I am author J. B. Schirtzinger. I’m here in part to publicize my newest book, so you can go out and purchase it. (You did know I’d have an agenda right?) However, I thought it might be fun to do an AMA. It’d be nice if the questions were about authoring things, but I can always say “Yeah, I’m not gonna answer that” like a politician if you ask something I don’t want to get into.
Things I like talking about are technology--moreso the older kind than the newer. My first computer was a converted windows 3.1 that ran a 75 mghz processor. Before that, I had some brushes with the Apple II’s and some Commodore 64s. Things took a sour turn when our school system made Mario teach us to type.
My newest book, though written in 2010, is heavily cypherpunk/cyberpunk inspired. There may even be a roman à clef or two in it. Maybe not. It’s the nature of this novel to push the boundaries of where reality is or isn’t. Some might say it is even its purpose.
Anyway, ask away!

Free Reads:

Regular E-book:

Physical Copy:

this territory is moderated
Can you describe the process of getting your ebook publishable on platforms like Amazon?
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I prefer to work in latex for formatting, but I prefer word processors for writing. So, first I write in a word processor. Then, styles. Then I move to markdown. From markdown there is a which-way adventure via pandoc but for Amazon you need to be able to make an epub. For that I used Calibre and Sigil which was rather daunting in the sense that the requirements are specific for both of those platforms. Once you get that done, you fill out all the little forms for Amazon and BN that include your vendor info, and upload your covers and then await an up to three day approval process.
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Briefly, what’s the book about?
Great title btw.
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Through the maturation of a process of science a type of modern alchemy is born that breaks the notion of what reality is--indeed it reveals potentials that reality can assume. This leads to the idea that all of reality is some kind of hologram which is called the holonosphere. This leads to a crisis of faith and meaning, although there are people being tapped on by mysterious forces within it to do something about the crisis that is brewing. One is a hacker. One is a type of librarian. Another is an enslaved clone/worker.
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Work of fiction?
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lol. Well, it's categorized as fiction, but the book poses the question of what, exactly fiction is. ;)
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Sounds kinda postmodern.
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It was written in 2010 before reality became effectively postmodern.
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Mod here- I'll let the self-promo slide because it looks like a cool book and I don't want to be a Reddit-style heavy-hander.
Could you please add a summary of the book in the text though, so people have a bit of an understanding of what it's about, and what sort of expertise it proves you bring to the table? That will make it easier for people to know what questions to ask you.
Thanks!
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I didn't know that Ask Me Anythings were anti self-promo? I have done ask me anythings back in the day about books I wrote then? Is it a new rule for here?
My expertise is in publishing and IT. The story proves I can write a story, and publish a book? I dunno, these things seem self-evident to me so I might not understand exactly what you are expecting.
I'll add the brief blurb that's present at the above links.
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Well, I can't edit the post now, so I'll put it here:
Sal Grimone is a GREAT DECEIVER! He gets paid to digitally implement his deceptions. Unfortunately for him, his neat world is about to be rocked by the unexpected intersection of other members of the reality he inhabits. And oh yeah, the line between reality and fiction has been made thin by the birth of a thing called the "Holonosphere". Everyone is struggling with metaphysical problems brought about by this. A few people might just change the world by how they answer and act..
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