The Proof is Ordered...

     The proof for The Falls: Mud season was ordered yesterday. It would have been ordered two days earlier, but I was changing cover pictures. I went from a drawing of a school bus with a girl standing in the back window to a sign that said School Bus Stop Ahead to one that read School Bus Turnaround Ahead. In Vermont, school buses often drive up winding mountain roads. There are a number of turn-ins that are made specifically for a long school bus to back into and then turn around and go back the way it came. It becomes financially expedient to do that rather than drive the whole road around or over the mountain. Some of those roads go on forever. Thus the sign.

     The cover will be gray (light and dark, just like Vermont clay-mud). I should get it in a few days and then take another few days to proof it. I'm already a quarter of the way through editing the word document for the fifth book in the series, The Falls: Making a List, Checking it Twice and placing it on the template with chapters for CreateSpace. For those of you who haven't used CreateSpace yet, it's all about creating a good template, which my good friend, Kate Shannon, helped me do. After that, it becomes a lot of cut and paste (but not the old paste, the special formatting paste that keeps the formatting and font of the original). I also use a separate editing Word document if there are formatting problems in the original. I transfer the original chapter(s) onto the editing document and use the special paste, which gets rid of the formatting problems, then I transfer to the CreateSpace template. Much better than trying to fix them. I'm not skillful enough to do that. But I figured out a way around it.

     Contractors should be here this week to put down the floors, and I'm still bringing things down from the upstairs to make the job easier for them. They will move my TV stand with Xbox 360, Xbox One, two Kinects, modem, flat screen and DirecTV box to one side along with all the wiring...put down flooring and then move the whole thing back without me having to take everything apart. (I made a diagram and labeled each wire, cable, etc. just in case...chuckles.) Can't wait to get my office space back with the new stand-up, sit-down desk. That should be in a week or two.

     Until then, the dining room table (which is heaped with other stuff from upstairs on top of, under it, on both sides and in back of it) is my office space. Amazingly enough, I can write there just as well. Chuckles. Who knew?

     Until the proof gets here and I go "proofing", may the dragons watch over you all...

Limbo...

     Yes, I'm in limbo. Halfway between realities. Our contractor brought in all the flooring and cut a large piece out of the rug on the second floor loft to store it on the plywood flooring. We have a lot of the things you accumulate over the years from upstairs down in the living room, dining room, bedroom and garage, getting the rooms ready for the contractors to lay the flooring and only having to move large pieces of furniture. That means that my iMac is now sitting down on the dining room table and my writing pattern is a bit ragged. 

     My wife, Carolyn has left to go to CA to visit her sister which leaves me by myself in the shifted house. I just published the third book in The Falls small town mystery series at CreateSpace and am waiting for it to be out on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. I'm well on the way to setting up the fourth novel in the series on CreateSpace, and have just published the 16th in the series, The Falls: Boneyard, on Kindle. I'm writing the 17th in the series, The Falls: Coldblooded, and working on covers for both Kindle and CreateSpace (covers for Kindle I make through myecovermaker.com and CreateSpace has it's own cover creator that I use). Oh, did I mention that I woke up at four this morning, have already been to the gym, exercised using about 10 of the machines at LA Fitness, used the treadmill and the stationary bike? 

     Anyway, at the heart of it all, I'm in limbo. Good thing I have a strong work ethic, and am a pretty patterned guy. Through it all, I get done the things I need to do. Hmmm...I wonder if that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" quote pertains to me? Nah, my name is George William. That's what my mom called me when I was in trouble anyway. I had a few kids use the "Georgie Porgie" thing, but that quickly stopped when I decked a kid much bigger than me when he smiled when he sing-songed it. The dragons reached out and bit the lad.

     So, thus limbo. Have you ever been in limbo? Is there a door or a window...or did you just finally ooze on out of it? Ah, well. Contractors had a job ahead of us and the rain had put them back a few days. They should be working on the floors next week. Once they are done, I should be at the stand-up, sit-down desk and be working my way into a new rhythm. That should be interesting all in itself. I'll let you know. That will establish a new pattern. Like I said, I'm a patterned guy.

