Seriously…I got nothing.

Sorry about that. Not what to do…because I did all I could all week long and everything wanted to rebel.

Right.

Okay, so that was a thing.
Survived, yes, but wow it was a challenging week.

That’s it.

The rest you can listen to in the video….

Oh. …and here’s your treat today:

Just right click and “Save image as” to your desktop and use it from there.

Have a great week.

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *refuse-to-give-up* Buckley

P.S. — If you’re a writer and you’re new here, check the links below. Anne from Tell Me a Mystery runs a weekly writing stream where we hang out, visit for an hour, and do writing sprints. It’s low-key and it’s good.

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Remember:

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

…AAAAAND I FORGOT to tell you about my daughter Asia!

She’s still pregnant.

That’s not the point.
That I could have a grandchild ON MY BIRTHDAY….THAT’S the point!!

So close.

Soooooooo close, and she is SO done being pregnant.

I’m gonna pretend it doesn’t matter to me and she should just have the baby now.

Remember… SALE this week.

Everything digital is on sale. Both on Lifeoffiction.com and on JaimeBuckley.com.

Have a great week.

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *completely-tired* Buckley

P.S. — If you’re a writer and you’re new here, check the links below. Anne from Tell Me a Mystery runs a weekly writing stream where we hang out, visit for an hour, and do writing sprints. It’s low-key and it’s good.

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Remember:

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

Good MORNIN’ you!

Feeling good. REAL good.

SUCH a good week.

Wanted to make sure I said a special hello to , , , , , , Boris Bodwell, , , and .

Welcome, all of you, to our lovely little community!

Okay…I’m moving on to start writing for the day =)

Watch the video. Tells it all.

Have a great week.

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *the-gigglemaster* Buckley

P.S. — If you’re a writer and you’re new here, check the links below. Anne from Tell Me a Mystery runs a weekly writing stream where we hang out, visit for an hour, and do writing sprints. It’s low-key and it’s good.

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Remember:

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

We are so back.

4 in the morning, two pages of notes, and I am genuinely excited to be here with you.

First — welcome.

We had 19 new subscribers join this community last week!

WOW.

Probably the most in a single week we’ve ever seen.

So I want to say good morning to , , , , cgonnelle, , cstoddard, , j.butterfield, , (paid supporter - THANK YOU), , (paid supporter - THANK YOU), , kavitajsus, tim.narey, Where I Break Open, , and .

Welcome, all of you.
I’m so glad you’re here.

• Life of Fiction is now being read in 41 states and 41 countries. That’s not nothing. That’s pretty remarkable for a small community of the best people on Substack.

• A quick note to those who only put their email in — no name. I see you. I love you. My readers have always been 90% lurkers, the sweetest people who’ll email me personally but don’t show themselves online. That’s fine. But at least tell me your name so I can say good morning properly.

Mother’s Day Adventure at Walmart

So yesterday I went on a mission with Roman (11) and Ruby (7, going on 45). The kids wanted to do something for their mom and their grandma, who lives with us. I don’t usually shop on Sundays, but they had their own money saved and big hearts, so off we went.

• They wanted to buy the whole store. We had a talk. Pool your money, agree on something, no arguments, and older doesn’t mean you get to decide, Roman.

• In about seven seconds flat they both gravitated to the same big gorgeous bouquet — yellow roses with deep orange-red fading on the edges. They had just enough money between them. I offered to pay. They said no. I was so proud I didn’t know what to do with myself.

• Then we found a teddy bear bigger than Ruby. Kathy loves teddy bears — last one she got was before Roman was born. So, yeah. We found one.

• Grandma’s obsession is turtles. Hundreds of them. Every kind, porcelain to lawn ornaments. We hunted the whole store. Finally found one and a short buff guy who looked like an older biker, climbed the shelves, fell off the shelves, grabbed it by the head, handed it to Ruby. Perfect dad-lesson delivered by a stranger.

• Ruby picked a card for Grandma that made her cry. Roman picked a card for his mom — she laughed out loud. I kept my name off both cards. This was from those two kids. They got all the credit. As it should be.

Happy Mother’s Day. That includes the single dads out there carrying both roles. I see you too.

