News and Notices from the Writing Trenches #159…
Comments on blog articles. My apologies: I discovered that you couldn’t make them! If you tried to do so, a message akin to “You must enable Javascript and allow cookies to comment” appeared. That’s not so. There’s nothing in WordPress (WP) settings (my website software) about Javascript or cookies.
This problem was driving me nuts, and became a major distraction from my writing, but I think I solved it. The old long-term memories stay around better than short-term, and some of the former are visual. I couldn’t remember seeing a “WP Antispam Filter” plug-in (WP’s version of an app or subroutine) in my list of WP plug-ins. I deleted it. Now readers can comment.
At least I can comment. If you still can’t, use my contact page to inform me (probably the most convenient if you’re already on the website), or shoot an email to steve@stevenmmoore.com, which is the same thing.
And my sincere apologies to all readers in the past few months who wanted to comment and couldn’t.
Amazon, I’m ignoring your targeted ads! Your little bots can’t help you sell books to me. My reading tastes and habits are too unpredictable and varied for their feeble little computer brains and those limited (non-reading?) minds of the software wonks who program them. Your ads, Jeff Bezos, are deleted without me even reading them.
Unfortunately, I can’t label everything from Amazon spam because they’re also selling my books. I guess that’s the proverbial being “between a rock and a hard place.”
Non-fiction PDFs free for the asking. On a cheerier note, I’d like to remind readers about other PDFs:
“’Future History’ Timeline”—free information tool for readers who want to connect up many of my stories and characters by placing them on a fictitious timeline;
“Two Articles for Readers of Rembrandt’s Angel”—for readers who want to know more about how I wrote my recent mystery/thriller novel published by Penmore Press;
“Who Is A. B. Carolan?”—a history of how I met my collaborator–will we be the Preston and Child of YA sci-fi?—this also contains 10 discussion questions related to the YA sci-fi mystery The Secret Lab;
“Reading Notes for The Last Humans”—informative articles about the post-apocalyptic thriller that will be published by Black Opal Books in 2019, plus 10 discussion questions;
“Writing Fiction”—a short course for writers and those readers curious about the publishing business.
All of the above are free for the asking. As you can see, some of these are appropriate for book clubs, book discussion groups, and students who are reading my books. There’s also a list of fiction titles, PDFs free for the asking as well. You’ll find them all on my “Free Stuff & Contests” webpage. Use the contact page to request the ones you want.
The Last Humans publishing update. My post-apocalyptic thriller is scheduled for publication by Black Opal Books. The publishing activities are marching right along toward a 2019 release. See the free PDF “Reading Notes for The Last Humans” described above and the excerpt in the “Pre-Release Excerpts” blog category, both at my website (I use the working title Oasis Redux for that excerpt).
I’m now in the authors list at the BOB website: https://blackopalbooks.com/meet-our-authors/. BOB has an extensive catalog, so you should check it out—you’ll find lots of entertaining reading in the books listed at the BOB website, something for all readers.
Did you miss Rembrandt’s Angel? Both that novel and my novel The Collector present my unique thesis that stolen artwork can be used as collateral for other nefarious criminal activity. In Rembrandt’s Angel (Penmore Press, 2017), Bastiann van Coevorden, an Interpol agent, has to manage Scotland Yard Inspector Esther Brookstone’s obsession with recovering the Rembrandt, “An Angel with Titus’ Features,” stolen by the Nazis in World War Two. Esther’s mission becomes deadlier and different from her usual cases in the Art and Antiques Division of the Yard. The duo takes readers on a wild tour of Europe and South America before the story reaches its thrilling climax, as they find out what the stolen paintings are used to finance. In the process, the couple’s romantic interludes become a full-blown romance. Available on Amazon, Smashwords, and in most bookstores (if they don’t have it, ask for it).
The earlier novel, The Collector, also features Esther and Bastiann in cameo roles, and he also appears in Aristocrats and Assassins and Gaia and the Goliaths. These three ebooks are available on Amazon and Smashwords.
All of these books can be read independently.
Great Spring Thaw Sale. Every two weeks, with one week overlap, starting April 1, one of my books will be on sale at Smashwords (the overlap means that there are usually two books on sale). (Yes, it’s been going on…sorry about that, but it was announced on my Home page and elsewhere.) Take advantage of this to download some entertaining spring reading. Each ebook will be on sale for $1.99, regardless of the normal retail price. Access my Smashwords author page for the entire list of ebooks. (Remember, Smashwords offers ALL ebook formats, including mobi format for Kindles.) Use the coupon code for the ebook on checkout.
In libris libertas!
