The head of Microsoft AI discusses the risks of an AI agent that is able to simulate intelligence, yet have absolutely no inner life. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent, new models released every week by a variety of players, but fundamental problems and limitations persist.
Leave No Bookseller Unturned
Murdoch Books want to make sure their customers know where to buy their books. An excellent idea for independent authors when setting up their own sites…
Publisher Rocket and You
Authors uploading to Amazon and looking into ways to promote their title/s will eventually hear about the Publisher Rocket service. Publisher Rocket is a book marketing tool focusing solely on Amazon (which is the dominant online bookseller for both print and ebooks).
In the words of an author reviewer:
Publisher Rocket is essentially a research tool. It helps self-published authors understand what readers actually want, and how to connect with them with your books. But it's not just for self-published or independent authors—traditional publishers use it too.
Here are some things you can discover in Publisher Rocket:
What phrases Amazon buyers are actually searching for.
The psychology of how readers choose to buy books.
How much money readers are spending on certain niches and topics.
How much money specific books are making per month (for example, books that might be competing with yours).
Reddit has an interesting thread discussing the pros and cons of the service. Reviews on Trust Pilot are quite positive. To be used in conjunction with Dave Chesson’s blog (Chesson is the founder of Publisher Rocket)
Aegean Odyssey Review
Kathryn Gauci’s excellent memoir garners well-deserved praise online:
A review that absolutely made my day on Amazon and Goodreads. I have to share it with you. Thank you so much, Abzorba the Greek.
October 28, 2025
I’ve just finished Kathryn Gauci’s very personal memoir, and I’m slightly annoyed with her because it’s not longer. I’ve been so immersed in her self-awakening solo trip back to Greece after many years away that I didn’t want it to end so soon. I suppose that you’ll probably get more out of this book if, like me, you’re a hopeless Grecophile, but if you like travel writing in general, you’d better not pass this one up anyway.
Kathryn wasn’t sure she wanted to make this trip alone, since she had a perfectly good marriage, but, owing to circumstances, she went ahead anyway. Right at the very end of the book she makes a really valid point about travelling solo that I’ve often thought too, although never been able to put it into words. When you experience something on your own, it’s an entirely different thing from how it would be if accompanied by someone else, in this case, her husband. You meet people, experience feelings and emotions, see places in ways that wouldn’t be the same with someone beside you. It’s not better, it’s not worse, it’s simply different, but in such a way that you realise how much it enriches your life. If you can do it, then it’s 100% worthwhile.
Kathryn goes to places (islands, mainly) that I know well myself, so maybe that too, made her writings resonate more deeply with me. But if you’ve any experience at all of Greek people and culture, then surely you’ll also find this work totally absorbing. She has a wonderful gift for evoking in you mental pictures of the places she’s describing, the people she’s interacting with.
Kathryn Gauci is a living treasure that all avid book readers would do well to appreciate.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/.../ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl...
#memoirssetingreece #honorarygreek #windycitygreek #greekmemoirs #memoirs #bookssetinGreece #travelmemoirs #amazonkindlebooks #amazonunlimited
The Theban Cycle -- A Review
Tony Whitefield’s excellent The Theban Cycle has been reviewed at some length in The Greek Herald.
“On this note, we could certainly raise a glass to Mr Whitefield’s grounding evaluation, which helps to bridge the gap between myth and reality… an iteration of the Theban Cycle that will only get better with age, just like a connoisseur’s favourite red or white.”
The Theban Cycle is available here, along with several other of Tony’s books exploring Greek history, myth and culture.
The Theban Cycle
Imagine a storyteller in ancient Greece who makes his living telling stories about recent events, sometimes only two or three generations after the events took place. How different might these stories be to the ones written down over 500 years later?
Tony Whitefield retells the well-known Greek myth of the Theban Cycle, using the voice of his storyteller Peter. By imagining these ancient stories without the direct influence of gods or supernatural events on the participants, Tony attempts to unravel mythological narratives explaining what might have occurred.
It is the year 1189 BCE, and a group of people have gathered to listen to Peter the storyteller. A Phoenician prince named Kadmus sets off to locate his sister Europa who has mysteriously vanished from their hometown of Tyre. On his journey to find his sister, he meets his wife Harmonia and presents her with two special wedding gifts. Who could have possibly imagined that these simple gifts could play such an important part for generations to come in the story of the city of Thebes.
