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GD Deckard

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126 comments on Victor Acquista’s New Novel

Victor Acquista’s New Novel

Our own Victor Acquista’s new book releases on Amazon today, Monday, March 18th. The Nihilist’s Pocket Survival Guide to Modern Society is written under the pen name, Tungyn Cheque.

The story blends the humor of late-night comedy shows and cartoon favorites like The Simpsons, the absurdity and wit of Douglas Adams, Dave Berry, and Jerry Seinfeld (with a splash of Monty Python) into an intoxicating cocktail of humorous light-hearted criticism of the times we live in.

This handbook is a useful read for anyone trying to figure out and negotiate work, home, debt, dating, and family relationships.
How best to tackle all that modern life offers? The nihilist offers well-honed suggestions.

If you can afford 99 cents, buy it and when you can, review it. Writers Co-op members should stick together, don’t you think?

Posted by:

GD Deckard

Severely beaten as a child by a WWII hero and combat-induced-PTSD stepfather, the author, as a teen, faced the old man down with a shotgun and earned his blessing to join the military at the time Americans were learning about a country called Vietnam. The “lazy, no good son-of-a-bitch” opted out of combat and hard labor by becoming an Air Force medic, stamping out suffering and misery on Freedom’s Frontier at Clark Airbase in S.E. Asia and earning some kind of medal pinned on him personally by then Secretary of the Air Force, Harold Brown, for “Saving lives, etc.” There followed a summer in Europe ending in the first of happy marriages. Then graduation with University Honors, kids worth dying for and a career in business. Life is good. Author, The Phoenix Diary, Penguin, 2015. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-phoenix-diary-g-d-deckard/1122175645 Founding Member, Writers Co-op. https://WritersCo-op.com Co-Editor, The Rabbit Hole anthologies. https://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-Hole-Weird-Stories/dp/1691225355/ref=sr_1_1 Founder, SciFi Lampoon Magazine. http://scifilampoon.com/ Contributing Editor, A Celebration of Storytelling https://www.amazon.com/Celebration-Storytelling-GD-Deckard/dp/1951716167 Current WIP: Code Blue and Little Deaths, stories from Clark during the Vietnam War. Recipient of the Psi Young award for Creative Biography.

126 responses to “Victor Acquista’s New Novel”

  1. Mike Van Horn Avatar
    Mike Van Horn

    I just bought the paperback, which I much prefer over ebook.

    Liked by 9 people

    Reply
    1. GD Deckard Avatar
      GD Deckard

      I’m with you, Mike. Books smell and feel better than do Kindles.

      BTW, what do you think of the quality of the hardcopy? (Some aren’t very good these days.)

      Liked by 6 people

      Reply
      1. Mike Van Horn Avatar
        Mike Van Horn

        Haven’t received it yet. I’ll let you know.

        Liked by 5 people

        Reply
        1. Mike Van Horn Avatar
          Mike Van Horn

          Just got email from Amazon saying it was just sent out. Surprising that it took almost a week to be shipped.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply
    2. victoracquista Avatar
      victoracquista

      Thank you, Mike. It’s quirky and different. Had some comps to works by Vonnegut which I took as high praise. A beta reader compared the main character to Ignatius Riley from “A Confederacy of Dunces.” That was an interesting comparison. Hope you enjoy it!

      Liked by 7 people

      Reply
    3. Mellow Curmudgeon Avatar
      Mellow Curmudgeon

      I too am an old dinosaur. My PB copy is on order.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
  2. Sue Ranscht Avatar
    Sue Ranscht

    I bought the ebook. Money’s tight this month. 😉

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply
    1. Sandy Randall Avatar
      Sandy Randall

      Me too! Both accounts…

      Liked by 5 people

      Reply
      1. GD Deckard Avatar
        GD Deckard

        👍It’s interesting how we are coming together to support one of our own. I’d love to see this happen every time one of us publishes.

        Liked by 8 people

        Reply
        1. Sandy Randall Avatar
          Sandy Randall

          I agree GD. And isn’t Carl in the midst of publishing some of his work?

          Liked by 7 people

          Reply
        2. victoracquista Avatar
          victoracquista

          I agree. I should have added to my post: “Good friends are like fat thighs. They always stick together.” There is a foxhole, in the trenches bonding and banding brotherhood (and sisterhood) to this Motley Crew.

          Liked by 8 people

          Reply
    2. GD Deckard Avatar
      GD Deckard

      😏 Thanks, Sue! I mean, what’s a skipped meal amongst starving writers?

      Liked by 5 people

      Reply
      1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
        Sue Ranscht

        I’ve skipped meals for less worthy reasons, lol.

        Liked by 4 people

        Reply
    3. victoracquista Avatar
      victoracquista

      Thank you, Sue! Happy birthday!! In case you are wondering about the main character, there is a lot of silly me, my alter ego, Tungyn Cheque, that is represented in the book. I think it’s a fun read.

      Liked by 5 people

      Reply
      1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
        Sue Ranscht

        I’m anticipating laughing out loud, Victor.

