Podcasts about kindle unlimited

When you're a solopreneur or running a right-sized business, hiring a mentor isn't as simple as following someone else's success story. In this episode of Strategic Storytelling, we unpack the reasons why traditional mentor models — often built for corporate careers or celebrity entrepreneurs — don't work for most small business owners. You'll discover: Why their story may be inspiring... but useless to your business How to identify the right kind of support based on your business archetype Three powerful alternatives to traditional mentorship — including the idea of a "personal advisory board" How to use your own intuition as your most powerful decision-making tool Before you invest in a high-ticket program or follow someone else's path, tune in to rethink what "mentoring" really means for your stage of business. RESOURCES AND MENTIONS: Your Mess is Not Your Message: A Guide to Solopreneur Branding This book contains a detailed discussion of the archetypes  discuss here. Free with Kindle Unlimited. FREE: What is your archetype? Take this quiz...and then learn more about your archetype from my book. Intuition: A Guide For Career and Business. I wrote this quite a while ago and it's still good. Podcast with Robert Middleton (an Educator). Podcast with Cindy Bidar (a Role Model). Podcast with Ellen Finkelstein (also a Role Model) One of many dozens of articles on personal advisory boards Get in touch with me.

- Screening SW original version brings mixed reactions- Filming for Starfighter- LISTENER EMAILSSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

The king of the gods aspects three potent slower planets in the second half of June. Jupiter squares Neptune and the Saturn-Neptune midpoint, and also quincunxes Pluto! We also have a massively aspected Cancer New Moon, a multi-layered Summer Solstice chart, and lots of aspect patterns. Dive in to learn how you can benefit from this busy summer sky. (And discover June's free session winner!) Resources Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity. Transform your life with this auspicious “gods of change” Mini Grand Trine astrology alignment! Deep Dive Trauma Healing. Your potent opportunity for profound personal transformation. An intensive multi-day experience, online or in person. Jupiter square Saturn  Summer solstice aspect patterns: T-Square with Jupiter, Saturn, and the Lunar Nodes. Wedge with Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the Lunar Nodes. Double Yod Key with Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. Thor's Hammer with Juno, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. Mystic Rectangle with Venus, Juno, and the lunar nodes. Uranus-Neptune-Pluto Mini Grand Trine. Summer solstice aspect links to events not interpreted in this episode: Mars square Uranus Saturn sextile Uranus Mercury opposite Pluto links: T-Square Hard Rectangle Law of Attraction. My relationship post: Is a Relationship Awesome, Awful, or Mixed? The Archetypal Universe by Renn Butler. My Amazon #1 bestseller: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Complete Guide to Fast and Easy Spiritual Awakening, Healing, and More. Available as an eBook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook starting at $3.99, and included with Kindle Unlimited.  Watch my FREE life-transforming video: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Free Guide to Fast and Easy Awakening, Healing, and More. Awakening Plus online spiritual support membership. “This Week in Astrology” Free Session Entry. (2 chances each month to win a free session with me!) My forecasts in writing. My services: Astrology+, Shamanic Healing, life coaching, Deep Dive Trauma Healing, and more. Watch the June 16-30 forecast video. Start times for specific days: 1:23 - Tuesday, June 17 - Jupiter square the Saturn-Neptune midpoint 3:00 - Wednesday, June 18 - Jupiter square Neptune 5:00 - Thursday, June 19 - Mystic Rectangle 6:03 - Friday, June 20 - summer solstice chart 16:13 - Saturday, June 21 - T-Square & Double Yod Key 18:13 - Sunday, June 22 19:39 - Monday, June 23 20:37 - Tuesday, June 24 - Jupiter quincunx Pluto 26:09 - Wednesday, June 25 - Cancer New Moon 30:16 - Thursday, June 26 30:28 - Friday, June 27 - Hard Rectangle 31:11 - Sunday, June 29 31:30 - Monday, June 30 As of June 16 … The Moon is waning (there was a Sagittarius Full Moon on 6/11). Pluto is retrograde through 10/13. A T-Square with Jupiter, Saturn, and the Lunar Nodes continues thru 6/19. A Wedge with Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the Lunar Nodes continues thru 6/24. A Double Yod Key with Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune continues thru 6/29. A Thor's Hammer with Juno, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune continues thru 7/7. The Uranus-Neptune-Pluto Mini Grand Trine continues thru 9/6/2029. *************** Whatever your Sun Sign, my forecasts can help you make the best use of the current astrological energies. All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time zone. Events are most powerful on the dates listed, but their influence will be active for at least a week before and after. Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you'll be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart. Discover how these transits will personally affect you by booking a session with me. May the stars light your way, Benjamin

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, host Michael La Ronn discusses whether it's worth an author's time to pursue turning a book into a film or TV series—and why it might be more effective to let the industry come to you. Other questions include: Is it okay to use a book title that's already been used by another author? Should I go wide or enroll in Kindle Unlimited if I only release one book a year? What impact might Donald Trump's proposed tariffs have on UK authors selling eBooks in the US? Should I make manuscript changes while waiting for the cover design? How do I find a print-on-demand service in Italy that works with my author website? What are the legal risks of including memes and screenshots in a published book? And More! Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. Sponsor The Member Q&A podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. About the Hosts Michael La Ronn is ALLi's Outreach Manager. He is the author of over 80 science fiction & fantasy books and self-help books for writers. He writes from the great plains of Iowa and has managed to write while raising a family, working a full-time job, and even attending law school classes in the evenings (now graduated!). You can find his fiction at www.michaellaronn.com and his videos and books for writers at www.authorlevelup.com. Sacha Black is a bestselling and competition winning author, rebel podcaster, speaker and casual rule breaker. She writes fiction under a secret pen name and other books about the art of writing. When Sacha isn't writing, she runs ALLi's blog. She lives in England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. You can find her on her website, her podcast, and on Instagram.  

- Star Wars fans ignorantly compare Andor to real world events- LISTENER EMAILSOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - Douglas McCarthy Nitzer Ebb passes away- New Track Names - Depeche Mode “M” Movie reviews- Cleanest version of “In Then End”- Listener feedback. SUPPORT JON JUSTICE BY PICKING UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, THE SCIENCE FICTION SERIES WRITTEN BY JON JUSTICEAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 1990'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYLatest drink and chat with Rob Rohm https://youtu.be/rXs7iZX1tfUEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon Justice

Alexa is joined by five dynamic authors from different genres to talk all things book marketing—what worked, what didn't, and how the Book Launch in a Box program helped them succeed. Real advice, real results, and a whole lot of encouragement for authors at every stage.

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - Snippet of In The End - Depeche Mode “M” movie Reviews- Post debut film interviewSUPPORT JON JUSTICE THRU KO-FI: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOR YOU CAN SUPPORT JON JUSTICE BY PICKING UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, THE SCIENCE FICTION SERIES WRITTEN BY JON JUSTICEAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 1990'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYLatest drink and chat with Rob Rohm https://youtu.be/rXs7iZX1tfUEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

⏳ ⏳ ⏳ Go OUT THROUGH THE IN DOOR to GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE ...

- Acolyte creator on what George Lucas would have done with the story-Mark Hamill done playing Luke - LISTENER EMAILSSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - Hype for Depeche Mode “M” movie increases.- Listener feedback. SUPPORT JON JUSTICE THRU KO-FI: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOR YOU CAN SUPPORT JON JUSTICE BY PICKING UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, THE SCIENCE FICTION SERIES WRITTEN BY JON JUSTICEAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 1990'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYLatest drink and chat with Rob Rohm https://youtu.be/rXs7iZX1tfUEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

We're breaking all the rules—and talking about Fight Club. Paul is joined by author and returning guest Suzanne Mattaboni for a deep dive into Chuck Palahniuk's cult classic novel (and the iconic 1999 film adaptation by David Fincher).

Send us a textEp 616: Sex on the Beach, Excerpt from The Siren Who Couldn't Sing, An Open Door Erotic Romantasy Tale.Get book 1, Wingless Hunger, in audiobook: https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/winglesshungeraudiobookBuy the Book The Siren Who Couldn't Sing: https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/thesirenwhocouldntsingGet all four novellas in Deception's Snare: https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/deceptionssnareeBooks are also currently available in Kindle Unlimited (subject to change).Also available in paperback.The Open Door Romantasy Continues from Wingless Hunger to The Siren Who Couldn't Sing (book 2 in the series) ... Gabriella finds herself nude on the beach and reaching out for her hero again.Story blurb:Gabriella finally found what she was looking for. As a fairy-siren-human, she was with the love of her life, a human male named Leif. Gabriella and Leif settled into a happy life, but everything changes when Gabriella is summoned back to the sea. The siren in her makes her ocean bound journey smooth, that is until an unseen force starts messing with the couple and splits them up. While they feel like powerless pawns in a chess game as their hearts and bodies get wrenched from each other, all they want is their happily ever after, if only the one in power will allow that to happen.Enjoy book 2 in the Arching Hunger Series, a spicy open-door HEA Romantasy, with explicit intimate scenes, forced proximity, devotion, love, and a shrinking & growing woman. This a relationship driven romance first fantasy saga, where the relationship is topmost.Tropes:*Open Door, HEA Spicy Romantasy, spicy erotic romance fiction.*Lust First, sexuality.*Forced proximity.*Shrinking woman, growing woman.*She needs a hero.*He's a cinnamon roll.*The miracle they seek, they don't know all the rules.Wingless Hunger is a novella, book 1 of 4 in the Arching Hunger series. Enjoy the entertainment of spicy storytelling about relationships and spicy open door erotic romance, romantic fantasy fiction in this audiobook written and narrated by podcast host Ruan Willow, author, podcaster, and audiobook narrator. Support human voices only in audio and buy only human created content. Support humans not automation.Support the showSubscribe for exclusives: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1599808/subscribeSign up for Ruan's newsletters: https://subscribepage.io/ruanwillowhttps://linktr.ee/RuanWillowI Dare You book https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/idareyouthesaturdaysexchallenge NO AI TRAINING

