DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME - REWARDS PART 3 OF 3

Welcome back to DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME, my 3-part series about how I jumped into digital publishing and ebooks in 2011—what I did wrong, what I learned, and what I've received as a result of writing and publishing ebooks.

Today, I offer Part 3 of 3, in which I regale you with more tales of my self-publishing adventure.

If you missed Part 1 of 3, Mistakes and Advice, click here to read it.

To read Part 2 of 3, Advice and Insights, just click here. 

Today, I complete the series with Part 3 of 3, REWARDS—For Me and Maybe For You.

WHAT DIGITAL PUBLISHING DID FOR ME

Becoming a self-publishing indie author offered tremendous benefits. Before self-publishing, I was a category author which meant I had no power at all. A cut above me were midlist authors. They too had no power. Self-publishing meant I could chart my own course, and here's what happened.

1. I rediscovered the fun of writing because I could write anything I wanted. I was no longe writing according to what publishing houses said they wanted. 

I was no longer waiting and waiting and waiting for an agent or editor/editorial committee to rule on a submission. I could plan, write, and publish a book, and I was limited only by my own effort.

Writing what I wanted to write without regard to genre, plot, theme, or anything was freeing because I no longer had to wait and wonder if what I submitted was still wanted. Publishers could change guidelines while an author was busy writing the requested manuscript.

2. I found an audience that loved my books. I believed in my writing and knew there had to be readers who would like what I wrote. I was right. Self-publishing allowed me to reach readers.

3. I had editors contacting me instead of the other way around. I had a very lucrative foreign rights sale because the editor read my first ebook and wanted it and others to publish abroad. Within minutes of making a call to a literary agency, I had a top agent to negotiate the contract.

4. I became a New York Times bestseller because I was part of a self-published anthology that hit their  bestseller list in 2 places. (That was before they stopped allowing ebooks on the list.) I also hit the USA Today bestseller list 3 different times. 

5. I sold video game rights to 3 of my ebooks.

6. I had audio book editions of some of my ebooks published.

WHAT DIGITAL PUBLISHING CAN DO FOR YOU

1. Give you another avenue other than traditional publishing to find an audience. With a traditional publisher, you must have the right product to attract an editor and an agent. You don't have to limit yourself to one of the other.

2. Shortcut the time required to get your books before readers by becoming a self-publisher. In fact, if you become a big success as a self-publisher, you may find it easier to get with a trad publisher if that's what you want and the deal is good.

3. Become financially stable by being a self-publisher. There are many self-publishers making a very comfortable living from their ebooks. Some self-publishers have their books being turned into Netflix series and movies.

4. Give you a platform where you make all the decisions. You get to choose the cover art, the blurb, the price, etc. As someon

5. Give you a real-world experience in writing and publishing—a superb training ground in what it takes to write, publish, and deal with every aspect with which authors must handle.

You'll learn all about the writing, the technical aspects of publishing, marketing, promoting, living with good and bad reviews, dealing with the reading public, and so many other things authors must do. It can prepare you for the long assault on traditional New York publishing if you decide to do that.

Everything I've said is from real world experience. I hope it helps and inspires you if you have the writing itch. 

Becoming a selling author may be difficult, but it's easier than when I started many years ago. If it's what you want, go for it. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I wish you the same joy and rewards digital publishing has given me. Like I always say, "Nothing ventured; nothing gained."

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DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME - ADVICE AND INSIGHTS PART 2 OF 3

Welcome back to DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME, my 3 part series about how I jumped into digital publishing and ebooks in 2011.

I reveal what I did wrong, what I learned, and what I've received as a result of writing and publishing ebooks.

Today, I offer Part 2 of 3: Advice and Insights gained from my self-publishing adventure.

If you missed Part 1: Mistakes and Advice, you can CLICK HERE to read it.

Part 3 of 3: Rewards for Me and Maybe for You will publish Sunday, September 13, 2026.

ADVICE ON SELF-PUBLISHING, Continued

Let's pick up my List of 10 Tips with Number 6.