     I'm getting better at the CreateSpace thing. I find that one proof, and both my wife and I going carefully through it with high liter and pencil, plus checking the second proof for the basics: format, cover, chapter headings, etc. is enough now. I think that varies from author to author. I edit the text several times before I get to the proof, so it should be relatively simple to finish it off from there.

     So for now, take care...enjoy the summer...and may the dragons watch over you...

The Desk is Gone...

     Well, our contractor went with us to Lumber Liquidators on Wednesday and we bought the flooring for our upstairs and the stairway itself. Bamboo flooring...the middle grade...we couldn't afford the top of the line, cost all-out-doors kind. Chuckles. But still nice flooring. The tongue and groove kind so the floors are what they term floating (also 'click') and more comfortable to walk on. 

     I helped the contractor and his son and helper bring the boxes of flooring up where we placed them on a space where he had cut away the carpet and pad. Felt it the next day...chuckles. Where was that space you might ask? Why where my old twenty-year-old, sturdy and massively heavy L-shaped desk was sitting, off course. So, they took away the desk (at my request since I have the new standup-fit down desk). Not sure what they did with it...they might have given to someone (I hope) or trashed it (don't want to think about that). The floor will be put down in a week or two. The contractor wanted the flooring to sit there for at least a week. (Perhaps it needs a rest after being in the warehouse?)

     In the meantime I have labeled all the cords, cables and HDMI cables coming and going from the modem, TV, DirecTV box, Xbox 360, Xbox One, two Kinects, printer, two computers, and battery backed up surge protector. When they finally need to move the TV stand and all the stuff on it, I have this deathly fear i won't be able to figure out where every cable and cord goes to afterwards...even though I set it up in the first place. I also looked up the name of our modem system (from the internet and then to all the devices) and password to make sure i wouldn't lock myself out and the room would turn blue from frustration at my idiocy and ineptness. By the way, yes, I play video games. Have since they came out. Enjoy playing with my kids, grandkids and just by myself. I like role-playing games (does that surprise you?)

     So, I'm sitting at the iMac situated on the dining room table, which also holds a lot of stuff from upstairs already (dragon statues, swords, Chinese Geishas statues that are my wife's, etc). Yes, I collect swords. Have for decades. And dragons. Oh, and my new paperback books! It's a bit different, writing down here but will do for now. I have a desk journal/calendar that I use to enter things daily, such as the FB sites I advertise on, what we've done for exercise such as walking (6 days/week), swimming (3), and LA Fitness workouts (3) and things that have happened/will happen like doctor's appointment, etc.  I also have a list of characters on several sheets as well as a box of more in-depth information on characters. I also keep a set of 3x5 cards in front of me that I use to add new characters and to keep the page numbers and chapters of books I'm moving from Kindle to paperback template, etc.

     So, the flooring is here, just not installed, my wife is a little more than halfway through editing the proof for The Falls: Fall of the Fallen Apples, I just edited the cover photo for The Falls: Mud Season (volume 4) and have it ready for CreateSpace, since I'm about a third of the way through placing the Kindle version onto the CreateSpace template. Wrote another chapter of The Falls: Coldblooded this morning and I will edit more this afternoon. Still need to edit The Falls: Boneyard and get it on Kindle!

     So, until the next installment of this saga, I hope your Saturday is wonderful, filled with small pleasures and that the dragons watch over you always...

Deep Inside a Raft of Manuscripts...

     That's where I am, truly. I find myself writing a new The Falls novel, editing the last one that hasn't been put on Kindle yet, advertising the next to last volume on FB pages every day, editing the fourth in the series and placing it on a template for CreateSpace and proofing the third in the series from a paperback proof received on Wednesday from CreateSpace. (Not to mention working on the first Dragon World story already on Kindle, placing it on a template for CreateSpace.) Did I forget anything? Probably.

     So, I feel like no matter which way I turn, I am surrounded by Kindle versions, draft versions, and CreateSpace templates. That's not a bad thing. I enjoy and am invigorated by the work. But at times I am overwhelmed. Please tell me that every writer feels the same way at times! Chuckles.

