Thursday, August 20, 2026

Fall Reading

A newlywed struggles with mental health and job insecurity but finds joy in her artwork and marriage. A teacher faces bigotry in the small town he loves. Swimming laps in a pool makes a young man reflect on his life. Faustian legend receives a satirical update.

#TheAcornStories

Saturday, July 04, 2026

Happy July 4! Here's a special show at my alma mater, Texas Tech University.

Tweetables: My F in Life - update from an excited author!

Tweetables: My F in Life - update from an excited author!: It's only been a few weeks since I published my book but what a wild ride it's been! I have to admit, the whole process of uploading...

"Read these stories in sequence and somewhere around the fourth one, a quiet click happens."

"Read these stories in sequence and somewhere around the fourth one, a quiet click happens. The woman behind the café counter turns out to be the same person whose cats run her house two tales later. The boy whispering in a backyard tent shows up years on as a grown face on Main Street. Duane Simolke assembles his fictional town of Acorn, Texas one piece at a time until the separate parts lock into a single shape."

Wednesday, July 01, 2026

Tweetables: I've just published a novel 🥳🎉

Tweetables: I've just published a novel 🥳🎉: I know this blog is all about promoting authors, but I just had to let you know that my novel, 'My F in Life' has just been publishe...

Saturday, June 13, 2026

Some towns

“Some towns measure themselves in skyscrapers. Acorn, Texas measures itself in trees — every single one planted on purpose, by hand, by folks too stubborn to let the West Texas dust have the last word.”

Tuesday, June 09, 2026

Self Publishing 360 Helps Indie Authors Get Discovered

From the About page: "Self Publishing 360 was created with a simple mission: to help authors not only publish their books, but also give them a real chance to be discovered. For many writers, the journey becomes confusing after the manuscript is finished. Publishing platforms, formatting, marketing, promotions, and building visibility can quickly feel overwhelming, especially for self published authors doing everything on their own. This platform was built to simplify that process. Self Publishing 360 brings together practical tools, clear guidance, promotional opportunities, and author focused resources designed to make self publishing more accessible and less intimidating. The mission is to support authors beyond publishing by helping them grow, promote their work, reach readers, and build confidence in their writing journey."

I've promoted The Acorn Stories there for free and encourage other readers and writers to join.

Friday, June 05, 2026

Fun Escapist Fantasy

An accidental legend and her queer allies battle a magical warlord in the fun fantasy The Return of Innocence. The Barnes & Noble Nook edition will be free June 6-13, 2026.