Curso Definitivo de TCC:www.essencialdatcc.com.brBaixe, GRATUITAMENTE, materiais para uso clínico: hhttps://essencialdatcc.com.br/materiais-gratuitos-tcc/Teste Grátis por 30 dias o Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/3idHGzy - Tenha acesso à Mais de um milhão de eBooks para você ler onde e quando quiser. Incluindo o MEU! :) Teste Grátis por 30 dias o Amazon prime: https://amzn.to/3cM7fXf - Tenha frete grátis e acesso ao Prime Vídeo

What does it really take to lead with vision in a world overflowing with distractions? In this episode of Seek Go Create, host Tim Winders sits down with Dr. Dave Jones—former pro hockey player, elite performance coach, sport psychologist, and founder of M is Good—to explore the link between mental toughness, authentic identity, and purposeful leadership. Discover how the R7 Vision Framework can help you find clarity, build resilience, and align your mission with lasting impact. Whether you're an athlete, leader, or anyone hungry for deeper purpose, this conversation will challenge and inspire you to plan, act, and truly win where it matters most."Plan to win: when you start writing stuff down and thinking about things, it just speaks to you."— Dr. Dave Jones Access all show and episode resources HEREAbout Our Guest:Dr. Dave Jones is a renowned coach and consultant specializing in mental performance for elite athletes, executives, and ministry leaders. With a doctorate in sport and performance psychology, Dr. Jones draws on his experience as a former professional hockey player in Europe and his extensive career coaching high achievers. He is the founder of M is Good, a marketing agency focused on Kingdom Purpose, creator of the R7 Vision Framework for mission-driven leadership, and author of "Vision Wins: Seven Strategies for Mental Toughness in Life and Sports." Dr. Jones is also the host of the R7 Podcast, where he equips leaders to align vision with eternal impact and excel in spiritual and mental disciplines. Reasons to Listen: Discover the R7 Vision Framework: Dr. Dave Jones breaks down his unique model for aligning leadership, mission, and faith—a strategy he's refined through working with elite athletes, executives, and ministries.Real Talk on Mental Toughness: Hear why mental toughness isn't just for athletes, and learn actionable ways to plan for success in both business and life—even when pressure and setbacks hit.Identity Beyond Achievement: Explore powerful, personal stories about winning, loss, and finding lasting identity, as Dr. Jones explains the difference between chasing external success and living out purpose with Kingdom impact.Episode Resources & Action Steps:Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Vision Wins: Seven Strategies for Mental Toughness in Life and Sports – Book by Dr. Dave Jones, mentioned and discussed throughout the episode. Available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.M is Good – Dr. Dave Jones' marketing agency focused on Kingdom Purpose. Website: misgood.comR7 Podcast – Hosted by Dr. Dave Jones, where he shares more about leadership, vision, and performance.Action Steps for Listeners:Evaluate Your Identity: Reflect on where you're placing your identity—is it in achievements, titles, or material things, or is it grounded in something deeper? Consider journaling about who you are beyond what you do.Plan to Win: Take Dr. Dave's advice—start writing down your goals and plans, even if they aren't perfect. “If you don't have a plan, you're planning to lose.” Creating a vision for your life or work, and focusing on the process over the outcome, helps build mental toughness.Assess Your Mental Toughness: Honestly ask yourself if you perform well under pressure. If not, explore resources like Dr. Dave's book or...

Hi! Welcome to our Bookish Life! We are Jess and Tori and we chat about all things being content creators, influencers and book industry professionals!Tori's Youtube Channel | @NovelLife Jess's Youtube Channel | @PeaceLoveBooksxo Tori's Instagram | @liveanovellifeJess's Instagram | @peacelovebooksxoWant to send us snail mail?2500 Dallas Hwy Suite 202PMB 324Marietta, GA 30064USA

n this episode of The Six Figure Author Experiment, we sit down with Erin Wright—bestselling romance author and founder of Wide for the Win—to unpack the real differences between wide publishing and Kindle Unlimited. Erin joins co-hosts Russell and Lee to explore how author archetypes, release strategies, international markets, and even dopamine hits from Amazon rank can affect your success depending on the path you choose.We dig into the psychology, practicality, and sustainability of both publishing approaches—from mental health and burnout to long-tail income and international reach. This isn't about one path being better—it's about helping you choose what actually works for your books, your audience, and your life. Whether you're in KU, thinking about going wide, or just trying to future-proof your author business, this conversation is full of insight, humor, and real-world experience.Topics Covered:* Erin Wright's journey from librarian to bestselling wide author* Founding Wide for the Win and growing to over 18,000 members* How KU limits access to libraries and international markets* Author archetypes: Forest, Grassland, Aquatic, and Phoenix* The psychological toll of KU's treadmill and algorithm dependence* Why KU can be detrimental—not just neutral—for some authors* How wide platforms reward longevity vs. KU's focus on newness* Preorder mechanics: Apple and Kobo vs. Amazon* Bank over rank: why chasing rank won't pay your mortgage* Wide publishing as “choose your own adventure”* Transitioning to wide with foreign translations* Real examples of burnout, bounce-backs, and big wins* Hiring help for wide distribution (and knowing when to do it)* Tips for sustainable author careers in an unpredictable marketLinks:* Six Figure series case study: https://millionaire-author-coaching.teachable.com/l/pdp/six-figure-series-case-study* Book marketing bootcamp: https://millionaire-author-coaching.teachable.com/p/bookmarketingbootcamp This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sixfigureauthorexperiment.com

