Joe Mikolay's Blog, page 11
August 9, 2014
The Stuffy Old Cyber Library
So, I recently enrolled The Pack in the Kindle Unlimited library and I already have a couple of people who've borrowed it!
It may lack the nostalgic romance of walking through the narrow rows, sifting through the dusty shelves, and reading Dewey Decimals through chintzy plastic book covers. But there's something to be said about the new-fashioned cyber libraries.
Oh, and by-the-way, book two of the Venator Series is coming. Soon. Very Soon. Watch out for The Alpha!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Venato...
It may lack the nostalgic romance of walking through the narrow rows, sifting through the dusty shelves, and reading Dewey Decimals through chintzy plastic book covers. But there's something to be said about the new-fashioned cyber libraries.
Oh, and by-the-way, book two of the Venator Series is coming. Soon. Very Soon. Watch out for The Alpha!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Venato...
July 21, 2014
It's The Little Things...
Another (albeit) small landmark achieved, as The Pack just got its 20th review on Amazon.com!
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Mikolay/e/B...
Next targeted landmark: 1,000 copies sold.
There's a good chance I reach that by the end of the summer. Believe me, I'll let everyone know what I hit the target.
Getting closer every day!
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Mikolay/e/B...
Next targeted landmark: 1,000 copies sold.
There's a good chance I reach that by the end of the summer. Believe me, I'll let everyone know what I hit the target.
Getting closer every day!
July 2, 2014
The Pack Is A 2014 Kindle Book Awards SemiFinalist!
I am honored to announce that The Pack is a semifinalist for the 2014 Kindle Book Awards for the Horror/Suspense category!
https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/2...
I made to to the Sweet 16, so it's like March Madness! In July! For Books!
Or, if you prefer, I made it to the KnockOut Round of the World Cup! For Books!
Please take a minute to "Like" The Kindle Book Review on Facebook, and tell them why The Pack should make it to the next round!:
https://www.facebook.com/TheKindleBoo...
Or Tweet them @Kindlbookreview
Keep Reading! Especially stuff that may end up winning awards!
https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/2...
I made to to the Sweet 16, so it's like March Madness! In July! For Books!
Or, if you prefer, I made it to the KnockOut Round of the World Cup! For Books!
Please take a minute to "Like" The Kindle Book Review on Facebook, and tell them why The Pack should make it to the next round!:
https://www.facebook.com/TheKindleBoo...
Or Tweet them @Kindlbookreview
Keep Reading! Especially stuff that may end up winning awards!
June 5, 2014
The Human Problem
I am a misanthrope.
It's not a fact I'm proud of but, until the human race gives me a good reason to change my perspective, it will remain my stance.
I'm not saying that I believe all people are bad but, from what I can tell, there is sadly more bad than good out there.
There's a scene in The Matrix where Agent Smith (played by Hugo Weaving) monologues to Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) regarding how the human race is like a virus. It's a pretty standard supervillain rhetoric, but it also has validity.
In fact, I'd take it even further as to say that the human race is more like a cancerous tumor. It corrupts, displaces and destroys everything unlike it in the body.
Was it not in that manner that mankind laid claim to being the dominant species on the planet?
We got better at killing and destroying than any other species. That involves the tearing down of natural habitats in order to make ourselves more comfortable at the cost of every other living being on the planet.
You can see it in these high-rises, and superhighways that we rampantly deforest in order to make room for. Every time I see roadkill I think about the metal monstrosities that we built to get around more quickly.
That chain of events created by our actions led to other creatures being flushed from their homes by the buildings, and into the streets where they're killed by something that was never meant to belong in nature.
More specific examples would be the people (who deserve very painful deaths) that engage in dog fighting rings or forced breeding. Also consider the Albany Bear Cub situation. We take away the land that these animals call home, and so they have to adapt to survive. Then, when they do adapt, we kill them.
So you can't even say it's true Darwinism. It's more like one tyrannical despot of a species ruling over all and destroying anything that threatens the lopsided status quo.
