Monday Update (Week 20) and Marketing Monday

 Sorry I went dark over the weekend.  I didn't really do anything special, as you will see from the update...

No writing, no editing.  Well, I did get TTW into print form and finished other necessary tasks associated with that, so that's done. Woot.  I marketed RHI to try and whip up some interest.  It went okay and I did sell a couple copies of TTW, so yay.  I'm supposed to be marketing Early Grave even as I type. I even got myself out of bed to do exactly that, but I am unmotivated.  

I read some stuff.  Not a lot of stuff, though, so I decided to save it for this Saturday.

Yesterday, I made pizza.  It turned out really good.  I think I've made enough pizzas now that it's rote. 2 tsps of yeast into 1/4 c of warm water, stir and set aside.  2 1/4 c AP flour into a large bowl, add in a tsp of salt and a Tbsp of sugar. Stir to combine.  Make a well in the center.  Add yeasty water, 1/2 c more of warm water, 2 Tbsp of EVOO.  Stir from the center out with your fingers until it all comes together.  Knead for 7 minutes.  (Use more flour, a little at a time, to keep it from sticking to your hands and everything else.)  Lightly coat the bowl and the ball of dough with more olive oil.  Cover and set somewhere warm to rise for an hour.  Punch it to deflate, set it in the middle of a pizza pan coated with cooking spray, coax out toward the edges in circles until you have the size you want or you reach the edges of your pan.  Top with sauce, cheese, and yummies.  Bake at 475F for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  (I just typed that all from memory, so there ya go.)

It was a semi-active week.  I walked three times for a total of 2.55 miles.  And I got some gardening done.  Then the weather turned crappy.  :sad trombone noise:  Weight: 173.6

Ah, gardening... I planted more volunteer trees into pots.  I now have 6 redbuds, 6 cedars, 5 dogwoods, an oak, a black walnut, and a hickory.  Plus my 6 tomato plants.  Finger crossed they all thrive.  I'm not sure that 5th dogwood will make it.  It was the last of my seeds that sprouted in the fridge and it kinda spent way too much time in the fridge.  It's in a pot in the garage right now, acclimating to not being cold.  :shrug:

I'm sure other stuff went on last week, but I can't think of any of it right now.  Yeah, the annibirthiversary occurred, but it was all quiet and nice and after all the years, there's no need for fireworks for either one.  

Okay, time to get motivated and do marketing stuff, even if I'm starting later than I planned.  To that end...

Starting today, EARLY GRAVE is free until Friday.  (Always free with KU.)  Get your copy of this taut hunt for a serial killer today.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CGYBSST

You're never too old to die.

2025 Books Read

Here we are with my 2025 Books Read post.  I started it a little later than usual this year because it took me a while to finish that first book.  

If you haven't been following along all these years, here's how this post goes.  The books I read are in reverse order - newest first.  * means ebook.  # means 'new to me and underappreciated'.  If there's a number at the end, it's where the book's at in a series.  The links go to Goodreads where I may or may not have written a review.  (Check back on Saturdays for my weekly Reading Wrap-up to see reviews.)

I set my goal for this year's reading at 70.  We'll see how that goes.

Okay, with that out of the way, let's begin...

20) The Singing Stones by Phyllis A. Whitney (5/17/25) - romantic suspense

19) Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (5/15/25) - mystery

18) Bill and the Last Cup of Coffee by Lance Lassen (5/8/25) - dystopian action/humor* (I read the ebook, but this is the link to the paperback. In the time between now and when I downloaded the book, the ebook page has been removed and the paperback was set to 'out of print'. :sadface:)

17) Goldfinger by Ian Fleming (5/5/25) - action/hard boiled crime

16) In Plain Sight by Dan Willis (4/27/25) - magical hard-boiled crime*

15) Dr. No by Ian Fleming (4/26/25) - action/hard boiled crime

14) Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (4/20/25) - dystopian

13) Diamonds are Forever by Ian Fleming (4/16/25) - action/hard boiled crime

12) Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke (4/11/25) -  science fiction

11) Murder by the Script by Lisa Pevey (4/8/25) - cozy mystery*

10) Festive Fonts and Fowl Murder by Lisa Pevey (4/7/25) - cozy mystery*

9) The Modigliani Scandal by Ken Follett (4/6/25) - suspense

8) A Murder in Cursive by Lisa Pevey (4/3/25) - cozy mystery*

7) The Ebony Swan by Phyllis Whitney (4/1/25) - romantic suspense

6) The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip (3/29/25) - fantasy

5) Murder by the Letter by Lisa Pevey (3/27/25) - cozy mystery*

4) Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout (3/26/25) - noir crime

3) Moonstruck: Retribution by Silver James (3/20/25) - paranormal romantic suspense*

2) President Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer (3/14/25) - noir crime

1) Child Star by Shirley Temple Black (1/8/25) - autobiography

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy this reading journey with me.

