Thursday, November 20, 2014

Fourth of July...
     No, I'm not chronologically challenged. The title of the entry refers to the book, The Falls: Fourth of July, the 6th in The Falls small town mystery series. The first proof is edited (by me and my patient and wonderful wife Carolyn) and the corrections to the text and the cover submitted on CreateSpace. The book has been reviewed and I have ordered the second proof. If that comes back looking good, then within a week or ten days, I will submit Fourth of July to be published on CreateSpace, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, etc. 
     The cover needed some major revisions. The black type against the dark blue background of the cover didn't work. Very hard to see. So I opted for white and Carolyn seconded the opinion. I also changed the cover picture, the background from white to black (night sky) and added a firework. All in all a much better cover. Sometimes, you just need to see the cover on a paperback, compared to seeing it on screen as you are creating it on CreateSpace, to know it needs a little something. That was the way this time around for this book.
     The Falls: County Fair is coming along well. On page 55 of probably 140-150 pages in Word format. That will translate to about 325-350 pages in the CreateSpace template. That's what most of The Falls series is running at the present time. The first Falls novel, In the Dead of Winter, went over 500 pages and I had to do a few things to economize space. That's one thing to think about when working on your ebooks to convert them over to paperback. In the Kindle edition, it can be as long as you want, size doesn't come into question, but in the paperback version number of pages, distance between lines, font size, and margins (all four sides) start to make a difference.
     Finished putting together the new wooden cabinets for beneath the stand-up/sit-down desk. They are dark wood, like the two shelving units next to the desk and look pretty good! Next edition of the blog I will include a picture. Also had to get a new 'garage refrigerator' yesterday. You know how when you get a new fridge you place the old one out in the garage for food that overflows from the inside one? Well we had just barely gotten used to having the convenience of having one when it died. So we got a basic fridge at Sears yesterday and it will be delivered soon. 
     Getting close to Thanksgiving. All the folks in The Falls are gearing up for the celebration! They are inviting anyone over who'd like to come to an old-fashioned country Thanksgiving! The 13th volume of The Falls series is The Falls: Thanksgiving, case you didn't know. If you haven't read it...it's just waiting for you at the Kindle Store, $2.99!
     May the dragons watch over you...and roast your turkey just perfect! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 14, 2014

FREE THIS WEEKEND!
     The Falls: In the Dead of Winter, Kindle Edition, the first volume of The Falls small town mystery series, will be FREE this weekend at the Kindle Store! Winter is rearing it's ugly head and it's a perfect time for In the Dead of Winter! The snow falls as the bodies pile up! Take advantage to get the story for your new Kindle, your phone or your computer via Kindle App. It's one small way I can say thank you for the readers who have bought the series over the years. Thank you all...and may the dragons watch over you. Return to The Falls!

http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Dead-Winter-small-mystery-ebook/dp/B008G4X28O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415971411&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Falls%3A+In+the+Dead+of+Winter