6. Write everything you will need to upload your manuscript prior to doing it. Don't try to wing it. Give a great deal of thought to: Categories, Keywords, Product Description, Author Profile, Pricing, etc. 

Save all your upload data in a file separate from your manuscript file so you can copy/paste where needed if you plan to publish on platforms other than Kindle. 

The same basic information may need some modifications as required by the other platforms, but you've already created the bulk of it.

7. Always use the Preview function to check what you uploaded. Take your time. Only click "publish"  when everything has been checked.

8. As soon as your upload has gone "live," buy a copy and go through it. On an ereader, you'll immediately see if something is wrong. If you find errors, take action immediately to correct the problem.

9. Make sure you have your marketing and promotion plan in place before you publish a book. Write it out and plug it into your calendar so you know what to do and when to do it.

10. Accept that sometimes things just don't go as planned and some books don't succeed. If you made mistakes, do what you can to correct them. 

If your book doesn't find an audience, do what you can to improve the situation, but don't spend all your time trying to keep it on life support. Write the next book.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

That's enough for today. Come back Friday, September 11, 2026, to read Part 3 of 3, Rewards for Me and Maybe for You, the unbelievable part of my journey—what happened for me and what digital publishing may do for you.

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DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME - MISTAKES & ADVICE Part 1 of 3

This year marked the 15th anniversary of my jumping into digital publishing.

I wanted to commemorate this milestone by telling you how I made that bold move, the mistakes I made, the things I learned, and what digital publishing has done for me.

The first title I slapped on this blog post once I'd writte it was Digital Publishing and Me—What I've learned in 15 Years of Writing and Publishing Ebooks.

Like the post itself, the title was way too long so I shrunk the title and broke the post into 3 parts. 

Today, you're reading  Part 1 of 3: Mistakes and Advice. I have a lot of both I guess.

Part 2 of 3: More Advice and Insights publishes Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Part 3 of 3: Rewards For Me and Maybe For You publishes Sunday, September 13, 2026.

BACKSTORY

Recently, I came across a post I wrote for another author's website back in June 2011. I had published one of my backlist books on Amazon KDP in late March which is why she asked me to be a guest on her blog.

My post for her explained why I did something that was considered extremely radical—repubishing a  backlist book as an ebook.

Champs-Élysées Books, shows 1 of my books

Today, I decided to reprint part of my 2011 post here because it may change the opinion of readers who still think ebooks are not real books.

It may  also convince authors who believe digital publishing isn't worth the effort that they're missing a great opportunity to advance their careers—not that we who digitally publish need any more competition! 

Here's the excerpt from 2011 with my "today" comments in brackets.

EXCERPT, EBOOKS: SMART, NOT DUMB (2011)

When I announced to a group of authors that I intended to publish my backlist and even some original fiction as ebooks, many wondered why I would do that. It was easy to see they questioned the wisdom of my intention.

There's a polarity when it comes to writers and indie publishing, and there are two primary schools of thought: the best thing since sliced bread or that sucks. 

These opposite opinions are pervasive in the world. [The low opinion of ebooks is still held by many well-known authors as do some readers.]

BOLDLY GO WHERE SOME WRITERS ARE GOING

I'm a firm believer in "nothing ventured; nothing gained." When markets are drying up, left and right, it's nice to see something opening up that can directly benefit writers, and that's digital self-publishing. 

By benefit, I don't just mean making some bucks. I also mean finding an audience for your work.

I've stated before that: "I've given up on New York publishing, BUT they gave up on me first." And, I'm not the only published author who couldn't fit the square peg of their writing into New York's round hole. (No pun intended but feel free to laugh.) 

I'm a writer. I want to be read. Many authors are finding readers by becoming indie authors and publishing our own work. If you want to try the indie author route, learn all you can about the process. That's why I'm here today.

I want to give you some advice, based on my personal experience as well as that of some friends, in the hope that you may avoid some of our dumb mistakes. 