Place on top of that a lingering sinus infection, and waiting ( I feel like we're on hold) for our contractor to come and put in new flooring in the upstairs and stairway (we have already stripped most to the extraneous things out of the rooms) and you get the basic idea.

     But it's Sunday, a day of rest. Smiles...nah. I'll still be working. Writing the next chapter for The Falls: Coldblooded in the morning and finishing editing the proof of The Falls: Fall of the Rotten Apples this afternoon. Then I'll hand off the proof to my long-suffering, patient and caring wife who will add her two cents worth. She reads twice as fast as I do, and is probably smarter than I am. She reads more books in a week than I do in a month. So I depend on her to keep me "honest" in what I write. Thank you, Carolyn.

     I hope your day is a wonderful one. May it be filled with small pleasures and may the dragons watch over you...

Onward...

     The first proof for the third book of The Falls small town mystery series, The Falls: Fall of the Rotten Apples, has been ordered and is on its way. Funny thing. After I had set up the interior, set the cover, markets and price I sent it in to be scanned by the CreateSpace quality control squad as usual. In just a few hours it came back stating that it wasn't approved. Guess what I had done? What's the most idiotic mistake you can think of in creating a book? Right. I had misspelled the title! I had written The Falls: Fall of the Rotten Aples. Cute, huh? Mortifying! Chuckles. Ah well, they caught it, I went in and changed it and then the proof was approved. Now, I should get the proof sometime in the next few days. Then we'll be doing a blitz-edit.

     I've already set up the template for the next book, The Falls: Mud Season, book 4 in the series and have transferred about 45 pages of the text from the Kindle volume to the template. As I go though the Kindle version, editing once again and changing the format of the earlier books to the font and format I'm using now, I save the Kindle version, which I will switch out, replacing the old Kindle version once the CreateSpace paperback is set. Sort of saves a step along the way. That way both paperback and kindle version are up to date and new.

     We are waiting for the contractor to contact us about doing the flooring upstairs. Our office in the loft looks a bit bare bones at this point, trying to get ready for moving everything. Ah well. It will be nice when its done. In the meantime, we try and survive the daily lightning storms and the heat and humidity. Anyone who tells you that Florida is paradise is not telling you the whole truth. Nice sunny weather most of the time, yes. Ocean wonderful, yes. Lots of nice communities, yes. But beware because it's the lightning capital of the world. Before we understood what it was like we lost two TVs, a DirecTV DVR, the motherboard out of our garage door opener, and had four wires burned out that connect to our AC unit. We now have a FLP surge protector on the meter, battery pickup surge protectors on all electronics and unplug computers during the storms. But, a warning, nothing can stop lightning from damaging your things. Nothing. If anyone tells you different just look at them and grin with a knowing look on your face. 'Cause all electricians will agree...nothing can stop lightning.

     I have had a sinus infection for about two and a half months and the antibiotics and other treatments don't seem able to touch it for long. (I'm thinking that might be Florida's fault as dwell...but since I have no proof...we'll let it be a 'wait and see' kind of thing.)

     Back to writing...and watching the radar for lightning storms. May the dragons watch over you...and stay away from the lightning...

In the Middle of it all...

     Have you ever felt like there were a million things going on and you were in the very center of it all, trying to keep all the balls in the air? Well, that's a pretty good description of what I'm feeling like. 

     Right now I am editing book three in The Falls small town mystery series (The Falls: Fall of the Rotten Apples) and placing it in a template to publish on CreateSpace. I'm working on the new cover as well. I'm working on the last few chapters of my work in progress, the 16th book in The Falls small town mystery series, The Falls: Boneyard. I'm advertising the 15th book, The Falls: Brotherly Love on numerous FB pages each day, while awaiting three finished paperbacks from the recently published paperback that's the second book in the series, The Falls: Summer Nightmare, published through CreateSpace. In addition, I just revised, changed the font and edited Dragon World: Dragon Magic, the first volume of The Dragon World Series on Kindle. I have already started creating a template for the Dragon World series so that I can start the publishing process with them through CreateSpace. At the same time, I'm also busily watching Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. com to see when Summer Nightmare is released.

