TeaVMFan

As an indie author (https://frequal.com/novels), this makes me glad I haven't submitted my novel yet to any of these contests. The chance that a submission fee could be wasted by chance (not a match for the reviewer's interest or mood that day) is just too great. It seems that the larger publishing houses are more willing to shell out on the chance to win this lottery, according to the article.

I make modern single page apps with Java. They run in standard browsers, require no extensions, and perform great.

Having books on several devices makes reading more convenient. DRM-Free books make that easy, so you can read whether you have your phone, tablet, or PC. For a list of DRM-free authors and publishers: https://frequal.com/Perspectives/DrmFreeAuthors.html

In several countries, you can find Little Free Libraries, a non-profit with a registry of small libraries like the book boxes in front of homes described in the article: https://littlefreelibrary.org/about/

Aptera's solar EV has obtained EPA certification, leaving just the FMVSS certification.

"This is a meaningful milestone for our reservation holders," says Aptera's Co-CEO Steve Fambro.

Get in line here with $30 off the reservation fee: https://frequal.com/aptera/reserve.html

Title Typo? Reparaible to Repairable?

Thanks for sharing this. New authors have enough challenges without getting scammed. I've written a (free) guide for the writing process here: https://frequal.com/forwriters/

The writing is just the first step, however. Promotion is a whole another set of hurdles. I can easilybsee an eager or despondent author falling victim to a promotion scam.

Nice shout-out to Aptera in the middle of this article.

Aptera has built a working, production-intent solar EV. Recent tests showed it charging up to 46 miles per day from the sun alone.

Reservation referral link with discount: https://frequal.com/aptera/reserve.html

The bookshop.org filter works nicely. After searching for a keyword, pick "Formats/Ebook/DRM-free". I'll add a link and a note.

I added a link, thanks! Mr. Doctorow seems to include 3 formats in every purchase (PDF, MOBI, and EPUB), which should cover just about any device.

I added it to the list of DRM-free sources at the end, thanks!

Even if you _can_ hold it, you may not own it if the player is internet-connected or even receives a firmware upgrade during maintenance or from a disc. New discs may not play unless you upgrade, and an upgrade can also remove keys, blocking you from watching discs you already have.

https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/windows-gene...

https://web.archive.org/web/20070430070403/https://www.aacsl...

Yes, they explained that's like parking facing the other way after driving at lunchtime. They also describe optimal parking strategies for no-move charging.

Forget hypermiling, now we have hypercharging.

Real world test results show up to 46 miles per day on a sunny day. No plugging in, no gas, just park it in the sun and your battery charges.

Even though I started Means and Motive ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GYCZJVGX ) 5 years ago, and it was written without any AI use, I was worried people might have this concern, given the 2026 publication date.

For a sanity check, I did run the first page through an online AI checker and it confirmed what I already knew: 100% human.

I have just updated EPublish here: https://frequal.com/epublish/

EPublish converts HTML to EPUB. It has numerous quality-of-life tools for authors, such as generating custom versions for reviewers and promotions. It handles formatting and most menial tasks, letting you focus on your story. It even includes progress reports so you can see how close you are to completion.

I remember using Dillo on a Compaq iPaq with Linux installed. No Dillo screen shots, but plenty of information about apps for Linux on the iPaq 3765 here:

https://www.frequal.com/ipaq/index.html

When building EPublish ( https://frequal.com/epublish/ ), an HTML-to-epub converter, I faced similar hurdles. Trying to keep compatibility with numerous e-readers built with different stacks and varying degrees of EPUB versions is frustrating.

I used EPublish for my first novel, Means and Motive, just published here, DRM-free: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GYCZJVGX

So far I haven't heard of compatibility issues, so I think EPublish has hit the sweet spot of EPUB targeting. I agree, however, that it feels like the old days of targeting IE6 on the web. Old readers still exist out there, so we have to aim for the lowest common denominator.

Sample chapter here, DRM-free: https://frequal.com/novels/

The Amazon file is also DRM-free, I picked that option when self-publishing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GYCZJVGX

I chose the DRM-free route on Amazon for "Means & Motive" ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GYCZJVGX ) . Self-published authors can choose to be DRM-free on Amazon now. You can also buy it via Barnes & Noble (paperback), links here: https://frequal.com/novels/

Not exactly an appearance, but I definitely give emacs a shout-out in the end notes of my new novel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GYCZJVGX

I have a related pipeline that is based on HTML, EPublish, and Calibre:

https://frequal.com/forwriters/

I used it for a recent novel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GYCZJVGX

I was about to recommend the excellent Plugable folding keyboard: https://plugable.com/products/bt-key3xl

I used it as a key part of my software engineer's writing toolkit for the first draft of a novel: https://frequal.com/forwriters/

Unfortunately the Plugable keyboard appears to be discontinued. Perhaps it can still be found used. It is quite impressive. It folds small for travel. The keys travel nicely. The case magnetically clicks into a phone stand. The battery lasts a month or longer. Truly a mechanical marvel.

I only wish I'd bought two.

I too would be interested in hearing about the writing and formatting process. I described my own process as a software engineer and first-time novelist here: https://frequal.com/forwriters/

For other software engineers thinking of following in Andy Weir's footsteps and writing a novel, I put together my guide to self-publishing using software tools and techniques here: https://frequal.com/forwriters/

If you are interested in reserving an Aptera, you can get $30 off with a referral link. You can find them on sites like Electrek, or use mine: https://aptera.us/reserve/?referral_code=vcmbjXvJ

Their FAQ says you can request a refund at any time, at least at present: https://aptera.us/article/how-do-i-cancel-my-aptera-pre-orde...

Poster here: ask me anything about EPublish or book publishing in general.

This recent filing says Polar Asset Management ( https://polaramp.com/ ) is involved to the tune of 2.25M shares: https://ir.aptera.us/node/7511/html

The first 5 Aptera solar EVs have been built on their validation assembly line. These are EVs that charge from the sun using built-in solar panels for up to 40 miles per day (you can plug in if you need more than that).

These validation models will be used for road testing and safety evaluation (crash testing, perhaps). They are tuning and improving the assembly line for minimum latency and maximum throughput (via pipelining).