Clay, Author at Clay Reads

A weary wizard in a long coat stands on a ruined rooftop at sunset, holding a faintly glowing staff as he looks over a battered Chicago skyline; a small memorial cross and white flowers sit nearby.

Twelve Months (The Dresden Files, #18) by Jim Butcher

Aftermath, Healing, and Learning to Live Again Twelve Months by Jim Butcher is the quietest Dresden Files novel and one of the best.[…]

Conceptual split-scene landscape with a wooden signpost between storm clouds and sunshine; a giant tangled ball of rope sits on the dark path while a person walks toward a bright, calm horizon with butterflies, symbolizing releasing control and choosing intentional action.

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

Clay | March 13

A Two-Word Tool for Reclaiming Your Energy I have forgotten the exact details of where I discovered the Mel Robbins Podcast, but I[…]

Tall augmented security construct seen from behind in a crowded space station concourse, subtle blue cybernetic implants glowing under a dark jacket.

Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries #2) by Martha Wells

Clay | March 6

Introvert in Space I loved All Systems Red so I have basically committed to reading the complete The Murderbot Diaries sci-fi novella series[…]

Sunlit stone steps leading upward, with a habit tracker being checked off beside coffee, dumbbells, running shoes, a book, and a phone—symbolizing The Road to Better Habits by Darius Foroux.

The Road to Better Habits, Updated and Expanded: A simple framework for transforming your habits by Darius Foroux

Clay | February 27

A Simple Framework That Sticks When I was desperately trying to climb out of a deep depression, I latched onto a simple lifeline:[…]

Three friends sit with retro game consoles at a glowing sunset, a pixel-heart game cartridge floating above a city—Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Clay | February 20

A Love Letter to Gaming and Friendship I have to admit something before we get into the review: I saw Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,[…]

You are a YouTube expert in ambient channels. You work on the channel @softorbitsoundscape.(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXNbP7J7deKBCfBeHn2PFaw). You are helping me create the fourth video in the channel. It is an outdoor terrace scene with rain. The soundscape will be rain sounds. The rain will be animated to give it a comforting vibe. Walk me through the process in detail to make this attached image ready for use in Davinci Resolve to create the static portion of the video. I have access to kittl and photopea tools.

Do It Today: Overcome Procrastination, Improve Productivity, and Achieve More Meaningful Things by Darius Foroux

Clay | February 13

Do It Today by Darius Foroux: Overcoming Procrastination & Finding Meaning I must have discovered Darius Foroux over 10 years ago. At the[…]

Bioluminescent alien octopus and advanced spacecraft orbiting a vast blue ocean planet, inspired by the science fiction novel Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Children of Ruin (Children of Time #2) by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Clay | February 6

Exploring Alien Intelligence I loved Children of Time so much that picking up the sequel, Children of Ruin, was a no-brainer. This second[…]

The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga

Clay | January 30

Stop Chasing Approval, Start Living: The Courage to Be Disliked Review I am honestly at a loss for how The Courage to Be[…]

A retro-style sci-fi illustration of a massive alien stone fortress floating in unspace, glowing with energy as a lone spacecraft approaches amid a swirling cosmic entity.

Lords of Uncreation (The Final Architecture #3) by Adrian Tchaikovskyv

Clay | January 23

Lords of Uncreation Review: A Fitting End to the Final Architecture? Lords of Uncreation is the final book in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Final Architecture[…]

Photorealistic cocktail party scene with two professionals talking while subtle overlay icons show microexpressions, personality traits, and trust cues, representing the science of charisma and social skills.

Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People by Vanessa Van Edwards

Clay | January 16

Charisma is a Learned Skill: My Review of ‘Captivate’ by Vanessa Van Edwards I discovered Vanessa Van Edwards through MasterClass. I subscribed to[…]