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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 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

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

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - No news but still lots to discuss- 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

- 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

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - Dave Gahan Signed Boot auction - 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

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

Send us a textSeason 5, Episode 599: Watching the Blindfolded Wife Threesome by Sierra Dumont, narrated by podcast host Ruan Willow.  A MFM Hotwife erotic lit story where the hubby is the director of the sexy goings-on! Female pleasure on overload! Yes please! It's an alternative lifestyle relationship where he enjoys wife-sharing with his friend and co-worker, ENM style!  Scroll down to access free erotic books!About the Author Sierra Dumont:Sierra writes about women being passed around, used, and shared—all with the encouragement of their loving husbands. All stories are about the hottest wives being pleasured in every way possible, whether by one man or multiple!Learn more: https://sierradumont.com/Anthology:Get the spicy anthology book! Erotica excerpt from: the charity anthology fiction book Not So Guilty Pleasures: 45+ Filthy Stories for a Cause, ALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN FOR HELP WITH HURRICANE & DISASTER FIRE RELIEF https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/charityanthology (any money made from my affiliate link usage to buy the anthology will also be donated to the same charity). It is also in Kindle Unlimited (for a limited time).Not-So-Guilty Pleasures is a charity anthology benefiting World Central Kitchen (for help with the hurricane and other disaster relief). The anthology is only available for a limited time so act now!Enjoy storytelling erotic audio about spicy romance relationships, swingers, hot erotica stories, erotica romance, and self care for you! Take time to pay attention to your mental health sexual health. Pleasure is your birthright!Get Podcast Host Ruan's new spicy open door Romantasy Novella: Overcoming Heartache https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/overcomingheartache FREE TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY! 4/22/25 AND 4/23/25GET ALL THE FREE EROTICA FOR TWO DAYS ONLY 4/22-4/23/25: https://storyoriginapp.com/to/g1jlFW1Ruan's smut, erotica, erotic romance fiction books and audiobooks: http://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/Ruan has been nominated for an ASN Lifestyle Magazine Award for Best Erotic Writer! Vote for Ruan daily starting April 13, 2025 at https://www.asnlifestylemagazineawards.com/2025-top-8-finalistWoman owned bookstore with Ruan's books: get her books and support an indie bookshop! https://www.heabookshop.com/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

- 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

This week in the world we live in and life in general w/ host Jon Justice - More details for the new Depeche Mode film M - 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

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...

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.Welcome to What to Read Next, the podcast for romance and mystery readers who love pop culture and Kindle Unlimited escapes! In this episode, Rachel Baldwin (@fitteacherrachel) joins Laura to dive into the world of hockey romance books — spicy, swoony, and totally bingeable. Whether you're a long-time sports romance reader or new to the genre, this episode will add plenty of titles to your TBR.✨ BOOKS MENTIONEDPuck Me Secretly by Odette Stone https://amzn.to/3XZwTRsIced Out by C.E. Ricci https://amzn.to/42Hq6ORConsider Me by Becca Mack https://amzn.to/4cIhpr6Powerless by Elsie Silver https://amzn.to/4cIy4L1Offside by Avery Keelan https://amzn.to/43PlN56Mile High by Liz Tomforde https://amzn.to/4cIyktt

