James’s
Comments
(group member since Apr 24, 2022)
James’s
comments
from the Self-Published Only Club group.
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Fellow indie authors have some fun!Give this interesting game a run.
For your hero or villain
A limerick is so thrillin’.
And prospective readers may love your creativity a ton!
Here’s a limerick for the protagonist of my books
and
When Luna Nightcrow spots a crook
She doesn’t always capture him by the book.
Dressed to the nines.
She wines and dines.
And can make the perp confess with a sexy look.
And another limerick for my hard oiled hero of
.Sonny Busco, P.I., pokes and pries
Day and night to uncover big city lies.
Sonny will cater
To Princess Leia or Darth Vader.
But in such indifference will trouble arise.
By the way, lest I forget, I’m currently savoring another of one of my favorite self-published authors’ delights. Roger Cave of Bolton, England (near Manchester, the home of the sublime soul singer Lisa Stansfield) writes a smashing, and I use the term advisedly, series of military thrillers and action adventures that are similar to traditional author Dale Brown’s books and the cinematic 007’s. His leading man is called Alec Fincham of Her Majesty’s Special Boat Service — think Navy SEALS for those stateside— and 2 of my favorites are Medusa Defence and Red Queen. The titles, by the way, represent chess moves; and Fincham is quite the martial strategist. Another self-published author whose mysteries and science fiction I enjoy thoroughly is Mister WT Keeton of Kentucky. His unusual private eye Cadmus Lincoln is a modern day version of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe and Robert B. Parker’s telegenic Spenser in Lincoln Confidential: The Goddess of Strife and The Serpent at the Plain of Panope. Like Mr. Cave, his titles are also illusory: They represent lesser known Greek deities whose tragedies shape the plot. Brilliant.
Mister Keeton also wrote a smart science fiction duology in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s “John Carter of Mars” that veers off to become a sort of biblical Buck Rogers in The World of Erganna and The Ergannan-Largon War.
If Misters Cave and Keeton were members of Self Published Only Club, for example, their royalties would blossom by way of my unyielding support. So, I’m not hard to please, if you write what I like.
For me, it’s simply a matter of whether or not a self-published author offers me what I like to read. If so, you’ve got a paying passenger for the roller coaster of a read I long for your book to take me on. I love cinematically-styled mysteries, thrillers, and action adventure. Sadly, this group has very few in supply thus far. And the few I’ve tried that billed themselves as such were middling to over par. I’ve occasionally review swapped for genres I dislike (such as romance, fantasy masquerading as sci-fi, and dystopian “Hunger Gamesesque” reads). But to read them without something in return … ain’t happenin’, as the kids say nowadays.
Having once served as an assistant public librarian for well over a decade, I was honor-bound to act as custodian of all forms of free speech and constantly man the watchtowers to defend the written word from marauding censors. But no more. As a “free man,” so to speak, it doesn’t matter if you’re woman or man, tan, black, or white, you must write what I (with emphasis on “I”) like. And honestly, this’s the case for most people.
Well, it appears Amazon acknowledged that I gave
3 stars, but not that I posted the actual written words (aka a review). My Goodreads review of said book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...So what you have is a 3 star “rating” on Amazon, but no review. I wasted almost an hour with their digital customer service reps, trying to figure out a reason why. They blame the self-publisher for blocking it (which doesn’t seem likely, as my other 3 star review posted without problems). And I’ve the requisite amount of Amazon stuff purchased, in order to leave a review.
Oh well. I’ve done my bit for queen and country…
...TALK TO THE ANIMALS, WHICH WOULD YOUR CHARACTER BE?When I named my insurance investigator extraordinaire protagonist "Luna Nightcrow," it wasn't just a random name, but fit her personality.
Luna humorously describes herself as "a smart bird who works her butt off and rarely gets a good night's sleep," in The Diamond Head Deception. A character in The K-Frost Caper notices that "[Luna's] smartphone never sleeps"; and Luna observes that "she's all yours, day or night, but only if the price is right" (explaining the Moon, or "Luna," reference).
According to The Myers-Briggs Personality Test ( https://www.psychologyjunkie.com/2019... ), people with "crow" personalities exhibit these traits:
Resourceful, independent, intelligent (among others).
These fit Luna to a T. So what animal would your character be?
Just curious, Abby: Who determines what book becomes“Book of The Month.” Members, moderators, or both?
… FRAUD. And if you spot it, call Luna Nightcrow. Up with the sun and into the night, Luna Nightcrow is all yours, but only if the price is right. She isn't your typical private eye! Wanna give her mysteries a try?From the award-winning and critically-acclaimed mystery series The Nightcrow Casefiles come The K-Frost Caper and The Diamond Head Deception. BOTH IN KINDLE AND PAPERBACK ON AMAZON.COM!
