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Book Review: Gentleman Bandit: The True Story of Black Bart, the Old West’s Most Infamous Stagecoach Robber, by John Boessenecker
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm SezGentleman Bandit: The True Story of Black Bart, the Old West’s Most Infamous Stagecoach Robber, by John Boessenecker
c.2023, Hanover Square Press $32.99 376 pagesHere, take this.
It’s yours. You’ve always wanted it, you’ve always known somehow that you were going to have it and now’s the time. It’s not like you’ve ever passed on a chance to seize what you want, so go ahead – just take it. But as in the new book, “Gentleman Bandit” by John Boessenecker, remember your manners.
On the morning of July 26, 1875, stage coach driver John Shine was stopped on a short route up a mountain by what he thought was a large band of desperadoes with rifles. One of them, a man dressed in white clothing, head masked, his boots wrapped in rags to conceal his footprints, demanded that Shine throw down the coach’s lockboxes and mail bags – which Shine did, with great haste before he was told to “Drive on.”
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Self-Publishing: The Wide Distribution Versus Kindle Unlimited Debate
Mark McNeaseI’ve been a self-published (independent) author and publisher for over 12 years now, and I still vacillate between making my books available widely or keeping them exclusive to Kindle Unlimited. I’m in the go-wide-phase now, with my books available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and through various audiobook retailers via Findaway Voices. I’ve even begun publishing AI-narrated audiobooks through Kobo, with one up and more to follow.
The biggest advantage for authors to being Kindle-exclusive are the Kindle Unlimited reads: subscribers pay Amazon a monthly charge to read unlimited eBooks, and the authors get (literally) pennies per page read. That was fine for a long time, since it can make up a significant percentage of the author’s monthly royalty payment. But it can also feel like a cage, and for someone like me who wants to roam freely and explore any and all options, the time came to put-up-or-shut-up. I have enough of a catalogue, and enough projects in the works, to take the plunge once again and stay there. Here are some pros and cons of the wide-versus-exclusive debate that never seems to fade.
Self-publishing Widely vs. Being Exclusive to Kindle Unlimited – A Comprehensive Comparison
With the proliferation of electronic publishing and self-publishing platforms, authors now have the option to choose between publishing their work exclusively on Amazon Kindle or going wide by publishing on multiple platforms. Here are some pros and cons of both options.
Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited (KU) is a subscription-based service offered by Amazon that allows readers to read an unlimited number of books for a monthly fee. Books enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited program are exclusive to Amazon, providing authors with a higher revenue share of the subscription fees.
Advantages:
1. Higher Revenue Share: For books enrolled in KU, authors receive a higher revenue share from the subscription fees than books sold on the store.
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An Introduction to Dreamshaping
Introduction
“All things are of the substance of dreams.” For many years that has been my personal mantra, my code, if you will, to live and dream by. Explaining what this means is tricky. I’ll start with saying what it does not mean: It does not mean that nothing we experience is real. It does not mean we should rely on wishful thinking to create the kinds of lives we want to live. In my experience, wishes are for birthday cakes, fleeting and usually unrealized unless the odds of them coming true were already in our favor. It does not mean life is free from struggle, or that the dream of it is meaningless because we’re just going to wake up someday and realize we never existed.
Life as we experience it is the ultimate lucid dream—those dreams in which we become aware that we’re dreaming. We look around us in the dream we’re having, and we understand within the dream that we have the power to create it, frame by frame. We are suddenly unbound by the rules of everyday life, in which options are few and our days are filled with things we must do: work at jobs we don’t really like, meet obligations we would prefer to be free from, remain in relationships that are poisoning us, and generally live in a state of low-grade helplessness. The world is going mad! Polarization and politicization, partisanship and mistrust, lives that feel like a grind, wearing us down as we endure them rather than celebrate them. We hope to survive to that end of the tunnel we’ve been travelling toward, where light, and Social Security, and freedom are enjoyed for a few golden years that rush by like water over a dam. But then, if we want to, we wake up in the dream and realize it’s a dream. We’re not truly stuck. We can make choices. We can be our own dream guides, leading ourselves each day as we both live this dream and create it.
