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Peter’s Year In Books

Peter’s 2023 Year in Books

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Peter’s Bookshelves

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2024 Reading Challenge

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Peter Derk has read 164 of 299 books.

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Peter Derk

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

https://www.helpfulsnowman.com

Twitter

helpfulsnowman

Member Since

February 2009

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Peter Derk doesn't understand why they've never sold a Twix called "Twick" that's just one long bar made of the two bars mashed together. ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

From Yahoo Answers: I keep getting rejected from women, should i just become a homosexual? I know its a sin and ill burn in hell forever. Im just tired of it. So should i become gay and be happy, or deal with fustration from constant rejection from women? I dont think the fustration is worth it.

Peter Derk Can I tell you a story about this?

The first time I was in a gay bar was because of an incident where a friend's car got towed. We walked a ways to mee…moreCan I tell you a story about this?

The first time I was in a gay bar was because of an incident where a friend's car got towed. We walked a ways to meet another friend, a gay guy and his partner, who were going to help us out. They were in a gay bar, and they insisted we have a drink with them first before we got down to business. By which I mean "get a ride home." By which I mean get in a vehicle and drive it...let's just keep going with the story.

I walked in, we had a drink, and I left. And you know what? Nobody hit on me. Nobody talked to me. It was almost like -gasp- pretty much a normal bar.

Now, I fully expected that guys would love me. Because ladies were kind of ho-hum about me, so I figured that meant dudes would be all about it. Because a gay guy is the opposite of a girl, right?

Nope. Turns out, nope, not at all. In fact, a gay gentleman's proclivities really don't have much to do with a woman's. It's kind of like it's own whole thing. Actually, I'll revise that. It's exactly like it's own whole thing.

This was a lesson learned when I was maybe 21. So a little old, but what can I say, I grew up podunk.

So while turning to gay men might seem like an alternative, flipping the switch from OFF to ON, it doesn't really work that way.

Here's my advice to you and really the advice I would give to any young person who is having this sort of problem: Pursue an interest that's NOT having a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Get interested in something. Get a hobby. Seriously. This is the best thing you can do for yourself, and it's going to make your future relationships much richer.

For one thing, you'll become a better, deeper, more interesting person.

For another, if your hobby is pursuing romance, then once you have romance, what then? What do you have left at that point?

Get a hobby. I would possibly suggest some sort of queer studies classes in your particular case. Or model rocketry. (less)

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Pete, why didn't you push "Like" on my 5-star review of your book?

Peter Derk Oh, please. A 5-star review? I wasn't born yesterday.

In all seriousness, or as much seriousness as I can muster for Goodreads, I really do appreciate …moreOh, please. A 5-star review? I wasn't born yesterday.

In all seriousness, or as much seriousness as I can muster for Goodreads, I really do appreciate the nice reviews and things people say about my books. And I get steamed about the bad ones. Because I'm a human man and it doesn't feel good when people say bad things.

I don't hit Like anymore these days because, well, I really do appreciate the nice reviews, but I also know that book reviewers don't necessarily want to have a dialog with me, and...it feels a little creepy.

I do my fair share of reviewing, and I have been contacted by authors a couple times. Both for books I gave middling reviews. And...I didn't love it. It was weird.

I also think it can be a little creepy. I've worked/volunteered a few jobs working with youth. If you're a single, adult man working with youth, you learn to stay as far away from creepsville as is humanly possible. Your creepification monitor is very sensitive. Trust me, this might sound weird to you, but any others who've walked a mile in those shoes know what I'm talking about. So, I am super averse to doing anything remotely creepy, which probably hurts me sometimes because it's good to develop relationships with readers, but I'm going better safe than sorry on this one.

There was another event that made me think this way.

When I put out the first book I put out, a book of poems, someone gave it a 1-star review. I knew this person as a friend of friend of friend kind of thing, and I did think it was extremely uncool to give it a 1-star. I went to this person's profile and was looking at other ratings, and was like, "Wait, if you were this charitable all along, what the hell?"

I was seriously considering clicking "Like" on this review. So the person would know I'd seen it. And maybe think, "Oh, yeah. Real person. Not cool."

But then I took a breath and was like, "Whoa." Not like a Matrix whoa, like a cowboy stopping a spooked horse kind of whoa.

