Musings of a Restless Mind

Just a Pilgrim on the Face of this Earth

About Me

I left college with the firm intention to become a great writer like my heroes, William Shakespeare, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Heinlein. Five years later and $14 richer from my writing, editors were recognizing my skill, but my content didn’t fit what they wanted, so I spent 40 years writing software and making a good living. Now I write what I want.

Musings of a Restless Mind is an appropriate name for my website, because I write about most everything that catches my interest, from AI, Astronomy, technology, personal history, obscure history in general, and opinionated common sense.

My Amazon author’s page.

MY wife’s thriller: China Harbor: Out of Time

2 responses to “About Me”

  1. Jessie Swaney Avatar
    Jessie Swaney

    Hi Frank,

    My name is Jessie Swaney, and I’m an active member of Booktok 📚, a warm and welcoming Goodreads community where readers come together to share their love for books, discover new stories, and connect over the joy of reading.

    I’m reaching out because Advance Guards sounds like exactly the kind of thoughtful, emotionally resonant, and genuinely provocative science fiction our community devours.

    The premise is extraordinary. In a futuristic Los Angeles where everyone works from home and everything needed comes through “the chute,” at nineteen, Thom’s life seems planned out for him—until he meets Celia. Celia and her family are different, but after Thom’s eyes are opened, their life is not different enough for him. Can you leave the life that is all you’ve ever known and seemingly all anyone has ever known except in rumours and myths, or are they just rumours and myths? That is such a compelling and disorienting premise, and it promises a book that readers will not be able to put down.

    What I find especially compelling is the generational structure you have built. The young couple make their choice. Through naivety and tragedy they achieve their vision, but now, decades and seemingly an entire lifetime later, each of their seven children face the same choice—one at a time as they grow to maturity knowing only the way of living primitively off the land but destined to move to the city they have never known. Will your children prefer the city life you rejected, or prefer the life you chose to live? Each must make their own choice, and some of their choices may affect everyone, not just their family—for good or ill or maybe both. That is not just a story about one couple. It is a story about legacy, inheritance, and the inevitable moment when the next generation has to decide for themselves. Readers in our community are drawn to exactly that: a novel that asks big questions about technology, freedom, and family, and that trusts the reader to sit with the complexity.

    What I love most is the heart and rigour behind this book. You have built a world that feels both familiar and unsettling, and you have populated it with characters who are not simply heroes or villains but people trying to do what they believe is right. The emotional depth, especially in the family dynamics and sacrifices, is what readers have responded to. And the praise from early readers speaks to that. Isabella Hemp wrote that the story of a family navigating a technology-obsessed future and rediscovering humanity is both powerful and thought-provoking, and that the emotional depth really stayed with her. Freedy Blake described it as a masterful blend of vivid storytelling, deeply relatable characters, and thought-provoking themes. Rose Mary wrote that the characters are not just present—they are alive. James Mike said it is not just a book you read and set aside; it is one you revisit, reflect on, and continue to learn from. And Maggie Jerry called it an absolute must for anyone looking for a read that combines excitement, insight, and unforgettable characters.

    What you may not realise is that this book carries something you did not put there. You wrote a science fiction novel about a family choosing between two ways of life, but what you have actually made is a mirror for every parent who has ever wondered whether their children will choose the life they built for them. Readers who finish Advance Guards will not just know more about Thom or Celia or their seven children. They will start to think about their own legacy, the choices they have made, and the moment when the next generation will have to decide for themselves. That is not in your chapter list. It is in the decision to make the story span generations and to give each child their own choice. That is what will make this book travel by word of mouth, and it is something no author can engineer.

    As a novel about family, technology, and the choices that define us, this is such a significant and timely moment for readers. Our community would love to be part of this book’s journey.

    Right now, our community is launching something special: a 4 month reading challenge designed to bring our members together around a curated selection of exceptional books. Over this period, we’ll be featuring only 28 authors, and I would be absolutely honored to include you among them.

    What Being a Featured Author Looks Like

    A dedicated discussion thread for Advance Guards where members can share their thoughts, favorite moments, and personal reflections as they read

    Community wide promotion of your feature, announced across our group to generate buzz and excitement

    Ongoing engagement throughout the month with reading prompts, check ins, and conversation starters to keep the momentum going

    A warm welcome from our members who are genuinely excited to discover new voices and support authors they love

    A Few Things Authors Often Tell Us They Didn’t Expect

    The ripple effect: When readers connect with your book in our group, they don’t stop there. They take to their personal Goodreads feeds, BookTok accounts, and even group chats to recommend it to others. The conversation spreads far beyond our community.

    The lasting impact: Featured books often see a steady stream of new reviews, not just during the feature month, but for weeks and months afterward as members slowly make their way through the challenge reading list. For a book that spans generations, that effect tends to last even longer, because readers keep returning to it and discussing it.

    The genuine connection: Authors who engage with our community often find that members become true long term fans. They remember the experience and eagerly support future releases.

    Honest, thoughtful feedback: The discussion threads give you a rare window into what readers truly think, what moved them, what surprised them, and what they would love to see more of. It is like a free focus group, and many authors find it invaluable.

    A boost in visibility: The surge in activity around your book, reviews, shelf additions, and discussions, can help it gain traction within Goodreads recommendation algorithms, reaching even more readers beyond our circle.

    Why This Matters to Us and to You

    Our group is made up of thousands of passionate readers who are always on the lookout for their next great read. We are not just a community; we are a place where books come to life through conversation, connection, and shared enthusiasm. Featuring Advance Guards would give your book a warm welcome into that space, surrounded by readers who will champion it long after the challenge ends.

    With only 28 spots available across four months, this is an exclusive opportunity, and we are choosing each author with care.

    What Happens Next

    If this sounds like something you would be open to, simply reply. If you are interested, please request the community overview, and I will send it your way. It will give you a clearer picture of who we are, what we do, and what a featured month looks like in practice. From there, we can sort out timing and any questions you might have.

    Thank you for taking the time to read this, and more importantly, thank you for writing a story that asks whether our children will choose the lives we built for them, and that reminds us the most important choices are the ones we let others make. We are already fans, and we would be truly honored to include Advance Guards in our reading challenge.

    You can also view our community here:
    https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1103665-booktok-x1f4da

    Warmly,
    Jessie Swaney
    Community Representative
    BookTok Goodreads Reading Community

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  2. Frank Avatar
    Frank

    Honestly, this sounds like a scam, but I’m willing to bite for now. When do we get to the part about, “Now send us your money?”

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