Category: Free Gift

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3 Laughs and 3 Links to the Future – Best of the Month

3 Laughs must come first! Here’s the first laugh for you. Then you have to categorize this video. What is it? Animation? Comedy? AI? Something else? Your cleverest response will get a free book fom me.

I must tell you when I first watched this I laughed until I cried.

Your First Link to the Future

In the previous video we have a variety of robots currently working. All of them remind me of my 1960s scifi reading I Robot in this volume by Isaac Asimov. Does any of this make you fear for the present or the future?

My biggest fear is the use of robots in war and terrorism. I can envision these robots with guns and ammo programmed to kill people. Soon. Today. Let me know what you think.

3 Laughs – Your Second

Maybe some of you think racing lawnmowers and world speed records for lawnmowers are perfectly serious topics and not suitable for laughing. Tell me why. in this link

Your Second Link to the Future

Continuing my computer theme, the next article focuses on AI, artificial intelligence. I never heard of ‘Generative Adversarial Neworks (GAN)’ before, so I had to read this article.

My quick summary:

  1. AI = a network of computers that learn patterns from raw data. That’s the ‘N’.
  2. Adversarial – One AI network pitted against another.
  3. Generative – The two AI networks work together, one to train the other, correcting it if it doesn’t achieve the goal. A little-discussed aspect of these learning networks is that training them is quite hard and involves enormous amounts of data and a LOT of time. Using an AI to train an AI in something like facial recognition speeds up the process to light speed and vastly improves the quality of the results.
  4. GAN – Two AI networks solve the problem of time and money in training an AI network to do a task.

What tasks would you like to train AI to do? Maybe link it with a robotic soldier to recognize a civilian versus an enemy soldier versus a fellow soldier? How about how to drive in snow and slush? I know a lot of people who don’t know how to do that yet. Let me know your thoughts. I’ll give each of you who responds a free short story.

3 Laughs – Your Third Laugh

In case that’s not funny enough for you (or not funny at all), here’s a backup joke next:

Still not laughing? Here’s my last, desperate attempt at humor.

Your 3 Laughs are over, but we’ve got one more link to the future, the last video.

Admit it. Isn’t this the space travel future you imagined as a kid?

I grew up as a child of the space age in the 60s, reading science fiction, following NASA space flights, and studying astronomy and physics. I dreamed of becoming a science fiction author and finally am one. You can find my books here:

3 Laughs
Click to get Andy Zach’s books

Or, you can subscribe to my newsletter here.

Until next time!

3 Laughs
Andy Zach in repose
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6 Great Items Scoured From the Internet

6 Great Items I found on the internet. You’ll find fantastic photos, some funny videos, some amazing news stories. Tell me your favorite and win a free ebooks.

My first item is a supernatural photo. Or is it? In any event, it’s great inspiration for a story. What story would you expect to read from this photo? Let me know and get a free short story!

Your next fun item is a YouTube video. Have you seen this before?

Does the Coyote get the Roadrunner?

Reply with your best suggestion on how the Coyote can catch the Roadrunner. Then I’ll send each response a free short story from my upcoming anthology.

6 Great Items – Your Third Delight

Then you have this a news story about bacteriophages. What are those? A virus that attacks bacteria. I only know because I researched them for my third novel, Paranormal Privateers. Here we have news catching up with my novel.

6 Great Items
Back cover section of Paranormal Privateers.Click to get


Zombies charge first, ask questions later.

Middle-aged, overweight, and undead, Diane Newby leads the paranormal privateers against criminals and corruption. Sailing to trouble spots too sensitive for the US government, with zombie strength and regeneration they beat bullies into submission. Aided by zombie turkeys, corgis, and bulls, vicious criminal geniuses fall before them. If Diane gets overwhelmed her lovely zombie bodyguards and romantic zombie husband come to the rescue.

Out of the blue, new foes appear. Or are they friends? Or both? The frenemies neutralize zombies and orchestrate world peace. They disrupt the economy and produce fabulous wealth. Even the greatest criminals and governments can’t stop them from dominating the world.

Can humanity afford the price of peace? All must surrender freedom to a not-so-benign dictatorship. Diane and the paranormal privateers must do the unthinkable to save humanity. But is it enough?

In an explosive and unconventional ending to Andy Zach’s Life After Life Chronicles, you will learn what happens when the paranormal privateers meet the world’s greatest fear. And you will laugh all the way.

Paranormal Privateers description

6 Great Items – Your Amazing Fourth

This next item will amaze you twice. First, it shows a murmuration, a flock of birds moving together in an unbelievable fashion. Second, I give you a copy of my short story ‘In A Pickle’ were I describe a very unusual murmuration.

The Fifth Item – A Mystery

Why? Why after 50 years did a dead satellite start working again? Give me a correct answer and I’ll give you ALL my books! It’s a real news story.