I'm not a professional author, but I can still act like one. And a pro can take it when someone dislikes their book. I learned an important lesson from Rocky Balboa: "It's not how hard you can hit. It's how hard you can GET hit and keep moving forward." Rocky was right. Punch drunk, but right. Being a pro is about getting hit and moving forward, not about hitting back.

I didn't hit that Like button. And I decided not to hit the positive ones either. I'm just not like some big time guy, like a Stephen King. If Stephen King liked my 5-star review, I'd be pretty happy. But Peter Derk? Who gives a shit?

I think reviews are for readers. They help readers make good choices on how to spend their time and money. Sure, I look at 'em. And I'm heartwarmed when I see a glowing one. But I have to assume that even the nice reviews were not written to make me feel good, they were written to tell people about a good book. Unless they're by friends and family. Then I figure they're at least kinda meant to make me feel good, and I'm 100% fine with that.

I'm very grateful to anyone who reads my books, whether they end up liking them or not. There are a lot of choices for people out there, lots of ways you all can spend your time, and I'm honored when you choose to spend your time with my books. If you want to be chummy with me, tag me in your review on Twitter or Instagram, or email me. I'm helpfulsnowman on Twitter, Instagram, and gmail. Pretty much everywhere. Also, feel free to chat me up on reviews I do of other books, books I didn't write.

As for reviews of my books, I'll be there, but not in a creepy way. Maybe just looking down like Mufasa from the clouds. Except not dead. And not a lion. And none of you are my kids. I do suspect that some of you have tried to strike up a relationship with a fun meerkat/warthog duo, but that's because you're weird. (less)

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Peter Derk’s books

Average rating: 4.02 · 188 ratings · 82 reviews · 30 distinct works • Similar authors

	Pete's Exhaustive Review of Modelland 4.29 avg rating — 42 ratings — published 2016 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ghost Dick: Private Eye 3.55 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2018 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Harold's Coming 3.10 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2021 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Heist-est Heist Ever Heisted: A Heist Story of a Heist: Special Editor’s Edition really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2021 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Barehanded: poems really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dear Runaway: a novel in letters 4.70 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2019 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ninja Sons 4.20 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Skeleton Army: a novel of an army of darkness of skeletons 4.33 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Read A Poem, Eat A Donut, And Let’s All Get On With It 4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2022 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The First Of Me: Stories 4.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Peter Derk's Blog

My Books? On Hoopla?

That's right, you can read your favorite author on Hoopla! And then when you're finished, you can read my books as well!

It's July 31st, and if you haven't used your Hoopla borrows at the end of the month, why not take a couple clicks and check out one of mine? It doesn't cost you a thing, throws a few cents my way, and really sticks it to that library that pays a miniscule amount to let someone re Read more of this blog post »

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Published on July 31, 2024 15:24

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Series by Peter Derk

Digitally Stimulated (4 books)
by

Peter Derk (Goodreads Author)

4.56 avg rating — 9 ratings

The LitReactor Years (4 books)
by

Peter Derk (Goodreads Author)

