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Science fiction, fantasy, action and adventure author Seth Tomlinson introduces us to his debut book, “The Adventures of John the Pecan: A Tale of Three parts”: Charlie Duffer has always been one for adventure. Or so he says. But living in the year 2112, where nobody likes to just sit and talk to each other anymore, Charlie hardly gets an opportunity to test this bold claim he makes about himself. However, after stumbling upon an unexpected new friend in his lonely Idaho town, strange turns of events force Charlie to reevaluate what is and what isn’t reality, both for the outside world and his inner self. Meanwhile, others who hide in the shadows just down the road start to wrestle with their own demons, having to come to grips with the past while keeping up with the unfolding of a local mystery that’s been hidden for a while. If things on our planet aren’t always what they seem, the same can surely be said about the universe itself. And Charlie and his friends find themselves right in the middle of the confusion, fighting off a corrupt government leader with plans that reach towards eternity on one side, and a darkness created by the sins of the common people that threatens to destroy everything that one of their dear friends loves on the other side. As they make many friends along the way, the fight to figure out the answer to the chaos is not an easy one. And the answer is not what anybody expects. This story is a somewhat intricate plot with multiple threads. Trust me, hang in there and you will be rewarded with a nice surprise. This story is also fun; a few kids who become friends and find more friends along the way wind up facing a large conspiracy that threatens the world and other worlds. I don't want to say any more for fear of spoiling the story. The author’s writing voice is quite interesting, it is homey and comfortable. I am certain I would enjoy sitting on the porch and discussing books and the world. It's a good story, I laughed in many places. You will enjoy it also. You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-John-Pecan-Three-Parts-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-the-adventures-of-john-the-pecan Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
67 Comments
Seth Tomlinson
12/26/2023 09:38:38 am
Hi Mark! Thank you very much for your kind and very accurate summary of what The Adventures of John the Pecan is all about. I hope that readers' interests are piqued by your review. How are you doing?
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Mark
12/26/2023 09:41:22 am
You are welcome, Seth. I enjoyed reading your book, it was fun. I am doing well, thank you.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/26/2023 10:04:51 am
Certainly.
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Mark
12/26/2023 12:01:08 pm
You have made good choices for your education and future. There will always be need for accountants and many speak Spanish in the United States.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/26/2023 12:07:15 pm
Thanks, Mark.
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Mark
12/26/2023 02:26:20 pm
You do have a way with words. Most writers do. I think you are quite a bit like many other writers. I know that many other writers struggle to one degree or another with social interaction. I struggle with that also. We are all disconnected from one another that is one of the major themes in your book. You offer community as the solution to that problem and a good solution it is.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/26/2023 04:45:36 pm
Thanks, Mark. That is exactly right! I would say that writing has not changed my life in many large outright ways, but it has definitely been good for me. As with the author of the Harry Potter series, I also have experienced the sensations of my book characters seeming real. They feel like my friends and family although they live only in my head and my book, and I suppose the heads of those who have read John the Pecan. I am proud of them even though I created them. Writing has also allowed me to get my thoughts out when so many things overwhelm me, like when I write in my journal. As I’ve written, I’ve experienced firsthand how much effort it takes to write well, and that has been good and challenging for me.
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Mark
12/26/2023 06:45:48 pm
Your experience mirrors that of so many other authors. I have been told by multiple authors that the characters come to life and even get cranky at times when they don't like the progress of the plot or the actions they must take. A few have mentioned arguments they have lost to the characters and being happy about that loss down the road. Some have mentioned discovering a new character that wound up making a big difference in the story.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/26/2023 06:52:09 pm
I totally agree, the characters are everything for me.
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Mark
12/26/2023 08:34:14 pm
I am with you on all of that. I am a Christian also for over 50 years. While I cannot explain many odd events other people report or all of the things I have seen, I do believe that spiritual forces are at work to move us away from a relationship with our heavenly father.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/26/2023 09:36:59 pm
I am glad to hear your agreement and to know another brother in the faith!
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Mark
12/27/2023 09:02:46 am
I am glad we are connected.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/27/2023 10:05:04 am
I couldn't agree more about social media. I am also glad to hear that you and your family enjoy Narnia. Yes, I didn't know about "Out of the Silent Planet" for years until a friend told me about the series. I was surprised to hear about it.
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Mark
12/27/2023 12:57:27 pm
I have read Lewis's trilogy at least twice in the previous century, but not recently. I do enjoy the story and the dialogues.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/27/2023 02:26:45 pm
That is interesting! I definitely agree that some UFO sightings are the work of demons.
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Mark
12/27/2023 04:17:35 pm
That is remarkable, most authors generate anywhere from five to ten drafts. Many have beta readers, maybe a critique group or partner, then editing and finally proofreading. With at least one draft at each step.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/27/2023 04:27:50 pm
Thank you very much, Mark! Yes, I definitely learned by writing this book how much you have to believe in your ideas and keep polishing them and not worry about the timing of when it will finally form into a book.
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Mark
12/27/2023 06:36:53 pm
I love the fireflies! They don't exist on the west coast and I haven't seen any in Florida, sadly. I recall seeing them only in Washington DC.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/27/2023 08:07:24 pm
The cover is supposed to be the back porch of Emily and Oliver's house, with all of the kids standing out on it amongst the large group of fireflies. The ocean back behind Emily's house is supposed to be seen in the far distance. I suppose there are no easter eggs or pieces of symbolism on the cover, other than the whole scene itself serving to represent the bond the kids have and their unity together. The one in the overalls is Walt, and he is supposed to be holding a glass of iced milk.
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Mark
12/28/2023 08:54:11 am
I like the cover, it is unusual in style. It makes me feel like I am part of the group.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/28/2023 10:24:51 am
That's a funny story. It probably would have been harder to come up with the title if I had written the story and then tried to make a title out of the story. However, I had already had an inside joke with my friends for years, back from the beginning of high school, about a pecan that I kept with me as a "pet" named John, and so I set out from the beginning to write a story called John the Pecan. And then from there, I just came up with a story completely unrelated to that title, and then had to come up with one scene in the story that would somehow make the title make sense. Haha.
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Mark
12/28/2023 03:07:17 pm
That is funny! Quite unusual also and I love it. So quirky!
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Seth Tomlinson
12/28/2023 03:30:14 pm
They were not overly difficult to develop, although some were because I am very self-conscious when it comes to coming up with names for people or places. In general, I simply chose names that I liked, some of my favorite boy names and some of my favorite girl names, or ones that I thought would fit the vibe of a character, like for example, the name Arthur for the character Arthur.
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Mark
12/28/2023 06:03:42 pm
You had an easier time than many authors when it comes to names. Especially when they are writing stories set in the past or a foreign country. The good news is that there are websites devoted to popular baby names by decade and geography, sometimes going back hundreds of years.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/28/2023 06:13:30 pm
Good question. I honestly do not know that many reality shows, haha. If competition shows count, I guess I would choose America’s Got Talent, because I have a lot of strange and random talents. For example, if you give me a word, I can say it backwards instantly. This probably doesn’t count, but if I could, I’d want to be on Duck Dynasty. That show is very funny to me and the Robertsons are a cool family.
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Mark
12/28/2023 08:13:20 pm
That is a most unusual talent! I love it! I can't do anything like that at all.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/29/2023 02:43:47 am
I do plan on writing more books. I am currently working on ideas for a trilogy that is set in the same world as John the Pecan, around the same time period. If I complete it, there will be references to aspects of John the Pecan throughout the series. It will most likely continue to be sci-fi/fantasy based, and also have a set of main characters that is mostly kids. However, the setting will be more comprised of the beach, and the vibes and aesthetics given off by a beach town.
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Mark
12/29/2023 08:20:32 am
Your fans will be pleased.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/29/2023 10:08:07 am
That is interesting.
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Mark
12/29/2023 01:23:05 pm
Amazon now requires authors to disclose if AI was used in the making of their book. I have seen one book that had a strangely worded blurb and the cover looked like it had been created by AI. I didn't see any disclosure for the use of AI last summer when I discovered the book.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/29/2023 02:50:33 pm
I totally agree.
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Mark
12/29/2023 05:46:23 pm
That is a pretty good first job. I was picking strawberries at 12. Before that I was selling seeds and greeting cards to relatives and neighbors.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/29/2023 05:49:07 pm
Those are good first jobs.
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Mark
12/29/2023 08:18:45 pm
Thank you. I learned at an early age that it was fun to sell things.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/29/2023 10:52:45 pm
Thank you very much for the tips!
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Mark
12/30/2023 08:29:56 am
Very nice. Writing talent runs in your family.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/30/2023 11:43:15 am
That is interesting, and a good idea.
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Mark
12/30/2023 02:11:16 pm
There certainly is talent in your family. Memoirs are an interesting thing. Part biography and part story to carry the biography and wrap it in a pleasing package. A well-written memoir is entertaining and easy to read.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/30/2023 02:15:05 pm
That is a good way of describing memoirs.
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Mark
12/30/2023 05:25:33 pm
Kindle Unlimited is a subscription plan. For $11.99 plus taxes a month, you can read as many books as you want. That is a great deal for someone who reads a lot.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/30/2023 06:10:20 pm
Interesting! I may have to consider KU in the future.
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Mark
12/30/2023 08:49:33 pm
Before Amazon, there were traditional publishers of all sizes and vanity publishers. There have always been a few bad apples in both of those barrels. Amazon knocked the traditional publishers' apple cart over and smashed it to smithereens. Amazon allowed anyone to publish a book and launched the independent publishing revolution and a little thing called an electronic book.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/30/2023 09:32:27 pm
That is very interesting. Thank you for that synopsis.
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Mark
12/31/2023 08:35:37 am
Most publishers want to see a book sell well even if they are not keeping a percentage of the royalties. Though some vanity publishers require the author to buy a bunch of books from them.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/31/2023 09:04:50 am
Thank you for the tips!
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Mark
12/31/2023 03:30:47 pm
Most publishers do little more than listing a book on their website. Remember they are cost-cutting! They don't want to invest any more money into a book than needed. That goes for most traditional publishers also, unless your last name is King, Patterson or Rowling. That is one of several big shocks that authors experience when using a TP. The authors are expecting the publisher to do all of that heavy lifting. They used to 30 or so years ago. Not now.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/31/2023 05:25:10 pm
Oh, well there’s no comparison. Those published by a major publisher that I have read have had more quality design, format, and everything else. I know a lot of people get help from so many different people when they publish, like consultants and beta readers and all sorts of people who are behind the scenes to make the book successful. When you have that many people helping, the book is bound to be higher quality.
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Mark
12/31/2023 07:21:23 pm
You make a good point. Let me twist that a little bit. Writing the first draft is a solitary experience, no one can help the author get the story out of his head. After that, maybe after a draft or two, most authors will seek out beta readers. Then another draft or two can be followed by a critique group or a critique partner. Another draft or two followed by an editor's tender ministrations. Another bit of rewriting perhaps, then when you think the manuscript is ready to publish send the manuscript off to the proofreader for a final polish. That is the process most independent or self-publishers go through.
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Seth Tomlinson
12/31/2023 10:49:44 pm
Yes. I have won multiple spelling bees in school, haha, and it is still nearly impossible to have no errors by the end of writing a novel.
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Mark
1/1/2024 09:58:24 am
Losing creative control of your book is something that many authors struggle with. Yet, many authors continue to submit their book to agents and publishers in hopes of landing a traditional publishing contract. Sometimes it takes many months and hundreds of submissions before the author decides to self-publish.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/1/2024 11:31:45 am
That is a great question.
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Mark
1/1/2024 01:43:16 pm
It sounds like reading is difficult for you. It is for a many people. I have a very good friend back in Oregon. He loves reading but his dyslexia is so severe he consumes books by listening to audio books.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/1/2024 02:09:41 pm
Yes. I have to be very focused in order to read.
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Mark
1/1/2024 04:06:09 pm
Some things we all need to keep in mind.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/1/2024 04:09:35 pm
That is very true.
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Mark
1/1/2024 06:24:48 pm
It sounds like you have the analytical bug like so many other authors. It is not a bad thing because you are getting experience and that will help you to become a better writer.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/1/2024 07:56:43 pm
Good question. I'll try not to overthink it, haha.
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Mark
1/2/2024 08:46:12 am
That is a good question. Your answer is similar to other authors I have had the pleasure of chatting with. I think every book we read changes us in some way whether noticeable or not.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/2/2024 09:06:45 am
Yes, I definitely think the act of writing is satisfying to me. I think that writing about characters or just describing different settings or aesthetics through words helps me to get my thoughts out of my head in a peaceful and enjoyable way even if what I am currently writing will need to be polished a lot.
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Mark
1/2/2024 11:48:44 am
Many authors report a similar feeling of satisfaction.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/2/2024 11:56:42 am
That is interesting. I do not have a plan yet. I have not thought that far ahead, haha.
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Mark
1/2/2024 01:23:02 pm
I suspected as much, though I do ask, this relatively new addition to my list of questions, nearly every author and a little more than half have a plan or are working on one.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/2/2024 01:45:20 pm
Thanks for the heads up!
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Mark
1/2/2024 04:25:29 pm
Carefully crafted characters can make a big difference in the story. As you mentioned, the characters must be emotionally dynamic or authentic to maintain the interest of the readers. Even the antagonist must be fully fledged in the story. If the antagonist was telling the story he would be the hero and struggling with this other person who kept getting in the way much of the time.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/2/2024 04:33:42 pm
Oh, that is interesting! Thank you for the link.
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Mark
1/2/2024 05:30:05 pm
Microsoft Word is mentioned by far more authors than Google Docs. I think MS Word has the largest installed user base around the world. I know it's hard to switch from one platform to another, but sometimes the benefits outweigh the temporary inconvenience of the learning curve.
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Seth Tomlinson
1/2/2024 08:10:29 pm
I have enjoyed our time as well. Thank you very much for the advice and the help and the good conversation.
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Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
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"I'm very pleased with all your efforts. Twitter promotion and proofreading were beyond what I expected with a book review. Your suggestions throughout the process of refining both books helped me immensely. I look forward to working with you again." A.E.H Veenman “Dial QR for Murder” and “Prepped for the Kill”
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