Photos and My Sister

Anyone else getting bombarded by Dropbox Plus and Apple Cloud upgrade emails? It got me thinking.

• We just bought cameras for kids going on school trips and graduation outings. I told them how lucky they are — when I was young, you had 24 exposures on a roll of film, had to drive to a little kiosk that was barely big enough to stand in, wait three days, and then find out your thumb was in the way the whole time.

• My sister Michal Ann visited from Washington this week. She takes pictures I actually want to look at. Everyone was laughing, kids were crawling over Aunt Michal Ann, grandson Tossie was sitting on his mom’s lap making the wildest expressions. Turns out my daughter Wynnie was making faces at him and he was copying her.

  

• We also got one of my kids a Polaroid. The new mini kind. I’m telling you right now, the film is expensive and the photos are the size of a postage stamp. Should’ve just bought digital and printed at Walmart.

My Community Right Now

Small farming town, maybe a thousand people. And I need to say again…I have the best neighbors in the world.

• There’s a measles outbreak moving through our community right now. A particular strain that can cause severe light sensitivity…some kids have been kept in dark basements for days because light exposure could damage their vision. Whole families getting hit like a wave.

• When moms get sick, who takes care of everyone? Moms. And our moms are down too. What I’ve been hearing from neighbors is that other women in this community…wives, mothers themselves…are going house to house, sitting up through the night, caring for sick children and exhausted families. More than once. Quietly. Nobody asking for credit.

• My wife wants to help but we’re holding back because one of our daughters is close to having a baby, and this strain of measles carries serious risks at her stage of pregnancy. So we wait. And we’re grateful.

I grew up in California.
Most of my neighbors there were not kind people.

I moved here and I haven’t met a single person in this town I don’t like.
Not one.
My two closest friends both live within three blocks.
That doesn’t happen by accident.

I’m very blessed and I know it.

What’s Coming This Week

I owe you an apology.

Last week’s cover said Chronicles of a Hero was restarting May 8th. I misspoke — it was supposed to be this Friday. I couldn’t make it happen on that date, and saying something and not following through is not my character. Some of you told me to say “oops” and move on.

So: oops.

Here’s what this week actually looks like:

• Tuesday — Lore

• Wednesday — Artwork / Speed Drawing (first one in a while, I’ve missed it)

• Friday — Chronicles of a Hero chapters restart

The Life of Fiction Podcast is also coming back.
We stopped at episode 64.

Life hit hard and I took time to figure out what the show actually needs to be.

I think you’re going to love it.

I’m not telling you what it is yet because I have a plan and plans need to be built before they’re announced.

A Question for You — Audio

I’ve had a lot of requests for Chronicles audiobooks.
I hear you.

Hiram, I know you drive a truck. A lot of you are listening through Substack’s AI voice and it’s mangling character names and pronunciation.

Here’s my question:
I don’t have a studio, and I don’t have unlimited time. But I could do casual readings — me, live, no heavy editing, probably a few stumbles.

Real.

If that’s better to you than the AI voice, I’ll make it happen.
Let me know in the comments.

Hiram, I especially want to hear from you.

One Last Thing — Truly Found Grandpa on YouTube

My granddaughter Truly dug up old footage of me on YouTube from my Twitch days.

Truly found those old videos and started copying me while I drew. My daughter saved the drawings. I got Truly’s versions of what I was making on screen.

That’s it.
That’s the whole thing.
That’s a good week right there.

Thank you for being part of this community.
I’ve got surprises…things I genuinely want to tell you right now…but you’ll have to wait.

Have a great week.

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *back-in-the-saddle* Buckley

P.S. — If you’re a writer and you’re new here, check the links below. Anne from Tell Me a Mystery runs a weekly writing stream where we hang out, visit for an hour, and do writing sprints. It’s low-key and it’s good.

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Join The Sprint!

Dang it. I lost my 4’ Yoda doll.

Seriously. I had an inflatable Yoda I would put out front of the house today, and I could not find it in storage…so that’s a blown year.

Dang it.

Well regardless….

…AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY to !

Been a lot of birthdays this month already!