Tony Whitefield is a retired teacher and academic who lives on the Greek island of Limnos for several months each year. The Theban Cycle is his fifth book.
Morton Smuggler update
Davin Ardlie’s excellent The Morton Smuggler is getting some positive author feedback:
“A heartfelt, thoroughly entertaining read. Spans many parts of the world, with the author's experience and/or research in the various locations shining through. Highly recommended - commendations to the author.”
“What a thrilling tale of adventure, intrigue, love and loss. I was captivated from the opening chapter and couldn’t put it down. The ending had me in floods of tears, what a remarkable story.”
“The Morton Smuggler is one of the best books I’ve read - and I’ve read a lot, both for pleasure and in my work as a copy editor. The storyline takes the reader on a roller-coaster of experiences and emotions in various countries, always underpinned by the mystery of the Morton Smuggler. The resolution of the mystery is both satisfying and heartwarming.”
“Rupert took me on a journey far beyond fishing—a multi-city voyage of self-discovery. In his search for values to live by, found within the Five F’s, I witnessed Rupert’s transformation from boyhood into manhood. This character is at the heart of a story set in beautifully crafted locations and filled with characters of depth, all woven together in a storyline as intriguing as it is entertaining. Experiencing Rupert’s path feels like reading a novel of great importance before the fanfare and plaudits. It’s as if I have been entrusted with the secrets to a fulfilling life, straight from Rupert himself. If there were more Ruperts in the world, it truly would be a better place. His story will stay with me forever. Bravo!”
Moreton Smuggler is available directly from the author’s site in print, ebook and audio format, and also at @farrells_bookshop and @antipodesbookshop
Booktopia Book Distributor -- an Opportunity for Authors?
The new incarnation of Booktopia has a service that may be of interest to authors. The information below is taken from their website, and may be accessed directly here. In a world of limited distribution opportunities, this service may work for some authors, but read the fine print…
New suppliers
Booktopia has been inundated with enquiries and books from authors wishing to supply to Booktopia directly.
Over many years of perfecting our multi-million dollar Distribution Centre we are now able to offer publishers representation in the Australian marketplace. In 2017 we established Booktopia Publisher Services (BPS).
If you wish to have your books distributed by BPS, then please email bps@booktopia.com.au and our BPS team will respond shortly.
For all bookstores or businesses that want to set up an account with Booktopia Publisher Services to access supply of the books we distribute then please contact us by emailing bps@booktopia.com.au
Key benefits of distributing your books through Booktopia Publisher Services:
Supply into bookstores and business - BPS supplies product direct to bookstores, resellers and businesses. We offer unparalleled fast delivery to ensure bookstores and businesses can supply their customers seamlessly and efficiently.
Sell more units - Publisher's stock will be listed as immediately available for purchase and dispatch on Australia's leading online bookstores' websites and popular online marketplaces, ready for fast delivery to retailers, resellers and direct customers. Prices are constantly monitored to ensure they are as competitive as possible.
Bestseller lists - Sales via Booktopia and its customers are lodged with Australia’s Nielsen Bookscan. By being price competitive, this ensures that sales to Australians stay within Australia. Hence a Publisher’s bestselling titles are recognised as a bestseller which in turn influences the purchasing pattern of consumers and resellers in the Australian market.
Unique marketing opportunities - Direct access to over 4 million customers who have purchased from Booktopia and Angus & Robertson in the past decade of which 1.8 million are repeat customers.
Smart stock placement - Comprehensive access to the Australian market by holding Publisher stock in one of Australia's most sophisticated book distribution centres.
Better data - Partner with Australia's leader in book data expertise including Bibliographic content, optimising content for increasing sales and B2B+B2C digital/EDI ordering.
You do great content. We'll get it out there.
