Tyler Nals's Blog: Tyler Nals

11th of 274 for $2,433 on $580 buy-in, but went out with A9 vs. A6 (6 on the river). Otherwise, would have had above average chip stack and realistic shot at $32k. Oh well. Didn't play in Main. Next time.

Almost done editing The Perfect Range. It's a poker strategy book, but about 50% of it is about the people I came across while getting content for this book.

There are probably few places in the world where you will meet a more wide array of interesting characters than at the poker table.

Hope you enjoy!

I know GoodReads isn't a place where you will find a lot of poker players, but if any of you are out there, feel free to drop a line.

I first wrote The Dark Side of the Felt when I was frustrated at my previous job. It's based on real events related to the dangers of underground poker. That book has been performing well, but Poker Notes is my bet performer, and this was completely unexpected.

A few years ago, I had a poker blog that people seemed to like. But I didn't know how to monetize it. So, I took all the blog posts and turned it into an eBook. Since it was a lot of information, I broke it into two books: Poker Notes and Poker Blog.

For those who enjoy a mixture of sex, violence, and a little poker, you might want to check out The Poker Office. It's a fun ride.

A few years ago, all I wrote were fiction books that had nothing to do with poker. Twisted Sick has been a winner, but the others don't sell. As time went on, I began to realize that mixing my passion for poker and writing was the answer.

If you choose to read, I hope you enjoy. And feel free to talk poker here anytime.

Tyler Nals

What a great book. For months, I had been bypassing it. I even picked it up in the book store once, chose a random page, read a paragraph, and wasn't intrigued. While a lot of people say this tactic is effective, I have to disagree. It's like catching a movie in the middle when it's playing on TV, not getting the whole meaning, and not understanding why others loved it so much -- then, a year or two later, you watch it from the beginning and "get it." It's an entirely different experience.

Born to Run is absolutely for a runner/jogger. It's extremely motivational in the sense that the bar is only set as high as society demands. If you're not familiar with those expectations, then you wouldn't know where the bar is supposed to be located. In other words, your potential is likely much higher than you realize -- and this doesn't just pertain to running.

The book is really about a hidden Mexican society that uses running as the focal point of its culture, and that aspect of the book is also entertaining.

A third aspect of the book (one really long chapter, almost too long) is about why we are born to run. I will avoid spoilers. But I will say this: Even though the chapter is long and not as gripping as the rest of the book, I highly recommend reading it.

Overall, Born to Run is a winner. One of the best books I've read this year. It's only February, but that's still saying something. :)

Needs is approximately 9,500 words. It’s on KDP free promotion today and tomorrow. Here’s the blurb:

Donnovan is a former drug addict and single father who lives with the daily struggles and challenges found in the ghetto. When he finds himself without the ability to provide for his daughter, he must go to extreme lengths to make ends meet. However, he soon finds unsuspecting and potentially fateful obstacles.

I’m trying to figure out if my books sales are below average, average, or above average for a first-year author.

I currently have nine books published, but I hope that number continues to grow. In October, I was averaging one sale per day. In November, it was two sales per day. In December, it was four sales per day. And in January, it ranged anywhere from five to 20 sales per day, with six-eight being the most common daily result.

So … if any experienced author happens to read this, can you please tell me if this is poor, average, or good?

Thanks!

Unfortunately, I published this book a little too early. I usually receive one review per 50 sales or so, but in this case, I received a review on the very first sale.

This reader didn't like the vulgarity and pointed out a couple of flaws. She was spot-on with the flaws, which I have since fixed. The problem is that she left a 2-star review, which isn't going to lead to too many sales. Since all her other reviews were 1-star, I guess I should be appreciative.

I have no one to blame but myself for this error. I read The Poker Office over and over again, but everyone needs a second set of eyes. Fortunately, there was only one sale prior to the adjustments. So, anyone who reads it now will be reading the good version.

In a perfect world, that first reader would have contacted me here (I have a note at the back of all my books that readers can contact me on GoodReads) and let me know about the errors. But not everyone is that nice. So ... to all those nice people out there, you're awesome! :)

The Poker Office is now available. Here's a short blurb:

Peter is a brokenhearted degenerate gambler and pothead. His life appears to be aimless until he shows up for a job interview at The Poker Office.

With riches and women for the taking, Peter thinks his life has turned the corner, but after falling in love with the wrong girl (or perhaps the right girl), he quickly creates powerful and relentless enemies, which leads his life much deeper into the abyss. It’s a cat and mouse game, and the only way out is the highest-stakes game of poker possible.

It might seem strange for an author to bash his own book, but it's more important to me to gain readers than it is to attempt to sell a subpar book.

The primary reason Cove Valley doesn't hold up to some of my other books is because it wasn't written from scratch. It sat in suitcase for 12 years before I performed massive surgery on it. I thought I had pulled it off, but I didn't. It's just so difficult to completely alter a story and put all the pieces back together. Starting with a blank canvas is more enjoyable and effective.

So ... I would highly recommend reading Twisted Sick, The Dark Side of the Felt, or Wilting Steven prior to reading Cove Valley. In fact, I would recommend not reading Cove Valley at all. I have no interest in leading a reader down the wrong path and then losing that reader.

Hope you understand. :)

Steven is a loser, but he tries hard not to be. Despite his continuous efforts to act and appear cool, when you’re a 45-year-old virgin with a belly, a receding hairline, and no job, you’re not cool. The outdated, faded black jeans don’t help, either.

Despite Steven’s failed efforts at fitting in, he does possess an interesting skill. That skill is to look at a picture of a recent murder victim and see the murder scene play out through the victim’s eyes. He’s not 100% sure if this skill is real, but his gut tells him so. He attempts to help by going to the authorities, but they only see him as a suspect who put himself in the middle of an investigation for no reason. When attempting to help, Steven is rejected.

There are only two things that keep Steven going. One is Wendy, the librarian he covets. But he might be coming on a little too strong – the sexual fantasies he has about her every time he’s in her presence don’t help. She’s creeped out and shuns him.

The other thing that keeps him going is the thought of changing his lifestyle. Steven has no allies, and his four-decade approach of being a good guy is officially unsuccessful. Therefore, he must take a different road … a darker road. He doesn’t want to become like the murderers he sees in his visions, but he’s slowly tempted by the shadier side of life.

Kindle Link: http://www.amazon.com/Wilting-Steven-...