The Last and Hottest Thing on Internet

Just so you don’t think I’m too predictable, here’s something different.

Bonus Link! Pure Inspiration!

My most recent novel tells the tale of four disabled seventh graders who become superheroes. I found this video of professional violinists stunned by the amazing talent of disabled violinists.

And here you can read Secret Supers. Follow the link below.

6 Great Items
Click to read or get your copy.
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4 Writing Hooks – Which Is Best? Tell Me and Win

4 Writing Hooks – where do I get them? From my books. What are they?

The first hook, for Zombie Turkeys, from the first page:

Chapter 1
Bartonville
 
He felt different. More energetic, more alive. He bred with female after female in his flock without tiring. He stayed awake through the night. He feared no predator.
Then a turkey hunter shot him.

Zombie Turkeys, by Andy Zach
4 Writing Hooks
Zombie Turkeys Front and Back Covers Click to get

Why 4 Writing Hooks?

Why not? I don’t think I’ve shared my 4 Writing Hooks for my 4 books. And also, I read this article.

Did you read that? The best answer gets a free book from me. Respond to my Facebook post, or this blog post, or email me.

The Second Hook



Chapter 1 – Gary



“You know I love your mother. But your mother’s a zombie. Who wants to see one zombie, let alone four of them?”
“Now that’s not fair. Mom and Dad have adjusted to their zombiism very well. Mom still volunteers at church and bakes cookies and pies for the bake sales. Dad still works as an accountant at GM. There’s nothing to worry about!”

From My Undead Mother-in-law by Andy Zach
4 Best Hooks
My Undead Mother-in-law, chapter 1 icon. Click to get.

So, which hook did you like best? Or do you have another one from another author? If you do, I’ll post it/them here in my next blog.

The Third Hook of 4 Writing Hooks


Chapter 1 – Somalia
Dirac sighed with relief when the US flag came down and the surrender flag went up on the mast of the titanic luxury yacht. He didn’t mind firing rounds from his AK-47 over their heads, but he hated killing people. He knew they were only infidels, but they were still people.

From Paranormal Privateers, by Andy Zach
4 Best Hooks
Chapter 1 icon. Click to read or listen for free.

Okay, this hook is quite different. Do you still want to read what happens next? If you do, that’s a good hook.

The Last of 4 Writing Hooks


“Dear diary,” Jeremy Gentle dictated into his app on his tablet in his bedroom. “Today, I became a superhero.” Jeremy stopped, uncertain. Was that the best way to start his journal? Might as well just tell the story. He needed to sleep. He had a big algebra test tomorrow at Maryville Middle School.

From Secret Supers, by Andy Zach
Cover of Secret Supers Click to get.

And there you have it. My four book hooks. You can follow the links and get the one you like, or I’ll give you a free book in exchange for a review. Just let me know here.


Some Reviews

Short or long, I love them all. Good or bad, I want more to be had.


Zombie Turkeys

4.0 out of 5 stars

The handprint turkey on the cover is your first clue.
August 26, 2017


Let me start by saying that “Andy Zach” has an unusual sense of humor (or possibly has escaped from a lunatic asylum and is living under an assumed name). I invite you to check out his Amazon author page and read the bio. He’s gone all in on this zombie expert thing (since his parents were zombies) and states that he reanimated dead animals as a child for a science fair. He also currently raises phoenixes as a hobby. One more thing before starting on the story. What is that ‘thing’ on his head in his author picture?

From Amazon, by author Les Lynam

My Undead Mother-in-law




4.0 out of 5 stars

Not your standard zombie tale
December 28, 2018
When I started to read this book, I was leery. As far as I know, I’m less interested in zombies than anyone on the planet. How could I give a reasonable review? Turns out, it wasn’t hard at all. I’ve said before and it turned out to be true here that, if you have a ridiculous premise that’s hard to swallow, run with it, normalize it, and readers /viewers will eventually accept. And it worked. The original premise of cognizant, virtually indestructible zombies was lobbed and backed until I was a believer, actively rooting for zombies. Plenty of (bloodier than average) action, some smiling, if not guffaw humor, a nice fulfilling story arc in an easy readable length made for a fun book (if bloody action doesn’t bother you) with charm that didn’t take itself to seriously but still capable of many a tender and touching moments.

From Amazon, by author Stephanie Barr

Paranormal Privateers



4.0 out of 5 stars

Different tilt on a zombie series
December 6, 2018
I have read the whole series and enjoyed it. I did not find myself staying g up all night to finish or rushing home to read. That was probably a good thing as then If I had I’d of been cranky and over sleep for work. Never a pretty sight as I am not a morning person anyway. I liked the book for the unusual perspectives and storyline. If I spot about her book from this author O would definitely give it a try.

From Amazon by Rudolph Wittmer

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