Crackers: A Cracking Good True Story
Some interesting news from Kirsten Drysdale, part of the team that put together Crackers, the fascinating true story of a small dog with a highly unusual talent: wrangling pretty much any species of African wild animal…
“I recently engaged Luke to design a book I wrote about Crackers, an adventurous little dog who was the hero of "Operation Noah" - an incredible wildlife rescue operation that took place in Zimbabwe in the 1950s/60s. I was a child in Zimbabwe at the time, but my father, Rupert Fothergill, was the country's head game ranger and led the operation, so I had access to the valuable historical material and memories which support this true story. Luke did a fantastic job helping us pull the book together and present it beautifully.
On a recent trip back to Zimbabwe I was able to distribute a number of hard copy books to friends, relatives and Safari Lodges. I have received an overwhelmingly positive response to the book, and have been reflecting on some of the lovely comments I have received.
Kathy said:
Hi Hils - oh my goodness- I’ve just read your book & just LOVE It! Sure did get the emotions going! Such brave men doing so much good (& of course Crackers!) And of course not to forget the amazing wives & families back home keeping the home fires burning so that the men could do their jobs knowing their families were in good & safe hands. Kudos to them too! Very strong & resilient woman. Thank you sooo much Hils. The book has pride of place on my coffee table.
Julia sent me photos of her son reading it to her grandchildren and said they loved it.
Shayne said she and her 90 year old mum couldn’t put it down.
Mags said she was going to find a film producer to make a movie out of it.
I have had lots of people ask if they can sell them for me and am in the process of hopefully getting some printed in Zimbabwe for them to have easier access.”
Crackers is available in hardcover.
What to Put at the End of Your Ebook
Some very good advice from master editor and book promoter Dr Euan Mitchell re. ebooks (and print versions for some of the items)
a. Include your website's address as a clickable link.
b. Include the covers, blurbs and shout-lines for your other novels.
c. As part of intriguing your readers with blurbs, etc, also include clickable links to FREE SAMPLES of your other novels. (Kindle offers the first 10-20% of any novel as a free sample to any reader.)
d. Include clickable links to your socials.
e. Encourage readers to review your novel on Amazon and actually explain why it's so important.
f. Acknowledgments. This is more about your behind-the-scenes story that readers can really connect with, rather than a list of names that don't mean much to most readers.
g. Include a clickable link to your pages on Goodreads, the world's biggest book discussion/review forum.
Tartan it Up: How to Present Your Book Morton Smuggler style
Davin Ardlie’s fantastic new book The Morton Smuggler is now available at his website. It’s a sweeping saga about love, loyalty and growing up:
Rupert Johnson’s path to an independent mind was always going to be unconventional. It was planned that way. But he wasn’t supposed to go alone. Rupert is destined to learn the hard way.
India. Scotland. Australia. Tunisia. His letter-writing and his fishing are the only constants, beyond independence. Above all else he dreams of the day he can lay claim to a Morton Smuggler, the world’s most elusive fly fishing reel. The Morton Smuggler cannot be purchased; it can only
be earned.
Against the hard lessons from wartime tragedy, stubborn nostalgia and the many injustices of existence, Rupert creeps towards an understanding of the things in life that can be felt but never seen.
Towards a Morton Smuggler.
Dav sent me a copy the other day, and the packaging made receiving it rather special: a good strong mailer, two nicely designed stickers and a tartan band, plus the address label. So order one today and reward an author willing to put effort into presentation as well as content.
Successful Launch of "Bouncing Back" by Peter Jerijian
Peter Jerijian’s entertaining memoir Bouncing Back was launched in June. Here is Peter’s report on the event:
We had a great evening at the Book Launch on June 21. A fairly good numbers of people attended, including some local councillors, members of parliament and the City of Greater Dandenong Mayor, Jim Memetti. Also the editor and illustrator who worked on the book.
We had a slide show and an MC who ran the event and interviewed me, followed by questions from the audience, and a nice supper so people could socialise. It was a fun and very pleasant evening.
Cameron Lucadou-Wells, the journalist from the Dandenong Star Journal, also attended and wrote an article about the book launch, (page 14 July 8) as well as doing an interview and an article about the book beforehand (page 15 June 10). You can find them on their digital website.