I won't even get too far into what we've done to the environment, but it's safe to say Global Warming is a thing that would not exist had our ancestors not decided that Progress and Convenience were worth more than the very world we inhabit.
I'll admit to not ever having done an in-depth study of the human soul as compared to the souls of every other living being, but I'm confident in making the claim that humans are the only beings in the world capable of evil.
Other creatures may be vicious at times, but it's only in the name of self-preservation. It was mankind who invented cruelty. And that cruelty- that evil- is prevalent every day as it is inflicted upon other species as well as our own.
The human race is clearly the worst thing that ever happened to planet Earth. Our mere existence seems to serve no other purpose but to disassemble the planet and make life more difficult for every other living being on it.
I'm not innocent in this. I drive a car, turn on the lights in my house, watch TV, and run an air condition in the summer. I'm not even a vegetarian or vegan, as my convictions are not quite as powerful as my principles. But I am trying to be a smaller part of The Human Problem.
I don't waste gas and I plan on buying a hybrid car soon. When I am on the road, I keep my eyes open and can happily say that I've never hit a living creature with my car.
I try to get my food where I have some assurances that the livestock was treated well during their lifetimes. I donate money to charities like the ASPCA and other animal shelters.
I try to only use the air conditions when I really need to, and turn off the lights in the house when I'm not in that room.
Don't take this diatribe as the grand announcement that I'm making before unleashing my Doomsday Device- as awesome as that would be.
Humans are capable of exhibiting great intelligence, and creating great beauty. Art and music and literature. Humans are also capable of great empathy and compassion and love.
I want to believe that we can use that intelligence, beauty, empathy, compassion and love to try and make the world a better place for every living being walking, crawling, swimming and flying upon (and over) it.
What I am saying is that we, as a species, need to do better. We can never undo all the harm we've already done, but we can try to do less harm in the future.
For better or worse we, the human race, won. We won a long time ago. Now we need to start showing that we actually deserved to win.
Thanks for listening to my rant, and keep reading!
It's not a fact I'm proud of but, until the human race gives me a good reason to change my perspective, it will remain my stance.
I'm not saying that I believe all people are bad but, from what I can tell, there is sadly more bad than good out there.
There's a scene in The Matrix where Agent Smith (played by Hugo Weaving) monologues to Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) regarding how the human race is like a virus. It's a pretty standard supervillain rhetoric, but it also has validity.
In fact, I'd take it even further as to say that the human race is more like a cancerous tumor. It corrupts, displaces and destroys everything unlike it in the body.
Was it not in that manner that mankind laid claim to being the dominant species on the planet?
We got better at killing and destroying than any other species. That involves the tearing down of natural habitats in order to make ourselves more comfortable at the cost of every other living being on the planet.
You can see it in these high-rises, and superhighways that we rampantly deforest in order to make room for. Every time I see roadkill I think about the metal monstrosities that we built to get around more quickly.
That chain of events created by our actions led to other creatures being flushed from their homes by the buildings, and into the streets where they're killed by something that was never meant to belong in nature.
More specific examples would be the people (who deserve very painful deaths) that engage in dog fighting rings or forced breeding. Also consider the Albany Bear Cub situation. We take away the land that these animals call home, and so they have to adapt to survive. Then, when they do adapt, we kill them.
So you can't even say it's true Darwinism. It's more like one tyrannical despot of a species ruling over all and destroying anything that threatens the lopsided status quo.
I won't even get too far into what we've done to the environment, but it's safe to say Global Warming is a thing that would not exist had our ancestors not decided that Progress and Convenience were worth more than the very world we inhabit.
I'll admit to not ever having done an in-depth study of the human soul as compared to the souls of every other living being, but I'm confident in making the claim that humans are the only beings in the world capable of evil.
Other creatures may be vicious at times, but it's only in the name of self-preservation. It was mankind who invented cruelty. And that cruelty- that evil- is prevalent every day as it is inflicted upon other species as well as our own.
The human race is clearly the worst thing that ever happened to planet Earth. Our mere existence seems to serve no other purpose but to disassemble the planet and make life more difficult for every other living being on it.
