Latest NEWS from The Book Shepherd this week / how to uninstall CoPilot

Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors

I create books authors never have to apologize for …

In this Issue

1. Discover … How to Uninstall Co-Pilot

2. Meet a Book Reviewer … Midwest Book Reviews

3. Webinar … AI Comparative Videos -REDUX TODAY

4. Author Success … Ask Judith

5. Holidays are coming ... Tick Tock … Holiday Lunch

6. Author Talk … REPLAY with Hall of Famer Jeanne Abrams

7. Hot podcasts for November… Add to your calendar and listen

8. Author Salons … January and March 2026

9. Question of the week … Where should I get book ISBNs?

10. Smile time … Kenny Rodgers’ The Gambler

As fall marches on … I decided to move beyond and start setting up for the holidays. All the leaves are gathered. Plants that need to be cut back for the winter are all winterized. The fall wreaths are now shouting Christmas time. Out came my giant teddy bear. Outdoor lights ready to land somewhere—anywhere. The dining room table is ready to be dressed for the season as the main room island and bar. Next week is a slow week—like a half week as Thanksgiving debuts and Ho Ho Ho is in the air.The kid in me loves the Macy’s parade followed by the national dog show. Perfect.

Planning forward for the Author Holiday party next month. Look forward to seeing you there. I have a few other gatherings for close friends on my calendar for around my holiday table all set for conversations and eating.

The HOLIDAY Party is a Lunch catered by the Olive Garden this year and slated for Saturday, December 13th. Meet for the Author Holiday lunch at noon in my home. If you are a brunch person, this would be a good place to be … plus you will have your early morning free and late afternoon free for other events. Also—it’s daylight. Perfect. December doesn’t have enough days in it. Details below to register and say “I ... we ... will be there.” I look forward to seeing the AuthorU.org members one more time before the end of the year.

If you read my blog this week, it’s all about commitment. What inspired How to Avoid Being a Limp Author: https://thebookshepherd.com/limpauthor/ was an email from a nonmember who was highly irritated that she couldn’t get on the online Salon, after it had started. A nonmember … and then she added a number of complaints around her interpretation that she wasn’t getting the attention she wanted/needed from me.

Onward … a great freebie for all of us is the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame Author Talk Happy Hour —the REPLAY is up on the Hall’s website and the link below.

1. November 19 Webinar Redux

2. November 20 Podcast- Is there a book in You? Part 3

3. November 21 Ask Judith

4. November 22 Barnes & Noble Book Fair Fort Collins

5. November 23 Barnes & Noble Book Fair Boulder

6. November 8 Podcast- Is there a book in You? Part 4

7. November 29 Barnes & Noble Book Fair Colorado Blvd.

8. November 30 Barnes & Noble Book Fair Lakewood-Denver West Village

9. December 2 Aurora Merry Makers Craft Fair

10. December 7 Barnes & Noble Book Fair Southlands, Aurora

11. December 13 Author Holiday Party

Most of you have had Microsoft’s Copilot thrown at you—literally, it showed up within Word and became a default add to Word 365. What is it? Per Microsoft, it is a low-code platform used to build and customize AI-powered chatbots. These bots are now known as agents. As a user, it tells you how to create your own “standalone agents” or extend the functionality of Microsoft's existing Copilot for Microsoft 365. OK … it is set up to tackle your tasks, answer questions, and connect to various systems and data sources. Whew … that’s quite a promise … and it was driving me nuts that it become the BULLY of popups—everywhere. It interfered with the editing I did, my thinking process … and my grumble and grrrrrh factors were ignited.

My personal quest became: how could I get rid of it. Asking others … doing the Google search … I stumbled upon my solution.

www.midwestbookreview.com/
Since 1976, Midwest Book Review has been committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. The MBR publishes the following monthly book review magazines specifically designed for community and academic librarians, booksellers, and the general reading public:

• The Bookwatch
• California Bookwatch
• Children’s Bookwatch
• Internet Bookwatch (a compilation of The Bookwatch, Library Bookwatch, and Wisconsin Bookwatch)
• Library Bookwatch
• MBR Bookwatch (reviews by senior volunteer reviewers)
• Reviewer’s Bookwatch (reviews by all other volunteer reviewers)
• Small Press Bookwatch
• Wisconsin Bookwatch

Reviews are posted on the Internet with a number of thematically appropriate websites, databases, and online discussion groups such as alt.books.reviews. Our reviews are also available through Internet bookstores. Midwest archives all reviews on the Midwest Book Review website for a minimum of five years.

The Book Shepherd, Judith Briles is YOURS for 60 minutes on Friday, November 21 at 3 pm MT to ask any question you have about book publishing, book marketing, writing a book ... or just getting a "little juice" to start your engines after the Holiday rush from the past few weeks.