Send us a textEp 596: The Professor's Forbidden Pet, A Professor Student Age Gap by Ava Kade, narrated by Ruan Willow. A MF, age gap: older man, younger woman, professor-student erotica excerpt, oh the oral description is delish! This! This is SO HOT! One of my faves of the excerpt! Yes please, bring this on! I'm a BIG FAN! That'll wake up a woman's libido in the thought of a heartbeat!About the Author Ava Kade:Ava Kade is a passionate writer of sweet and spicy age gap stories, centered around mature, dominant older men and naughty younger women. A lot of them contain a touch of the forbidden and taboo, everything laced together with lots of romance.Anthology:Get the spicy anthology book! It's ON SALE for only 99 cents right now!!!  Erotica excerpt from: the charity anthology fiction book Not So Guilty Pleasures: 45+ Filthy Stories for a Cause, ALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN FOR HELP WITH HURRICANE & DISASTER FIRE RELIEF https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/charityanthology (any money made from my affiliate link usage to buy the anthology will also be donated to the same charity). It is also in Kindle Unlimited (for a limited time).Not-So-Guilty Pleasures is a charity anthology benefiting World Central Kitchen (for help with the hurricane and other disaster relief). The anthology is only available for a limited time so act now!Enjoy storytelling erotic audio about spicy romance relationships, swingers, hot erotica stories, erotica romance, and self care for you! Take time to pay attention to your mental health sexual health. Pleasure is your birthright!Get Podcast Host Ruan's new spicy open door Romantasy Novella: Overcoming Heartache https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/overcomingheartacheRuan's smut, erotica, erotic romance fiction books and audiobooks: http://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/Ruan has been nominated for an ASN Lifestyle Magazine Award for Best Erotic Writer! Vote for Ruan daily starting April 13, 2025 at https://www.asnlifestylemagazineawards.com/2025-top-8-finalistWoman owned bookstore with Ruan's books: get her books and support an indie bookshop! https://www.heabookshop.com/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

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

- Andor runtimes - Ahsoka season 2 theories - 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

If you're a small service-oriented business, you want to get people to talk about you!  But how do you do this?  Small companies—especially service-based solopreneurs—can't generate buzz the same way as big companies. They need to dip into their client's backstories. When someone says, “You seem to be talking to me!” -- that's how your buzz begins!  In this episode, I talk about what it means for a solopreneur to create buzz. It's not the same thing as big-company buzz. You'll get examples of stories that never became the subject of conversation, and how they're different from stories that generated buzz. You'll also learn:  Why my first website didn't get clients for relocation coaching How backstories hold the key to going viral 3 reasons why backstories help generate buzz  RESOURCES AND MENTIONS:  Christina Hills - Get her ebook “Web Design for Non-Techies”  If you click at a different time, you'll get a different resource.  Peter Guber -  Tell to Win - Buy on Amazon. https://amzn.to/3G0dHNg My book on relocation (free with Kindle Unlimited - available in paperback or ebook on Amazon)  Click here. My DIY 1course can help you find your client's backstory.  Click here. FREE ebook on finding your client's backstory. Click here.  My website.

Send us a textEpisode 594: My Husband Shared Me with His Best Friend, A Hotwife Excerpt by Kassia White, narrated by podcast host Ruan Willow. It's a mega hot MMF threesome pleasure filled scene!About the Author:Kassia White is an author of hotwife erotica. Her books are light on plot but are packed with heat. All the stories feature slutty women eager to be shared by their happy husbands, sometimes with just one man, and other times with oh, so many.Get the spicy anthology book! It's ON SALE for only 99 cents right now!!!  Erotica excerpt from: the charity anthology fiction book Not So Guilty Pleasures: 45+ Filthy Stories for a Cause, ALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN FOR HELP WITH HURRICANE & DISASTER FIRE RELIEF https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/charityanthology (any money made from my affiliate link usage to buy the anthology will also be donated to the same charity). It is also in Kindle Unlimited (for a limited time).Not-So-Guilty Pleasures is a charity anthology benefiting World Central Kitchen (for help with the hurricane and other disaster relief). The anthology is only available for a limited time so act now!Enjoy storytelling erotic audio about spicy romance relationships, swingers, hot erotica stories, erotica romance, and self care for you! Take time to pay attention to your mental health sexual health. Pleasure is your birthright!Get Podcast Host Ruan's new spicy open door Romantasy Novella: Overcoming Heartache https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/overcomingheartacheRuan's smut, erotica, erotic romance fiction books and audiobooks: http://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/Ruan has been nominated for an ASN Lifestyle Magazine Award for Best Erotic Writer! Vote for Ruan starting April 13, 2025 at https://www.asnlifestylemagazineawards.com/2025-top-8-finalistSupport 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

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.