In this week's episode, we take a look at the major self-publishing platforms that I use, and examine the pros and cons of each. This coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Doom of the Sorceress, Book #8 in the Dragonskull series, (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) at my Payhip store: DOOM50 The coupon code is valid through June 24, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates   Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 253 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is May 30th, 2025, and today we are looking at the current major self-publishing platforms and what they offer indie authors. Before we get to our main topic, we'll have Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing projects.   So let's start with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Doom of the Sorceress (book number eight in the Dragonskull series, as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) at my Payhip store. That code is DOOM50. And as always, we will have the coupon code and the links to the store in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through June 24th, 2025. So if you are setting out on summer travels this summer and you need an audiobook to listen to while you're in the car or plane, we have got you covered. So now for an update on my current writing and audiobook projects. Ghost in the Corruption (as I mentioned last week) is now out and available at all the ebook stores: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple Books, Smashwords, and Payhip. It is selling well. So thank you all for that. Now that Ghost in the Corruption is finished, what am I working on next? Well, back in 2023, I finished the Dragonskull and The Silent Order series back to back, so I declared Summer 2023 to be my Summer of Finishing Things. Well, it looks like Summer 2025 is going to be the Super Summer of Finishing Things because I intend to finish three series back to back.   First up is Shield of Power, the sixth and final book of The Shield War series. As of this publishing, I am 26,000 words into it, which puts me on Chapter 6 of 29. So I think it's going to end up being around 100,000-110,000 words long, and I am hoping it will be out in June, though it might slip to July depending on how things go. Once that is done, the next one up will be Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest, which will be the third and very definitely final book of the Stealth and Spells Online trilogy. Believe it or not, I have been working on Final Quest on the side for so long that I passed the 100,000 word mark in that book this week. In fact, it's been a side project for so long that I don't remember how long I've been working on it, and I had to look up the metadata to check that I indeed started chipping away on it on October 18th, 2024. So I am very pleased that I'm nearly done with the rough draft and because of that reason, if all goes well, it'll come out very quickly after Shield of Power, since I think the rough draft will end up at about 125,000 to 130,000 words or in that neighborhood. Once Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest is finished, I will then write Ghost in the Siege, which will be the sixth and final book of the Ghost Armor series. I am 1,500 words into that and hoping for that to come out in August or September, if all goes well. Once The Shield War, Stealth and Spells Online, and Ghost Armor are finished, I will finally be free to return to the Rivah and Nadia series. I realized that through all of 2024 and the first half of 2025, I had five unfinished series at the same time, and that was just too much for me to keep track of as a writer, and I think it may have been too much for the readers because it was too much of a wait between the different series as I worked my way through them. So five series at the same time is too much, so hence the Super Summer of Finishing Things. Going forward, I've decided that three unfinished series at the same time will be my maximum, which after the Super Summer of Finishing Things will be Cloak Mage, Half-Elven Thief, and a new epic fantasy series that I will set in the realm of Owyllain.   In audiobook news, Brad Wills started working on Shield of Battle this week and Hollis McCarthy started working on Ghost in the Corruption, so hopefully before probably about July or thereabouts, we will have those audiobooks available for you to listen to. So that is where I'm at with my current writing projects.   00:03:49 Main Topic of the Week: Self-Publishing Platforms for Ebooks [Note: Information in this Episode is Very Likely to Change]   So now let's move on to our main topic for the week, which is the main self-publishing platforms for ebooks. Today we will do a brief overview of the self-publishing platforms I currently use: Amazon/KDP, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and Draft2Digital/Smashwords. The reason I wanted to do this is because there are many scammy platforms for self-publishing out there, but fortunately there are also many legitimate ones. Today we'll compare several of the most popular ones for ebooks. Just to make things easier for comparison, we'll be using the term platform to discuss both retailers and aggregators and we're not going to talk about options for self-publishing print or audio formats today. We're going to focus solely on ebooks.   First of all, what should you look for in a publishing platform? The first thing is to make sure you retain complete ownership of your content in all formats. Some of these scammer ones try to claim all rights to anything you try to post or sell through them, so that is definitely a red flag to watch out for. Make sure that you understand any exclusivity requirements of any programs that you sign up for such as KDP Select, such as if other formats like audio are also included in their requirements, how long exclusivity lasts, et cetera. If the platform requires exclusivity, that is definitely something to pay attention to. Make sure you do your research carefully to understand how pricing, royalties, and payments work on each individual platform. Sometimes some of them will pay quarterly, some of them pay monthly, and some of them pay you last month's royalties at the end of the month. Some of them like Amazon run like two months behind.   Finally, and this is a big one, you should not have to pay any money in order to upload your work. If they are asking for money upfront, it is probably a scam. Now, there are some aggregators that don't take a percentage and instead charge you a yearly fee. I'm not talking about them in this podcast episode because I don't use them, but they are out there. One example would be Book Funnel, which does charge a yearly fee for you to use but provides a valuable service in being a backend for running your own store on like Payhip or Shopify, and there's a couple of other useful services in that way, but they're not a storefront and they don't take a percentage of any royalties. They just charge a yearly fee. So they're not the topic with this episode.   All the platforms I've talked about today do not have any fees in order to upload. Reputable sites like Amazon or Kobo will instead take a percentage of each book's sale. It's also good to have a few realistic expectations before you start using self-publishing platforms, and one of them is that the platform is not a marketer. For example, many people complain that KDP doesn't showcase their books and they get lost in the millions of books available. However, none of these services are promising that you'll make the front page of their site just by publishing there. It's a common delusion among new indie authors that when you publish your first book, that's all you have to do and people will flock to it. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.   In fact, since Amazon makes a small fortune off book ads, it's not in their interest to give away screen space for free, and this isn't to knock on Amazon, that's just the way the retail industry works. For example, if you go into a Target or a Walmart or another big box retailer, note the products that are prominently displayed on the aisle displays or the endcaps of the aisles. They didn't just get there randomly. The manufacturers of those products paid big money to Amazon and Target and Walmart and the other big box retailers to have their products featured there. In many cases, online commerce is no different.   Getting your book uploaded onto a platform is just the first step. Promoting and marketing the book is up to you and strategies for those will vary based on which ones you choose to use. For example, if you choose to make your work exclusive to just one platform, it's not a good idea to run Facebook ads in countries where that platform either doesn't exist or where it's not terribly popular. Today we're going to be just focusing on comparing the platforms, not how to best to market from them. So what are the options?   #1: First up is the most common platform people use and it's the 800 pound gorilla in the self-publishing space, and that is Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. And what are the pros and cons of KDP?   Pro: They are the biggest force in ebook publishing in many countries, including the United States. Some authors find that as much as 80 to 95% of their ebook sales come from Amazon, even if they are not exclusive with Amazon. For myself, it's usually about 50 to 60% of my sales on any given month are from Amazon and the rest come from the other retailers.   Heavy readers are generally very familiar with the Kindle Store interface and Library setup, and many readers are kind of locked into Amazon because they own Kindle devices, subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, and have large Kindle Libraries. So those are all the pros of publishing with KDP.   Cons: If you're expecting a large portion of your sales to come from the print version of your book or if print sales are very important to you, be aware that many bookstores and libraries either can't or won't buy print books from Amazon, so you should find an additional platform for the print version such as Ingram Spark or maybe Barnes & Noble's print division. One big concern about going exclusive with Amazon is that you're losing readers who don't have Kindle books in their countries, people who are boycotting Amazon for a variety of reasons, people who are locked into another platform such as Apple or Kobo, or people who want to self-archive their ebooks since Amazon doesn't allow that anymore. If you're already wide, you'll have to look carefully at what percentage of your sales are non-Amazon and if this percentage is an amount you'd be comfortable risking losing in order to be exclusive. Occasionally authors do complain about the customer service available to KDP, especially if it's urgent. For myself, I've not personally had any huge problems with KDP customer service. That said, I think you should expect a lead time of about one to two business days on anything you ask because I usually go through the email form.   Does KDP offer a subscription service? Yes. Kindle Unlimited (KU) readers pay a set amount and can read an unlimited number of books each month, although they're limited as to how many they can have in their library at any one time. Promotions happen regularly, usually based around big sales like Prime Day, and it can make a subscription as cheap as $0.99 for a three month period. Some also receive free subscriptions by buying certain Amazon products such as a new Kindle or Kindle Fire.   The downside of being in Kindle Unlimited is the exclusivity. You can't be in KU without being exclusive with Amazon, or at least the specific book in question has to be exclusive. Not all of your books have to be exclusive, and many authors such as myself will usually put one series in KU and then make sure everything else is wide. You must agree to be exclusive with them for ninety days and that time period is renewable.   What does KDP pay in terms of royalty? For $2.99 to $9.99, they give you 70% of the sale price. Under $2.99 and above $9.99, it's 35%. So that is sort of an encouragement from Amazon to price your ebooks in the $2.99 to $9.99 range. Currently I price new novels at $4.99 and do short stories at $0.99 cents.   What do I do? I have all of my titles available through KDP. I have a smaller portion of my collection exclusive through KDP Select/KU, and I have only recently increased that amount of Select titles due to the economic downturn. I suspect that KU users are likely to hold onto their subscriptions while cutting other expenses because honestly, KU is a pretty good deal for readers and the monthly subscription costs is about the same as one tradpub frontlist ebook, but with a KU subscription, they could read thousands of books for the same price. The value of KU is really very strong for frequent romance, LitRPG, science fiction, and fantasy readers. There's a strong population in the KU subscriber base often referred to as binge readers. They care more about variety, discovering new books, and the ability to read a lot over the ability to read specific authors or stories.   So overall, I think if you are self-publishing and even if you don't like Amazon very much or don't plan to go exclusive, it's still in your best interest to publish your ebook with them, even if you are wide and intend to do all the other retailers just because Amazon really is the biggest ebook platform out there at the moment. #2: Now, the next self-publishing platform we're going to look at is Barnes & Noble Press, which as the name implies, belongs to Barnes & Noble. The Pros: some people are never, ever going to let go of their Nooks or they already have a large personal ebook library through the Nook so they feel locked into that platform. These readers are the majority of people buying ebooks through Barnes & Noble, but fortunately that group tends to read a lot. There's also a lot of trust in Barnes & Noble as a brand, and that inspires people to continue buying from them.   In fact, for a while in the indie author space at the end of the 2010s and the start of the 2020s, it was a regular prediction that Barnes & Noble was going to go out of business soon, but then the company was bought by a private equity firm, and while private equity firms often have a deserved bad reputation for stripping a company of assets and then selling it off at a bargain basement price (such as the fate of Red Lobster), that does not seem to be the case of what happened with Barnes & Noble and the company really has been strengthening in recent years. So they may be here to stay for a while.   The downsides of publishing with Barnes & Noble Press is that Barnes & Noble is relatively a minor player in the ebook market, though usually in the top four of most indie author ebook sales if they're wide. They have shifted their focus to selling print books instead of Nook devices, especially in the retail space.   Do they offer a subscription service? They do not. However, nothing about Barnes & Noble requires exclusivity, which is nice, and the royalty structure is pretty good. It's 70% over all titles over $0.99. So if you want, you could price your ebook at $0.99 or $19.99 and still make 70%, which you couldn't do with those prices on Amazon.     #3: The next self-publishing platform we'll look at is Kobo Writing Life, which is the ebook platform to publish on Kobo, which is owned by Rakuten. Pros: Kobo is strong in the international market and will help you to reach readers in many countries. Based on my sales data, in Canada and Australia, Kobo is significantly bigger than Amazon for ebook sales. Kobo has also had a surge of recent media attention in the US as people seek out alternatives to Amazon and Kindle devices.   The Con of Kobo, and this is a fairly small one, is that their US market share is still fairly small compared to Amazon or Barnes & Noble or some of the others. But as I mentioned, they're a lot stronger in Canada and Australia, and they do reach a lot of different countries, more than Amazon does.   Does Kobo have a subscription service? Yes, Kobo Plus. Kobo Plus is significantly less expensive than Kindle Unlimited, and there's an additional tier that allows you to add audiobook content to the plan. The library isn't quite as extensive as KU though, though. I should note that in the years since Kobo has been introduced, I'd say about half of my revenue from Kobo (sometimes 60% of my revenue from Kobo) comes from Kobo Plus and not from direct ebook sales. So it's getting to the point where the majority of their ebook revenue I suspect, is coming from Kobo Plus and not direct Kobo sales.   Do they require exclusivity? No, which is another strong selling point for Kobo Plus. For their royalty structure, ebooks over $2.99, you get 70% and any books over below $2.99, you get 45%, which is a more generous term than Amazon in terms of the royalty rate for below $2.99 and above $9.99.   So what do I do? I currently use it as one of the platforms for my ebooks. It's been a pretty strong seller for me consistently over the years, and every Kobo book that I have is also available in Kobo Plus, which probably explains the revenue split I was talking about earlier. #4: The next platform we'll look at is Draft2Digital/Smashwords, which we'll do as one because Draft2Digital and Smashwords are in the process of merging. Draft2Digital is technically what's called an aggregator, where you upload your book and then they can publish on a variety of different platforms for you, and in exchange, they take a small cut of the sales. Draft2Digital is, in my opinion, probably the most effective way to get your ebooks through Apple and Smashwords. Apple does have its own direct uploading service, but I've never used it because there are a bit too many hoops to jump through.   Draft2Digital does, as I mentioned, have a way to publish on multiple storefronts at once while managing uploads and sales reporting through just one interface. They're not a storefront in and of themselves, although since Draft2Digital does own Smashwords, Smashwords essentially acts as their storefront for them. Although Draft2Digital lists Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble as an option, most authors will upload to these sites separately, and in fact, that's what I do for myself.   The Pros of Draft2Digital is that it's a definite time savings using Draft2Digital to publish across multiple platforms, especially with platforms like Apple that are more difficult or time consuming to learn. This is also a convenient way to make your work accessible to library platforms like Overdrive/Libby, Hoopla, and Bibliotheca, if that is important to you. Library sales have never been a huge priority of mine, but I've never been opposed to them either, so I usually just flip those switches on and then don't think about it again.   The Cons for Draft2Digital are that there was a period after the Smashwords migration where they received complaints about customer service and difficulty in setting up tax information, though I think that is mostly ironed out now.   One potential hazard for Draft2Digital with a very specific subset of writers is that if you are a writer of, shall we say, very hard erotica, the sort that ends up in very restricted categories on most stores, you will probably have trouble publishing through Draft2Digital. This is not, however, a problem that's unique to Draft2Digital. Amazon has what is called the “erotica dungeon”, where if you publish certain kinds of, like we said, very harsh erotica, your book isn't searchable on the Amazon store. You can link to it directly, but it will never show up on any search results. Kobo in particular has had problems with erotica.   Back in the 2010s, Kobo was also distributing ebooks to some British retailers, and these British retailers suddenly got upset when they noticed that these kinds of hard erotica were showing up on their store pages, which was not a good look for the company. And so there was a kerfuffle until that was all sorted out. My frank opinion with that is if you are writing these kinds of erotica, the big stores and Draft2Digital will never be on your side, and so you are better off pursuing a sort of a Patreon/running your own store on Shopify or Payhip strategy, but that is a bit of a digression.   So in terms of royalties, Draft2Digital takes 10% of the book's retail price per copy sold, which is in addition to whatever amount is taken by the specific storefront. So you are paying a bit of money in exchange for convenience for just uploading your book to Draft2Digital and having it push out the book to all the different stores for you.   What I do is I use Draft2Digital for Apple mainly because for a while I was using Smashwords, but Smashwords in the 2010s was a bit more persnickety than is now, and you needed to prepare a specially formatted doc file to publish on Smashwords and sometimes getting it through the Smashwords processing onto Apple was a bit of a pain. Draft2Digital took epub files, which are much easier to work with, and after a while I switched over all my Apple publishing to Draft2Digital entirely. So that's why I use Draft2Digital for Apple and for various library services that tend to be a minor amount of sales. Because of the difficulties on publishing direct to Apple, I do find that that 10% is good trade off in terms of selling books on Apple for me.   #5: Now onto Google Play's ebook self-publishing platform, which is, I think its full name is the Google Books Partner Center, which lets you publish books to the Google Play Store for sale on Android devices.   The Pros are that for writers interested in the international market, Google Play is another strong choice for a platform since the international mobile device market is very Android heavy. The iPhone (Apple) tends to be concentrated mainly in the US and a few of the wealthier countries like the UK and Canada, but Android has a much more international reach in general than the iPhone. Google Play also has some interesting promotional options for ebooks, such as offering the buyer a chance to subscribe to a specific series.   The cons are that some authors report that their sales reporting doesn't always consistently generate reports, and others are annoyed that it only generates a CSV file, (which isn't that much of a hardship for people who are familiar with Excel).   For myself, I found that there is a bit of a reporting lag on Google Play where it will sometimes take as long as five or six days for sales to show up on the dashboard, though usually it's only a delay of two days, though sometimes during the month you'll get these bigger lags and sometimes processing new material on the Google Play Store can be slow, and it can sometimes take two to three days for things to appear, though it usually gets worked out in the end. Does Google Play have a subscription service? It does not, nor does it require exclusivity, which is another point in its favor. And the royalties, the data is quite nice here. It is 70% for all price points in the countries listed on their support page, which only excludes a handful of countries like India, South Korea, and Japan (because of currency conversion regions or other local laws).   So those are the ebook publishing platforms that I currently use, and because I use them myself, I would recommend them. Hopefully that is helpful to you as you are looking for places to self-publish your book as you set out to become an indie author.   So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the backup episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.  