        Liked by 4 people

        Reply
      2. Sue Ranscht Avatar
        Sue Ranscht

        I feel special that you remembered my birthday, Victor. Thank you. Time isn’t so much marching on as it is hiking with Nordic walking poles these days. 😉

        Liked by 6 people

        Reply
        1. Barb Woolard Avatar
          Barb Woolard

          Happy birthday, Sue! I’m also a Pisces baby. Enjoy your day!

          Liked by 5 people

          Reply
          1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
            Sue Ranscht

            Thanks, Barb! When is your birthday? Did we miss it?

            Liked by 4 people

            Reply
            1. Barb Woolard Avatar
              Barb Woolard

              March 7, but no, I wouldn’t say you missed it. 🙂 It was well celebrated, and since it’s a biggie, I intend to keep celebrating all year. Those hiking poles are getting put to the test!

              Liked by 5 people

              Reply
              1. Sandy Randall Avatar
                Sandy Randall

                Happy Birthday!

                I like the idea of celebrating the big ones all year. I also let the rest of them go by mostly unremarked. Next year is my 60th … If I go with the BW (Barb Woolard) Plan … I will spend most of next year traveling! I need to get busy making a million dollars this year!

                Liked by 5 people

                Reply
                1. Barb Woolard Avatar
                  Barb Woolard

                  Thanks, Sandy.

                  I highly recommend the BW Plan. I have a total of 5 trips (2 already taken) planned for this year, and I’m open to any more that might come up.

                  Of course, I didn’t quiiiiiiiiiite hit that million-dollar income goal last year, but what the heck! We’ll spend our money on something; might as well be seeing more of the world!

                  Liked by 5 people

                  Reply
                  1. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    Sue, one planned trip is to San Diego to visit my sister and go on a family reunion cruise. Lunch?

                    Liked by 5 people

                  2. Sandy Randall Avatar
                    Sandy Randall

                    When are you going to SD?

                    Liked by 5 people

                  3. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    Early September

                    Liked by 5 people

                  4. Sue Ranscht Avatar
                    Sue Ranscht

                    Belated Happy Birthday to you, Barb! And Yes to lunch when you’re in town! We can exchange numbers before then.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  5. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    Great! It’ll be in September, so we have a few months yet.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  6. Sandy Randall Avatar
                    Sandy Randall

                    September is a great month to travel anywhere… especially if it begins the week after Labor Day holiday. Everyone is back in school or back at work. I used to plan my vacation for September when I worked at United. It was also a great time for standing by for flights.
                    Plus the weather is relatively mild in most places.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  7. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    I agree, Sandy. Since I spent my whole career teaching, my travel months were pretty much limited to summertime. So now I’m enjoying going places when it’s cooler and less crowded. The big trip for this year is France. Since September was already booked, I decided October would be perfect. But when I looked at the available dates for my chosen tour, I could save $1000 by going in November. Okay, November it is!

                    I learned a valuable lesson in 2022 when my sister and I made a month-long trip to Ireland and the UK in July and beginning of August. Being new to the PNW, I didn’t stop to think that those are the very best times to be home. I felt like I had totally missed summer that year.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  8. Sandy Randall Avatar
                    Sandy Randall

                    I like Ireland and the UK in fall and spring. Summer is ok, but you’re right, if you want to enjoy the PNW summer, it’s late July, early August. After that it rapidly gets dark and wet! lol. Living on the Peninsula and working at SeaTac, I saw my home in the daylight only two days a week during the winter months. I’m so glad I retired from that job.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  9. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    That could definitely be depressing.

                    Liked by 5 people

                2. Sue Ranscht Avatar
                  Sue Ranscht

                  I highly recommend the poles; used properly, they are quite a workout for the legs, core, and arms. Plus they increase your speed.

                  Liked by 4 people

                  Reply
                  1. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    Do you use them for just regular around-the neighborhood walks or only for hiking? I have a pair which I’ve rarely used, probably mostly because of vanity. Can’t have people thinking I’m old. hahaha But I could use the extra speed.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  2. Sue Ranscht Avatar
                    Sue Ranscht

                    Barb, we walk at Mission Bay on concrete walkways, but the Nordic hiking poles are not considered old people crutches. They really are energy boosters — we pass most of the other walkers of all ages. The poles make walking much more of a physical workout than walking without them.

                    Liked by 4 people

                  3. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    That’s good to know! I misunderstood your first mention of the poles to be indicators of aging. I’ll dust mine off and try them again.

                    Liked by 4 people

              2. John Correll Avatar
                John Correll

                Barb, a belated happy b-day! Cheers from down-under.

                Liked by 6 people

                Reply
                1. Barb Woolard Avatar
                  Barb Woolard

                  Thanks, John.

                  Liked by 5 people

                  Reply
        2. victoracquista Avatar
          victoracquista

          I might need to purchase some walking poles soon. 🙂

          Liked by 6 people

          Reply
          1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
            Sue Ranscht

            I understand they’re very popular in Europe. Since my walking buddy and I started using them, we’ve been stopped by several people who ask about them. We’re considering asking the company for commissions, lol.

            Liked by 6 people

            Reply
        3. Sandy Randall Avatar
          Sandy Randall

          Happy Birthday!
          Is today the actual day?
          How did you celebrate?
          I hope it was a fun day!