Host: Michal Charles aka MMC13 Guest: Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje   In this compelling episode of Sobertown Podcast, host Michal, also known as MMC13 on the I Am Sober app, sits down with author and Sober Warrior Melissa as they discuss her journey through addiction and recovery, the impact it had on her family, and her upcoming book 'Drunk Love: A Marriage Under the Influence.' The conversation explores themes of childhood trauma, the struggle of high-functioning alcoholism, and the challenge of achieving sobriety while maintaining personal relationships. We invite you to preorder Melissa's book, in which you will embark on a raw and revealing journey to sobriety, where Melissa uncovers the buried truths about her life, her marriage, and herself. With unflinching honesty and courage, Melissa battles the demons that alcohol once helped to mask, striving to build a future where she can be fully present for her family and herself. Preorder or read on Kindle Unlimited at  EarlydaysPC@gmail.com    Other Sober Resources: I Am Sober App Getting Sober ...Again Boom Rethink The Drink

Send us a textEpisode 592: How to Please a Shapeshifter in Bed, A MM Erotic Fiction Excerpt by Fleur Foxx from the charity anthology fiction book Not So Guilty Pleasures: 45+ Filthy Stories for a Cause.About the Author:Fleur Foxx writes queer monster erotica and erotic romance. She writes what she likes, which means her stories are a rainbow of monsters and sexualities. Come find out what hides in the dark.ALL PROCEEDS of the sale/KU readings of the anthology GO TO WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN FOR HELP WITH HURRICANE & DISASTER FIRE RELIEF https://books.ruanwillowauthor.com/charityanthology (any money made from my affiliate link usage to buy the anthology will also be donated to the same charity). It is also in Kindle Unlimited (for a limited time).Not-So-Guilty Pleasures is a charity anthology benefiting World Central Kitchen (for help with the hurricane and other disaster relief).Enjoy this erotica excerpt, storytelling via erotic audio about spicy romance relationships, swingers, hot erotica stories, erotica romance, and self care for you! Take time to pay attention to your mental health sexual health. Pleasure is your birthright!Ruan has been nominated for an ASN Lifestyle Magazine Award for Erotic Writer! She's in the top 8!To learn more and vote for her, which she greatly would appreciate!!, visit the ASN Lifestyle Magazine Awards, by the ASN Lifestyle MagazineVOTING: https://www.asnlifestylemagazineawards.com/2025-top-8-finalisthttps://www.asnlifestylemagazineawards.com/ Voting runs from April 13, 2025 through July 13, 2025Support 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

