Welcome to the JPLA.
Who am I?
Howdy, I’m J. Scott. And I’m a tech guy (former IBMer, Googler, Automattician, and Microsoft guy). More importantly, I’m a dad who writes about morality and ethics using fairy tales (Dark Harp), entrepreneurship drama (The Day Life Breaks), and kids playing baseball while angels and devils watch from above (Knights of Legend). Those in my stories often make poor choices. And try to overcome impossible odds. Sometimes, they manage. Other times, they don’t.
What does the JPLA stand for?
As part of the mythical setting in the book Knights of Legend, local baseball towns play for the right of league champion. In the shadows, the players formed a Round Table, dictating the rules of play, called the Jackson County Player’s Association (JPLA). They had a creed handed down over the generations–an oath.
And I thought the newsletter needed a name, so why not use this?
What do I get out of the newsletter?
By reading, I’d like to think you’d dare great achievements Ernest Shackleton style. Climb Kilimanjaro? Invent a fusion reactor? Write the great American novel? Inspire Millions? Land your next gig? Build a flying car? Get off the grid? Design a cheaper particle accelerator? Win an argument with your significant other? You may not do any of these after reading.
Ultimately, I’d want to make you think. On my site, I write a number of articles from building applications to writing novels. Here, I’ll probably cover some of the following:
Highlight a quote or creed or book I find insightful. I try to blend topics that make up longer articles to make readers ponder. Words matter.
Note a maddening baseball statistic, probably about the St. Louis Cardinals but you never know. Red Sox. Dodgers. KC. All comers are fair game.
An article to take with you from around the web, maybe even my own work.
And, with great joy, give you a piece of insight on the tech industry or in life to use at work, home, or wherever comes to mind.
Stay up-to-date:
You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.
Join the crew:
Be part of a community of people who share your interests.
What about the paid version?
I’m going to give this a go, but it’s definitely not required. Most of this content is given freely. For example, The Dark Harp, freely available in a serial fashion online, took thousands of hours to plan, research, and write, and hundreds of hours to continue to sustain for readers of all ages. It was read for free over 1,000,000 times before moving to an ebook format.
These tokens of appreciation allow more books and projects to be completed in the future. And they just help keep the lights on.
For those who do join the paid version, I have started a card catalog, trying to give used tomes a new home. (For those in the US only due to shipping costs). And I’ll have digital versions of my own tomes available soon. One also gets to comment and have access to the broader archive once this gets rolling.
Where are my email details being hosted?
Originally, emails were collected using other services, and Revue was the platform of choice, hosted by Twitter (However, due to new management that’s been shut down). So, we’re going to give this a go. To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.
Do you write elsewhere?
I have a high-traffic site that I’ve played around with over the years. Here, you can find great posts on tying the perfect knot, learn about the trying love of a college football team, and read previews for the books I’ve written in the past. Nothing but Fortune and Glory, thanks for staying in touch.