          Liked by 6 people

          Reply
          1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
            Sue Ranscht

            Thanks, Sandy! The 18th was the actual day, and although it was 3 years past a big one, we aren’t shy here about celebrating Birthday Month, lol. Today was about texts and phone calls from friends and family — I spent 4 hours talking with my son this evening, which was a real treat. Tomorrow, his girlfriend and I are going to celebrate both our birthdays with dinner at P.F. Chang’s. (Hers was Friday the 15th.) Then there will be a lunch with a dear friend who is not only intelligent, talented, and thoughtful, but also a former Disney Princess. I don’t often get to dine with royalty.

            And the month still won’t be over.

            Liked by 6 people

            Reply
            1. Barb Woolard Avatar
              Barb Woolard

              Sounds marvelous! Keep the celebrations going!

              Liked by 6 people

              Reply
  3. Chip Pentium Avatar
    Chip Pentium

    I’ll be getting it tomorrow – Did you know that front cover is A.I. designed?

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply
    1. Sandy Randall Avatar
      Sandy Randall

      I did not
      But I did preorder it awhile ago

      Liked by 5 people

      Reply
      1. victoracquista Avatar
        victoracquista

        Thank you so much, Sandy. I appreciate your support! it’s totally different from anything I have previously written.

        Liked by 5 people

        Reply
    2. GD Deckard Avatar
      GD Deckard

      Vox Veritas Vita, ‘eh, Chip? Yes, it was generated using “Canva Magic Media.”

      Liked by 4 people

      Reply
    3. victoracquista Avatar
      victoracquista

      Thanks for your support, Chip. Yes, I designed the cover using an AI image generator in Canva and gave it the image credit. The faces are indistinct and some people are not quite walking on the subway platform. It took me a few query attempts and revisions to get an image that I think captured what I wanted.

      Liked by 6 people

      Reply
  4. GD Deckard Avatar
    GD Deckard

    Carl? Carl E. Reed!

    Are you in the midst of publishing some of your work?

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply
  5. Barb Woolard Avatar
    Barb Woolard

    Just ordered the Kindle version.

    I agree, GD, we should support each other and celebrate victories.

    Liked by 7 people

    Reply
    1. victoracquista Avatar
      victoracquista

      Thank you, Barb! Most of my writing is serious but this short book was a lot of fun to write and I am also enjoying the publishing and marketing aspects as well. I hope you enjoy it!

      Liked by 6 people

      Reply
  6. victoracquista Avatar
    victoracquista

    Well, what a lovely surprise! Thanks, GD, for giving me a loud shout out! I am especially thankful because I’ve not been a very good member of the co-op lately. Some family medical issues are part of the reason.

    GD and I had a wonderful lunch together last week. He shared his current WIP with me and I am enjoying it very much. A good part of our discussion had to do with AI. I have been playing around with claude.ai and am truly astounded by what it is capable of and how it can be used to help writers in powerful ways. The program helped me write this press release: https://www.prlog.org/13011992-the-nihilists-pocket-survival-guide-to-modern-society-by-tungyn-cheque.html As an aside, my fellow writers might be interested in the media kit linked in the press release and in the sell sheet which is part of the media kit. I have learned that these are important elements in trying to attract media outlets such as review venues and podcasters.

    Back to claude–The entire manuscript has been uploaded into the software along with three editorial reviews. Essentially, the program has digested and analyzed the entire book. I have queried the AI about marketing strategies, target audiences, comparable titles and authors and I have been given extremely valuable answers with explanations. Someone had suggested a particular podcaster who has a show about punk music. I asked claude if fans of punk music would enjoy my book and I asked specifically about this particular podcaster (these were two separate queries). Here is part of the answer I got to the second query:

    1. Engaged and passionate audience: McKenty’s fans are highly engaged with his content and actively participate in discussions related to music, culture, and society. They are likely to be receptive to a book that resonates with their interests and values.

    2. Shared values and interests: McKenty’s content often celebrates the DIY spirit, anti-authority stance, and questioning of societal norms—themes that are central to punk culture. These values overlap with the nihilistic and subversive elements present in the book.

    Claude had very useful suggestions on other podcasters whose listenership would resonate with the book.

    I set up FB and Instagram sites for the protagonist, Rectum Leviticus, aka The Nihilist. I then asked claude to answer a question and respond as though he was Rectum Leviticus. The six-paragraph response I got back was not only completely in character, it had me laughing. Truly hard to believe until you experience the power.

    There are so many ways that I can envision using claude.ai (here is a link-https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F). There is a free version, but the power is in the paid version which is only $20/month. I am only just beginning to understand the potential. I attended a talk where an author showed examples of how he is using the program to improve his writing.

    I hope that my sharing these details are useful. I appreciate the co-op and the spirit of writers helping writers even though I have been AWOL. I’ll do better.

    In fellowship,

    Victor

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  7. themargret Avatar
    themargret

    Purchased! Look forward to the read.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply
    1. victoracquista Avatar
      victoracquista

      Hey Margret, were your ears ringing? GD and I were talking about you when we had lunch together. Thanks for your support! I think you will enjoy the humor.

