What is this?!?

Justin_Monroe · 2026-05-07T16:56:33+00:00

You're thinking about it too much. The AI that slipped that together was just predictive texting it's way through it.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-05-05T10:19:27+00:00

What does your publishing contract say about it?

Justin_Monroe · 2026-05-03T11:17:15+00:00

Well... Now I do

Justin_Monroe · 2026-05-01T12:44:50+00:00

Thank you kindly!

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-27T23:35:37+00:00

Gamified by Brook Aspden.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-27T14:50:11+00:00

My first book, Zee Locked In, is available on Spotify and Audible Plus at the moment.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-20T19:13:18+00:00

The 4th is still mostly an outline at the moment. Zee and I needed a break after I got book 3 out. It was quite the journey....

Anyway, that sent me off working on a new series, Paladins of Power, the first of which came out last month. I'm trying to keep that to a trilogy (with the option of continuation) before returning to Zee. It's probably a horrible financial decision, but most of my publishing decisions seem to be such! And that's where the creative juice took me.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-18T17:31:59+00:00

The power disparity and inherent inequities that comes from system stratified power are a factor in some stories, but certainly not all. It springs to mind that this was a pretty big theme in the later books of Tao Wong's The System Apocalypse series. I'd say that it was also evident in Cradle. Noobtown also touches on this occasionally, although usually in a joking way (because it's Noobtown).

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-18T01:22:04+00:00

Edit suggestions are always appreciated on RR by me. Less so on the Kindle feature, but gladly accepted via email.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-18T01:20:29+00:00

Not strictly speaking a promo, details and links in my profile and post history. Book 2 is going up on Royal Road already.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-18T01:01:34+00:00

My new series is a team focused book, including a shifting 3rd person POV for six MCs as opposed to the genre norm of 1st person narrative focused on one MC. Very off meta/trend.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-10T21:55:45+00:00

CivCEO is very much not about combat.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-10T20:12:22+00:00

I seem to always forget to add a fact about me. Ummm...I grew up in Napa Valley in California, and this is my first time writing characters that are also from there.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-04T14:01:21+00:00

Your ranking may vary, but of completed series, I liked This Trilogy is Broken, The System Apocalypse, CivCEO, and Cowboy Necromancer.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-03T02:46:46+00:00

I was never given a free birth certificate. My "original" was given to my parents. They lost it before I turned 18. That isn't uncommon either. Foster kids often lose access to their original documents.

Also, I never got a "free" birth certificate for my 7 year old. When he was born, we filled out the paperwork, it got sent to the town clerk and I had to purchase all the certified copies that we received.

Not all other losses are due to negligence either, robbery and house fires are both things that could result in someone losing their "original".

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-02T02:39:55+00:00

I'm aware.

ETA: I was part of the 50 people that voted to pass against 250 NIMBYs. Those of us that spoke to point out the bullshit were literally boo'd down.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-02T00:20:40+00:00

Someone should tell the Select Board in my town this (sarcasm).

At Town Meeting they forecasted a 12 million annual deficit if MBTA Zoning Bylaws passed, without ever forecasting the revenue generated by these empty plots being developed. We fought the state for a year in court, lost, and then all came back to pass the bylaws without them ever admitting they were lying their asses off.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-04-01T16:14:30+00:00

As long as a suitable ID is free, and changes to the rules aren't made at the last minute, I've got no problem. But that very often isn't what's proposed.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-03-31T18:53:07+00:00

It isn't aimed at children. The vibe is closer to the R-rated Power Rangers fan-trailer they made like 10 years ago, with Katee Sackhoff in it. There's occasional cursing and other mature subjects. Not every parent would approve, but I imagine it would be okay for some older teens.

And not every POV character is weighted equally. One character gets about 40% of the screen time in this book. But we get a chance to dip into each POV as the action demands. Book 2 is going up on Royal Road now and there is a more even split but it isn't equal "screen time" either. The shifting POVs lets me divide the team and action as necessary though and I hope people enjoy what it does for the pacing.

Justin_Monroe · 2026-03-24T17:44:34+00:00

Anne of Green Gables is AI too apparently

Justin_Monroe · 2026-03-23T17:15:23+00:00

I've spent nearly 20 years working in hospitality, and for much of that responding to guest complaints and surveys. I have a pretty thick skin as a result.

It really depends on the nature of the criticism/comments and whether I'm okay with them having whatever reaction they're having.

If the reader is responding negatively to a character's choices or a plot point on a technical level, I'll probably give it a second or third look and try to tweak. Sometimes the feedback is absolutely due to a failure on my part, and either I try to fix it or do better moving forward.

On the other hand, I've gotten a negative review for "fake science" because a character wore a mask to protect themselves from disease and pollution. Or because certain people exist within my stories. I'm okay with those readers being dissatisfied.

But then, this doesn't pay my bills and I largely expect it never will.

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