In this week's episode, we take a look at professional development for writers, and examine both the benefits and the pitfalls. We also take a look at my advertising results for March 2025. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Curse of the Orcs, Book #4 in the Dragonskull series (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills), at my Payhip store: ORCCURSE50 The coupon code is valid through April 25, 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 246 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is April 4, 2025, and today we are looking at professional development for writers. Before we get to our main topic, we'll have Coupon of the Week, an update on my current writing and audiobook projects, Question of the Week, and then a look back at how my various ads performed for March 2025.   So let's start off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Dragonskull: Curse of the Orcs, Book Four in the Dragonskull series (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) at my Payhip store. That coupon code is ORCCURSE50. As always, you can find the coupon code and the links to my store in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through April 25th, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook for spring, we have got you covered.   Now for an update on my current writing projects. I'm very pleased to report that the rough draft of Shield of Battle is done, 102,800 words written in 22 days. That will be the second to last book in the Shield War series. If all goes well, I'm still hoping to have that out and edited and published before the end of the month. I'm now working on a currently untitled short story that newsletter subscribers will get for free in ebook form when Shield of Battle comes out. So this might be a great time to sign up for my new release newsletter. I am also 10,000 words into Ghost in the Corruption and that will be my main project after Shield of Battle is out.   Recording is still underway for Shield of Deception and Ghost in the Assembly. That is Brad Wills and Hollis McCarthy narrating, respectively. So I am looking forward to having those audiobooks out for you to listen to and then Shield the Battle and Ghost in the Corruption available for you to read, but I just have to get back to work on them.   00:01:48 Question of the Week   Now it's time for Question of the Week. Question of the Week is intended to inspire enjoyable discussions of interesting topics. This week's question, what games (if any) are you currently playing? No wrong answers, including “I don't play video games”. The inspiration for this question was that the fact that Nintendo was having this big Switch 2 announcement on April 2, which is amusing to me personally on a meta level because people have been speculating wildly about a Switch successor for years. Baseless Switch 2 rumors have been a clickfarm industry for years. Probably Nintendo had to have it on April 2 so no one would think it was a really elaborate April Fool's Day joke. Justin says: Online it would be World of Warcraft Classic. Otherwise, it is Conquest of the New World. Like me, my games are old and dated.   I can relate to Justin because I'm currently playing a game that was first made in 1994, but more on that later.   Sam says: Currently dancing between two games, my long-term love game, Final Fantasy 14 and Dragon Age: the Veilguard. The Veilguard was a massive disappointment for me, unfortunately, but it still has its reasonably okay points, but man, the developers dropped the ball in the worst way since Cyberpunk's disastrous release.   That's interesting because I've actually encountered a couple different people who have played Dragon Age: Veilguard and they either love it or hate it. There is just no in-between. So that does seem to be the kind of game where you either love the thing or you just hate it. Todd says: Enjoying No Man's Sky, waiting for Light No Fire. Continuing to grind World of Warcraft retail. Recently played the re-release of Half Life. Today, I also installed Lands of Lore, gotta love Patrick Stewart as King Richard!   I had forgotten that Patrick Stewart voiced King Richard back in the ‘90s in the Lands of Lore game. His most famous video game part (I think) is playing Emperor Uriel Septim in the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.   JKM says: Monster Hunter Wilds and Star Citizen.   Jesse says: Been doing an on and off run on Enshrouded. The story hasn't hugely gripped me as yet, but the mechanics are fun if you like Breath of the Wilds-esque world exploration.   Michael says: I'm currently playing Star Traders: Frontiers, which is a 2D indie space trading/exploration/crew management game in a vaguely Dune-like setting. It has turn based squad combat in Darkest Dungeon style too. Originally a mobile game but mechanics are surprisingly deep. It's good fun.   Randy says: Wizardry Remaster. Ironic because I didn't play the original.   For myself, I am kind of alternating between three current games. I am playing the Master of Magic remake on the PC and I'm determined to finally beat a campaign at that. I am still playing Iratus: Lord of the Dead and drawing closer to the final level. And when I'm really tired and don't want to do anything else that requires a lot of brain power, I still fire up some Starfield and go really mess up the day of some procedurally generated space pirates.   So watch my website and Facebook for Question of the Week if you want to have your comment read on the show as well.   00:04:39 Ad Results for March 2025   Now let's look at how my ads for my books did in March 2025, which is interesting because I changed things up a fair bit for ads in March. The reason I did this is because the economy isn't great and not likely to improve for several years. I saw someone arguing that all the policy decisions in the Covid era will have a 15 year economic hangover into which we're only five years, and I think that argument might have some merit to it. So because of that, I thought it might be prudent to move some older series into Kindle Unlimited. So I did that with the Demonsouled books and with Cloak Games, though not with Cloak Mage, which will remain wide as new books come out. I might do it with Silent Order as well, but I haven't decided. My thinking is that as people are looking to economize, subscription services will probably offer better value than direct book sales.   So let's see how we did. For Facebook ads, I did Cloak Games/Cloak Mage and The Ghosts. For Games/Cloak Mage, I got $4.14 back for every $1 spent, with 10% of the profit coming from the audiobooks. For The Ghosts, I got back $8.73 for every dollar spent, with 6% of the profit coming from the audiobooks. Obviously the total for The Ghosts might be inflated because of Ghosts in the Assembly, which did well. Thanks, everyone! Without Ghosts in the Assembly, The Ghosts still would've done $3.68 for every dollar spent, with 15% for the profit coming from the audiobooks. So still pretty good.   