      Liked by 5 people

      Reply
      1. themargret Avatar
        themargret

        GD told me. I hope you guys had a yummy lunch and a lot of good literary discussion. :)

        Liked by 5 people

        Reply
        1. victoracquista Avatar
          victoracquista

          It was fun and yummy. We missed you. Hope all is well in New Mexico 🙂

          Liked by 5 people

          Reply
          1. themargret Avatar
            themargret

            It’s beautiful but a little isolated. We have tumbleweeds, mountains, an old-timey freight train that we can see from the back yard, and Martian-style wind/dust storms. But there are no hurricanes, tornedos, snow storms, forest fires, or earthquakes. We do lack a good kosher-style deli. I’d kill for real pizza. I also haven’t had a decent tomato since I left the mid-Atlantic, but that predates Florida.

            Liked by 5 people

            Reply
            1. Sandy Randall Avatar
              Sandy Randall

              Good tomatoes are hard to get there, but if you’re willing to grow your own… those hanging tomato pots do well … you just have to make sure you soak them daily. Tomatoes love the hot Sun and loads of water… which is why they do so well in the Midwest. They also like rich soil … so using something like miracle grow that retains moisture is good.

              Liked by 5 people

              Reply
              1. themargret Avatar
                themargret

                I may give a try again this year. When I tried in Florida, my crops got eaten by stink bugs, so I gave up. I haven’t seen any here, so it’s worth the try. Next, to compensate for the dog factor. 🙂

                Liked by 6 people

                Reply
                1. Sandy Randall Avatar
                  Sandy Randall

                  What’s the dog factor?

                  Liked by 5 people

                  Reply
                  1. themargret Avatar
                    themargret

                    My dogs in the backyard that destroy everything they get their cute but destructive jaws on. They are a fairly recent acquisition.

                    Liked by 4 people

                  2. John Correll Avatar
                    John Correll

                    Stopping the dogs attacking a garden: chicken-wire fencing, or if you’ve got really big dogs, barbwire.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  3. Sandy Randall Avatar
                    Sandy Randall

                    Ahhh that dog factor! I have deer problems… I fixed it with a 7ft tall outdoor dog kennel lol…2 to be precise…

                    Liked by 5 people

                2. Barb Woolard Avatar
                  Barb Woolard

                  Where were you in Florida? I’ve spent more than half my life there, then moved to the Seattle area 4 years ago to be near my daughter.

                  I was in Miami, West Palm Beach, and Fort Myers.

                  Liked by 4 people

                  Reply
                  1. themargret Avatar
                    themargret

                    First Naples, then Fort Myers.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  2. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    AHA! I was in Fort Myers from 1984 to 2020. Taught at Edison State College (now Florida Southwestern, but I refuse to call it that). We were neighbors!

                    Liked by 5 people

                  3. themargret Avatar
                    themargret

                    Small world!

                    Liked by 5 people

            2. GD Deckard Avatar
              GD Deckard

              I have a tomatoe story. Decades ago, when I was a young medic in S.E. Asia, the base post office called me, quite irate, and demanded I immediately come pick up a package. It was a bit crushed in, stained with leakage, and smelled terrible. Of course, I still sent my grandmother a thank-you letter, assuring her that we here, 11,000 miles away in the tropics, especially enjoyed the fresh tomatoes hand-picked from her own garden.

              Liked by 6 people

              Reply
              1. Sandy Randall Avatar
                Sandy Randall

                Awww the love of Grandma! See granny’s don’t always smell like perfume! (mine smelled of quaffee (Chicago granny with the Chicago way of saying coffee). She loved to dip her hanky in her quaffee to wipe off my face … I guess we both smelled like it! lol.

                Liked by 6 people

                Reply
              2. Sue Ranscht Avatar
                Sue Ranscht

                I was gifted with an heirloom tomato plant one Mother’s Day — not by my son, but a woman friend who liked to bring everybody something on Funny Movie Night. She said the tomatoes would grow to be about an inch long, yellow, and shaped like pears.

                I’d never grown tomatoes before, so I researched them and learned the plants love direct sun, drink lots of water, and their flowers self-pollinate. You can allow the wind to help them or you can shake each little flower or — and this was my choice — get an electric toothbrush from a dollar store (only a dollar including the battery!) and vibrate the back of the flowers with them every day.

                I planted it in a one gallon pot that I set beneath the kitchen window on the south side of the house. I had one of those circular wire trellises for tomato plants and ended up tacking strings to the window sill to make a taller trellis.

                I was a slave to the care of that plant all summer. Feeding, watering, pruning. When the moths that come from tomato worm eggs found it, I eradicated tomato worms.

                All that dedicated, diligent care every single day paid off. I had hundreds of succulent, straight-off-the-vine tomatoes that summer.

                But I will never do that again.

                Liked by 7 people

                Reply
                1. Mike Van Horn Avatar
                  Mike Van Horn

                  We’ve grown tomatoes in our garden every year. Different varieties. Very tasty. But due to the amount of work they take, I calculate that they are the most expensive tomatoes we eat.

                  Liked by 7 people

                  Reply
                  1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
                    Sue Ranscht

                    Good thing we’re such cheap labor, huh?

