. The new recommendation system compares books in clusters and sorts them by genre.
Another thing you can do is go to your author page and fill in some biographical information in the Common Knowledge area. This is information that can be filled in by anyone: but if you do it yourself, then it is more likely to be filled in accurately. :)
And now that I have covered the advice to new people, about yourself...
Why time management? Have you read Cheaper by the Dozen?
Did you know that the Edmonton newspaper used to publish a mosquito index way back when tracking how thick the mosquitos were? (I think it was Edmonton.) What do you like best about where you are living?
Are you willing to tell us a bit about your family, pets and/or hobbies?
Is there a particular sf idea that you most want to write about?
And lastly,
Welcome to Hobnob!
Hello Garland, Nice to meet you! (Can I call you Captain?)
I have to assume that you are not procrastinating about writing the science fiction, but are just waiting for a more appropriate time. ;)
We are apparently hereditary enemies: you are from Edmonton, and I was raised in Calgary. But even so, I just have to say it...
... I checked out your profile and I LOVE your hat!
LibraryThing claims that we share no books, but just so you know, it is mistaken: we have some Bujold in common. :)
I notice that you have yet to add your own book to LibraryThing. There's no rule that says you have to, but some authors are super shy about this, so I always want to assure them that they don't have to be. If you own a copy of your own book then of course nobody will have any issues with you listing it; that is what LT is about.
(LT members do tend to be annoyed by authors who only list their own books, they go "What? You wrote a book but you don't READ?" but you don't need to worry about that!) :)
If you do add your non-fiction book, you might want to add some more non-fiction books to go with it, so that LT is more likely to automatically recommend it to people. The new recommendation system compares books in clusters and sorts them by genre.
Another thing you can do is go to your author page and fill in some biographical information in the Common Knowledge area. This is information that can be filled in by anyone: but if you do it yourself, then it is more likely to be filled in accurately. :)
And now that I have covered the advice to new people, about yourself...
Why time management? Have you read Cheaper by the Dozen?
Did you know that the Edmonton newspaper used to publish a mosquito index way back when tracking how thick the mosquitos were? (I think it was Edmonton.) What do you like best about where you are living?
Are you willing to tell us a bit about your family, pets and/or hobbies?
Is there a particular sf idea that you most want to write about?
And lastly,
Welcome to Hobnob!
22LShelby
>20 MythButton:
I see you are a Studio Ghibli fan, but Nausicaa rates above Princess Mononoke with you?
And I didn't see Plan Nine from Outer Space on your last page, but I did see Manos: The Hand of Fate, so you are forgiven. :)
I haven't seen nearly as many Movies as you... I switched to mostly watching Asian TV Dramas in the past decade or so, because the stories last longer.
I see you are a Studio Ghibli fan, but Nausicaa rates above Princess Mononoke with you?
And I didn't see Plan Nine from Outer Space on your last page, but I did see Manos: The Hand of Fate, so you are forgiven. :)
I haven't seen nearly as many Movies as you... I switched to mostly watching Asian TV Dramas in the past decade or so, because the stories last longer.
23CaptainTime
>21 LShelby: Thanks for the warm welcome, LShelby.
Glad you enjoyed my hat. It is a big hit at networking events.
I will add my own book to LT as you suggested and fill out my author page (didn't know there was one other than my profile).
Time management was something I wanted to master for myself but eventually ended up training my teams on it wherever I worked. Eventually, speaking, training, and coaching on time management became my full-time work.
For my sf and fantasy writing, I have several series ideas. Just need to pick one and get to work on them. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed my hat. It is a big hit at networking events.
I will add my own book to LT as you suggested and fill out my author page (didn't know there was one other than my profile).
Time management was something I wanted to master for myself but eventually ended up training my teams on it wherever I worked. Eventually, speaking, training, and coaching on time management became my full-time work.
For my sf and fantasy writing, I have several series ideas. Just need to pick one and get to work on them. 🙂
24LShelby
>23 CaptainTime:
Every member has a profile that is their personal space. Every book that lists an author will link to an author page that is created by compiling information from all the books members have listed.
Unlike many platforms, you have no more control over what shows up on your author page than any other LT member has. I can also fill in your biographic data... except I'd rather not do a big web hunt to track down info you could far more easily and accurately add yourself. :)
Life pushed me in that direction is as good a reason as any to become an expert. You are still the person who cared enough to learn, so the credit is still yours.
As for writing scifi, there is a time for everything and if now is not the right time to work on fiction, don't sweat it. Maybe hanging out with us will help you refine your ideas.
We'd also love to get your insights into writing non-fiction, so I hope you will join in some of the discussion threads we have going in the group.
Every member has a profile that is their personal space. Every book that lists an author will link to an author page that is created by compiling information from all the books members have listed.
Unlike many platforms, you have no more control over what shows up on your author page than any other LT member has. I can also fill in your biographic data... except I'd rather not do a big web hunt to track down info you could far more easily and accurately add yourself. :)
Life pushed me in that direction is as good a reason as any to become an expert. You are still the person who cared enough to learn, so the credit is still yours.
As for writing scifi, there is a time for everything and if now is not the right time to work on fiction, don't sweat it. Maybe hanging out with us will help you refine your ideas.
We'd also love to get your insights into writing non-fiction, so I hope you will join in some of the discussion threads we have going in the group.
25LShelby
Replying to RomanLando's introduction on the 2022 Thread.
Hi Roman, nice to meet you!
I'm always particularly happy to meet a fellow renaissance man. :)
I would like to strongly advise you to add more books than your own to LibraryThing. Not only does it look better to the LTers, it also makes LT more useful to you as an author. LT's recommendation system is based on which books are found in the same catalogs. If your book is all by itself, you are essentially telling the LT system "nobody who reads will like this book".
The best books to add are not the big bestsellers because they have too many connections already. Concentrate on adding slightly less popular works that are a particularly good match with yours. Since you said you write hard sf, you might want to put some related non-fiction too.
You also might want to go to your author page, (click on your name as it appears in your "Your Book" tab listing) and find the "Is this you?" link. This will create a link between your user profile and your author page.
And finally you might want to add a cover image, tags, genres and a description to your book.
So what kind of boat do you sail? (My brother-in-law has a tiny two-man cat that keeps at his cabin on Lake Winnipeg.) Do your wife and kids also LARP? What's your favorite character class?
I hope you will share you interest in history, science, philosophy and technology with us as well as your readers -- I like all those things too! -- by participating in the discussion threads in this group. :)
Hi Roman, nice to meet you!
I'm always particularly happy to meet a fellow renaissance man. :)
I would like to strongly advise you to add more books than your own to LibraryThing. Not only does it look better to the LTers, it also makes LT more useful to you as an author. LT's recommendation system is based on which books are found in the same catalogs. If your book is all by itself, you are essentially telling the LT system "nobody who reads will like this book".
The best books to add are not the big bestsellers because they have too many connections already. Concentrate on adding slightly less popular works that are a particularly good match with yours. Since you said you write hard sf, you might want to put some related non-fiction too.
You also might want to go to your author page, (click on your name as it appears in your "Your Book" tab listing) and find the "Is this you?" link. This will create a link between your user profile and your author page.
And finally you might want to add a cover image, tags, genres and a description to your book.
So what kind of boat do you sail? (My brother-in-law has a tiny two-man cat that keeps at his cabin on Lake Winnipeg.) Do your wife and kids also LARP? What's your favorite character class?
I hope you will share you interest in history, science, philosophy and technology with us as well as your readers -- I like all those things too! -- by participating in the discussion threads in this group. :)
26LShelby
Replying to Benji1's introduction on the 2022 Thread.
Hey Bejnji, welcome to Hobnob!
A comedian, hunh? Wonderful! The world needs humor.
I notice that most of the books you have listed are bestsellers/classics with thousands of copies in the system. It will actually do your book good to try and include some less popular but more closely matching books -- stuff more like your Dragonlance books. (I have met Tracy Hickman, BTW, and its his fault I do my worldbuilding the way I do.) :)
You should probably also add tags, genres and a book description to your book.
Are you willing to tell us a bit about your home and what you like about it? How about your family or pets?
The best way to connect with other writers here in Hobnob is to participate in the discussion threads, we have several currently active. Getting feedback on your book is tougher. In my experience the best way to get feedback from an author is to offer them feedback on one of their books in exchange.
Have you tried finding a crit group?
Hey Bejnji, welcome to Hobnob!
A comedian, hunh? Wonderful! The world needs humor.
I notice that most of the books you have listed are bestsellers/classics with thousands of copies in the system. It will actually do your book good to try and include some less popular but more closely matching books -- stuff more like your Dragonlance books. (I have met Tracy Hickman, BTW, and its his fault I do my worldbuilding the way I do.) :)
You should probably also add tags, genres and a book description to your book.
Are you willing to tell us a bit about your home and what you like about it? How about your family or pets?
The best way to connect with other writers here in Hobnob is to participate in the discussion threads, we have several currently active. Getting feedback on your book is tougher. In my experience the best way to get feedback from an author is to offer them feedback on one of their books in exchange.
Have you tried finding a crit group?
27MythButton
>22 LShelby:
I think Plan 9 was a bit saved from being a "total" disaster by the laughable cheese. It was bad, but it was a little bit funny now and then. If a movie's funny enough due to low quality, it may get a higher rating, hence Adam West's Batman getting a 95/100.
And yes, the bottom entry is literally the only, ahem, adult, movie I've ever seen, and I only saw it because I typically love Frankenstein and thought it might make good cheese. Boy was I wrong...
I think Plan 9 was a bit saved from being a "total" disaster by the laughable cheese. It was bad, but it was a little bit funny now and then. If a movie's funny enough due to low quality, it may get a higher rating, hence Adam West's Batman getting a 95/100.
And yes, the bottom entry is literally the only, ahem, adult, movie I've ever seen, and I only saw it because I typically love Frankenstein and thought it might make good cheese. Boy was I wrong...
28LShelby
Replying to LHChevalier's introduction on the 2022 Thread.
Hey, there! Nice to meet you!
And of course that works as an intro, although I have questions. (I always have questions.)
I consider Chevalier an awesome name for a fantasy author. Just saying. (I mean, Knights and Dragons, that's what it's all about, right?) ;)
I appreciate that you added a few books (of which we actually have two in common, not one like LT thinks, because I do own a copy of The Hobbit. Maybe I just haven't got around to entering it into LT yet?). But five isn't a lot. I usually suggest that authors add at least twenty, but more is better. If you find adding books time consuming you can try adding the LibraryThing app to your phone which lets you add books by scanning the barcodes with your phone's camera.
Also, although adding your favorite books of all time is great, as an author you might also want to add books because they are a good match with yours, even if they aren't considered all time greats.
Another useful thing to do is add tags to your book. These will eventually show up on the book page and your author page and can help give people a better idea of what your book is about than the genre designations do.
And now to my questions:
Do you have hobbies other than writing?
Would you be willing to tell us more about your home/place of residence?
Just how short is your book? Do you have plans to write another one?
I hope you will join in some of the discussions we have going on in other topic threads here in this group. Welcome to Hobnob!
Hey, there! Nice to meet you!
And of course that works as an intro, although I have questions. (I always have questions.)
I consider Chevalier an awesome name for a fantasy author. Just saying. (I mean, Knights and Dragons, that's what it's all about, right?) ;)
I appreciate that you added a few books (of which we actually have two in common, not one like LT thinks, because I do own a copy of The Hobbit. Maybe I just haven't got around to entering it into LT yet?). But five isn't a lot. I usually suggest that authors add at least twenty, but more is better. If you find adding books time consuming you can try adding the LibraryThing app to your phone which lets you add books by scanning the barcodes with your phone's camera.
Also, although adding your favorite books of all time is great, as an author you might also want to add books because they are a good match with yours, even if they aren't considered all time greats.
Another useful thing to do is add tags to your book. These will eventually show up on the book page and your author page and can help give people a better idea of what your book is about than the genre designations do.
And now to my questions:
Do you have hobbies other than writing?
Would you be willing to tell us more about your home/place of residence?
Just how short is your book? Do you have plans to write another one?
I hope you will join in some of the discussions we have going on in other topic threads here in this group. Welcome to Hobnob!
29LShelby
>27 MythButton:
Okay, I concede the point that movies with humor value (even if unintentional) ought to rank higher than movies that are equally inept but somehow not as laughable. :)
If we are going to keep discussing movies we should move it elsewhere, though.
Okay, I concede the point that movies with humor value (even if unintentional) ought to rank higher than movies that are equally inept but somehow not as laughable. :)
If we are going to keep discussing movies we should move it elsewhere, though.
30NathanRH
Hello, my name is NathanRH, I have a sci-fi I can't wait to send arcs out for. It will be my first novel. I am lucky to have found an editor and that's where it's at. I pick up arcs regularly here, mostly non-fictions.
My book is a world-building social commentary predicting a point in time right at the edge of what's foreseeable. It is deeply bound to real science and engineering. Mostly it uses modern tech, but is roughly 400 years out. It's a book about the moment, and what's good and bad then. It's a societal study taking for granted implicit history, that is within modern control. I hope to send out as many arcs as possible when the time comes.
My book is a world-building social commentary predicting a point in time right at the edge of what's foreseeable. It is deeply bound to real science and engineering. Mostly it uses modern tech, but is roughly 400 years out. It's a book about the moment, and what's good and bad then. It's a societal study taking for granted implicit history, that is within modern control. I hope to send out as many arcs as possible when the time comes.
31LShelby
>30 NathanRH:
Hey there Nathan, nice to see you drop by!
I'm not sure you want to do this, but it is possible to add your book to LibraryThing right now, and not wait until it is officially out. You do this by going to the Add Book tab, and right down by the bottom there's a link that says Add Manually.
You didn't say much about yourself in your intro. Do you have an engineering background? Do you have hobbies other than writing?
Would you be willing to tell us a little about where you live?
About your book -- I'm a little bit confused: you said it used modern technology but is set 400 years in the future. Don't you think we will have moved beyond "modern tech" by then?
And last but not least, I'd like to officially welcome you to Hobnob! :)
Hey there Nathan, nice to see you drop by!
I'm not sure you want to do this, but it is possible to add your book to LibraryThing right now, and not wait until it is officially out. You do this by going to the Add Book tab, and right down by the bottom there's a link that says Add Manually.
You didn't say much about yourself in your intro. Do you have an engineering background? Do you have hobbies other than writing?
Would you be willing to tell us a little about where you live?
About your book -- I'm a little bit confused: you said it used modern technology but is set 400 years in the future. Don't you think we will have moved beyond "modern tech" by then?
And last but not least, I'd like to officially welcome you to Hobnob! :)
32SteveRhinelander
Dear LShelby:
I introduced myself to the "Hobnob with Authors" group last summer, but I have not chatted here since then. Thank you for inviting me to rejoin this chat.
My pen name is "Steve Rhinelander." I published my first novel about a year ago. It is entitled "Poutine and Gin." It is a detective novel set in 1940 of an alternate history in which the Great Lakes region of the United States is part of an independent Republic of Quebec.
I grew up in Wisconsin, but I live in Michigan now. I was a lawyer for most of my adult life, until I retired about four years ago. While I wrote some fiction in my spare time while I was working, I have spent much more time on my fiction writing since my retirement.
Steve
I introduced myself to the "Hobnob with Authors" group last summer, but I have not chatted here since then. Thank you for inviting me to rejoin this chat.
My pen name is "Steve Rhinelander." I published my first novel about a year ago. It is entitled "Poutine and Gin." It is a detective novel set in 1940 of an alternate history in which the Great Lakes region of the United States is part of an independent Republic of Quebec.
I grew up in Wisconsin, but I live in Michigan now. I was a lawyer for most of my adult life, until I retired about four years ago. While I wrote some fiction in my spare time while I was working, I have spent much more time on my fiction writing since my retirement.
Steve
33LShelby
>32 SteveRhinelander:
Hey there, Steve! Thanks for coming back!
So are you saying in your book Quebec actually succeeded in separating?
(I have an alternate history world in which there is no Quebec, because France was too busy dealing with other things to do much settling in the New World, and when they finally did make a push it was into the Caribbean. Northern North America was settled by that world's Germany-equivalent. There was less change in the settlement of the USA, but in that world the North and the South really did become two different countries.)
It can be super hard to find the time to write when you are supporting yourself (and even more especially if you are supporting a family). Fortunately writing is one of those occupations where people generally get better at it as they get older, and can continue for longer than most other occupations. I'm glad you are able to turn your attention to it now.
May I recommend that you also try find the time to add some more books to LibraryThing. I make this suggestion for two reasons. The first is that LT users respond more favorably to authors who appear to be using the site for its intended purpose. Secondly, the automatic recommendation system here is based on comparing which books appear together in which libraries. The Big Sleep is far to popular a book for the system to care that your book shares a library with it. It is better to add books that are less popular, but extremely good matches with your own.
You might also want to add some tags to your book, and maybe some more specific genres. (If you need help in following any of these suggestions, just say so. Helping new authors is one of the things I like to do.) :)
And now, about you:
How is the next book coming? Is it in the same world?
How did you end up writing detective fiction in a alternate history?
Have there been any other benefits to retiring besides more writing time?
Do you like Michigan better than Wisconsin?
Hey there, Steve! Thanks for coming back!
So are you saying in your book Quebec actually succeeded in separating?
(I have an alternate history world in which there is no Quebec, because France was too busy dealing with other things to do much settling in the New World, and when they finally did make a push it was into the Caribbean. Northern North America was settled by that world's Germany-equivalent. There was less change in the settlement of the USA, but in that world the North and the South really did become two different countries.)
It can be super hard to find the time to write when you are supporting yourself (and even more especially if you are supporting a family). Fortunately writing is one of those occupations where people generally get better at it as they get older, and can continue for longer than most other occupations. I'm glad you are able to turn your attention to it now.
May I recommend that you also try find the time to add some more books to LibraryThing. I make this suggestion for two reasons. The first is that LT users respond more favorably to authors who appear to be using the site for its intended purpose. Secondly, the automatic recommendation system here is based on comparing which books appear together in which libraries. The Big Sleep is far to popular a book for the system to care that your book shares a library with it. It is better to add books that are less popular, but extremely good matches with your own.
You might also want to add some tags to your book, and maybe some more specific genres. (If you need help in following any of these suggestions, just say so. Helping new authors is one of the things I like to do.) :)
And now, about you:
How is the next book coming? Is it in the same world?
How did you end up writing detective fiction in a alternate history?
Have there been any other benefits to retiring besides more writing time?
Do you like Michigan better than Wisconsin?
34paradoxosalpha
Tagging your own book is actually a great way to get it some attention on LT, if your tags are accurate and of the sort that users might include in their Tag Watch.
35TreesongRLSH
Hello! Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. It's good to see other authors on here.
My name is Treesong. Yes, that's my actual legal name, not a pen name. That's a long story. The short version is that my appreciation for the natural world and environmental protection inspired me to change my name.
I live in Carbondale, Southern Illinois, USA. People who are familiar with United States geography tend to think that Illinois means Chicago. But I live 300+ miles from Chicago. Hence my use of "Southern Illinois" in local place names.
I've been an avid reader for as long as I could read and an avid writer for almost as long. There have been a few times in my life where I went through long stretches without reading or writing any fiction. It saddens me to think about those dry spells. But even then, I was almost always reading nonfiction news articles, occasional nonfiction books, blog entries, etc. I can't imagine a life without reading and writing in some form.
My main hobbies these days, other than reading and writing, are volunteering at a local community radio station, jogging, watching TV/movies, and occasionally playing tabletop or computer games. I'm a father and a husband, so family time is important to me too.
What do I write? I mostly write climate fiction. Climate fiction is really any type of fiction that includes climate themes. Some people call it a genre. Others describe it as a theme that transcends genre. However you classify it, it's my favorite topic for both reading and writing.
Why climate fiction? Before I became a published author, I had two separate passions in life. One was reading and writing; the other was doing what I could for environmental and social justice, mostly in my local community. Eventually, it occurred to me that I could explore both passions at once by reading and writing climate fiction.
So that's enough about me! Let me know if you have any questions. I'm not great at keeping up with forums because they don't send notifications to my phone, and the squeaky wheel gets the oil. But I'll try to check back here from time to time and participate on some of the other threads as they come up.
My name is Treesong. Yes, that's my actual legal name, not a pen name. That's a long story. The short version is that my appreciation for the natural world and environmental protection inspired me to change my name.
I live in Carbondale, Southern Illinois, USA. People who are familiar with United States geography tend to think that Illinois means Chicago. But I live 300+ miles from Chicago. Hence my use of "Southern Illinois" in local place names.
I've been an avid reader for as long as I could read and an avid writer for almost as long. There have been a few times in my life where I went through long stretches without reading or writing any fiction. It saddens me to think about those dry spells. But even then, I was almost always reading nonfiction news articles, occasional nonfiction books, blog entries, etc. I can't imagine a life without reading and writing in some form.
My main hobbies these days, other than reading and writing, are volunteering at a local community radio station, jogging, watching TV/movies, and occasionally playing tabletop or computer games. I'm a father and a husband, so family time is important to me too.
What do I write? I mostly write climate fiction. Climate fiction is really any type of fiction that includes climate themes. Some people call it a genre. Others describe it as a theme that transcends genre. However you classify it, it's my favorite topic for both reading and writing.
Why climate fiction? Before I became a published author, I had two separate passions in life. One was reading and writing; the other was doing what I could for environmental and social justice, mostly in my local community. Eventually, it occurred to me that I could explore both passions at once by reading and writing climate fiction.
So that's enough about me! Let me know if you have any questions. I'm not great at keeping up with forums because they don't send notifications to my phone, and the squeaky wheel gets the oil. But I'll try to check back here from time to time and participate on some of the other threads as they come up.
36LShelby
>34 paradoxosalpha:
Maybe I should be including a description of Tag Watch in my helpful advice?
Maybe I should be including a description of Tag Watch in my helpful advice?
37LShelby
>35 TreesongRLSH:
Hi there TreeSong, nice to meet you!
When I checked your library, I noticed something a little bit wonky with one of your books. Change is listed in your library as being by Treesong Treesong. All your other works were by Treesong. The duplication of Treesong in the Author name field was preventing your copy (and apparently one other copy) of Change from being combined with the 5 other copies of Change in the system, so I have manually combined the two works, and I combined Treesong Treesong into Treesong, so that there is now only one author page for you, not two. I can teach you how to fix these sorts of problems yourself, if you are interested. (Or how to un-"fix" them if I somehow made a mistake.) :)
You might want to try come up with a few more tags for your books. One of LTs features is the ability to "watch" for books that have a combination of specific tags. So people can keep an eye out for Climate and Science Fiction, or Climate and Mystery or whatever combination particularly interests them. As a result more tags is generally better as long as all the tags are appropriate for the book. If you are getting stuck for what to use for tags, try looking at similar books and see how LT users have tagged them.
Climate themes seems like a good focus to me... it leaves lots and lots of room for genre crossing and so forth. I was invited once to write for a "climate" themed anthology. More specifically, the anthology theme was hard science fiction about Polar Science. The story I ended submitting was a murder mystery set on another planet, but the editor accepted it anyway. :)
What kinds of plots do use when writing Climate Fiction?
IIlinois is a beautiful state, (mostly). I used to live in Springfield, IL. (If all of Illinois was Chicago, I wouldn't have stayed even for the year and a half I was there.) :)
Do you find many scenic places to jog, or is it just around the block?