When I published Just One Look, a previously published book that became my first ebook on Kindle and sold thousands of copies every day for a solid month, I made every mistake possible so I'm particularly qualified to talk about how NOT to be dumb.

 [Why did that happen? Because there wasn't much "how-to" information out there in 2011.]

I've got 10 Tips for you that I first wrote in that 2011 blog post. You'll find the first 5 Tips in this post. The others will be in Part 2. 

2011 ADVICE THAT'S STILL VALID - 10 TIPS

1. Learn how to properly format your file for an ebook that looks professional. [Now there are options for the type of file you can upload besides DOCX, MS Word like Atticus, available at a relatively low-cost for a one-time fee, that can create a beautifully formated ebook or print book. 

[When I started, I had to learn how to transform a Word file into an HTML file and how to insert a black and white cover image into that file. It was a time-consuming process. 

There was no Kindle Unlimited then so an author was smart to publish her ebook in as many places as possible. That meant learning how to format for Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple, Smashwords, and a half dozen other publishers who have since closed their doors.]

2. A great cover was important then and now. For authors who can't afford a graphic artist, there's a new tool, BookBrush, that can produce great looking covers, and the learning curve is easy.

3. Make sure you have the legal right for anything you publish. If you plan to publish a book that was previously published elsewhere, you should have a legal reversion of rights letter.

If you're using images from the internet, you must have a license to use each image so always read the User License on image websites so you know what you can and cannot do with the image you purchase or get for free.

4. Make sure your manuascript is bullet-proof before you upload it. That means getting a good proofreader and/or editor. That also means not doing anything that might get you sued, for instance, using the names of real people who may take exception to your actions.

Some think that as long as you don't say anything negative, it's okay to use the name of a real person. That's not true. I personallly know an author who was sued by the person she mentioned in her book. What she wrote was simply Mrs. So and So, the owner of Name of Business. That got her sued.

5. Be patient and take your time so you don't make dumb mistakes like uploading the wrong manuscript file. Yes, that's obvious, but I did that the very first time and didn't realize it until I started getting bad reviews. I didn't understand what they complained about in my book until I looked at it on my Kindle. 

Wow. I still can't believe I did that. I can only chalk it up to being exhausted and bleary-eyed by the time I got around to uploading the file and clicked on the wrong file. 

Always make sure you have your wits about you. Don't try to set up a book if you're tired, frazzled, or rushed. Haste really can make waste.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I hope you're finding this information educational or at least entertaining. 

Join me on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, for Part 2 of 3: More Advice and Insights learned from my adventures in self-publishing.

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Spotlight NEW ROMANTASY BOOK by M.J. SCHILLER

I'm excited about this new book by my friend, M.J. Schiller, since I first heard about it. Why? Because it's a different kind of romance.

If you have wanted to try ROMANTASY, the hottest new genre in romance, M.J.'s new book is the doorway you need t choose.

FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS is the first in her new FAIRY TALE ROMANCE SERIES, and I think it's going to be a smash success.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Once upon a time...

A young lady named Izzy was abducted by marauders and forced into slavery. Upon her arrival at the castle, she was taken in by one of the king’s advisors, a wise and kindly man. 

As time passed, she fell in love with a young man whom she later discovered was the prince. This prince, Trevarius, as he was not the direct heir to the throne, enjoyed a rather carefree lifestyle. But he found Izzy fascinating and was drawn to her. To his dismay, his brother chose Izzy as his wife to spite Trevarius. 

Publishing today, Sept. 1, 2026

Will Izzy and Trevarius lose their happily-ever-after?

EXCERPT from FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS

The birds began to sing. Or rather, shriek. The high-pitched noise was followed by the loud whir of wings as they lifted into the air. Isadore crooked her neck and watched them rise into the sky, obliterating the sun for a second; then, she was forced to shade her eyes from its glare. Subtly, another noise replaced the first, coming from the same direction as the birds had and getting louder and louder with each passing moment.

What is…horses!