I'm not innocent in this. I drive a car, turn on the lights in my house, watch TV, and run an air condition in the summer. I'm not even a vegetarian or vegan, as my convictions are not quite as powerful as my principles. But I am trying to be a smaller part of The Human Problem.
I don't waste gas and I plan on buying a hybrid car soon. When I am on the road, I keep my eyes open and can happily say that I've never hit a living creature with my car.
I try to get my food where I have some assurances that the livestock was treated well during their lifetimes. I donate money to charities like the ASPCA and other animal shelters.
I try to only use the air conditions when I really need to, and turn off the lights in the house when I'm not in that room.
Don't take this diatribe as the grand announcement that I'm making before unleashing my Doomsday Device- as awesome as that would be.
Humans are capable of exhibiting great intelligence, and creating great beauty. Art and music and literature. Humans are also capable of great empathy and compassion and love.
I want to believe that we can use that intelligence, beauty, empathy, compassion and love to try and make the world a better place for every living being walking, crawling, swimming and flying upon (and over) it.
What I am saying is that we, as a species, need to do better. We can never undo all the harm we've already done, but we can try to do less harm in the future.
For better or worse we, the human race, won. We won a long time ago. Now we need to start showing that we actually deserved to win.
Thanks for listening to my rant, and keep reading!
June 4, 2014
The Venator Series - Book One
Just a quick drop-by to make it known that the official title of The Pack has been altered:
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Venator-Bo...
The reason why it is now subtitled The Venator Series - Book 1 is because Book 2 will be arrived quite soon.
Be ready!
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Venator-Bo...
The reason why it is now subtitled The Venator Series - Book 1 is because Book 2 will be arrived quite soon.
Be ready!
April 1, 2014
My Favorite Time Of The Year
I love the tweener seasons!
Winter is a several months long slog once the holidays pass, and summer tends to get too toasty around here.
But spring and autumn are just right for me. We're not quite there yet, but I can sense the spring-ness picking up steam.
March is technically still winter, for the most part, but it was still a pretty good month for me.
With a little help from eReader News Today we managed to top triple digit sales on The Pack for the first time ever.
Got the book into the hands of 155 new readers- which is fantastic!
We even moved some copies of Misfit Toys In Love, which is always a nice surprise.
Trying to keep the momentum into April going by reaching out with the intriguing new ad site iAuthor.uk.com, so we'll see how that goes.
Either way, my birthday is April 7th, so I'll be making the most of this weekend with my family and friends.
Thursday, my wife and I will be going to see Rocky on Broadway. Which sounds kinda ridiculous, but got really great reviews. Either way, I'm always up for anything Balboa-related.
Saturday is a full schedule, as a big group of chums will be joining us for an afternoon viewing of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. That will be followed by some delicious fried chicken at Bon Chon. And we'll be capping it off with a night of karaoke at Gagopa.
Even Sunday is pretty loaded, with a family lunch. Then, Sunday night will be stocked full of awesomeness by watching WrestleMania XXX with a couple people, and then the Game Of Thrones season premiere.
Hopefully, everyone else has got some good stuff planned as well. In the meantime- keep reading!
Check out my profile at iAuthor:
http://www.iauthor.uk.com/profile/joe...
Check out the ad from eReader News Today:
http://ereadernewstoday.com/bargain-a...
Winter is a several months long slog once the holidays pass, and summer tends to get too toasty around here.
But spring and autumn are just right for me. We're not quite there yet, but I can sense the spring-ness picking up steam.
March is technically still winter, for the most part, but it was still a pretty good month for me.
With a little help from eReader News Today we managed to top triple digit sales on The Pack for the first time ever.
Got the book into the hands of 155 new readers- which is fantastic!
We even moved some copies of Misfit Toys In Love, which is always a nice surprise.
Trying to keep the momentum into April going by reaching out with the intriguing new ad site iAuthor.uk.com, so we'll see how that goes.
Either way, my birthday is April 7th, so I'll be making the most of this weekend with my family and friends.