Around my house, tabletop games are prime family time. Which ones do you like best?
How many kids do you have? (I have six, but they're all grown up.)
I totally understand being busy, and will look forward to your visits when you make them.
Welcome to Hobnob!
Hi there TreeSong, nice to meet you!
When I checked your library, I noticed something a little bit wonky with one of your books. Change is listed in your library as being by Treesong Treesong. All your other works were by Treesong. The duplication of Treesong in the Author name field was preventing your copy (and apparently one other copy) of Change from being combined with the 5 other copies of Change in the system, so I have manually combined the two works, and I combined Treesong Treesong into Treesong, so that there is now only one author page for you, not two. I can teach you how to fix these sorts of problems yourself, if you are interested. (Or how to un-"fix" them if I somehow made a mistake.) :)
You might want to try come up with a few more tags for your books. One of LTs features is the ability to "watch" for books that have a combination of specific tags. So people can keep an eye out for Climate and Science Fiction, or Climate and Mystery or whatever combination particularly interests them. As a result more tags is generally better as long as all the tags are appropriate for the book. If you are getting stuck for what to use for tags, try looking at similar books and see how LT users have tagged them.
Climate themes seems like a good focus to me... it leaves lots and lots of room for genre crossing and so forth. I was invited once to write for a "climate" themed anthology. More specifically, the anthology theme was hard science fiction about Polar Science. The story I ended submitting was a murder mystery set on another planet, but the editor accepted it anyway. :)
What kinds of plots do use when writing Climate Fiction?
IIlinois is a beautiful state, (mostly). I used to live in Springfield, IL. (If all of Illinois was Chicago, I wouldn't have stayed even for the year and a half I was there.) :)
Do you find many scenic places to jog, or is it just around the block?
Around my house, tabletop games are prime family time. Which ones do you like best?
How many kids do you have? (I have six, but they're all grown up.)
I totally understand being busy, and will look forward to your visits when you make them.
Welcome to Hobnob!
38TreesongRLSH
>37 LShelby:
Thanks for the reply. And thanks for fixing the problem with the two author profiles! I did notice that there was an inconsistency between the "Treesong" and "Treesong Treesong" listings. I just hadn't gotten around to figuring out how to fix it yet.
It looks like you did a good job fixing it, but I would like to know how you did it in case it comes up again. My unusual name sometimes leads to such problems. I'm sure that it happened in LibraryThing because some systems have a convenient option to list a single-name author and others don't, leading to two different author names depending on what source you're pulling from (until you combined them, which was good).
For the book tags, I'll definitely keep that in mind. It hadn't occurred to me yet that the tags would affect the "watch" functionality, but that makes sense. I may explore other books and see what tags to add as I go.
Climate is definitely a broad focus! The longer I write climate fiction, the more I realize just how broad of a theme it is.
Some of my plots revolve around characters who are trying in some direct way to respond directly to the climate crisis. For example, I have two novels center around conflicts between people who are working within the system and outside of the system to pursue solutions to climate change. There's a tension between their somewhat-compatible climate goals and their vastly different worldviews and methods.
Other plots have a more indirect or tangential connection to climate change. For example, one of the stories with the least obvious climate tie-in was a very understated love story. Two characters meet because one has a solar array and the other has a business taking care of the landscaping under solar arrays. The plot itself doesn't emphasize climate change, but I consider it climate fiction because it includes prominent "agrivoltaics" (agriculture plus solar power) references.
As for my jogging, it's usually just around the block, though I do also appreciate scenic trips around the area. Southern Illinois has far more hills, ridges, and forests than the northern and central parts of the state, so there's a lot to see when I do get the chance.
My favorite tabletop game these days is probably Catan. I've played many others though and can enjoy almost any of them with the right company.
I have one kid who's six, so she still keeps me quite busy at home sometimes!
Thanks for the reply. And thanks for fixing the problem with the two author profiles! I did notice that there was an inconsistency between the "Treesong" and "Treesong Treesong" listings. I just hadn't gotten around to figuring out how to fix it yet.
It looks like you did a good job fixing it, but I would like to know how you did it in case it comes up again. My unusual name sometimes leads to such problems. I'm sure that it happened in LibraryThing because some systems have a convenient option to list a single-name author and others don't, leading to two different author names depending on what source you're pulling from (until you combined them, which was good).
For the book tags, I'll definitely keep that in mind. It hadn't occurred to me yet that the tags would affect the "watch" functionality, but that makes sense. I may explore other books and see what tags to add as I go.
Climate is definitely a broad focus! The longer I write climate fiction, the more I realize just how broad of a theme it is.
Some of my plots revolve around characters who are trying in some direct way to respond directly to the climate crisis. For example, I have two novels center around conflicts between people who are working within the system and outside of the system to pursue solutions to climate change. There's a tension between their somewhat-compatible climate goals and their vastly different worldviews and methods.
Other plots have a more indirect or tangential connection to climate change. For example, one of the stories with the least obvious climate tie-in was a very understated love story. Two characters meet because one has a solar array and the other has a business taking care of the landscaping under solar arrays. The plot itself doesn't emphasize climate change, but I consider it climate fiction because it includes prominent "agrivoltaics" (agriculture plus solar power) references.
As for my jogging, it's usually just around the block, though I do also appreciate scenic trips around the area. Southern Illinois has far more hills, ridges, and forests than the northern and central parts of the state, so there's a lot to see when I do get the chance.
My favorite tabletop game these days is probably Catan. I've played many others though and can enjoy almost any of them with the right company.
I have one kid who's six, so she still keeps me quite busy at home sometimes!
39LShelby
How to combine books
If you realize that there are two different version of the exact same book in the system, go to the book page of one of the books, and in the sidebar near the bottom look for a link that says "Add Work to workbench. Do so, and then go to the other version and add that one to the workbench. Right below the Add to workbench link is the one that opens the workbench. Inside the workbench you can select those two versions and there will be a place to click so that you can combine them. It's actually really easy. :)
How to combine author name variations (including pen names) into a single author
!!!Don't do this if it is a situation where more than one author has the same name.!!!
Go to the Author page. In the sidebar down at the bottom is a box titled "Improve this author". In that box it will say "Combine with", possibly provide suggestions, and then the link "search". Click search and type the second name in the search box. Once you have identified the author's other self, you will be given the option to combine them. (If biographic information has been filled in on both pages, consolidating that info first might be necessary. A warning should pop up letting you know.)
When you are done, the combined names will both be listed in small print under the main (most often used) author name, and all the book info from the former two pages will be added together.
(My author page happens to be a two-name author page, as I have published under both a pen name and my legal name.) :)
Be careful to make sure you are combining the right things together.
Separating tends to be more work than combining, so I usually double-check with new authors here before making any fixes to their pages. But sometimes when the fix seems really, really obvious I just go ahead. :)
LibraryThing is the natural home for book-lovers who are also data-geeks. The fact that anyone here can just fix these sorts of problems is one of the things I love about the site. (I am definitely a data-geek. You should see the database I store my worldbuilding notes in.)
If you realize that there are two different version of the exact same book in the system, go to the book page of one of the books, and in the sidebar near the bottom look for a link that says "Add Work to workbench. Do so, and then go to the other version and add that one to the workbench. Right below the Add to workbench link is the one that opens the workbench. Inside the workbench you can select those two versions and there will be a place to click so that you can combine them. It's actually really easy. :)
How to combine author name variations (including pen names) into a single author
!!!Don't do this if it is a situation where more than one author has the same name.!!!
Go to the Author page. In the sidebar down at the bottom is a box titled "Improve this author". In that box it will say "Combine with", possibly provide suggestions, and then the link "search". Click search and type the second name in the search box. Once you have identified the author's other self, you will be given the option to combine them. (If biographic information has been filled in on both pages, consolidating that info first might be necessary. A warning should pop up letting you know.)
When you are done, the combined names will both be listed in small print under the main (most often used) author name, and all the book info from the former two pages will be added together.
(My author page happens to be a two-name author page, as I have published under both a pen name and my legal name.) :)
Be careful to make sure you are combining the right things together.
Separating tends to be more work than combining, so I usually double-check with new authors here before making any fixes to their pages. But sometimes when the fix seems really, really obvious I just go ahead. :)
LibraryThing is the natural home for book-lovers who are also data-geeks. The fact that anyone here can just fix these sorts of problems is one of the things I love about the site. (I am definitely a data-geek. You should see the database I store my worldbuilding notes in.)
40LShelby
>38 TreesongRLSH:
I recently told someone in a worldbuilding thread in a different group that when I create a society, climate is the first thing I look at. I create best when I have a grasp on the environment/system that I'm working with, and climate has a huge influence of how life develops. (Can you tell my major was ecology?)
But if we are trying to pick a more typical genre designations for your books it's a bit tricky, isn't it? One you describe can be forced into "Romance" but the other two...
Ah well, that's why tags. Official genre designations are actually a fairy recent addition to LibraryThing. Tim (the owner) thinks tagging is a more flexible and powerful way to handle things, so he built the system around that. (And comparing libraries.) :)
We have a closet full of boardgames (including Catan, and expansions, and a couple variants) and have done official playtesting for Fantasy Flight Games. But we do less playtesting now that we're down to two kids at home, one of whom has a strong preference for co-operative games. My son needs to find outside players to get his multiplayer competitive strategic boardgame fix in -- his current favorite seems to be Root. At home we've mostly been playing the Arkam Horror card game.
At six your daughter probably can't give you a challenge yet. (At boardgames, I mean! Six is a very challenging age. So active!) Does your wife play? Do you have a regular group?
I recently told someone in a worldbuilding thread in a different group that when I create a society, climate is the first thing I look at. I create best when I have a grasp on the environment/system that I'm working with, and climate has a huge influence of how life develops. (Can you tell my major was ecology?)
But if we are trying to pick a more typical genre designations for your books it's a bit tricky, isn't it? One you describe can be forced into "Romance" but the other two...
Ah well, that's why tags. Official genre designations are actually a fairy recent addition to LibraryThing. Tim (the owner) thinks tagging is a more flexible and powerful way to handle things, so he built the system around that. (And comparing libraries.) :)
We have a closet full of boardgames (including Catan, and expansions, and a couple variants) and have done official playtesting for Fantasy Flight Games. But we do less playtesting now that we're down to two kids at home, one of whom has a strong preference for co-operative games. My son needs to find outside players to get his multiplayer competitive strategic boardgame fix in -- his current favorite seems to be Root. At home we've mostly been playing the Arkam Horror card game.
At six your daughter probably can't give you a challenge yet. (At boardgames, I mean! Six is a very challenging age. So active!) Does your wife play? Do you have a regular group?
41paradoxosalpha
>38 TreesongRLSH:
I admit to having abandoned Catan years ago (Faults: it doesn't play with two; a win can be strongly determined by the initial setup; and I find the wheeling and dealing a little tiresome.) The favorite game that totally supplies everything I do like about Catan is Concordia.
>40 LShelby:
AH Card Game is also a top choice at my place. For a much lighter co-op play, we recently had a good experience with one of the Kosmos Adventure Games.
I admit to having abandoned Catan years ago (Faults: it doesn't play with two; a win can be strongly determined by the initial setup; and I find the wheeling and dealing a little tiresome.) The favorite game that totally supplies everything I do like about Catan is Concordia.
>40 LShelby:
AH Card Game is also a top choice at my place. For a much lighter co-op play, we recently had a good experience with one of the Kosmos Adventure Games.
42TreesongRLSH
>40 LShelby:
Thanks for the tips about book and author combining!
Yes, genre classification has always been a challenge. I like the idea of treating "climate fiction" as its own distinct genre because there's a growing body of fiction authors who primarily or exclusively write climate change stories. But framing it as a genre, rather than a theme across genres, does pose both a marketing challenge and a literary critique challenge. I definitely anticipate different audiences for a climate change thriller, climate change romance story, climate change dystopia, etc.
My wife and I do play Catan together. We had a weekly gaming group for a while, but lately it's only once every several months, with Catan still the most popular choice.
My daughter can't play adult games yet, but she does quite well at Catan Junior! She's grown up watching us play Catan, so maybe that helps.
Thanks for the tips about book and author combining!
Yes, genre classification has always been a challenge. I like the idea of treating "climate fiction" as its own distinct genre because there's a growing body of fiction authors who primarily or exclusively write climate change stories. But framing it as a genre, rather than a theme across genres, does pose both a marketing challenge and a literary critique challenge. I definitely anticipate different audiences for a climate change thriller, climate change romance story, climate change dystopia, etc.
My wife and I do play Catan together. We had a weekly gaming group for a while, but lately it's only once every several months, with Catan still the most popular choice.
My daughter can't play adult games yet, but she does quite well at Catan Junior! She's grown up watching us play Catan, so maybe that helps.
43TreesongRLSH
>41 paradoxosalpha:
There's a two- to four-player card game version of Catan that I enjoy, though I don't play it often. It avoids the initial setup problem, and the dealing is less prominent, though still an option if I recall.
I don't think I've ever played Concordia. I may look into it!
There's a two- to four-player card game version of Catan that I enjoy, though I don't play it often. It avoids the initial setup problem, and the dealing is less prominent, though still an option if I recall.
I don't think I've ever played Concordia. I may look into it!
44paradoxosalpha
>42 TreesongRLSH:
I tend to think of cli-fi as an sf subgenre, but I suppose there are books that take non-sfnal approaches. And I'd like to think it will get read outside of the (increasingly porous and ill-defined) sf ghetto.
I tend to think of cli-fi as an sf subgenre, but I suppose there are books that take non-sfnal approaches. And I'd like to think it will get read outside of the (increasingly porous and ill-defined) sf ghetto.
45RomanLando
>25 LShelby: Hi, thanks for the advice. I added some of my favorite books, and requested author approval. I also added some book details.
I sail a Macgregor 26D (classic), in Ontario and Georgian Bay. LARPing didn't really ought on with my family, but I do it occasionally with friends - it's not traditional LARPing but more of book-inspired games with cosplay that have more in common with theater and improv than DnD. Usually there is no strict point systems etc. (though sometimes there are hitpoints and magic rules).
I sail a Macgregor 26D (classic), in Ontario and Georgian Bay. LARPing didn't really ought on with my family, but I do it occasionally with friends - it's not traditional LARPing but more of book-inspired games with cosplay that have more in common with theater and improv than DnD. Usually there is no strict point systems etc. (though sometimes there are hitpoints and magic rules).
47LShelby
>44 paradoxosalpha: "I tend to think of cli-fi as an sf subgenre"
Like "Techno-thriller", it sort of hovers on the edge. :)
That guy who ran Studio Ghibli (starts with an M?) anyway, all his films had a nature theme, no matter the genre. I think having something like that is a nice way to be distinctive. (My husband says everything I write is actually about "cultural stuff" but that sounds a little vague for turning into a tag.)
Like "Techno-thriller", it sort of hovers on the edge. :)
That guy who ran Studio Ghibli (starts with an M?) anyway, all his films had a nature theme, no matter the genre. I think having something like that is a nice way to be distinctive. (My husband says everything I write is actually about "cultural stuff" but that sounds a little vague for turning into a tag.)
48LShelby
>45 RomanLando:
I looked up the Macgregor because I totally know nothing about anything moderm. (Canoes don't count, right? I mean, other than that we make them in fiberglass now, nothing's changed about them since ancient times.)
For LARPing, kipping tracking points sounds more relaxed and fun. My daughter used to LARP at college, and she liked playing the "bad-guys" because she thought that was more relaxed and fun. (The only LARPing I did was at a convention, and it was a Victorian themed fantasy mystery at a ball type thingy, not the more typical D&D inspire stuff.)
Edited to add:
Wait, what? Requested author approval? Isn't it just a matter of clicking on the "Is this you?" link on the author page and confirming?
Did something change during my recent sabbatical?
I looked up the Macgregor because I totally know nothing about anything moderm. (Canoes don't count, right? I mean, other than that we make them in fiberglass now, nothing's changed about them since ancient times.)
For LARPing, kipping tracking points sounds more relaxed and fun. My daughter used to LARP at college, and she liked playing the "bad-guys" because she thought that was more relaxed and fun. (The only LARPing I did was at a convention, and it was a Victorian themed fantasy mystery at a ball type thingy, not the more typical D&D inspire stuff.)
Edited to add:
Wait, what? Requested author approval? Isn't it just a matter of clicking on the "Is this you?" link on the author page and confirming?
Did something change during my recent sabbatical?
49LShelby
>46 ajcameron_author:
Hi there A. J., welcome to Hobnob!
You didn't actually tell us anythng about yourself. Do you have hobbies? Where do you live? What made you decide to write and self-publish non-fiction?
I see that you have lots of tags. (Great!) But not very many books. If you scroll up this thread you'll find my reccomendations on the best way to fix that.
You might also want to claim your author page and maybe add a picture of yourself. (But whatever you do, don't add a picture that is not a picture of yourself to your author page... save pictures of your cats and so forth for your profile page. :)
Good luck on finding your feet here in Hobnob, and I hope I will be seeing you around.
Hi there A. J., welcome to Hobnob!
You didn't actually tell us anythng about yourself. Do you have hobbies? Where do you live? What made you decide to write and self-publish non-fiction?
I see that you have lots of tags. (Great!) But not very many books. If you scroll up this thread you'll find my reccomendations on the best way to fix that.
You might also want to claim your author page and maybe add a picture of yourself. (But whatever you do, don't add a picture that is not a picture of yourself to your author page... save pictures of your cats and so forth for your profile page. :)
Good luck on finding your feet here in Hobnob, and I hope I will be seeing you around.
50SteveRhinelander
Shelby:
Thanks again for inviting me back to this chat. It is great to meet a fellow alternate history author. Your world sounds very interesting. I look forward to finding some of your books and learning more about it.
In addition, thank you for your recommendations to add some more books to my Library Thing collection and to add tags. That sounds like very good advice.
Also thank you for all your questions. It is flattering to see someone show so much interest in my work. My answers are below:
1. “So are you saying in your book Quebec actually succeeded in separating?”
Not exactly. Although my book is set in 1940, the point of departure for my alternate history is the French and Indian War – specifically, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. In my world, the French won that battle, and as a result, Quebec never became part of British North America/Canada to begin with.
2. “How is the next book coming? Is it in the same world?”
Yes, it is in the same world.
The book was coming along reasonably well until last fall. I realized that there was an inconsistency in my plot, and it took me four or five weeks to figure out how to resolve it. Then much of my time became consumed with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I also had a book-signing event in January, and I needed to prepare for that. I have also let myself get distracted by a couple of short story ideas that I wanted to develop. Now I am working on my income taxes, but when I am done with that, I will be excited to turn back to my book.
3. “How did you end up writing detective fiction in an alternate history?”
I chose alternate history I have always been interested in history. When I discovered the alternate history genre, I was inspired to try writing an alternate history novel myself. I chose the French and Indian War as my point of departure because, even though it is an important historical turning point in my opinion, it has not been addressed in alternate history literature.
You also asked why I decided to set a detective story in this alternate history. When I imagined how the world might evolve from changing the result of the French and Indian War, 1940 struck me as particularly interesting. The year 1940 also made me think of classic detective fiction like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. I love that fiction, in part because of the way Humphrey Bogart made those characters come to life in the movies. So, that inspired me to use a detective story to explore my alternate world.
4. “Have there been any other benefits to retiring besides more writing time?”
The biggest benefit, perhaps obviously, is that I don’t have to go to work anymore. Before I retired, I worked as an attorney. While I enjoyed that work, I had done it almost all my adult life and I was getting tired of it.
I also think I am healthier because I exercise a little more now instead of spending all day sitting behind a desk. My wife and I also have more time to travel, which we enjoy.
5. “Do you like Michigan better than Wisconsin?”
I like both Michigan and Wisconsin. I find that they are both very similar because they are both in the upper Midwest. If I had to choose, I guess I would say that I have a slight preference for Wisconsin because I have several relatives there and I started to lose touch with some of them after I moved. Now that I am retired, I am trying to spend more time on Facebook to reconnect with those people.
Do you prefer living in Canada or Ohio?
Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Steve
Thanks again for inviting me back to this chat. It is great to meet a fellow alternate history author. Your world sounds very interesting. I look forward to finding some of your books and learning more about it.
In addition, thank you for your recommendations to add some more books to my Library Thing collection and to add tags. That sounds like very good advice.
Also thank you for all your questions. It is flattering to see someone show so much interest in my work. My answers are below:
1. “So are you saying in your book Quebec actually succeeded in separating?”
Not exactly. Although my book is set in 1940, the point of departure for my alternate history is the French and Indian War – specifically, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. In my world, the French won that battle, and as a result, Quebec never became part of British North America/Canada to begin with.
2. “How is the next book coming? Is it in the same world?”
Yes, it is in the same world.
The book was coming along reasonably well until last fall. I realized that there was an inconsistency in my plot, and it took me four or five weeks to figure out how to resolve it. Then much of my time became consumed with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I also had a book-signing event in January, and I needed to prepare for that. I have also let myself get distracted by a couple of short story ideas that I wanted to develop. Now I am working on my income taxes, but when I am done with that, I will be excited to turn back to my book.
3. “How did you end up writing detective fiction in an alternate history?”
I chose alternate history I have always been interested in history. When I discovered the alternate history genre, I was inspired to try writing an alternate history novel myself. I chose the French and Indian War as my point of departure because, even though it is an important historical turning point in my opinion, it has not been addressed in alternate history literature.
You also asked why I decided to set a detective story in this alternate history. When I imagined how the world might evolve from changing the result of the French and Indian War, 1940 struck me as particularly interesting. The year 1940 also made me think of classic detective fiction like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. I love that fiction, in part because of the way Humphrey Bogart made those characters come to life in the movies. So, that inspired me to use a detective story to explore my alternate world.
4. “Have there been any other benefits to retiring besides more writing time?”
The biggest benefit, perhaps obviously, is that I don’t have to go to work anymore. Before I retired, I worked as an attorney. While I enjoyed that work, I had done it almost all my adult life and I was getting tired of it.
I also think I am healthier because I exercise a little more now instead of spending all day sitting behind a desk. My wife and I also have more time to travel, which we enjoy.
5. “Do you like Michigan better than Wisconsin?”
I like both Michigan and Wisconsin. I find that they are both very similar because they are both in the upper Midwest. If I had to choose, I guess I would say that I have a slight preference for Wisconsin because I have several relatives there and I started to lose touch with some of them after I moved. Now that I am retired, I am trying to spend more time on Facebook to reconnect with those people.
Do you prefer living in Canada or Ohio?
Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Steve
51LShelby
>50 SteveRhinelander:
It's the first time I've heard of using the French and Indian war as a splitting point. :)
(I used the Bubonic plague as my splitting point, but that was a decision made because I needed an incident that could conceivably intensify the presence of magic from something of myth and rumor to something reasonably commonplace.) The 1940's connection makes perfect sense to me now that you've pointed it out. ::rueful:: I'm a Nero Wolfe fan myself.
My grandfather, also in law (he took a case to the Supreme Court of Canada!), liked travelling with my grandmother the best also. I remember the homecomings from those trips from when I was a little girl. His advice from the dust, by the way, is "Wear sunscreen. And maybe a hat." :)
I like Canada best. I was raised in the lee of the Canadian Rockies, and am still somehow adapted to a cooler, dryer climate. But Ohio is very beautiful also, and my husband prefers it. My original plan was to aim to retire to Michigan, but my new plan is to have a summer home in Canada and swap back and forth between there and here. (I'm an author: I'm great building castles in the sky.)