Thursday This n That

 Rumor Has It is at #5 in free Noir crime.

I get so many spammy comments on my marketing posts, if I ever got a sincere one I wouldn't know it.

I need to replant some of my little trees into larger pots.  Yay.

This weekend is my annibirthiversary.  Say that three times fast.

No, we aren't doing anything special.  I might make pizza, but that's not anything special.

We had a big, fat bunny in the yard a couple days ago.  

It's getting hot here.  May in the Ozarks.  Woot.

That was a sarcastic woot.

The summer tanagers are back.  I call them all either Teddy or Gloria, depending on gender. (Long story that I don't even remember most of anymore.)  And yes, Gloria is usually said in the tone of Edith Bunker from All in the Family.

It's almost time to call Mom.  Which is fine because I've run out of things to say.  

Have a great day!

What a Chore

It's been so long since I release a book, I'd almost forgotten what a chore it all is.  Oof.  The writing really is the easiest part for me, even if it takes a while.  Editing seems to take forever.  Then there's the formatting.  And all the little things - like adding it to the blogs and posting announcements, etc.  :falls over:

Editing... Thicker Than Water went through 6 drafts, 7 if you count the final one. 8 if you count the other final one for print publication.  Which I guess you should.  I mean, you did the work, count it, right?

So, you get the book out into the world and you job is done... umm... If you think that, you're missing something.  What is it?  Oh, yeah, marketing.  That's a job that's never done.  Not unless you want to never sell your books.  And if you're not interested is selling books, what did you publish it for?  Jus' sayin'.

So yeah, I've been busy.  This morning, I've already posted scads of marketing things to get RHI seen by thousands, so I can sell maybe a few copies of TTW.  Yesterday, I did the marketing things, plus I formatted TTW for print and went through that process with Amazon.  It looks pretty snazzy, if I do say so myself, but the real proof will come when I get the... umm... proof.  Which should be in a week or so.  

One thing I realized while I was doing the print formatting and uploading thing was that I had missed fixing the scene breaks in both the epub and the print versions.  If you bought a copy of TTW and already downloaded it to your Kindle, the scene breaks are *** and they should be --∞----∞----∞--.  It's fixed and uploaded now, but like I said, early copies have the old placemarkers.  

So many little things to check and change and fix, I may be a little nuts this week.  Good thing Hubs is used to me and I don't associate with anyone else.  I keep my nuts at home.  :gigglesnort:

Anyway, I do have plans to get back to writing this week.  We'll see if that happens.  It should.  I'm ready to resume being a writer again.  Woot.

Marketing Monday - Rumor Has It

Hello!  Welcome to another installment of Marketing Monday.  Today, I'm pretty excited because not only do I have a free book to offer you, but for the first time in three years, I have a new release!!  

First, the free book...

To celebrate the release of its sequel, RUMOR HAS IT (Duke Noble, P.I. #1) is free today through Friday. (Always free with KU.) Pick up your copy today!

Hearken back to the gritty, 1950s crime novel with Duke Noble. Duke's a guy ready to tackle anything the world throws at him, but this time, he's facing something much harder to dodge than bullets and fists… His past.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZNXQKPC

Then, if you hadn't already heard, THICKER THAN WATER hit the Amazon 'shelves' on Saturday.  WOOT!  It's $3.99 and available wherever Amazon sells ebooks, plus through Kindle Unlimited.  

So basically, you'll get both books for the price of one this week!  Double woot.

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 19

First off, Happy Mother's Day.  