     Put all that together with the fact that I am going to be working my way down through both The Falls small town mystery series and the Dragon World Series one book at a time to publish on CreateSpace, and in the meantime working on creating the drawings and pictures to be used for all the covers, I'm beginning to feel like there isn't enough time in the day. I tend to be goal orientated and slightly anal at achieving goals, so I have to try and remember that I actually am retired and breathe.

     I'm not really complaining though. It gives me purpose and direction, which is good for me. Just wishing that it was all done and tied up with a big red bow, just because I hate not having my best work out there. Yup, perfectionist issues as well. But then, you probably knew that already, right?

    Yes, I started publishing on Kindle on a wing and a prayer, without help or guidance after spending almost two years trying to get an agent. At that point I was frustrated but determined. 24 books later, it has been quite a ride and I like to think that the stories themselves are good. But the formatting and overall packaging still needs work. That's what I'm about right now. With each Kindle book I turn into a paperback, I take the editing and update the Kindle version (placing the newly edited text, font, and cover on the old Kindle ebook to spruce it up as well).

     Anyway, the three copies of Summer Nightmare should get here today, and (crossing my fingers) if there are no all day thunderstorms, I should finish the paperback interior for Fall of the Rotten Apples template for CreateSpace. Then I can begin the publishing process on CreateSpace once again.

     Until the next time, may your day be successful, filled with small pleasures and may there be no thunderstorms. May the dragons watch over you...

Publishing in Process...

     Well, got the second proof back of The Falls: Summer Nightmare and read through the first 50 pages or so, after scanning each page for visual errors. Only found one mistake...I have Dr. Meg Monroe racing to the hospital early one morning to deal with a situation where a young boy named Pier accidentally shoots his grandfather with a homemade bow and arrow. I have about ten mentions of Pier and then on out of the blue a mention of his name being Pierce! I have no idea where that came from! Our minds do strange things to us at times. And, to be honest, I sometimes now lose the perfect word or two I wanted to use, but if I wait and move on for a minute, it will usually come right back.

     Anyway, I redid the template and the pdf of the template changing the name and resubmitted it to CreateSpace and then sent it for publishing, ordering 3 copies of the finished book to put on my bookshelf. I was asked to fill out a survey this time by CreateSpace and I did so. I found it to be fairly well done and what they wanted to know more than anything else was to find out what I liked and what they could do better. Quite refreshing actually. I was impressed. I finished it along with some very complimentary statements on my experience with the use of their website and sent it in. The only thing I would change, and I told them this, was I would make the covers a bit more flexible. I would like the ability to upload more than one picture for the cover and the ability to move the title and author boxes around on their templates. Other than that...I was quite pleased with the product, the presentation, the ease of use and the quality. I love the high quality paper they use in their books...much nicer than the mass media books. (It does cost though.)

     So, I'm waiting to see the book out on Amazon in a day or two and on Barnes and Noble and other book stores in 2-3 weeks. (They promise 5-6 weeks, but my first one was mush quicker than that.) It is a thrill to see the paperback version out there to buy. I know I probably won't sell a lot of them when the digital version costs only $2.99, but as my friend Kate told me, they are there for the avid fan or reader of the series to own and hold in their hands. They are also now available to people who don't own or use e-readers.

     Now, I'm already working on filling in the template for the third in the series, The Falls: Fall of the Rotten Apples. Truth be told, as I'm going through and editing one more time before cutting and pasting the chapters into the template, I realize that I really like the stories. Who knew? Chuckles. Well, I think all of us are too hard on our work and on our writing in general, always holding ourselves to a higher standard. But, I'm beginning to be a fan of my own work again. I used to be, until it began to become a job rather than just telling stories. Now, I'm getting back to enjoying the stories again because I've learned just enough about the editing, publishing, and advertising parts of the profession to get back to what really matters: the story.

     I'm two-thirds of the way done on The Falls: Boneyard (#16) and am advertising The Falls: Brotherly Love in FB pages at this point. Still waiting to use my stand up/sit down desk. Looking forward to the experience. Keep the faith...and believe in yourselves.