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Post Op...
     Post Op sort of sounds like a trendy new music group, doesn't it? This is the day after my 5, or was it six, related sinus procedures plus a biopsy, I'm feeling a little groggy (now, now, be kind...I'm usually semi-lucid) with painkillers but okay. Got to get on serious antibiotics, saline spray which really felt good (after a few moments go Ahhhh!) this morning and the latest oxy-whatever for pain along with Afrin sprays, etc. 
     The surgery was done at the Blue Water Surgery Center in West Port St. Lucie. (Love the name, huh? You can tell it's Florida!) It's very modern, yet warm, homey and beautiful. Cutting edge I would say. My doctor, Dr. Slack, my ENT doctor, was wonderful, as always and I even had an anesthesiologist with a sense of humor. Nurses were very pleasant and on the top of their game. All in all everything couldn't have been better. (Except it was a procedure...or operation...or a surgery...whatever you want to call it. The dragons weren't nervous...I was a tad...shhh!)) A week with not lifting over ten pounds, no nodding forward and the interior splints come out Monday the 17th, our youngest son's birthday. (His age is easy to remember, he's 30 years younger than me, to the month. His birthday is the 17th of November and mine the 25th).
     I've had pain for about six months now. Hoping this will deal with most of it. Bone spur is gone, sinus straightened and several other parts adjusted. The biopsy said that there is no reoccurrence of cancer on the side of my nose. The doctor took that off a year or two ago. Sounds like I'm falling apart, huh? Naw...I'm a tough old Scotsman. No worries. But my wife says I'm stubborn and don't want to let anyone do anything for me. Probably true. She's the smart one.
     The edited proof of the CreateSpace paperback of The Falls: Fourth of July, the 6th in the series, is almost ready to edit on CreateSpace (the cover as well) and then it will be ready to publish. Then I'll order 3 author copies (usually about half the price). I always start off with three copies to start with and buy more as needed.
     That reminds me, I'm entering three of The Falls books in a local Book It program. (In the Dead of Winter, Making a List, Checking it Twice and Coldblooded. The first two as paperbacks, the third as a Kindle book.) You can do either or hardcover if you have one.) If accepted, I will be part of a program at the Port St. Lucie Library Book It Day in February. I'll be able to have a table and sell/advertise the books. Never done that before, but as an artist in oils I used to exhibit at art shows on the green with a tent and setup twelve to fifteen times each spring/summer/fall back in Vermont. We'll see how that goes...if I'm chosen of course.
     Well, I missed writing yesterday...working on the eighteenth of The Falls series, The Falls: County Fair so I'm off to do my daily chapter. I'll edit this afternoon, painkillers allowing. May your day be filled with small pleasures and may the dragons watch over you...

Friday, November 7, 2014

SALE!
     The Falls: Coldblooded, the latest in The Falls small town mystery series, is on sale this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 7-9 at the Kindle Store on Amazon.com for only $.99!!!! Don't miss the opportunity! Ruth Graham returns! There's a food truck invasion of the town square and robberies are popping up! Sylvia Jean finds herself in a precarious position in her chosen field of study at the University of Maine, and a foreshadowing of the next Falls novel, The Falls: County Fair. May the dragons watch over you...

http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Coldblooded-small-town-mystery-ebook/dp/B00O6FTWWM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412675330&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Falls%3A+Coldblooded

Thursday, November 6, 2014

iAuthor...
     Just thought I'd pass this along. I have started an account at iAuthor.com. It advertises books and other things for free. It will take me awhile to get it arranged the way I want it, but it's begun so we'll see what happens. I am also putting my name in for a county library Book-It fair in February. More info to come on that! Advertising is not really my thing. I'm an old story-teller. But it seems that I have to do the other as well...nobody else will...chuckles. Have a great day and may the dragons watch over you...

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Poll Workers...
     Well, yesterday Carolyn and I worked at our local polling place. We were there from six o'clock in the morning until a little after 8:00 PM. Long day. Carolyn worked the EVID machine, the computer that finds voters in the polling area, checks on their right to vote in case they had voted early or by mail, etc. and then  gives them the "OK"to be given a ballot. I worked as the person checking the slips given out by the EVID machine and then handing out ballots in security shields while telling the voter where to go and what to do. Our team had two EVID operators, two people handing out ballots, a person trained to run the ICE voting machine (it take the ballot after it is filled out and submits the choices into the machine, then tabulates them and gets them ready to be sent in to election  headquarters after the polls close), an assistant clerk, a sheriff's department deputy and a clerk. We work pretty well together. We set up in Tradition (Florida)Town Hall. The ages range from eighteen all the way to almost seventy. {No there are no hanging chads.)
     The job is grueling and it was made more-so because we had a particular heavy turnout for a non-presidential election. We had a steady flow all day and had several long lines as we went along. Have to admit, the voters were particularly supportive and kind to us yesterday. Most voters usually are, in fact we usually see a number of friends as they come to vote, but we normally get some disgruntled ones. Even God, Mahatma Gandhi and St. Peter would get disgruntled ones...and that's a fact.
     I have to admit, it takes me a day to get back into rhythm again after a day at the polls. My back aches, I'm beat and I feel like an eighteen-wheeler ran over me. So aside from writing in this morning and editing this afternoon, I haven't done much. We did go to BJ's.
     Finished editing The Falls: Fourth of July, and tomorrow I'll work on the cover photo again. The story in The Falls: County Fair is beginning to come together. Bought a white board, about four by two feet, and have already laid out the story board. I have vertical columns dealing with a specific storyline, such as Jeremy and Sylvia Jean in college. I add a line or two about each scene after I write it so I can keep track of where it's going, what I need to remember and the distribution of scenes to different story lines. On the back of the white board I add notes to remind myself later on in the story. Unlike some authors, I let the story twist and turn as it will, I don't have an outline from start to finish...that's not the way my creativity works best. I feel the direction of the story, and at times, surprise myself with which what it's headed. It's kind of funny. I'm very organized in most ways, but not with a story line. I have a general idea where I'm going but I listen to my gut as I go along. (It's a lot more fun that way as well!)
     I hope you all got out and voted. I'm not really very political, and refused to be as a principal, but I do find some of the twists and turns of the world of politics fascinating at times. May the dragons watch over you and char the hind ends of any new or old legislator who doesn't work for and think about the people they represent all the time...