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The Joys of Coming Home
Mark McNease/Robot Intern
Nothing beats the feeling of coming home after a wonderful vacation. It’s like being reunited with an old friend – your own familiar bed! But beyond the sweet embrace of relaxation and comfort, there are many other things to love about coming home from a much-needed break.
One of the best parts about coming back is the stories you have to share with your family and friends. Who doesn’t love retelling their adventures from vacation? And if you come back with souvenirs, even better. I always get coffee cups, T-shirts and hats: inexpensive and simple reminders of where we’ve been.
Coming home also gives us the opportunity to attend to our day-to-day needs that missed while we weree away. From the taste of home-cooked meals, to catching up on our favorite shows, it’s nice to be able to return to normalcy and routine after a week or two in as different environment.
Most of all, coming back from vacation gives us time to reflect and appreciate everything we have. Even though we may have seen some amazing places, and experienced new people and sights, it’s always nice to come home. There’s no place like it!
So next time you’re off to explore the world, be sure to enjoy the journey, and savor the homecoming. Together, they’re two of life’s greatest pleasures. Happy travels!
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The Twist Podcast #223: All Tuckered Out, Biden Sets a Rematch, and an Interview with the Founders of Our House Concerts
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we shed a tear for Tucker Carlson, ponder the implications of a Biden/Trump rematch, and enjoy a new guest interview with the founders of Our House Concerts!
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Next Up: ‘Kill Swtich: A Kyle Callahan Mystery,’ Narrated by WondervoxAI (Sample Chapter)
I’ll be tweaking this cover a little, but for now you can enjoy a one-chapter sample of my next audiobook. Kill Switch: A Kyle Callahan Mystery, is the fifth book in the series and the second audiobook produced and narrated by my WondervoxAI venture. CLICK TO LISTEN, and save the date! This will be available exclusively on Kobo by the end of May.
About Kill Switch: A Kyle Callahan Mystery
In the 5th installment of the Kyle Callahan Mysteries, Kyle finds himself in therapy after ending the life of the Pride Killer, the most successful serial killer New York City has ever known. Putting an end to evil was the right thing to do, but it left Kyle in need of the services of psychotherapist Peter Benoit. Kyle decides the best way to re-engage with life is to do what he can’t stop doing: solving murders. Joined once again by his friend Detective Linda Sikorsky, Kyle takes on his first cold case, the murder of a teenager three years ago. Corinne Copley was killed on a Manhattan side street for nothing more than her cell phone. Or was that really the reason? Come along as Kyle delves into the murky undercurrent of New York City politics, pursues a crime boss who kills as easily as she breathes, and seeks justice for the father of a murdered child.
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‘Final Audition: A Marshall James Thriller’ Audiobook Now Available on Kobo
The future has arrived! The audiobook for Final Audition: A Marshall James Thriller is now available on Kobo. Produced and narrated by my very own WondervoxAI, synthetic narration. The sound is amazing. You may even find yourself with a crush on the voice I call Android Anthony. That also happens to be my middle name. Cosmic?
You can listen to a two-chapter sample HERE, and purchase the entire audiobook for a mere $8.99 HERE.
About Final Audition: A Marshall James Thriller
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Book Review: In the Company of Grace: A Veterinarian’s Memoir of Trauma and Healing, by Jody Lulich
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworms Sez
“In the Company of Grace: A Veterinarian’s Memoir of Trauma and Healing” by Jody Lulich
c.2023, University of Minnesota Press $19.95 232 pagesYou are a product of what your parents do.
They nurtured you, and you learned to nurture. They yelled, and you discovered that shouting was the way to communicate. From them, you got your sense of humor, your earliest political beliefs, and your initial ideas of right and wrong. You’re a product of what adults around you do – or, as in the new book “In the Company of Grace” by Jody Lulich, what they don’t.
The suicide attempt on New Year’s Eve of 1966 was not Jody Lulich’s mother’s first.
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It’s a Smashing Discount at Smashwords!
It’s a Smashing Discount on Smashwords!
You can get seven of my book on Smashwords for 50 percent off through May! Settle in for a few nights of mystery and suspense at half the cost. CLICK HERE.