A chill washed over her that had nothing to do with the frigid water she was standing in. She had come with a dozen others to wash clothing in this stream. The water wasn’t as deep as their normal creek bed; however, it was closer to home, which is why they had chosen it. Nearby villages had been raided of late, and parents wanted their daughters nearby. She scanned the horizon and saw it. The wisp of smoke that meant others had been to their village. 

Her warning burst from her mouth at the same time the mounts erupted from the tree line surrounding the watering hole.

“Riders!” 

She moved as quickly as she could in the waist-deep water, releasing the shift she had been washing, letting it slowly drift away as the quiet, idyllic scene of moments before changed into a nightmare. 

Horses came charging into the water from the banks, and women screamed as they attempted to flee but were caught up in the hands of riders. She searched for her sister, Ysmay, and caught sight of her red dress. A man had his arm around her neck and shoulders as he dragged her from the water, kicking and wailing.

“Nay! Ysmay!” She began to wade in that direction, frustrated by the resistance of the water and the weight of her dress. All she could do was cry out and watch as the man hauled her sister onto his mount and plopped her in front of him. He laughed and pulled on his horse’s reins, twisting its head back to the bank. “Nay. Release her.” Ysmay at fourteen was two years her senior; yet, as she was smaller framed, people often mistook them for twins. 

Ysmay turned. Isadore couldn’t hear her but read her lips. “Flee, Izzy!”

Her view of Ysmay was cut off when a soldier and his steed cut between them, a yard away. The man grabbed a younger girl, who couldn’t have been more than ten, and she screamed. With dismay, Izzy realized that it was too late to help Ysmay; on the other hand, maybe she could at least save this one girl. 

Isadore struggled forward and lunged at the last second to latch onto the girl’s leg before she could be plucked from the stream. Getting her feet under her, Isadore reached further to try to claw the girl from the man’s grasp and almost succeeded. However, she was so focused on prying his fingers from the girl’s arm that she didn’t see the sword in his other hand until it was too late.

At Books2Read, or go directly to AmazonUS - AmazonUK - AmazonAU.

ABOUT M.J. SCHILLER

M.J. Schiller is a retired lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance. 

M.J. is the mother of a twenty-eight-year-old and three twenty-six-year-olds. That's right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon. 

CONNECT WITH M.J. ONLINE

Website: https://mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-schiller

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjschiller

Tumblr: http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mjschiller

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479377.M_J_Schiller

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/M-J-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you read Four and Twenty Blackbirds, be sure an leave a review where you bought it. Authors love readers who do this, and it's good karma!

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Review - Reacher Season 4 - Prime

We are watching Reacher, Season 4, which premiered August 12, 2026, on Prime Video.

Darling Hubby and I have read the Reacher books by Lee Child and were thrilled when a physically appropriate actor was finally tapped to play the larger than life hero.

Season 4 has a compelling mystery to keep viewers guessing, and it has some good secondary cast members: Sydelle Noel as Detective Tamara Green, Kevin Corrigan as her partner Shaun Docherty, Christopher Rodriguez-Marquette as Jacob Merrick, Agnez Mo as Lila, Marc Blucas and John Sampson, Kathleen Robertson as Elspeth Sampson, Kevin Weisman as Russell Plum, and Chris Owens as Nolan Cahill.

This series is tremendously popular and has legions of fans.

BUT...

 Don't throw rotten eggs at me, and for goodness's sake, don't send death threats that necessitate my calling the Constable's Cyber Crimes Unit again, but I have a little complaint. I'm probably thhe only one who thinks this, but with every succeeding season, Alan Ritchson as Reacher becomes more and more robotic in his performance.

Reacher, Season 1, was fantastic. Ritchson breathed life into the character. He was strong, larger than life, witty, and had an appealing personality as he tackled the mystery at the heart of the season. He didn't back down from threats. He used brutall force when it was called for, but he still seemed human.

With each passing season, he has become more like a machine, fighting, killing, brutalizing the bad guys, and tersely snapping out dialogue with nary a smile.