                    Liked by 5 people

                2. Barb Woolard Avatar
                  Barb Woolard

                  My mother grew wonderful tomatoes in her back yard, and my stepfather used to share his “special” memories of going to a farm for horse manure, which she swore was the primo fertilizer.

                  Liked by 5 people

                  Reply
                  1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
                    Sue Ranscht

                    I believe it! But horseless as I am, I was reduced to using Miracle-Gro, lol.

                    Liked by 4 people

                  2. Mike Van Horn Avatar
                    Mike Van Horn

                    Near where I live is Horse Hill, home to many horses. Horses mean horse manure. Somebody scoops it up and puts it in one place. Anybody is welcome to come and haul it away. We’d fill up several garbage cans in my Ford Explorer, take it home, and dig it into our compost heap. 6 months later, spread it on the garden.

                    Liked by 5 people

                  3. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    LOL!

                    Liked by 4 people

                  4. Barb Woolard Avatar
                    Barb Woolard

                    Mike, my mom would love this! My stepdad’s only issue was that they had only a sedan for hauling, which meant having to be enclosed with it for a half hour or so. 🙂

                    Liked by 5 people

  8. mimispeike Avatar
    mimispeike

    Got it! On Kindle.

    Liked by 7 people

    Reply
    1. victoracquista Avatar
      victoracquista

      Thank you, Mimi! The protagonist doesn’t have the flare of Sly but I think you will appreciate his perspective. I appreciate your support!

      Liked by 7 people

      Reply
  9. victoracquista Avatar
    victoracquista

    Well, what a lovely surprise! Thanks, GD, for giving me a loud shout out! I am especially thankful because I’ve not been a very good member of the co-op lately. Some family medical issues are part of the reason.

    GD and I had a wonderful lunch together last week. He shared his current WIP with me and I am enjoying it very much. A good part of our discussion had to do with AI. I have been playing around with claude.ai and am truly astounded by what it is capable of and how it can be used to help writers in powerful ways. The program helped me write this press release: https://www.prlog.org/13011992-the-nihilists-pocket-survival-guide-to-modern-society-by-tungyn-cheque.html As an aside, my fellow writers might be interested in the media kit linked in the press release and in the sell sheet which is part of the media kit. I have learned that these are important elements in trying to attract media outlets such as review venues and podcasters.

    Back to claude–The entire manuscript has been uploaded into the software along with three editorial reviews. Essentially, the program has digested and analyzed the entire book. I have queried the AI about marketing strategies, target audiences, comparable titles and authors and I have been given extremely valuable answers with explanations. Someone had suggested a particular podcaster who has a show about punk music. I asked claude if fans of punk music would enjoy my book and I asked specifically about this particular podcaster (these were two separate queries). Here is part of the answer I got to the second query:

    1. Engaged and passionate audience: McKenty’s fans are highly engaged with his content and actively participate in discussions related to music, culture, and society. They are likely to be receptive to a book that resonates with their interests and values.

    2. Shared values and interests: McKenty’s content often celebrates the DIY spirit, anti-authority stance, and questioning of societal norms—themes that are central to punk culture. These values overlap with the nihilistic and subversive elements present in the book.

    Claude had very useful suggestions on other podcasters whose listenership would resonate with the book.

    I set up FB and Instagram sites for the protagonist, Rectum Leviticus, aka The Nihilist. I then asked claude to answer a question and respond as though he was Rectum Leviticus. The six-paragraph response I got back was not only completely in character, it had me laughing. Truly hard to believe until you experience the power.

    There are so many ways that I can envision using claude.ai (here is a link-https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F). There is a free version, but the power is in the paid version which is only $20/month. I am only just beginning to understand the potential. I attended a talk where an author showed examples of how he is using the program to improve his writing.

    I hope that my sharing these details are useful. I appreciate the co-op and the spirit of writers helping writers even though I have been AWOL. I’ll do better.

    In fellowship,

    Victor

    Liked by 9 people

    Reply
    1. Sandy Randall Avatar
      Sandy Randall

      Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm Victor. Life definitely gets in the way of our connections at times, but I like to think Writer’s Co-op will always be here with the lights on, ready to welcome any writer who needs to connect, or celebrate or commiserate or share their work and ideas.

      Your successes and your experience are a wonderful bounty to us all.

      Thank you GD for posting this. I agree with you … celebrating the achievements of fellow writers is important. Sue has the “Spotlight” series going. Perhaps it can be expanded somehow?

      Liked by 6 people

      Reply
      1. victoracquista Avatar
        victoracquista

        Thanks, Sandy! As I commented to GD,  “Good friends are like fat thighs. They always stick together.” Thanks for leaving the lights on for me.

        Liked by 6 people

        Reply
        1. Sandy Randall Avatar
          Sandy Randall

          🤣 Gotta keep the lights on to see how those thighs are sticking while reviewing them through the Looking Glass …

          Liked by 5 people

          Reply
      2. Sue Ranscht Avatar
        Sue Ranscht

        I have had another idea, but it will wait till after a couple other scheduled pieces publish. Muahahahahah!

        Liked by 6 people

        Reply
        1. Sandy Randall Avatar
          Sandy Randall

          Ooohhh Christmas in April? Or is that April Wishes bring May Delishes?

          Liked by 6 people

          Reply
          1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
            Sue Ranscht

            Choose the season you love the best.