Forty-something Cherokee Luna Nightcrow is a freelance insurance investigator who's at the top of her game. She shoots more than the breeze with her smartphone, occasionally dispensing a 60,000-volt shock to assailants from its Yellow Jacket stun gun case. And armed with beauty and brains that are even more devastating, she flies from sea to shining sea -- from Honolulu to Miami and in between--to tackle the toughest insurance scams anyone's seen.
A 2016 Next Generation Indie Awards Finalist for Multicultural Fiction for
Luna's off to Hawaii to track down "Pacific Splendor": A missing, world renown red diamond insured for $15 million. Among the suspects: Secessionists, sexy ex-sportsmen ..., and Luna?!
And featured #15 on Mystery Tribune https://www.mysterytribune.com/24-bes...
Luna's back in action, this time on an assignment that will snag her a nifty $50,000, if she can find "Frost," Kelvin Frost (one of 3 same-named criminals who may be have committed identity theft and murder or have been murdered themselves) in Miami. Paired with one of The Magic City's best cops, the debonair Detective Sgt. Tiago Toussaint, action, mystery, and a little romance about, as Luna dares to look around.
Joanie wrote: "James wrote: "Joanie wrote: "James wrote: "Joanie wrote: "James wrote: "Joanie wrote: "I have added your books, as I did before. Are you planning on remaining a member of the group this time?"Mak..."
Writing mysteries is my part-time metier; I look for clues. And your suddenly defensive response when I mentioned 3-star reviews is "interesting." It's also sad and quite telling that we couldn't have reconciled this through personal e-mail; finally, that this also appears to be just one Moderator who is determined to get one person's pledge of allegiance to the self-publishing group.
I say this honesty and with all due respect, Joanie: You've done great work in keeping this thread going through its darkest times. But tonight was not your finest hour.
Joanie wrote: "James wrote: "Joanie wrote: "James wrote: "Joanie wrote: "I have added your books, as I did before. Are you planning on remaining a member of the group this time?"Makes sense that non-member book..."
Nor is my response unreasonable: When you ask everyone to basically swear they won't leave or amend the rules stating it's a requirement to stay perpetuity, then I'll answer. Otherwise, I'm left to presume that you must ask a such a question of only me because you have a problem that goes beyond my mere group attendance. Have you asked anyone else who also may have left and returned whether they plan to stay a member?
Finally, the nature of online chatrooms is that people come and go for various reasons. It hasn't been a problem that I've left and returned to a group elsewhere. It's only here (for some as yet unexplained reason) and comes from only one Moderator. I'd be interested to hear Abby's response,
Again, if this odd one-man "loyalty oath" is because I gave your The Gap 3 stars or A Sea of Indigo and Diamonds like number but hoped for more, clearly state that as the reason. Also, if this is a 4 or 5 star only review group, make that clear. Then, I haven't any problem answering your question.
Joanie wrote: "James wrote: "Joanie wrote: "I have added your books, as I did before. Are you planning on remaining a member of the group this time?"Makes sense that non-member books would be withdrawn. However..."
When that question is asked of every member or is clearly stated as a prerequisite for participation, then it would also be fair to ask me that. Since, however, you must confirm participation for only one person, it comes across that there is an implied problem with either me or my contributions to this forum.
Joanie wrote: "I have added your books, as I did before. Are you planning on remaining a member of the group this time?"Makes sense that non-member books would be withdrawn. However, I didn't see that rule in the e-mailed instructions for participation. In fact, I had to resort to this thread to get a personalized response from you (which raised concerns as to whether my call it like I see it, analysis-style of reviews was being held against me). If it's also implied that only 4 or 5 star reviews are allowed, then perhaps this isn't a site worth my participation anyway.
So going forward, you may want to consider amending the rules for participation and even review expectations, in order to keep this unfortunate misunderstanding from occurring en masse.
Just checking to see if The Reading Corner Series invitation is still open to the self-published set who read and review selected texts. I've received what amount to auto-mailer instructions from The Moderators, specifically Joanie, but no posts of my books in "Series," though I've complied and reviewed the following in multiple venues:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amz...
Hopefully my 3-star rating isn't frowned upon and keeping my books from being duly posted, too.
So please add my series books
and
to the "Series" list.
Joanie wrote: "Here is a list of Standalone Books: The titles are from members who expressed an interest in having their book be part of the Reading Corner. Note: Please comment with the cover of your reading c..."
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Awaiting Amazon’s acceptance or denial of the review.
Joanie wrote: "This is the home for placing the book cover of your reading choice and the link to your reviews.Thanks!
Joanie"
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Awaiting Amazon,s acceptance or denial of the review.
