Hi All...

book: novelist as a vocation

"In this engaging book, the internationally bestselling author and famously private writer Haruki Murakami shares with readers his thoughts on the role of the novel in our society; his own origins as a writer; and his musings on the sparks of creativity that inspire other writers, artists and musicians. Here are the personal details of a life devoted to craft: the initial moment at a Yakult Swallows baseball game, when he suddenly knew he could write a novel; the importance of memory, what he calls a writer's "mental chest of drawers"; the necessity of loneliness, patience and his daily running routine; the seminal role a carrier pigeon played in his career. Readers who have long wondered where the mysterious novelist gets his ideas and what inspires his strangely surreal worlds will be fascinated by this insightful and unique look at the craft of writing and into the mind of a master storyteller.

https://bookshop.org/a/93260/9781101974537

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Re: book: novelist as a vocation"
By: Aug to All on Sat Feb 17 2024 10:29 pm

In this engaging book, the internationally bestselling author and famously

private writer Haruki Murakami shares with readers his thoughts on the role of the novel in our society.

THe more I think aoub it, the more I realize the role of the novel in society is to act as merchandise for something else.

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Re: book: novelist as a vocation"
By: Aug to All on Sat Feb 17 2024 10:29 pm

In this engaging book, the internationally bestselling author and famously

private writer Haruki Murakami shares with readers his thoughts on the role of
the novel in our society.
THe more I think aoub it, the more I realize the role of the novel in society
is to act as merchandise for something else.
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That's an interesting take. Like everything, there are multiple levels of motivation. I know plenty of authors who are only too happy to have their works published and expect zero reward. The online webnovel phenom is certainly largely based on that.

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Hello Richard Falken!

Re: book: novelist as a vocation"

THe more I think aoub it, the more I realize the role of
the novel in society is to act as merchandise for something
else.

What do you mean, like RPG book/stories promoting other types
of RPG products?

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Re: book: novelist as a vocation"
By: August Abolins to Richard Falken on Mon Feb 19 2024 12:09 pm

What do you mean, like RPG book/stories promoting other types
of RPG products?

Quite the contrary,

Dragonlance novels existed to get you to buy Dragonlance gamming material and to play D&D.

We don't really have that anymore. We have people or orgs that are already popular publish books as an extra source of income instead.

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On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:25:48 -0600
"Richard Falken -> August Abolins" <0@115.135.1> wrote:

Dragonlance novels existed to get you to buy Dragonlance gamming material and
to play D&D.

We don't really have that anymore. We have people or orgs that are already popular publish books as an extra source of income instead.

The above is the last message I see posted here. Is this area still getting noticed?

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Re: Re: book: novelist as a vocation"
By: August Abolins to Richard Falken on Tue Jun 09 2026 03:54 pm

We don't really have that anymore. We have people or orgs that are already popular publish books as an extra source of income instead.

The above is the last message I see posted here. Is this area still getting noticed?

Thanks for pinging me heh.

I get the messaes here no problem, so I suppose the group is just dormant.


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On 09 Jun. 2026 10:47, you wrote to August:

Thanks for pinging me heh.

I get the messaes here no problem, so I suppose the group is just dormant.

John Dovey (who set up this echo) hasnt revisited this place for quite some time. This one was intended for RPG writing discussions which are quite specific, and possibly a small genre.

A popular rpg-style in my shop is the Dungeon Crawler series by Carl Matt Dinniman. The hardbacks have a funny "extra" clue/title under the dust jacket.

.
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Re: Re: book: novelist as a vocation"
By: August Abolins to Richard Falken on Tue Jun 09 2026 07:08 pm

A popular rpg-style in my shop is the Dungeon Crawler series by Carl Matt Dinniman. The hardbacks have a funny "extra" clue/title under the dust jacket.

I suppose it is not related to Dungeon Crawl: Stone Soup, isn't it?

Ed Greenwood used to write a lot of stuff that felt very "dungeon crawl" but I could never stomach his books.


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On 09 Jun. 2026 10:47, you wrote to August:

Thanks for pinging me heh.
I get the messaes here no problem, so I suppose the group is just dormant.

John Dovey (who set up this echo) hasnt revisited this place for quite some time. This one was intended for RPG writing discussions which are quite specific, and possibly a small genre.
A popular rpg-style in my shop is the Dungeon Crawler series by Carl Matt Dinniman. The hardbacks have a funny "extra" clue/title under the dust jacket.
.

Dungeon Crawler Carl is precisely why I started this group. It's the major breakout from the online-only website base that this genre is primarily available in.

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On 09 Jun. 2026 10:47, you wrote to August:

Thanks for pinging me heh.
I get the messaes here no problem, so I suppose the group is just dormant.

John Dovey (who set up this echo) hasnt revisited this place for quite some time. This one was intended for RPG writing discussions which are quite specific, and possibly a small genre.
A popular rpg-style in my shop is the Dungeon Crawler series by Carl Matt Dinniman. The hardbacks have a funny "extra" clue/title under the dust jacket.
.

Isn't it strange that the most on-topic discussion here is brought about because of a thread to possibly remove the group?

