Brett Ortler
@gutenfrog.bsky.social
I'm a naturalist, a writer, and an editor based in the Upper Midwest. Acquisitions editor for AdventureKeen. Author of popsci books. Poet and literary journal editor (prosepoems.com). Moths! Sometime tardigrade wrangler. For more, visit brettortler.com
This is objectively funnier than hell and also impossibly sad. It’s like if I created my own BrettRulezTM machine that said things like “Brett’s *so* good at basketball”—I am five-six and as coordinated as one of those wobbly guys outside car dealerships—and “Brett’s kids live for his puns!”
November 20, 2025 at 8:26 PM
This is objectively funnier than hell and also impossibly sad. It’s like if I created my own BrettRulezTM machine that said things like “Brett’s *so* good at basketball”—I am five-six and as coordinated as one of those wobbly guys outside car dealerships—and “Brett’s kids live for his puns!”
(END) Publishers absolutely take the Bookscan numbers into consideration, but they also carefully examine their own internal numbers on similar titles so they have a more-complete idea of projected sales, which can differ, sometimes significantly.
November 19, 2025 at 2:51 PM
(END) Publishers absolutely take the Bookscan numbers into consideration, but they also carefully examine their own internal numbers on similar titles so they have a more-complete idea of projected sales, which can differ, sometimes significantly.
(3) And a LOT of a book's sales depend on (a) the book and its market and (b) the publisher's distribution and account base. A splashy hardcover memoir by a political figure will be very trade heavy, say, but other titles may land in other "buckets" as it were.
November 19, 2025 at 2:48 PM
(3) And a LOT of a book's sales depend on (a) the book and its market and (b) the publisher's distribution and account base. A splashy hardcover memoir by a political figure will be very trade heavy, say, but other titles may land in other "buckets" as it were.
(2) The problem for trade publishers is that there is no consolidated outfit capturing those sales, at least as far as I know. So Bookscan is often the best window into sales. It's not definitive, but it's quite useful.
November 19, 2025 at 2:43 PM
(2) The problem for trade publishers is that there is no consolidated outfit capturing those sales, at least as far as I know. So Bookscan is often the best window into sales. It's not definitive, but it's quite useful.
(1) Acquisitions editor here: So Bookscan is very trade-heavy (and trade publishers know this). But there are plenty of other places where books sell that aren't in Bookscan; they range from specialty stores (museum stores, rock shops, Uni stores) to the gift market.
November 19, 2025 at 2:41 PM
(1) Acquisitions editor here: So Bookscan is very trade-heavy (and trade publishers know this). But there are plenty of other places where books sell that aren't in Bookscan; they range from specialty stores (museum stores, rock shops, Uni stores) to the gift market.
This is a shot taken without a long exposure, and you can still see it. With the unaided eye it was brighter than this, and you could def. see the motion and columns, even with all our light pollution
November 12, 2025 at 3:02 AM
This is a shot taken without a long exposure, and you can still see it. With the unaided eye it was brighter than this, and you could def. see the motion and columns, even with all our light pollution
We were seeing them all the way over the zenith into the southern portion of the sky. Unreal. (Coon Rapids area.)
November 12, 2025 at 2:59 AM
We were seeing them all the way over the zenith into the southern portion of the sky. Unreal. (Coon Rapids area.)
Also, I totes wanna get your new book at the Book fest! My wife and will have a table for our teeny press.
November 7, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Also, I totes wanna get your new book at the Book fest! My wife and will have a table for our teeny press.
“Now boarding, tin and lithic class passengers.”
November 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
“Now boarding, tin and lithic class passengers.”
May I humbly suggest...micro animal pals like tardigrades, rotifers, and nematodes. The (groanworthy) puns are right there too (You are tardi-GREAT!)
November 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
May I humbly suggest...micro animal pals like tardigrades, rotifers, and nematodes. The (groanworthy) puns are right there too (You are tardi-GREAT!)
They are pretty darn docile little pals, too. When I took the photo, it actually approached me and just squeaked and scampered about. It's always a treat to see them, and when they glide it's pretty amazing.
November 6, 2025 at 3:20 PM
They are pretty darn docile little pals, too. When I took the photo, it actually approached me and just squeaked and scampered about. It's always a treat to see them, and when they glide it's pretty amazing.
Fun fact: Flying squirrels fluoresce under UV light. Here is one at my bird feeder in MN a while back. (I busted out a moth lamp for the photo.)
November 6, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Fun fact: Flying squirrels fluoresce under UV light. Here is one at my bird feeder in MN a while back. (I busted out a moth lamp for the photo.)