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings

Peter is Currently Reading

Peter Derk is currently reading

The Complete Stories

by Flannery O'Connor

bookshelves: currently-reading, 2018

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Feb 20, 2018 06:33PM

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Peter’s Recent Updates

Peter Derk and 2 other people liked Marc Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!’s status update Marc Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä! is currently reading Modelland
17 hours, 49 min ago
Peter Derk rated a book liked it Cat + Gamer, Volume 3 (Cat + Gamer, #3) by Wataru Nadatani	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
After reading about a serial killer who designed a pretty neat new type of torture chamber and kept people in it for years at a time, I thought maybe it was time to read about cute, smol kidgens. I don't understand the appeal of this, it's basically j ...more
17 hours, 54 min ago · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Cat + Gamer, Volume 3 by Wataru Nadatani. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Cat + Gamer, Volume 3 by Wataru Nadatani <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Peter Derk rated a book really liked it Dark Spaces: Dungeon by Scott Snyder (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
So this creep is kidnapping people and putting them into dungeons, which are a little bigger than their bodies and made up of a bunch of blocks. The blocks can push in using different patterns to basically force you into a contorted position for hour ...more
17 hours, 56 min ago · 3 likes · like · see review
Peter Derk rated a book liked it Song of Spider-Man: The Inside Story of the Most Controversial Musical in Broadway History by Glen Berger (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Ah, perhaps the most famous failure in Broadway history. Finally, we get the story straight from the writer of The Book. Okay, this is confusing. In musicals, "The Book" is kind of like the script/story/outline/overall thingy the musical is based on. ...more
Sep 03, 2024 10:37AM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Song of Spider-Man by Glen Berger. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Song of Spider-Man by Glen Berger <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Peter Derk rated a book it was ok Baking Sheet Bloodbath: A Short Extreme Horror by Pia Peyroux (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The strangest thing in this story, our main character decides she wants to learn how to bake, and the first step in this procedure? Take 40 guesses, you won't get it. TAKE A SHOWER! This is kind of like watching an 80s slasher, and if that's what this w ...more
Aug 29, 2024 03:00PM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Baking Sheet Bloodbath by Pia Peyroux. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Baking Sheet Bloodbath by Pia Peyroux <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Peter Derk rated a book did not like it Trust Your Instincts: A short horror mystery tale by Kimberly Sue Iverson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Do NOT trust your instincts if your instincts are to not get vaccines. Let me preface this: I'm 90% sure this is an anti-vaccine story, but it's possible that it's not and I just misinterpreted things and/or ascribed the fictional hero's beliefs to th ...more
Aug 29, 2024 02:38PM · 7 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Trust Your Instincts by Kimberly Sue Iverson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Trust Your Instincts by Kimberly Sue Iverson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Peter Derk rated a book it was ok From Below-A Short Story by John Grover (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Graveyard as makeout spot. I never attempted this, but it NEVER would’ve worked for me, NEVER. I guess the idea is to take your best gal somewhere that you won’t be bothered, you’re too young to afford a house, and where are you less likely to be both ...more
Aug 29, 2024 02:03PM · 1 like · like · see review
Peter Derk rated a book it was ok The Scampering by Alana K. Drex (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Probably the clearest distillation of that whole, "X wronged me in some way, so now I will destroy it!" kind of idea. You know, that thing where a character's dad is killed because he trips on a teddy bear and falls down the stairs, and somehow that ...more
Aug 29, 2024 01:04PM · 1 like · like · see review
Peter Derk made a comment on his review of Concrete Park, Vol. 1: You Send Me (Concrete Park, #1) " I wish! If this was a comic about a park that genetically engineered concrete dinosaurs, we’d have a whole different star rating. "
Aug 13, 2024 10:41AM · see review
Peter Derk made a comment on his review of Diddly Squat: A Year on the Farm (Diddly Squat, #1) " That’s the most annoying part of gardening. What grows great? Anything you don’t want in the garden. "
Aug 13, 2024 10:40AM · see review

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Quotes by Peter Derk (?)

“You might have to hurt yourself if you want to really be alone for a little while.”
― Peter Derk, Dear Runaway: a novel in letters

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“All I did one summer was lay down on a shitty 70's couch and listen to bands I won't even talk about because they're too embarrassing. A whole summer like that. Okay, fine. It was Staind.”
― Peter Derk, Dear Runaway: a novel in letters

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“I try really hard not to live how people think I live.”
― Peter Derk, Dear Runaway: a novel in letters

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Turn of a Page: March Weekly Readathon 11th-17th (Closed)	55	80	Mar 18, 2022 07:24AM
Turn of a Page: March Monthly Readathon	92	112	Apr 01, 2022 10:25AM
Turn of a Page: Shandra's Thread	60	26	Dec 29, 2022 08:16AM

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Peter’s Quotes

“Game shows are designed to make us feel better about the random, useless facts that are all we have left of our education.”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters

tags: education, game-shows, trivia

649 likes

“Remember; no matter how desperate the situation seems, time spent
thinking clearly is never time wasted.”
― Max Brooks, Zombie Survival Guide, The: Complete Protection From The Living Dead

122 likes

“Why do people have to be this lonely? What's the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all of them yearning, looking to others to satisfy them, yet isolating themselves. Why? Was the earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?”
― Haruki Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart

tags: isolation, loneliness, sadness

5838 likes

“Fuck concepts. Don't be afraid to be confused. Try to remain permanently confused. Anything is possible. Stay open, forever, so open it hurts, and then open up some more, until the day you die, world without end, amen.”
― George Saunders

188 likes

“All these weirdos, and me getting a little better every day right in the midst of them. I had never known, never even imagined for a heartbeat, that there might be a place for people like us.”
― Denis Johnson, Jesus' Son

62 likes

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