I was also contacted by Laurie Nowell, media manager at AMES who interviewed me and wrote an article in the AMES magazine. (See the link above)
Thomas McMahon's Search for Fame
Max Quanchi, author of Thomas McMahon’s Search for Fame, has been active on the promotional front…
I have been busy posting it around and my McMahon book has been getting an airing in the Newsletters of:
International Association for Small island Studies (ISISA)
Pacific History Association (PHA)
Pacific Arts Association (PAA)
And I sent copies for review to the following journals
History of Photography
Journal of Australian Studies
Australian Historical Studies
Journal of Pacific History
Journal of NZ and Pacific Studies.
Pacific Arts.
and to newspaper review editors (The Australian, The Age, SMH,and Courier- Mail)
ISBN: 978-1-922958-94-5
Blurb: Thomas McMahon’s photographs and reports from the southwest Pacific appeared in capital city and provincial newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, and globally in pictorial encyclopedia, books, magazines and postcards and in his own lantern slide lectures. He visited Papua and German New Guinea, the Solomons, Vanuatu, Fiji, Nauru, Banaba, Norfolk, Lord Howe Island, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands but the thousand photographs of the Islands that he published between 1915 and 1925, after self-funded expeditions across the region, failed to attract the coveted Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society that he wanted. In 1922, he turned to another career, this time as a paid journalist with a Brisbane newspaper, as their travelling back-country reporter and photographer.
He was probably the most recognized photographer of his day for both his Pacific and Queensland, Torres Strait and Northern Territory photography and certainly one of the best-informed journalists of the day who could say “I was there” when boosting Australia’s trade and commercial potential in the Islands, and in his later career, in Northern Australia.
After his death in Brisbane in 1934 he was forgotten and was rarely cited in studies of photography, journalism or Australia’s Imperial posturing after WWI. His published photographs can now be found in the bound periodicals section of libraries, and digitally through Trove, and in the works of colleagues who borrowed his images for their own books and articles. Thanks Tom, as he was known, for a wonderful archive of Australia and the Pacific in the early twentieth century.
Balwyn Remembered
Marion Weir explores her memories of Balwyn in the years following World War II, when children had a freedom to rove and explore that is unimaginable today.
“Although there was no sense of abundance so far as items for sale, this was made up for by the friendly exchanges between shopkeeper and customers. People were addressed by their names and enquiries made after each other’s families. I don’t believe it was just my youth that led me to feel that, above all, there was no hurry, just a feeling of limitless time.”
And a paean to the centrality of sport to Melbourne life in the 1950s:
“The sporting arena was the perfect place to lift the spirits of the locals. For a few hours on a Saturday arvo they could forget the grind of meaningless, poorly paid jobs, of unemployment and living in overcrowded, often slum like housing with little hope of bettering their circumstances. The honour of the community was at stake and the on-ground rivalry was their supporters’ Culloden, their battle of Bosworth Field. ”
Available here.
Slop Until You Drop
The gates to AI Hell have been opened wide, and out flows an endless stream of automatically generated and often disturbing rubbish to distract those enchained to their phones. Cue the Dead Internet theory. Ironically, this eerie, pointless slop is used by other AIs for ‘training’, setting up a downward spiral of declining quality. Combined with the drastic AI-led decline in search engine quality with results drowning in AI hot-takes and sponsored links (we’re looking at you, Google), the Internet is no longer looking like a place by humans and for humans, but an infinite chamber echoing with the meaningless chatter of trillions of bots. One suspects were are at the end stage of this process.
Peter Wood and Book Promotion
Author of several excellent works of fiction for young adults, Peter Wood describes his marketing strategy as follows:
“As a self published author I choose to market my work by regularly setting up a stall at community markets and engaging personally with any interested readers. This is a slow and steady process but over time the sales mount up.
Once a year I travel to Clunes for the BookTown weekend.Thousands of people come from near and far and scores of authors get the opportunity to present their work.”
Peter is considering creating a large retractable banner for his market stall and the Booktown event.
Read more about Peter and his work here. His titles can be purchased from Amazon Australia.
SquareSound Audiobooks
Another interesting service provider for authors interested in producing audiobooks. According to their website:
“Award winning specialist division of Australia’s leading post- production company, Soundfirm, producing audiobooks and podcasts at our state-of-the-art facilities in Melbourne and Sydney.
