Decades ago I purchased this hand-built cabin on eBay. What a great find! It measures 16.5" long x 11" high x 17" deep. Since then I have purchased or made several of the interior furnishings. Soon I will be placing wood shingles on the roof that I found at Goodwill.
Every now and then I take it out of storage and set it up, usually in the winter.
Take a look at some of the interior pictures below. I purchased a lighted fireplace, 1920s stove, rattan chair, hutch, rug, dogs, lights, and some mini accessories. I made the kitchen table, bed, and broom (from ornamental grass outside), and framed picture of a wrestler.
Makes you want to jump right in and take a seat in front of the fireplace. Click the pictures to make them larger on your computer.
In 2025, I shingled the roof with a few packs of Greenleaf shingles I found at Goodwill for $1.99 each. I think it turned out well. Next winter we will add some realistic food to the table and maybe an old-timer metal bathtub.
ChatGPT is something we all should be concerned with, as well as other AI spin-offs. Recently I tested ChatGPT as an author--not for writing, but for research. I asked it to give me a list of movies and TV shows with "man-eating" plants. Then I sat down and watched all of them. Many did not.
So I went back to the AI thread and confronted ChatGPT. Here are parts of my conversation:
***
Me: You said that The Munsters episode "The Midnight Ride of Herman Munster" featured a man-eating plant, but I watched the episode and there were no plants mentioned.
ChatGPT: I apologize for the incorrect information. It appears there was an error in my response regarding "The Munsters" episode "The Midnight Ride of Herman Munster." Thank you for pointing that out. Here's a corrected list of TV shows with man-eating or carnivorous plants:
"Doctor Who" - Various episodes of the long-running British sci-fi series have featured man-eating or carnivorous plants, including "The Seeds of Doom" (Season 13, 1976) and "The End of Time" (2009).
"The X-Files" - In Season 4, Episode 2 titled "Home," there is a disturbing scene involving a man-eating plant in a greenhouse.
"Goosebumps" - The episode titled "Stay Out of the Basement: Part 2" (Season 1, Episode 12) features plant-based horrors when a mad scientist's experiments with plants go awry.
Me: The X-files episode "Home" did not have plants either. Why are you lying?
ChatGPT: I apologize for the inaccuracies in my previous responses. You are correct, and I appreciate your patience in pointing out the errors. "The X-Files" episode "Home" does not involve man-eating plants, and there was an error in my response.
Me: What episode of the Land of the Giants features man-eating plants?
ChatGPT: In the classic science fiction television series "Land of the Giants," there is an episode titled "The Weird World" (Season 2, Episode 18) that features man-eating plants. In this episode, the crew of the spaceship Spindrift encounters a world filled with giant, carnivorous plants that pose a significant threat to them. The episode "The Weird World" revolves around the characters' struggle to survive and escape from this dangerous environment filled with aggressive flora. Man-eating plants play a central role in the episode's plot.
Me: Are you sure?
ChatGPT: I apologize for the earlier inaccuracies. Upon further review, it appears that I provided incorrect information regarding the presence of man-eating plants in the "Land of the Giants" episode titled "The Weird World." After reevaluating the episode, it does not feature man-eating plants as a central element of the plot. I appreciate your patience and apologize for any confusion caused by the previous response.
***
What is most disturbing about these and many other results is how detailed ChatGPT was in providing the TV & movie summaries. They were deceptively convincing. What does this mean for users who actually publish works using ChatGPT results?
There are real-world consequences. It's like what happened to Michael Cohen recently. He quickly used AI to generate a list of legal cases, but the results were inaccurate. You can read about it here. Will our histories be rewritten with such inaccuracies, too? What about customer support, when users are given incorrect solutions by AI tech support? Or a mechanic being directed incorrectly on how to fix your car?
The verdict is in. Do NOT trust anything that comes out of Artificial Intelligence now. The hasty leap we take as a civilization to make things easier may, in the end, lead us over a proverbial cliff.
Today was my first official book signing for my new book, A Life with Carnivorous Plants, at McKay Used Books in Manassas, Virginia. There were a lot of carnivorous plant enthusiasts, some with large collections of their own. And the kids loved the live plants I brought with me. You can order the book in paperback and eBook formats on Amazon.
Here are some of the pictures I took throughout the day:
Learn how to grow, maintain, and propagate beautiful and healthy carnivorous plants: Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, sundews, and butterworts. This book is for the beginner and intermediate grower with simple and easy-to-understand instructions. Includes over 150 color photographs and how-to steps, plus a Resources chapter detailing where you can purchase plants, growing supplies, and interact with other carnivorous plant hobbyists. Propagation techniques include division, seeds, and cuttings. Within a few years you can easily double or triple your collection.
Author Victor Rook has been growing carnivorous plants since 1973. His enthusiasm for carnivorous plants started at the age of 10 when his mother purchased two Venus flytraps from a nursery in Medina, New York. Back then, there were no David Attenborough documentaries that delved deeper into these strange curiosities. And Marlin Perkins never featured carnivorous plants on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. So it was books that would be his main resource.
This colorful primer includes tried-and-true methods used by professional and knowledgeable amateur growers around the world. If you ever purchase a carnivorous plant for yourself, a friend, or family member, include this book as a companion. Carnivorous plants have very special needs, unlike typical houseplants. With a little help, anyone can become a successful cultivator of these wildly intriguing plants.
There is nothing more satisfying to me as an author than hearing another person read my written words out loud. And even more so with a professional narrator skilled in understanding the spoken word: how to exude the proper emotions, time the delivery of words and pauses, and apply different dialects to different characters. Audiobooks also allow me to control the speed at which a listener takes in my words, and it frees them up from holding a book or device. They can just sit back, close their eyes, and imagine.