For Amazon ads, I mostly focused on Half-Elven Thief. Remember that for an Amazon ad to be successful, it needs to get a sale or a complete Kindle Unlimited read for every six to eight clicks. So for Half-Elven Thief, I got back $3.41 for every $1 spent, with a sale or a complete KU read for every 0.84 clicks, which is a really good result. However, it was not all roses in Amazon ads because I gave up on advertising Stealth and Spells Online: Creation. I've realized I fundamentally misunderstood what readers in the LitRPG actually want. I'm still going to finish the series this summer with the final book. I am 75,000 words into it as of this recording, but I don't think I'm going to advertise the series anymore.   For Demonsouled, I did a combined Facebook/Amazon ads campaign and for a combined campaign like that, it's easiest just to track the return. So for Demonsouled, I got back $2.53 for every dollar spent on Facebook and Amazon ads. So that was pretty close to how it did in February.   I also did some BookBub ad campaigns for The Ghosts and Sevenfold Sword on Apple. For The Ghosts, we got back $9.24 for every dollar I spent and for Sevenfold Sword, I got back $6.76 back for every dollar spent. So those are some very good results.   Finally, I've begun experimenting with BookBub ads for Google Play. I tried out Sevenfold Sword first and for Sevenfold Sword on Google Play with BookBub ads, we got back $3.86 for every dollar. So that is a promising beginning and I might try more experiments with BookBub ads and Google Play in May. So a good month all in all. Thanks for reading, everyone. Hopefully I'll have more new books for you soon.   00:07:46 Main Topic: Professional Development   So our main topic this week will be part three of our series on writing adjacent activities, and that is professional development. As I mentioned on past episodes, I'm working on a new podcast series on what I call writing adjacent activities. What do I mean by this? I'm talking about the tasks that seem like they're a part of the writing process but really belong in a different category. These tasks are important, but they can also be a pitfall if you spend too much time on them or don't use that time correctly. In this series, we'll focus on a few of these tasks and how they can benefit or hinder your writing process, even though they seem like good uses of time and may in fact be beneficial in proper amounts.   In this episode, we'll talk about professional development for writers. Those working in education, healthcare, or the corporate world will be very familiar with this concept. For those who aren't familiar with professional development, let's explain what it is. What is professional development and what is it for writers specifically? Professional development generally means gaining skills or knowledge that can help someone stay current in their field and grow in their work. In some fields like teaching or healthcare, professional development is required and must be done regularly. Some examples of typical professional development tasks include learning a new programming language, attending conferences, and reading professional journals. Writers have many of these same opportunities. Ther are a slew of conferences, workshops, webinars, videos, courses, and books available for writers to hone their craft, pick up marketing skills, and learn the ever evolving technical skills needed to self-publish and have an online presence. Some of these options, especially conferences and retreats, can be very expensive and time consuming while others are free and quick to consume, such as blog posts or podcast episodes.   How can you benefit from professional development? There are five ways.   #1: You can learn information and techniques that can help you improve your writing. An example would be a workshop session presenting data on when readers typically give up when starting a new book, which can help you think about how your book is structured.   #2: You can learn about technology and software that can make your work more efficient or look more professional. An example of this would be tutorials on how to use formatting software to turn Word documents into a formatted ebook.   #3: In-person professional development can help you network with others in your field. For example, if one of your priorities is being added to group promotion, meeting other authors at a workshop or a conference could lead to more promising leads than just emailing people.   #4: You can keep up with the constant changes in the field and adjust your strategies and plans accordingly. For example, Amazon's policies for KDP change constantly, sometimes monthly, it feels like. Writing blogs and podcasts can often explain these changes in a practical way that's more efficient than trying to parse long legal documents yourself.   #5: Finally, and fifthly, some people find professional development motivational or it helps them to feel more excited about their work. An example is a phenomenon called the post conference high, when someone returns from a conference with a high level of excitement and a list of plans a mile long. It's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day tasks of work and sometimes professional development can shake things up in a positive way.   So professional development can be a good thing, but there are ways it can hinder your writing process. So we'll look at four ways that professional development can get in the way of you actually sitting down and getting some writing done.   #1: One of the downsides of being a writer is that professional development must be self-funded or you must pursue your own scholarships or grants for it, which are pretty limited compared to professional development in other fields. It is quite easy to spend tens of thousands of dollars on it each year, so each opportunity must be carefully considered. It's important not to spend money without a clear plan for how to turn it into action and without researching less expensive (but still effective) options that might serve your purposes. It's also important to look carefully to see if you can find lower cost options before registering for something. For example, instead of going to a weeklong residential bootcamp to learn WordPress, you could find a community education class or a LinkedIn Learning class (which many libraries provide to their patrons). Do you need a full course offered by another author or are you only interested in one portion of it and can learn that information from a YouTube channel? There is a lot of nonsense on the Internet of course, but one of the advantages of living in the modern era is that there is an abundance of good free information. You just have to find it.   