In the arts the wonder is not that lightning does not strike again and again but that it ever strikes.

—John Mason Brown

Don Van Vliet in the desert by a tall, mysterious tree or cactus or some other damn thing

As I close in on the end of this new novel, I can't help thinking of the immortal words of Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart:
"Art is rearranging and grouping mistakes."

We were in fact wondering, yes.

Helena in Focus @sthelenafocus X.com Not only is Jonathan alive and well on St Helena, but during his time on the planet he has now seen off 76 US Attorney Generals, from the 11th Attorney General, Roger Brooke Taney, in 1832, to outgoing 87th Attorney General, Pam Bondi, in 2026. Jonathan is the great survivor.

In case you were wondering: Yes, there is a Jonathan the Great Tortoise angle to the Pam Bondi firing news.

Sooooo close to 40K units sold. It could happen this month. Today, even, if you're motivated!

👇👇👇

Exciting last-minute news...the incredible Becky Wills is having a launch party for her amazing debut STUN at Uncommon Ground TOMORROW NIGHT! It says RSVP by March 18th but we'll probably let it slide if you just show up.

Business Announcement...we've got merch! Why buy a concert t-shirt to support a band when you can buy a book t-shirt to support a book? Two now, more to come...

tortoisebooks.com/merch

I’m extremely grateful to be able to work with @jerrybrennan.bsky.social, and proud to be member of the Tortoise Books family!

a cartoon of spongebob wearing a suit and tie is smiling ALT: a cartoon of spongebob wearing a suit and tie is smiling

Live shot of @jerrybrennan.bsky.social

Interview with an Editor: Gerald Brennan of Tortoise Books - Chicago Review of Books Our interview with Gerald Brennan at Tortoise Books

Super grateful to @rachellayown.bsky.social and @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social for this lovely interview! Get a glimpse of the publisher's life...if you dare!
chireviewofbooks.com/2026/03/20/i...

Using AI to write your stories and books is pathetic. Just do it the old-fashioned way and learn to doubt every word, fret over every edit, and eventually start to hate yourself for ever thinking you could be a writer to begin with.

Worth a watch. Technique is great, but don't forget to make it taste good for the people who just want something that tastes good.

Many people are saying this.

Three faces, two smiling. A @tortoisebooks.bsky.social Order Fulfillment Selfie for 1232. (Plus a gift book.)

This attitude is absolutely essential. Also: the lit world is populated by people working other jobs because the lit world doesn't pay their bills! (Unless they are teaching OTHERS about the lit world.)

👇👇👇

Shoot for the moon. If you miss, you'll end up in a steaming pile of garbage.

I have the honor of writing a blurb for this forthcoming #book, much of which was written in a Thesis course I taught for @lindenwoodmfa.bsky.social - Congratulations @nkweidman.bsky.social & kudos to indie publisher @tortoisebooks.bsky.social for bringing it out

Steinbeck's six rules for aspiring writers. (Courtesy
@mikhail-iossel.bsky.social)

COVER REVEAL...we would like to introduce you to the outstanding new literary thriller/noir by Josh Corey, THE LAST WORDS OF JACK RUBY! Available everywhere cool books are available, 11/24/26.

The president and all his rancid enablers really demand the creation of a new word that means “shocked but not shocked, but still shocked, but also totally NOT shocked, yet somehow still shocked, also always appalled, forever and eternally appalled by the endless abhorrence, and now I scream.”

Editing pro tip: When you use, too many commas, you sound like, William, Shatner.

a man in a suit is sitting in a chair with a book in front of him and the website sharktankgifts.com is visible ALT: a man in a suit is sitting in a chair with a book in front of him and the website sharktankgifts.com is visible

Live shot of @jerrybrennan.bsky.social...

What if we just put up a giant sign that says Books

Official sales numbers as of the end of January...we are closing in on 40K!

YUP.

Absolutely not trying to make the terrible news of the closure of Washington Post's Books coverage about me or anything, but I cannot stress how bad this is for books. The biggest divide between Big 5 and independent/nonprofit press books is not quality--it's the marketing spend.

a pig is eating lettuce and blueberries on a tray ALT: a pig is eating lettuce and blueberries on a tray

Live footage of me every time I go to fonts.adobe.com to grab "just a couple" fonts for a new @tortoisebooks.bsky.social cover...

A picture of the cover of the novel Broken Bottles by Anthony Koranda

If you liked the novel #HamOnRye by #CharlesBukowski, you've gotta read this! You're gonna love it!

#AnthonyKoranda #BrokenBottles @tortoisebooks.bsky.social