     May the dragons watch over you all... 

The 5th of July...

     It always seems as though the day after a holiday, the 26th of December, the 2nd of January, the 5th of July for example, is so anticlimactic that it never gets paid attention to or noticed. I admit to having some sentimental feelings for those poor, unappreciated days. They are the left-overs, the never-will-bes, the forgotten dates of the calendar. From now on, I shall try and remember that all days are equal and to give a rousing good cheer and congratulations to each day as it dawns.

     That being said, I'm patiently waiting for the second proof of The Falls: Summer Nightmare to get here so I can do a quick check through and then place it on the CreateSpace "publish" list. As I wait, I'm on page 112 of the 16th Falls novel, The Falls: Boneyard and about to write the next chapter. It features bodies found in the landfill, famous young forensic pathologist/archeologist called in and a murder investigation for a girl presumed missing for twenty years. Stay tuned for more clues. I'm also editing Dragon World: Dragon Magic to be a more "user/reader friendly" Kindle book. The Dragon World books were written inWord Perfect back decades ago and cleaning them up and making them up-to-date had been a process. But the passion and pure action adventure that is still within those pages is worth saving. At least in my humble opinion. This will be my third or fourth rewrite.

     Speaking of the Dragon World Series, Dragon World: Dragon Magic, the first book of the series, is on sale for $.99 until Monday at 8:00 AM. I know, I should have waited until the rewrite was accomplished. Poor planning, but for $.99, it's a bargain in any format.

     Still waiting to get out upstairs flooring done. The contractors we use are wonderful and in high demand, so we are willing to wait. Good things come to...well you know the rest.

     I'm still finding FB pages to advertise on. Heaven knows how many there must be out there. I love writing, but the advertising, "pushing my wares" like an old fashioned street vendor in Elizabethan London gets old fast. I'm not the pushy type. Never have been. A leader, quick decision maker and go-getter, yes. Pushing my wares, not so much. Guess that's why I made a good school principal for so many years.

     Until the next chapter of this little blog (Whoever came up with that word! I feel like a toad with warts croaking out of a little lily pond when I call what I write a 'blog'!) I bid you a fond adieu. May the dragons watch over you...

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-World-Magic-Book-ebook/dp/B00AVBEUZY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404561413&sr=8-3&keywords=Dragon+World%3A+Dragon+Magic

Tropical Depression #1...Arthur...

     The treasure coast of Florida has a unique summer season. Each day we wait for the afternoon showers and lightning storms. For those of you who don't already know, southern Florida is the lightning capitol of our country. We count the number of lightning strikes in an area by the hundreds rather than individually. Clearly, that does wonderful things for a writer who needs to get on his desktop to write. At this point, I use an iMac 27" screen with an external disk drive and an external hard drive that's about the size of a cigarette pack (called a Passport). I turn it off and disconnect the cord even though we have battery powered surge protectors upstairs and down. You scoff? Well, here's the compelling evidence that makes me do so. The first three years we lived here, we lost two TVs, a DirectTV DVR, the mother board in the garage door opener was fried and we had our AC knocked silly several times.

     We now have a Florida Light and Power surge protector on our meter, which helps to buffer any lightning strikes to appliances, battery powered surge protectors for all electronics and we turn things off (such as computers, TVs, DirectTV DVRs) during thunder and lighting storms. It's obvious to see that summer storms tend to hamper my writing. On a normal day I write in the morning and edit in the afternoon. I also use the computer to blog, twitter, to advertise on approximately 40 FB pages and to do the normal email, etc.

     By the way... just finished editing the template for Summer Nightmare (the second The Falls novel) on CreateSpace and submitted it. Within a few hours I will receive an email stating that the manuscript and cover have been accepted and then I can send for another proof (the second), I'll go through the book quickly, looking for obvious anomalies and errors and a few specific issues, then I will publish and send for several copies of the book at the author's price. Two down and a myriad of manuscripts to go...chuckles.

     So, Tropical Storm Arthur, (it's now been named officially...that means it is now longer a tropical depression, and has become a tropical storm) I can hear your thunder in the distance and see your wind and light rain as it comes and goes. Here's to letting me finish this blog, check the email and FB and sign off. Then, go ahead and rumble and roll. Thanks for the temporary reprieve. It is appreciated. 