Our sound directors have the dedication required to bring to life these complex productions, backed by our team of experts in voice direction, language adaptation, editing and sound design.
We’ve produced hundreds of books and podcasts. From novellas, children’s books, fiction, non-fiction, multiple accents and languages, political essays and multi voice drama and this list keeps growing. A full list of our works and clients can be made available on request.”
Audiobooks remain one of the fastest growing segments of the book publishing world.
10 of the Best Places to Find Beta Readers That You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet
Eleanor Hecks writes about places to assemble a team of beta readers…
Many writers already know about the beta reader groups on Goodreads or the online writer’s community Scribophile. However, there are many unique places for them to meet and connect with beta readers outside these mainstream platforms.
Underrated Beta Readers
These places can be a bit under the radar or require more searching, but they can also help writers connect with talented beta readers to review their manuscript.
1. Reddit
Reddit is home to tons of niche communities, including readers and writers. Authors can post a personal ad on relevant subreddits like r/BetaReaders and r/DestructiveReaders to find beta readers interested in reviewing their work. They can also browse existing threads and see posts from people advertising their services there.
2. Facebook Groups
Facebook has around 3 billion monthly active users, making it a viable place to find beta readers. Authors can look up writing or dedicated beta reader groups to find peers they may want to work with.
3. Alumni Networks
Schools and universities boast vast alumni networks that include literature enthusiasts, writers and publishing professionals. For example, Harvard Business School has 90,662 alumni across 173 countries, making it the perfect place to look for beta readers and creative collaborators. Writers can reach out through alumni events, directories or mutual acquaintances and propose the arrangement.
4. Instagram Communities
Instagram has a growing community of readers and writers who can find each other through writing or genre-related hashtags. The platform hosts 2 billion active users, and some users advertise their services through hashtags like #betareaders or #betareaderswanted.
5. Twitter Hashtags
Twitter (now X) is a hub for real-time engagement for various niche groups, including the writing community. Writers can explore the search function and connect with beta readers and fellow authors through hashtags like #betareader and #writingcommunity.
6. Fiverr
A paid beta read is a good idea for writers who want a stranger’s opinion. Online gig platforms like Fiverr host hundreds of beta readers, whose prices range from $5 to over $500, depending on experience and expertise. When finding a beta reader on these platforms, it’s good practice to check their reviews or ask them about their experience to see if they are a good fit for the project.
7. Writing Workshops
Both online and in-person writing workshops establish an environment that welcomes feedback. Joining one, even for other forms of writing, helps authors connect and find potential beta readers. They can share excerpts of their work and receive feedback from fellow skilled wordsmiths.
8. Local Literary Events
Book fairs, conferences or bookstore readings are great places to meet other writers and readers. Conversations at these events can lead to beta reading exchanges or help authors find potential collaborators. For example, they can meet sensitivity readers, a type of editor specializing in promoting authentic representation of marginalized identities.
9. Fellow Authors
Some of the best beta readers are also writers. Authors understand story structure, pacing, tone and basic language rules. Writers can tap into their personal networks and find friends or acquaintances to beta read their work.
10. Friends and Family
Friends and family are some of the most accessible beta readers writers can access, especially if they’re new. They can provide helpful insights, especially if they form part of the book’s target audience. Writers may need to prepare specific questions relating to flow, clarity and other elements to guide their feedback.
Tips for Working Well With Beta Readers
Each beta reader is unique, bringing their own experience and perspectives to every manuscript they review. Here are some ways to make the most out of the writer-beta reader relationship:
1. Be Professional and Appreciative
Writers should be polite, professional and clear when approaching a potential beta reader. The first message should include a brief description of the work and some expectations. Being kind and appreciative is essential, especially since most beta readers perform this service for free.
2. Offer an Exchange
One way to secure a beta read from other writers is to offer an exchange, since it’s mutually beneficial. Beta read exchanges are also a great way to form relationships within the industry and gain expert writing insight.
3. Accept Their Critique
A beta reader might give negative feedback. As much as possible, writers should avoid arguing with their critique. They can clarify points of confusion, but accepting constructive criticism helps the writer understand other perspectives.
4. Send a Free Book
Sending a free book is good etiquette in beta reading, especially if the writer received a free service. Reading and critiquing an entire manuscript is hard work — giving away a free copy is the least a writer can do.