First Ruby, then Wynnie, Joseph, my brother Jonathan is the 13th, and mine is on the 27th. There are more int he family….but I forgot what they dates are. I believe we have a May 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 13 (x2), 14, 18, 21, 23,...and then mine, 27th.

That’s between my wife and kids, and my brothers and sisters and their kids…

Wow…I think May is our busiest birthday month of the year.

WooHOO!

My Question About Referral Prizes

Seriously, what digital item could I create that you would share Life of Fiction to get your hands on? Let me know!!

I want to make them digital gifts, so I can automate the process and make sure you GET the gifts via Substack and we don’t have to rely on me remembering (embarrassed grin).

Let me explain the choices in more detail:

• Exclusive Chronicles novella (never sold, 10k+ words, bridges book)

• Complete character art collection (every main character, drawn by me, in color, high-res)

• Full digital product bundle ($200+ value: all activity packs, curriculum guides, printables)

• Executive producer credit in next Chronicles project (book, game, or music album)

• Name a major recurring character in a Book (credited in acknowledgments)

I’m thinking about the tiers being 5, 15 and 50 referrals.

If you can think of something else you’d prefer, let me know in the comments. I’ll consider anything reasonable…or slightly unreasonable.

(grin)

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *the-NON-Orca-swimmer* Buckley

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MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

Morning.

150 weeks of doing this together?!?

That’s SO cool.

I’m sitting here with my hot drink—some dandelion something that isn’t coffee, isn’t tea, but beats Pero by a mile. Small win before 6 AM.

This week feels like January to me. Brand new year energy.

Why?

• Because I’m finally wrapping up a project I’ve been buried in for almost a year

• Season 6 of Chronicles of a Hero is done

• I’m excited to get back to all the things I’ve had to shelve.

There’s so much happening in the world of publishing and Substack right now, and I’ve got this feeling there’s going to be a massive migration coming.

A lot of famous names are joining Substack. Some people are saying that makes discovery harder for the rest of us.

I don’t see it that way.

Every big name brings their audience over.
They’re bringing new fans for everybody.
A bigger pool.
More opportunity.

Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am.

The way media and the world are going right now, there’s so much lying.

I go to YouTube and everything feels like clickbait.

Channels I loved for two years?
Won’t watch them anymore.

There isn’t uniqueness or personality anymore. Everything feels and looks and tastes the same.

Except for those who are not.

I just want to tell stories.
I want to have fun.
I want to take you deeper into mystery and magic and... yeah, lots of stuff.

Let’s get back to some normalcy.

And here’s the thing: if you are authentically you and your stories don’t suck… you’re still in business.

If you’re consistent and authentic, eventually you’re going to stand out like gold.

Everyone else seems to be chasing fads or AI or whatever.
Everything eventually becomes the same.

Except for those who aren’t.

Quick shift.

My son tried to swim with wild orcas over the weekend.

I know.

My boys flew out to Oregon with some friends for a weekend of roleplaying. They went down to Pebble Beach to watch the seals. He climbed down to about 10 feet from the water to get a better shot.

All of a sudden, two black fins come up and head toward the seals.

Two orcas.
Two killer whales.

He looks at me while telling the story and says, “Dad, I can’t tell you how badly I wanted to just jump in the water and swim with them.”

I’m like, what?

He says, “There’s not a single documented case of a wild orca ever attacking a human being. All the cases where someone was attacked were from captivity. Four out of the five attacks? Same whale.”

I’m like, “What happens if you were wrong and they did attack you?”

He says excitedly, “Well, then it would be awesome. I’d be the first documented case.”

Dude. Dude. Dude.

I have such weird kids.

Awesome weekend.

I’m excited about this week. My project will finally kick off.
Wish me luck.

But everything else? Life is great. Life is really great.

You have more opportunities than ever before. More tools available than ever before. Easier ways to make connections with people than ever before.

Nobody can stand in your way!

Go do something amazing.
Go change the world.
Make it a better place.

That’s what I’m trying to do.

Don’t try to be the best. Be the only.

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *the-NON-Orca-swimmer* Buckley

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Join The Sprint!

Life is just going to get better.

I know it doesn’t feel that way some days, but it will. Everything has it’s seasons, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.

I’m specifically talking about stories.