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John Dovey (Photography) wrote to August Abolins <=-

On 09 Jun. 2026 10:47, you wrote to August:

Thanks for pinging me heh.
I get the messaes here no problem, so I suppose the group is just dormant.

John Dovey (who set up this echo) hasnt revisited this place for quite

some

time. This one was intended for RPG writing discussions which are
quite specific, and possibly a small genre.

A popular rpg-style in my shop is the Dungeon Crawler series by Carl Matt

D

inniman. The hardbacks have a funny "extra" clue/title under the dust jacket.

.

Dungeon Crawler Carl is precisely why I started this group. It's the major breakout from the online-only website base that this genre is primarily available in.

So why did you disappear and abandon "your" group?



... He does the work of 3 Men...Moe, Larry & Curly
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John Dovey (Photography) wrote to August Abolins <=-

On 09 Jun. 2026 10:47, you wrote to August:

dormant.

John Dovey (who set up this echo) hasnt revisited this place for quite

some

time. This one was intended for RPG writing discussions which are
quite specific, and possibly a small genre.

A popular rpg-style in my shop is the Dungeon Crawler series by Carl Matt

D

inniman. The hardbacks have a funny "extra" clue/title under the dust
jacket.

.

Dungeon Crawler Carl is precisely why I started this group. It's the
major breakout from the online-only website base that this genre is
primarily available in.

So why did you disappear and abandon "your" group?
... He does the work of 3 Men...Moe, Larry & Curly
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52

Because, in no particular order, I've gotten seperated and busy with a divorce, moved countries, spent a year prospecting for diamonds in Lesotho, spent almost a year starting a cannabis farm outside Johannesburg, had two heart attacks and had a pacemaker installed, gotten a young girlfriend and various other things. Aka "Life happened"

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John Dovey (Photography) wrote to Dan Clough <=-

So why did you disappear and abandon "your" group?

Because, in no particular order, I've gotten seperated and busy with a divorce, moved countries, spent a year prospecting for diamonds in Lesotho, spent almost a year starting a cannabis farm outside Johannesburg, had two heart attacks and had a pacemaker installed,
gotten a young girlfriend and various other things. Aka "Life happened"

Wow, pretty good reasons, I guess. Thanks for the reply.



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Hello John Dovey [[Photography]]!

** On Friday 12.06.26 - 16:24, John Dovey [[Photography]] wrote:

[...] in no particular order..

[...] Aka "Life happened"

Indeed. You were crawling your own dungeons.

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On June 12 2026, John Dovey (Photography) wrote:

Isn't it strange that the most on-topic discussion here is brought
about because of a thread to possibly remove the group?

No threat of removal. FTN systems can choose to retain or drop an echo. If you mean
the ELIST listing, that's not critical.

I just decided to "poke the bear" after a long period to test distribution.

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a year starting a cannabis farm outside Johannesburg, had two heart attacks and
had a pacemaker installed, gotten a young girlfriend and various other things.

Be careful, those young girlfriends can be difficult on hearts and
pacemakers! :D

Glad you are better.


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On June 12 2026, John Dovey (Photography) wrote:

Isn't it strange that the most on-topic discussion here is brought
about because of a thread to possibly remove the group?

No threat of removal. FTN systems can choose to retain or drop an echo. If you mean
the ELIST listing, that's not critical.
I just decided to "poke the bear" after a long period to test distribution.

https://brorabbit.g0x.ru/pic/6a2c5d49.jpg


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Hello John Dovey [[Photography]]!
** On Friday 12.06.26 - 16:24, John Dovey [[Photography]] wrote:

[...] in no particular order..

[...] Aka "Life happened"

Indeed. You were crawling your own dungeons.
--
../|ug

Yeah, and as anyone who knows about South Africa knows, farming here is not for the faint of heart..

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Hello John Dovey [[Photography]]!

** On Friday 12.06.26 - 05:13, John Dovey [[Photography]] wrote to August Abolins:

Dungeon Crawler Carl is precisely why I started this group. It's the major breakout from the online-only website base that this genre is primarily available in.

The books series seems to be gaining popularity (at my shop).

Deluxe editions are listing at $84ea CDN.

And recently, the graphics novel versions are coming out.


The title for book 3 might seem controversial, or a throwback to "the" book the title refers to.


--
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Re: Re: book: novelist as a v
By: Mike Powell to JOHN DOVEY (PHOTOGRAPHY) on Fri Jun 12 2026 01:09 pm

Be careful, those young girlfriends can be difficult on hearts and pacemakers! :D

And wallets, don't forget the threat against wallets.

A friend of mine used to be in the brink of brokeness until he broke up with his girlfriend, suddenly he was able to start saving money afterwards.

Yeah, I know, Arelor is always the positive guy in the group. I am glad to cheer everybody up.


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Re: Re: book: novelist as a v
By: Mike Powell to JOHN DOVEY (PHOTOGRAPHY) on Fri Jun 12 2026 01:09 pm

Be careful, those young girlfriends can be difficult on hearts and pacemakers! :D

And wallets, don't forget the threat against wallets.
A friend of mine used to be in the brink of brokeness until he broke up with his girlfriend, suddenly he was able to start saving money afterwards.
Yeah, I know, Arelor is always the positive guy in the group. I am glad to cheer everybody up.
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LOL. Yeah, as they say, you're only as old as the woman you're touching...