            Liked by 6 people

            Reply
            1. Sandy Randall Avatar
              Sandy Randall

              Ha! I’ll have to wait for Fall “When all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray…”

              Liked by 5 people

              Reply
              1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
                Sue Ranscht

                Nah, it won’t take that long. 😉

                Liked by 4 people

                Reply
                1. Sandy Randall Avatar
                  Sandy Randall

                  😁😎

                  Liked by 4 people

                  Reply
    2. Sue Ranscht Avatar
      Sue Ranscht

      Before I scrolled down this far, I was planning to ask what it was about your publishing and marketing processes that you were enjoying this time around. I think you’ve answered that. You’ve also provided the most encouraging view of AI that I’ve encountered. Now I’m actually considering using it for more than mere entertainment. Thanks for sharing your experience!

      Liked by 7 people

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      1. victoracquista Avatar
        victoracquista

        Most of what I have read about AI within the author community has been pretty negative. But I think the positives outweigh the negatives. Still, it’s a two-edged sword.

        Liked by 7 people

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    3. GD Deckard Avatar
      GD Deckard

      Yup, Victor, we’re a good group. 😏 Next month will mark our 8th Anniversary.

      Liked by 6 people

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    4. curtisbausse Avatar
      curtisbausse

      Just ordered the Guide. Looking forward to a fun read.

      Claude isn’t available outside US and UK. Looks like I’m missing something.

      Liked by 3 people

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      1. GD Deckard Avatar
        GD Deckard

        Curtis,

        I’ve been using Inworld Studio | Create AI characters, AI NPCs & AI chatbots

        Hopefully, you can use it. You can custom create your own private A.I. bot. It’s free and I’ve found it to be quite useful.

        I have to ask though, why would Claude’s availability be limited? It’s on the ‘Net.

        Liked by 3 people

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        1. curtisbausse Avatar
          curtisbausse

          Thanks GD, I’ll check that out.

          Just had another look and Claude is available in many countries, including Bhutan, Mongolia, and Tuvalu… but not France. Go figure. I think it has to do with EU regulations. It takes them a while to decide things. Fortunately they’ve just authorised ballpoint pens – the quill and ink was getting very annoying.

          Liked by 6 people

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          1. Barb Woolard Avatar
            Barb Woolard

            LOL!

            Liked by 2 people

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          2. GD Deckard Avatar
            GD Deckard

            The French had the perfect solution for annoying politicians.

            Liked by 6 people

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            1. Barb Woolard Avatar
              Barb Woolard

              I’m picturing a certain orange head on that block.

              Liked by 3 people

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              1. Sandy Randall Avatar
                Sandy Randall

                I’m hoping for something a little more mundane … a cardiac event … takes martyrship out of it….

                Liked by 5 people

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                1. Barb Woolard Avatar
                  Barb Woolard

                  Good point. With all those burgers and diet Cokes, this could be a real possibility.

                  Liked by 5 people

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  10. Sandy Randall Avatar
    Sandy Randall

    OOOOohhh vet it with some conspiracy theories and see what you get!

    Liked by 7 people

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    1. Chip Pentium Avatar
      Chip Pentium

      Claude looks good to me. I gave it the acid test: I asked, “Is it true that Herbert Hoover had bladders on his feet?” Claude replied,

      “No, that claim about Herbert Hoover having bladders on his feet is not true. It seems to be an odd urban legend or joke that has circulated, but there is no evidence that the 31st President of the United States actually had bladders attached to his feet. Herbert Hoover was a real person who served as president from 1929 to 1933, but the claim about bladders is simply an absurd fabrication.”

      Liked by 5 people

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      1. Sandy Randall Avatar
        Sandy Randall

        Claude is being very helpful in answering my questions about Chicago architecture in the Wrigleyville area …

        Liked by 5 people

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        1. victoracquista Avatar
          victoracquista

          I think it can be very helpful beyond writing. If you are doing research for a book, I see the benefit. I’m going to ask claude to give me an outline for a talk about satire.

          Liked by 5 people

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  11. mimispeike Avatar
    mimispeike

    Who/what is Claude? Is he like Alexa? (Do I have that name right?)

    Liked by 7 people

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    1. Sandy Randall Avatar
      Sandy Randall

      Claude is the AI program that Victor used to help him with his novel… he provided the link in his comments. Being curious I clicked the link to play with the program. I figured GD came out unscathed… as did Victor … so I felt safe enough dipping my toes in… 😜

      Liked by 8 people

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      1. GD Deckard Avatar
        GD Deckard

        Victor used Claude to find ways that it helps writers to market their book.

        Liked by 6 people

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        1. Sandy Randall Avatar
          Sandy Randall

          Oops … yeah typed that on my phone in a hurry … He explains his usage very nicely in his comments.

          Liked by 5 people

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  12. GD Deckard Avatar
    GD Deckard

    When I first reviewed this book this morning, Amazon refused it. Something about detecting suspicious activity on my account. Strange, how that never stops them from selling stuff to me.

    So, Victor, note that the review was placed under my Lady’s name, Mary Leali. Even then, Amazon said.
    “Review submitted – Thank you!
    We’re processing your review. This might take several days, so we appreciate your patience. We will e-mail you when this is complete.”