     Here's hoping your afternoon, dear reader, is a wonderful one, filled with small pleasures and may the dragons watch over you...

The Falls: Brotherly Love

The Falls: Brotherly Love, the 15th volume of The Falls small town mystery series, is just out at the Kindle Store for $2.99! A body is found in Lake Pumpkinseed that starts a chain of events that reaches all the way out to Albuquerque, New Mexico! While CR Shanks, Newt and Remy drive out to the great southwest, Cash, Yamato, Horace and several of the Burman kids get involved with a wealthy entrepreneur that just bought the old Armstrong farm. Jeremy and Sylvia Jean get hired as student staff at the Folger Library on the University of Maine campus and help solve a troubling mystery as well. So, grab a cup of Earl Grey, put your feet up and return to The Falls!

http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Brotherly-Love-small-mystery-ebook/dp/B00LCAKCCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403901237&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Falls%3A+Brotherly+Love

http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Brotherly-Love-small-mystery-ebook/dp/B00LCAKCCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403902021&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Falls%3A+Brotherly+Love

Summer Nightmare Proof #1...

     It's easier, second time around. Believe me...it is. Referring to publishing a paperback of CreateSpace of course. What did you think I meant??? Just finished editing the first proof for The Falls: Summer Nightmare. Now my long suffering but wonderful wife Carolyn is working on it. The proof came through with the first 25 pages out, not adhered to the spine. Since it's just a proof, I wasn't too concerned, but I sent a message to the support group at CreateSpace. They promptly replied stating that they were sorry and would send me another proof if I wanted it. I told them no, that I didn't really want another proof, since I would editing the document in the CreateSpace publishing format within the next few days, and ordering a second proof. I told them I just wanted to inform them that it happened. They assured me that it doesn't happen often and that they have a 100% replacement policy. Since I had purchased a number of proofs and books for The Falls: In the Dead of Winter earlier that were all fine, that was enough, and I let it go.

     I really like the cover for Summer Nightmare. I know, I sound a bit conceited. But I was happy with everything, color, picture and everything else. I'd love to know what you think.

     Now, I'm still working on the 16th volume in The Falls series entitled, The Falls: Boneyard. I'm also nearly finished editing the 15th volume of The Falls small town series entitles The Falls: Brotherly Love. It will be available in the Kindle Store within a few days. It's the first of the books where a good deal of the action occurs outside of Vermont. Hint: Albuquerque plays a prominent role! Hope you all get a chance to read it soon!

     Still haven't been able to use the stand up desk yet. still waiting for our contractors to get to the flooring upstairs. They are wonderful and we understand why they're in such high demand. Looking forward to having the option of sitting or standing as I write. Does anyone else out there have one? Maybe I'll ask online and see.

     Until the next update, may the dragons watch over you all...

Update Time...and a Summer sale!

     I've got two things to pass on. First, The Falls: In the Dead of Winter, first volume of The Falls small town mystery series, is now available at Barnes & Noble and at other book stores. That took me by surprise! I was informed it would be 6-8 weeks after publishing on CreateSpace. A very pleasant surprise, I have to admit. I sat and stared at it for a few moments, simply drinking in the visual. Yes, it meant a lot to me.

     Second, volumes #8 and #9 of The Falls small town mystery series, The Falls: May Flowers and The Falls: Election, will be on sale this weekend, Saturday, June 21st and Sunday, June 22nd. They will each be 67% off, and cost only $.99 this weekend. (The sale actually runs from 8 AM Saturday to 8AM Monday.)

     Here's hoping that you have a wonderful, relaxing and enjoyable summer weekend! May the dragons watch over you...

http://www.amazon.com/Falls-Flowers-small-town-mystery-ebook/dp/B00AQNC5M2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403289368&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Falls%3A+May+Flowers

http://www.amazon.com/The-Falls-Election-small-mystery-ebook/dp/B00BK5KVA8/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=02AT0BWZ68NDV946Z6PB