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Thanksmas or Christgiving...
     Okay, the kids are thoroughly gorged with candy and on a sugar high and the Halloween decorations and trimmings haven't been taken down yet and yet there it is! Ads for Christmas, Christmas decorations and the stores all decked out in holiday cheer! I hate the way holidays now run into each other. When I was a kid there was a reasonable time to get over and savor one holiday before moving onto another. It felt like a holiday, not a fast moving vision of some sort. Now, the greed and competition of stores, websites and the pursuit of the almighty dollar pushes everything together in a mash of holiday themes and overwhelms our senses. Can you tell I'm not a fan?
     Okay...okay...I'll back off my post-Halloween rant. Had lots of ghosties and ghoulies last night as always. We're too far from grandkids to see them on Halloween night but we enjoy all the other kids (from less than a year to over forty) who came to our door with an open bag and a "Trick or Treat!" My wife is the official greeter. I simply hang back and peek. Funny, all those years as a school principal I was always the welcoming one,with a big smile and a warm hug or handshake but at home, I'm much more private...always have been.
     I'm working on editing the first printed proof for The Falls: Fourth of July from CreateSpace. Almost three fourths of the way through and I am still amazed that I like my own stories. Chuckles. I have to remember to edit sometimes, rather than just get caught up in the story and read quickly on. Should be done in a couple of days, then turn it over to Carolyn to read as well. I need to change the cover. Add a fireworks to the picture and change the print to white from black. The cover is a very dark blue and the black doesn't show up well. This will be the first time that any of The Falls paperback books will have any color print than black. We'll see how it goes.
     I'm working on the eighteenth The Falls small town mystery series book, The Falls: County Fair. Just purchased a white board to keep track of story lines. I can do it with post-its and notes...but decided it was time for the storyboard approach. I'll keep track of each story line (I usually have at least three or four, maybe more) and I'm no spring chicken. I need help reminding self where to go next, what time it is for scenes, etc. I'm sure you all have your own methods.
     The stand up desk and I are simpatico. Haven't used a chair yet. You should try it. I feel better and I know my back does as well. Burn a few calories at the same time. Not bad and I like the two their approach...wasn't sure about that when I bought it.
     Went for my preop visit to my ENT doctor on Thursday. I had gone to my own doctor to get scheduled for an EKG, a chest X-ray and blood test...all the treats are now done. Surgery is November 10th. He's going to go into my left sinus and take out a bone spur and do some other things as well. Roto-router treatment I believe. Been hurting for a while now, it will be a relief to get it done. I will be back writing the next day...you can count on it...chuckles.
     It was actually down in the fifties for our walk this morning! Yeah! Florida's heat just gets to me at times. Tomorrow morning might be in the forties...a real treat! It will still be in the mid seventies during the middle of the day. Anyone willing to box up some cool Scottish weather, I'll trade a box of Florida warmth any day!
     On to Christmas...oops! Thanksgiving! Hmmm...maybe Thanksmas or Christgiving! May the dragon watch over you...