G. Scott Graham on Medium

Reedsy vs. Read&Rate: Which Book Review Platform Actually Delivers Anything Worth a Damn?Photo by Joran Quinten on UnsplashI’ve tried both. Paid the money. Did the work. Got the reviews — or didn’t. And if you’re here, you’re probably wondering which one of these platforms is actually worth your time: Reedsy or Read&Rate?Here’s how it played out. No fluff. No affiliate links. No pretending either of these platforms is a magical solution.Let’s go.Cost: who takes your money faster?Reedsy hits you with $50 per book, upfront. No review guarantee. No refunds. Just a “we’ll list your book and see what happens” shrug.Read&Rate works on a monthly fee ($10 […]

Read&Rate: The Book Review Platform That’s Basically a Casino Cruise for AuthorsPhoto by Derek Lynn on UnsplashI’ve been exploring book review platforms to boost visibility for my books, and one of the newest players I tried was Read&Rate. Here’s my no-BS experience.Let’s start with the obvious: it’s cheap. Read&Rate has two plans — $10 or $20 per month. The $10 plan lets you get reviews for one book at a time. Want more? You’ll need the $20 plan, which allows up to 20 books posted at once.But let’s be clear — you’re not buying reviews. You’re paying for the privilege of stepping into their weird internal economy. […]

Reedsy Discovery (a.k.a. How to Pay $50 to Become Their Unpaid Intern)Photo by James Tarbotton on UnsplashI’ve been testing out book review platforms to get more eyes on my work. One of those platforms was Reedsy Discovery. Spoiler alert: if you’ve ever wanted to pay for the privilege of becoming a part-time, unpaid Reedsy street team member, buckle up. This one’s for you.The Reedsy SetupLet’s break it down.Reedsy is free to join, but it costs $50 to list your book for review. That sounds simple enough — except it’s like paying an entry fee to a party where no one shows up, the DJ’s asleep, and someone […]

The Match.com Scam: You’re Not the Customer — You’re the BaitLet me tell you a story — one that might sound familiar if you’ve ever used a dating app and wondered why it felt more like gambling than dating.I recently got back on Match after letting my subscription lapse. Why did I let it lapse? Because I met someone on Match last August! I deleted the app, stopped logging in, and started a relationship. I didn’t delete my profile — just stepped away.Upon my return, I uncovered some serious shit. And you’re about to be blown away. It’s staggering. If you’re using Match, you deserve to know how the […]

When Strength Comes Back Fast — And What That Taught Me About Equanimity, Grief, and HealingA few months ago, I couldn’t open a jar of pickles.Not because I didn’t want to. Not because I wasn’t trying.Because I couldn’t.After two hand surgeries — right hand in October 2024, left hand in December — my grip strength was gone. My physical therapist, Todd Holt, pulled out a hand dynamometer (that “squeeze thingy” that measures grip strength), and the results were humbling:14 pounds of pressure from my left hand38 from my rightFor context, the average for someone my age is around 85 pounds.That number felt miles away.But I kept at it — squeezing putty, doing finger stretches, showing […]

Grief Doesn’t End — And That’s Not a ProblemWhy I wrote Come As You Are: Five Years Later, and why I keep writing about grief.The road to grief and love never ends (photo by G. Scott Graham)A few weeks ago, I was a guest on a podcast. I shared some very personal, sometimes messy details about my life — my inner world, my struggles, the grief I’ve carried, and what it’s been like to fall in love again after losing my husband.Afterward, a friend reached out. She told me how much she admired the vulnerability it must have taken to speak so openly. I appreciated it. But I […]

Equanimity: Present Moment Echoes and the Art of DesireEquanimity has always come easier to me when sitting with pain than when sitting with pleasure. Maybe it’s because I lean more toward stoicism — because I can grit my teeth and endure rather than surrender. But I don’t think it’s just that. I think I’ve built a genuine ability to be with suffering, to meet it without flinching, to let it move through me without resistance.I learned this in vipassanā. The adhiṭṭhāna sittings — one-hour sittings, three times a day, starting on Day Four of a Vipassanā course as taught by S.N. Goenka — where for that entire […]

Success Without Structure: Some of Us Aren’t Built for RoutinesBlowing up your alarm clock is the first step in joining the Routine Resistance!Resist the Routine!For years, I believed in the power of routine. Not just believed — I worshiped it. I saw routine as the secret weapon of the successful, the master key to unlocking productivity, the one thing separating those who achieve their dreams from those who don’t.And why wouldn’t I?Everywhere we look, we’re bombarded with stories of high achievers who swear by their morning routines, evening routines, and sacred habits that supposedly make them superhuman.You know the drill:Wake up at 4 AM.Meditate for 20 minutes.Journal your deepest […]

Practicing the Eight Precepts: Living with PurposeThe Buddha taught the Eight PreceptsThe Eight Precepts as a Guide to Ethical LivingIn a world filled with constant distractions, endless choices, and moral gray areas, finding a framework for ethical living can feel overwhelming. For those who have encountered Vipassana meditation, the Eight Precepts serve as a foundational guide — not just as rules of restraint but as aspirational principles for living a life of clarity, intention, and kindness.G. Scott Graham’s Living the Eight Precepts challenges the traditional view of these precepts as mere prohibitions. Instead, he presents them as an opportunity to shift from a mindset of […]

Mangala Sutta: Blueprint for Modern HappinessImagine waking each morning feeling genuinely fulfilled, your mind clear and your heart deeply at peace. Now, ask yourself honestly: Does this describe your typical day?If not, you’re certainly not alone. Most of us spend our days chasing happiness, rarely pausing to consider what truly cultivates lasting joy.This is precisely why the Mangala Sutta, the “Discourse on Blessings,” holds profound relevance today. This ancient Buddhist teaching reveals 38 blessings — conditions that lead directly to genuine happiness and well-being. You might ask: how can such ancient wisdom, delivered in a vastly different time, still guide us meaningfully today?The brilliance […]