    What a clunky, truculent, beast Amazon has become. I will be delighted when something new replaces it. Maybe someday it’ll be convenient to shop on the ‘Net without going through middlemen that only add to our cost.

    In case you should otherwise never see it, here’s the review:

    TITLE:
    This is a manifesto for social change.

    REVIEW:
    Reading The Nihilist’s Pocket Survival Guide is like listening to Lenny Bruce: A humorous blend of courage, intellect, and provocation. It fearlessly critiques societal norms, institutions, and authority figures with a sharp wit that dissects the absurdities of everyday life, exposes hypocrisy and challenges the status quo.

    I recommend it to everyone with a triple-digit I.Q.

    Liked by 9 people

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  13. victoracquista Avatar
    victoracquista

    Thanks for that fine review, GD! I appreciate it

    Liked by 4 people

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  14. GD Deckard Avatar
    GD Deckard

    Fun Suggestion

    Go to Claude.ai and ask, “Is the following passage similar in style to any known author?” Then enter a passage from your WiP. Claude may surprise and delight you.

    Claude’s response might tell you things you didn’t realize about your writing style. Things that could help you to better focus on it. Or, if your style is similar to a popular writer, it could suggest your market. Claude may even helpfully inflate your ego 😁

    Liked by 5 people

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    1. Barb Woolard Avatar
      Barb Woolard

      I got Roxane Gay. Not too shabby. 🙂

      Liked by 4 people

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      1. Sandy Randall Avatar
        Sandy Randall

        I used the first portion of my WiP for this month … Claude said my writing is reminiscent of Alice Munro, John Steinbeck and Kent Haruf … I’ve never heard of Haruf. Steinbeck was a staple in my dads library. I’ve never read munro either. Guess I need to explore that author.

        Liked by 5 people

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        1. Barb Woolard Avatar
          Barb Woolard

          I got Isaac Asimov on my third passage. If nothing else, these are great confidence boosters for all of us! 🙂

          Liked by 5 people

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    2. Mellow Curmudgeon Avatar
      Mellow Curmudgeon

      Claude is addictive and astonishing.  Does Claude use neural network technology?  The last I heard, that is the only bag of AI tricks that supports Claude-like responses, and that bag is notoriously opaque.  Don’t ask an AI why it decides as it does.  But Claude volunteers a plausible rationale when it likens a submitted passage to works by well-known authors.

      For each of the 4 chapters in the current draft of my WIP, I pasted the plain text of the chapter’s first episode into Claude’s input box, below the prompt suggested by GD.  Hope to try uploading full chapters and see both what Claude says and how it reacts if I express disagreement.  Meanwhile, here is what Claude says about the first episodes in the 3 chapters already posted to WIP Wednesday.

      §1
      The passage has a distinctly science fiction style that evokes the writing of authors like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, or Robert A. Heinlein. A few elements that contribute to this:

      • The imaginative alien character names like Flahr, Snorg, and Stronk
      • The futuristic concepts like wormholes, interstellar travel, alien archaeology
      • The technical details about piloting a “wormhole cruiser” and pushing buttons/levers
      • The academic setting of an “Imperial Research Institute” with grad students
      • The sense of embarking on an exciting, risky expedition to a new galaxy/planet (Earth)

      The straightforward yet vivid descriptive prose, mixing technical jargon with simple language, is reminiscent of the “golden age” hard science fiction authors like Asimov who grounded speculative stories in plausible scientific concepts. The passage has their characteristic blend of imagination tempered by clear, unsentimental writing.

      If I had to draw a closer comparison, the dynamic between the experienced alien archaeologists Flahr and Snorg gives hints of the rapport between scientists or spacers you might find in an Asimov story. But the overall style could fit works by several of the pioneering mid-20th century sci-fi writers.

      §8
      The passage has a somewhat literary style reminiscent of science fiction or speculative fiction authors. A few aspects that give it this flavor:

      1. The alien/non-human character names and biology (Ronkat with arthritic knees, Stronk with tentacles) suggest a science fiction or fantasy setting.
      2. The worldbuilding details about an “empire”, political charges like “seditious agitation”, and prison setting establish a richly imagined fictional world.
      3. The dialogue between the characters has a naturalistic quality that develops their personalities and relationship as new acquaintances in prison.
      4. The noir-ish tone when Ronkat explains his smuggling background adds a hardboiled, crime fiction vibe.

      While I can’t pinpoint an exact author match, the passage reminds me of the styles of authors like Ursula K. Le Guin, Samuel R. Delany, or Gene Wolfe when writing speculative fiction that blends realistic character interactions with imaginative worldbuilding. The melding of mundane prison life details with hints of an alien futuristic setting is reminiscent of their works blending the strange and the familiar.

