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Human readers,
One of the reasons I chose Tapas to publish my novel on is that they explicitly forbid AI-created text or images (I won't call it writing or art!). We as humans deserve art made by other humans, and writers and artists deserve not to have our work plundered to train AI without our permission.
And now I can officially say that my work is human-authored! I am a member of The Author's Guild, and they've created a Human Authored registration for books created by people. If I Never Saw the Sun's Human Authored certification number is 3690771!
Here she is! (with my name on it rather than my Tapas handle.)
Stay real,
JdG
One of the reasons I chose Tapas to publish my novel on is that they explicitly forbid AI-created text or images (I won't call it writing or art!). We as humans deserve art made by other humans, and writers and artists deserve not to have our work plundered to train AI without our permission.
And now I can officially say that my work is human-authored! I am a member of The Author's Guild, and they've created a Human Authored registration for books created by people. If I Never Saw the Sun's Human Authored certification number is 3690771!
Here she is! (with my name on it rather than my Tapas handle.)
Stay real,
JdG
Lovable readers,
I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day, not even necessarily in a romantic sense, just in the sense that it's a day and you're wonderful, and you deserve wonderful days!
With love,
JdG
I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day, not even necessarily in a romantic sense, just in the sense that it's a day and you're wonderful, and you deserve wonderful days!
With love,
JdG
Patient readers,
I'm just gonna keep doing this because I'm so tickled that If I Never Saw the Sun is finding its audience. I hope it will continue to once it's finished updating--which will happen in March.
IINSTS's rank has already moved down to #5, but--
Live forever in your best moment,
JdG
I'm just gonna keep doing this because I'm so tickled that If I Never Saw the Sun is finding its audience. I hope it will continue to once it's finished updating--which will happen in March.
IINSTS's rank has already moved down to #5, but--
Live forever in your best moment,
JdG
Wonderful readers,
If I Never Saw the Sun is #6 on the most popular LGBTQ+ Community novels! (And #26 overall!) Let's see where we can get it by Valentine's Day!
J'aime, je meurs,
JdG
If I Never Saw the Sun is #6 on the most popular LGBTQ+ Community novels! (And #26 overall!) Let's see where we can get it by Valentine's Day!
J'aime, je meurs,
JdG
I have a little trailer for If I Never Saw the Sun! Concept by me, art by Xyra Brittney, and music by Brian Belew! I can't share video here, so you'll have to click on over to my website:
https://jenniferdeguzman.com/blog/2025/2/10/your-read-or-die
Stuck at a fork in the trail of life,
JdG
https://jenniferdeguzman.com/blog/2025/2/10/your-read-or-die
Stuck at a fork in the trail of life,
JdG
SPOILER FOR CHAPTER 21
The end of yesterday's and today's episode revolve around the suicide of Joy Division's singer, Ian Curtis. Even if you haven't heard of him or Joy Division, you've probably seen the cover of the album Unknown Pleasures on a T-shirt. It pictures the radio waves of a pulsar in white on a black background. You can see it on this post at my Patreon, in which I write a bit about Joy Division and The Smiths: https://www.patreon.com/posts/117523535
Ian Curtis, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Steve Morris formed Joy Division in 1976. They drew attention for their dark sound, emotionally vulnerable lyrics, and Curtis's deep, penetrating voice.
Curtis had epilepsy and would often have seizures on stage during Joy Division's shows. Because of his jerky motions while dancing, audiences sometimes thought his seizures were part of the show. Coupled with troubles in his private life, a new medication for his epilepsy sunk Curtis into a deep depression.
Despite Curtis' suicide attempt in April 1980, the band moved forward with plans for a tour in the U.S. and Canada beginning in May.
Ian Curtis died by suicide on May 18, 1980. Joy Division's most well-known song, "Love Will Tear Us Apart," was released as a single in June. Their second album, "Closer," was released in July.
The members of Joy Division reformed, with keyboardist/guitarist Gillian Gilbert, under the name New Order. Songs like "Blue Monday" and "Bizarre Love Triangle" made them one of the most popular bands, if not *the* most popular, to come out of Manchester.
New Order embarked on a world tour in 2023. I was at their San Francisco show. When they played Joy Division songs, they projected a huge image of their friend and bandmate Ian Curtis on the screen behind them.