I would really like to keep talking to you, but we should probably move it out of the introduction thread. When you have time, maybe you could start a historical discussion thread. Call it "Where would you change history?" or something like that. :)
It's the first time I've heard of using the French and Indian war as a splitting point. :)
(I used the Bubonic plague as my splitting point, but that was a decision made because I needed an incident that could conceivably intensify the presence of magic from something of myth and rumor to something reasonably commonplace.) The 1940's connection makes perfect sense to me now that you've pointed it out. ::rueful:: I'm a Nero Wolfe fan myself.
My grandfather, also in law (he took a case to the Supreme Court of Canada!), liked travelling with my grandmother the best also. I remember the homecomings from those trips from when I was a little girl. His advice from the dust, by the way, is "Wear sunscreen. And maybe a hat." :)
I like Canada best. I was raised in the lee of the Canadian Rockies, and am still somehow adapted to a cooler, dryer climate. But Ohio is very beautiful also, and my husband prefers it. My original plan was to aim to retire to Michigan, but my new plan is to have a summer home in Canada and swap back and forth between there and here. (I'm an author: I'm great building castles in the sky.)
I would really like to keep talking to you, but we should probably move it out of the introduction thread. When you have time, maybe you could start a historical discussion thread. Call it "Where would you change history?" or something like that. :)
52TreesongRLSH
>44 paradoxosalpha:
Yes, for quite some time, authors and readers alike often saw it as a subgenre or cousin of sci-fi, especially when the stories are set in the future and center around climate disasters.
However, a growing number (and possibly a growing percentage?) of the stories are set in the present day and may not even involve climate disasters or direct involvement of the science. They often have obvious elements of other genres -- a mystery to solve, a love story, the action and suspense of a thriller, "literary fiction" qualities like Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, etc.
Yes, for quite some time, authors and readers alike often saw it as a subgenre or cousin of sci-fi, especially when the stories are set in the future and center around climate disasters.
However, a growing number (and possibly a growing percentage?) of the stories are set in the present day and may not even involve climate disasters or direct involvement of the science. They often have obvious elements of other genres -- a mystery to solve, a love story, the action and suspense of a thriller, "literary fiction" qualities like Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, etc.
53SteveRhinelander
>51 LShelby:
Shelby:
1. I am very happy to hear that you have not heard of anyone else using the French and Indian War as a splitting point. I thought my idea was fairly original, and it is good to have some confirmation of that.
2. Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe is one of my favorites as well.
3. Your grandfather sounds very impressive.
4. I have visited several places in Canada, but unfortunately, I have not been to the Canadian Rockies yet. When I was working, however, I had a picture of Lake Louise as a screen saver, and I still hope to see the lake for myself someday.
5. I will try to start a historical discussion thread something like the one you suggest within the next three or four days. Then, I would be very interested in hearing more about your books and how you used the Plague as a point of departure.
Thanks.
Steve
Shelby:
1. I am very happy to hear that you have not heard of anyone else using the French and Indian War as a splitting point. I thought my idea was fairly original, and it is good to have some confirmation of that.
2. Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe is one of my favorites as well.
3. Your grandfather sounds very impressive.
4. I have visited several places in Canada, but unfortunately, I have not been to the Canadian Rockies yet. When I was working, however, I had a picture of Lake Louise as a screen saver, and I still hope to see the lake for myself someday.
5. I will try to start a historical discussion thread something like the one you suggest within the next three or four days. Then, I would be very interested in hearing more about your books and how you used the Plague as a point of departure.
Thanks.
Steve
54JLCrellin
Hi, I've just self-published by first novel using KDP. It's (hopefully!) an intriguing but gentle mystery set around Lake Iseo in Italy. I discovered Library Thing whilst looking for ways to get my book out to readers.
But independently of results in terms of book reviews, LibraryThing has been an interesting discovery in its own right.
Writing a book is one of the best things I've ever done......probably not for copies sold, and definitely not financial gain for time invested (!), but it's opened up so many new horizons, contacts and interests, and has been immensely rewarding.
Best regards
But independently of results in terms of book reviews, LibraryThing has been an interesting discovery in its own right.
Writing a book is one of the best things I've ever done......probably not for copies sold, and definitely not financial gain for time invested (!), but it's opened up so many new horizons, contacts and interests, and has been immensely rewarding.
Best regards
55LShelby
>54 JLCrellin:
Hey there JL. Nice to meet you! Welcome to Hobnob!
Looks like your book is a mystery. I like mysteries.
It's nice to see a new member busily cataloging. :) Mostly you look like you are doing a good job of getting yourself set up here, but I would like to highly recommend adding tags to LT. Tags are one of the way to increase the discoverability of your book here on the site. If you can't figure out what tags to add, check listings for other similar books, and see what tags members have given those, it might give you some ideas.
Another thing you might want to do is go to your book's page, and add a series for it.
Your introduction didn't say much. Would you mind sharing a bit about yourself? Where you live, if you have interests besides writing, a family or pets?
We would also love to have you join in some of the discussion threads we have going here in the group. :)
Hey there JL. Nice to meet you! Welcome to Hobnob!
Looks like your book is a mystery. I like mysteries.
It's nice to see a new member busily cataloging. :) Mostly you look like you are doing a good job of getting yourself set up here, but I would like to highly recommend adding tags to LT. Tags are one of the way to increase the discoverability of your book here on the site. If you can't figure out what tags to add, check listings for other similar books, and see what tags members have given those, it might give you some ideas.
Another thing you might want to do is go to your book's page, and add a series for it.
Your introduction didn't say much. Would you mind sharing a bit about yourself? Where you live, if you have interests besides writing, a family or pets?
We would also love to have you join in some of the discussion threads we have going here in the group. :)
56LShelby
Replying to Maureen Morrissey's introduction on last year's thread.
Hello Maureen, I was delighted to hear from you.
One of the things I do in this thread is try help new authors get themselves set up as best they can here on LibraryThing.
So the first thing I'd like to do is highly recommend that you add more books to LibraryThing. The reasons for that are both social and technical. This is a book cataloguing site first and foremost, so socially the more books you have catalogued the easier it is for users to accept you as "one of us". Technically, the site uses a comparison of what books are found in a library together to make reading recommendations. Therefore it is probably wise to add books that people who like your books will also like. (But not bestsellers. It won't hurt you to add those, but it won't help either, because there are already so many of them in the system. Lesser known books that are an excellent match for yours will be more useful.) The best ways to add books quickly are to type ISBNs into the search box on the Add Books tab, or to download the LibraryThing App, and use your phone as a scanner, to scan the books in.
I would also like to recommend that you add tags to your books. The site has a tool for "watching" for books with specific tag combinations. So add as many appropriate tags as you can think of without repeating yourself. (We have a system for "combining" tags around here so that the site knows when two tags mean the same thing, so there's no need to double up.)
Another thing you probably want to do is to "claim" your author page. Click on your name as it appears in Your Books, and on the page you end up on look for a link that says "Is this you?" (On a wide screen it is in the upper right.) That will create a link between your user profile and your author page. While you are on your author page you also might want to add a picture of yourself (it must be a picture of you, and not your cats your kids, etc) and some biographical information. :)
I get where you are coming from when you say that you don't like pigeonholes, and don't think of yourself as a "historical fiction writer". When I was a teen, I wrote all sorts of things. When I decided to try publish traditionally I ended up deciding to specialize in just one genre to make market research easier for myself, but I picked a genre that had room for a great deal of variation in what I wrote. :)
Do you have specific plans to write something different next? What genre?
I have health issues that make running not really possible for me, but I love to walk, and I know that there are other writers who swear there's nothing like a good run to kickstart their brain. (Science Fiction author and Biologist Julie E. Czerneda jumps to mind.) :)
You said you wrote Historical Novels, and you set them in New York. What time period did you choose? Was there something specific that drew you to that time?
For your planned overseas trips, where do you want to go and what made you choose them? (When I travel it's usually to see family. I live over 2000 miles away from my widowed mother and most of my siblings. It's a long drive.)
Congrats on being an Oma!
And above all, Welcome to Hobnob!
Hello Maureen, I was delighted to hear from you.
One of the things I do in this thread is try help new authors get themselves set up as best they can here on LibraryThing.
So the first thing I'd like to do is highly recommend that you add more books to LibraryThing. The reasons for that are both social and technical. This is a book cataloguing site first and foremost, so socially the more books you have catalogued the easier it is for users to accept you as "one of us". Technically, the site uses a comparison of what books are found in a library together to make reading recommendations. Therefore it is probably wise to add books that people who like your books will also like. (But not bestsellers. It won't hurt you to add those, but it won't help either, because there are already so many of them in the system. Lesser known books that are an excellent match for yours will be more useful.) The best ways to add books quickly are to type ISBNs into the search box on the Add Books tab, or to download the LibraryThing App, and use your phone as a scanner, to scan the books in.
I would also like to recommend that you add tags to your books. The site has a tool for "watching" for books with specific tag combinations. So add as many appropriate tags as you can think of without repeating yourself. (We have a system for "combining" tags around here so that the site knows when two tags mean the same thing, so there's no need to double up.)
Another thing you probably want to do is to "claim" your author page. Click on your name as it appears in Your Books, and on the page you end up on look for a link that says "Is this you?" (On a wide screen it is in the upper right.) That will create a link between your user profile and your author page. While you are on your author page you also might want to add a picture of yourself (it must be a picture of you, and not your cats your kids, etc) and some biographical information. :)
I get where you are coming from when you say that you don't like pigeonholes, and don't think of yourself as a "historical fiction writer". When I was a teen, I wrote all sorts of things. When I decided to try publish traditionally I ended up deciding to specialize in just one genre to make market research easier for myself, but I picked a genre that had room for a great deal of variation in what I wrote. :)
Do you have specific plans to write something different next? What genre?
I have health issues that make running not really possible for me, but I love to walk, and I know that there are other writers who swear there's nothing like a good run to kickstart their brain. (Science Fiction author and Biologist Julie E. Czerneda jumps to mind.) :)
You said you wrote Historical Novels, and you set them in New York. What time period did you choose? Was there something specific that drew you to that time?
For your planned overseas trips, where do you want to go and what made you choose them? (When I travel it's usually to see family. I live over 2000 miles away from my widowed mother and most of my siblings. It's a long drive.)
Congrats on being an Oma!
And above all, Welcome to Hobnob!
57ThomasNorford
Hi everyone, I'm a first time, self-published author of The Starved God, a far future science fiction novel.
I'm a tired middle-aged man living with my family in Northamptonshire in the UK and I work in children's social care. Apart from reading, I'm very into football and cycling. Writing was initially a bit of a side-hustle/hobby thing but the novel actually turned out pretty decent, even if I say so myself, although agents appear uninterested. So down the Kindle Direct route I went, and I've just arranged for an audiobook production with a really great narrator.
I've always had a layman's interest in evolution, particularly Richard Dawkins' books, and in how the human mind is kind of geared towards zealotry. So these ideas heavily inform the novel, which imagines a Darwin-like character rediscovering the principles of evolution in the far future. I'm mostly into science fiction, and the less silly end of fantasy, but I'm a sucker for Alien and Predator spin-off novels. I'm planning my second novel right now, which is an alien invasion thingy.
I'm struggling to generate reviews, so I'd be happy to dish out a free copy or two of The Starved God for that purpose, but I believe I can only do giveaways to UK readers. I really, really, cannot be asked to set up a blog, but I'm happy to chat to people on LibraryThing.
Cheers,
Tom
I'm a tired middle-aged man living with my family in Northamptonshire in the UK and I work in children's social care. Apart from reading, I'm very into football and cycling. Writing was initially a bit of a side-hustle/hobby thing but the novel actually turned out pretty decent, even if I say so myself, although agents appear uninterested. So down the Kindle Direct route I went, and I've just arranged for an audiobook production with a really great narrator.
I've always had a layman's interest in evolution, particularly Richard Dawkins' books, and in how the human mind is kind of geared towards zealotry. So these ideas heavily inform the novel, which imagines a Darwin-like character rediscovering the principles of evolution in the far future. I'm mostly into science fiction, and the less silly end of fantasy, but I'm a sucker for Alien and Predator spin-off novels. I'm planning my second novel right now, which is an alien invasion thingy.
I'm struggling to generate reviews, so I'd be happy to dish out a free copy or two of The Starved God for that purpose, but I believe I can only do giveaways to UK readers. I really, really, cannot be asked to set up a blog, but I'm happy to chat to people on LibraryThing.
Cheers,
Tom
58JLCrellin
>55 LShelby:
Hi Shelby, thanks for your reply!
I saw in one of your posts that you said LibraryThing discussions are not 'time-sensitive' and I heaved a big sigh of relief....My intention is to add more books to my collection on LibraryThing, but it all takes time and now spring has arrived in the mountains where I live so preparing the potato fields, fruit bushes and vegetable garden is taking up a lot of time. A day of rain will allow me to catch up on everything online!
I've read up about tags. Thank you for that. I've added one or two to my book but it's a good way of saying why I like a particular book so I'll be adding them to others too. Also about the series, I'll be doing that. Thanks!
I was born in Worcester UK, and have been living in a tiny village in the Italian Alps not far from Lake Iseo ever since I first fell in love with the mountains, thirty years ago. I like cooking for her husband and friends, growing vegetables, hiking in the mountains and travelling. I also write the travel blog ‘Slow Travel in Italy and Spain’ https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/
Thanks for your help
Best regards
Tina
Hi Shelby, thanks for your reply!
I saw in one of your posts that you said LibraryThing discussions are not 'time-sensitive' and I heaved a big sigh of relief....My intention is to add more books to my collection on LibraryThing, but it all takes time and now spring has arrived in the mountains where I live so preparing the potato fields, fruit bushes and vegetable garden is taking up a lot of time. A day of rain will allow me to catch up on everything online!
I've read up about tags. Thank you for that. I've added one or two to my book but it's a good way of saying why I like a particular book so I'll be adding them to others too. Also about the series, I'll be doing that. Thanks!
I was born in Worcester UK, and have been living in a tiny village in the Italian Alps not far from Lake Iseo ever since I first fell in love with the mountains, thirty years ago. I like cooking for her husband and friends, growing vegetables, hiking in the mountains and travelling. I also write the travel blog ‘Slow Travel in Italy and Spain’ https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/
Thanks for your help
Best regards
Tina
59LShelby
>57 ThomasNorford:
Hi there Thomas!
I have two sons-in-law named Thomas. :) Working in children's social care sounds like a very good reason to be tired. When you say you are into football and cycling, do you mean you follow those sports, or do you participate? (If participate, then you have an even better reason to be tired.)
I very rarely see such a healthy looking book catalog from a new author introducing themselves, so congratulations on that! But your author page isn't in such good shape. For one thing, when I go there it doesn't list any books. I'm not sure how you managed to get yourself an author page without having any books by you listed on LibraryThing -- did you add your own book and then delete it?
Some authors can be really shy about adding books they have written, but it is totally okay to do so. (What makes people here grumpy is when authors only add their own book. You are 600+ titles away from having to worry about that.) In fact, people tend to think it strange if you don't add your own book. You do own a copy of your own book, right? And you have read it, also, right? So why not add it to LibraryThing, isn't that what the site is for? Also, if you add your own book, you can make sure that all the information on at least one copy of your book on LibraryThing is complete and accurate. Complete and accurate information is one of the things that people here tend to appreciate. :)
Plus it gives you a chance to add tags to your book, and tags are one of the vectors by which your book can be discovered here.
You might also want to fill in some biographical information on your author page. The page is there, might as well make it look good. :)
I'm really not sure why you can only do giveaways in the UK, I assume that's an Amazon thingy? You can actually give copies of your book away to anyone upon arranging a private exchange with them, because it's a private exchange, and therefore none of Amazon's business. Contacting reviewers privately and giving them electronic copies (if they take them) is totally fine. Participating in the Early Reviewers program here is probably also fine. (And Amazon would be crazy to stop you from doing so, even if they could. At any rate, I have never heard of them attempting to do so.)
But getting reviews is hard, yes. Getting reviews that actually bring an audience in is even harder. I myself was lucky in this regard. To anyone who is hoping to be similarly lucky, I can only say that it came about through my willingness to chat with people online, not through any form of advertising or direct promotional activity on my part. My most valuable review came from an acquaintance of an online friend of mine, and my second most valuable set of reviews came from a professional reviewer who knew me from a group somewhat like this one.
...
I have also noticed that zealotry seems to be a hardwired thingy for us humans. I don't quite get it myself, even though I clearly have my hot-button topics. But why does evolution need to be re-discovered?
I do have an alien invasion story idea, as it happens, although it never made it into the to write queue (possibly because it's one of the ones that seems to want to be a graphic novel?) Oddly, I know next to nothing about the aliens for that story as of yet -- not even why there are invading. What are your aliens going to be like?
Thanks for introducing yourself, and Welcome to Hobnob!
Hi there Thomas!
I have two sons-in-law named Thomas. :) Working in children's social care sounds like a very good reason to be tired. When you say you are into football and cycling, do you mean you follow those sports, or do you participate? (If participate, then you have an even better reason to be tired.)
I very rarely see such a healthy looking book catalog from a new author introducing themselves, so congratulations on that! But your author page isn't in such good shape. For one thing, when I go there it doesn't list any books. I'm not sure how you managed to get yourself an author page without having any books by you listed on LibraryThing -- did you add your own book and then delete it?
Some authors can be really shy about adding books they have written, but it is totally okay to do so. (What makes people here grumpy is when authors only add their own book. You are 600+ titles away from having to worry about that.) In fact, people tend to think it strange if you don't add your own book. You do own a copy of your own book, right? And you have read it, also, right? So why not add it to LibraryThing, isn't that what the site is for? Also, if you add your own book, you can make sure that all the information on at least one copy of your book on LibraryThing is complete and accurate. Complete and accurate information is one of the things that people here tend to appreciate. :)
Plus it gives you a chance to add tags to your book, and tags are one of the vectors by which your book can be discovered here.
You might also want to fill in some biographical information on your author page. The page is there, might as well make it look good. :)
I'm really not sure why you can only do giveaways in the UK, I assume that's an Amazon thingy? You can actually give copies of your book away to anyone upon arranging a private exchange with them, because it's a private exchange, and therefore none of Amazon's business. Contacting reviewers privately and giving them electronic copies (if they take them) is totally fine. Participating in the Early Reviewers program here is probably also fine. (And Amazon would be crazy to stop you from doing so, even if they could. At any rate, I have never heard of them attempting to do so.)
But getting reviews is hard, yes. Getting reviews that actually bring an audience in is even harder. I myself was lucky in this regard. To anyone who is hoping to be similarly lucky, I can only say that it came about through my willingness to chat with people online, not through any form of advertising or direct promotional activity on my part. My most valuable review came from an acquaintance of an online friend of mine, and my second most valuable set of reviews came from a professional reviewer who knew me from a group somewhat like this one.
...
I have also noticed that zealotry seems to be a hardwired thingy for us humans. I don't quite get it myself, even though I clearly have my hot-button topics. But why does evolution need to be re-discovered?
I do have an alien invasion story idea, as it happens, although it never made it into the to write queue (possibly because it's one of the ones that seems to want to be a graphic novel?) Oddly, I know next to nothing about the aliens for that story as of yet -- not even why there are invading. What are your aliens going to be like?
Thanks for introducing yourself, and Welcome to Hobnob!
60LShelby
>58 JLCrellin:
Waiting for a rainy day is a totally acceptable system. :)
I envy you for living in the mountains. I grew up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and I still get homesick for them. I only sort of envy you the garden. We had a huge garden when I was growing up, and I miss having fresh produce. But I no longer have the energy to take care of a garden, so if I had one, I'd just feel guilty. ::rueful::
I hope you will check up on our discussion threads when you stop by and join in any discussion that interests you!
Waiting for a rainy day is a totally acceptable system. :)
I envy you for living in the mountains. I grew up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and I still get homesick for them. I only sort of envy you the garden. We had a huge garden when I was growing up, and I miss having fresh produce. But I no longer have the energy to take care of a garden, so if I had one, I'd just feel guilty. ::rueful::
I hope you will check up on our discussion threads when you stop by and join in any discussion that interests you!
61ThomasNorford
>59 LShelby: Hey there, thanks very much for your reply - I feel very welcome, or 'seen' as the kids would say. As for football - I follow and play - it takes a toll at my age! I cycle quite a lot, just a means of transport, not in clubs or competitively or anything.
I was also wondering why my author page doesn't have any books listed, but I think I've cracked it now, so I'll have a look at adding some biog info. I've signed up to the Early Reviewers thing, for April, so that's quite exciting.
Re the question about evolution being re-discovered in the book: the action takes place in the far future, millions of years after an asteroid has wiped out civilisation and people are reduced to a bronze age level of tech; science has had to start over, pretty much. There are 8 different species of human knocking about, including a predatory form, which blends in with and preys on 'normal' humans.
There's also a huge ring surrounding Earth, like Saturn's, and new religions have grown up with the ring being central to their creation myths. People (the species most resembling us, that is) have evolved the ability to go into a semi-hibernation, zombie-like state, which is seen as a sinful failure of the soul by some religions, or a state of zen-like grace by others. Our main character is living under one of these religions - a authoritarian theocracy - and part of the drama of the book is that by rediscovering evolutionary principles he is risking the ire of the ruling elite. Sorry to drone on about the book - it's rare that anyone asks about it!
Cheers,
Tom
I was also wondering why my author page doesn't have any books listed, but I think I've cracked it now, so I'll have a look at adding some biog info. I've signed up to the Early Reviewers thing, for April, so that's quite exciting.
Re the question about evolution being re-discovered in the book: the action takes place in the far future, millions of years after an asteroid has wiped out civilisation and people are reduced to a bronze age level of tech; science has had to start over, pretty much. There are 8 different species of human knocking about, including a predatory form, which blends in with and preys on 'normal' humans.
There's also a huge ring surrounding Earth, like Saturn's, and new religions have grown up with the ring being central to their creation myths. People (the species most resembling us, that is) have evolved the ability to go into a semi-hibernation, zombie-like state, which is seen as a sinful failure of the soul by some religions, or a state of zen-like grace by others. Our main character is living under one of these religions - a authoritarian theocracy - and part of the drama of the book is that by rediscovering evolutionary principles he is risking the ire of the ruling elite. Sorry to drone on about the book - it's rare that anyone asks about it!
Cheers,
Tom
62LShelby
>61 ThomasNorford:
You do seem to have solved the missing book problem. Good!
I was amused by your review, but I feel I should tell you that tags are actually probably more valuable than ratings here. There are ways to search for books with specific combinations of tags, and a tool to show you a list of such books on your home page. There is really no means of searching for books that are highly rated, or list subsets of books not already in your catalog by ratings. The owner just doesn't seem to think anyone should care that much about what ratings other people gave a book.
Kudos on the football!
Cycling is a very popular means of transport around my part of Ohio. (There used to be a sign up on a water-tower the next town over claiming that it is the "Bike capital of the Mid-west" but they didn't put it back up when they painted the tower a couple years back.) What they did, is they turned all the old railway lines that no longer got used into bike paths. I cleverly bought a house only one door away from one of these paths... one kilometer down the path from the public library. Bwahaha! You would probably have fun exploring our paths should you ever be in the area. (There aren't really any canals, but plenty of woodlands, and streams and so forth)
As for droning on about your book, I like to be able to talk about what I am doing with my writing. I like listening to other writers talk about what they are doing with their writing. That's why I joined this group when it was first created, and why I am still here. :) Your speculative future sounds interesting.
