Updated on 2023-08-28 Monday from Tokyo, Japan
Enjoyed ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ (published in 2003) by Bill Bryson, especially the backstories to the wandering paths of science through the ages. I’ve a new respect for palenotologists and geologists (read chps 12 and 21).
Updated and customized my website’s Hugo template. I’m a Hugo newbie and (mostly) enjoying the experience.
Waiting for a first reader’s response to my weird Christmas novela (eBook), Lost Present. My plan is to also publish it as a pre-order on the big eBook retailer sites.
Tooting (sic) “what I’m doing right now snippets” on Mastodon at @markm@markmccluretoday.com. Mastodon’s a wee digital oasis which suits me fine at present; toots are set to auto-delete after one month.
Visit my NOW archive
And here’s my “Now” bio page - inspired by Derek Sivers and too many others to mention.
Some more about me and my life journey so far.
Below is an edited version of the email newsletter I sent to subscribers on Monday, September 4, 2023. (The newsletter (‘McClure’s Monthly’) is normally sent on the first Monday of the month, while the NOW post is posted here online on the 28th every month.) Links to expired offers have been removed. Images used in the newsletter have also been removed.
Hello,
This is sff (science fiction and fantasy) writer Mark McClure’s September 2023 newsletter*.
This month’s big news is that my Christmas short story, Lost Present, is now (at last!) available for purchase direct from jfrpublishing.com
Subscribers to this list can get it at the bargain price of 99 cents.
(Jan 2024 Update: Offer closed.)
Here is the sales blurb I crafted for the book:
BEGIN BLURB
Think Santa’s but a cosmic joke played by grown-ups on little kids? Then enter this story at your own risk…
Brother Frank’s promise to Hana? Hold a Christmas Eve party at the local hospital.
But, to the kids attending, Frank’s the bogeyman, and never Santa Claus.
Frustrated by their attitude, he remembers how much mortal children love stories. Will reading “The Adventures of Hana Banana: a True Christmas Story” change their minds?
Lost Present - a strange wee tale for xmas inspired by Henry Selick and Tim Burton’s animation movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Kate Bush’s song, December will be Magic Again.
END BLURB
Subscribers to this list can get it at the bargain price of 99 cents.
But only for one week until Sept 12, when it will be available worldwide on jfrpublishing at US$ 2.99.
Buying direct from me at jfrpublishing.com is a great way to support my work, as I get to keep more of the purchase price. Yes, I know the launch price is only 99 cents, but that’s because my email list subscribers are special!
In the future I plan to have a larger back-list of longer eBooks, collections etc., and the value in me not giving up a large slice of the pie to eBook retailers will only increase.
However, for those who prefer to buy from those large online stores (Apple, Amazon etc.), Lost Present will be available there soon for preorder, but at the full price of US$2.99.
(Preorder means the person can order the book but will not get it or be charged until the publication day. For Lost Present, the publication day will be in early November.)
Well, that’s it for this month.
The hot, humid weather is still here but the evenings should be cooler in another week or so; cool enough to finally sleep without the use of air-conditioning.
The next newsletter will be published on Monday 2 October, 2023.
*(You, or someone with access to your email address, signed up for sci-fi writer Mark McClure’s monthly newsletter.)
Browse my books for sale from my own publishing site: https://jfrpublishing.com/
Support my writing at “buy Mark a coffee”.