The end of yesterday's and today's episode revolve around the suicide of Joy Division's singer, Ian Curtis. Even if you haven't heard of him or Joy Division, you've probably seen the cover of the album Unknown Pleasures on a T-shirt. It pictures the radio waves of a pulsar in white on a black background. You can see it on this post at my Patreon, in which I write a bit about Joy Division and The Smiths: https://www.patreon.com/posts/117523535
Ian Curtis, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Steve Morris formed Joy Division in 1976. They drew attention for their dark sound, emotionally vulnerable lyrics, and Curtis's deep, penetrating voice.
Curtis had epilepsy and would often have seizures on stage during Joy Division's shows. Because of his jerky motions while dancing, audiences sometimes thought his seizures were part of the show. Coupled with troubles in his private life, a new medication for his epilepsy sunk Curtis into a deep depression.
Despite Curtis' suicide attempt in April 1980, the band moved forward with plans for a tour in the U.S. and Canada beginning in May.
Ian Curtis died by suicide on May 18, 1980. Joy Division's most well-known song, "Love Will Tear Us Apart," was released as a single in June. Their second album, "Closer," was released in July.
The members of Joy Division reformed, with keyboardist/guitarist Gillian Gilbert, under the name New Order. Songs like "Blue Monday" and "Bizarre Love Triangle" made them one of the most popular bands, if not *the* most popular, to come out of Manchester.
New Order embarked on a world tour in 2023. I was at their San Francisco show. When they played Joy Division songs, they projected a huge image of their friend and bandmate Ian Curtis on the screen behind them.
Forgot to mention in the last post: If I Never Saw the Sun is eligible for both the Favorite Community Novel and the New Community Novel of the Year! So you may nominate in whichever category you please.
Making my own categories,
JdG
Making my own categories,
JdG
Hello intrepid readers!
The Inkies Awards nominations are upon us, so just a bit--the teensiest bit--of a reminder that If I Never Saw the Sun is eligible for nomination! So if you are so moved, I would be moved as well if you were to nominate it in the category of Favorite Community Novel.
I even made a graphic as a teensy reinforcement of this request--a mere memory aid, rather than a directive (NOMINATE IF I NEVER SAW THE SUN!), I assure you.
Here is where you can make nominations: https://radishfiction.typeform.com/TheInkies2025?typeform-source=www.creators.tapas.io
Living in hope,
JdG
The Inkies Awards nominations are upon us, so just a bit--the teensiest bit--of a reminder that If I Never Saw the Sun is eligible for nomination! So if you are so moved, I would be moved as well if you were to nominate it in the category of Favorite Community Novel.
I even made a graphic as a teensy reinforcement of this request--a mere memory aid, rather than a directive (NOMINATE IF I NEVER SAW THE SUN!), I assure you.
Here is where you can make nominations: https://radishfiction.typeform.com/TheInkies2025?typeform-source=www.creators.tapas.io
Living in hope,
JdG
Eek! I managed to post the first part of Chapter 15 with a big chunk missing! It's all fixed now, but if you've already read it, you probably should go back and read the section that had been missing. What was originally posted doesn't make sense without it!
The new section begins with "Kai rubbed his hands through his hair and then looked up again."
Thanks, readers, and sorry about the mix-up!
Your humbled author,
JdG
The new section begins with "Kai rubbed his hands through his hair and then looked up again."
Thanks, readers, and sorry about the mix-up!
Your humbled author,
JdG
Hello wonderful readers!
If I Never Saw the Sun is 27 chapters and an epilogue long, which means we've arrived at the novel's midpoint. Everything is a mess but a little tidying is starting, as things are at the midpoint of novels.
Do you ever think about what the midpoint of the story of your life would be? I do. And I hope I've already gotten past it because if that wasn't the worst things are going to get, I've got suffering to do yet.
But enough doldrums! Thank you again for reading. Comments and questions are welcome, even if they're just about random stuff. I'd like to know a lil bit about you.
The graphic is something silly I did on Instagram.
In the midst of life, we are in death, etc.,
JdG
If I Never Saw the Sun is 27 chapters and an epilogue long, which means we've arrived at the novel's midpoint. Everything is a mess but a little tidying is starting, as things are at the midpoint of novels.
Do you ever think about what the midpoint of the story of your life would be? I do. And I hope I've already gotten past it because if that wasn't the worst things are going to get, I've got suffering to do yet.
But enough doldrums! Thank you again for reading. Comments and questions are welcome, even if they're just about random stuff. I'd like to know a lil bit about you.
The graphic is something silly I did on Instagram.
In the midst of life, we are in death, etc.,
JdG