Next, I didn't get any writing done this week, but I did get a boatload of editing done.  And a cover made.  Then formatting, etc.  Thus, as of last night, THICKER THAN WATER is live on Amazon.  Here it is in all its glory:

Family ties and blood… Duke Noble’s had more than enough of both.  When he receives a frantic call from his mother, Duke’s not the kind of man who can simply ignore her pleas.  But discovering a body in his brother’s apartment wasn’t at all what he expected.  Wondering whether the body belongs to Harry means there’s no turning back.   He’ll have to work his way through both secrets and lies to get to the facts.  Even if it means digging up truths better left in the dirt.

Which brings me around to marketing...

Starting tomorrow Rumor Has It will be free for 5 days.  I'll be marketing that.  Last week, I marketed Song of Storm and Shroud.  Here's hoping RHI does better than that did.  I could use some sales this month.

Today, I'll be formatting TTW for print and getting that process underway.  This week, I'll get back to working on Duke Noble #3.

Now back to my regularly scheduled updatey stuff...

Reading - check out yesterday afternoon's post.  It was a good week for reading, and I'm now only 6 books behind on my reading goal.  Woot.  

No baking this week.  I'm trying to cut back on the breaded products for a while.  Not sure how long that will last.  I do love me my baked goods.  Not baked, but I did make a lovely beefy-rice dish that I'm jokingly referring to as Beef Risotto.  I also made a vat of turkey/chicken noodle soup that was quite yummy.  And a pulled pork that was so good, I was walking around going 'mmm...meat candy'.  

On the activity front, I was an animal.  There was only 1 day that I didn't do anything active.  I walked, I gardened, I did yard work, I moved some furniture around.  I walked 3.8 miles last week. Whoa.  Weight: 173.2 - you'd think it would be lower, but meh.

Gardening... my little trees are doing well.  The baby redbuds are about 4-5 inches tall and have several leaves now.  The dogwoods are about 3 inches and have about 4 leaves each.  The oak is looking good, but only 2 leaves so far.  The cedars are thriving, of course.  The tree seeds I planted last week aren't doing anything yet.  Yesterday, on the way home from Wallyworld, I stopped at the feed store and bought a flat of Roma tomatoes.  Those went in pots when I got home, so hopefully one or two of the six will flower and fruit, giving me yummy treats.

Well, I think there's probably more to update you on, but that's probably enough out of me for now.  Look for a marketing post tomorrow.  Have a great rest of your day and if you're a mom, I hope you get to spend time with the kids today.  :hugs:

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/10/25

 Hey, I know it's late, but I have an excuse.... well, several of them really... and it IS still Saturday.  

This week, I didn't get any new books, unless you count the fact that I just ordered a copy of my brand-new, never before seen or published book THICKER THAN WATER.  Yep, that's one of my excuses.  I've been working on getting the book published.  Another excuse was groceries.  A third excuse was planting my new tomatoes... but that's neither here nor there.  Let's just get on with it...

Books Read: 

18) Bill and the Last Cup of Coffee by Lance Lassen (5/8/25) - dystopian action/humor* (I read the ebook, but this is the link to the paperback. In the time between now and when I downloaded the book, the ebook page has been removed and the paperback was set to 'out of print'. :sadface:) - 5 stars.  New to me and so underappreciated it's not even available anymore.  I got this for free off of one of Amazon's top 100 lists.
Review: "I read this book in the e-version and it had a different cover, but I can't find it on Amazon anymore, so I'm leaving a review here. Not sure what happened there. I hope the author puts it back up because this is an amazing book.

I found it on one of Amazon's 'top 100 free' lists and gave it a try. I'm so glad I did. It's an amazing story. Sure, the humor doesn't stay amped up throughout the book, but that's probably a good thing because sustained giggling can be bad for your complexion. Anyway, this is so much more poignant. I loved the characters, I loved the premise, and I loved the ending. The plot was unique, the pacing was spot-on, and the writing was solid. I inhaled this, ignoring my husband and both cats, and stayed up late to finish. (Which was a bad idea because even after I closed the book, I couldn't stop thinking about it.)

Please, Mr. Lassen, if you're seeing this, bring the book back into print. And thank you for letting me read it."

17) Goldfinger by Ian Fleming (5/5/25) - action/hard boiled crime - 5 stars. Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  I got this from a thrift store for 25c.
Review: "All the twisty-turny action you can expect from a James Bond novel. I loved it."

