Tuesday, September 30, 2014

And so it goes...
     I've been keeping my nose to the grindstone. Just sent for the second proof of The Falls: Making a List, Checking it Twice from CreateSpace. I edited it, lots of things to touch up this time, revised the cover and resubmitted it and ordered the second proof.
     I'm not sure if I ever wrote about the cover process. The covers I do now for the paperbacks are all drawn by me using a medium-fine width drawing pen and professional grade colored pencils. I cut the artwork out and place them, along with the appropriate logo, on a background. The backgrounds are 12" by 12" construction papers that I bought in a pack (about twenty-five colors with 4 sheets of each color in case I need a bigger background). I buy most of my stuff from Michael's by the way. Then I take several pictures of it with my Galaxy 4 phone (both longways and sideways) and upload them to my email. From there I place them on my desktop, rename them and then use them to download to the cover creator in CreateSpace. It's a bit cumbersome, but works for me at the moment.
     I am editing and placing The Falls: Fourth of July, Kindle version, into a template for CreateSpace, and I'm about two-thirds done. At the same time I'm nearly finished with The Falls: Coldblooded for Kindle. Should finish with two or three more chapters, then I'll go through and edit, then place it on Kindle. I haven't come up with a cover for it yet. I'm thinking just a handgun lying on it's side with a bullet next to it. Since the story is about the revenge of rogue FBI agent Ruth Graham, that would seem appropriate. I'm into simple. Less is more. You know the drill.
     The standing desk has not been lowered since I put it up to stand and type. I really like it this way and am getting quite comfortable with the position. And it's better for me. I find myself moving around slightly as I type, burning a calorie her and a calorie there. I've lost about 25 pounds, maybe more and have gone down a couple of pant sizes in the last few months. Carolyn has done really well, but that's her story to tell.
     Here's hoping that everyone is doing well and is ready for fall. I say that with a touch in cheek here in Florida. It's in the high 80's, high humidity and lots of rain to go along with lots of sun. May the dragons watch over you all...

Friday, September 19, 2014

Great Review!
     Many thanks to Kate Eileen Shannon for such a wonderful review of The Falls:Boneyard on her blog Rantin', Ravin' & Reading! It couldn't be more perfect. Kate has come to love the people in The Falls, and that's the main goal of the stories. The small town in the center of the Green Mountains of Vermont is the focus point of the mysteries. The community members are colorful, lovable, controversial and a bit over the top at times. They make the stories a good read. The mysteries that are solved are a way to show off each and every one of The Falls' citizens. Their good sides, their bad sides and mostly, their humanity.
     Thank you a million times over Kate for falling in love with The Falls and the community members as they grow and spread their wings! Here's the link! Read it and enjoy it! Here's hoping that you fall in love with The Falls as well! May the dragons watch over you...

http://kateeileenshannon.com/2014/09/19/falling-in-love-with-the-falls/

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Stand-Up/Sit-Down Desk...
     Well, I've been wring with the stand-up/sit-down desk for a few days now and I'm liking it better and better as the time goes by. The first day it felt a bit funny. That's to be expected...I've been sitting and writing for decades. But now, I really enjoy it, and it puts me in a better position to see the screen. I'm looking slightly down at the screen rather than looking slightly up at it. My neck feels much better. It took a little while to get used to the typing angle, but it feels quite normal now. I feel better standing. I haven't sat down once in the last few days while either writing or editing. It has huge casters on it so it's really easy to move and they lock tight so it doesn't move. I'm sold.
     The important thing with a stand-up/sit-down desk I think is finding one that fits you. I like having two different levels...one for the monitor, one for the keyboard. My desk is 60" wide, 24" deep on the first level, 12" deep on the second level. It fits my iMac like a glove. Lots of room to put all the papers I use as I'm writing. Even room for my files of names/places and my daily calendar where I put down the sites I advertise on, any Amazon sales dates, and when I order proofs, author copies, etc. The size is perfect.
     All in all, I'm very pleased. One additional word of advice, if you are thinking of getting one, look around carefully, you can find some deals. Also, either wear a really good pair of shoes or get a pad to cushion your feet.
     I've included a picture. It cranks up easily and quickly, the top moving a good two feet or more up and down. Happy hunting!
     




     Also, finished editing The Falls: Making a List, Checking it Twice. Carolyn is working on it. Working on putting The Falls: Fourth of July on the CreateSpace template and I approved the proof of The Falls: Mud Season and ordered 3 author's copies of it. It will be on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com soon!
     May the dragons watch over you...no matter if you write standing up or sitting down! 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Betwixt and Between...
     Frankly, I never thought I'd use the phrase, betwixt and between, but it fits my condition at the moment. I'm sitting at the dining room table, although in a different seat, and staring over at the stairs. They are almost all done, with the exception of the last step and a few touchups. They are gorgeous. Bamboo as well as the upstairs flooring. Although the wood on the stairs is a smaller width than the flooring on the upstairs' floors. Today is the last day. Our contractor will finish off and we've already paid for it. He even threw in a kit to take care of the flooring, not that it needs much but will keep it looking lustrous. We are very pleased.
     Got the proof for The Falls: Making a List, Checking it Twice. I will probably edit the cover a bit. That's the nice thing about getting a proof from CreateSpace...you can look at it, feel it, and then make changes almost instantly online. Started proofing it yesterday afternoon, and got 75 pages into it. Got to get some sound canceling earphones. The noise from the stairs was hard to work through, even though I was outside in the summer room. (The summer room is a patio that we had a roof put over and enclosed in a screen. It is filled with plants and two white wicker lounge chairs and ottomans. My wife's favorite room.)
     It will be good to have the upstairs done and I can get back to using my sit down/stand up desk. I used it Saturday and Sunday for the first times and loved it. I stood up while I typed and it felt really good, although I did enjoy sitting down again afterwards. Lots of changes.
     So, on to waiting for the contractors to drive and to the next chapter in The Falls: Coldblooded! May your day be wonderful, filled with small pleasures and may the dragons watch over you...

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

And it Begins...
     Well, our contractors are here and beginning to tear up the carpeting on the stairs and upstairs. They'll be putting down tongue and groove Bamboo flooring from Lumber Liquidators. We've been preparing for this for a while now.
     On the book scene, I have finished proofing the 4th volume of The Falls small town mystery series (The Falls: Mud Season) and waiting for Carolyn to do her editing. I've also just sent for the first proof of the fifth volume in the series, The Falls: Making a List, Checking it Twice. It's funny as I proof the books I had visions of disliking them for some reason or other. But instead, I have really enjoyed rereading and editing them. They're actually pretty good! Chuckles and shakes my head. I think Making a List is one of the best Christmas stories I've ever read. 
     So now, here I am, down at the dining room table, surrounded by "stuff" from upstairs, writing this blog. The next few days should be interesting. When the floor is done and the new sit/stand desk is in, I'll take pictures so you can see what we're doing.
     For now, I'm on page 80 of The Falls: Coldblooded, and advertising The Falls: Boneyard almost everyday. I have to...I'm the only publicity I have. Soon as Carolyn's done editing, I'll edit the CreateSpace template for Mud Season and send it off for the second proof. Meanwhile, I'll start setting up the CreateSpace Template for Fourth of July and get started editing and transferring the text from the Kindle version to the template. For now, I'll leave you with the famous last words...Onward and Upward!
     May the dragons watch over you all...