Though it takes a lot of time and effort to turn a written book into an audiobook, the process can be quite rewarding. Here is what it took to turn The Ghosts of Culpeper Antiques into an audiobook.
The Process
1. First, I had to have the written book completed and already published on Amazon.
2. Next, I submitted a few select pages of the book on ACX.com, the platform used by Amazon to create Audible books. Within a few hours I was receiving free auditions from narrators, sometimes 2-3 an hour. After receiving about three dozen auditions over the week, I narrowed it down to four and asked a few of them if they could alter their takes a bit to be more in line with what I had in mind for Mary, the story's main narrator, who is in her 70s. I made sure to message each person who auditioned and thanked them for their time.
I finally chose actor and narrator Elizabeth Schmidt (American Sniper, Law & Order, Grey's Anatomy). She did a wonderful job of capturing Mary's general demeanor, and just as important, her audio recording quality was superb. We worked out a Royalty-Share Plus agreement where I would pay her upfront at a reduced rate after the production and we would split the royalties from sales.
3. To help with the understanding of all 16 characters, I came up with a detailed description of each, which included their ages, general demeanors, and ethnic backgrounds. I even searched the web for photos of people that best represented what I had in mind. This made it easier for the narrator to determine the right tone and articulation for each character.
4. After I approved the initial 15 minutes, the fun began. This is where it's important for you, the author, to assist the narrator as each chapter is completed and uploaded for your review. If a character is not coming off how you had in mind, you want to guide the narrator in the right direction as soon as possible. This can be daunting, because you are hearing actual spoken words for a character that was once only in your head.
5. There will be mistakes along the way--wrong words, mispronunciations, and delivery problems. This is to be expected. So you make a corrections spreadsheet and give it to the narrator at the end of all the recordings.
6. Once all chapters were approved, and payment was made to the narrator, I submitted the book for a final review on Audible before it was published. The entire process to create the four-hour audiobook for The Ghosts of Culpeper Antiques took two months. You will be sick of your book by then, so give yourself a good break afterward.
The Results
Here is a 2-minute snippet from Chapter 1 of The Ghosts of Culpeper Antiques, now available for FREE with a new Audible subscription. Order here. Enjoy!
It's a common belief that the quality of a book lies solely in the hands of the author. We often praise or criticize a book based on its storyline, characters, or writing style. However, it's important to recognize that sometimes the issue isn't with the book itself, but rather with the reader. Many readers approach books with different reading habits and preferences, and these factors can greatly impact their experience. From reading too fast or skipping words to struggling with concentration, there are various ways in which readers can hinder their own enjoyment of a book. Let's delve into this phenomenon.
1. Reading Too Fast
One common issue is the tendency to read too quickly. In our fast-paced society, we are often pressed for time and try to squeeze in reading whenever possible. While speed reading can be an impressive skill, it can also be detrimental to truly absorbing and savoring a book's content. When readers rush through a book, they risk missing out on important details, nuances, and subtext that contribute to the overall reading experience. The story becomes a mere sequence of events, lacking depth and emotional connection. By slowing down and allowing the words to resonate, readers can truly engage with the material and appreciate the author's craft. Read more about that here.
2. Skipping and Skimming
Skipping words or entire passages is another habit that some readers have. This behavior often stems from impatience or a desire to get to the "good parts" quickly. However, this approach undermines the storytelling and undermines the author's intention. Every word in a book is carefully chosen to convey meaning and evoke emotions. By skipping over sections, readers may miss crucial plot points, character development, or beautiful prose that adds richness to the narrative. Reading requires patience and a willingness to immerse oneself fully in the world created by the author.
3. Poor Concentration
Concentration problems also plague many readers. In today's digital age, distractions are plentiful, making it difficult for some individuals to maintain focus while reading. With smartphones, social media, and constant notifications vying for attention, it's no wonder that readers find it challenging to stay engaged with a book for extended periods. I find this is true for movies, too. This lack of concentration not only hampers comprehension but also inhibits the reader's ability to enter the story's world and connect with the characters on a deeper level. Developing mindfulness and setting aside dedicated time for reading can help mitigate these concentration issues and enhance the reading experience.
4. Spoiler Reading
Furthermore, there are readers who confess to reading the ending of a book first, unable to withstand the anticipation of how the story will conclude. I was shocked when someone told me they do this. The practice, known as "spoiler reading," disrupts the natural flow of the narrative and undermines the suspense and surprises that make a book captivating. By skipping ahead, these readers deny themselves the joy of the journey and the gradual unfolding of the plot. The satisfaction of a well-crafted ending is diminished when it is divorced from the context of the story as a whole. Embracing the uncertainty and immersing oneself fully in the narrative can lead to a more fulfilling reading experience.
5. Picking the Wrong Genre
I once had a contest winner choose my In Search of Good Times book. After starting it, she posted, "If the world was coming to an end, I would rather read tea leaves." She couldn't understand the premise of the book -- why a man would pack up and set off on a road trip to search for fictitious sitcom families. She stopped only 50 pages in. The whole point of the book was to determine why he had this sudden obsession. Had she finished the book she would have been quite surprised, and I hope fulfilled. Others tell me it's their favorite book of all time.
Turns out this critic was only into gothic/vampire books, and she was highly praised for being extra mean to authors in her reviews. (This is why many authors avoid GoodReads as a viable source of objective feedback.)
In Conclusion
It's essential to recognize that reading is a skill that requires practice and discipline. Just as we don't expect every person to run a marathon without training, we shouldn't assume that all readers are equally skilled or engage with books in the same way. Each reader brings their own unique set of habits, preferences, and challenges to the reading experience. By being aware of these habits and actively working to improve them, readers can enhance their enjoyment of books and fully appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship of the authors.