Thursday, my wife and I will be going to see Rocky on Broadway. Which sounds kinda ridiculous, but got really great reviews. Either way, I'm always up for anything Balboa-related.
Saturday is a full schedule, as a big group of chums will be joining us for an afternoon viewing of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. That will be followed by some delicious fried chicken at Bon Chon. And we'll be capping it off with a night of karaoke at Gagopa.
Even Sunday is pretty loaded, with a family lunch. Then, Sunday night will be stocked full of awesomeness by watching WrestleMania XXX with a couple people, and then the Game Of Thrones season premiere.
Hopefully, everyone else has got some good stuff planned as well. In the meantime- keep reading!
Check out my profile at iAuthor:
http://www.iauthor.uk.com/profile/joe...
Check out the ad from eReader News Today:
http://ereadernewstoday.com/bargain-a...
March 11, 2014
The Pack Gets Some Ink
Hey All,
Brief blog today, I just want to make sure that you all check out eReader News Today, since they're helping to spread the word about The Pack!
http://ereadernewstoday.com/bargain-a...
Be sure that you spread the word too, and keep reading!
Brief blog today, I just want to make sure that you all check out eReader News Today, since they're helping to spread the word about The Pack!
http://ereadernewstoday.com/bargain-a...
Be sure that you spread the word too, and keep reading!
February 20, 2014
TV Snobbery
I'll admit it- I'm a TV snob.
It all really started with 'The Office' back in 2004. It was among the first sitcoms I can remember that ran without a laugh track. It was followed shortly after by '30 Rock'.
Among the benefits of not having a laugh track is that there is more room for the smaller (sometimes funnier) moments that follow the big laugh moments. I often get more out of a subtle little joke than the flashier set-it-up-and-punchline-it-out style.
Nowadays, the only sitcoms I can watch are the good ones that don't have laugh tracks. 'Community', 'Parks & Recreation', 'New Girl', and 'Suburgatory' are at the top of my viewing lists now. Along with them are HBO comedies like 'Getting On'.
In fact, I can't even tell if a laugh track show is funny anymore, because I find the laugh tracks so distracting. Not to mention irritating- I mean who wants to be told when they're supposed to laugh?
I tried watching 'Big Bang Theory' and 'How I Met Your Mother' but found I could barely get through one episode. Maybe they're just not my taste, but maybe the laugh track kills them for me.
It's not so different when it comes to dramas. There are very few 22 episode network shows I watch anymore. 'Person Of Interest' and the surprisingly good 'Arrow' spring to mind.
I have no interest in anything that starts with 'CSI' or 'NCIS' but, even if I did, the 22 episode count and network restrictions would turn me off. It just allows for too much bloat in storytelling.
As a matter of fact, the newest shows on network TV that I like have the shorter episode counts and push some boundaries. 'Hannibal', 'Almost Human' and 'Sleepy Hollow' are at the top of that list.
Most of the dramas I watch regularly air on cable and run from 6 to 12 episodes per season. 'The Walking Dead' and 'Justified' are two of the basic cable shows I enjoy.
HBO can be counted on for pretty great dramatic stuff as well, like 'Game Of Thrones' and 'True Detective'.
Even PBS and BBCA seem to have found a better formula for dramas than the networks with things like 'Sherlock' and 'Orphan Black'.
Anyway, just felt like sharing. So, until next time, keep reading!
It all really started with 'The Office' back in 2004. It was among the first sitcoms I can remember that ran without a laugh track. It was followed shortly after by '30 Rock'.
Among the benefits of not having a laugh track is that there is more room for the smaller (sometimes funnier) moments that follow the big laugh moments. I often get more out of a subtle little joke than the flashier set-it-up-and-punchline-it-out style.
Nowadays, the only sitcoms I can watch are the good ones that don't have laugh tracks. 'Community', 'Parks & Recreation', 'New Girl', and 'Suburgatory' are at the top of my viewing lists now. Along with them are HBO comedies like 'Getting On'.