      §16
      The passage does have an idiosyncratic style that evokes certain science fiction writers, though I can’t pinpoint an exact author match. Here are some observations about the stylistic elements:

      • Use of made-up names like Snorg, Flahr, Glafin, Stronk gives it an alien/futuristic feel reminiscent of writers like Ursula K. Le Guin or Samuel R. Delany.
      • Topic of geoengineering and “Earth 2.0” as well as mentions of different academic departments (engineering, archaeology, medicine) give it a hard science fiction vibe akin to authors like Greg Egan or Vernor Vinge.
      • Casual, conversational dialogue style with bits of humor/irreverence (“accounting prigs”, “touting democracy”) is reminiscent of Robert Sheckley or Harry Harrison’s satirical SF.
      • References to speculative concepts like epigenetics and genome adaptation evoke the sort of bio-science ideas explored by Nancy Kress or Greg Bear.

      So while I can’t attribute it definitively to any one author, the passage exhibits a blend of stylistic elements found in celebrated science fiction writers known for combining far-future speculation with quirky, irreverent character voices. It has an overall unique, tongue-in-cheek tone while dealing with serious hard SF concepts.

      Liked by 5 people

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      1. Mike Van Horn Avatar
        Mike Van Horn

        Re: alien names–Stronk. I once knew a chef named Leo Stronk. He was a bit strange, but I didn’t take him for an alien. He had no tentacles–that I could see.

        I should use this on my sci fi stories.

        Liked by 4 people

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      2. John Correll Avatar
        John Correll

        Mellow, like all generative AI systems, Claude is trained using large-scale datasets and a recurrent neural network. This is called a LLM or large language model. The datasets usually include the Wikipedia corpus, Project Gutenberg book texts (70,000 titles), IMDB, and others. Privately owned datasets can also be added.

        During prompting, the user’s input is run through a transformer, a Google invention. The Transformer encodes the words into vectorized tokens since statistical algorithms can’t really run calculations on text. Running a series of parallel computations (hence the need for GPUs), the tokens help determine which bits of text deserve the most attention. This is noted as weighted probabilities and is determined using multilayer perceptrons (MLP), a feedforward neural network.

        Usually, additional algorithmically based modules are called to enhance machine inference, decision-making, and standards (cultural/moral) compliance. This can include such things as Proximal Policy Optimization – a statistical computing method, a Mixture of Experts (MoE) – a machine learning technique where multiple expert networks (learners) are used to divide a problem space into homogeneous regions, and Adversarial Networks where networks are pitted against each other.

        So yes, probabilistic neural networks are used repeatedly throughout the process. It’s bloody amazing that it can sound remotely human.

        Liked by 6 people

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        1. Sandy Randall Avatar
          Sandy Randall

          Ahhh there you go John … You’re like Toto in the Wizard of Oz, exposing the wizard behind the curtain! lol. However, I admit, having a small inkling of how it works is fascinating, unfortunately … I can only understand the basics of your explanation before my ADD wanders me off to wondering what’s happening in Ursa Major this week…

          Liked by 4 people

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          1. Mike Van Horn Avatar
            Mike Van Horn

            Sandy, there will be a quiz on this material, and it will be on the final also.

            Liked by 5 people

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            1. Sandy Randall Avatar
              Sandy Randall

              Oh crap … I’m screwed …. unless … I get Claude to front me the answers …😎😇

              Liked by 4 people

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            2. Barb Woolard Avatar
              Barb Woolard

              If a passing grade on the quiz and the final are prereqs for remaining in the group, I’ll just slip out now.

              Liked by 2 people

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              1. Sandy Randall Avatar
                Sandy Randall

                Hahahaha … not a chance! I gave up tests and exams a long time ago … I feel like they’re optional at this stage of the game!

                Liked by 3 people

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                1. Barb Woolard Avatar
                  Barb Woolard

                  I long ago switched from taking tests to giving them. 🙂

                  Liked by 1 person

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          2. Barb Woolard Avatar
            Barb Woolard

            I’m with you, Sandy! 🙂

            Liked by 2 people

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  15. Sue Ranscht Avatar
    Sue Ranscht

    Offering three separate passages, the first wasn’t similar to anyone else’s style, the second “evoked John Grisham”, and the third “could be mistaken” for F. Scott Fitzgerald. Claude listed the points of similarity with great detail. Fun exercise.

    Liked by 6 people

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  16. Barb Woolard Avatar
    Barb Woolard

    My second attempt gave me C.S. Lewis and Thomas Merton. It’s fascinating how rapidly it puts out such detailed responses.

    Liked by 5 people

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    1. Sue Ranscht Avatar
      Sue Ranscht

      A few days ago, I gave Claude a summary of THE APP, from which he broke out “a few key elements” and followed with a very encouraging assessment of the story’s potential.

      Then I asked him to write a jacket blurb. The first one was lengthy but made me want to buy the book. (Good job, Claude!) When I asked for a 50-75 word blurb, he introduced it with: “Here’s a punchier 68-word version of the jacket blurb:” It actually made my heart beat faster, lol.

      But the best part was that he seemed to extrapolate beyond what I’d summarized and inadvertently helped me solve a plot puzzle I’ve been mulling over ever since I thought of writing this story. What is Natalie’s deepest regret?

      I am seriously considering spending the $20 a month for the most intelligent Claude.

      Liked by 7 people

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      1. Barb Woolard Avatar
        Barb Woolard

        This is the first time I’ve dipped my toes, but I’m fascinated. I may well decide, after a bit more exploring, to upgrade.

        Liked by 5 people

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