Shadows and Storylines 14: AI, Writing, and Self-Publishing: My Honest Approach

Shadows and Storylines 14: AI, Writing, and Self-Publishing: My Honest Approach

In Episode 14 of Shadows & Storylines, author Pelham Pugh discusses one of the most controversial topics in modern publishing: artificial intelligence. How much AI is too much? Does using AI make someone less of a writer? Can independent authors realistically compete without it? In this episode, I explain exactly how I use tools like ChatGPT, Adobe AI features, and other software in my writing, editing, cover design, and YouTube production process—and where I draw the line. The stories, characters, and imagination are still mine. AI simply helps me polish and present them. I also discuss: • My drafting and editing process • The realities of self-publishing on a budget • Book cover creation • AI in historical YouTube content • Why reviews and ratings matter so much for independent authors If you've read Perfidious Tides or Last Castle in the Sky, please consider leaving a rating or review. It helps more than you know. 📚 Books by Pelham Pugh 🎙️ Shadows & Storylines Podcast 📺 American Shadows • Iron Echoes • Classic Tractors #PelhamPugh #ShadowsAndStorylines #WritingCommunity #IndieAuthor #SelfPublishing #ChatGPT #ArtificialIntelligence #WritingLife #AuthorPodcast #PerfidiousTides #BookTube #WritingTips #IndependentAuthor #CreativeWriting #Storytelling

Shadows and Storylines 13: The Book That Changed My Life as a Reader

In this episode of Shadows & Storylines, I talk about the books that influenced my love of reading and eventually led me to become a writer.From the library at Clio Elementary School to discovering "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls, this is the story of the book that hooked me on reading and has remained my favorite for more than forty years.I also discuss:• Growing up in southeast Alabama• The librarians and teachers who encouraged reading• The Hardy Boys series• John Grisham's influence on my reading life• How books helped shape my writing journey• Why Where the Red Fern Grows still resonates todayWhether you're a lifelong reader, a writer, or someone looking for your next great book, I hope you'll enjoy this look back at the stories that stayed with me.📚 Books Mentioned:Where the Red Fern Grows — Wilson RawlsSummer of the Monkeys — Wilson RawlsA Time to Kill — John GrishamThe Rainmaker — John GrishamThe Boys from Biloxi — John GrishamThe Hardy Boys Series📖 Books by Pelham Pugh:Perfidious TidesLast Castle in the SkyLive the Last Day🌐 Website:www.pelhampugh.com#ShadowsAndStorylines #WhereTheRedFernGrows #WilsonRawls #Reading #Books #BookTube #WritingLife #AuthorLife #PelhamPugh #SouthernWriter #BookDiscussion #ReadersOfYouTube #Storytelling #Literature #BookLovers

Shadows and Storylines 12: Am I Finished Writing the Bruce Family?

After finishing the Fractured Horizons trilogy, one question keeps coming back to me: am I truly done with the Bruce family?In this episode, I talk honestly about the future of the series, the characters whose stories still haunt me, and why I intentionally left parts of the ending open. From Burt Williams and Vern Bruce to Jefferson Black and the Confederados of Brazil, there are still stories waiting in the shadows.I also discuss:Why Casey Bruce’s future was left uncertainCharacters I may revisit one dayThe inspiration behind Jefferson BlackIndependent publishing struggles and advertisingWhy word of mouth matters more than everWhat’s next after Come Our WayIf you’ve supported these books in any way — thank you. Reviews, shares, and recommendations truly keep independent authors going.📚 Books Mentioned:Perfidious TidesLast Castle in the SkyLive the Last DaySouthern Cross by Janet Faulk🌐 Website:Pelham Pugh Official Website#SouthernNoir #FracturedHorizons #IndieAuthor #WritingCommunity #CrimeFiction #BookTube #PelhamPugh #ThrillerBooks #SouthernGothic

Shadows and Storylines 11: Picking it Back Up - A Year Later...

Back after a year away, I’m diving back into Come Our Way, a Southern story rooted in the farming crisis of the 1980s, real-life memories, and the people who lived through it. In this episode of Shadows & Storylines, I talk about restarting the manuscript, rewriting the first nine chapters, and why this story feels more personal than anything I’ve written before.I also discuss the role the Atlanta Braves and baseball played in my Fractured Horizons trilogy — from Perfidious Tides to Last Castle in the Sky and Live the Last Day — and why those memories of Fulton County Stadium became part of the soul of the books.Topics in this episode:• Returning to Come Our Way after a year away• Rewriting the opening chapters — Draft Two• Writing without outlines• The farming crisis of the early 1980s• Real-life inspiration behind the story• The Atlanta Braves as part of Southern identity• Why baseball became part of my fiction• Upcoming book festivals and eventsSigned copies of all three books are available on my website. - pelhampugh.com#ShadowsAndStorylines #ComeOurWay #SouthernNoir #WritingCommunity #AtlantaBraves #PerfidiousTides #LastCastleInTheSky #LiveTheLastDay #SouthernGothic #AuthorTube #PelhamPugh #WritingLife #BookTube #Wiregrass #AmericanSouth #IndieAuthor #BaseballAndBooks

Shadows and Storylines 10: Forgotten History, Writing, and the Road Ahead

Shadows and Storylines returns for Season 2 as Pelham Pugh comes back from hiatus to talk writing, history, YouTube, forgotten stories, and the road ahead for the summer of 2026. In this episode: • The return of American Shadows Season 3 • The forgotten Great Clayton Train Wreck of 1913 • Family stories passed down through the Wiregrass • Visiting the CSS Hunley in Charleston • Upcoming Revolutionary War travel and filming • The return of Wandering Writer and Iron Echoes • Vintage White and Oliver tractors • How storytelling, history, music, baseball, and life influence the writing process This episode also looks ahead to new videos, road trips, local history, and the continued work on the upcoming novel Come Our Way. If you enjoy Southern history, storytelling, writing, forgotten places, railroad history, farm history, and life in the Wiregrass, welcome back. Books by Pelham Pugh: Perfidious Tides Last Castle in the Sky Live the Last Day Signed books and merch: Pelham Pugh Official Website [https://pelhampugh.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] #ShadowsAndStorylines #PelhamPugh #AmericanShadows #SouthernHistory #WritingCommunity #Wiregrass #RailroadHistory #HistoryPodcast #Storytelling #CSSHunley