It's an .... interesting ... journey this.

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Hello John Dovey [[Photography]]!

** On Thursday 18.06.26 - 11:30, John Dovey [[Photography]] wrote to Richard Falken:

And wallets, don't forget the threat against wallets. A friend of mine
used to be in the brink of brokeness until he broke up with his
girlfriend, suddenly he was able to start saving money

LOL. Yeah, as they say, you're only as old as the woman you're touching...

Who is "they"? Just one person with the initials JD? :D

It's an .... interesting ... journey this.

How big is the weed farm? International clients? ..or just domestic?


--
../|ug

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Hello John Dovey [[Photography]]!
** On Thursday 18.06.26 - 11:30, John Dovey [[Photography]] wrote to Richard Falken:

LOL. Yeah, as they say, you're only as old as the woman you're
touching...

Who is "they"? Just one person with the initials JD? :D

It's an .... interesting ... journey this.

How big is the weed farm? International clients? ..or just domestic?
--
../|ug

Yeah, I can only speak from experience ;~-)

I've got 500 plants in the ground for production, 200 in. Arrow room to develop as mother plants and another 100 for experimentation with different strains and other tests.

Once my mother plants are ready, I'll start making clones from them. Initial plan is 200 a week, then pushing to 4 and the 600 a week. Our calculations are that at peak we can be running 26000 plants simultaneously. We're planning on three harvests a year, but we might push that up or down depending on which of our methodologies works best for us. 26000is growing in the open with lights to control the photoperiod, growing the plants to size so that could be four to six months between harvests. The other method is that we forget about yield per plant, and concentrate on yield per square meter, grow the plants to only a meter or so, then flip them from veg to flowering, and move them outside to complete flowering. Two very different approaches.

We're initially going to sell only product (buds) but we want to value add, so we're doing intensive investigation into the most scalable and cost effective way to produce high purity oil for medicinal use and obviously for export.
We'll make pre-rolls from the lesser buds as that triples the sales value. We're doing product development on stage three, that is infusion of variables edibles etc, but that has an administrative burden that concerns me.

It's a process. Lots of options. Lots of art and lots of science. I've written a management system, which focuses on data gathering of all the variables I can possibly get. I'm a data guy, so I want to see the data over time, different weather conditions, lighting, propagation methods, watering, nutrients, strains etc.

One side project I'm doing is to breed Tilapia in a dam and use that water to feed the plants the natural nutrients. It's challenging. I'm struggling with pH levels and nutrients load and finding the balance is difficult.

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Hello John Dovey [[Photography]]!

** On Thursday 18.06.26 - 22:29, you wrote to me:

I've got 500 plants in the ground for production, 200 in. Arrow room to develop as mother plants and another 100 for experimentation with different strains and other tests.

[...]

It's a process. Lots of options. Lots of art and lots of science. I've written a management system, which focuses on data gathering of all the variables I can possibly get. I'm a data guy, so I want to see the data over time, different weather conditions, lighting, propagation methods, watering, nutrients, strains etc.

Wow.. that sounds like quite the operation. So, government regulations are pretty lax?

--
../|ug

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Hello John Dovey [[Photography]]!
** On Thursday 18.06.26 - 22:29, you wrote to me:

I've got 500 plants in the ground for production, 200 in. Arrow room to
develop as mother plants and another 100 for experimentation with
different strains and other tests.

[...]

It's a process. Lots of options. Lots of art and lots of science. I've
written a management system, which focuses on data gathering of all the
variables I can possibly get. I'm a data guy, so I want to see the data
over time, different weather conditions, lighting, propagation methods,
watering, nutrients, strains etc.

Wow.. that sounds like quite the operation. So, government regulations are
pretty lax?
--
../|ug

No. This is South Africa. Heavily over-regulated, but fortunately, under enforced.
Also, quite often the form is more important than the substance when it comes to compliance.
I have to track everything "from seed to sale", which I very clearly do. The fact that even with all that there is no way to _actually_ ensure compliance is ironic.

The edibles are different because they set up the prerequisites and ongoing inspections in such a way that 30% of your effort and 40% of your cost go into it.

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Dungeon Crawler Carl is precisely why I started this group. It's the major breakout from the online-only website base that this genre is primarily available in.

I'm pretty interested in this. How easy is the read? My ADD is severe, so
my attention span is quite limited. If it's a breeze, I think I might try
it as it sounds quite good.

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Hello Martin!

** On Friday 03.07.26 - 12:49, Martin wrote to John:

Dungeon Crawler Carl is precisely why I started this group. It's the
major breakout from the online-only website base that this genre is
primarily available in.

I'm pretty interested in this. How easy is the read? My ADD is severe, so my attention span is quite limited. If it's a breeze, I think I might try it as it sounds quite good.

The book seems to be crazy popular from my shop. Haven't tried it myself, but I assume that the "game" feel is maintained and thus it's high-spaced action along with funny commentary. It has a talking cat. :/



--
../|ug

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