I'm falling a bit behind on stuff right now, because I was without power for a couple days, but if I catch up, I might start a thread on evolution. Or, you could start one yourself. Call it "Will Humanity Evolve?" or something similar, maybe. (According to a book I have recently read, there is actually very little evidence of evolution in humanity for a rather surprisingly long period of time. It's like homos evolved to this point, and then stopped. ...But if we are going to talk more about this we should really move it to a new thread.)
You do seem to have solved the missing book problem. Good!
I was amused by your review, but I feel I should tell you that tags are actually probably more valuable than ratings here. There are ways to search for books with specific combinations of tags, and a tool to show you a list of such books on your home page. There is really no means of searching for books that are highly rated, or list subsets of books not already in your catalog by ratings. The owner just doesn't seem to think anyone should care that much about what ratings other people gave a book.
Kudos on the football!
Cycling is a very popular means of transport around my part of Ohio. (There used to be a sign up on a water-tower the next town over claiming that it is the "Bike capital of the Mid-west" but they didn't put it back up when they painted the tower a couple years back.) What they did, is they turned all the old railway lines that no longer got used into bike paths. I cleverly bought a house only one door away from one of these paths... one kilometer down the path from the public library. Bwahaha! You would probably have fun exploring our paths should you ever be in the area. (There aren't really any canals, but plenty of woodlands, and streams and so forth)
As for droning on about your book, I like to be able to talk about what I am doing with my writing. I like listening to other writers talk about what they are doing with their writing. That's why I joined this group when it was first created, and why I am still here. :) Your speculative future sounds interesting.
I'm falling a bit behind on stuff right now, because I was without power for a couple days, but if I catch up, I might start a thread on evolution. Or, you could start one yourself. Call it "Will Humanity Evolve?" or something similar, maybe. (According to a book I have recently read, there is actually very little evidence of evolution in humanity for a rather surprisingly long period of time. It's like homos evolved to this point, and then stopped. ...But if we are going to talk more about this we should really move it to a new thread.)
63Sam_8.Mar-49
As an author I am certainly not an expert or an authority on Alzheimer's. I am definitely not a professional author and didn´t pretend to write an authoritative masterpiece. I never pretended to be any one of those things. I am simply an ordinary “John Doe” 24/7 hospice caregiver, husband, sharing my experiences, reactions, inventing therapies while caring for my wife at home with Alzheimer's. We have been married 44 years, 3 kids now grown up, a great dog most of those years, a typical family on our own trying to hold on to my wife and avoid her shutdown.
Hospice home care for a loved one with Alzheimer's begins on the very first day it is diagnosed. This home care without any outside help is extremely difficult but usually there is no other option. Outside professional help cannot respond “in real time” when radical behavioral changes occur. Only home caregivers can. No one has the exact key as to how to respond to these changes as there are no two profile behavioral changes alike in the same stage of the disease.
Consequently, there isn't a standard therapy to apply as each person reacts differently in each stage. Even the stages of Alzheimer's vary in their characteristics. Only experiences from others can be your guide. What works for me may not work for you. Hospice home caregivers, no two alike, are completely on their own.
I began to invent my own home therapy. Family home caregivers find themselves alone inventing their own hospice home care to mitigate behavioral changes and needs.
I realize there are other hospice home caregivers" like me, amateurs, trying to take care of a loved one with Alzheimer's. Like everyone, I was learning the hard way by trial and error to mitigate tremendous changes in behavior with my wife. It wasn't easy as she was in the beginning of the advanced stages of Alzheimer's, unable to speak, at the time of these writings. I share my most personal experiences and reactions in “real time” to keep my wife “connected”.
Hopefully, my books "Preventing Her Shutdown, Losing My Wife To Alzheimer's" and recently published "62 Tips For Caregivers Of Alzheimer's, To Delay Shutdown," become a shortcut for hospice caregivers of Alzheimer´s to avoid some of the desperation, frustration and sadness on their tortuous caregiving journey.
Hospice home care for a loved one with Alzheimer's begins on the very first day it is diagnosed. This home care without any outside help is extremely difficult but usually there is no other option. Outside professional help cannot respond “in real time” when radical behavioral changes occur. Only home caregivers can. No one has the exact key as to how to respond to these changes as there are no two profile behavioral changes alike in the same stage of the disease.
Consequently, there isn't a standard therapy to apply as each person reacts differently in each stage. Even the stages of Alzheimer's vary in their characteristics. Only experiences from others can be your guide. What works for me may not work for you. Hospice home caregivers, no two alike, are completely on their own.
I began to invent my own home therapy. Family home caregivers find themselves alone inventing their own hospice home care to mitigate behavioral changes and needs.
I realize there are other hospice home caregivers" like me, amateurs, trying to take care of a loved one with Alzheimer's. Like everyone, I was learning the hard way by trial and error to mitigate tremendous changes in behavior with my wife. It wasn't easy as she was in the beginning of the advanced stages of Alzheimer's, unable to speak, at the time of these writings. I share my most personal experiences and reactions in “real time” to keep my wife “connected”.
Hopefully, my books "Preventing Her Shutdown, Losing My Wife To Alzheimer's" and recently published "62 Tips For Caregivers Of Alzheimer's, To Delay Shutdown," become a shortcut for hospice caregivers of Alzheimer´s to avoid some of the desperation, frustration and sadness on their tortuous caregiving journey.
64LShelby
>63 Sam_8.Mar-49:
Hey there, Sam! I'm glad you could drop in. Welcome to Hobnob! :)
Turning your diary into a book sounds like a great idea. I hope it will be helpful to people in similar situations.
I see that you have made a excellent start in adding other similar books to yours to your library, and your book page looks great. You might also want to add some basic biographical information to your author page: where you were born, and so forth. LTers tend to be data junkies, they like being able to look this sort of stuff up. :)
I find it fascinating that you are living in Chile. I confess that I don't know a whole lot about that country. How did you meet your wife?
I imagine that taking care of your wife doesn't leave you a lot of free time. Do you manage to fit in any hobby activities?
Hey there, Sam! I'm glad you could drop in. Welcome to Hobnob! :)
Turning your diary into a book sounds like a great idea. I hope it will be helpful to people in similar situations.
I see that you have made a excellent start in adding other similar books to yours to your library, and your book page looks great. You might also want to add some basic biographical information to your author page: where you were born, and so forth. LTers tend to be data junkies, they like being able to look this sort of stuff up. :)
I find it fascinating that you are living in Chile. I confess that I don't know a whole lot about that country. How did you meet your wife?
I imagine that taking care of your wife doesn't leave you a lot of free time. Do you manage to fit in any hobby activities?
65DavidRRoberts
>1 LShelby: Hi Shel
Glad I've found the author introduction thread as I'm new to LibraryThing and still finding my way around. Your comments to other members of the group have given me more confidence of how to get started.
Born in the county town of Stafford, England, I now live in a village in the Norfolk Broads. Since retiring, I've had more time to follow those longer-term interests and leisure activities for so long put in abeyance during a lengthy career as a college lecturer - notably association football (soccer), music (playing and listening) and, of course, writing. I'm a third-generation supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and an enthusiastic but woeful player of a recently acquired Fender Stratocaster. In addition to books, I write a daily diary and have done so for the past fifteen years. It's not for intended publication but is the best way I know to exercise the writing muscles.
Histories of the everyday lives of ordinary people (primarily in the UK) is one way of describing the type of books I now write and I'm interested in making contact with other authors in the same genre. I'm less interested in nostalgia in itself (the listing of 'Do you remember...' items, photos, etc. just for their own sake), but like to explore the inter-connections between family/local histories and their broader national and global contexts. And if I could do this with the clarity of George Orwell and the humour of Bill Bryson I would be... astonished.
Glad I've found the author introduction thread as I'm new to LibraryThing and still finding my way around. Your comments to other members of the group have given me more confidence of how to get started.
Born in the county town of Stafford, England, I now live in a village in the Norfolk Broads. Since retiring, I've had more time to follow those longer-term interests and leisure activities for so long put in abeyance during a lengthy career as a college lecturer - notably association football (soccer), music (playing and listening) and, of course, writing. I'm a third-generation supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and an enthusiastic but woeful player of a recently acquired Fender Stratocaster. In addition to books, I write a daily diary and have done so for the past fifteen years. It's not for intended publication but is the best way I know to exercise the writing muscles.
Histories of the everyday lives of ordinary people (primarily in the UK) is one way of describing the type of books I now write and I'm interested in making contact with other authors in the same genre. I'm less interested in nostalgia in itself (the listing of 'Do you remember...' items, photos, etc. just for their own sake), but like to explore the inter-connections between family/local histories and their broader national and global contexts. And if I could do this with the clarity of George Orwell and the humour of Bill Bryson I would be... astonished.
66LShelby
>65 DavidRRoberts:
Hi David, Welcome to Hobnob!
Your pages look great, it's clear you've already followed most of my newbie advice. But considering the nature of your writing I have two additional recommendations for you.
The first is to go to your author page and fill in some biographical information for yourself: most particularly your academic credentials. The second is to go to your book pages (not the edit pages, the main book page), and scroll down to where there are additional "Common Knowledge" fields you can fill in about each of your books. I want you to take particular note of the important places and events fields. These are multi-fields, which means that if your book features more than one place or more than one event you can add a new field, and include a second (or third) place or event in the new field. I think having these fields filled in might be helpful for your books (it certainly can't hurt!) :)
Third generation supporter... wow. I can't even imagine. Nobody in this generation of my family is that into sports let alone my father or grandfather. (... I might count as a third generational fan of musical theater, though.) Does your clan gather to cheer at events?
I'm totally with you in the enthusiastic but woeful player of a musical instrument club, though. :) Do you have people you play with?
I also totally get the "interested in how history effects life rather than nostalgia as such" thingy. I think I lean that way myself. :)
Unfortunately I don't think we have anyone currently active in this group that writes anything similar. (You can hang out here anyway!) What I would recommend is to spend some time looking for books of the same sort as yours, and then checking them to see if they are by an LT Author. If you find any, you can drop a note on their profile pages, saying: "Hey I'm an author in the same field!". (If you find some, and need a place to group chat with them, feel free to invite them to join you here.) :)
"And if I could do this with the clarity of George Orwell and the humour of Bill Bryson I would be... astonished."
Hey, I am totally all for people astonishing themselves. I will cheer you on. It sounds like a very worthy goal :)
Have you taken a look at Library Thing's Early Reviewers program yet? It could help boost the visibility of your books.
It's been a pleasure meeting you!
Hi David, Welcome to Hobnob!
Your pages look great, it's clear you've already followed most of my newbie advice. But considering the nature of your writing I have two additional recommendations for you.
The first is to go to your author page and fill in some biographical information for yourself: most particularly your academic credentials. The second is to go to your book pages (not the edit pages, the main book page), and scroll down to where there are additional "Common Knowledge" fields you can fill in about each of your books. I want you to take particular note of the important places and events fields. These are multi-fields, which means that if your book features more than one place or more than one event you can add a new field, and include a second (or third) place or event in the new field. I think having these fields filled in might be helpful for your books (it certainly can't hurt!) :)
Third generation supporter... wow. I can't even imagine. Nobody in this generation of my family is that into sports let alone my father or grandfather. (... I might count as a third generational fan of musical theater, though.) Does your clan gather to cheer at events?
I'm totally with you in the enthusiastic but woeful player of a musical instrument club, though. :) Do you have people you play with?
I also totally get the "interested in how history effects life rather than nostalgia as such" thingy. I think I lean that way myself. :)
Unfortunately I don't think we have anyone currently active in this group that writes anything similar. (You can hang out here anyway!) What I would recommend is to spend some time looking for books of the same sort as yours, and then checking them to see if they are by an LT Author. If you find any, you can drop a note on their profile pages, saying: "Hey I'm an author in the same field!". (If you find some, and need a place to group chat with them, feel free to invite them to join you here.) :)
"And if I could do this with the clarity of George Orwell and the humour of Bill Bryson I would be... astonished."
Hey, I am totally all for people astonishing themselves. I will cheer you on. It sounds like a very worthy goal :)
Have you taken a look at Library Thing's Early Reviewers program yet? It could help boost the visibility of your books.
It's been a pleasure meeting you!
67Alexandria_annex
Hi Shelby,
I have been a LibraryThing member for a long time. My Name is Sean O'Leary. A few years ago, I published a photo-essay I made, based on a trip to German, on Amazon and then this year I started working with a publisher and published a children’s book. I am currently working on a full-length fantasy novel, hopefully to come out this year.
I grew up in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah when I graduated High School (back in the dark ages) and then forgot to go home. I am an Electrical Engineer by profession and own my own design firm. I like to do metal work for fun. And have recently gotten into bookbinding.
Our house is very busy. We have two dogs, two peacocks, four ducks a herd of chickens, an outdoor pond and an indoor fish tank. At last count I am caring for 13 Orchids.
While I have always liked writing, this published author thing is new to me. I look forward to talking to people about writing and what interests them about reading. I have my first book signing coming up in less than a month. I don’t have many expectations. If anyone talks to me, I will be delighted.
I have been a LibraryThing member for a long time. My Name is Sean O'Leary. A few years ago, I published a photo-essay I made, based on a trip to German, on Amazon and then this year I started working with a publisher and published a children’s book. I am currently working on a full-length fantasy novel, hopefully to come out this year.
I grew up in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah when I graduated High School (back in the dark ages) and then forgot to go home. I am an Electrical Engineer by profession and own my own design firm. I like to do metal work for fun. And have recently gotten into bookbinding.
Our house is very busy. We have two dogs, two peacocks, four ducks a herd of chickens, an outdoor pond and an indoor fish tank. At last count I am caring for 13 Orchids.
While I have always liked writing, this published author thing is new to me. I look forward to talking to people about writing and what interests them about reading. I have my first book signing coming up in less than a month. I don’t have many expectations. If anyone talks to me, I will be delighted.
68John_D_Williams
Hello
I am John D Williams and I am a writer. I have 2 short childrens stories published. I have a short sci-fi novella and 1 paranormal mysery completed and in edit mode.
I like to play golf and I grow my own pipe tobacco. My wife and I have two wonderful children, the youngest is neurodivergent.
My writing allows me to escape into another world which is a pleasure at times.
Thanks for reading
John
I am John D Williams and I am a writer. I have 2 short childrens stories published. I have a short sci-fi novella and 1 paranormal mysery completed and in edit mode.
I like to play golf and I grow my own pipe tobacco. My wife and I have two wonderful children, the youngest is neurodivergent.
My writing allows me to escape into another world which is a pleasure at times.
Thanks for reading
John
69apoetstwist
Hello Everyone,
In a self-published author of 6 books (5 children picture books and 1 recently published Novel plus 1 short film production). I’m based in Germany but my German is basic :0)
I just published my 1st novel and I’m working on the film production.
I can play a bit of the drums and have written over 180 poems
I love writing and window shopping plus listening to music
I write - poetry, children books, fictional narrative novels: romance suspense, thrillers etc
My main passion is narrative writing as I love people to connect deeply with the story and see themselves in it
https://www.ibiereaddey.com/
In a self-published author of 6 books (5 children picture books and 1 recently published Novel plus 1 short film production). I’m based in Germany but my German is basic :0)
I just published my 1st novel and I’m working on the film production.
I can play a bit of the drums and have written over 180 poems
I love writing and window shopping plus listening to music
I write - poetry, children books, fictional narrative novels: romance suspense, thrillers etc
My main passion is narrative writing as I love people to connect deeply with the story and see themselves in it
https://www.ibiereaddey.com/
70drayauthor
Hello!
My name is Dawn Ray, and last year, I published my first novel. Due to a few life events and focusing on paying off my student loans, writing ended up on the back burner and, quite honestly, nearly fell off the stove entirely. However, I'm hoping to start writing again and work towards making writing a bigger part of my life. Part of this means expanding my reach of potential readers, which will only increase if I'm able to increase the number of honest reviews the book currently has. Therefore, I'm reaching out in a few places to see if anyone would be interested in a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review? If so, please reply to this and let me know! Thank you!
Below is a link to the Amazon page to read more about the book if you're interested:
https://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Syndicate-Dawn-Ray/dp/1977253644
My name is Dawn Ray, and last year, I published my first novel. Due to a few life events and focusing on paying off my student loans, writing ended up on the back burner and, quite honestly, nearly fell off the stove entirely. However, I'm hoping to start writing again and work towards making writing a bigger part of my life. Part of this means expanding my reach of potential readers, which will only increase if I'm able to increase the number of honest reviews the book currently has. Therefore, I'm reaching out in a few places to see if anyone would be interested in a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review? If so, please reply to this and let me know! Thank you!
Below is a link to the Amazon page to read more about the book if you're interested:
https://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Syndicate-Dawn-Ray/dp/1977253644
71LyonsPen
Hello all!
I've been reading and writing since early grade school and self published my first book, Starlight Jewel, last September. It's a spiceless dark adult fantasy about sprygans and sprygan-human hybrids.
I suppose the irony of my budding writing career is that I have dysgraphia, but once I got a laptop at 17, writing became much less painful. I spent years considering my writing a hobby that wasn't worth investing in because I wasn't very good. Someone finally gave me a bit of a wakeup call about how I should invest in learning the craft and I joined a critique site. Two years of editing with beta readers later and my debut was publishing ready.
I'm now 32 and working on the sequel, which I hope to publish late this year or early next.
I don't lead a particularly exciting life, and am mostly a homebody. But I do live on a nice little slice of suburban swampland in Virginia Beach. The backyard has two swamp creeks and is filled with critters, from snakes and squirrels to ducks and turtles. There's one eastern slider who has stopped in the last two springs to listen to me read aloud. I'd like to consider it a Disney princess sort of thing, but I imagine it's more of a what's-this-crazy-human-doing-talking-to-herself-in-her-backyard sort of thing.
My writing is steeped in nature, biology, and mythology. I love to do book research and create plausible low-magic worlds. I was raised on Tolkien, but veered more toward dark fantasy like Abercrombie and Sanderson as I got older, and now I read a mix of dark SFF and postapocalyptic SFF.
When I'm not reading or writing I'm working as a live-in caregiver for a woman with a TBI. I've been her caregiver for around thirteen years now, since I was 19, and it's a wonderful job. I've had other side jobs in that time, including Gamestop sales and working as a therapist at a youth shelter. But nothing beats having a boss who is respectful, cares about your wellbeing, and appreciates your workaholic nature.
I love to cook and I'm one of those nuts who does whole wheat and no sugar or processed foods. Mostly for my health. I'd love to go on eating as recklessly as I did when I was young, but a few surgeries and a couple seizures has made me prioritize my mind and body over convenience and a sweet tooth.
All the good stuff about my debut including links to buy (it's on kindle unllimited!) can be found here: https://lyonspen.com/starlight-jewel/
I've also published a redneck fantasy humor series on Kindle Vella. Bad Knack is a fun relaxing write for when the dark fantasy gets a bit too heavy. I grew up in the foothills of Appalachia, so it's reflective of that general culture: https://lyonspen.com/bad-knack/
Anyway, hoping to meet some new cool people here!
I've been reading and writing since early grade school and self published my first book, Starlight Jewel, last September. It's a spiceless dark adult fantasy about sprygans and sprygan-human hybrids.
I suppose the irony of my budding writing career is that I have dysgraphia, but once I got a laptop at 17, writing became much less painful. I spent years considering my writing a hobby that wasn't worth investing in because I wasn't very good. Someone finally gave me a bit of a wakeup call about how I should invest in learning the craft and I joined a critique site. Two years of editing with beta readers later and my debut was publishing ready.
I'm now 32 and working on the sequel, which I hope to publish late this year or early next.
I don't lead a particularly exciting life, and am mostly a homebody. But I do live on a nice little slice of suburban swampland in Virginia Beach. The backyard has two swamp creeks and is filled with critters, from snakes and squirrels to ducks and turtles. There's one eastern slider who has stopped in the last two springs to listen to me read aloud. I'd like to consider it a Disney princess sort of thing, but I imagine it's more of a what's-this-crazy-human-doing-talking-to-herself-in-her-backyard sort of thing.
My writing is steeped in nature, biology, and mythology. I love to do book research and create plausible low-magic worlds. I was raised on Tolkien, but veered more toward dark fantasy like Abercrombie and Sanderson as I got older, and now I read a mix of dark SFF and postapocalyptic SFF.
When I'm not reading or writing I'm working as a live-in caregiver for a woman with a TBI. I've been her caregiver for around thirteen years now, since I was 19, and it's a wonderful job. I've had other side jobs in that time, including Gamestop sales and working as a therapist at a youth shelter. But nothing beats having a boss who is respectful, cares about your wellbeing, and appreciates your workaholic nature.
I love to cook and I'm one of those nuts who does whole wheat and no sugar or processed foods. Mostly for my health. I'd love to go on eating as recklessly as I did when I was young, but a few surgeries and a couple seizures has made me prioritize my mind and body over convenience and a sweet tooth.
All the good stuff about my debut including links to buy (it's on kindle unllimited!) can be found here: https://lyonspen.com/starlight-jewel/
I've also published a redneck fantasy humor series on Kindle Vella. Bad Knack is a fun relaxing write for when the dark fantasy gets a bit too heavy. I grew up in the foothills of Appalachia, so it's reflective of that general culture: https://lyonspen.com/bad-knack/
Anyway, hoping to meet some new cool people here!
72JLCrellin
>70 drayauthor:
Hi Dawn, I see you have got quite a few reviews for your book already and I was wondering if you could share with other authors how you made that happen. I know I could do with some advice on the subject! Thanks.
Hi Dawn, I see you have got quite a few reviews for your book already and I was wondering if you could share with other authors how you made that happen. I know I could do with some advice on the subject! Thanks.
73LoriSoard
>1 LShelby: Hi everyone! It's an honor to be here with all the other writers and, of course, fellow readers. Like most authors, I read even more than I write. My world is about books.
I was invited to share a little abut me, so here goes. I am a born and bred Hoosier girl. I've always lived in the state of Indiana and hope to keep it that way, but you never know where God might place you, so I've learned to never say never.
I write small town stories with heart and I live in a tiny town in southern Indiana. We are only known as the birthplace of Colonel Harland Sanders. We have a four-way-stop, two local restaurants, gas stations and that's about it. When I go into town, people greet me by name. Some of them know stuff about me that I don't even know--ha ha!
I've been married to my high school sweetheart for 33 years. We have two beautiful grown daughters we adore and two fabulous granddaughters we are crazy over. We sometimes say people should skip kids and go right to the grandkids. It's much more fun! LOL
I have a house full of pets. We have two miniature dachshunds, so doxies sometimes appear in my stories. We also have four cats, all of them rescues. Cats pick you, though, not the other way around. I am sometimes embarrassed to admit I've been a Christian for 40 years now. My growth as a person doesn't always reflect that time frame. I am very imperfect but thank God I am redeemed even so.
I just finished my first multi-author project for the You Are on the Air series and am now working on book number four in my Cupid's Crossing series. In between, I am doing promotions and reaching new readers and helping with grandkids and living life. It's a busy but fulfilling life and I'm so very blessed in both the happy moments and the harsh ones we all face.