My podcast transcriptionist has something that she likes to call the Two Buck Chuck Principle. It is named after the store brand of wine from Trader Joe's. That's way back when it was $2 a bottle, hence the popular nickname for it. Many people refuse to stray from this cheapest available option at the store because they find it meets their alcohol related needs and refuse to buy more expensive bottles.   The point of this principle is that like those Trader Joe's shoppers, my podcast transcriptionist will search for the free and low cost option for something first and then see what is missing from them that a more expensive option offers before buying the more expensive option. For example, if you're just starting out as a writer, you may be tempted to pay $3,000 or $4,000 for consulting sessions about advertising strategies because you read a convincing testimonial. Realistically, if you only have one or two books with only a handful of reviews and you're not willing to throw thousands of additional dollars on a professional style ad campaign, this would be severe overkill.   Applying the Two Buck Chuck Principle to this person's ad spending, it would make more sense to learn the basics first through webinars and blog posts on the topic. Something like Brian Cohen's Five Day Amazon Ad Challenge would teach the basics of using the interface and some strategies that keep a rookie from overspending or straying from their target audience. Once a writer has a few years of sales and several books in the same series, then perhaps it might be wise to progress to something more advanced and expensive, like hiring a consultant.   For most professional development, if you're paying money, you're either paying for being in a physical location or you're paying for the time someone else took to assemble and present the knowledge for you (in the case of a conference or workshop, both). For the latter, you can usually apply this Two Buck Chuck Principle by taking the time to assemble the knowledge yourself or find others who have through blogs, podcasts, and lower cost books. Someone like Joanna Penn or David Gaughran provides a wealth of sensible advice through these types of much lower cost options.   #2: Professional development, like many other writing adjacent activities, can give you the illusion of progress. Knowing about something and actually doing it are very different things. You have to have a specific plan for how you will implement your professional development. The sooner you start after completing your professional development activity, the more likely you are to benefit from it. Even five minutes a day working on it helps keep the knowledge fresh and gives you the confidence to continue.   #3: The number of available options for professional development can be paralyzing and it can be easy to feel like you have to do it all. The fear of missing out is a very real phenomenon, but it's necessary to combat it by being intentional with your time. Start by making your goals for the next year and then seeing what professional development you need to further those goals. For example, if creating video content is not part of your goals for the year, then it doesn't make sense to watch webinars on creating Instagram Reels or TikTok videos, even if you feel like it might be useful or you have a fear of missing out on the information. Your professional development, your goals, and your output all need to be in harmony in order to progress as a writer.   I have talked before about how a certain degree of tunnel vision is necessary to write at the pace that I do. Because I want to publish frequently, I often ignore conference and workshop opportunities because travel actively hinders my main goal of getting down as many words as possible each day.   #4: Professional development can take up so much time that it keeps you from the priority of writers, which is actually writing. Like the other writing adjacent activities out there, they expand to the size you'll allow. Planning your professional development goals for the year when you've created your writing goals can help you be disciplined in choosing the activities that will serve you best and fit with the time you can give them.   For example, if your goal is to set up an author website in May, you can allocate a little block of time each day for that month to watching tutorials, reading instructions, checking out other author sites for inspiration, and testing out the software. You wouldn't want to attend a three week intensive writing retreat in May because that would likely derail your progress on your other goal.   So finally, what do I personally do for professional development? What has helped me? I think the biggest help I had in terms of writing advice was a book called Billion Dollar Outlines by David Farland. It's well worth reading and a good look at story structure and understanding story structure that I think would be very helpful if you're struggling to finish an outline and write a book. Most of my professional development since then has been aimed towards the goal of trying to sell as many books as possible. So I took the Self-Publishing Formula course on advertising for Facebook, which was very helpful. I read a couple of different books on Facebook advertising, which was helpful. What was really helpful was a course on Photoshop I took in 2020 and 2021 that really increased my Photoshop skills and gave me the ability to do my own covers, which is very helpful because you often have to book a cover designer out well in advance. So that was very useful. And beyond that, I keep an eye on the various writing podcasts and Facebook groups. I don't really participate in the Facebook groups because that can be a huge time sink. Arguing with random people over the internet is not a productive use of time, but it is a good way to keep an eye on news within the indie author space and what people are doing and what trends you can expect to see. So that's what I do.   In short, professional development, like so many other writing adjacent activities, is a good thing that can hinder your progress if it's not done with intentionality and clear goals. As I said earlier in the podcast, your professional development, your goals, and your output all need to be harmonized in order to progress as a writer.   So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to the Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. And a quick note of thanks to my podcast transcriptionist for helping me to pull together the research for this episode. 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.