16) In Plain Sight by Dan Willis (4/27/25) - magical hard-boiled crime* - 5 stars.  New to me but not underappreciated.  I got this for free off my Amazon wishlist - placed there after a friend recommended it on FB.
Review: "This is a most excellent and brilliant story with an interesting little treat at the end. A well-written novel with awesome characters and an intelligent plot. I inhaled it. I only wish I'd read it when it was first recommended to me and I put it on my wish list. Better late than never, I guess. It's definitely worthy of 5 stars and every glowing recommendation I can give it to anyone who'll listen."

DNFs:

5/5/25 - free SF - this was supposed to be a hard-boiled crime in outer space, so I was super jazzed to read it.  Unfortunately, the formatting was SOOOO bad, I couldn't get past the first chapter.  I'm not sure what the author was thinking, but every page (assume Word pages) had 'Chapter 1 Continued' and then the chapter's title.  I'd read like 4-5 paragraphs and BLAMMO I'd get hit with that again.  Plus, the author left extra spaces between every paragraph.  It was most disconcerting.  I hope he gets it fixed for future readers, but I never go back to check once I DNF an ebook. =o(

Currently reading... an Agatha Christie I picked up at the thrift store.  So much yummy Poirot goodness.  Squee.

What was on your reading list this week?

Not a Banner Night

Last night was not a banner night for sleeping.  First, I made the mistake of staying up a little late to finish a book.  It was a really good book.  Of course, once I went to bed, I couldn't stop thinking about it, so there was that keeping me up.  And I couldn't get comfortable.  And I was too hot.  And I was also thinking about TTW's impending publication and all the things that need doing before I can push it out into the world...

Like I said, not a banner night for sleeping.  At one point, I gave up and got up.  Turned the computer back on and worked on my blurb.  Whether it's any good remains to be seen.  I haven't opened the file and looked at it since I woke up.  I finally went back to bed and fell asleep around 1 a.m., and woke at 7.  A solid 6 hours of sleep isn't bad, I guess, but I think my gumption is still comatose.

At least it wasn't the cats keeping me up this time.  Nope, they were being good boys.  Figures.

Today, I'm supposed to go grocery shopping.  This may or may not happen.  There's always tomorrow.  I've also got to start working on formatting this novel into ebook and print formats.  I had played with the idea of setting this to pre-order, but that never seems to work out for me, so I'll probably just push it into the world.  We'll see.

Anyway... look for my review of the 'really good book' tomorrow.  And look for THICKER THAN WATER to come out sometime before the 20th.  I should get a post out with the cover and blurb sometime this coming week.  Stay tuned.  

As for me... :wanders off in search of more coffee:

Thursday This n That

I'm about halfway through the edit suggestions for Thicker Than Water now.  And the cover has been created.  (Looks pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.)  I'll post it when I get the blurb done, which will probably be this weekend, so look for it Monday or Tuesday.

Speaking of covers, I took what feels like a gazillion pictures.  First, I did the set up in my bedroom - where I did the cover for Rumor Has It.  Those pics were okay, but not quite it, if you know what I mean.  Then I got an idea and ran with it.  I set everything up in the sunroom and started snapping pics.  The first ones were okay.  I re-set some things and snapped more pics.  Those were pretty good, but I realized I forgot to set up the drink.  Hasten to the kitchen, get the glass I bought for just this occasion, drop in some ice cubes, and pour in the 'whiskey'.  I don't drink, so I had to be creative.  It's actually apple juice with soy sauce mixed in until it got the right color.  I think I nailed it.  (Yes, it got dumped down the drain afterward, and no, I didn't taste it.  Eww.)

Here's one of the pics I took in the bedroom.  All rights reserved and all that jazz.  (Don't steal my work. I'm too pathetic to steal from.)  It's too bright, if you ask me, and the lamp is turned wrong, and the cig has the wrong end lit, but you get the gist.  I did much better with the second set in the sunroom.  

Here's the cover for Rumor Has It for comparison:

Anyway, I'm pretty excited.  I'm going to try to have the book out by the 20th.  We'll see how that goes.

And I think that's it for me this morning.  Not much of a This n That, but that's how it goes sometimes.  Have a great day!

The Sixth of May

Every year on the sixth of May, at some point I remember and it hits me all over again...