Jupiter enters Cancer and squares Saturn, giving us the two most important astrology events in June's first half. Other potent events include a massively aspected Sagittarius Full Moon, Mars square Uranus, and more! Resources Deep Dive Trauma Healing. Your potent opportunity for profound personal transformation. An intensive multi-day experience, online or in person. Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity. Transform your life with this auspicious “gods of change” Mini Grand Trine astrology alignment! Nonviolent Communication. Law of Attraction. My relationship post: Is a Relationship Awesome, Awful, or Mixed? The Archetypal Universe by Renn Butler. The Jupiter-Saturn Great Conjunction cycle. Blueprint for Revolution: How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World, by Srdja Popovic. My Amazon #1 bestseller: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Complete Guide to Fast and Easy Spiritual Awakening, Healing, and More. Available as an eBook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook starting at $3.99, and included with Kindle Unlimited.  Watch my FREE life-transforming video: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Free Guide to Fast and Easy Awakening, Healing, and More. Awakening Plus online spiritual support membership. “This Week in Astrology” Free Session Entry. (2 chances each month to win a free session with me!) My forecasts in writing. My services: Astrology+, Shamanic Healing, life coaching, Deep Dive Trauma Healing, and more. Watch the June 1-15 forecast video. Start times for specific days: 2:33 - Sunday, June 1 3:57 - Friday, June 6 5:01 - Sunday, June 8 5:39 - Monday, June 9 (Jupiter in Cancer) 9:51 - Wednesday, June 11 (Sagittarius Full Moon) 13:57 - Saturday, June 14 15:00 - Sunday, June 15 (Mars square Uranus, Jupiter square Saturn) As of June 1 … The Moon is waxing (there was a Gemini New Moon on 5/26). Pluto is retrograde through 10/13. A T-Square with Jupiter, Saturn, and the Lunar Nodes continues thru 6/19. A Wedge with Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the Lunar Nodes continues thru 6/24. The Uranus-Neptune-Pluto Mini Grand Trine continues thru 9/6/2029. *************** Whatever your Sun Sign, my forecasts can help you make the best use of the current astrological energies. All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time zone. Events are most powerful on the dates listed, but their influence will be active for at least a week before and after. Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you'll be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart. Discover how these transits will personally affect you by booking a session with me. May the stars light your way, Benjamin

Sarah is over the moon that we're talking about celebrities again, especially because we're keeping it tight this time around and limiting it to celebrity/normal person romance (mostly -- Jen is ungovernable)! Yes, Sarah is going to talk about Perfect, but also we're going to talk about celebrities who fall for stranger normies, for normies they knew before they were celebrities, for normies who work with them, and for normies who protect them. The episode is 1200 books long and honestly, we're not sorry. In case you wondered why Sarah is breaking her rule about talking about her own books, it's that time of year again! Her next book, These Summer Storms (complete with sexy, silent, deeply competent hero) is out in July and is going on tour, and there is a real deal Fated Mates LIVE planned for July 8th in St. Louis, MO! Get tickets to any of these events (Jen will be at a bunch of them, and other pod friends will be popping up along the way) at sarahmaclean.net/tour! If you can't make the tour, you can preorder These Summer Storms signed with a special romance dust jacket from The Ripped Bodice. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Cate C Wells's Run Posy Run, available right now in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited at Amazon, Apple Books, and Libro.fm.The Books Perfect by Judith McNaughtAll The Feels by Olivia DadeThe Hollywood Jinx by Sariah WilsonFan Service by Rosie DananNot a Bad Boy by Louisa EdwardsLOL by Lucy Lennox & Molly MaddoxThe Mechanic by Reina TorresThe Stand-In by Lily ChuThe Decoy Girlfriend by Lillie Vale32 Days in May by Betty CorrelloThe Bollywood Bride by Sonali DevGhosted by JM DarhowerSmall Town Swoon by Melanie Harlow

- Andor and how it's changed the Star Wars saga- LISTENER EMAILSSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - Ranking the best B-Sides- Listener feedback. SUPPORT JON JUSTICE THRU KO-FI: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOR YOU CAN SUPPORT JON JUSTICE BY PICKING UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, THE SCIENCE FICTION SERIES WRITTEN BY JON JUSTICEAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 1990'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYLatest drink and chat with Rob Rohm https://youtu.be/rXs7iZX1tfUEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

This special event discusses how to maintain and strengthen spiritual awakening in order to personally and collectively master the dark energies currently rising on Earth. I speak on this topic for 23 minutes, then open it up for 90 minutes of spirited Q&A! This free public Zoom event, part of my Awakening Plus online membership, took place on May 19, 2025. Topics include: Using simple invocations for quick and effective spiritual awakening and shadow work. The importance of a regular spiritual practice and community support for healing and awakening.  How your awakening helps everyone else awaken more easily. Personal stories of encountering negative energies and processing collective trauma.  How to skillfully use challenging experiences, including psychic attacks, to deepen your spiritual awakening. How dark side infiltration can be slow and subtle. How the dark side feeds on negative emotions. How to stay positive and motivated by telling the most uplifting story that fits the facts. How ayahuasca accelerates Benjamin's healing and awakening. A compassionate and effective technique for dark entity extraction. How to heal disturbing energies by merging with them. The critical importance of interdependence. How lightworkers can best support global awakening! Watch the video. Resources “Awakening Plus” online membership. Free video: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Free Guide to Fast and Easy Awakening, Healing, and More. I lead you through all four types of my invocations! Learn about Deep Dive Trauma Healing: your potent opportunity for profound personal transformation! Check out my #1 Amazon bestseller: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Complete Guide to Fast and Easy Spiritual Awakening, Healing, and More. Available as an audiobook, paperback, hardcover, and eBook starting at $3.99, and included with Kindle Unlimited.  

