Category Archives: Books

Amazon’s Shipping Algorithm Still Has Pockets Of ‘Artificial Stupidity’ (i.e., Opposite Of ‘AI’).

by Anura Guruge
on April 26, 2024

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Click to ENLARGE. This is from the last 36 hours.

Amazon’s shipping REALLY hasn’t got that much better over the last 6 months — despite their claims that they are using more & more Artificial Intelligence (AI). They have got better at playing games.

The above was beyond stupid. I ordered 12 copies of the SAME BOOK (as author copies). They SPLIT the order in TWO. Yes, split it in TWO — but not even 6 + 6. Instead 11 + 1. They printed 11 in one location & ONE in another. Shipped them SEPARATELY.

How does that make SENSE?

Two shipping costs to THEM. Stupid.

This, alas, is NOT the only example. I have talked about others too. See below.

From late last year.

Click to ENLARGE. Post from 4-months ago. You can, EASILY, see the STUPIDITY.

From May 20, 2023. An even earlier post.

This is beyond CRAZY.

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Cracks Me Up To Receive Royalties On Web Technology Books I Wrote 20+ Years Ago (That Are Totally Out Of Date).

by Anura Guruge
on March 21, 2024

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Click to ENLARGE.

Click to ENLARGE.
Available, of course, of Amazon — here & there.

It is very clear when the books were written. Plus they can Preview them + RETURN THEM.

But, a few buy them & keep them. I am happy — though they are (these days) only buying the (much cheaper) eBook editions. That is OK. I am happy.

I got paid ADVANCES for both these books — & I was HAPPY just with what I got upfront. [By now, 20+ years later, I have fully paid back those advances, why I get these checks.] Obviously, the Royalty Check isn’t for much. Pays for 2 weeks of wine (now that I don’t drink as much). So, that is OK. Better than a kick in the teeth.

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I Now Have 23 Audiobooks On ‘Audible’.

by Anura Guruge
on March 4, 2024

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You can find then on ‘Audible.com‘.

Click to ENLARGE. From an internal Amazon report.

As I have already stated a couple of times I am very happy that ‘Amazon‘ made it possible for me to convert my print/eBooks into audiobooks. My books work great in audiobook form. Folks will be able to listen them while driving or ambling. This is wonderful.

They have also started selling — though they have only been available in the last 2.5 weeks. Wow. Not great — but, as I always say, it is better than a kick in the teeth.

As expected my ‘Orgasm’ book has DONE BEST. That makes sense.

Then TWO of my Pope books.

SMILE. GRIN.

This has to be my ONLY claim to fame. I am sure there is no one else that has published books about both popes and orgasms. SMILE.

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3 Of My ‘Bold Coast’ Books Are Now Available As Audiobooks On ‘Audible’.

by Anura Guruge
on February 25, 2024

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You can find then on ‘Audible.com‘.

This makes me VERY HAPPY. These books work great in audiobook form. Folks will be able to listen them while driving or ambling. This is wonderful.

My ‘Bold Coast — In Color‘ will NOT work as an audiobook. So, I will not have that converted. I am not sure about the ‘Bold Coast — Souvenir & Guide‘. That has a lot of pictures too and pictures don’t get conveyed in audiobooks.

So, I might just leave it at that, i.e., just these three ‘Bold Coast’ books. I am happy. Thank YOU, Amazon.

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My ‘ORGASMS: 101 Facts & Trivia’ Book Is Getting A Whole New Lease Of Life As An Audiobook. WOW!

by Anura Guruge
on February 19, 2024

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You can find it on ‘Audible.com‘.

Since it became available on ‘Audible‘, as an ‘audiobook‘, it has been selling a copy a day! That is NOT great (or that much), BUT it is selling & that is always better than a kick in the teeth.

It is another of my books that is ideally suited for AUDIO.

I have a very basic, uncomplicated writing style. I write conversationally. Like I am talking to you, face-to-face. Remember I spent 20 years of my life presenting professional SEMINARS. I would stand up & talk (without notes).

That was the basis for my first book, i.e., ‘SNA: Theory and Practice‘. I used to do (a very popular) 5-day (yes, 5-day) seminar on SNA (in the early 1980s). The publisher said just transcribe your seminar into words. That is what I basically did. That book was a BESTSELLER! SMILE. Defined my life.

You can listen to it FOR FREE on ‘Audible’. Check it out. SMILE.

You will LOVE it. You really will. How could you not. If you like orgasms, this book is FOR YOU.

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So HAPPY To Have My ‘Central Pain’ Book In Audio Form, On ‘Audible’.

by Anura Guruge
on February 17, 2024

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You can find it on ‘Audible.com‘.

This book, which I wrote in 2017, continues to sell. Not a bestseller (alas), but a few copies continue to get bought, each month, & this has been the case since it was published.

As you can see from the reviews people like it.

It is IDEALLY suited to be an AUDIOBOOK. So, I am so, so delighted that it is. This will HELP PEOPLE. I am happy. I am NOT concerned about the ‘royaltes.

** ** ** **

At Christmas I also published a $1 print version of it.

So, I created this new PDF today. It is in color. Check it out. There is a PREVIEW.

Click image to get the book for a $1 at ‘PayHip‘. There is also a PREVIEW.

Click to ENLARGE. Amazon listing for my ‘Central Pain’ book.

Click to ENLARGE.

IF you have pain make sure it is NOT Central Pain (or Central Sensitization).

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I Now Have 13 (Yes, ’13’) Audiobooks On ‘Amazon’ + ‘Audible’.

by Anura Guruge
on February 16, 2024

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Click to ENLARGE.

Click to ENLARGE.

WOW. I am BLOWN AWAY.

I finally have SOME audiobooks. Prior to this it was WAY TOO EXPENSIVE. Now, Amazon/KDP is creating them for me for FREE. I am very grateful … but then again I am one of their more LOYAL & longtime clients. I have been with KDP for over a decade.

Very slick. Very easy. Some hitches.

KDP is looking into some of the issues.

I have listened to 3 of the titles.

They sound REAL, REAL good. Voices aren’t optimum, BUT 1,000% better than IF I tried to read them out aloud.

Some of my books are IDEALLY suited for AUDIO. So, I am THRILLED.

Particularly happy about the titles I HIGHLIGHTED.

41 Published Books.

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‘Amazon’ ‘Kindle Direct Publishing’ (KDP) Has Selected Me To Try Out New AI-based Audiobook Conversion Beta.

by Anura Guruge
on February 13, 2024

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Click to ENLARGE.

This is EXCITING. I haven’t tried it out.

Prior to this, creating an AUDIOBOOK was expensive. So, this could be real neat.

I am genuinely excited. I am glad to have been given the chance.

41 Published Books.

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My ‘Bold Coast — Souvenir & Guide’, eBook, Is #6 In Amazon “Best Sellers In Maine Travel Guides”.

by Anura Guruge
on February 11, 2024

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Click to ENLARGE. Yes, #6 PAID ‘Maine Travel Guides‘, Feb. 11, 2024.

Not exactly new. I had had others in this ‘Bold Coast’ series (of 5) in the ‘Best Sellers‘ list. This (below) was from July 2023.

Click to ENLARGE. Yes, #4 PAID ‘Maine Travel Guides‘.

I know some of you won’t believe this, but I don’t check this stuff. I just happened to notice it today. SMILE.

It is NOT making me rich — that is a fact & a given. Check the prices. But it makes me happy & for I, happiness is better than money (because people tell me that money doesn’t make you happy (though I am not totally convinced of that)).

SMILE.

‘Bold Coast’ books (now available). Click on images for details.

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‘The Covenant of Water’ By Brilliant ‘Abraham Verghese’ Is Life-Changingly GOOD — But For One FATAL ‘Indulgence’.

by Anura Guruge
on February 4, 2024

Click to ENLARGE. ‘Amazon’ listing for book.

Click to ENLARGE. Wikipedia.

I agree with ‘Oprah’. One of the BEST BOOKS I have read (or to be accurate ‘listented’) in my entire life. Actually, I am willing to go further. Maybe THE BEST BOOK in my whole life.

70% of the way through I was CONVINCED that it would join ‘Pillars of the Earth‘ & ‘The Da Vinci Code‘ as a book that changed MY LIFE. I was that much in AWE. I still am.

He, Abraham Verghese, is beyond a genius polymath. He seems SUPER-HUMAN. I am gobsmacked by his talents and achievements. I think he puts both ‘James Michener‘ & ‘John Irving‘ to shame. He is better than ‘Amor Towles‘! I think he has to be the GREATEST of modern authors!

Wow.

That said he ‘killed’ me with a totally unnecessary INDULGENCE in the story/plot line.

Kind of SPOILT the whole thing. YIKES.

What is my gripe.

He included a TOTALLY IMPLAUSIBLE — farcical — part of the story. Unbecoming.

Yes, he needed away to get rid of a MAIN character so the story could continue. To do that, he had that character ‘Lenin Forever After‘ go to prison. His contention was that Lenin, who became ‘Naxalite’ insurgent, was readily identifiable in rural India in the 1970s. DO NOT BUY THAT. Yes, Lenin would have looked rough, undernourished and unkept — but that was NOT going to make his look like he was a WANTED criminal. That was poor. That was bad. RUINED the book for I. Sorry.

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