Category: General

  • Reader’s Guide to the Fiction of Clay Reynolds (1949-2022): A Literary Appreciation

    A “cheatsheet” about how to start reading the literary works of Texas author Clay Reynolds. (19

  • Robert’s Roundup #15 (Winter Smashwords Edition)

    TX litblogger Robert Nagle shares ebook budget deals and ebook purchases/freebie recommendations for Dec 2020.

  • NO DRM, plus my crappy attempt to persuade people to buy more ebooks!

    I’ll be posting a superlong Robert’s Roundup this weekend and then another normal-sized one in the last week of December about the Smashwords (SW) ebook deals. As a general rule, I do NOT link to Amazon anymore (unless there is a special reason). Everyone knows how to use search engines, plus it saves time. For…

  • Mike’s Likes #1 (Book Reports — June, 2019)

    (“Mike’s Likes” is the first book column for what will soon be a regular feature on this blog. Michael Barrett is a San Antonio critic and longtime college friend. He has been writing erudite cinema reviews at Popmatters for over a decade — I even did a long interview with him about cinema on this…

  • Robert’s Raves & Reviews #1 (Books & Ebooks)

    Like my Robert’s Roundup series, I want to write a regular series about cool book reviews I’ve been finding. On occasion I will post my own reviews, but most of the column will be be links to reviews by other people. Amazon has another Kindle Unlimited 2 month trial offer. From now on Kindle titles…

  • Author Jack Matthews on the storytelling craft (Video)

    You might already know that my Personville Press publishes various fiction titles by Jack Matthews (1925-2013). A year before he died, I went to Ohio and interviewed him about various things. I shot some video footage as well as audio footage about his books and life as an author. Here’s one audio slideshow I put…

  • Introducing Robert’s Raves and Reviews

    Although it’s fun to link to lots of ebook deals (especially if I end up obtaining the ebook myself), I recognize that reviews are more useful to readers than deal announcements. So I’ll alternate my ebook deal posts with a column with links to many reviews (with a few I have personally written). Book reviewers…

  • Smashwords vs. Amazon: An ebook comparison

    Sept 2022 Update: Reflected to show the combined merger of Smashwords + Draft2Digital. The next two days will feature posts about ebook distribution and affiliate marketing for blogs. Today’s post will compare two leading ebook distributors (Amazon and Smashwords). Tomorrow’s post (which is here) will explore the dilemmas faced by a blogger in promoting purchases…

  • How I compile Robert’s Roundups

    View the post series | View the Smashwords deal roundups || Read how I compile this list. || How to Submit Smashword deals || How to Submit your own Ebook Deals in the Comment Section I  throw  these ebook deal roundups quickly so   often I won’t bother including links — just  names and titles.  Everyone here knows how to…

  • How to Submit Ebook Deals in the comment section

    Guidelines for how to submit an ebook deal in the blog’s comment section

  • Ebooks — Changing the Blog’s Focus

    Even though this blog has been fairly dormant for the last two years, starting now I’m going to be doing a lot more reviews about ebooks. Let me explain. I continue to write fiction and produce ebooks for Personville Press. That keeps me busy. In the past decade or so, I’ve said that I just…

  • Cornyn: “We will not be bullied by the screams of paid protesters and name-calling by the mob.”

    Cornyn: “We will not be bullied by the screams of paid protesters and name-calling by the mob.”

    Dear Senator Cornyn, Friday, you said on the floor of the US Senate: “We will not be bullied by the screams of paid protesters and name-calling by the mob.” To my knowledge, it is not illegal for people to be paid to protest. I know that lobbyists are paid to make their opinion known to you.…

  • CATS ON FILM by Anne Billson (BOOK REVIEW)

    CATS ON FILM by Anne Billson (2017),  300  pages with illustrations. Author’s Website and Book Blog  Ebook: Amazon/Smashwords  . Price: $6.99 Print Editions: Used copies are available, but with ebooks so cheap, why bother? Summary: Critical  look at movies with cats in them. The book is a real hoot to read — great insights and erudite movie  snark. Recommended if you like:  Quirky…

  • Stop — Don’t Stop!

    (I performed this story at the Houston Liars’ Contest about 6 months ago). Last Friday I was taking a walk through my neighborhood when I happened to lean against a stop sign. To my surprise, the sign started tilting, and before I could do anything, it fell into the street. “You idiot!” a voice cried.…

  • TITASPEED: A new acronym for chat

    TITASPEED is an acronym which means: “Texting is too awkward; speaking produces easy effective decisions.” It is useful in chat and email. TITASPEED: Acronym for “Texting is too awkward; speaking produces easy effective decisions.” When used in a text conversation it can mean I recommend speaking over the telephone to discuss this matter. I feel…

  • Hook Up Hysteria, Abstinence, Absolutism and Snap Judgments

    (Here’s a post I wrote 2 years ago and forgot to publish). You don’t actually have to read the original article,  but the complaints on CNN  about the alleged outbreak of hookups are more insightful (and funny). I had taken Matt to be making fun of the way these articles about the “hookup culture” are…