In fact, I can't even tell if a laugh track show is funny anymore, because I find the laugh tracks so distracting. Not to mention irritating- I mean who wants to be told when they're supposed to laugh?
I tried watching 'Big Bang Theory' and 'How I Met Your Mother' but found I could barely get through one episode. Maybe they're just not my taste, but maybe the laugh track kills them for me.
It's not so different when it comes to dramas. There are very few 22 episode network shows I watch anymore. 'Person Of Interest' and the surprisingly good 'Arrow' spring to mind.
I have no interest in anything that starts with 'CSI' or 'NCIS' but, even if I did, the 22 episode count and network restrictions would turn me off. It just allows for too much bloat in storytelling.
As a matter of fact, the newest shows on network TV that I like have the shorter episode counts and push some boundaries. 'Hannibal', 'Almost Human' and 'Sleepy Hollow' are at the top of that list.
Most of the dramas I watch regularly air on cable and run from 6 to 12 episodes per season. 'The Walking Dead' and 'Justified' are two of the basic cable shows I enjoy.
HBO can be counted on for pretty great dramatic stuff as well, like 'Game Of Thrones' and 'True Detective'.
Even PBS and BBCA seem to have found a better formula for dramas than the networks with things like 'Sherlock' and 'Orphan Black'.
Anyway, just felt like sharing. So, until next time, keep reading!
February 15, 2014
No Mas Snow Mas!
Honestly, Ma Nature, we get the point. Global warming is bad, and it's totally our fault.
If we promise to do better, can you please call off Jack "The Ripper" Frost?
I live in New Jersey, lived here for most of my youth as well, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say that I've NEVER seen this much snow in a single winter before.
The problem with it- aside from the obvious transportation issues and such- is that this cold, suffocating bastardization of water just takes the starch right out of you.
I'll admit that, when I'm not adding height to the already mountainous mounds of snow on my property, I'm not doing much at all.
The lack of gym visits is sort of mitigated by the fact that all the shoveling has me training way old school like Rocky Balboa in Siberia revving up to take on Ivan Drago.
There's less of an excuse when it comes to my lack of writing recently. But that one I'm gonna start fixing now.
I've got one manuscript on the final stage, another close to it, and a third that I'm about to dive into.
I'm loving the reviews that keep popping up, and can only hope that- when my next books are unleashed into the world, they can be received in a similar fashion.
Believe me, I'll do my best. And I hope that you all just keep reading!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
If we promise to do better, can you please call off Jack "The Ripper" Frost?
I live in New Jersey, lived here for most of my youth as well, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say that I've NEVER seen this much snow in a single winter before.
The problem with it- aside from the obvious transportation issues and such- is that this cold, suffocating bastardization of water just takes the starch right out of you.
I'll admit that, when I'm not adding height to the already mountainous mounds of snow on my property, I'm not doing much at all.
The lack of gym visits is sort of mitigated by the fact that all the shoveling has me training way old school like Rocky Balboa in Siberia revving up to take on Ivan Drago.
There's less of an excuse when it comes to my lack of writing recently. But that one I'm gonna start fixing now.
I've got one manuscript on the final stage, another close to it, and a third that I'm about to dive into.
I'm loving the reviews that keep popping up, and can only hope that- when my next books are unleashed into the world, they can be received in a similar fashion.
Believe me, I'll do my best. And I hope that you all just keep reading!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
January 14, 2014
Another Satisfied Customer (Or Two)
So glad that more people have read The Pack, enjoyed it, and put up solid reviews on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
What do they have in common (besides being of the thumbs-up variety)? They're both asking for a sequel.
To that I say: Have a little patience.
I expect to have a sequel to The Pack out by the end of the year.
In the meantime, please keep reading and (if you like what you read) then continue to spread the word!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Pack-Joe-Mi...
What do they have in common (besides being of the thumbs-up variety)? They're both asking for a sequel.
To that I say: Have a little patience.
I expect to have a sequel to The Pack out by the end of the year.
In the meantime, please keep reading and (if you like what you read) then continue to spread the word!