I've heard a lot of "whys" from different authors--why they started writing, wanted to write, began when they did. All the whys.  Listen in and learn why Heidi Gray McGill took her why for her career and reworked it into her new writing career (and why I think she was so successful!).  note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. When I found out Heidi's series, Discerning God's Best, allows readers to watch characters grow up and learn to navigate life with (and without--not recommended) the Lord's direction, I knew why folks love it so much.  We love characters we don't have to say goodbye to and get to see become MORE of who they are supposed to be.  Win/win! Heidi also shares her heart for what she's doing with her stories, why she does what she does, and more! Written on My Heart by Heidi Gray McGill It's hard to hear God's voice when you've already decided what you want him to say. In the wilds of the rugged West, Betsy Smith discovers beauty in every corner—from the blazing sunsets to the wind murmuring secrets through the mountains. Yet, it's the magnetism of Gabe Manning, with his dark complexion and dashing demeanor, that draws her gaze. Having known him since childhood, Betsy sees in Gabe the embodiment of the heroes she admires from her novels: a stalwart protector of the innocent, a champion of justice, a man of unshakable integrity, and a paragon of honor, guided by principles as steadfast as the mountains themselves— all while reconciling with his Arapaho Indian heritage. Yet, amid her admiration, Betsy longs for God's reassurance that Gabe is the one for her. As deputy of Shumard Oak Bend, Missouri, in 1875, Gabe “Little Sun” Manning sees the allure and harshness of frontier life. Amidst the chaos, he finds solace in the presence of Miss Betsy Smith, a compassionate schoolteacher whose independence and intellect captivate him as profoundly as her beauty. Yet, as their bond deepens, Gabe wrestles with doubts about his ability to fulfill the desires of her heart. Haunted by the secrets of his past and desperate for redemption, Gabe faces his most formidable challenge yet. Written on My Heart is a powerful Christian Historical Romance full of resilience, redemption, and the enduring power of the human spirit. In award-winning author Heidi Gray McGill's fifth installment in the Discerning God's Best series, you'll be transported to a world of wild-west adventure and heartwarming romance. For Misty M. Beller, Lacy Williams, and Linda Ford fans, this standalone novel in the Discerning God's Best series will capture your heart and leave you breathless. You'll love this book if you enjoy gripping historical drama and compelling characters. Binge-read the entire series on Kindle Unlimited. • Full-length Christian historical fiction • A standalone novel in the Discerning God's Best series • Includes discussion questions for book clubs • Timeline: 1875–1876 • For fans of Misty M. Beller, Lacy Williams, and Linda Ford Book One: Desire of My Heart Book Two: With All My Heart Companion Christmas Novella: Stitched on My Heart Book Three: Matters of the Heart Book Four: Healing of the Heart Book Five: Written on My Heart Book Six: Keeper of My Heart - Coming Soon Prequel: Deep in My Heart – available for free with newsletter signup.  Listen to our first episode talking about Dial E for Endearment HERE. Learn more about Heidi on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub. Don't miss Heidi's YOUTUBE Channel where you can listen to some of her books FREE. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon and more!

- Andor finale delivers amazing ending into Rogue One- Andor benefited in less is more budgeting- LISTENER EMAILSSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - Martin's recent public appearance brings hope for the future of DM- Listener feedback. SUPPORT JON JUSTICE THRU KO-FI: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOR YOU CAN SUPPORT JON JUSTICE BY PICKING UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, THE SCIENCE FICTION SERIES WRITTEN BY JON JUSTICEAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 1990'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYLatest drink and chat with Rob Rohm https://youtu.be/rXs7iZX1tfUEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

One of the og romance tropes is on the table today -- we're talking about heroines who are on the shelf! It's not quite wallflowers, not quite ruined, not quite spinsters...it's a very particular flavor of unmarried woman, and one we basically only find in historicals (can you tell Sarah is writing?). We're talking about the subtle nuances of heroines on the shelf and honoring some of the classics...but Sarah's got a batch of books we've never talked about before! Also! It's that time of year again! Sarah has a new book out in July and is going on tour, and there is a real deal Fated Mates LIVE planned for July 8th in St. Louis, MO! Get tickets to any of these events (Jen will be at a bunch of them, and other pod friends will be popping up along the way) at sarahmaclean.net/tour!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Cate C Wells's Run Posy Run, available right now in print or ebook, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited at Amazon, Apple Books, and Libro.fm.BooksNine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLeanThe Proposition by Judith IvoryThe Viscount Who Loved Me and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia QuinnA Night to Surrender by Tessa DareAn Earl Like You by Caroline LindenAlong Came a Duke by Elizabeth BoyleOne for the Rogue by Manda CollinsHis Wicked Reputation by Madeline HunterLove is a Rogue by Lenora BellTaming His Viking Woman by Michelle StylesNotesCheck out the The Collections Department for fun groups of books, organized by real people. On the shelf, wallflowers, and spinsters.What does being a spinster look like now? - Louisa Darling suggested the...

During our SOTG Homeroom from www.SOTGU.com  we pose the question; do you understand the science of sight? How does your vision work with the sights or optic on your firearm? Does color matter? Also, for our Tech Talk from EOTech this week, Professor Paul discusses BZO or zeroing your gun. At what distance should you zero a mini-red dot? What is a practical distance to zero a .223 Remington with 3-9x scope? Good News for gun owners!  CBC Global Ammunition has announced the opening of a  massive ammunition manufacturing plant right here in the good old USA, specifically Oklahoma City.  More ammo being made in America is always a good thing. FEATURING: KOCO.com, Nicholas Orr, Madison Rising, Jarrad Markel, Paul Markel, SOTG University PARTNERS: EOTech, Spikes Tactical FIND US ON: iTunes, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, Facebook, X, Amazon, Instagram, YouTube, Threads TOPICS COVERED THIS EPISODE Huge thanks to our Partners: EOTech | Spike's Tactical National Trauma Awareness Month Sale: ShopSOTG.com [0:14:08] EOTech Talk - EOTechInc.com TOPIC: What distance should you BZO your optic? [0:28:50] SOTG Homeroom - SOTG University TOPIC: The Tactical Thesis: Science of Sight Kindle Short Understanding human vision and dealing with issues - https://amzn.to/43b3sgH [0:49:00] CBC Global Ammunition plans to build new facility in northeastern Oklahoma www.koco.com New Book: A Pipe Hitter's Guide to Strength & Wellness (Pipe Hitters Guides Book 9) available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZhPPex New Mini-Book: The Science of Sight: Using Red Dots and Iron Sights Day and Night (The Tactical Thesis Book 1): https://amzn.to/3Zc1dIY FREE if you have Kindle Unlimited

Hosts: Paul Stroessner & Suzanne Mattaboni In this episode of the GenX Book Club, Paul is joined by fellow GenX writer Suzanne Mattaboni (Once in a Lifetime) for a heartfelt, honest, and occasionally hilarious discussion about The Perks of Being a Wallflower—Stephen Chbosky's raw and unforgettable coming-of-age story. We unpack the novel's unique letter-based format and how it allows us to experience Charlie's inner world with startling intimacy. Then we turn to the film adaptation—talking about the pitch-perfect cast (hello, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller), the soundtrack that's pure mixtape magic, and those unforgettable Rocky Horror scenes that made us feel like we were right there in the audience. And yes, we get into that tunnel scene… Suzanne couldn't help but slip into full-on mom mode at the sight of Sam standing in the back of a moving pickup truck. (“WHERE ARE THE SEATBELTS?!”)

- Re-Watchables covers Star Wars - Will/should Andor change the future storytelling execution?- LISTENER EMAILSSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - The last of the dream set lists- Listener feedback. SUPPORT JON JUSTICE THRU KO-FI: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOR YOU CAN SUPPORT JON JUSTICE BY PICKING UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, THE SCIENCE FICTION SERIES WRITTEN BY JON JUSTICEAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 1990'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

