Friday, October 17, 2025

Some Stuff I made




I keep finding stuff to make. From the laborious - like writing a novel. To the mindless - like using Grok's AI tech to animate a bunch of pictures. I highly recommend that you do some making of your own. The stuff you can generate with a few pushes and swipes on your phone is increasingly impressive, but that which comes from artistic minds will forever be the gold standard. So, if you think you have it in you, or even if you don't - Make Short Stories; Make Books; Make Plays; Make Poems; Make Screenplays; Make Drawings; Make Paintings; Make Music; Make Moves; Make Memes; Make GIFs; Make Noise; Make A Fuss In These Perilous Times; Make A Stand; and of course, Make Love.

While you're thinking of specifically what you'd like to make, enjoy and be inspired by the makings of others. Including mine!



@mudhousebooks The holiday shopping season quickly approaches and this book makes a wonderful gift for the little readers (or those who are read to) in your life. #AvaAppelsawse (available at Amazon) #christmasgiftideas ♬ After Nine - Veil
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THE SAXOPHONE MAN



 



                                                            *****
 Merry are the makers. For they can always think of something to do to occupy themselves.
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Saturday, July 5, 2025

My conversation with Grok

I enjoy a good debate of important issues. But you can't have a quality debate with just anyone because people with different viewpoints than your own are often led by emotion rather than reason. If someone quickly resorts to insults and name calling rather than addressing what it is you said and why they feel it is incorrect, it's best to abort that mission. The person is either intellectually incapable or simply not interested in attempting to persuade by presentation of facts. Say what you will about Artificial Intelligence (I've certainly had unflattering things to say about it), but at least it attempts to stick to what's reasonable and probable and pertinent rather than hurling insults when it doesn't like what you said. When Elon Musk claimed on Twitter that @Grok has been significantly improved in answer giving, I decided to put it to the test. Its debate technique was to ask me questions in return rather than truly answering what I had asked, as well as consistent reference to the Heritage Foundation. Admittedly, my question was an accusation. So when Grok requested examples of my claim, for me to prove that I was not being partisan just for the hell of it, I provided two to get the ball rolling.

I invite any polite humans willing to engage in civil discourse to answer my two-part question. Below is what Grok had to say in response, and my rebuttals, and so on and so forth. Pick a winner if you wish. In the end, while I believe in being open to having my mind changed by a potent counter argument, I remained unswayed by Grok's replies.


                                             

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
      
   

   





   


WHAT HE SAID...



 


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Tuesday, June 3, 2025

LOCAL AUTHORS EXPO

 


I'm thrilled to announce that I will be participating in the LOCAL AUTHORS EXPO at my town library. It's taking place during Grand Opening weekend for the new and improved Union Library. I will have signed copies of my children's book The Absolutely Amazing Adventures of Ava Appelsawse along with my novels Patches of Grey and Matters of Convenience. Between now and then I plan to select an excerpt from that last one to read aloud at the event. Attendees will also be able to obtain a printed excerpt from my novel in progress - Second Shot - along with other book'ish goodies. If you're in the area of Union, NJ - I hope to see you on Sunday, June 8th. There will be a variety of activities going on for the library's Grand Opening. The Local Authors Expo portion is taking place from 12 PM - 2 PM in the Black Box Theater. Union's brand spanking new library with its various attractions (see below) is located at 1980 Morris Avenue. 

  • A cozy fireplace
  • Individual study rooms
  • A learning lab for classroom activities
  • A creativity lab with innovative equipment
  • Outdoor programming and seating area
  • Dedicated spaces for adults, teens, and children
  • Plenty of seating options (with outlets and charging stations)
  • Restrooms on every level
  • A state-of-the-art theatre and art gallery on the lower level


     




Library Arthur GIFfrom Library GIFs
                          
                                                                   ~~~~~




NOTHING BUT LOVE TO LOCAL AUTHORS, AND TO AUTHORS WORLDWIDE. NOTHING BUT LOVE TO INDIE AUTHORS, AND THOSE WITH CONTRACTS FROM THE BIG FIVE PUBLISHERS. NOTHING BUT LOVE TO AVID READERS WHEREVER THEY ARE TO BE FOUND. NOTHING BUT LOVE FOR ALL VARIETY OF BOOKS. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE ESSENTIAL.





















P.S. HERE'S A FRIENDLY REMINDER FROM AN AUTHOR BORN ON ST. THOMAS, USVI THAT JUNE IS CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH.
@mudhousebooks #readcaribbean #readcaribbeanmonth #readcaribbeanliterature #readcaribbeanauthors ♬ Walking Around - Instrumental Version - Eldar Kedem
@mudhousebooks Let me know your scores in the comments, fellow book lovers. #bibliophiles ♬ original sound - mari


*****
@mudhousebooks #AuthorReading - #Excerpt from Matters of Convenience by Roy L. Pickering Jr. #booktok #authorsoftiktok #authorsofbooktok ♬ original sound - Roy 📚📚📚
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Friday, March 28, 2025

Sneak Peek at SECOND SHOT

   








I have settled on a title for my third novel. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it will come to the light of day sometime between now and whenever (year's end?) with the title of: SECOND SHOT

It's still a work in progress as I am currently working on the third draft. After that, draft # 4. After that, your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps deemed worthy to begin querying literary agents. Maybe deciding from the start to cut out the middle man of Big 5 book publishers (remember when there were so many more than five of them?) and publishing on my own under the umbrella of M.U.D. House Books. Or perhaps some plan in between that has not presented itself yet. We shall see. In the meantime, here's a brief sneak peek excerpt from the beginning of Second Shot. I won't entirely rule out the future possibilities of revising this section, or moving it to another part of the book. For now I like it well enough as is currently written and placed. Therefore I'm allowing you to check it out, plus a little extra that you'll find below the excerpt. Let me know what you think. Much more to come. Happy Reading!

~~~~~

It’s true, what they say. Your life DOES flash before your eyes. Or at least I suppose it’s a flash when you go quickly. When death takes its time, the wound deep enough to bring down the curtain but not in a particular rush, then memories meander. They come in no discernible order. Certainly not chronological. Perhaps there is a reason for this pattern but figuring it out is not a primary concern. Continuing to breathe takes top priority, but how long you get to do so is a matter beyond control. You let recollections wash over you, try to cling to the sweeter ones, prolong them if possible. But this is another matter over which you do not have much say. A memory fades whether you want it to or not and the next one takes its turn at center stage. Some feel important and make understandable appearances. Others seem insignificant, and yet here they are among what may be your final ones. If it was up to me, they would all be centered on her. The rest of it, whether deemed noteworthy or irrelevant, is a chain of details that add up to the life I have lived. I would prefer to dwell exclusively on who I love. But it isn’t up to me. I no longer get to make choices. Along with essential redness, memories spill as they wish to occur. Fade to whatever comes at the end of this predicament. Probably silence.

~~~~~ 


  
@mudhousebooks Matters of Convenience - A novel by Roy L. Pickering Jr. Available at Amazon in print paperback, Kindle, and audiobook format. #booktok ♬ After Nine - Veil
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