I can't remember a time in my life where I wasn't hearing stories, telling stories, reading and writing. Before I could read, my dad would make up bedtime stories with me and quiz me on words and what they meant. My mom's family comes from a rich Appalachian oral storytelling tradition. From birth, my world has been about stories, both real and made up ones, and how they impact us on an emotional level and can change us for the better.
I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone better. Thank you for letting me be part of the site.
Lori Soard
I was invited to share a little abut me, so here goes. I am a born and bred Hoosier girl. I've always lived in the state of Indiana and hope to keep it that way, but you never know where God might place you, so I've learned to never say never.
I write small town stories with heart and I live in a tiny town in southern Indiana. We are only known as the birthplace of Colonel Harland Sanders. We have a four-way-stop, two local restaurants, gas stations and that's about it. When I go into town, people greet me by name. Some of them know stuff about me that I don't even know--ha ha!
I've been married to my high school sweetheart for 33 years. We have two beautiful grown daughters we adore and two fabulous granddaughters we are crazy over. We sometimes say people should skip kids and go right to the grandkids. It's much more fun! LOL
I have a house full of pets. We have two miniature dachshunds, so doxies sometimes appear in my stories. We also have four cats, all of them rescues. Cats pick you, though, not the other way around. I am sometimes embarrassed to admit I've been a Christian for 40 years now. My growth as a person doesn't always reflect that time frame. I am very imperfect but thank God I am redeemed even so.
I just finished my first multi-author project for the You Are on the Air series and am now working on book number four in my Cupid's Crossing series. In between, I am doing promotions and reaching new readers and helping with grandkids and living life. It's a busy but fulfilling life and I'm so very blessed in both the happy moments and the harsh ones we all face.
I can't remember a time in my life where I wasn't hearing stories, telling stories, reading and writing. Before I could read, my dad would make up bedtime stories with me and quiz me on words and what they meant. My mom's family comes from a rich Appalachian oral storytelling tradition. From birth, my world has been about stories, both real and made up ones, and how they impact us on an emotional level and can change us for the better.
I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone better. Thank you for letting me be part of the site.
Lori Soard
74Shakeema
Hello Everyone,
My name is Shakeema but everyone calls me Shaq. I'm from Brooklyn, NY but currently residing in Albany, NY. I write inclusive children's books that use AI for illustrations. I cover a myriad of topics such as black history, lgbtqia2s+, poaching, equity vs equality and mindfulness for children. I have been self-publishing since Feb 2023 and have 12 books out currently. I am looking to mix it and discuss with both others and readers as I am knew to this and excited to discuss with others on this journey.
Outside of writing hobbies that I have are cooking, sketch art, blogging and podcasting. I have a degree in Psychology and Pre-Law with a minor in Arabic and Islamic studies but currently I work at a level one trauma hospital in their Patient Access department. I am 33 years old, my pronouns are she/her and live with my three cats: Amun Ibeyi Bagheera Catthew Funchess, Ramses Esu Mowgli Meowchal Funchess and Imhotep Ameru Shere Khan Muezza Funchess. Thank you for having me.
My name is Shakeema but everyone calls me Shaq. I'm from Brooklyn, NY but currently residing in Albany, NY. I write inclusive children's books that use AI for illustrations. I cover a myriad of topics such as black history, lgbtqia2s+, poaching, equity vs equality and mindfulness for children. I have been self-publishing since Feb 2023 and have 12 books out currently. I am looking to mix it and discuss with both others and readers as I am knew to this and excited to discuss with others on this journey.
Outside of writing hobbies that I have are cooking, sketch art, blogging and podcasting. I have a degree in Psychology and Pre-Law with a minor in Arabic and Islamic studies but currently I work at a level one trauma hospital in their Patient Access department. I am 33 years old, my pronouns are she/her and live with my three cats: Amun Ibeyi Bagheera Catthew Funchess, Ramses Esu Mowgli Meowchal Funchess and Imhotep Ameru Shere Khan Muezza Funchess. Thank you for having me.
75DarthTindalus
Hello everyone,
My name is Jonathan, and I am relatively new into the realm of actual "published" writing. Pretty much since I was 12, I've always been fascinated with writing different stories of science fiction and fantasy, having been a huge fan of franchises like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Much of my writing started out as just Star Wars fanfics, but of course as I got older I had to convince my younger self that actually writing a legit Star Wars novel was a pipe dream and I actually had to start writing my own original stories, and that's led to where I am now.
Last year I published my first "professional" work, which is a short "novella" of sorts that acts as the first "episode" in a series (in my mind, this series is more episodic and nature, like a TV series). The series is called Tales of the Strider (it's a sci-fi western of sorts), and it's available as an ebook on Kindle! I am currently in the process of writing episode 2, but I am also in the early stages of planning my first full novel, which is a science fiction horror story set in a small town that is subjected to a series of mysterious incidents that is eventually discovered to be an alien invasion. Think Stranger Things meets War of the Worlds, and you've got a good indication of what this novel will be, just probably a bit darker and less... "jokey?" than Stranger Things, if that makes sense. I'm not quite sure what the proper word would be.
Unfortunately, the creative part of my mind works much harder than my writing part, so I find myself constantly bustling with ideas for future stories but don't put as much time into actually putting my current ideas to paper, which is something I am working better at this year (I'm trying to begin with at least an hour a day doing some type of work with my writing). Nevertheless, I will still be plucking along at my works as time goes on, because getting my stories and ideas out there is the utmost important thing to me in writing -- I just want people to have the ability to read these stories, because they mean a lot to me.
I look forward to further discussions in this group! Thanks for having me!
My name is Jonathan, and I am relatively new into the realm of actual "published" writing. Pretty much since I was 12, I've always been fascinated with writing different stories of science fiction and fantasy, having been a huge fan of franchises like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Much of my writing started out as just Star Wars fanfics, but of course as I got older I had to convince my younger self that actually writing a legit Star Wars novel was a pipe dream and I actually had to start writing my own original stories, and that's led to where I am now.
Last year I published my first "professional" work, which is a short "novella" of sorts that acts as the first "episode" in a series (in my mind, this series is more episodic and nature, like a TV series). The series is called Tales of the Strider (it's a sci-fi western of sorts), and it's available as an ebook on Kindle! I am currently in the process of writing episode 2, but I am also in the early stages of planning my first full novel, which is a science fiction horror story set in a small town that is subjected to a series of mysterious incidents that is eventually discovered to be an alien invasion. Think Stranger Things meets War of the Worlds, and you've got a good indication of what this novel will be, just probably a bit darker and less... "jokey?" than Stranger Things, if that makes sense. I'm not quite sure what the proper word would be.
Unfortunately, the creative part of my mind works much harder than my writing part, so I find myself constantly bustling with ideas for future stories but don't put as much time into actually putting my current ideas to paper, which is something I am working better at this year (I'm trying to begin with at least an hour a day doing some type of work with my writing). Nevertheless, I will still be plucking along at my works as time goes on, because getting my stories and ideas out there is the utmost important thing to me in writing -- I just want people to have the ability to read these stories, because they mean a lot to me.
I look forward to further discussions in this group! Thanks for having me!
76GaryRSimonds
This message has been deleted by its author.
78GaryRSimonds
>77 JLCrellin: THanks! I like it! I guess that's a good start...
79GaryRSimonds
This message has been deleted by its author.
80GaryRSimonds
>1 LShelby: Hi Shelby.
I'm Gary. I write under my own name, Gary Simonds, or Gary R Simonds, or Gary Simonds MD, or something like that. I am (or was) by trade a neurosurgeon. I retired from doing surgery a couple of years ago but remain very active in teaching and advising, particularly undergrads and medical students at Virginia Tech. I have done a lot of related writing and presenting through the years. For the last decade or so, I have been very interested in burnout and wellness and have co-written three books on the subject with a fantastic psychologist friend of mine. Last month, I put out my first novel, Death's Pale Flag, which I struggled to find a genre description for. I am calling it a medical/psychological thriller with a paranormal twist. It's about a brain surgeon who begins to become unglued when a series of ghosts begin to haunt him. I am currently working on a YA novel following the exploits of a young soccer player, an adult dystopian novel reminiscent of Nazi Germany, and a murder mystery based in my hometown. Recently, I started writing regular blog posts for Psychology Today online - some of which have been featured as "essential reads."
I write because I love the process. I am particularly enjoying the fiction world after decades of dwelling stark reality. I am also VERY interested in using my writing to open up dialogues on a host of subjects. I have put myself out there to talk to any size group or club ( I have much experience in public speaking) about any of these subjects, or any others for which they think I might be able to shine a little light. Subjects include: neuroscience, neurosurgery and neurology, general medicine, health and fitness, the human body, anatomy and physiology, the aging brain, Diseases of the nervous system, death and dying, science and spirituality, the paranormal, ghosts and the afterlife, burnout, wellness, medical ethics, medical socioeconomics (I have a masters from Dartmouth in this realm), medical residencies, getting into healthcare graduate schools, humanism, medical school and other healthcare graduate schools, sports, sports injuries, leading a full and productive life, simplifying one's life, sustainability, kindness in life, and more.
I grew up in New Jersey and England, was in the Army for my early career, worked at Walter Reed, the Geisinger clinic , and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine - Carilion Clinic in Roanoke. I know live in Black Mountain North Carolina (in the mountains near Asheville with my wife, Cindy, and my border collie, Hamish. We hike a lot and enjoy the local music scene. I play (but not particularly well) the guitar and banjo (I used to have a middle-age garage band) and am gearing up to teach myself the bagpipes (strong Scottish heritage). I adore soccer and played into my late forties when my knees gave up the ghost.
I am a painfully slow reader (which presented a challenge in medical school), so I abandon books that are not holding my interest. My bedside is piled with books. I do not e-read at all but love audiobooks when driving. I read a lot of history but also love British Mysteries, Dickens, police procedurals, cozy mysteries, WWII historical fiction, and classics. I am a Shakespeare nut - not for the plots (which I find awful, but for the wording). I read and reread passages almost daily and also read much Shakespearean history and criticism.
I am new to the production and promotion of fictional works and, whew, I am finding it bewildering and exhausting.
THat's about it for me.
Sorry for droning on.
Cheers
gary
I'm Gary. I write under my own name, Gary Simonds, or Gary R Simonds, or Gary Simonds MD, or something like that. I am (or was) by trade a neurosurgeon. I retired from doing surgery a couple of years ago but remain very active in teaching and advising, particularly undergrads and medical students at Virginia Tech. I have done a lot of related writing and presenting through the years. For the last decade or so, I have been very interested in burnout and wellness and have co-written three books on the subject with a fantastic psychologist friend of mine. Last month, I put out my first novel, Death's Pale Flag, which I struggled to find a genre description for. I am calling it a medical/psychological thriller with a paranormal twist. It's about a brain surgeon who begins to become unglued when a series of ghosts begin to haunt him. I am currently working on a YA novel following the exploits of a young soccer player, an adult dystopian novel reminiscent of Nazi Germany, and a murder mystery based in my hometown. Recently, I started writing regular blog posts for Psychology Today online - some of which have been featured as "essential reads."
I write because I love the process. I am particularly enjoying the fiction world after decades of dwelling stark reality. I am also VERY interested in using my writing to open up dialogues on a host of subjects. I have put myself out there to talk to any size group or club ( I have much experience in public speaking) about any of these subjects, or any others for which they think I might be able to shine a little light. Subjects include: neuroscience, neurosurgery and neurology, general medicine, health and fitness, the human body, anatomy and physiology, the aging brain, Diseases of the nervous system, death and dying, science and spirituality, the paranormal, ghosts and the afterlife, burnout, wellness, medical ethics, medical socioeconomics (I have a masters from Dartmouth in this realm), medical residencies, getting into healthcare graduate schools, humanism, medical school and other healthcare graduate schools, sports, sports injuries, leading a full and productive life, simplifying one's life, sustainability, kindness in life, and more.
I grew up in New Jersey and England, was in the Army for my early career, worked at Walter Reed, the Geisinger clinic , and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine - Carilion Clinic in Roanoke. I know live in Black Mountain North Carolina (in the mountains near Asheville with my wife, Cindy, and my border collie, Hamish. We hike a lot and enjoy the local music scene. I play (but not particularly well) the guitar and banjo (I used to have a middle-age garage band) and am gearing up to teach myself the bagpipes (strong Scottish heritage). I adore soccer and played into my late forties when my knees gave up the ghost.
I am a painfully slow reader (which presented a challenge in medical school), so I abandon books that are not holding my interest. My bedside is piled with books. I do not e-read at all but love audiobooks when driving. I read a lot of history but also love British Mysteries, Dickens, police procedurals, cozy mysteries, WWII historical fiction, and classics. I am a Shakespeare nut - not for the plots (which I find awful, but for the wording). I read and reread passages almost daily and also read much Shakespearean history and criticism.
I am new to the production and promotion of fictional works and, whew, I am finding it bewildering and exhausting.
THat's about it for me.
Sorry for droning on.
Cheers
gary
81BryanCole
Hello all,
My name is Bryan, and I'm the author of A Paladin’s Journey, a series starting with Beginning of Arrogance and continuing with Futility of Defense. I'm relatively new to the writing world, having spent years working in the enterprise software space, focused on quality assurance and delivery of software applications. Which is weird, because that has nothing to do with writing fiction. But you do get a lot of writing practice, so that certainly helped :)
I've had a lifelong passion for epic science fiction and high fantasy adventure. Everything from my grade four teacher letting me stay after school to play a video game where you were the wizard on a quest, defeating monsters by answering math problems, to some truly memorable movies like Willow were pretty formative events in me growing to love the fantasy genre.
These days, I live in Toronto with my wife and daughter, and my adorable - but sometimes murderous - cat (and I have the claw marks to prove it!).
My name is Bryan, and I'm the author of A Paladin’s Journey, a series starting with Beginning of Arrogance and continuing with Futility of Defense. I'm relatively new to the writing world, having spent years working in the enterprise software space, focused on quality assurance and delivery of software applications. Which is weird, because that has nothing to do with writing fiction. But you do get a lot of writing practice, so that certainly helped :)
I've had a lifelong passion for epic science fiction and high fantasy adventure. Everything from my grade four teacher letting me stay after school to play a video game where you were the wizard on a quest, defeating monsters by answering math problems, to some truly memorable movies like Willow were pretty formative events in me growing to love the fantasy genre.
These days, I live in Toronto with my wife and daughter, and my adorable - but sometimes murderous - cat (and I have the claw marks to prove it!).
82RoderickEdotcom
Hello, I'm RoderickE. I have written and published over 25 books in paperback, ebook, hardcover, and audiobook formats since 2017. I was given up for adoption at birth and left at the hospital to die because I had some birth defects. I obviously survived, unless you believe in actual ghost writers :-) At age 50 I found my birth family which set off my writing career. So, if you are looking for an author that writes some real sh1t, you found him. I am a multi-genre author so my books are fiction, non-fiction, biographies, history, politics, religion -- you name it! I'd love to interact with avid readers!
Roderick Edwards
https://amazon.com/author/roderickedwards
Roderick Edwards
https://amazon.com/author/roderickedwards
83ARHurne
Hello :) I'm SM Thomas, usually known as Steph. I started writing 'properly' (aka trying to make it more than a hobby) last September and am just about to release the final book in my thriller trilogy.
When I'm not writing I can either be found curled up with a book or dancing like a lunatic around the living room with my two sons.
When I'm not writing I can either be found curled up with a book or dancing like a lunatic around the living room with my two sons.
84bryanTmitchell
Hello, I'm Bryan Mitchell. I live with my wife and kids in North Carolina had have served in the US Army for a little over a decade before settling down. My first novel, Infernal Fall, takes place in Dante's Inferno. It was published by Descendant Publishing in October of 2023. I'm currently working on Almost Paradise which should debut October 24th of 2023. Still considering what I'll write next. When I'm not working or doing my day job, I'm spending time with my family doing everyday things. Feel free to reach me any time.
85Haley_Anna_Marie
Hello, fellow authors!
I'm Haley Anna Marie! I'm currently working on my third book in my dark fantasy series, Elementas, but not in any rush since the second, Elementas: War of the Gods, just released. (Famous last words.) I write in this subgenre of fantasy because I enjoy darker tones, morally gray characters, and find it refreshing that there isn't always a happy ending while things go awry.
When not writing, I'm hiking the redwood forest or walking the beach. Nature is my happy place. I also picked up cross-stitching, which is way more fun than I thought.
I'm Haley Anna Marie! I'm currently working on my third book in my dark fantasy series, Elementas, but not in any rush since the second, Elementas: War of the Gods, just released. (Famous last words.) I write in this subgenre of fantasy because I enjoy darker tones, morally gray characters, and find it refreshing that there isn't always a happy ending while things go awry.
When not writing, I'm hiking the redwood forest or walking the beach. Nature is my happy place. I also picked up cross-stitching, which is way more fun than I thought.
86JoelMccuneAuthor
Hello fellow wordsmiths,
I'm Joel McCune, or as some like to label me: the Agile Alchemist & Tail-Wagger's Pal. While I wear many hats—from a beaming SAFe SPC to an energetic RTE, from a rigorous PMP holder to an MBA graduate, and from the realm of Computer Science with a BS under my belt—I always keep one hat firmly in place, that of a Devoted Dog Dad.
My journey over the past decade has woven through various roles—software engineer, product owner, scrum master, and Release Train Engineer (SAFe) to name a few. Each chapter of my career has not only deepened my appreciation for Agile frameworks and methodologies but also enriched my storytelling palette.
When I'm not engrossed in the intricate ballet of Agile practices or explaining them in layman's terms, I'm usually seen sharing tales of my canine adventures, drawing parallels between a dog's world and the agile universe. Because, let's face it, if there's anything more agile than a software sprint, it's a pup chasing its own tail!
I'm thrilled to connect with fellow authors here. Let's share stories, exchange notes, and perhaps even find synergies between our worlds. After all, isn't the world of writing the most agile of them all, constantly adapting, evolving, and narrating the human experience?
My latest book: Agile Unscrum-bled: Decoding Agile Jargon in 2023
Book Link: https://a.co/d/aySNYhd
Warm regards,
Joel McCune.
I'm Joel McCune, or as some like to label me: the Agile Alchemist & Tail-Wagger's Pal. While I wear many hats—from a beaming SAFe SPC to an energetic RTE, from a rigorous PMP holder to an MBA graduate, and from the realm of Computer Science with a BS under my belt—I always keep one hat firmly in place, that of a Devoted Dog Dad.
My journey over the past decade has woven through various roles—software engineer, product owner, scrum master, and Release Train Engineer (SAFe) to name a few. Each chapter of my career has not only deepened my appreciation for Agile frameworks and methodologies but also enriched my storytelling palette.
When I'm not engrossed in the intricate ballet of Agile practices or explaining them in layman's terms, I'm usually seen sharing tales of my canine adventures, drawing parallels between a dog's world and the agile universe. Because, let's face it, if there's anything more agile than a software sprint, it's a pup chasing its own tail!
I'm thrilled to connect with fellow authors here. Let's share stories, exchange notes, and perhaps even find synergies between our worlds. After all, isn't the world of writing the most agile of them all, constantly adapting, evolving, and narrating the human experience?
My latest book: Agile Unscrum-bled: Decoding Agile Jargon in 2023
Book Link: https://a.co/d/aySNYhd
Warm regards,
Joel McCune.
87stuartperegrine
Hello Everyone.
I am late to the party (as usual). About me: I grew up surrounded by books - my father's den had floor to ceiling shelves and comfortable chairs, so books have always meant "home" to me. I inherited my appetite for the written word from him, as well as from my mother, who had an incomplete novel boxed up and waiting for her to come back to it. I majored in English (technical writing) and worked in that field for a time as a writer and editor. Eventually, due to the vagaries of demand, I learned just enough computer science to be a danger to PCs everywhere, and spent the last 20 years providing desktop support. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, but it took me half my life to find the answer to "about what?" I have now written 3 books in an epic fantasy series and am working on the fourth. Our seven cats allow my wife and I to share their home in East Tennessee, from which we have a wonderful view of the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. When I am not writing (or when I am looking for reasons to not write), I enjoy video games, bird-watching, and reading.
I am late to the party (as usual). About me: I grew up surrounded by books - my father's den had floor to ceiling shelves and comfortable chairs, so books have always meant "home" to me. I inherited my appetite for the written word from him, as well as from my mother, who had an incomplete novel boxed up and waiting for her to come back to it. I majored in English (technical writing) and worked in that field for a time as a writer and editor. Eventually, due to the vagaries of demand, I learned just enough computer science to be a danger to PCs everywhere, and spent the last 20 years providing desktop support. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, but it took me half my life to find the answer to "about what?" I have now written 3 books in an epic fantasy series and am working on the fourth. Our seven cats allow my wife and I to share their home in East Tennessee, from which we have a wonderful view of the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. When I am not writing (or when I am looking for reasons to not write), I enjoy video games, bird-watching, and reading.
88kelseycarlee
Hey fellow authors! My name is Kelsey Carlee and I have authored two books. The Double Yellow Line is a book of poetry, and my second book is a memoir, Double Crossed and Unraveled. I'm releasing a third book by the end of this year but I am uncertain if I will use Kindle Direct Publishing for it. I've been writing since I was a kid, and my first published work was at fourteen years old. I share my writing in the hopes that it will help others. I'm glad to be here and, I'm looking forward to reading the introductions from others.
89D_J_Walker
Hi, I'm D J Walker, an author and indie publisher. I've written seven fantasy books, five of which are already launched. One is a standalone, "Dream On, Brother. Dream On", about a slave and his mistress who time travel from 1859 to the 1990s. Three are in the "Tek & Nika" series about indigenous shapeshifters -- "Sliver of Evil" and "Nika Rising" have been published; "Sinuous Passages" is getting close to launch. Three others are in the "Jeli" series about a clash between African and Mycenaean god families -- "Thwortle" and "Dancing Mountain" have been published; "Stript" will probably launch next year. I've started writing some interconnected stories about the supernatural in a rural setting. I'm happy to join this group.
90radiatedskull
Hello, new author here! My name is Theodore Thomas. I have self-published 1 book (Toothless), and have a couple of short stories that are pending reviews in a couple of sci-fi journals (fingers crossed those are accepted). I've got a lot more books in my head, the trick is finding time to get them out and into the world. It's a constant struggle that I am sure all of you are familiar with. Still, we find a way and make it work. Happy to be hear. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or comments.
91sarah_d_writer
Hey new author here! I'm Sarah D, and I too self-published a book (His Lingering Perfume) and also write journal entries and short love stories on Medium blog. I enjoy writing because its a process of thinking like a reader, and I find that I tell stories in a sweet but unique soothing narrative voice. I would love to make an audiobook version of my book, and I love to get into conversations about it.
92kitsune_reader
Just joined LibraryThing and am slowly getting to grips with how things work. I have one book out, and still struggling with marketing, and am working on another for a pen name. I haven't used my real name as user name because I've just had a very nasty experience on another site with multiple threatening and abusive posts made against me for no reason I could fathom by fake accounts. I flagged them, reported it to support and they have come back to say they have deleted those accounts but it has been a nasty experience leaving me a bit cautious at present.
93BambiniMedia
Hi, I'm a former teacher, mother and grandmother from Melbourne, Australia.