I'll watch the rest of the season and see if I'm wrong about his season's presentation of the Reacher character.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

It may just be me, but the powers that be need to go back and watch Season 1 so they can learn why Reacher was so immediately appealing.

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Monday Magic _AI Tech Advice

Hold on to your hats. I'm about to recommend what seems to be an AI YouTube Channel for this week's source to remember.

I know, I know. I've complained a lot about Artificial Intelligence taking over the world. I still don't like the intrusion of AI on every app I use.

I really hate the fact that people are using AI to generate ebooks and clog up all the publishing pipelines.

I also hate that people are using AI to generate YouTube videos that purport to be doctors offering medical advice, financial experts offering investment advice, etc. ad nauseum.

TECH AUTHORITY ZONE

The YouTube video channel I'm blogging about today which offers offers step by step advice on how to clean up problems on your computer may actually have a Human behind it. I checked the channel's videos back to the beginning, and the man who narrated those videos seems to have English as a second language. Perhaps, he chose to use an AI voice for narration in order to attract more viewers.

In any event, I've used several videos from the channel to aid in my effort to keep Windows from slowing down my computer processing. Videos like Here's Why Chrome Slows Down Your PC, Windows 11 Lag Problem Solved, Microsoft Secretly Resets Your Settings, Why Your Windows PC Is Slow, Windows Eating Your Memory, and many more.

The channel offers advice on smart phones, computers, Windows, Android, etc. The thing I like most is that the instructions are clear, concise, and they work as promised.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're not a tekkie and have problems with your computer or cell phone, give the channel a try. It may have the answer to your problems.

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Thursday3Some - Fiction Popularity

Today I thought I'd share 3 statistics about the books readers are buying.

Everyone has a favorite genre of fiction. Within your chosen genre, you probably have a specific type of story you want to read.

That can be called a sub-genre. You might call it plot or theme or premise. 

In the Mystery genre, common sub-genres are cozy, police procedural, suspense, and thriller.

In the Romance genre, common sub-genres are sweet, spicy, romantic suspense, historical, etc.

All of the sub-genres are broken down by an aspect of the story or plot. In Romance, some of the most popular are small town, second chance, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, and dozens more. With Romance, this is one of the reasons it's the most popular genre in the world. Yes, that's right. In the entire world. (Stats come from Alex Newton's K-lytics reports. If you're an author or want to be one, I strongly urge you to research your favorite genre with Alex's reports.

3 FACTS ABOUT THE MOST POPULAR FICTION GENRE

1. the most popular genre on Amazon Kindle is romance with sales of the category increasing every year over the previous year.

2. More than half of the Top-400 most sold Kindle books are romance titles. That's why you often see new dedicated categories within the Romance Fiction category.

3. The majority of authors of these Romance novels are self-published.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you want to do a bit of research on your own,, plug in the search string "romance books" on Google. You'll find a lot of information that may amaze you.

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Review - Stuart Fails To Save the Universe - HBO Max

Remember The Big Bang Theory? I do. Occasionally, I'll watch an episode of that hilarious series on HBO Max. 

I guess there are so many fans of the now-defunct series that Chuck Lorre, the genius who created the series, decided a sequel would find a following too.

Thus, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe was born. I stumbled across it a week ago. Of course, I had to see what this American science fiction comedy TV series created by Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Pradyit was all about.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is the third spinoff of The Big Bang—first was Young Sheldon then Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage,  and now Stuart's series.

This latest entry in The Big Bang franchise premiered on HBO Max on July 23, 2026.

 It's premise? Stuart Bloom accidentally damaged a device created by Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter and Howard Wolowitz.

Therefore, Stuart must prevent a "multiverse Armageddon" and save the Universe by traveling through various alternate realities to change his own reality. In each new reality, he encounters friends and acquaintances from his own reality.

To be honest, this series seems like a love poem to The Big Bang, because it brings back the quirky characters from that series. It's like having a family reunion with all the weird cousins showing up. Look at the Cast below, and you'll see what I mean.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom and as Alternate Stuart Bloom.