Thinking Outside the Box
Writers can find beta readers almost anywhere. Popular platforms like Goodreads are great, but smaller, niche or in-person communities also offer a wealth of talent to help authors refine their manuscripts and bring their stories to life.
Eleanor Hecks is a writer and web designer who is passionate about helping other writers grow their online presence. Her work can be found on her site Designerly, as well as publications such as IndependentPublishing.com and I Need a Book Cover.
Crooked Timber: An Excellent Book of Essays from Joe Dolce
Besides pursuing a long and successful musical career, Joe Dolce is also an exceptionally good reviewer and essay writer. Crooked Timber is due for release on 1 August, containing dozens of intelligent and eclectic pieces. Whatever the topic, he tackles it from unexpected directions, with good humour and deep curiosity, and the reader leaves with much to ponder and a fund of new knowledge. From The Queen’s Gambit to the voyages of Captain Cook, the invention of the Kalashnikov to utopian settlements in Paraguay and Bob Dylan to Graham Greene, there isn’t a boring page in his book. He’s even thrown in a diverting short story exploring a strange after-life for Elvis Presley.
We worked with Joe on the cover design (artwork by Lin Van Hek) and the interior layout. with images of the hardback cover below.
Crooked Timber: Essays on Film and Music
ISBN (hardback): 9781764139427
ebook: 9781764139458
Published by Quadrant Books
Free Advice on Digital book Promotion
Ricardo Fayet of Reedsy has a well reviewed and free ebook full of advice on marketing your book digitally. Well worth a read on a topic that daunts many authors…
Writing a book is hard. Marketing it can be even harder.
Marketing a book can seem like a full-time job, what with the crazy number of things authors seem to be expected to do: social media, blog tours, advertising, price promotions, mailing lists, giveaways, you name it.
But here's a little secret: you don't need to do all those things to successfully set your book on the path to success. What you need is a solid plan to find the one or two tactics that will work, and start to drive sales… in a minimum amount of time. And that's exactly what you'll find in this book.
Instead of drowning you in information or inundating you with hundreds of different tactics and strategies that eventually prove fruitless, this book will guide you through a step-by-step framework to find the ones that actually work for you and your book, so that you can start marketing more efficiently.
In particular, you'll learn:
How to change your mindset and sell more books with less effort.;
How to write books that guarantee a lasting, profitable career;
How to get Amazon's Kindle Store to market your book for you;
How to get thousands of readers into your mailing list before you even release the book;
How to propel your book to the top of the charts at launch; and
How to automate your marketing so that you can spend less time marketing and more time writing,
After helping over 150,000 authors crack the marketing code through a popular weekly newsletter, Reedsy's Co-founder Ricardo Fayet is sharing everything he's learned over the past few years in this beginner-friendly, jargon-free guide to book marketing.
Get your copy now and benefit from all the experience of a seasoned marketing professional.
The Nile and Booktopia Generally Sell IngramSpark Books for Less than Amazon
Many of my author clients have noticed that books uploaded via IngramSpark are priced much higher on Amazon than either Booktopia or The Nile. All take the same feed from IngramSpark and all three are hyper-modern business focused on efficient fulfillment, so one would expect very similar algorithmically driven pricing.
Let’s try a few specific examples:
John Dunlop’s excellent book The Wandering Pilgrim (ISBN 9781922958969) :
Booktopia: $43.90 plus shipping
The Nile: $38.96 plus shipping
Amazon Australia: $59.84 plus shipping
Or Garry Moore’s well-researched colonial history, Ridley Willians (ISBN: 9781764082846)
Booktopia: $38.75 plus shipping
Amazon Australia: $72.01 plus shipping
Balkarri Surfcats. Entertaining children’s illustrated fiction. (ISBN: 9781922958723)
The Nile: $20.32
Booktopia: $25.35
Amazon: $36.35
and finally, Tales of An Ancient Marathoner, the life of a long-distance runner (ISBN 9781763860179)
Amazon Australia: $38.12
The Nile: $38.12
Booktopia: $42.95
Some discussion of the possible reasons behind the often massive discrepancies may be found here.