The creativity landscape is exploding in so many ways: AI, exploitation, cheating, gouging, self-proclaimed gatekeepers, new fees and platform changes….all affecting us all as readers and influencing how we find stories.

Even the video game industry is plagued by corporations only interested in milking you for every penny they can get their greedy hands on.

Doesn’t anyone stop to consider the consequences of such choices?
Nope.

Here’s the secret:

No matter what happens, no matter what platforms, technology or crooked people do, it will only make things better for storytellers who love their readers…and those readers who are looking for such storytellers.

Because we are now standing out as beacons of light and worth.

My desire has always been to be a writer you can count on. To be known for my character, tried by fire over time, with a growing world of stories and experiences that entertain and inspire you. As I get better at this and the publishing industry reveals its greed and deception, these works, I believe, will stand out more and more over time.

My life-long goals and heart-felt desires will actually work.

You mean I actually did something right?

I can’t stop grinning. My cheeks hurt.

What’s Happening Now

Life of Fiction is at a stage of transformation.

This is a slow process, because writing is the priority.
YOU are the priority.

The first step has been to break the content up into more bite-sized pieces. To provide a cleaner experience, focused on exchanges between you and me.

That means streamlining the serial stories, and then publishing smaller books, and then doing something I’ve desired for 10 years and didn’t know how.

Link it all together in dynamic ways.

• Links to secret information

• Interviews with characters

• Hidden lore

• Prizes to those who can solve certain mysteries

• …and more.

I’ll reveal what’s available as things get released.

Have a great day, and even better week!

Remember:

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *the-giddy-happy* Buckley

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You matter. I hope you know that.

When I started this journey with you, I told myself that I would live in this world. That I would write the stories that beat from my heart, and that I would be the best version of myself…for you, and for this community.

I’ve allowed life to knock my from that path.

…and I noticed.

I’m so sorry it took me this long to see it.
Please forgive me.

I will repent of this and refocus my attention where it should be.

-Jaime

P.S. To , , , , and …if you’re still with me, I’d like to start scheduling our Fiction Cartel sessions again. We need a common day…and Tuesdays no longer work for me. I’ll send you all an email with what I can do…but reach out to me if you get a chance.

Let’s put this into motion again.

For those interested:

GEAR GIRLS…has a third album out.

Gnome-Tone Records™ got a hold of me and let me know that the girl’s original album had been remastered and it’s been released. Broke a bunch of gnome records, which is pretty cool. If you’d like to hear this rock music, you can find it on Spotify.

Remember later on this morning….

Come write with us! Bring your personal project and spend an hour with your fellow creators =)

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *rocking-out* Buckley

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Stories. That’s what it’s about.

This week was a reminder of why I love doing what I do, and how blessed I am to be able to create for a living. Spending more time with Wendell, Chuck and Dax has reawakened my passion for this fictional world in so many ways.

Especially music.

NOTE: Hope you enjoyed the taste of ‘Still Here With You’ from Big Benny and the FatBottoms. Your normally scheduled song will return next week (no, we did NOT replace it…this was just a treat).

GEAR GIRLS…Now on TOUR!!

The court yuck is now completely over…and the girls jumped right into touring! The lower districts are booming with the sound of energy and intense rock. No one was prepared for the success this tour has brought not only the girls of the band, but the whole of the city.

Clockworks City will never be the same again.
Gnomes are waking up!

Join millions of gnomes and support to Ezra, Juno and Katt when you buy the album. Cool thing is, you also help support Life of Fiction. You can pay what you want, enjoy the music and still support us so we can keep telling stories.

You can now listen to the whole album on SPOTIFY!

Remember later on this morning….

Come write with us! Bring your personal project and spend an hour with your fellow creators =)

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *rocking-out* Buckley

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Yup. You’re Awesome.

When I woke up this morning, all I could think of was how blessed I felt to have this honor of creating this fantasy world for you. That I get to make a living by encouraging others, to be the very best version of you that you can be.

Whatever that is which you choose to be.

I don’t personally know anyone who has that opportunity.

So…THANK you for that!

GEAR GIRLS…Now on SPOTIFY!!

Not only can you show support to Ezra, Juno and Katt, and the thousands of gnomes in the lower districts of Clockworks City when you buy the album, …you help support Life of Fiction. To make it available to everyone, you can pay what you want, enjoy the music and still support us so we can make more.