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WondervoxAI and MadeMark Publishing Now Offer Content Creation
That didn’t take long! MadeMark Publishing and WondervoxAI now offer content creation for your website. This can include audio supplements to your blog posts, articles and columns. For some examples:
5 Tips for Promoting Your Podcast
Podcasting is more popular than ever, with over a million podcasts available on different platforms. With such a vast number of podcasts competing for listenership, it’s important to promote your podcast effectively. Here are five tips to help you increase your audience and grow your podcast.
1. Optimize Your Podcast for SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to the techniques used to improve your ranking on search engine result pages. Optimizing your podcast for SEO involves creating relevant and informative titles and descriptions that use keywords effectively. Add a detailed description of your podcast and include links to relevant websites or social media accounts. Be sure to include your podcast’s name, as well as the names of key contributors and topics you cover.
My Date with AI: Some Words About Self-Publishing from My Ghost Writer Robot
Why Self-Publishing is a Great Option for Authors
As a writer, you have a lot of options for getting your work out there. You can go the traditional publishing route, but that can be a long and difficult journey. There’s also the option to self-publish. While it might seem daunting at first, self-publishing can be an incredible option for many authors. Here are just a few of the reasons why.
Control
One of the biggest benefits of self-publishing is the control you have over your work. You get to decide how your book looks, what it says, and how it’s marketed. This can be an incredible opportunity for authors who are tired of struggling to get their voice heard in the traditional publishing world. With self-publishing, you get to take control of your career and your work.
Contact: Mark @ WondervoxAI .com
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Mark McNease On Substack: Las Vegas Turnaround
Hey, there, what’s that sound … It’s Robot Anthony, of course!
I Do My Hair Toss …
Tennessee Tried to Ban Drag Shows. So Lizzo Invited Drag Queens Onstage
How much do I love this woman? The answer is not to cancel Pride parades (I’m looking at you, Port St. Lucie) but to have 10,000 people show up in drag and say, “So f**king arrest us.” To the gays I’ve seen commenting elsewhere that we’ve catered to the “extremists” among us: who the hell do you think fought back at Stonewall? It wasn’t your Brooks Brothers, Martha Stewart, tastefully married asses. It was the drag queens and the transsexuals, so sit down and shut up. We don’t need your approval and we will never have theirs.
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5 Tips for Promoting Your Podcast
Audio by WondervoxAI
Following is my second AI-generated blog post using Jasper. Seamless, accurate, impressive. You can sign up for Jasper and get 10,000 free credits with this referral link!
5 Tips to Effectively Promote Your Podcast
Podcasting is more popular than ever, with over a million podcasts available on different platforms. With such a vast number of podcasts competing for listenership, it’s important to promote your podcast effectively. Here are five tips to help you increase your audience and grow your podcast.
1. Optimize Your Podcast for SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to the techniques used to improve your ranking on search engine result pages. Optimizing your podcast for SEO involves creating relevant and informative titles and descriptions that use keywords effectively. Add a detailed description of your podcast and include links to relevant websites or social media accounts. Be sure to include your podcast’s name, as well as the names of key contributors and topics you cover.
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My Date with AI: Some Words About Self-Publishing from My Ghost Writer Robot
Audio narration by WondervoxAI
I embrace technology, and new advances mean new creative opportunities for me. This includes the AI/synthetic voice narration through my WondervoxAi venture (using Eleven Labs). All of my Mark McNease on Topic Substacks now include audio supplements narrated by androids, and the audiobook edition of my latest book, Final Audition: A Marshall James Thriller, is coming out with AI narration so good you’ll be challenged to tell the difference. I’m also embracing AI writing. It’s the future, and it’s here now.
Everything changes. Authors can self-publish. Musicians don’t need labels. Everybody streams. And I invite technological change into my create-o-sphere because it keeps me challenged and it’s exciting to the imaginative mind. In that vein … here is an article about self-publishing that was just written using Jasper, and it was born fully formed within minutes. Fear not, stay on the tip, explore and expand with exuberance. – The Real Mark
Why Self-Publishing is a Great Option for Authors
As a writer, you have a lot of options for getting your work out there. You can go the traditional publishing route, but that can be a long and difficult journey. There’s also the option to self-publish. While it might seem daunting at first, self-publishing can be an incredible option for many authors. Here are just a few of the reasons why.