It's the 250th episode of The Pulp Writer Show! To celebrate this occasion, this episode takes a look at the expectations people have of a full-time writer's life and contrasts them with the reality. This coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Talons of the Sorcerer, Book #6 in the Dragonskull series (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills), at my Payhip store: TALONS50 The coupon code is valid through May 27, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook for spring, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates   Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 250 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is May 2, 2025, and today we're looking at what it is really like to be a full-time writer. This is also the 250th episode of the podcast, so thank you all for listening to the podcast over these last six years. Before I started recording, I totaled up the total length of previous podcast episodes and came to about 78 hours, give or take. That's like three days of continuous talking, which sounds less impressive when you realize it was recorded over the last six years.   Thank you all for listening and here's hoping you can stick around with the next 250 episodes. Before we get to our main topic, which is the expectations versus reality of being a full-time writer, we are going to do Coupon of the Week, a progress update my current writing projects, and then Question of the Week. So let's kick off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Talons of the Sorcerer, Book Six in the Dragonskull series (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) at my Payhip store. That code is TALONS50. As always, you can get that coupon code and the links to my Payhip store in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through May 27th, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook for spring, we have got you covered.   Now an update on my current writing projects. I am 60,000 words into Ghost in the Corruption, which puts me on chapter 13 of 21, so I'm about two thirds of the way through. I think the rough draft will be between 90-100,000 words long, so hopefully I can have that out before the end of May, if all goes well. I also just finished Chapter One of Shield of Power, which will be the final book of the Shield War series and that'll be my main project once Ghost in the Corruption is finished. I'm also 87,000 words into Stealth and Spells Online: The Final Quest, and that will be my main project once Shield of Power comes out. I expect Final Quest should come out pretty soon after Shield of Power just because I've been chipping away at it for so long and I'm getting close to the end.   In audiobook news, recording is almost done for Ghost in the Assembly and that'll be narrated by Hollis McCarthy. Recording is totally done for Shield of Deception (as narrated by Brad Wills) and that is working its way through processing at the various audiobook platforms, so hopefully we'll not be too much longer before we can get that to you.   00:02:26 Question of the Week So that is where I'm at with my current writing projects. And now let's move on to Question of the Week. Question of the Week is intended to inspire enjoyable discussions of interesting topics. This week's question, what is your favorite Jonathan Moeller book? The reason for this question is that this is the 250th podcast episode, so it seems like a good topic for that particular milestone. And as you might expect, we had an array of different opinions.   Joachim says: You are kidding us! By the end of the week? How long did you think about your own answer? Let me mirror you: for my own answer, the question is a bit difficult because I spent money on all your books, which meant I thought all of them a good buy. So let me split my answer into male and female protagonists. The best female book was Ghost Exile: Omnibus One because it prompted me to continue with Ghost Exile and fill in the Ghost series later. The Ghosts Omnibus One and Ghost Exile: Omnibus One were my first two books from you. The best male book was the one with Jack March where Thunderbolt said, “males are ogling breasts which never existed”, especially as such AI generated videos are now all over the place on YouTube.   I have to admit that I first came up with the character of Thunderbolt back in early 2021 when I was working on Silent Order: Rust Hand (that was before the AI boom really took off), so she turned out to be a very prescient character for the AI era in a number of ways.   Joe B. says: That is a tough question as there are many contenders. I'm going to go with one that is a little different, Sevenfold Sword Online: Creation, but now known as Stealth and Spells Online: Creation.   Justin says: I nominate Soul of Swords, an excellent end to an excellent series.   Perry says: There can only be one! Demonsouled. Paul says: For me, I think my favorite female protagonist  book is Cloak Games: Truth Chain. Such a dramatic change to Nadia, sets up the series in her struggles with self and enemies so well.   Brad Wills (who as you know narrated the Frostborn, Dragonskull, Malison, and Shield War series for me) says: Does a three book arc count?  Excalibur, The Dragon Knight, and The Shadow Prison made for a fantastic lead-up and finale of the Frostborn series.   Hollis McCarthy (who as you know, narrated the Ghosts and Cloak Mage audiobooks) says: Ghost in the Storm, when Caina and Kylon meet in the Battle for Marsis. Nonstop action, incredible chase scenes, and a great intro to their combative relationship.   Fred says: It's hard for me to say which book is my favorite. All your book series were all great.   Juana says: Frostborn: Excalibur with Ridmark. I happen to love stories about Excalibur, odd but true. Caina in Cloak and Ghost: Rebel Cell because Caina and Nadia are an incendiary team. So there! Randy says: Frostborn: The Dragon Knight. This whole series is great, but that is one of the high points.   Dennis says: I couldn't name my favorite as I enjoy everything you write. I probably enjoyed the Frostborn series best at the time, but having bought and read every one of your books it's now impossible.   Kevin says: There's no way on earth that I could put one book above another, so I would've to take the coward's way out and say Frostborn: The Gray Knight simply because it has a book that drew me to the worlds of Jonathan Moeller back in the spring of 2017, since which time I have bought 117 of his books, including a few omnibus editions, so a few more actual books, I suppose. I avidly read them all as they're published these days, except the Silent Order series (just doesn't grab me and pull me in like the others). Jesse says: Cloak Games: Sky Hammer. Damaged Nadia at her best, epic action the whole way. And yeah, the chapter The Last Death of Nadia Moran was viscerally cinematic and probably the biggest emotional payoff you've written in my opinion, tied her entire journey together. In my head, I cast Castle-era Stana Katic as Nadia, and it worked better than I expected it might.   Morgan says: I can't narrow it down to just one. So top three in no particular order, Sevenfold Swords: Swordbearer, Dragontiarna: Gates, and Stealth and Spells Online: Leveling. That being said, I think Niara might be my favorite character of all your books I have read.   Jonathan T says: I too am torn though only between two books, Frostborn: The Eightfold Knife and Frostborn: The Shadow Prison.   [Side note/addition from The Transcriptionist: My vote is for Half-Elven Thief!]   So thank you everyone for the kind words about all those books. For my own answer, the question is a bit difficult because I've written them all, which meant I thought all of them were good idea at the time. I suppose the glib answer would be the one that made me the most money, which was Frostborn: The Iron Tower, but it really depends on the category, like my favorite heist book, my favorite mystery book, my favorite dungeon crawl, my favorite first in series. So I think I'll go for the most basic level of categorization and split it up by male and female protagonists.   My favorite book of mine with a female protagonist would probably be Cloak Games: Rebel Fist, since it's such a turning point for Nadia and starts the trajectory of the rest of her character arc. It's the first time she really has to save the day instead of just trying to save herself and shows that her brother Russell can also handle himself, which as you know, comes up again later. My favorite book of mine with a male protagonist would probably be Dragontiarna: Defenders, since it has the Battle of Shadow Crown Hill, which was one of my favorite sequences to write. Four different characters have plans and they all crash into each other at the same time, which was a lot of fun to write and set up, which was a real highlight for me in 2020 because as we all know, 2020 was a fun year.   00:07:35 Main Topic of the Week: Writing Full Time: Expectations Versus Reality   So that is it for Question of the Week. Now let's move on to our main topic this week, writing full-time: expectations versus reality (admittedly from the perspective of a self-published author). If you spent any time around the writing community on the Internet at all, you know that many people dream of becoming a full-time writer, and sometimes people think that the only way to be successful as a writer is to write full-time. There are many expectations that people have about what it means to be a full-time writer. Now that I've been a full-time indie writer for nearly nine years at this point, I can provide some lived perspective. In this episode, I will talk about five of those expectations that people have about full-time writing and the way those expectations might be skewed.   So before we get to those, I should mention how I actually became a full-time writer. In 2016 (which seems like a really long time ago now), the Frostborn series was doing really well, and at the time I was also working full time and I realized that summer I was going to have to move for family reasons. I wasn't very enthusiastic about the idea of moving at first, but I decided to embrace the idea and try to make the best of it. This would involve moving a considerable distance to a different state and all the different problems that entails. So I thought about it and I thought I could look for a new job, but any job I would be qualified for in the area I was moving to would make less money than I was actually making from writing part-time. So I thought, why not try and make a go of full-time writing and see what happens?   Since that was nine years ago, I think I can safely say it's worked out pretty well. And I will say that it's been a pretty good experience and I am very fortunate and very grateful and very blessed to have been able to do this because not everyone has the opportunity to pursue a full-time creative job like I have been able to for these last nine years. That said, while it has been pretty great, it comes with a lot of flexibility and I've gotten to write a lot of great books that many people have enjoyed, it's not always all wine and roses, so to speak, which is part of the reason why I wanted to do this episode to let people more in what the reality of being a full-time writer for this long has been like. So with that introduction out of the way, let's move on to our five expectations versus reality.   Expectation #1: Full-time authors make a lot of money. The reality is that even full-time authors generally don't make that much money. A survey from The Author's Guild showed that the median amount that full-time authors make was just about $20,000, though full-time romance writers had a higher median income of about $37,000. Remember that this amount is before any health insurance costs, benefits, retirement contributions, and of course taxes that a traditional job might be able to provide or help with. In the United States, buying even fairly basic health insurance can easily be a thousand dollars per month for a family, and that doesn't include any costs related to deductibles, prescriptions, or additional dental or vision insurance. Authors are either on their own for healthcare in the US or have to rely on a spouse or partner's healthcare coverage. In other words, you either have to pony up a lot of money to buy your own health insurance or you have to rely on your spouse or partner's healthcare coverage.   And at least in the US, taxes are also much higher on the self-employed. Uncle Sam really does not like the self-employed. If you are self-employed, it is in your best interest to essentially form a small corporation and work for yourself (though for details on how to do that, you should consult with an accountant licensed to practice in your region). Now all these costs can add up pretty quickly, and they make the amount of money that you'll earn from writing much less than you think based on raw earnings before taxes and all the other expenses we were talking about. You also have business expenses like cover design, site hosting, editors, narrators, advertising, et cetera, that take even more pieces out of those earnings. You can duck some of those, but not all of them.   So it boils down to that you have to make a significant amount of money as an author to make an actual living after taxes, healthcare costs, and business expenses are taken out of your earnings, which is one of the reasons that writing part-time as you have a full-time job is not the worst idea in the world and can in fact be a very good idea.   Expectation #2: My next book will make as much or more than the last one did. The reality is that your next book or series might not make you as much money as the previous ones did. In fact, you can reliably predict that most book series will have a certain amount of reader drop off as a series goes on, which is why these days I tend to want to keep my series under nine to ten books or so. Budgeting based on your current income levels is not wise, especially with the current economic climate (which for a variety of reasons is very unpredictable) and with increased competition in the ebook market. Most authors have a peak at some point in their career. For example, Stephen King is still obviously making a great living as a writer putting out new books, but his new books don't sell nearly as well as the ones he put out in the ‘80s. J.K. Rowling's novels for adults (she writes as Robert Galbraith the Cormoran Strike series) don't sell anywhere near the number of copies as her Harry Potter series did at its peak.   For myself, my peak years in terms of writing income were 2016 and 2017, and I've never quite been able to recapture that level. In fact, in 2024, I only did about two thirds of what I did in 2017 (my peak year), which can be a little nerve wracking as you watch those numbers move up and down. That is why it is important for a writer (like many other creatives like actors) to anticipate that they might only have a limited window of peak success and to save aggressively rather than living large on the amount you're earning in that peak era. And I am pleased to report that I was fortunate enough and sensible enough to do that, so that even if my income has varied from year to year (2017 onward), it hasn't been a crippling loss and I haven't been out in the street or lost the house or anything like that.   Expectation #3: You will be happier if you write full-time. The reality is that is not true for everyone. Some people actually do better creatively and emotionally with the time restrictions placed on them by having a full-time job. Many famous writers, including Trollope and Kafka, kept their full-time jobs. Even Tolkien was never a full-time writer. He was a professor of philology until he retired. That was interesting to me because personally, I haven't had much in terms of emotional trouble being a full-time writer. I've always kind of had the ability to hyperfocus on a task, and I've been doing that for almost nine years now, and it's worked out well for me.   I've since realized that is not true for many people. One of the things that demonstrated it to me, believe it or not, was insurance actuarial tables. One thing that I tried to do after I became a full-time writer was try and get disability insurance in case I had an accident or severe illness and could not write anymore. I learned that it's extremely difficult for full-time writers to get disability insurance due to their high rates of substance abuse and mental illness. I was astonished by this because I've never had problems with substance abuse or mental illness myself, but given the number of writers and other creatives I've known who have had those issues, perhaps that's not that surprising, but I was still baffled to learn that.   For example, in my area there are a number of tree management companies (because it's a heavily wooded area) and it's a lot easier for an arborist who works with a chainsaw all day to get disability insurance than it is for a writer, which is somewhat crazy to think about because as a writer, I'm mostly sitting in a chair all day pressing buttons on a keyboard while an arborist is climbing a tree or in a crane with a chainsaw, which is a much more physically dangerous thing. But because of the rates of substance abuse and mental illness among full-time writers, apparently it is very difficult for full-time writers to get disability insurance. Some people struggle with the lack of structure and outward accountability that comes from being a full-time writer and find that actually decreases their productivity and leads them to fall into substance abuse or sink deeper into mental health problems. Very few people have the self-discipline and mental resilience required to be a full-time writer for years on end. And that's not me tooting my own horn so to speak, but apparently it is just the facts. Some writers even go back to full-time work just because they find it less stressful or better for their wellbeing. So I think this is an excellent example of having to know yourself and know what is best for you. For example, if you're a very extroverted person who enjoys talking to people at the office, becoming a full-time writer where you spend most of your time by yourself typing might not be the best for your long-term mental and physical health. Expectation #4: Writing full-time will make me more productive. The reality is having more time does not necessarily mean that you'll be more productive. Writers are notorious for falling prey to time wasters, such as social media scrolling, research spirals, and writing adjacent activities (of which there is a whole series about on this podcast already). It does take a lot of a self-discipline, focus, and determination to be a full-time writer. If you are a full-time writer, especially a full-time indie writer, you also have to balance writing time with various administrative tasks, marketing and ads, social media, fan correspondence, and the various tasks involved in the self-publishing process. Writing is not the only thing that writers actually do, and the other tasks often make finding time for writing more difficult than you might expect. Even traditionally published writers still have to carve out time for administrative work and assisting with marketing and social media work.   As your writing career scales up, so does the behind the scenes workload. This is true in my case. Up until 2023, I basically did everything myself, but I did have COVID pretty badly for a while in 2023 and it just knocked out my energy for a while and I realized that I can't keep trying to do everything by myself. I basically had a choice, either cut some tasks or get some help. So I have some people now, some contractors who help me with things like listening to audiobook proofs (I used to do that all myself), doing the podcast transcript, and Excel record keeping (which I used to do myself). While that is an expense, I don't regret it because it really has taken a lot off my plate and freed up more time for writing, which of course is the entire point.   Expectation #5: I admit this one made me laugh. I will have more free time as a full-time writer. I can attest firsthand that that is not true. What you have as a full-time writer is flexibility. The reality is, although there is flexibility on the job, the hours can be more than for a full-time job. There's a joke that full-time writers can work any 12 hours they want every day.   Most indie authors are putting out far more than one book a year in order to make a full-time income, and that requires a fairly demanding pace that most people don't have the self-discipline to maintain as a lifestyle for years and years on end. The majority of full-time writers right now are either romance or erotica writers who are putting out at least a book a month, sometimes even more. As I mentioned in an earlier point in the show, the administrative task can take far more time than most people would imagine. They could, depending on the circumstances, be easily 40 hours a week on their own before you have time to do a single word of writing on the page. I found you really have to guard your writing time well and find ways to keep administrative tasks, distractions, and necessary tasks such as home maintenance or childcare separate from writing.   Anyone who has ever worked from home is familiar with how difficult that can be because home comes with a wide set of distractions. Granted, that's often fewer distractions than the office, but home can have its own set of distractions. I've mentioned before that you need a bit of tunnel vision to produce the quantity of writing I do month after month. I do keep to a pretty rigid schedule. I have daily word count goals I always try to meet and I use the Pomodoro Method to make sure that I'm prioritizing my writing time.   If you are self-employed and working for yourself, that means there are no allocated vacation or sick days and no paid sick leave in the writing world. Taking a couple of weeks off usually means anticipating a loss in income, such as a month without a book being released. Sometimes, especially in the case of illness, family emergencies, and so forth, that just can't be helped. However, the long vacations people imagine writers being able to take mean either a loss of income or a couple of weeks beforehand of working extra hours to make up for it. For example, Brandon Sanderson, who is probably the most famous fantasy author right now, still works and writes on his vacations and does extra work before leaving for a vacation (such as pre-recording videos).   So as you can see, most of the expectations people have about what it's like to write full-time come from the hope that it will change their productivity or make it easier to write. In reality, if you manage your time well, you can often meet all your writing goals even while working another full-time job. Some people are even more productive under the time pressure of only having an hour or so available to write each day. You don't have to wait until you are a full-time writer for your writing career to start. I wrote for decades and published for years before I was a full-time writer.   Frankly, the idea that you need to be a full-time writer in order to be taken seriously or make money exists only in your own mind. Whether you are a full-time writer or not, what matters is having the discipline to shut out distractions and write with absolute consistency regardless of the circumstances. Even writing 250 to 300 words every single day can add up very quickly, even if you don't do it in 15 minute bursts like Anthony Trollope did.   Finally, I suppose this makes it sound like I'm painting a very bleak picture here, but I'm not. As I said before, I'm very fortunate to be able to do what I do, and I'm very grateful to all my readers that I'm able to write full-time and even hire on contractors for narration and behind the scenes work. I appreciate and am very grateful to all the readers who have supported me by continuing to buy my work and access it through subscription services like Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus or library options like Libby and Hoopla.   So that is it for this week. I hope it provided some insight into what it's like to be a full-time writer. Thanks for listening to The Pulp Writer Show and all 250 episodes. I hope you found the show and all 250 episodes useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.  

