u/Hefty-Paramedic5718

The school year is about to start again soon, and today all I can think about is last semester. A contemporary philosophy class met before mine. The class dealt with such heavy issues that they were issued a therapy dog, a golden retriever, which would walk around and be petted while students went back and forth discussing whether the president was the Pharmakon--(the medicine and the poison of our times).

Well, whenever I entered the room to set up, that therapy dog focused all its attention on me. I remember with some affection and some sadness that I was high priority for that dog.

And I don't know how to feel about that.

Hi! I'm a former Gila Hotshot who wrote a novel about wildland firefighting called American Fire. I have some free audiobook codes left for my book and wanted to share them on this page with the people who appreciate the highest highs and lowest lows of the job. Stay safe and I hope you have a good end to the season!

PS I'm told that most of the codes are gone. Posted a few extra codes below!

Please enjoy one free audio review copy of American Fire, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo

42JYAZRJLD77P

4J669Y4U69NJ2

4TBUT4RSRYAZS

5JW9UHWLGWFP8

692MQHKDZ7Q8C

6GPJL7FRMQEFR

74UR5ESX47Y4M

833ZWCHMENBE3

8HUQUU88GL76C

AUZ965JS8EZPW

ZWH7DWTT3QXDG

Y39X6PY5DF2EG

XQL6GMGJTTBYB

XEAUGN2A8CHU9

XBA5D39H89SGQ

I’m a graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy (now closing) and recently published a novel about my experience called The Forge. The school was valuable training for me and I spent twenty years or so working on the novel--only releasing it now because the school closed this year, which is a real tragedy. It gave students the chance to experience military life and discipline and decide whether the armed services was a viable route.

I wanted to post some codes to the audiobook if you are interested. Thanks!

Please enjoy one free audio review copy of The Forge: A Military Academy Novel, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo

27X4SLRCHJSSD

28KH6BPBDDLBC

2BENSYPZQ26J6

2EQ58X4KMCAQH

43PQGZ7F4LDY4

5335HRW2THKAR

5BCU54QXBJAEX

64F8KBW9LFQRJ
6MHGRBP66BJF7

Hi,

I’m a former cadet at Valley Forge Military Academy (now closing) and recently published a novel about my experience called THE FORGE. My book captures plebe system and much of new cadet life. A few of my teachers were former West Point instructors. I have some free audiobook codes I wanted to share. Thanks for all you do, and I hope you enjoy!

Please enjoy one free audio review copy of The Forge: A Military Academy Novel, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo 

PS8LRFAZBWLK9

QUF4RL55ZDS6L

T7TW3L2WWDQQD

WLJ3PB3LM882H

XAMZTL25A85MG

XM6SJB6ABHP5G

WLJ3PB3LM882H

XAMZTL25A85MG

XM6SJB6ABHP5G

Hi! I'm a former wildland firefigher and was on a hotshot crew in New Mexico; I wrote and published a novel a year ago called AMERICAN FIRE and still have plenty of audiobook codes for UK (Works in Canada as well). I'd like to exchange the freebies for a promise to leave a review of the audio version. Thanks!

Also, if you're interested in any of my other books, I have audio codes for those as well (mostly UK codes)

Cheers!

Please enjoy one free audio review copy of American Fire, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo

2URKTET9RWF6T

38Q65DBWZ5UR8

4CAAB4QX3862T

6Y92SMUXMMKWQ

96M4T92XWA6GB

A2KGWKZGTAY9M

A64J87G7LNEBR

C3YGQZKKKBXHE

CD6BY3AFR85X2

CFKY2Y79PGYA3

D9TH9GCMU96GC

HRNJX22Q5JEU3

JCPMX62HML98B

MXNFMAFSNDG4T

N433TZP3WGDJN

SEJE3W6TDBBCW

WEC7Y96U2NXLG

Hi! I'm a former wildland firefigher and was on a hotshot crew in New Mexico; I wrote and published a novel a year ago called AMERICAN FIRE and still have plenty of audiobook codes for UK (Works in Canada as well). I'd like to exchange the freebies for a promise to leave a review of the audio version. Thanks!

Also, if you're interested in any of my other books, I have audio codes for those as well (mostly UK codes)

Cheers!

Please enjoy one free audio review copy of American Fire, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo

2URKTET9RWF6T

38Q65DBWZ5UR8

4CAAB4QX3862T

6Y92SMUXMMKWQ

96M4T92XWA6GB

99NBGN7Z88JHX

A2KGWKZGTAY9M

A64J87G7LNEBR

C3YGQZKKKBXHE

CD6BY3AFR85X2

CFKY2Y79PGYA3

D9TH9GCMU96GC

HRNJX22Q5JEU3

JCPMX62HML98B

MXNFMAFSNDG4T

N433TZP3WGDJN

SEJE3W6TDBBCW

UPYQEQN5MANLT

WEC7Y96U2NXLG

For what it’s worth, a novel I wrote two decades ago and just released is unexpectedly gaining some traction and I wanted to share my personal experience in the hope it may be useful to others.

Brief backstory: I was sent to Valley Forge Military Academy when I was sixteen and wrote a novel about it in college. I wrote the first draft in two months (wicked carpal tunnel) and spent about twenty years revising it without seriously considering ever releasing it.

The reasons I held back:

1)     The book is written in a young voice that isn't necessarily who I am as a writer/person now; reading it made the perfectionist in me cringe.

2)     I also thought no one would give a crap about a highly personal coming-of-age story at a military school—so to publish it in my perfectionist mind was just an embarrassment.  

As I said before, to my surprise, the book is selling decently and also receiving some heartfelt responses. It has been totally worth it, and the point of this response is to encourage others, and say don't be hard on yourself! You'll be surprised how many people out there want to hear YOUR story, even if it seems insignificant.

A few random insights/things I did differently publishing this time:

1)     I priced the book a dollar higher than usual. Don't sell yourself short!

2)     I used to stress more about reviews, but this is my fourth novel and I find its like having a fourth kid--you really don’t have the energy to be a helicopter parent to your book. Some people will like the book, some won’t. Do your best. It doesn’t matter, and aside from marketing and writing a good novel, it's out of your hands. Even if you get a bad review, at least people are reading my book, and whatever they say may be useful.

3)      The one unforeseen challenge I've had with this book is because it is based on a period in my life, some readers have recognized their fictional counterparts in the story and aren’t pleased by their depiction. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't stress me out—I don’t want to hurt people’s feelings--but it shouldn't prevent you from sharing your story. People are always going to complain and find fault with...anything. That’s life. You can’t please everyone.

So, though it sounds cheesy, I wanted to say: there are people out there who are interested! And will care about your book, even if it feels like you wrote it at a different stage in your life and now you’ve outgrown it. I encourage you to have faith and return to some of projects you might’ve prematurely called failures and shoved in the drawer. Don’t criticize yourself so harshly. Take another look, don't undersell yourself.

Good luck and happy writing! Hope everyone had a nice semiquincentennial!