I've been writing poetry for a long time, but after my first grandchild was born, I started writing children's books to leave both a legacy and some important life messages for children and their parents. I call it 'generational change'.
I've written and published 3 books:-
(Leo's Moon), a story about sustainability and the power of one, ((William said "Wow!")) about the love between grandparents and grandchildren and (((Stella Couldn't Sleep))), about how human babies and animal babies are very similar when it comes to sleeping habits.
The best reviews I've had have been from children themselves who love and absorb the messages and put them into practice. This is by far the most satisfying. I've also had some very good adult reviews and have mastered the publishing part, but am still getting my head around the marketing and promotion, as its adults who buy for children, not the children they are written for.
Anyway, there are plenty of more stories that I've written and am yet to publish, but am enjoying getting back into schools as an author to read to children and the joy these books bring my own grandchildren.
I'd love any communication or reviews from fellow authors and wish you all well.
Cinthia Del Grosso
I've been writing poetry for a long time, but after my first grandchild was born, I started writing children's books to leave both a legacy and some important life messages for children and their parents. I call it 'generational change'.
I've written and published 3 books:-
(Leo's Moon), a story about sustainability and the power of one, ((William said "Wow!")) about the love between grandparents and grandchildren and (((Stella Couldn't Sleep))), about how human babies and animal babies are very similar when it comes to sleeping habits.
The best reviews I've had have been from children themselves who love and absorb the messages and put them into practice. This is by far the most satisfying. I've also had some very good adult reviews and have mastered the publishing part, but am still getting my head around the marketing and promotion, as its adults who buy for children, not the children they are written for.
Anyway, there are plenty of more stories that I've written and am yet to publish, but am enjoying getting back into schools as an author to read to children and the joy these books bring my own grandchildren.
I'd love any communication or reviews from fellow authors and wish you all well.
Cinthia Del Grosso
94janetsmuga
Hi, I'm new to LibraryThing.
My memoir is based on what happened to my family after my sister, Nancy Klein, became briefly famous as "Coma Mom" in 1989 after an auto accident. I never thought another American family would ever have to go to court to secure a woman's health care -- I wrote the book before the Dobbs decision -- but in a post-Roe world, Nancy's story has new relevance.
But the book goes far beyond Nancy's accident, her hospitalization, and the legal fight. My title is, Damaged: After the coma, after the headlines, the story of a family.
Nancy's story in the newspapers had a happy ending when they were able to report she was out of the coma. Anyone who has dealt with serious brain injury knows the effects are life-changing and lifelong, and the victim isn't the only person to feel the impact.
I have published in paperback, ebook, and audio, and I would love to have some reviews.
Learn more at jsmuga.com
Janet Smuga
My memoir is based on what happened to my family after my sister, Nancy Klein, became briefly famous as "Coma Mom" in 1989 after an auto accident. I never thought another American family would ever have to go to court to secure a woman's health care -- I wrote the book before the Dobbs decision -- but in a post-Roe world, Nancy's story has new relevance.
But the book goes far beyond Nancy's accident, her hospitalization, and the legal fight. My title is, Damaged: After the coma, after the headlines, the story of a family.
Nancy's story in the newspapers had a happy ending when they were able to report she was out of the coma. Anyone who has dealt with serious brain injury knows the effects are life-changing and lifelong, and the victim isn't the only person to feel the impact.
I have published in paperback, ebook, and audio, and I would love to have some reviews.
Learn more at jsmuga.com
Janet Smuga
95wtkosmos
Hi All -
I'm a new humorist author / life-long educator new to LibraryThing, which seems awesome. I'd like to use this platform to connect with readers and let you know about book promotions! This includes two running through December 31, 2023. Please consider leaving a review on here and Amazon.
Maya and Waggers: I Have to Scoop What? (2023) For ages 8 and up.
Summary: Maya stays with Uncle Puddin’ Head to prove she can take care of the new family rescue puppy, Waggers. But Maya refuses to scoop poop, and Uncle Puddin’ Head really, really cares about his new lawn. When Maya attempts creative solutions in the strange neighbors’ yards, problems start piling up.
Blaze Union and the Puddin' Head Schools. (2023) For ages 12 to 128.
Summary: A fourteen-year-old phenomenal guitar and football (soccer) player attempts to lead a Puddin’ Head educational revolution against powerful, divisive knuckleheads, as told by a teacher seeking a cure for absurdity neurosis.
learn more: wtkosmos.com
Cheers,
W.T. Kosmos
I'm a new humorist author / life-long educator new to LibraryThing, which seems awesome. I'd like to use this platform to connect with readers and let you know about book promotions! This includes two running through December 31, 2023. Please consider leaving a review on here and Amazon.
Maya and Waggers: I Have to Scoop What? (2023) For ages 8 and up.
Summary: Maya stays with Uncle Puddin’ Head to prove she can take care of the new family rescue puppy, Waggers. But Maya refuses to scoop poop, and Uncle Puddin’ Head really, really cares about his new lawn. When Maya attempts creative solutions in the strange neighbors’ yards, problems start piling up.
Blaze Union and the Puddin' Head Schools. (2023) For ages 12 to 128.
Summary: A fourteen-year-old phenomenal guitar and football (soccer) player attempts to lead a Puddin’ Head educational revolution against powerful, divisive knuckleheads, as told by a teacher seeking a cure for absurdity neurosis.
learn more: wtkosmos.com
Cheers,
W.T. Kosmos
96Sam_8.Mar-49
This message has been deleted by its author.
97Sam_8.Mar-49
I realize there are other "amateur home caregivers" like me on their own trying to take care of a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease.
Like everyone I had to learn the hard way by trial and error 24/7 for 6 years to mitigate tremendous changes in behavior with my wife. It's not easy as she was in the beginning of the advanced stages unable to speak.
My second book “62 Tips For Caregivers of Alzheimer´s To Delay Shutdown” defines what it means to be a home caregiver of a loved one with Alzheimer's on the loneliest possible life journey.
It details how caregivers are up against a huge wall of emotions that work aggressively against their efforts when trying to care give for a family member with Alzheimer's.
Caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's without any outside help is extremely difficult but in most cases there is no other option. Outside professional help cannot respond “in real time” when radical behavioral changes occur. Only home caregivers can. There are no two profile behavioral changes alike, not even in the same stage of the disease.
There isn't a standard therapy to apply. There are no fixed "do this'' and "do that" rules, or a “to do list” for the caregiver to follow. Even the stages of Alzheimer's vary in their characteristics. Hospice Care begins at home the very first day it is diagnosed.
This book can possibly be a shortcut for caregivers as it details experiences from successes and failures from a home caregiver as a guide to deal with these behavioral changes. “What worked for me may not work for you.” Caregivers are completely on their own.
Detailed are my own invented personalized therapies and activities that can empower a caregiver with new tools and strategies from an experienced home caregiver to mitigate “in real time” changes of behavior of their loved one.
Readers who identify as home caregivers will sacrifice whatever it takes, suspend any activity we enjoy, ignore our basic necessities, and neglect our health to prevent our loved ones from shutting down.
Hopefully this book will provide that much needed guidance, support and instill confidence and hope to those navigating the loneliest journey of their lives.
Like everyone I had to learn the hard way by trial and error 24/7 for 6 years to mitigate tremendous changes in behavior with my wife. It's not easy as she was in the beginning of the advanced stages unable to speak.
My second book “62 Tips For Caregivers of Alzheimer´s To Delay Shutdown” defines what it means to be a home caregiver of a loved one with Alzheimer's on the loneliest possible life journey.
It details how caregivers are up against a huge wall of emotions that work aggressively against their efforts when trying to care give for a family member with Alzheimer's.
Caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's without any outside help is extremely difficult but in most cases there is no other option. Outside professional help cannot respond “in real time” when radical behavioral changes occur. Only home caregivers can. There are no two profile behavioral changes alike, not even in the same stage of the disease.
There isn't a standard therapy to apply. There are no fixed "do this'' and "do that" rules, or a “to do list” for the caregiver to follow. Even the stages of Alzheimer's vary in their characteristics. Hospice Care begins at home the very first day it is diagnosed.
This book can possibly be a shortcut for caregivers as it details experiences from successes and failures from a home caregiver as a guide to deal with these behavioral changes. “What worked for me may not work for you.” Caregivers are completely on their own.
Detailed are my own invented personalized therapies and activities that can empower a caregiver with new tools and strategies from an experienced home caregiver to mitigate “in real time” changes of behavior of their loved one.
Readers who identify as home caregivers will sacrifice whatever it takes, suspend any activity we enjoy, ignore our basic necessities, and neglect our health to prevent our loved ones from shutting down.
Hopefully this book will provide that much needed guidance, support and instill confidence and hope to those navigating the loneliest journey of their lives.
99AutumnCarolynn
Is there an authors intro post for 2024? Thanks!
100GrantLandry
I am a brand new author with an expressed interest in historical fiction, fantasy, and romance motivated by genealogy and family history, particularly with the people that get forgotten and the stories that get lost through the years. I have written a book "To Never Return" that I would love to have people read and provide me with some feedback. It is approximately 93,000 words. Thank you in advance! Here is the back cover description:
Grant Landry leads an aimless and unfulfilling life until he gets an invitation to a family reunion and hears a woman’s voice telling him to look through his family heirlooms. When Grant finds a picture of his great aunt Mary Kate whom he knows nothing about, he decides to attend the family reunion to find out more about her. Seventy-Five years earlier, Mary Kate struggles with societal norms, family expectations, and finding her own purpose in life. Grant has seemingly random encounters with Mary Kate that fuel his curiosity about her, but he learns that she never gets to explore her quest for the meaning of life because she dies early. He becomes aware that he has a chance to prevent her premature death but knows that he could disastrously alter the course of future events for himself and many others. Through their interactions, Grant and Mary Kate find that they have already influenced outcomes in the future. “To Never Return” is a story of health, protection, and everlasting love and how each of our actions sets the course of history in ways we could never imagine.
Grant Landry leads an aimless and unfulfilling life until he gets an invitation to a family reunion and hears a woman’s voice telling him to look through his family heirlooms. When Grant finds a picture of his great aunt Mary Kate whom he knows nothing about, he decides to attend the family reunion to find out more about her. Seventy-Five years earlier, Mary Kate struggles with societal norms, family expectations, and finding her own purpose in life. Grant has seemingly random encounters with Mary Kate that fuel his curiosity about her, but he learns that she never gets to explore her quest for the meaning of life because she dies early. He becomes aware that he has a chance to prevent her premature death but knows that he could disastrously alter the course of future events for himself and many others. Through their interactions, Grant and Mary Kate find that they have already influenced outcomes in the future. “To Never Return” is a story of health, protection, and everlasting love and how each of our actions sets the course of history in ways we could never imagine.
101m.d.tophus
Hi everyone,
I am very grateful to be a part of this community.
My author name (P.N.) is M.D. Tophus.
I have had 17 books published- they range from forensic, psychological through to primary health, genres.
Am passionate about safety & quality, and ethical behavior and try to write with consistency regarding these underlying themes. I have been working in the healthcare field for over 25 years.
Am currently trying to teach myself to play chess- which I am discovering is both challenging and enjoyable all at once!
Best regards,
M.D. Tophus
I am very grateful to be a part of this community.
My author name (P.N.) is M.D. Tophus.
I have had 17 books published- they range from forensic, psychological through to primary health, genres.
Am passionate about safety & quality, and ethical behavior and try to write with consistency regarding these underlying themes. I have been working in the healthcare field for over 25 years.
Am currently trying to teach myself to play chess- which I am discovering is both challenging and enjoyable all at once!
Best regards,
M.D. Tophus
102Shepherdessbooks
Hi, I recently became aware of Library Thing (though my books were already on the site!) so I'd like to introduce myself. I've written two novels , Wrong Highway (ShepherdessBooks 2016) and It's Always 9/11 (Shepherdess Books 2021). Both books are quite different, though they both feature strong female protagonists and tightly plotted yet character-driven narratives. I also write screenplays (one, Liability Insurance was a "second rounder" at the Austin Film Festival 2023 and a Quarterfinalist in the Vail Screenplay Competition. ) and have 30 some years experience in journalism, primarily on organic agriculture, nutrition, and restaurants, but also local news features and political commentary.
You can read more about my writing on my author website: https://wendygordonauthor.com
I have a large family that takes up a lot of my time: a husband, 4 children, and six grandchildren.
In my spare time I enjoy cooking, fabric crafts, hiking, and jam bands.
You can read more about my writing on my author website: https://wendygordonauthor.com
I have a large family that takes up a lot of my time: a husband, 4 children, and six grandchildren.
In my spare time I enjoy cooking, fabric crafts, hiking, and jam bands.
103TomCW
I've been writing for a while and I've produced seven books about the adventures of James Burke who was a spy for Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. Burke was a real person and the first book (Burke in the Land of Silver) is quite closely based on truth. Later books, though having a solid historical background, are fictional.
I have also written thee more serious novels set in the Age of Empire. The Williamson Papers explore the life of James Brooke in Borneo and the events leading up to the Cawnpore massacre in 1857.
Recently I've been experimenting with Urban Fantasy, which generally involves less time spent on research.
I have also written thee more serious novels set in the Age of Empire. The Williamson Papers explore the life of James Brooke in Borneo and the events leading up to the Cawnpore massacre in 1857.
Recently I've been experimenting with Urban Fantasy, which generally involves less time spent on research.
104KerriHakoda
Hi, all;
I'm a total newbie to LibraryThing, the publishing business, and especially online self-promotion. My debut mystery novel, Cold To The Touch, is due to be published in April by Crooked Lane Books. It's an Alaska-based thriller with a multi-racial police detective - a quick, action-packed read, hopefully with enough character development to keep more literary types engaged as well. I have a YA sci-fi novel in progress, and an historical novel in the trunk. I've also written a mystery trilogy with a collaborator, two of which were finalists in regional writing contests but have not been published (also trunk residents). Please visit my website at: https://www.kerrihakoda.com for more info. It's great to be part of this community!
I'm a total newbie to LibraryThing, the publishing business, and especially online self-promotion. My debut mystery novel, Cold To The Touch, is due to be published in April by Crooked Lane Books. It's an Alaska-based thriller with a multi-racial police detective - a quick, action-packed read, hopefully with enough character development to keep more literary types engaged as well. I have a YA sci-fi novel in progress, and an historical novel in the trunk. I've also written a mystery trilogy with a collaborator, two of which were finalists in regional writing contests but have not been published (also trunk residents). Please visit my website at: https://www.kerrihakoda.com for more info. It's great to be part of this community!
105Les_Rico
Greetings to all, I'm an Average Joe and amatuer first time writer. I never thought that writing was so much fun. I'm ready to write another book, but first please critique my first book, you can treat my book as just for fun or seriously. It's on Amazon with ISBN: 9798218366131
Cheers.
Cheers.
106DCWilkinson
>Hello LShelby, I am D. C. Wilkinson. I am a writer and author of a newly released book, "Devin's Dreams". I am a retired NYC public school teacher. I enjoy reading and writing historical fiction, portal fantasies and LGBTQ-themed narratives. My love with writing began in the Midwest where I went to school before I relocated to the East Coast. I currently reside in the State of Connecticut with my spouse and my 8-year-old beagle.
107masonreads
Hello! My name is mason and I'm a currently unpublished author residing in Appalachia TN. I use that aspect for my fantasy and horror novels I am working on! The novels I am currently working on at the moment are two romances (one high school and one college, not the same couple), a horror novel with heavy Appalachian themes, a horror novel with dark web / liminal space themes, and a political romantasy about dragons and fae. I spend my non writing time playing video games with my fiancé and black cat named Salem.
108randycorn
Hello,
Here is my brief biography.
About the author
Randy Corn was born September 16, 1960, in Homestead, Florida, the year of Hurricane Donna. Randy had a wonderful childhood as he grew up in Silver Lake, Ohio, and returned to Florida in 1971. Randy started working for GTE/Verizon/Frontier Communications in 1998 and retired after 19 years of service as a telephony drafter/database technician. Randy’s passion for storytelling, photography, and cinematography grew into his passion for filmmaking. Randy enrolled in the New York Institute of Photography and graduated on January 14, 2009, with a sense of accomplishment and more enthusiasm to keep learning. After retiring from Frontier Communications in 2016 Randy decided to delve into film photography so Randy embarked on an associate in science degree in Photographic Technology from Saint Petersburg College from which Randy graduated in January 2020. Randy earned his B.A.S. in Technology Management in 2008 and an M.F.A. in Motion Pictures and Television (Screenwriting) in 2014.
Here is my brief biography.
About the author
Randy Corn was born September 16, 1960, in Homestead, Florida, the year of Hurricane Donna. Randy had a wonderful childhood as he grew up in Silver Lake, Ohio, and returned to Florida in 1971. Randy started working for GTE/Verizon/Frontier Communications in 1998 and retired after 19 years of service as a telephony drafter/database technician. Randy’s passion for storytelling, photography, and cinematography grew into his passion for filmmaking. Randy enrolled in the New York Institute of Photography and graduated on January 14, 2009, with a sense of accomplishment and more enthusiasm to keep learning. After retiring from Frontier Communications in 2016 Randy decided to delve into film photography so Randy embarked on an associate in science degree in Photographic Technology from Saint Petersburg College from which Randy graduated in January 2020. Randy earned his B.A.S. in Technology Management in 2008 and an M.F.A. in Motion Pictures and Television (Screenwriting) in 2014.
109PaulLev
Hi everyone -- it's been more than a decade since I've been here, so I thought I'd briefly re-introduce myself. I'm author of eight science fiction novels, 30+ stories, and seven nonfiction books. My recent novel, published in February, is It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles. This marks a slight change in my focus from time travel to alternate history (and of course alternate history often is a consequence of travel to the past). The short story on which the novel is based won The Mary Shelley Award for Outstanding Fiction in 2023, and was a finalist for The Sidewise Award for Alternate History (short form, 2022). It was made into a radio play which was in turn was published as an audio book. Here's Jack Dann's blurb about the novel: "Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite (and absolutely non-didactic) meditation on the very nature of alternate history."
110edrflynnart
Hi All, My Name is Ed Flynn, I'm an Illustrator and Cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. I'm new to this platform and though I try it to help get some notice of my books as well those of my friends. Most of my books are collections of my cartoons on various comedic and politically satirical topics. My latest book has proved to be a challenge since it is a satire of Donald Trump. Given how this year my go, I'm not sure if the book will end up being banned under a crazy Trump Presidency. I guess we'll wait and see.
111sbdrag
Hello, I'm Rori, and I write silly queer love stories! I'm currently working on my second bachelor's degree - this time in Animation Game Design - and have a main series called Demon King's Gardener that I serial publish weekly while also collecting into novellas. I've been posting the story for a little over a year and a half, and still going strong! I apparently joined LibraryThing a while back but didn't really do anything with my account then, so trying to be more invested this time around!
112Cade_Mengler
Hello Everyone, I'm Cade
I write novels and I currently have a fantasy novel out on Amazon called The Companions. I am working on writing more novels. My hobbies include reading, writing, and tennis. I was born and raised in Corvallis, Oregon. I also love to discuss literature and storytelling. Even though I write novels, I don't have an overly large preference when it comes to reading. I have and do read quite a few novels, but I also enjoy philosophy/theology and some history as well as many other genres. I am excited to be a part of this community.
I write novels and I currently have a fantasy novel out on Amazon called The Companions. I am working on writing more novels. My hobbies include reading, writing, and tennis. I was born and raised in Corvallis, Oregon. I also love to discuss literature and storytelling. Even though I write novels, I don't have an overly large preference when it comes to reading. I have and do read quite a few novels, but I also enjoy philosophy/theology and some history as well as many other genres. I am excited to be a part of this community.
113LavelleAndrewMiller
Hello, My name is Lavelle Miller Sr. I write mystery/thriller novels. I am a United States Army Veteran. I served as a Military Police Officer. My wife and four kids reside right outside of Nashville, TN, where I was born and raised.
114RonSchulz
Hello, I'm working on a series of memoirs of the 1960s, true adventures in an exciting era. Three books are out now and two more are awaiting publication with more on the way. My latest book is HOME AT THE EDGE, a sequel to CHICAGO RAGE, and CHICAGO WHITE PANTHER and TEENAGE RUNAWAY will be released soon by Tumbleweed Books.
I am the father of two, and a grandfather of three, who believes in living life to the fullest, regardless of fickle circumstances.
I was born in Chicago in 1952, ran away to New Orleans at 15 but was betrayed by a priest, and at 17 I 'legally' dropped out to explore the counterculture before hitchhiking across Europe and Africa, working and loving my way on a roundabout Buddhist pilgrimage to Nepal, which is the subject of several more upcoming books. Now a semi-retired hobo, writing my honest history of those tumultuous times, I hope to honor the memory of bygone companions before I too vanish from this planet.
I am the father of two, and a grandfather of three, who believes in living life to the fullest, regardless of fickle circumstances.
I was born in Chicago in 1952, ran away to New Orleans at 15 but was betrayed by a priest, and at 17 I 'legally' dropped out to explore the counterculture before hitchhiking across Europe and Africa, working and loving my way on a roundabout Buddhist pilgrimage to Nepal, which is the subject of several more upcoming books. Now a semi-retired hobo, writing my honest history of those tumultuous times, I hope to honor the memory of bygone companions before I too vanish from this planet.
116NYC_poet
Genial greetings from Greenwich Village. My name is LindaAnn LoSchiavo. I'm a native New Yorker whose "literary leanings" started early. At age 9, I had my first one-act drama onstage here in NYC, where it ran for a few months. Also at age 9, my first poem was published; "The Tiger," a sonnet, ran in a modest campus zine. These experiences shaped my goals as a wordsmith.
* * Interesting odd facts about me:
* * All 4 of my grandparents were born on active volcanoes - - no, not the same volcano! (smile)
* * When my Dad was at his workplace and he had no access to a phone, my parents would communicate via telepathing. Due to a family emergency when I was 11, when I absolutely had to reach my father, I discovered that I could telepath, too. In the era before cellphones, this ability to reach others silently had advantages.
* * I was born in October & Hallowe'en is my favorite holiday.
* * In 2024, I had three poetry books published - - by a publisher in England, in Canada, and in the USA.
I look forward to learning more about L.T. members!
* * Interesting odd facts about me:
* * All 4 of my grandparents were born on active volcanoes - - no, not the same volcano! (smile)
* * When my Dad was at his workplace and he had no access to a phone, my parents would communicate via telepathing. Due to a family emergency when I was 11, when I absolutely had to reach my father, I discovered that I could telepath, too. In the era before cellphones, this ability to reach others silently had advantages.
* * I was born in October & Hallowe'en is my favorite holiday.
* * In 2024, I had three poetry books published - - by a publisher in England, in Canada, and in the USA.
I look forward to learning more about L.T. members!
117paradoxosalpha
>116 NYC_poet: no, not the same volcano!
Four different volcanoes would be impressive.
Four different volcanoes would be impressive.
118SteveRhinelander
Everyone:
It has been about a year and a half since I have posted anything on Library Thing, so I would like to re-introduce myself.
My pen name is Steve Rhinelander. I published my first novel, Poutine and Gin, in 2022. It is a detective novel set in 1940 of an alternate history in which the French and their Native American allies won the French and Indian War in the 1700s. As a result, Quebec is an independent republic that includes the Great Lakes basin.