My father died on the 6th of May.  Years later, Hubs' best friend's funeral was on the 6th of May.  Needless to say, it's not a good day for me.  

Dad's been gone for 20+ years now.  It wasn't a shock.  We knew he was going.  He chose to go, in his own way, and he let us know his decision ahead of time, so we were prepared.  He didn't kill himself.  He simply chose to refuse dialysis after over a decade of dialyzing.  We understood and supported his decision.  He was tired and he had earned a rest.  He missed one dialysis and he was gone that night.  

Cancer got Phil.  It wasn't expected, but it wasn't a shock either.  We'd hoped he would beat it.  He didn't. Damn him. He was the best friend Hubs had and a good friend of mine, too. When things got bad for Hubs at work, I'd drop into Phil's office and talk it out with him - something I couldn't do with anyone else.  Phil understood.  Phil would be just as pissed as I was and we'd commiserate.  Then he was gone.  I don't remember the exact date he died, but I remember the date of his funeral because it was the anniversary of Dad's death.  I swear Phil did that on purpose so I would cry at his funeral.  He was that kind of guy.  A real troublemaker and a hoot to be around.  He was such a card.  

Anyway, the pain of their passing has boiled down so it only really hurts when I poke at it.  Like now.  

I expect Dad and Phil are somewhere today, drowning worms and drinking beer, and spinning yarns.  They'd both tell me to get over myself and get on with life.

So that's what I'm going to do.

Marketing Monday - Song of Storm and Shroud

This week, SONG OF STORM AND SHROUD is free.  It's a YA epic fantasy and I'm pretty pleased with it.  There is an intention to write sequels to this, but they aren't here yet.  Sorry about that.  Still, it stands by itself.  No cliffhangers to speak of.  Just a few threads that can be woven into other stories.

Anyway, pick up your copy today and enjoy all the magical, dragony, thrilling fun of SSS.

Starting today, SONG OF STORM AND SHROUD is absolutely free.  (Always free with Kindle Unlimited.)  Get your copy now!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09W745M6P

Our only hope lies with the mages.

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 18

 Sorry... I overslept.  Now that we're here, though, let's jump right into the weekly update.

I didn't write or edit anything.  Big surprise there, eh?  I did do some marketing for UWC and moved 117 copies of that and a few copies of WIOH.  Not sure what I'll be marketing this week.

I did some reading.  See yesterday's post.

No baking either.  Wait, I take that back.  I made pizza on Sunday.  It was my best pizza yet, so I'm not sure how I could've forgotten it, however briefly.  I'm trying to cut back on baked goods, though, so don't expect to see much about baking for a while.

On the activity front, I've been pretty busy.  I did some cleaning, took a couple walks (for a total of 1.6 miles), reorganized my desk area, got groceries, and did some yard work.  Weight: 173.6

The yard's starting to get back to looking like I give a shit about it.  Things are growing where I want them to grow and things are ceasing to grow where I don't want them.  I spent a chunk of yesterday pulling weeds and making things tidy.  Hubs is helping by mowing the lawn.  It looks nice, if I do say so myself.  

My baby trees are doing well.  Fingers crossed.

Hubs just told me the phone's out again.  It was out last week for a day or so, too.  This is an ongoing battle and I'm this close > < to telling Brightspeed to pound sand and just use my cellphone from here on out.  But I hate talking on my cell phone.  My hand falls asleep and I drop the phone, plus the reception sucks and Mom has a tough time hearing me.  On the upside, every time I call BS, I tell them to take days off my bill.  Pretty soon, they'll owe me.  :snort:

The deer are getting fat pregnant.  Soon, we'll have fawns.  Lumpy is chugging along, but her lump must've burst at some point and she's got nasty stuff hanging off her jaw.  Poor dear.  I don't have great hopes for her or her unborn baby this year.  =o(

I can't think of anything else that happened this week... not anything worth mentioning, anyway... so I'll let you go on about your life.  Have a great day!

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/3/25

Well, here we are again at the Saturday Reading Wrap-up, and I actually remembered to post.  Yay.

I picked up two old hardcopies this week - an Agatha Christie in paperback and a Phyllis Whitney hardcover.  No new ebooks this week.