Saturn entering Aries, one of 2025's most important astrology events, highlights our May forecast.  We also have Jupiter sextile Chiron, Pluto retrograde, a heavily aspected Scorpio Full Moon, and a Gemini New Moon. Not to mention a new Triple Yod, a peaking Jupiter-Saturn-Lunar Nodes T-Square, and a peaking Wedge that can give you an edge! (Plus May's free session winner.) Resources Do my short survey by May 15 to help me improve my astrology forecasts … and get a chance to win a 90-minute Astrology+ reading with me worth $299! Click here to do the survey. Deep Dive Trauma Healing. Your potent opportunity for profound personal transformation. An intensive multi-day experience, online or in person. Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity. Transform your life with this auspicious “gods of change” Mini Grand Trine astrology alignment! Law of Attraction. My relationship post: Is a Relationship Awesome, Awful, or Mixed? The Archetypal Universe by Renn Butler. The Jupiter-Saturn Great Conjunction cycle. My Amazon #1 bestseller: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Complete Guide to Fast and Easy Spiritual Awakening, Healing, and More. Available as an eBook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook starting at $3.99, and included with Kindle Unlimited.  Watch my FREE life-transforming video: Instant Divine Assistance: Your Free Guide to Fast and Easy Awakening, Healing, and More. Awakening Plus online spiritual support membership. “This Week in Astrology” Free Session Entry. (2 chances each month to win a free session with me!) My forecasts in writing. My services: Astrology+, Shamanic Healing, life coaching, Deep Dive Trauma Healing, and more. Watch the May forecast video. Start times for specific days: 1:41 - Friday, May 2  (Triple Yod) 3:42 - Saturday, May 3 4:03 - Sunday, May 4  (Pluto retrograde) 7:52 - Tuesday, May 6 8:08 - Wednesday, May 7 8:27 - Friday, May 9  (Wedge) 10:00 - Monday, May 12  (Full Moon) 12:48 - Saturday, May 17 13:38 - Sunday, May 18  (Jupiter sextile Chiron) 14:58 - Monday, May 19 15:36 - Tuesday, May 20 15:54 - Wednesday, May 21 16:11 - Thursday, May 22 16:50 - Saturday, May 24  (Saturn enters Aries) 20:31 - Monday, May 26  (New Moon) 22:45 - Thursday, May 29  (T-Square: Jupiter-Saturn-Nodes) 24:23 - Friday, May 30 As of May 1 … The Moon is waxing (there was a Taurus New Moon on 4/27). An Envelope with Juno, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Lunar Nodes continues thru 5/7. The Uranus-Neptune-Pluto Mini Grand Trine continues thru 9/6/2029. *************** Whatever your Sun Sign, my forecasts can help you make the best use of the current astrological energies. All dates and times are in the U.S. eastern time zone. Events are most powerful on the dates listed, but their influence will be active for at least a week before and after. Everyone is affected by these global transits. However, you'll be most powerfully impacted when moving planets activate sensitive points in your natal chart. Discover how these transits will personally affect you by booking a session with me. May the stars light your way, Benjamin

- What does ROTS re-release success say about the future of Star Wars- LISTENER EMAILSSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.In today's episode of the What to Read Next Podcast, Laura dives deep into one of her favorite niche romance subgenres — Mafia Romance! Specifically, we're focusing on the Captive/Captor trope where morally gray, alpha mafia heroes kidnap heroines... and somehow love follows. Laura shares six must-read recommendations that helped her break out of a reading slump, highlighting where you can find them, including through Kindle Unlimited and libraries.If you love dangerous tension, alpha heroes, and high-stakes, forbidden love stories — this episode is for you!Books Mentioned:Dante by Sadie Kincaid https://amzn.to/3yrRggBMafia Mistress by Mila Finelli https://amzn.to/3WIlST4Mafia Madman by Mila Finelli https://amzn.to/46GEojjCarnal Urges by J.T. Geissinger https://amzn.to/3SMoi1IThe Brit by Jodi Ellen Malpas https://amzn.to/3Am7mIZRun, Posy, Run by Cate C. Wells https://amzn.to/3AheQgkTimestamps:[00:00] Intro: Why Mafia Romance is a current obsession[01:00] How mafia romances helped overcome a reading slump[02:00] What is the Captive/Captor Trope?[02:20] Book #1: Dante by Sadie Kincaid[04:00] Book #2: Mafia Mistress by Mila Finelli[05:00] Book #3: Mafia Madman by Mila Finelli[06:00] Book #4: Carnal Urges by J.T. Geissinger[07:30] Book #5: The Brit by Jodi Ellen Malpas[08:30] Book #6: Run, Posy, Run by Cate C. Wells[10:00] Where to find even more Mafia Romance recommendations!Links Mentioned:

- ANDOR SEASON 2 1-3- AHSOKA FUTURE- LISTENER EMAILSSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

We're talking about the worst possible thing that can happen to a romance heroine today (it's always the heroines) -- ruination! Whether the hero did it, another man did it, or society simply decided that she's ruined, there's simply nothing to be done about it...except revenge, a triumphant return, or the crowning of a new reigning queen. We cover all three here, with almost entirely new to the pod books, and even get some contemporaries into the mix!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry, which you can get in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. Books Mentioned In This EpisodeChasing Cassandra by Lisa KleypasThe Duchess Hunt by Lorraine HeathA Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLeanWicked & The Wallflower by Sarah MacLeanMarrying Winterborne by Lisa KleypasThe Magic of You by Joanna LindsayA Little Bit Wild by Victoria DahlThe Harlot Countess by Joanna ShupeAgain the Magic by Lisa KleypasTempt Me at Twilight by Lisa KleypasWild Rain by Beverly JenkinsThe Rake by Suzanne EnochCompromised by Kate NobleRide Steady by Kristen AshleyAfter Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M LopezNotesThe space domination of Katy Perry is depressing compared to the

- Star Wars Celebration Japan CoverageSUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.In today's episode, I'm sharing six unputdownable psychological thrillers available now on Kindle Unlimited. If you're a fan of Frieda McFadden or Kiersten Modglin—or just in the mood for brain candy thrillers with wild twists—these picks are for you. Perfect for fans of jaw-dropping reveals, toxic relationships, and page-turning suspense.⏱️ Episode Timestamps[00:00] Welcome + Introduction[00:30] Kindle Unlimited Overview & Why It Supports Indie Authors[03:00] Book #1 – Love, Mom by Ilana Xander[04:00] Book #2 – The Cheating Husband by James Caine[05:00] Book #3 – Sweet Little Lies by Leah Cupps[06:00] Book #4 – The Bachelorette Party by Catherine O'Connell[07:00] Book #5 – Innocent Wife by Sally Royer Derr[08:00] Book #6 – Eight Years of Lies by Lisa Hall[09:00] Final Thoughts + Where to Find More Recommendations

- Star Wars Celebration Japan Coverage details- Listener emails SUPPORT JON JUSTICE: https://ko-fi.com/jonjusticeOr PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE EMBARK, SPACE OPERA SERIESAn exciting mix of Fast and Furious, Star Wars, Ready Player One and the sci-fi adventures of the 70's - 2000'sEMBARK: Book 1 and EMBARK: Treasure in Darkness (Book 2) EMBARK: The Vanishing War (Book 3) Gahan Corbijn and the Asteroid of Misfortune, The Rocket Queen (Book 5) Fear the Dangerous Night (Book 6) are available now in ebook, paperback, audiobook and free on Kindle Unlimited!EMBARK Battle Planet (Book 7) is now available!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K7LLFZYEmail: TalkShowNerd@gmail.com@X @JonJusticeInstagram TheJonJusticeFacebook Jon JusticeJoin the mailing list! TalkShowNerd@gmail.com

Yes, Sarah has a longtime fantasy of being on the lam, but let's be honest, she'd be caught reading a book in the nearest diner as soon as anyone got serious about looking for her. This week, we're talking about books in which characters are much more serious about being on the run! We break the category into people on the move and people in hiding, but also talk about secrets, about lies, and about how love really is about telling something all the truths you've got. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry, which you can get in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. The Books The Master by Kresley ColeRun Posy Run by Cate WellsClaiming the Courtesan by Anna CampbellBurn Down the Night by M. O'KeefeDragon Bound by Thea HarrisonTycoon by Joanna ShupeSomething Wilder by Christina LaurenIf I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You by Mae MarvelHunter by Emmy ChandlerStranded by Jennifer D. BokalThe Harpy and the Dragon by Marie LiscombWyoming Double Jeopardy by Juno RushdanBourbon and Lies by Victoria WilderHunted Through Italy by Delaney DiamondDalliances & Devotion by Felicia GrossmanKiss the Girl by Zoraida CordovaUnder Her Skin by Adriana AndersWhiteout by Adriana...

This week's episode is thanks to Julie Block, the Fated Mates listener who won an episode of the podcast in the Romance for Reproductive Justice auction sponsored by The Meet Cute Romance Bookshop and Fizzery in La Mesa, CA. Julie made a generous donation to the Collective Power Fund at the National Network of Abortion Funds, and in doing so, got to pick the episode topic — Books that Bang! Headphones in, y'all. We have sixty-nine (that's right, 69, by pure unplanned luck!) recommendations for you this week — everything from bonkers to bloody to blazing hot…naughty bits that we believe deliver the whole banana (and sometimes no banana at all, if you know what we mean). Pencils ready…your time starts…now.Show NotesThanks to Julie Block for suggesting this episode and donating to abortion funds for the Romancing for Reproductive Justice Auction, sponsored by The Meet Cute Romance Bookshop & Fizzery, opening fall of 2022 in La Mesa, CA. It is not too late to donate to the Collective Power Fund at the National Network of Abortion Funds.While we name checked some Fated Mates classic recommendations like Tessa Bailey, Jessa Kane, and London Hale, somehow we recorded this episode without once mentioning the name of Charlotte Stein. So raise a glass to her and all the other authors writing super hot books that we forgot to mention.Probably you want to see Jen Porter's illustrations of the drilldo. (PS. Protip: you might put "drilldo" in the search field of twitter thinking that Jen's tweets will come up, and that would be a mistake unless you want to see it real and in action. Ask me how I know.)SponsorsMelissa McTernan, author of Married to the Fae Queen, the second book in the Fairy Realm series, available in print and through Kindle Unlimited.Lumi Labs, creators of Microdose Gummies. Visit microdose.com and use the code FATEDMATES for 30% off and free shipping on your orderThe RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2022/6/7/s0438-these-books-bang If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we suggest joining our Patreon? Aside from an additional episode every month you get access to our Discord, where other romance readers are talking about books they love (and many other things!) all the time. It's so fun! Learn more about the Patreon and go join those cool people who love romance as much as you do at patreon.com/fatedmates. Beyond your favorite podcast app, you can find us on

We're crossing off a classic romance novel structure this week -- the list! Whether life changing to-do lists, bucket lists, or lists for kinky exploration, these romances take characters and readers on remarkable rides, reminding us all that sometimes it really does pay to be organized. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry, which you can get in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. The Books Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLeanGet A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia HibbertThe Last Days of Lilah Goodluck by Kylie ScottWicked Nights with a Lover by Sophie JordanWhat Heals Us by Maggie GatesThe Ending I Want by Samantha TowleCamera Chemistry by Chelsea Curto30 Days and 30 Nights by Christine d'AboThe Seal's Rebel Librarian by Anne CalhounHow to Fail at Flirting by Denise WilliamsRockaway Bride by Pippa GrantMr. Swoony by Piper RayneThree Little Mistakes by Nikki SloanAll Played Out by Cora CarmackShow NotesWe're excited about these author and listener created lists at the Fated Mates Collections Department. And in case you want to see the one from Competitive Yam about Skinny dipping, here it is.

It's our quarterly discoverabilibuddy episode! Get your TBR piles structurally sound and excercise that preorder clicking finger, because here are more than 40 books coming out in the next three months that we're excited to read! Eric said next time we have to split it into two if we're going to keep talking about what's coming for hours... In the meantime, we're ungovernable! Tell us about the books you're waiting for...and if you're a romance novelist and have a book coming this year, please head over and fill out our handy Google form to let us know!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com.Our next read along is Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry, which you can get in print, ebook, audiobook or with your monthly subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. The Books MARCHWitch of Wall Street by MJ EtkindA Wager at Midnight by Vanessa RileyLush by Tinia MontfordAPRIL Royal Bride Demand by LaQuetteWyoming Double Jeopardy by Juno RushdanAny Trope but You by Victoria LavineWhisk Me Away by Georgia BeersPlaying for Keeps by Lainey DavisThe Nanny is Off Limits by QB TylerMarriage Bargain with the Comte by Parker J. Cole A Lady's Guide to London by Faye DelecourThe Duke and the Widow by Christina DianeNaked in Naknek by Lolu SinclairFly by Night by Kelly CainThe Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed

This week, we're talking about one of our favorite historical romances, Jeannie Lin's Butterfly Swords. This is one we've mentioned on previous episodes, and discussed at length during Jeannie's Trailblazer episode, as it is the first own voices Asian-set historical romance. Aside from setting the standard for adventure romance, it's also a near-perfect road trip romance with one of the hottest slow burns you'll ever read. We talk about all of it, including the absolutely devastating first kiss—one that should go down in romance history. TL;DR: We love this book hard.Thanks to Charlotte Howard, author of Secret Verses, and Mila Finelli, author of Mafia Mistress, for sponsoring the episode. Stay tuned after the episode to hear the first chapter of Mafia Mistress in audio!Show NotesThis week, we're reading the debut novel Butterfly Swords by romance trailblazer Jeannie Lin. This is the first book in her Tang Dynasty series.It's not too late to see Sarah with Christina and Lauren in Connecticut on May 18th, 2022, or Jen with Christina, Lauren, and Sonali Dev in Naperville on May 19th, 2022.We're looking for an artist to draw us a magnificent firebird. Maybe it's you?So, it's classic Jen to get titles wrong. Farewell, my Concubine is a movie, and the third book in the Tang Dynasty series is called My Fair Concubine. But, that's not Li Tao's book, either–it's The Dragon and the Pearl.We talked about Road Trip romance back in season 1.Time for an interlude from The Princess Bride.Our next read along is The Dragon and the Jewel by Virginia Henley, first published in 1991.This book is part of the Fated Mates Book Club and its quest at Pagebound. SponsorsThis week's episode of Fated Mates is sponsored by: Charlotte Howard, author of Secret Verses, available in Kindle Unlimited .andMila Finelli, author of the Kings of Italy DuetRead Mafia Mistress in Kindle Unlimited or listen wherever audiobooks are soldThe RestFor even more info about this episode, and to explore everything Fated Mates has to offer, visit: https://fatedmates.net/episodes/2022/5/15/s0435-butterfly-swords-by-jeannie-lin If you wish you had six more days in a week of people talking about romance, may we...