- The Good the Bad (villians) and the Ugly- John Boyega comments on race in Star Wars- A New Hope and the crucial importance of fathers and sons.- 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

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.Ready to escape to a cozy spring setting? In this episode of What to Read Next, we're diving into cottagecore romance books that feel like a warm hug. Think flower farms, pancake houses, charming libraries, and seaside bakeries—all wrapped in sweet, soft romance. Whether you're dreaming of countryside escapes or you're just craving a low-stakes love story, these books will transport you into charming small towns filled with blooming flowers and heartfelt moments.Timestamps:[00:00] Intro & What Is Cottagecore Romance[00:40] Book 1: The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laura Gilmore[02:55] Book 2: The Cozy Croissant Café by Jane Linfoot[04:05] Book 3: The Flower Farm by Rachel Lucas[05:00] Book 4: The Finders Keepers Library by Annie Rains[06:00] Tangent: The Bookish Community in Puerto Rico (and Bookstore Recs!)[08:00] Book 5: Tanglewood Flower Shop by Lilac Mills[09:20] How to Share Your Cottagecore Favorites & Final ThoughtsBooks Mentioned in This Episode:The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laura Gilmore https://amzn.to/3Xwu0afThe Cozy Croissant Café by Jane Linfoot https://amzn.to/4bwUpe6The Flower Farm by Rachel Lucas https://amzn.to/43uxKgiThe Finders Keepers Library by Annie Rains https://amzn.to/43ztBrkTanglewood Flower Shop by Lilac Mills https://amzn.to/43uzQNcLinks & Resources:

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...

April features Saturn sextile Uranus. This 15-month aspect is one of 2025's top astrology events! We also have Mercury and Venus turning direct, a Libra Full Moon featuring three aspect patterns, a high-voltage Taurus New Moon highlighting Mars and Pluto, and much more -- plus April's free session winner! 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” astrology alignment! Nonviolent Communication. Law of Attraction. 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 April forecast video. Start times for specific days: 1:47 - Wednesday Apr 2 2:17 - Friday Apr 4 7:01 - Sunday Apr 6 7:34 - Monday Apr 7 8:24 - Tuesday Apr 8 13:26 - Wednesday Apr 9 15:08 - Friday Apr 11 15:27 - Saturday Apr 12 19:21 - Sunday Apr 13 19:41 - Thursday Apr 17 22:10 - Thur & Sat Apr 17 & 19 23:21 -  Saturday Apr 19 24:12 - Sunday Apr 20 24:28 - Tuesday Apr 22 24:38 - Wednesday Apr 23 25:34 - Thursday Apr 24 26:04 - Friday Apr 25 26:20 - Saturday Apr 26 26:41 - Sunday Apr 27 As of April 1 … The Moon is waxing (there was an Aries solar eclipse on 3/29). Mercury is retrograde thru 4/7 at 7:08 am EDT. Venus is retrograde thru 4/12 at 9:02 pm EDT. A Grand Sextile with Mars, Juno, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Lunar Nodes peaks on 4/17 and continues thru 4/27. An Envelope with Juno, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Lunar Nodes peaks on 4/19 and 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

Gare, Steph and I share more Kindle Unlimited thrillers so you can basically read for free.Blacktop WastelandValentineThe Devil and Mrs DavenportFracturedThe ButcherStrange Sally DiamondLike a SisterThe Good LieDarling GirlsThe Memory WatcherRicochetSuch Quiet GirlsA Killer's CodeThe Secret WitnessSlewfoot Check out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on Instagram

- Andor Season 2 final trailer- How will watch each week?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

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

Demystifying Kindle Unlimited might be one of the most requested topics from our podcast audience—and for good reason. The confusion between Amazon's KDP platform and the Kindle Unlimited subscription service continues to trip up both new and experienced authors alike.After five years hosting this podcast, we've noticed certain questions appear in our inbox repeatedly: "Should my book be in Kindle Unlimited?" "What's the difference between KDP and KU?" "Will I make more money in KU or by going wide?" Today's episode tackles these questions head-on, cutting through the noise to help you make strategic decisions about your book's distribution.What many authors don't realize is that Kindle Unlimited enrollment can dramatically improve Amazon advertising performance. We've consistently observed that ads convert significantly better for KU books, particularly in genres where subscription readers are abundant. This alone might justify exclusivity for some authors.As with all marketing decisions, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Kindle Unlimited is simply another tool in your publishing arsenal—not a magic solution for books that aren't selling elsewhere. Think strategically about your genre, audience, and overall publishing goals before making your decision.Send us your feedback!Check out our new mentorship program that will definitely change your life:https://amarketingexpert.com/author-mentorship/Help promote the podcast and earn free swag: If you're willing to put our podcast player widget on your website we'd love to send you free book swag, and you can earn a free coaching session! Email us at info@amarketingexpert.com for more information.Buy Penny's new book, The Amazon Author FormulaFREE BONUSLeave a review and we'll give you our Book Launch Checklist! Just include your reviewer name or a screenshot of your review in the email. Can't leave one on your podcast platform? Just email us your review and we'll put it on our website: info@amarketingexpert.com.Check out our podcast page and learn more about the team: www.amarketingexpert.com/author-podcast

This week from a galaxy far far away with Jon Justice- Why the budget is so shockingSUPPORT 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

In today's episode, we have a LONG list of Kindle Unlimited recommendations! If you don't have KU right now, we highly recommend taking a look at what they're offering and joining again! Also, today's episode is a little chaotic so be prepared - there is A LOT of laughing and even more inside jokes. Don't say we didn't warn you!   Check out our Instagram for a full list of our recommendations!   Currently Reading: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas Slipstream by Madge Maril Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh