"Just See Yourself..." a book by Thomas Walker

[Tia]

17 minutes ago, Miss Bea said:

 With good things. 

Yassss.....😃

[Hope]

I've just finished this entire series- IT IS INCREDIBLE!!!! Well done, my brother! 🥰🤩😃👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

 

Now I'm gonna read all these threads! 

[Thomas Walker]

This is a Public Service Announcement:

 

If you search any of these books on Google's 'Books' Directory, you'll find an entry, since the book has an ISBN.

 

The Author will be listed as another Thomas Walker, Associate Pastor at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Obviously, this is not me; but as I do not publish with Google directly, I don't believe I can change their entries. The books aren't even on Google. They're just providing a searchable database of all literature. Books, plays, Scientific papers, transcripts of something a Monk illuminated in the 1400's... It's all there. Sometimes things get attributed to the wrong author.

 

It's a fact of being an Independent Publisher. There are over a dozen "Thomas Walker's" in the literary databases of the world.

 

Most of you know this, but I just got an email from my aunt, who was 'warned' about the books she reads; so I want to put the word out again. I once gave a copy to my old CO, and he searched the name, finding the 'other' information. My Elders hurried over to warn me about the 'Apostate Literature' I was spreading. The perils of publishing under pen names.

Edited October 28, 2020 by Thomas Walker

[cme]

On 2/15/2017 at 4:41 PM, Thomas Walker said:

"Just See Yourself..." by Thomas Walker

 

A Story Thousands of Years In The Making! 

For two thousand years, followers of Jehovah God and his son, Jesus Christ have been waiting for The Day! The Bible promises wonderful things that would take place during the Thousand Year Reign of the Messianic King. But so many people never heard that message, or never believed it could be true, when confronted with a cold and wicked world. What future for them? 

Hugh Alman was a pilot during the Second World War. With no idea of what the future held, he has awoken in a long promised Paradise Earth; where nobody would ever grow old, grow sick, or die. 

But with Eternal Life comes challenges, and rewards... and most importantly, choices. 

 

***

 

My whole life, we've been told to 'keep our eyes on the prize'. This book began as a form of personal study, and grew to a full sized novel. It's been one of the more rewarding efforts of my life, and I've received some very positive feedback from others in my cong. I have put the whole book up for free, chapter by chapter, on a dedicated blog.

 

And after enough people asked for a hardcopy version, I also put it up on Amazon, as cheap as I could make it. (It was the only way to handle printing and shipping costs.)

 

As it happens, that's what lead me to JWTalk. Looking for guidance on how to approach publication, I found the works of EK Jonathan being discussed here.

 

Writing this book took me in a lot of directions I didn't expect, and I hope you will all enjoy it.

Thank you so much!! Besides my personal Bible study and preparing for the meetings I can in my minds eye with the help of this book visit Paradise!  I started reading it and could not put it down.  I'm looking forward to reading this book every night.   Thank you!!

[Tia]

On 10/28/2020 at 3:53 AM, Thomas Walker said:

Most of you know this, but I just got an email from my aunt, who was 'warned' about the books she reads; so I want to put the word out again. I once gave a copy to my old CO, and he searched the name, finding the 'other' information.

So good to know you got a heads up on this my brother - I as well as many others have enjoyed many of your publications...and I...um "we" thank you again!!!

Edited May 26, 2021 by Chachanee

[JudyO]

On 10/28/2020 at 2:53 AM, Thomas Walker said:

This is a Public Service Announcement:

 

If you search any of these books on Google's 'Books' Directory, you'll find an entry, since the book has an ISBN.

 

The Author will be listed as another Thomas Walker, Associate Pastor at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

I wonder if anyone has contacted this associate pastor to advise him on the ramifications of writing novels that feature Jehovah's Witnesses and their beliefs?

[Áine]

I could devour another book right now 😃

[Thomas Walker]

On 8/22/2021 at 8:12 AM, Anniebea said:

I could devour another book right now 😃

Well, since someone finally asked... 😇

 

 

Coming September 6th, 2021
 

'Written Beforehand'
The first book in the 'Between the Verses' Series

[Stee]

3 minutes ago, Thomas Walker said:

Well, since someone finally asked... 😇

 

 

Coming September 6th, 2021
 

'Written Beforehand'
The first book in the 'Between the Verses' Series

YAY! 🎉

Thank you! Can’t wait! 🥰

[Dages]

Yay

[Áine]

50 minutes ago, Thomas Walker said:

Well, since someone finally asked... 😇

 

 

Coming September 6th, 2021
 

'Written Beforehand'
The first book in the 'Between the Verses' Series

We’ll I’m glad I asked now 😂 thank you !

[Luigi62]

1 hour ago, Thomas Walker said:

Well, since someone finally asked... 😇

 

 

Coming September 6th, 2021
 

'Written Beforehand'
The first book in the 'Between the Verses' Series

Can I order a hard copy?

[Thomas Walker]

20 minutes ago, Luigi62 said:

Can I order a hard copy?

When it comes out. There will indeed be a paperback version, I promise. Often takes longer to approve than the kindle edition, but it'll get there. And or course, I'll have the chapters up free, as with the New Earth Series.

[GodlyDevotion]

2 hours ago, Thomas Walker said:

Well, since someone finally asked... 😇

 

 

Coming September 6th, 2021
 

'Written Beforehand'
The first book in the 'Between the Verses' Series

How do I thank you enough? 😥

[GodlyDevotion]

Is there kind of a synopsis to whet our appetite? 🙂

[nannie28]

Thanks in advance! I've been re-reading the other books. So I'm looking forward to your new one.

[Hope]

On 8/23/2021 at 6:53 AM, GodlyDevotion said:

Is there kind of a synopsis to whet our appetite? 🙂

Yes... what will this be about? 😃

[Hotteok]

On 8/23/2021 at 10:53 PM, GodlyDevotion said:

Is there kind of a synopsis to whet our appetite? 🙂

Maybe it's about history?

It'd be cool to read a story that might've happened in the Biblical times! 

[Thomas Walker]

On 8/23/2021 at 11:53 PM, GodlyDevotion said:

Is there kind of a synopsis to whet our appetite? 🙂

 

Well, since you've asked.

 

******************

"For thousands of years, God has revealed His purpose progressively. His servants have always known what would come next, for those who bothered to look.

Eleanor is a woman concerned for what might happen to the world, and struggles to believe that anyone can predict the future. When she is told that hundreds of prophecies have been proven accurate already, she's left with a choice about whether or not to believe in what is foretold to come next.

Nomi is a woman deeply afraid of her current circumstances, living in a lawless world. Noah is building an Ark outside her town, based on nothing but one or two promises, which nobody around her believes in.

Though they were born thousands of years apart, both Nomi and Eleanor are given the same invitation, and are left with the same choice: To put their faith in what was written beforehand, or remain with the world they know, but can't rely on."

 

****************

 

Two stories, one in present day, one in Bible times.

 

The new series has two themes: The story will be about Bible events, but not the characters directly involved. Spectators to the Big Moments.

 

Secondly, there will be twin stories in each: Modern Day and Bible Times. The books will be individual tales, which can be read as standalones. No idea how many there will be.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Thomas Walker

[Thomas Walker]

So. It's been a minute, for this thread; hasn't it?

 

A few weeks ago, I got an interesting email from Amazon.

 

The horror stories you've heard about AI are somewhat exaggerated, as are the benefits of its use. But AI does present an opportunity for Amazon's self-published authors.

 

Audiobooks are as popular as any other kind of book. But making them is harder, because it's  a whole other skill set of editing/performing/recording. A proper audio version of a book takes at least one paid performer, and some serious recording equipment for a crisp sound, with no background noise or static.

 

AI, on the other hand, can take the whole book full of text, and generate a voice pattern reading it.

 

Apparently, Amazon has put together a beta program for some authors, to have their books 'translated' into audio files, which are then up for sale.

 

I was added to the beta list. 

 

"Just See Yourself" is now available as an audiobook, on Amazon and Audible. It just went live, so the other audible stores haven't been updated yet. Give it a day or two, as with the Kindle store. (In fact, being in Australia, I use Audible AU, so you'll be able to get it before I will. I'm putting my reputation in the hands of Amazon engineers. 😬)

 

Now, before anybody gets too excited, a few caveats:

 

1) This is an AI generated reading. I've spent three weeks going through the audiobook, line by line, correcting mispronunciations and typos. (In all honesty, JSY was my first book, and has the worst amount of mistakes, since I was writing/editing the whole thing myself.) While the book is read accurately, the 'flow' of it is... artificial. The AI takes its cue on inflection from punctuation and algorithms. It'll feel stilted in places.

 

2) This is a beta version of the generator. The options on what I can 'generate' with it are limited. It's likely that later versions will be more accurate, more 'natural', or even let me use different voices for different characters, but this is all theoretical at this point. Which leads us to...

 

3) I won't be putting the rest of the series into audio format right away. In truth, this task has been infuriating to edit all the way through. It's incredibly time consuming, 'listening' to 120,000 words for errors takes forever. (Looking back, I'm now convinced JSY is the worst thing I've ever written. 😅 ) It's possible I might add one or two more if there's interest, but I'd rather the AI be 'out of beta' before I put all my books through it; and there's no way to know how long that will take.

 

Plenty of people have asked, and Amazon has delivered a way. The audio versions will come; but for right now, this is a 'test flight'. I have no idea how this will turn out, aside from the preview version I've been editing. It could end up 'generating' something entirely different.

Edited April 24 by Thomas Walker

[Dages]

3 hours ago, Thomas Walker said:

Looking back, I'm now convinced JSY is the worst thing I've ever written.

It had your mistakes, but it is precious to my heart  

[Miss Bea]

Just went and got it. I shall enjoy it. Again!

[Thomas Walker]

1 hour ago, Dages said:

It had your mistakes, but it is precious to my heart  

 

Ironically, the audio version now has fewer typos and mistakes than anything I've ever written. Hearing it read aloud makes it amazingly obvious where you've got the wrong word.

[Pikachu]

Thank-you so much for the audio! It's a big book, and I didn't want to read the whole series to my husband and two of my audiobook loving children. They'll be so happy to have it read to them.

Edited April 24 by Pikachu

[LeslieDean]

I purchased it at 1 am and believe you are being way too hard on yourself. I thought the voice was nice.

 I've have started many audio books I could not complete because the voice reading was so irritating. This did not fall in that category. Nicely done. I am saving the rest as a treat to listen to and calm my anxiety my flight to Egypt Tuesday. Thank you.