Lauren Lapkus as Denise, Stuart's true love.

Brian Posehn as Bert Kibbler, the very large and boring geologist.

John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke, the hilarious egotistical physicist.

SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

• Ryan Cartwright as Kyle.
• Josh Brener as Trevor.
• Tommy Walker as Gary.
• Riki Lindhome as Alternate Ramona Nowitzki, another weird physicist.
• Brian Thomas Smith as Alternate Zack Johnson, just as dumb as the original.
• Matty Cardarople as Keith.
• Louis Mustillo as Alexa.
• Joshua Malina, Caltech President Siebert will show up, along with Jon Cryer.

SPECIAL GUEST STARS

Kunal Nayyar as Alternate Raj Koothrappali who is just as weird as original Raj.

Penn and Teller as themselves.

Kaley Cuoco as Alternate Penny, who embraces her power.

Christine Baranski as herself, rather than as Leonard's mom.

Melissa Rauch as Alternate Bernadette Rostenkowski, a giant demon which means she embraces her power too.

Wil Wheaton as Alternate Wil Wheaton—love Will Wheaton!

WHY WATCH

If you're a Big Bang fan, I don't have to tell you why you watch. If you're not a fan, watch because it's weird, the episodes are short, and each episode gets better than the previous. Watch because the title creds alone are funny, creative, and different—they are an inside joke aimed at the entire audience that tries to skip over the credits.

The first 3 episodes I watched are: Episode 1, Spoiler: Gary Dies; Episode 2, Spoiler: Zack's In This One; and Episode 3: Bert's Magic. A new episode will drop every week.

MY THOUGHTS

If I weren't a fan of the original series, I don't know that I'd have watched the second episode. Once Barry Kripke, played by the talented John Ross Bowie, shows up, I was hooked. 

Every scene with Kripke in Episode 2 is a belly laugh, side-splitter. If you've been looking for something different, give this a try. Watch the first 3 episodes, and I think you'll want to watch the rest.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Like most streaming series, the future of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe depends on the audience numbers. I don't know if this series has enough promise to carry what seems like a one-joke premise into the future, but if anyone can do it, Chuck Lorre can.

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Monday Magic - Free Sceenshot App

If you're frustrated with the Screenshot offered by Microsoft, upgrade to the free app Greenshot, reliable open-source screen capture tool. 

The Greenshot app is safe, but only if you download  it from the official source. This is true of all apps I review on SlingWords. Download from the true source so you avoid bloatware, adware, or malware.

NOTE: Older versions of Greenshot did have security flaws, but those have been patched in recent updates which is another reason to download only from the Greenshot website.

WHAT GREENSHOT OFFERS

Although a light-weight screenshot software tool for Windows, it offers some grreat features:

• Create screenshots of a selected region, window or fullscreen
• Capture complete (scrolling) web pages from Internet Explorer
• Annotate, highlight or even make part of the screenshot unclear
• Export the screenshot: save to file, send to printer, copy to clipboard, attach to email, send to Office programs, upload to photo sites like Flickr or Picasa, etc.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

So many benefits make Greenshot an excellent tool. Try it today. I think you'll like it.

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6 Steps to Fake It Till You Make It

We live in the NOW, but we want something different TOMORROW, but YESTERDAY often holds us back.

Does that describe you?

Do you want more out of life? Do you want to be MORE...whatever that may mean?

Some people struggle to even believe they can make their dreams come true. They can't see themselves as any more than what they are today.

Those are the people that need to heed the advice often spouted in humor: "Fake it till you make it." They don't know that really means to imagine that person who does something amazing and to act like that person. 

One must create a greater vision of self before it will ever become reality. The easiest way to do that is by acting like that person you want to be. To fake it until it's true in reality. "But," you ask. "How do I fake something like that?"

What follows is my advice to someone who wants to be a writer. Simply change the "writing" to whatever you want out of your life.