A sequel to that novel, entitled Death on Lake Winnipeg, is going to be launched about a week from the time of this post, Friday, August 23. It is also a detective novel, and it is set in the same alternate history as my first book. In addition to Quebec being an independent republic, Manitoba is also a separate country.
Thanks.
Steve
It has been about a year and a half since I have posted anything on Library Thing, so I would like to re-introduce myself.
My pen name is Steve Rhinelander. I published my first novel, Poutine and Gin, in 2022. It is a detective novel set in 1940 of an alternate history in which the French and their Native American allies won the French and Indian War in the 1700s. As a result, Quebec is an independent republic that includes the Great Lakes basin.
A sequel to that novel, entitled Death on Lake Winnipeg, is going to be launched about a week from the time of this post, Friday, August 23. It is also a detective novel, and it is set in the same alternate history as my first book. In addition to Quebec being an independent republic, Manitoba is also a separate country.
Thanks.
Steve
119dcvance
>114 RonSchulz: Hi Ron --
I was born in Chicago a year before you. The 1960s were an eventful time, for sure.
Have you ever seen the movie "Medium Cool" filmed in Chicago by Haskell Wexler? The final scenes in that movie is actual footage of the protesters being beating by police in Grant Park when they were protesting outside the Democratic Convention. (You might have been in New Orleans then). My friend's dad knew Haskell who wanted some teens to be extras in a nightclub scene. So my face is in that movie. The producers were nervous about showing that much police brutality. Ratings were new then and "Medium Cool" was given an X rating just long enough. So teenager me -- fully clothed of course -- was in an x-rated movie that I couldn't see in theaters.
My novel (Sylvie Denied) includes some of my experiences in Euorpe and the US among the counter culture.
I'm wondering if we've met before on Goodreads?
take care,
Deb
I was born in Chicago a year before you. The 1960s were an eventful time, for sure.
Have you ever seen the movie "Medium Cool" filmed in Chicago by Haskell Wexler? The final scenes in that movie is actual footage of the protesters being beating by police in Grant Park when they were protesting outside the Democratic Convention. (You might have been in New Orleans then). My friend's dad knew Haskell who wanted some teens to be extras in a nightclub scene. So my face is in that movie. The producers were nervous about showing that much police brutality. Ratings were new then and "Medium Cool" was given an X rating just long enough. So teenager me -- fully clothed of course -- was in an x-rated movie that I couldn't see in theaters.
My novel (Sylvie Denied) includes some of my experiences in Euorpe and the US among the counter culture.
I'm wondering if we've met before on Goodreads?
take care,
Deb
120dcvance
Dear fellow authors,
I'm Deb (Deborah Clark Vance) and found the budding Library Thing just before my debut novel, Sylvie Denied was published in 2021. We thought Covid would've been over but alas...
My serious interest in writing started flourishing after my parents grounded me (no dating boys for a year!) after I was carried home drunk. But I was allowed to work, so I got a job at the cigarette and magazine counter at a drugstore.
This affected me in two ways: The smell of fresh tobacco got me started smoking (for a while) and I started reading writers and poetry magazines and began writing and submitting poems (one got a first prize) and stories. The latter were routinely rejected (I hadn't figured out target audiences).
A few years ago I met a former editor of Story magazine and told her I'd received a nice comment from her about my submission. She asked, "Did you resubmit?" Hmmm...Turns out I should have.
But I saved all my short stories forever -- which are based on my life experiences -- and eventually fashioned them into my semi-autobiographical novel "Sylvie Denied" which comprises life in and around the counter-culture in the 1960s-70s. Not exactly "Eat Pray Love" because I didn't have much money. And my time spent in Italy was nothing at all like 'Room with a View" except that some of the plumbing in Italy in the 1970s was not as modern as back home in Illinois.
Meanwhile, I've published essays and articles in women's magazines and am veering more into historical non-fiction.
I put a lot of effort into marketing "Sylvie" but have not quite given up, in part because of my newer interests. My blog still exists but is in transition.
I look forward to chatting with you all,
Deb
I'm Deb (Deborah Clark Vance) and found the budding Library Thing just before my debut novel, Sylvie Denied was published in 2021. We thought Covid would've been over but alas...
My serious interest in writing started flourishing after my parents grounded me (no dating boys for a year!) after I was carried home drunk. But I was allowed to work, so I got a job at the cigarette and magazine counter at a drugstore.
This affected me in two ways: The smell of fresh tobacco got me started smoking (for a while) and I started reading writers and poetry magazines and began writing and submitting poems (one got a first prize) and stories. The latter were routinely rejected (I hadn't figured out target audiences).
A few years ago I met a former editor of Story magazine and told her I'd received a nice comment from her about my submission. She asked, "Did you resubmit?" Hmmm...Turns out I should have.
But I saved all my short stories forever -- which are based on my life experiences -- and eventually fashioned them into my semi-autobiographical novel "Sylvie Denied" which comprises life in and around the counter-culture in the 1960s-70s. Not exactly "Eat Pray Love" because I didn't have much money. And my time spent in Italy was nothing at all like 'Room with a View" except that some of the plumbing in Italy in the 1970s was not as modern as back home in Illinois.
Meanwhile, I've published essays and articles in women's magazines and am veering more into historical non-fiction.
I put a lot of effort into marketing "Sylvie" but have not quite given up, in part because of my newer interests. My blog still exists but is in transition.
I look forward to chatting with you all,
Deb
121JoPriestley
Hello book friends, I'm Jo (Priestley) a writer from Yorkshire in the north of England. It's so nice to be here.
I live in Bronte Country, and it's difficult not to be inspired by the brooding landscape around here. The weather is often grim where we live, but tramping the moorland in all seasons is what focuses my mind the most.
I grew up with tales around the fireside in my grandmother's beautiful if crumbling historical home which created the perfect atmosphere for gritty storytelling. She had a colourful, life, filled with drama, and she knew how to bring a story to life. Even now, I love hearth and home, and I would be perfectly happy to live by candlelight.
I'm a writer of historical fiction love stories set in Yorkshire, and it's my favourite genre to read too. I like to explore love in all forms, not only romantic, as we have other important relationships in our lives that mould us, such as our parents, children, siblings, and friendships.
Like many, books have always been a huge part of my life and mooching around new and secondhand bookshops is my way to relax. Not surprisingly, 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Jane Eyre' written by the Bronte Sisters are two of my favourites and I have a gifted special edition of 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens at my bedside all year round to keep the festive spirit alive.
I'm very much looking forward to interacting on here, and in the meantime I send you my very best wishes,
Jo
I live in Bronte Country, and it's difficult not to be inspired by the brooding landscape around here. The weather is often grim where we live, but tramping the moorland in all seasons is what focuses my mind the most.
I grew up with tales around the fireside in my grandmother's beautiful if crumbling historical home which created the perfect atmosphere for gritty storytelling. She had a colourful, life, filled with drama, and she knew how to bring a story to life. Even now, I love hearth and home, and I would be perfectly happy to live by candlelight.
I'm a writer of historical fiction love stories set in Yorkshire, and it's my favourite genre to read too. I like to explore love in all forms, not only romantic, as we have other important relationships in our lives that mould us, such as our parents, children, siblings, and friendships.
Like many, books have always been a huge part of my life and mooching around new and secondhand bookshops is my way to relax. Not surprisingly, 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Jane Eyre' written by the Bronte Sisters are two of my favourites and I have a gifted special edition of 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens at my bedside all year round to keep the festive spirit alive.
I'm very much looking forward to interacting on here, and in the meantime I send you my very best wishes,
Jo
122lochiegirl64
Hi Everyone,
Greetings from Victoria, Australia. I'm Deidre (Dee) Williams and I moved to a small seaside town on the coast of eastern Victoria in May 2024 from New Zealand. I live in a small house surrounded by Australian eucalyptus trees, shrubs, and a constant variety of colorful birds, and curious marsupials. It has been such an education, learning about each creature, and I sometimes have to pinch myself.
A few weeks ago, I was faced to face with a momma kangaroo, and her daughter, in the front yard, and she looked at me with her large brown eyes. It was so amazing!
Now I have written my first children's eBook, which is only 24 pages, but is such a cute little story. It is based on a dog that I knew here for a short time, and then he died in May, so I decided to write a little fiction, with him in mind.
I guess that I was testing the waters as they say, to see how it turned out. But I'm happy with it, so I am now writing a paperback, so I can't wait to see how it turns out.
I have always loved reading children and middle grade, even now, and I was a huge fan of Enid Blyton's. I think she was my hero.
At the moment, I am reading her Famous Five series.
Take care, and I hope to chat with some of you soon,
Deidre
Greetings from Victoria, Australia. I'm Deidre (Dee) Williams and I moved to a small seaside town on the coast of eastern Victoria in May 2024 from New Zealand. I live in a small house surrounded by Australian eucalyptus trees, shrubs, and a constant variety of colorful birds, and curious marsupials. It has been such an education, learning about each creature, and I sometimes have to pinch myself.
A few weeks ago, I was faced to face with a momma kangaroo, and her daughter, in the front yard, and she looked at me with her large brown eyes. It was so amazing!
Now I have written my first children's eBook, which is only 24 pages, but is such a cute little story. It is based on a dog that I knew here for a short time, and then he died in May, so I decided to write a little fiction, with him in mind.
I guess that I was testing the waters as they say, to see how it turned out. But I'm happy with it, so I am now writing a paperback, so I can't wait to see how it turns out.
I have always loved reading children and middle grade, even now, and I was a huge fan of Enid Blyton's. I think she was my hero.
At the moment, I am reading her Famous Five series.
Take care, and I hope to chat with some of you soon,
Deidre
123Lee_Cushing007
Residing in Blackpool, England, I've authored over 70 books.
I'm also a passionate collector of celebrity autographs.
As a staunch advocate for LGBTQ rights, I incorporate this theme into my work.
My pen name honours the acting icons Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and I encourage my readers to explore their extensive filmography. Despite some less-than-stellar movies, their commitment never wavered.
My interests span supernatural folklore and enigmatic mysteries, including alien abductions and the Loch Ness Monster.
My latest WIP is Mother Christmas
I'm also a passionate collector of celebrity autographs.
As a staunch advocate for LGBTQ rights, I incorporate this theme into my work.
My pen name honours the acting icons Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and I encourage my readers to explore their extensive filmography. Despite some less-than-stellar movies, their commitment never wavered.
My interests span supernatural folklore and enigmatic mysteries, including alien abductions and the Loch Ness Monster.
My latest WIP is Mother Christmas
124georgy1234
Am George Alexander from Kerala, India. I have authored/co-authored over 12 books and recently published my first novel titled 'Twilight of Evil' (historical fiction).
125NYC_poet
>123 Lee_Cushing007: Christopher Lee played Dracula onscreen, quite memorably. If you enjoy vampire books, I'll be happy to send you an ARC of my "Vampire Ventures" (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). In any case, welcome to LibraryThing, Lee_Cushing!!
126NYC_poet
>124 georgy1234: Welcome to LibraryThing, Georgy. Good luck with your first novel.
127Pat-Murphy
Hello, Everyone,
I'm new to LibraryThing. Right now, I'm wandering about trying to figure out how it all works.
To make sure I was answering the right question, I clipped what LShelby asked in this thread back in 2023. That is: "Please tell us about yourself, what you're working on and any interesting facts about you! (I.e. what hobbies do you enjoy.) We are interested in who you are, where you are from, what genres you write in, and why you write about what you write. But do remember that you are introducing yourself, not your book."
I'm Pat Murphy. Most of my fiction is classified as science fiction or fantasy and most of my nonfiction is about science and perception. A few of the nonfiction titles are for adults, but most are for children. Of my past projects, the most fun nonfiction title was LEGO Chain Reactions, published by Klutz Press, which comes with LEGO pieces that children can use to build Rube-Goldberg-style chain reactions. The most fun fiction project (and the most difficult) was the novel I just finished, The Adventures of Mary Darling, which will be out from Tachyon Publications in May 2025.
By way of history, I was head science writer for many years at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, a job that helped shape my view of the world. I also wrote about fish at the Scripps aquarium, served as marketing director at a fire arts school, wrote books for Klutz Press, and helped develop science curriculum for a startup called Mystery Science.
These days, I'm living in a small town on the edge of the Mojave Desert. My hobbies are gardening with native plants and hiking in the desert.
I'm happy to be here on LibraryThing, trying to figure out how this Thing works. ;-)
I'm new to LibraryThing. Right now, I'm wandering about trying to figure out how it all works.
To make sure I was answering the right question, I clipped what LShelby asked in this thread back in 2023. That is: "Please tell us about yourself, what you're working on and any interesting facts about you! (I.e. what hobbies do you enjoy.) We are interested in who you are, where you are from, what genres you write in, and why you write about what you write. But do remember that you are introducing yourself, not your book."
I'm Pat Murphy. Most of my fiction is classified as science fiction or fantasy and most of my nonfiction is about science and perception. A few of the nonfiction titles are for adults, but most are for children. Of my past projects, the most fun nonfiction title was LEGO Chain Reactions, published by Klutz Press, which comes with LEGO pieces that children can use to build Rube-Goldberg-style chain reactions. The most fun fiction project (and the most difficult) was the novel I just finished, The Adventures of Mary Darling, which will be out from Tachyon Publications in May 2025.
By way of history, I was head science writer for many years at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, a job that helped shape my view of the world. I also wrote about fish at the Scripps aquarium, served as marketing director at a fire arts school, wrote books for Klutz Press, and helped develop science curriculum for a startup called Mystery Science.
These days, I'm living in a small town on the edge of the Mojave Desert. My hobbies are gardening with native plants and hiking in the desert.
I'm happy to be here on LibraryThing, trying to figure out how this Thing works. ;-)
128JBAbbott
Hi all,
Brand new LibraryThing author here!
I'm J.B. Abbott, which is the pen name of co-writers Brian Tracey and Jeff Ayers. Our cozy mystery, PICKING UP THE PIECES will be released August 12, 2025 from Crooked Lane Books.
About us:
Brian Tracey is the past Chairman of DFWCon, Texas's premier multi-genre writing conference. He's an active member and long-serving officer of the DFW Writers’ Workshop and a member of International Thriller Writers, serving as a volunteer in several capacities for ITW's annual conference, ThrillerFest. He's published business articles and white papers, and his short stories have appeared in Suspense Magazine (written as Patrick J. McKnight). In addition to his thrillers, he also writes cozy mysteries with Jeff Ayers. He lives in Texas with his wife, two children, two cats and many rabbits who've claimed his yard as their own.
Jeff Ayers first book was a guide to the world of Star Trek novels for Simon and Schuster, Voyages of Imagination. He read over 550 books for that project and interviewed over 350 people, including William Shatner and John DeLancie. He has been a book reviewer for The Associated Press and Booklist and is currently reviewing for Criminal Element, Library Journal, and firstCLUE. Jeff has interviewed hundreds of authors in newspapers, podcasts, and magazines. He is a retired public librarian and a former Co-Executive Director of Thrillerfest for International Thriller Writers. He co-writes thrillers about National Parks under the name A. J. Landau.
We're thrilled to be here and can't wait to learn more!
Brand new LibraryThing author here!
I'm J.B. Abbott, which is the pen name of co-writers Brian Tracey and Jeff Ayers. Our cozy mystery, PICKING UP THE PIECES will be released August 12, 2025 from Crooked Lane Books.
About us:
Brian Tracey is the past Chairman of DFWCon, Texas's premier multi-genre writing conference. He's an active member and long-serving officer of the DFW Writers’ Workshop and a member of International Thriller Writers, serving as a volunteer in several capacities for ITW's annual conference, ThrillerFest. He's published business articles and white papers, and his short stories have appeared in Suspense Magazine (written as Patrick J. McKnight). In addition to his thrillers, he also writes cozy mysteries with Jeff Ayers. He lives in Texas with his wife, two children, two cats and many rabbits who've claimed his yard as their own.
Jeff Ayers first book was a guide to the world of Star Trek novels for Simon and Schuster, Voyages of Imagination. He read over 550 books for that project and interviewed over 350 people, including William Shatner and John DeLancie. He has been a book reviewer for The Associated Press and Booklist and is currently reviewing for Criminal Element, Library Journal, and firstCLUE. Jeff has interviewed hundreds of authors in newspapers, podcasts, and magazines. He is a retired public librarian and a former Co-Executive Director of Thrillerfest for International Thriller Writers. He co-writes thrillers about National Parks under the name A. J. Landau.
We're thrilled to be here and can't wait to learn more!
129AmandaLV
Hi everyone!
My name is Amanda. I am an author and new to Librarything. Hope to find people who are interested in reading books and writing reviews. I have been stuck in finding readers, so I came here. Maybe someone can share some tips with me?
My name is Amanda. I am an author and new to Librarything. Hope to find people who are interested in reading books and writing reviews. I have been stuck in finding readers, so I came here. Maybe someone can share some tips with me?
130Sunny-Orim
Hi everyone, I'm Sunny Orim, and I have a deep passion for history. I grew up fascinated by the stories passed down through generations, but I quickly realized how much of our pre-colonial African history was never written down. that's what let me to historical fiction.
My latest work, Will Of The Gods, was inspired by the Efik tribes of southern Nigeria, who once saw the birth of twins as an abomination to their land.
I love connecting with fellow writers and readers who enjoy stories rooted in real history.
My latest work, Will Of The Gods, was inspired by the Efik tribes of southern Nigeria, who once saw the birth of twins as an abomination to their land.
I love connecting with fellow writers and readers who enjoy stories rooted in real history.
131ceegal23
Hi everyone! I am Christine M Gallen. I am new to Library Thing, looking at all avenues to get my books into the hands of as many readers as possible My debut is a mystery/thriller with dark comedy called "Unraveled". I work in tech by day and I have participated in NaNoWriMo several times (that organization is folding, but it did foster a daily habit of writing for me). I live in NY and I'm also a certified yoga instructor.
132ceegal23
>129 AmandaLV: Hi Amanda, I am testing out Voracious Readers, Book Sirens, and Hidden Gems to get more reviews. You can get some for free or pay fees to get more. I've also had some luck with outreach to bloggers and reading groups in my genre on social media. I'm participating in a local book fair and I did get two local bookshops to put my book on their shelves.
I hope this is helpful!
I hope this is helpful!
133simonbrading
Hello!
My name is Simon Brading and I've just joined.
I have 21 published books so far, 10 of which are in an ongoing Steampunk series and 5 are in a completed YA Time Travel series. The rest are various genres including sci-fi, dystopia, comedy and, believe it or not, ballet books for Middle Grade.
I am English, but I live in Barcelona and I do a bit of acting to pay the bills.
I am an avid reader and my favourite books include the Discworld series, Japser Fforde's Thursday Next series, The Forever War, Catch 22 and 1984.
My name is Simon Brading and I've just joined.
I have 21 published books so far, 10 of which are in an ongoing Steampunk series and 5 are in a completed YA Time Travel series. The rest are various genres including sci-fi, dystopia, comedy and, believe it or not, ballet books for Middle Grade.
I am English, but I live in Barcelona and I do a bit of acting to pay the bills.
I am an avid reader and my favourite books include the Discworld series, Japser Fforde's Thursday Next series, The Forever War, Catch 22 and 1984.
134Vigilant_Living
Hi everyone,
My name is Dalibor Živković, and I’m a former police inspector from Serbia with over 30 years of experience in law enforcement — including work in organized crime, drug enforcement, and war crimes investigations.
After retiring, I began writing practical safety guides to help ordinary people protect their homes and families using real-world experience and plain language.
My first book is now published and I’m excited to be here, learn from others, and connect with fellow authors and readers.
In my free time, I enjoy training, reading true crime and nonfiction, and spending time with my family and our Maltese dog, Laki.
Looking forward to meeting you all!
My name is Dalibor Živković, and I’m a former police inspector from Serbia with over 30 years of experience in law enforcement — including work in organized crime, drug enforcement, and war crimes investigations.
After retiring, I began writing practical safety guides to help ordinary people protect their homes and families using real-world experience and plain language.
My first book is now published and I’m excited to be here, learn from others, and connect with fellow authors and readers.
In my free time, I enjoy training, reading true crime and nonfiction, and spending time with my family and our Maltese dog, Laki.
Looking forward to meeting you all!
135NMVaghela
Hello Friends!
I'm excited to share my new book, You within Me Somewhere, now available on LibraryThing!
If you enjoy light essays, I’d love for you to check it out.
Amazon: https://amzn.in/d/idcgqFE
Google Play Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
I’d greatly appreciate your thoughts or a review if you get a chance to read it.
Thank you for supporting indie authors!
Happy reading,
Narendrasinh M. Vaghela
I'm excited to share my new book, You within Me Somewhere, now available on LibraryThing!
If you enjoy light essays, I’d love for you to check it out.
Amazon: https://amzn.in/d/idcgqFE
Google Play Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
I’d greatly appreciate your thoughts or a review if you get a chance to read it.
Thank you for supporting indie authors!
Happy reading,
Narendrasinh M. Vaghela
136andrewbackerman
Just joined LibraryThing and getting a feel for this space and the right etiquette.
Other authors:
I am interested in hearing about what has worked (and what not to waste time on) for promoting a book, especially one in the business space.
Written as a novel, "The Entrepreneur's Odyssey" is essentially the un-textbook of everything you need to do to take an idea to funded startup. Basically, it is all the advice I've given startups through my years of running accelerators and mentoring startups, just in fictional form. The book is intended for founders and would-be founders... and maybe their parents who want to know wtf their kids are actually doing day to day.
I've been doing a lot of podcasts (tip: matchmaker.fm is a good platform for finding shows) and considering doing a Goodreads Giveaway (any feedback on that?). Also just applied to BookSiren and am waiting to hear back.
General / About me:
I live in NYC and work in the venture capital space as an investor and and as expert/consultant with deep expertise in structuring innovation platforms (corporate venture funds, accelerators, incubators, venture studios, etc).
I have 3 teenage girls and am painfully aware of how wrong I am on a daily basis. :-)
Andrew Ackerman
https://www.andrewbackerman.com/
Other authors:
I am interested in hearing about what has worked (and what not to waste time on) for promoting a book, especially one in the business space.
Written as a novel, "The Entrepreneur's Odyssey" is essentially the un-textbook of everything you need to do to take an idea to funded startup. Basically, it is all the advice I've given startups through my years of running accelerators and mentoring startups, just in fictional form. The book is intended for founders and would-be founders... and maybe their parents who want to know wtf their kids are actually doing day to day.
I've been doing a lot of podcasts (tip: matchmaker.fm is a good platform for finding shows) and considering doing a Goodreads Giveaway (any feedback on that?). Also just applied to BookSiren and am waiting to hear back.
General / About me:
I live in NYC and work in the venture capital space as an investor and and as expert/consultant with deep expertise in structuring innovation platforms (corporate venture funds, accelerators, incubators, venture studios, etc).
I have 3 teenage girls and am painfully aware of how wrong I am on a daily basis. :-)
Andrew Ackerman
https://www.andrewbackerman.com/
137kristenlcollier
Hi! I wrote a supernatural love story about the Second Coming called "King of Glory": https://www.amazon.com/King-Glory-Kristen-Collier-ebook/dp/B00AKFOL2I I've also co-written several YA chapter books and picture books with my husband, an author and illustrator for TV and several hundred books. I also co-founded Collier Animation Studio and we have cartoons that have major distribution: https://www.collieranimationstudio.com/
138olfaawedni
Hi everyone! I've just joined and very happy to be here ..