…OR/AND you can now listen to the whole album on SPOTIFY!
YEAH BABYYYYYYYY!!!!!

Oh, crap….I almost forgot to include this:

Grab This Cool Shirt!

Are YOU a Writer, or WANT to Be?

Come write with us! Just bring your personal project and spend an hour with your fellow creators =)

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *thinks-you’re-awesome* Buckley

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How was YOUR week?

I really want to know. SO much is happening on a daily basis, I don’t want to lose track of reality and those in the community…so VOTE =)

GEAR GIRLS…You’re Not Alone album

Not only can you show support to Ezra, Juno and Katt, and the thousands of gnomes in the lower districts of Clockworks City when you buy the album, …you help support Life of Fiction. To make it available to everyone, you can pay what you want, enjoy the music and still support us so we can make more.

…but keep an eye out for this album to come out on Spotify in the next two weeks!

All My Personal Trigger Questions Are Included

Yup. Instead of creating another course or a book, I decided to add my personal collection into the online course. So when you complete the program and become a Trigger Architect, you’ll gain access to this treasure collection of Trigger Questions!

Looking for support and inspiration?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *anti-Substack-Studio* Buckley

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Yeah…that was…painful.

Don’t hate me.
I wanted to see what Substack offered…

Won’t do that again, and I should have known better…but what IF it had been epic?

Right?

So now we know.

Good news is I refused to post it as it was recorded…thankfully I know Substack LIVE absolutely sucks for many of us, no matter what we try. That being said, my videos are all my responsibility, soI downloaded what was recorded and did a minor edit.

BUT WE GOT THE SONG!

[double thumbs up]

Have a great week, you wonderful, crazy-awesome people…and we will see you next time!!

[HUGS]

Looking for support and inspiration?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *anti-Substack-Studio* Buckley

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My darling wife is ill. Had to be mobile today…but I DID NOT FORGET.

Watch the video, you’ll understand.

Advanced Worldbuilding is REALLY going well!

Check it out for yourself: ADVANCEDWORLDBUILDING.COM

Looking for support and inspiration?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *Worldbuilding Addict* Buckley

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The impossible has never been more probable than right here. Right now.

Have you ever crafted or achieved something your heart truly wanted?

The first time that happened for me, I married the girl of my dreams…literally. That was 13 children and 25 grandchildren ago (1990). She didn’t know me, but I walked past, said, “Hello,” and a week later, we were engaged.

The second time was wanting to create a comic book based on a story I’d been telling my children at bedtime. That was over a million downloaded copies ago (2005). Everyone I knew told me, “You can’t do that.” So I did.

The third time was when a car accident took the use of my hands and my wife convinced me to take the comic book and turn it into novels instead. “I believe in you,” she said, and propelled me into the universe. In that process, I was told by International and New York Times Bestselling Author, David Farland, “This is best selling material.” The first book in the series spent 4 years in the top 20 Amazon results of its category and sold over 23,000 copies during that time. (2010)

THIS time, I wanted to share the crazy ideas that fuel my creations, cause me to get up every day, anxious to craft the stories and worlds that never stop in between my ears. It had to be a course. It had to show you the process. Then it had to share the formula so you could do it yourself.

It’s done. It’s unlike what you’re likely to find anywhere else…and I’m so confident in it, you have a 14 Money Back Guarantee…and as a gift to you (because I love you), if you use the coupon: MORNINGCOFFEE …you’ll get 25% off.

There are a limited number of these slots AND a time limit placed upon them. This offer is good for the next 2 weeks and ends on March 15th.

Check it out for yourself: ADVANCEDWORLDBUILDING.COM

Looking for support and inspiration?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *Worldbuilding Addict* Buckley

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Treat Yourself or Someone You Love...

Want to contribute, but don’t want to do it through a paid subscription? Why not consider helping Jaime with supplies or gear to keep LoF going? Or maybe send him a treat for all his hard work (Coke Zero, yum)? He keeps a public list of what he’s saving up for…

LoF 'Daily Use& Saving Up For' List

People are what matter.

That’s what we forget too often.