Post your questions as soon as you come on ... Judith will come to you LIVE and bring you on the mic to respond to YOU and possibly ask additional questions.

It's 60 minutes to seed your 2025 success... and why not? Grab your favorite beverage; just listen in ... or ASK, ASK, ASK! It's time to re-juice and rekindle your author energy!

Join Zoom Meeting – click on it or copy/paste

https://zoom.us/j/95000476418?pwd=SH5vWqz0SkvVIZIgnC95lHCmCAi2km.1

Passcode: authors

Add to Your Calendar: this Friday, November 21 at 3 MT (2 PT, 4 CT, 5 ET)

The Sign-Up Clock is Ticking … are you coming?

Fun, Laughter, Great Food, Interesting Gifts, and Amazing Schmoozing—the food is always excellent, the networking, schmoozing and laughter not to be surpassed.

Members choose to have it during the daylight hours ... who knows what the weather will be in Colorado.

This year, the annual author holiday gathering will be a LUNCH

Date: Saturday, December 13th from NOON to ???

Bring: One unmarked gift to exchange in the off-the-wall Wacko Pick and Steal after dinner. If there are two in your party, bring two, please.

Location: Judith and John's Home: 8122 S Quatar Cir, Aurora, CO 80016, USA

Cost: $21 per person or $36 per couple

Single Person $21

Couple $36

… includes Brunch and Beverages (no tipping!) Think Italian ... the Olive Garden Grill will be the food creator ... plus, as always, you will get a few of my appetizers from my next cookbook!

Gifts: We do an exchange--the Wacko Pick and Steal exchange to be exact; please keep your cost value to less than $15—hot items in the past: wine; nifty gadgets from Home Depot and Costco; sports stuff; movie tickets; goofy and quirky can be fun …

Sign up here: https://www.authoru.org/event-details-registration/author-holiday-lunch

Join bestselling Colorado Authors Hall of Fame 2023 Inductee Jeanne Abrams as she took center stage and revealed her journey to becoming an author and historian for America’s founders through the eyes and experiences of their first ladies and the global recognition of the Jewish community and Jewish National Hospital in Colorado... oh the places she has been ... and will go. Jeanne was inducted into the Colorado Authors Hall of fame in 2023.
Jeanne defines the term “multi-tasker” … she writes non-fiction … history books with a focus on America’s founding fathers and mothers. And now continues her thirst for research that has recently been published in a series by the Wall Street Journal that included Meet Abigail Adams, the Warren Buffett of Revolutionary America.

She’s the author of six books that include Jewish Women Pioneering the Frontier Trail: A History in the American West, Jewish Denver, 1859-1940, Dr. Charles David Spivak, A Jewish Immigrant and the American Tuberculosis Movement, and the First Ladies of the Republic: Martha Washington, Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison.

Key takeaways include:

Her expertise is split over three areas: the prominence of Jewish women in Colorado and the global recognition of National Jewish Hospital; the influence of the founders first ladies; deep dive research—she shared tips for authors. Today, she is focusing on in-depth articles created for national publications.
She reminded authors to write what they are passionate about; to follow what they love; to be persistent; to not skimp on research; and not let discouragement get in their way.

I loved her reveal of the many of the steps of discovery and impact in medicine … even the why chocolate was important in the American Revolution.

Listen and watch the REPLAY HERE: https://vimeo.com/1136430454

Smile of the Week Love it when I find a shorty video that amuses and creates laugh out loud moments. Love it when I find a fun shorty—a quick smile, a laugh out loud, a learn something new, and a sip of tea … and back to work—perfect. Smile time and toe-tapping enjoy— I love a head nodding, body moving song. Kenny Rodgers delivers his ultimate Grammy winner, “The Gambler”—as I listened to it Sunday morning, I knew how to weave it into advice for authors and use it in this week’s blog released yesterday. Now, take a 3 ½ minute break time and view this clip about the wisdom of a dying gambler. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hx4gdlfamo

This is how each call starts: I share a few strategies, tips, and tools that attendees can immediately start to use. All share … and ask plenty of questions. They get answers. Definitely an excellent way to start a Friday. Those of you who aren’t participating, you are making a mistake. I love the variety of books and authors who have chosen to participate. What’s also fun, is the energy that can be felt with what everyone is working on. Love it!

Here’s the link to take advantage of it and subscribe: https://thebookshepherd.com/author-friendly-fridays/

About Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd ™

Book Publishing expert Judith Briles, aka The Book Shepherd, has shepherded more than 1,000 authors and created 500 best-sellers and award-winning books. She knows publishing inside and out from both the traditional and independent sides. Judith is an advocate for authors within her blogs, podcasts and speaking engagements. What’s her pet peeve? Two words: publishing predators.

She hosts the podcast AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing which generates over 250,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.