My name is Olfa; Doctor Engineer in electrical engineering and university assistant professor.
I’m passionate about storytelling, connecting with people, and sharing meaningful experiences. Whether through writing, teaching,conferences public speaking or everyday conversations, I believe in the power of stories to inspire, heal, and bring us closer together.
I enjoy learning new things, exploring different perspectives, and finding the beauty in life’s challenges and triumphs. Outside of my creative work, I value kindness, empathy, and genuine connections.
I've released a book very close to my heart a week ago (After My Voice Was Gone by Olfa Awedni). A true story about a family very close to my heart and their very touching journey through throat cancer.
Alot of emotions, tears and smiles while working on this book, so i'm so happy about it.
Thank you, I look forward to sharing my journey with you!
All the best...
My name is Olfa; Doctor Engineer in electrical engineering and university assistant professor.
I’m passionate about storytelling, connecting with people, and sharing meaningful experiences. Whether through writing, teaching,conferences public speaking or everyday conversations, I believe in the power of stories to inspire, heal, and bring us closer together.
I enjoy learning new things, exploring different perspectives, and finding the beauty in life’s challenges and triumphs. Outside of my creative work, I value kindness, empathy, and genuine connections.
I've released a book very close to my heart a week ago (After My Voice Was Gone by Olfa Awedni). A true story about a family very close to my heart and their very touching journey through throat cancer.
Alot of emotions, tears and smiles while working on this book, so i'm so happy about it.
Thank you, I look forward to sharing my journey with you!
All the best...
139RoyBott
Hello everyone,
I’m not a professional author, but I’ve just finished publishing my first book.
The Hub Beats of Atomic Gears grew out of thoughts I couldn’t shake and questions I couldn’t answer. You can find it for free at www.roybott.org
It’s my first and probably last attempt at putting these ideas into words.
It’s not perfect, but it’s honest — and if you want to understand me, you’ll find more of me in its pages than in any short bio.
I’d be grateful for any critique or feedback.
I’m not a professional author, but I’ve just finished publishing my first book.
The Hub Beats of Atomic Gears grew out of thoughts I couldn’t shake and questions I couldn’t answer. You can find it for free at www.roybott.org
It’s my first and probably last attempt at putting these ideas into words.
It’s not perfect, but it’s honest — and if you want to understand me, you’ll find more of me in its pages than in any short bio.
I’d be grateful for any critique or feedback.
140vpeou
Hi everyone!
I’m Vincent Peou — a Cambodian-American author born in Cambodia and raised in Orange County, California. I started out writing screenplays, and about five months ago I decided to turn those stories into novels. Since then, I’ve published five books on Amazon: The Silent Echoes, Phase Shift 2045, Arisara 2058, Project Paralysis, and My Darling Little Crow. I’m already working on my sixth.
Most of my stories are set in Cambodia, and I love weaving together the perspectives of both Cambodian and American cultures. I write comedy, sci-fi, and horror. My stories always come back to one thing: the complexities of human relationships.
I’m excited to be here, connect with other readers and writers.
I’m Vincent Peou — a Cambodian-American author born in Cambodia and raised in Orange County, California. I started out writing screenplays, and about five months ago I decided to turn those stories into novels. Since then, I’ve published five books on Amazon: The Silent Echoes, Phase Shift 2045, Arisara 2058, Project Paralysis, and My Darling Little Crow. I’m already working on my sixth.
Most of my stories are set in Cambodia, and I love weaving together the perspectives of both Cambodian and American cultures. I write comedy, sci-fi, and horror. My stories always come back to one thing: the complexities of human relationships.
I’m excited to be here, connect with other readers and writers.
141churstpublishing
Hi everyone,
I’m Christian Hurst, a creative director and lifelong sci-fi fan. I’m the author of The Lily Starling Series, a YA science fiction adventure about identity, connection, and flawed characters finding their place in an often unforgiving galaxy.
I’m currently working on the third book in the series. I've been a Baltimore/DC based creative for 15 years but I just moved back to PA this year.
I have a book signing coming up in a couple of weeks, so it felt like a good time to stop by here and say hello. Looking forward to meeting other readers and writers who love great stories that mix heart, humor, and adventure.
I’m Christian Hurst, a creative director and lifelong sci-fi fan. I’m the author of The Lily Starling Series, a YA science fiction adventure about identity, connection, and flawed characters finding their place in an often unforgiving galaxy.
I’m currently working on the third book in the series. I've been a Baltimore/DC based creative for 15 years but I just moved back to PA this year.
I have a book signing coming up in a couple of weeks, so it felt like a good time to stop by here and say hello. Looking forward to meeting other readers and writers who love great stories that mix heart, humor, and adventure.
142JeffreyRosoff
Hi Everyone,
My name’s Jeff (yes, despite my stuffy author name, Jeffrey). I’ve self-published three thrillers because apparently, I love making stuff up—and hey, it doesn’t count as lying when it’s fiction. I adore sci-fi, storytelling, and getting completely lost in a novel, whether it’s from a legendary author like Michael Crichton or one I invented myself with a cast of entirely imaginary friends hanging out in my head.
When I’m not writing, I’m usually on an epic quest for the missing sock or the jar of pickles my wife swears she’s not hiding. Or maybe you’ll find me at a restaurant, carefully admiring my two greatest treasures: my beautiful wife and my almost-as-beautiful martini. I also enjoy long walks on the beach—though fine, this isn’t a dating site, so strike that last bit.
I may not be a spring chicken, but my highly honed immaturity keeps me forever youthful—or at least entertaining.
Cheers,
Jeff (aka Jeffrey Rosoff, author of Chipped, The Glass Fountain, and Deadly Equations)
My name’s Jeff (yes, despite my stuffy author name, Jeffrey). I’ve self-published three thrillers because apparently, I love making stuff up—and hey, it doesn’t count as lying when it’s fiction. I adore sci-fi, storytelling, and getting completely lost in a novel, whether it’s from a legendary author like Michael Crichton or one I invented myself with a cast of entirely imaginary friends hanging out in my head.
When I’m not writing, I’m usually on an epic quest for the missing sock or the jar of pickles my wife swears she’s not hiding. Or maybe you’ll find me at a restaurant, carefully admiring my two greatest treasures: my beautiful wife and my almost-as-beautiful martini. I also enjoy long walks on the beach—though fine, this isn’t a dating site, so strike that last bit.
I may not be a spring chicken, but my highly honed immaturity keeps me forever youthful—or at least entertaining.
Cheers,
Jeff (aka Jeffrey Rosoff, author of Chipped, The Glass Fountain, and Deadly Equations)
143GVPLLC
Hi everyone, I’m Grant from Grain Valley Publishing in Wichita, Kansas.
I create award-winning read-and-listen experiences for young adults that inspire empathy, courage, and reconciliation.
I've seen firsthand how this format opens dialogue and connection between students, educators, and communities. I’m looking forward to learning from everyone here and sharing ideas about hopeful storytelling that truly changes hearts, promoting reconciliation, and bridging divides.
I create award-winning read-and-listen experiences for young adults that inspire empathy, courage, and reconciliation.
I've seen firsthand how this format opens dialogue and connection between students, educators, and communities. I’m looking forward to learning from everyone here and sharing ideas about hopeful storytelling that truly changes hearts, promoting reconciliation, and bridging divides.
144AbbieSinclair
Hi everyone!
I’m Abbie Sinclair, author of Carrying the Crown: The Journey from Survival to Softness, which explores the journey from hyper-independence toward emotional balance and softness.
I’d love to connect with others writing about healing, self-growth, or women’s empowerment.
I’m Abbie Sinclair, author of Carrying the Crown: The Journey from Survival to Softness, which explores the journey from hyper-independence toward emotional balance and softness.
I’d love to connect with others writing about healing, self-growth, or women’s empowerment.
145WMack72
Hi everyone,
I’m Willie, an independent creator and publisher based in the Midwest. I run Hope Haven Publishing LLC, where I specialize in designing visual journals, planners, and themed coloring books that promote reflection, creativity, and personal growth.
While I haven’t written a novel (yet!), my passion lies in crafting tools that help people organize their thoughts, explore their imagination, and find moments of calm in a busy world. I’m especially drawn to inclusive, aesthetic design and meaningful content that resonates across cultures and communities.
I write and publish because I believe creativity is a form of healing and empowerment. My work blends visual storytelling with practical structure—whether it’s a winter-themed coloring book or a planner that helps someone stay grounded.
Outside of publishing, I enjoy exploring new design tools, learning video marketing, and curating visuals that reflect authenticity and diversity. I’m excited to connect with fellow creatives here and learn from your journeys!
Warm regards,
Willie Mack
Hope Haven Publishing LLC
https://hopehavenpublishingllc.com
I’m Willie, an independent creator and publisher based in the Midwest. I run Hope Haven Publishing LLC, where I specialize in designing visual journals, planners, and themed coloring books that promote reflection, creativity, and personal growth.
While I haven’t written a novel (yet!), my passion lies in crafting tools that help people organize their thoughts, explore their imagination, and find moments of calm in a busy world. I’m especially drawn to inclusive, aesthetic design and meaningful content that resonates across cultures and communities.
I write and publish because I believe creativity is a form of healing and empowerment. My work blends visual storytelling with practical structure—whether it’s a winter-themed coloring book or a planner that helps someone stay grounded.
Outside of publishing, I enjoy exploring new design tools, learning video marketing, and curating visuals that reflect authenticity and diversity. I’m excited to connect with fellow creatives here and learn from your journeys!
Warm regards,
Willie Mack
Hope Haven Publishing LLC
https://hopehavenpublishingllc.com
146wordward
Coming to this forum smells like coffee and has the hum of so many interesting voices. I pull up a chair and say, Hi, I'm Rho Weber Mack, longtime author, short story, creative nonfiction, and novel writer. My Young Adult book-as-toy The Thin Door just came out, where Little Red Riding Hood enters our contemporary matrix, and I am looking for the ways to get it out to the kids who need to read it: the angsty, difficult teens with big feelings in a damaged world. I'm working on the projects that tell the rest of the story.
147TheBibleBeliever
Hello Everybody,
My name is Larry Vaughn. I'm a retired letter carrier and a Vietnam veteran. I've been married to my best friend, Marie, for fifty-eight years. We have three daughters, eleven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and we live on a farm just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. I started studying the Bible on my own as a form of therapy for PTSD. I went through all sixty-six books of the Bible, pulled out all the verses that jumped out at me, and recorded them in my notebook. Then, I added a brief explanation of each one, and that's how I wrote my first two books. I love quotations. I've collected them all my life. And, of course, the best quotes are Bible quotes. When I studied the works of the Founding Fathers, I discovered some quotes that are so amazing I couldn't keep them to myself. And they were the foundation for my inspirational quote book which I just published on December 9, 2025.
Best regards,
Larry Vaughn
My name is Larry Vaughn. I'm a retired letter carrier and a Vietnam veteran. I've been married to my best friend, Marie, for fifty-eight years. We have three daughters, eleven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and we live on a farm just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. I started studying the Bible on my own as a form of therapy for PTSD. I went through all sixty-six books of the Bible, pulled out all the verses that jumped out at me, and recorded them in my notebook. Then, I added a brief explanation of each one, and that's how I wrote my first two books. I love quotations. I've collected them all my life. And, of course, the best quotes are Bible quotes. When I studied the works of the Founding Fathers, I discovered some quotes that are so amazing I couldn't keep them to myself. And they were the foundation for my inspirational quote book which I just published on December 9, 2025.
Best regards,
Larry Vaughn
148AlexParkview
Alex Parkview is a veteran and independent author exploring the profound intersection of faith, trauma, and spiritual restoration. His writing blends Christ-centric mysticism with an omnist reverence for diverse paths toward healing and wholeness. Through sermons, reflections, and personal testimony, Alex accompanies readers on the journey from deep wounds—physical, emotional, and spiritual—into places of sacred sanctuary. He writes for those walking through their own ruins, offering quiet hope that even the most broken spaces can become holy ground.
149aaronrparsons
First post of 2026!
I'm Aaron Parsons, professor of astronomy at UC Berkeley, and the author of COHERENCE, which is a science-forward thriller about AI, the climate, power dynamics, and the hunt for truth. I take pride in writing science fiction that gets the science right, but stays focused on the characters and the plot!
I'm Aaron Parsons, professor of astronomy at UC Berkeley, and the author of COHERENCE, which is a science-forward thriller about AI, the climate, power dynamics, and the hunt for truth. I take pride in writing science fiction that gets the science right, but stays focused on the characters and the plot!
150Arustamyan_Anahit
Hello everyone. Nice connecting with my fellow authors. I am Anahit. I authored the following books.
Poetry books: The Queen Of Metaphors, My Intoxicated Ink, The Phantom's Dolphin, Words In Flight, The Canvas Of My Soul : The Hues Of My Palette, Where I Meet Myself : Anahit’s Muse, Ink And Quill : Soul To Soul Heart To Heart, the latest poetry book ''Autumn Songs For Nara.''
A novel, ''The Pilot.''
A memoir, ''The Lamp Lights The Way Back.''
Her books are available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Smashwords, Lulu and Kobo Writing Life.
Her works are also published in some international poetry anthologies and magazines, both online and in print.
Poetry books: The Queen Of Metaphors, My Intoxicated Ink, The Phantom's Dolphin, Words In Flight, The Canvas Of My Soul : The Hues Of My Palette, Where I Meet Myself : Anahit’s Muse, Ink And Quill : Soul To Soul Heart To Heart, the latest poetry book ''Autumn Songs For Nara.''
A novel, ''The Pilot.''
A memoir, ''The Lamp Lights The Way Back.''
Her books are available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Smashwords, Lulu and Kobo Writing Life.
Her works are also published in some international poetry anthologies and magazines, both online and in print.
151christieleone
Hello everyone,
My name is Christie Leone, and I’m an author who creates guided, story-driven journeys centered on reflection, choice, and self-discovery. My work is designed to feel more like companionship than instruction, inviting readers to slow down, listen inward, and explore their own inner landscapes at a gentle pace.
These books grew out of group experiences focused on reflection and meaning, and were later shaped into individual journeys so readers could return to them in their own time and way. I’m grateful for spaces like this one that value thoughtful reading and conversation, and I’m looking forward to connecting here.
Thank you for the welcome!
My name is Christie Leone, and I’m an author who creates guided, story-driven journeys centered on reflection, choice, and self-discovery. My work is designed to feel more like companionship than instruction, inviting readers to slow down, listen inward, and explore their own inner landscapes at a gentle pace.
These books grew out of group experiences focused on reflection and meaning, and were later shaped into individual journeys so readers could return to them in their own time and way. I’m grateful for spaces like this one that value thoughtful reading and conversation, and I’m looking forward to connecting here.
Thank you for the welcome!
152paradoxosalpha
>151 christieleone:
Given the focus of your book, I have to wonder about the actual stories you like to read! I'll be interested to see what titles appear in your LibraryThing catalog if you build it out some.
Given the focus of your book, I have to wonder about the actual stories you like to read! I'll be interested to see what titles appear in your LibraryThing catalog if you build it out some.
153christieleone
>152 paradoxosalpha: That’s a thoughtful question! Thank you! I’m drawn to books that feel immersive and companionable, whether they’re novels, reflective nonfiction, or story-driven works that explore choice, identity, and the inner life. I’m slowly building my catalog here, and it will likely be a mix of fiction and nonfiction that has shaped the way I think about story, meaning, and human experience.
154BartStark
Hola from Panama!
My name is Bart Stark and I am an Army veteran, former criminal prosecutor and defense attorney, and current scribe of alternate history. I’ve voraciously consumed historical and military fiction since I was a kid and recently started writing what I love to read.
A couple years back, my wife Brenda and I moved to the town of Boquete in the western highlands of Panama, a land of eternal spring and rainbows. Quite the contrast from the dystopian fates I write for my characters, but it all seems to work out wonderfully.
Look forward to chatting with you all.
My name is Bart Stark and I am an Army veteran, former criminal prosecutor and defense attorney, and current scribe of alternate history. I’ve voraciously consumed historical and military fiction since I was a kid and recently started writing what I love to read.
A couple years back, my wife Brenda and I moved to the town of Boquete in the western highlands of Panama, a land of eternal spring and rainbows. Quite the contrast from the dystopian fates I write for my characters, but it all seems to work out wonderfully.
Look forward to chatting with you all.
155authorcksmith
Hello!
My name is Cathleen. I have recently published my first novel, and I'm thrilled to share it with you.
If you like yearning princes, time travel, and a book you can't put down (until you need to grab a tissue, but even then, you'll be cradling it like a baby while you sob) then you'll love As We Were!
It has the yearning of Outlander, with the world building of A Court of Throne and Roses.
Let me know if you might be interested in reading it. It is available for free on Kindle Unlimited right now, and I'd love the opportunity to answer any questions you might have.
Thank you for reading!
Happy Sunday
Cathleen
My name is Cathleen. I have recently published my first novel, and I'm thrilled to share it with you.
If you like yearning princes, time travel, and a book you can't put down (until you need to grab a tissue, but even then, you'll be cradling it like a baby while you sob) then you'll love As We Were!
It has the yearning of Outlander, with the world building of A Court of Throne and Roses.
Let me know if you might be interested in reading it. It is available for free on Kindle Unlimited right now, and I'd love the opportunity to answer any questions you might have.
Thank you for reading!
Happy Sunday
Cathleen
156PeterKrausche
Hey Everyone!
I'm Peter, and my main focus is my Fantasy/Sci-Fi series, The Selanian Chronicles.
Book 1 of every volume is set mainly in our time and often either here on Earth or on the planet Chyoradan. Book 2 of every volume is set 6,000 years in the past on the planet Piral.
All books of the series up to Volume 4 are available on Amazon as Paperback or Kindle editions.
I'm currently preparing to release Volume 5, Book 1 of the series, titled The Witchwood, but I'd really like a few people to read the manuscript before I actually publish it. I love talking about my series, and I'd be glad to answer any questions anyone has.
Take care
Peter
I'm Peter, and my main focus is my Fantasy/Sci-Fi series, The Selanian Chronicles.
Book 1 of every volume is set mainly in our time and often either here on Earth or on the planet Chyoradan. Book 2 of every volume is set 6,000 years in the past on the planet Piral.
All books of the series up to Volume 4 are available on Amazon as Paperback or Kindle editions.
I'm currently preparing to release Volume 5, Book 1 of the series, titled The Witchwood, but I'd really like a few people to read the manuscript before I actually publish it. I love talking about my series, and I'd be glad to answer any questions anyone has.
Take care
Peter
157samarkh25
Hello everyone!
I'm Samar. I'm a psychologist and I write fiction and mental health research papers. I also play guitar and piano and co-direct in the theater.
Nice to meet you all!
I'm Samar. I'm a psychologist and I write fiction and mental health research papers. I also play guitar and piano and co-direct in the theater.
Nice to meet you all!
158fritz_blackburn
>157 samarkh25: Hi Samar,
as a fellow guitarist and hobby health researcher, I'd love to get a review from you on my new book 'The Final Revolution'. I often wonder why psychologist never raise their voices in the face of global insanity, so my view on mental devolution is a challenge I'd like to discuss!
as a fellow guitarist and hobby health researcher, I'd love to get a review from you on my new book 'The Final Revolution'. I often wonder why psychologist never raise their voices in the face of global insanity, so my view on mental devolution is a challenge I'd like to discuss!
159BigFluffyBollard
Hi All,
Pleased to be here. My name is Richard and I am an author. Currently I have a short Sci-Fi series (4 Novellas) and a single work of Historical Fiction (Ypres). I look forward to getting to know some of you!
All the best,
Richard
Pleased to be here. My name is Richard and I am an author. Currently I have a short Sci-Fi series (4 Novellas) and a single work of Historical Fiction (Ypres). I look forward to getting to know some of you!
All the best,
Richard
160VickyWu
Hi, Vicky Wu here. I just released my debut novel and also recently opened my own publishing imprint under my "day job" business lol. (I worked in publishing for years, so not my first rodeo there).
I published a nonfiction (business related) book a few years ago, but this is my first work of fiction even though it's been floating in my head for a while. I finally got it on paper.
I'm also an artist (acrylic on canvas, mostly landscapes and abstract) and ballroom dancer, and a voracious reader ;)
I published a nonfiction (business related) book a few years ago, but this is my first work of fiction even though it's been floating in my head for a while. I finally got it on paper.
I'm also an artist (acrylic on canvas, mostly landscapes and abstract) and ballroom dancer, and a voracious reader ;)
161AdamKervale
New author here writing as Adam Kervale. I just published a book and want to find out what works for promotion from other authors.
162Raul-Sanz-Garcia
Hello, I'm Raúl, a Spanish science fiction author. My novel Crónica de los Puentes Estelares was published in Spain in 2023, and after about a year of work I've recently finished translating it into English myself, as Chronicle of the Stellar Bridges. It's a long literary sci-fi novel, closer in pace and texture to Le Guin's Hainish books or M. John Harrison than to action-driven space opera, with two interwoven storylines: an engineer secretly imprisoned at a remote outpost beyond a stellar bridge, and a young girl whose visionary mind may be drawing the map to a new habitable world.
Translating my own work was a strange experience, closer to rewriting than translating. I'd be curious to hear from anyone here who has worked with translated speculative fiction, either as writer, translator, or reader.
Translating my own work was a strange experience, closer to rewriting than translating. I'd be curious to hear from anyone here who has worked with translated speculative fiction, either as writer, translator, or reader.
163LaniS555
Hi, my name is Kahlani Steele. I am an Australian author and poet. I have published two romance novels available on Kindle Unlimited, featuring MMF steamy romances that focus on mental health.
In addition, I have released two poetry collections for poetry enthusiasts.
I’m eager to connect with fellow authors and am happy to answer any questions. I am also open to review swaps.
In addition, I have released two poetry collections for poetry enthusiasts.
I’m eager to connect with fellow authors and am happy to answer any questions. I am also open to review swaps.
164Tonoy3961
Hi! I am Tonoy Rahman, a Shia theologist and author from Bangladesh. I can speak, read, and write in English, Arabic, Persian, and Urdu besides my native language Bengali. My first monograph, 'The Influence of Shi'ism in Sufi Literature' was published in Bengali language last year. Recently I have self published my debut historical fantasy novella, 'The Ever-Changing Sands' in English. Currently I am writing the sequel of this, 'The Weaver of Shadows'.
I love reading classical Persian poetry and researching early Islamic history.
I love reading classical Persian poetry and researching early Islamic history.
165GracielaABC
Hello, my name is Grace Cossío. I have published this manuscript, which explains from a professional engineering perspective—not mine, but my husband's—how the Ford GT40 engine won the toughest endurance race at Le Mans in 1966 and 1967, defeating the favorite, Ferrari. My late husband, Graham, devoted almost his entire life (probably since kindergarten!) to learning everything about car engines. He became a racing engineer, working in Formula 1 and Formula Atlantic before entering the broader automotive industry. Through this project, I have become the editor, publisher, and guardian of his legacy, which has been a wonderful journey. I hope you will give this book a chance to be read. The title is: The Road to Victory: How Ford Won The 24 Hours of Le Mans by Graham Scott.
ISBN 9798-9959-5715-7 in english
ISBN 9798-9959-5714-0 in spanish
ISBN 9798-9959-5715-7 in english
ISBN 9798-9959-5714-0 in spanish