When I think about how I’ve made a living since 1986, I can honestly say is comes down to a single issue: Relationships.

Those who know me and interact with me, will likely tell you that they matter to me. They know and feel that they have value to me, because it’s true. They do.

This experience, when you consider it, changes everything. Your interactions with others will have a direct influence on the amount of influence you have as a person. Influence affects al aspects of life.

…but people have to matter to you.

This isn’t about selling to people. It isn’t about getting people to do what YOU want, either.

It’s about caring.

I’ll say it again:
People Matter.

Try something this week, and I’ll prove this to you.

Next time to have to interact with another person — and this could be live, or even over the phone — do this: Before the interaction begins, say: “Hey, before we start, I just want to say ‘Thank you’, if no one else does today. I sure appreciate what you do, and I’m grateful.”

…and notice how the experience improves…for BOTH of you.

Have a great week.

Looking for support and inspiration?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *I-believe-in-you* Buckley

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Treat Yourself or Someone You Love...

Want to contribute, but don’t want to do it through a paid subscription? Why not consider helping Jaime with supplies or gear to keep LoF going? Or maybe send him a treat for all his hard work (Coke Zero, yum)? He keeps a public list of what he’s saving up for…

LoF 'Daily Use& Saving Up For' List

Being sick isn’t much fun.

Ya know, I’ve had over two years of NOT having bronchitis, I thought maybe my body did the impossible and overcame chronic bronchitis! Wouldn’t that be great — doctors telling me it’ll never go away, then it does?

But it didn’t.

Drat.

It’s okay though…just not a lot of fun. So I sat about the house Sunday, resting and spending a lot of time on my CPAP machine, hooked up to the oxygen. Then last night, I just couldn’t sleep. Everything hurt….AND, wouldn’t you know it, I was daydreaming about Wendell and the continuation of the Chronicles of a Hero story!

MAGIC was on my mind. Making me giddy and snorting with laughter at time, which made me cough….then I’d laugh more, which made me cough more, until I couldn’t breathe.

Wash, rinse repeat.

They were AMAZING ideas, though! Seriously, you’re going to love the rest of this season!

Oaky…just watch the video…I need to go back to bed, BUT KNOW THAT MASSIVE WRITING IS HAPPENING! Yes indeed.

Illness CANNOT STOP ME!

Cause I love you. Of course =)

Do you write your own stories?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *all-father* Buckley

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Treat Yourself or Someone You Love...

Want to contribute, but don’t want to do it through a paid subscription? Why not consider helping Jaime with supplies or gear to keep LoF going? Or maybe send him a treat for all his hard work (Coke Zero, yum)? He keeps a public list of what he’s saving up for…

LoF 'Daily Use& Saving Up For' List

I think we need to pick up our pace.

Strange thing to start out saying for the week, I know. But there are BIG THINGS COMING OUR WAY….and we need to be prepared for them all. Here’s a quick rundown…

Morning Coffee — Short Notes (Feb 9, 2026)

• Had a strange weekend with everyone sick, but we’re finally on the mend and feeling much better.

• We picked up a subscription to Angel Studios, and honestly—it was a great experience. If you enjoy family-friendly and faith-based programming, I highly recommend checking it out.

  • Really enjoyed The Wingfeather Saga animated series.

  • Also watched the animated film David—the music alone was incredible and genuinely moving.

• I continue to believe Substack is an amazing platform, especially for writers—but I also feel strongly that big changes are coming. Major shifts are already happening across publishing and tech, and I think the people who act early and prepare are going to be in a much better position. I also found an interview with Chris Best and Joe Rogan, so check that out.

• Because of that, I’m working on a new online course called Substack for Authors.

  • The goal is to help writers migrate smoothly to Substack.

  • I want to show people the options that are hard to find, help them set things up correctly, and turn their Substack into a well-oiled machine so they can focus on writing.

  • It will also include guidance on being properly indexed with AI and exploring alternatives to Amazon, including selling directly to readers (if that’s something you want).

  • The program has been rebuilt to be shorter and more streamlined due to recent platform changes.

  • Tentative release target is April or sooner.

  • Affiliate options are being considered, but nothing is decided yet.

