Indie authors have flocked to Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. I believe they'll arrive on Nostr eventually. I had 12 years of history on Facebook, including my author account. One day, I picked up a malicious browser extension. Five hours later, Facebook deleted all of my connections and history -- no questions, no discussion, no recourse. Gone. All of the abstract ideas I'd picked up around the merits of decentralization and autonomy suddenly became very real. Some authors have had their fights over posts disappearing. Shadowbans abound. The algos have made visibility a pay-to-play affair. I think Nostr offers a better way, and I'm slowly working in the indie community to build awareness around Nostr. Yes, zaps are great and may offer another revenue stream. Yes, this is another way to cultivate direct relationships with fans. But dear God, being at the mercy of stupid algos and the agendas behind them must end. Nostr needs to be the haven where creatives can come for relief and hope in their careers. The question is how to make this a place where they will want to come and easily bring their fans with them...

"I was sorry to hear my name mentioned as one of the great authors, because they have a sad habit of dying off. Chaucer is dead, so is Milton, so is Shakespeare, and I am not feeling very well myself." --- Mark Twain

Because writing. And Aubrey Plaza. #NostrFic

Nostr and writers seem like chocolate and peanut butter to me (minus allergies). They just belong together. The screen cap here is part of why. Amazon has such a stranglehold on content now, and content creators often find themselves locked into bad deals because, after all, what's the alternative? The alternative can and should involve Nostr. Zaps. Direct relationships. Decentralization and slicing away reliance on fickle intermediaries. I have yet to see another indie author on Nostr, but I'm sure those days are coming. Bans and deplatformings hit creatives hard, just like everybody else. I'm anxious to find other creators on Nostr and hash out ideas. Any suggestions? #NostrFic #NostrichTales Source on Audible info: https://www.audiblegate.com/post/audible-royalties-ain-t-royalties-how-audible-profits-at-the-expense-of-authors-by-colleen-cross

I'm 40,000 words into my post-apoc, alien bug invasion, time travel novel. I've often wondered if our culture is so enamored with offense and outrage because we're so comfortable and have nothing better to worry about. If so, then it makes sense for all those values to change at the end of the world. I've been searching for a way to express this without being too preachy. So... My protagonist, who was plucked from the near-present into this overrun hellscape, is chatting with one of the city elders, who tells him not to be such a pussy. He tries to conceal his shock. She follows with: "They’re just words. Nobody here made it this far being fragile. ... Being able to take offense is a luxury, and none of us are that rich. Not anymore.” I think that'll do.

Time for a new story! This one runs a bit dark, more than a bit post-apoc, and it's based on Pakistani folk tale told to me in my youth. At 19 minutes, it's a quick listen but hopefully one that will slice deep and stick with you. Please give it a free download and see what you think. Like it? Zap it! Help me show other writers that Nostr is their future home for connecting with fans. DOWNLOAD #HERE:

Download or listen to The Sound of Autumn Night

In the last days of civilization, one makeshift family waits in a barricaded hospital as enemies roam the streets. It

#NostrFic #NostrichTales

Absolute savage

My first experiment with delivering fiction on Nostr! I believe this platform is the future for creators, and I’m so excited to start diving in… This is a REEEEALY short sci-fi story I published in an anthology some years ago. I created two versions using two competing AI services. You'll immediately hear the difference, but I'm not sure which is "better." I could have done the recording myself in a fraction of the time, but I want to learn these text-to-speech tools and see if I can scale them up to novel length without the content being, well...awful. Anyway, constructive feedback very much appreciated. Enjoy! Elevenlabs version:

Download or listen to Coming of Age - A 100-Word Sci-Fi Story - Elevenlabs version

Coming of Age: 100-word short story about how a boy chooses to meet society

Coqui version:

Download or listen to Coming of Age - A 100-Word Sci-Fi Story - Coqui version

Coming of Age: 100-word short story about how a boy chooses to meet society

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A fascinating look at the fundamental difference between left/right thinking. TLDR: It's about whether you see divisions in the world with solid lines or dotted lines.

Scientific American

Many Differences between Liberals and Conservatives May Boil Down to One Belief

Conservatives tend to believe that strict divisions are an inherent part of life. Liberals do not