Category: Technology

The Chimp Paradox

At a work-related training session recently we were told about The Chimp Paradox, a book by Prof Steve Peters. I haven’t read the book yet but apparently, the prof says that there are two parts in the human brain: chimp and human. When one is faced with a problem – like an exam – the chimp part goes ‘AAAARGGHH! YABBA YABBA YABBA! CAN’T COPE!’

But one must listen to the human part of the brain. It says: You can do this exam. Read the work, revise it, study, learn and you will pass the exam. Sound advice.

My computer was going wrong recently. I don’t do technology and the chimp part of my brain said ‘AAAARGGHH! YABBA YABBA YABBA! CAN’T COPE!’ But the human part said: No. You can do this. There is lots of advice online and help available.

After three days of downloading the assorted software and adjusting the settings and performing scans and reloads and several other tasks ill understood by me, the computer crashed completely and I lost some documents. And I realized that the chimp part of my brain was quite right and I shall listen to it more in the future, especially when it comes to technology.

The book is available from all good retailers. Chimps like me can give it a miss.

 

 

 

 

 

Instafreebie Giveaway

There’s a new Giveaway on Instafreebie (well, there always is) but this one has previews of my Choices and Other Stories and Arnos Hell. There’s stuff by lots of other writers too and all free so why not try the May 2018 Fantasy Extravaganza ?

Kudos to Emerald Dodge for organising it all.

Mailchimp no more

Today I gave up on Mailchimp.

Last night I spent two hours trying to design a newsletter. This morning I spent three more. When I tried to send it some annoying red writing told me there was default text still in it. I looked until I was blue in the face but could find no default text. I gave up. I ascribe no fault to Mailchimp in this as I am useless with all these kind of things. It’s all ‘intuitive’ they say. Clearly, I have no intuition

In the time I have spent farting about with Mailchimp I could have written a novel. And I don’t think I would sell many copies of said novel by using Mailchimp, even if I could use Mailchimp. Newsletters are the Holy Grail of self-publishing now but I have a feeling that they are overrated. I also have a feeling that readers are sick of getting them and delete them. I was never that keen on sending spam anyway.

If readers want to check out my products there are links in the back of every book. I’m on Facebook and Twitter. I have this blog and I post two reviews a month or more on good old SF Crowsnest. My stories appear in magazines. As far as putting my name ‘out there’ goes, I figure that’s enough.

Furthermore, I will save money by just having the cheap/free plans on Instafreebie and Bookfunnel, the ones that don’t collect email addresses. These sites are good for putting out previews which may tempt someone to buy the book. My Instafreebie previews link is top right of this page in case you’re interested.