7 Steps to Help You Fake It Until You Make It

Step 1: Create Self-Talk That Expresses the You in the Future

Do things like look in the mirror as you're getting ready for the day and say, "I would like to thank the Readers who made this possible by buying so many books that I was catapulted onto the New York Times bestsellers list."

Or, "I'd like to thank the movie's producers for this Academy award because they took my book and adapted it for this movie." Or, whatever addresses your particular big dream.

Step Two: Dress for the Success you want.

It's no lie that when you work from a home office, you tend to dress comfortably or as in many cases, like a slob. 

Instead, try dressing comfortably as well as attractively. You may be surprised that you'll accomplish more if you look a little more professional. 

Step Three: Act AS IF you have already achieved your dream.

How would you act if  you were already living that life you dream about? Would you be more optimistic? More at peace with everything and everyone? Would you be calmer and less stressed? Act that way when you become frustrated or annoyed. Be that you, not the past you who's easily upset.

Step Four: Speak AS IF you are the future you.

Avoid speaking negativity. Always speak with optimism about your work, your dream, your daily routine. Have a conversation with someone about the work you're doing toward that big dream. Envision completing the work and the rewards that will come your way.

Step Five: Act By Doing 1 Tiny Task Every Day

Many people can't get going on their dreams or can't continue working toward it because they set an unrealistic task for themselves each day. 

Let's get real. Instead of saying, "I'm going to write 1,000 words every day," say, "I'm going to write for 10 minutes each day." That's it. Ten minutes is easy.

Anyone can do it. It's set to be easy because getting started is the hardest action to take every day. Once you've overcome the inertia and started, you'll keep going.

Step Six: Review

When the day is done, review the day. What did you do? What did you say to yourself? What did you say to others? 

How did you feel after interacting with someone in which you acted like "future you?" 

How did you feel after doing your Tiny Task? Did you go past that Tiny Task? 

Most important of all, did you make progress? Do you feel empowered to do the same tomorrow? 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Use these 6 Steps whenever you need them. Keep a vision of your future self always in your mind. Go forth and conquer!

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Thursday3Some - 3 Tips To Train Your Focus

If you're like me and behind on everything AND feeling as if there are a dozen high priority things you should be doing BUT you don't know where to start, here are...

3 TIPS TO TRAIN YOUR FOCUS

1. Make a list of every single thing you think you should do. Write it down, don't just think about it and so your brain is spinning around.

2. Look at the list—I mean really look at it. Now, go item by item on the list and mark everything that needs to be done right now—today—with a big N. 

Anything that can be done by the end of  the weekend, mark L for Later.

Anything that really isn't crucial, but it would be nice to do it before the month is over, mark O for Optional.

3. Take your list and write it again. That's right curate your list. Put NOW items at the top, listed in the priority of importance. Later items are next, also listed by how important they are to get done before the month is over. Optional items are last. In looking at them, decide if it's really something you must do or can it be delegated? In fact, is it something that really must be done at all?

Bonus Tip: Keep your curated list where you can read it in the morning to train your focus on what is most important and then in the evening before you head to bed so you can pat yourself on the back because you're using your time effectively.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The ability to prioritize how you spend your time is a hallmark of success.

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EAT DESSERT FIRST?

Happy Wednesday! Enjoy this Hump Day post. 

When I was a kid, I read one of those funny lines you see on buttons and tee shirts. It said: "Life is short. Eat dessert first."

I think that’s why so many people struggle in life—they want to eat dessert first rather than start at the beginning of the meal and enjoy each course that’s served.

Of course, I’m describing those who want to start at the top and who don’t seem to understand that no one really starts at the top—unless they’re the offspring of the company founder or a prodigy of some sort and perhaps not even then.

PAYING DUES

You know about paying due or whatever you choose to call the process of beginning, making mistakes, and learning. Some way or other, everyone pays their dues. Doctors start as interns before they become the leading doctor at a hospital. First year lawyers start out at the bottom pecking order of law firms. Electricians start out as apprentices. Writers start out as newbies trying to hack out a writing career and build an audience for their work.