• Since moving to Substack, I’ve personally seen about 350–500% growth, which is a big part of why I’m so passionate about helping other writers get established now.

• Scoot’s Flash Fiction Friday over on Gibberish is back, and it’s been a lot of fun.

  • If you’re a newer writer—or just want to stretch creatively—I really recommend giving it a try.

• Wrapping up: I’m feeling better physically and mentally, the family’s doing well, and I’m really looking forward to a week focused on writing Chronicles of a Hero.

Do you write your own stories?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *all-father* Buckley

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Treat Yourself or Someone You Love...

Want to contribute, but don’t want to do it through a paid subscription? Why not consider helping Jaime with supplies or gear to keep LoF going? Or maybe send him a treat for all his hard work (Coke Zero, yum)? He keeps a public list of what he’s saving up for…

LoF 'Daily Use& Saving Up For' List

The future is amazing.

The publishing landscape is growing. So much opportunity, hope, tools, and an ever-growing reader population. What’s even more important s that large corporations like Amazon are voluntarily cutting off their own arms due to greed.

They didn’t have to. They could have shared and treated creators better.

We were, after all, one of the reasons they gained such power and wealth.

…they chose strangleholds instead.

Bad move, cupcake.

This is wonderful for you, though, because readers will gain even more direct access to their favorite writers and creators. People like me.

Now, more than ever, I want to give you ongoing experiences of fiction that you’ll love, share, and keep coming back for more.

No matter what you see or hear in the news, all these changes are fantastic.

Fun Things from the Video

• I’m getting my books set up with Vervante, so you have THE best quality and options….offering ONLY ‘Author Editions’.

• Life of Fiction formatting is changing to be more search friendly. Check it out!

• Our merch store is up, selling, and the hats are SUPER nice! Check it out!

• My granddaughter, Truly, loves jazz!?? Who knew!

Do you write your own stories?

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *father-of-crazy-teens* Buckley

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Treat Yourself or Someone You Love...

Want to contribute, but don’t want to do it through a paid subscription? Why not consider helping Jaime with supplies or gear to keep LoF going? Or maybe send him a treat for all his hard work (Coke Zero, yum)? He keeps a public list of what he’s saving up for…

LoF 'Daily Use& Saving Up For' List

Life rarely turns out the way you think it will.

Sometimes it turns out much better.

That’s what I’ve been thinking about of late. The things I’ve wanted to do, goals I’ve had, and not a lot of them turned out the way I’d hoped….but then I look back. I look around me. Many aspects of my life are far better than I expected (or deserve).

It’s truly amazing,…and I’m so grateful.

Microwave Version of Today’s Video

• Things are different, but better.

• It’s starting to look like we may gave a double wedding this year (which would be our 3rd double wedding among our children).

• I have several secret projects about complete. One is a paid-subscriber only extra.

• The read aloud activity book for parents (I don’t have an official title yet) is near completion. It’s for bridging the gap with your kids and having a blast as a family reading CHOICES.

• We have fun new merchandise available in our new store (I bought a Dax hat).

• Amazon included AI in our digital books, so I unpublished mine. I’m making the full transition to leave Amazon forever.

• Looking into Vervante as my printing/shipping source — established company, much higher quality than Amazon, ships worldwide.

• Substack has launched Substack TV. We will be creating things for your TV.

• Fiction Cartel tomorrow night. Will be a month or more before there will be another due to family events.

• Don’t forget to join Ann with for her writing sprints! (see below)

• You’re awesome. Always remember that!

Take Advantage of this Opportunity…

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY mornings at 9am Pacific, ’s Ann Kimbrough, will encourage you, make you smile, and give you that much-needed nudge to accomplish your weekly writing progress!!

Join The Sprint!

Remember…TOMORROW NIGHT….

You are MORE than you THINK you are!

Until Next Time,

Jaime *father-of-crazy-teens* Buckley

Leave a comment

Treat Yourself or Someone You Love...

Want to contribute, but don’t want to do it through a paid subscription? Why not consider helping Jaime with supplies or gear to keep LoF going? Or maybe send him a treat for all his hard work (Coke Zero, yum)? He keeps a public list of what he’s saving up for…

LoF 'Daily Use& Saving Up For' List