Anyone who thinks he or she can jump into a high status position at a corporation or be rewarded by an ownership role in a small independent company—or become a bestselling author overnight—just doesn’t realize what the world is all about.

Whether you’re a corporate accountant, a bank teller, or a writer publishing a first book, you need to understand that success is not made overnight. Success is made by baby steps then bigger steps and sometimes leaps forward every now and then. Consistency of action leads to progress.

If you enjoy each leg of the journey, not impatiently striving to leap over steps, you’ll find more satisfaction in your career—and in life—than someone who is never satisfied and constantly longing for more, more, more.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If Life is a seven-course dinner, then savor and enjoy the appetizers before moving on to the soup. The pleasure that comes from each “course” will keep you satisfied and inspired to experience the next stage in your career and in Life when it comes along. That's my 2¢ opinion. What do you think?

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Review - Ride or Die - Prime

Ride or Die, an American TV series billed as action adventure comedy, is an Amazon Prime exclusive.

This new Prime exclusive was created by Tessa Coates, writer, comedian, and one third of the sketch group Massive Dad, and has showrunner Matt Miller with his action acventure creds like the TV series Lethal Weapon and Chuck. 

Ride or Die stars well-known actors, Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Ed Skrein, and Bill Nighy, along with a larger cast you'll find listed below.

PREMISE

Two friends, Octavia Spencer as Debbie and Hannah Waddingham as Judith, have to go on the run from a multitude of highly trained assassins when Judith's secret life as an assassin is exposed.

FULL CAST

Hannah Waddingham is Judith, an English woman with a secret life as an elite assassin.

Octavia Spencer, is Judith's BFF Debbie, an American wife of a member of Parliament (MP).

Ed Skrein as Billy Donovan, is a member of a crime syndicate.

Calam Lynch is Sam, Judith's handler.

Savannah Steyn is Queenie, Judith's tech and weapons specialist.

Jamie Parker is David, Debbie's husband and an MP.

Sylvia Hoeks is Ana, a fellow assassin and former friend of Judith's.

Bill Nighy is The Director, Judith's employer.

Jacky Ido is Jacques, an Interpol agent.

Cathy Tyson is Mrs. Williams, Queenie’s mother who is training her daughter to take over assassin support. Side note: Cathy Tyson is the niece of legendary actress Cicely Tyson.

Camille Chamoux is Colette, a French police officer according to Cast Notes.

MY THOUGHTS

Although this series premiered on July 15, 2026, I didn't watch it until this past weekend. I have mixed emotions about this series. So, let's start with the Pros.

Love the premise—2 women who have been best friends for many years. They think they know everything there is to know about each other, but they don't because 1 is in a dead-end marriage and the other is a paid killer.

Love the settings—from London to Monte Carlo to other European cities.

Love the acting—how can you go wrong with Waddingham, Spencer, Skrein, and Nighy? Waddingham and Skrein together are believable. So is the friendship between Waddingham and Spencer. Nighy has had a lot of experience playing amoral villains with a minute glimpse of human emotion that shows he has a human heart.

Now, the Cons.  Character actions—Too many scenes where characters simply do not behave as humans would act and react. They act and react like cardboard characters that the script says should do or say this in this scene. 

Moving the Plot Forward—Transitions between scenes are eleminated. This happens frequently in today's movie making world.

A character is in a scene doing something then boom. They're in a different location undertaking what the character must need to move the plot forward. This kind of jerks the plot along.

Scene Logic—Characters end up doing things that don't seem realistic given who the characters are as they've been established.

Humor—Billed as an action adventure comedy, this series is amusing in places, but I wouldn't call it a comedy. Action adventure comedy is a hard act to pull off. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Should you watch it or skip it? I picked it because there were no really good options. 

If you watch it for the acting chops, the action adventure with Waddingham really pulling her weight, and don't look for the comedy or the logic, you'll find it entertaining and be clicking next episode every time.

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