Books Read: 

16) In Plain Sight by Dan Willis (4/27/25) - magical hard-boiled crime* - 5 stars.  New to me but not underappreciated.  Picked up for free off my Amazon Wishlist and put on there after the recommendation of a friend.
Review: "This is a most excellent and brilliant story with an interesting little treat at the end. A well-written novel with awesome characters and an intelligent plot. I inhaled it. I only wish I'd read it when it was first recommended to me and I put it on my wish list. Better late than never, I guess. It's definitely worthy of 5 stars and every glowing recommendation I can give it to anyone who'll listen."

15) Dr. No by Ian Fleming (4/26/25) - action/hard boiled crime - 5 stars. Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  Got this one from a thrift store for 25c.
Review: "Excellent story!"

No DNFs.

Currently reading... Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.  It's pretty good. But I wouldn't have expected anything less.

What was on your reading list this week?

Thursday This n That

May day!  May day!  (Heh, I like doing that every May 1st, but I'm weird.)

Reposted from yesterday's FB status update: So, I just got back from the thrift store.  I picked out two books to buy - a paperback and a hardcover.  When I get to the register, the chick there tries to tell me the paperback is $5. When I balked at that, she said 'well, it was printed in the '40s, so it's vintage.  I told her no and that was the original print date.  She tried to tell me it was the only print date in there, so I opened it to the copyright page, scanned it briefly, and then pointed to where it said 20th printing 1975.  She backed down and only charged me $1, but she was kinda snotty about it.  Kids these days.  She's probably never opened a damn book in her life.  

It's bad enough that this thrift store jacked the prices of their books up from 5 for $1 to 4 for $1 to $1 each for paperbacks, from 50c to $2 for hardcovers, and $5 for anything older than 1970 (vintage to them).  The other two nearby stores charges 25c ea for paperbacks.  Last time I get books at today's place, lemme tell ya.  I can handle the price, but dealing with snotty little twits just ruins the experience for me.  =o\

This morning, Hubs looked out the window and saw what he thought were several deer, then he realized one of them was actually the neighbor's dog, Copper.  (He's an old red-bone coonhound, so deer colored and about the same size.)  Well, ol' Copper was just sniffing around he own yard and the deer were standing there watching him - no more than 10-12 feet away.  They'd advance a step and then back up a step while Copper continued sniffing and not paying attention to them.  Finally, he wandered over to sniff another part of the yard and the deer walked away.  It was pretty funny, but I guess you had to be there.

I want cinnamon rolls, but I'm too lazy and I'm trying to cut back on the baked goods anyway.

Right now, there are all sorts of birds twittering away in the trees every morning.  I'm pretty good at identifying birds by their songs usually, but I'm hearing some stuff I've never heard before.  Fun.

We had a big ol' rat snake in the yard the other day.  Hubs and I went out to encourage it to leave, and it was going pretty well until the snake decided to turn and confront us.  I took the rake and got the tines up under it and flung it into the woods.  It was last seen headed down the hill and away from the yard.  No snakes were harmed in that encounter.  It better not come back, though.  Our courtesy only extends so far with snakes - harmless or not.  

Okay, that's about it for me.  Have a great day, wherever you are.  :hugs:

Marketing Monday - Up Wish Creek

Hello again.  It's time for another Marketing Monday here at The Writing Spectacle.  Unfortunately, being the unmotivated person I am at the moment, UP WISH CREEK has been free since Saturday and this is the first time I've done anything to promote it.  It's a good book and deserves more attention than I've given it.  UWC is the third book in the Once Upon a Djinn series, but it's not the last book.  (It seems like a lot of people stop at this book and don't go on to finish the series.  If that's the case, you're really missing out on the spectacular end.)

Anyway... 

From now through Wednesday, UP WISH CREEK is absolutely free.  (Always free with Kindle Unlimited.)  Get your copy of this snarky, paranormal mystery today!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LVU03BV

Sometimes Jo wishes she had a different occupation. Too bad wishes don’t work that way.

Sunday Update - Week 17

Hello!  It's Sunday morning and I'm running late again.  On the upside, I feel like a got a good night's sleep for a change, so let's go...

I did some writing this week!  Yay!  It was only one day and only about 1300 words, but it's a start.  No editing.  No marketing.  I did start a freebie thing for UP WISH CREEK yesterday, but I haven't marketed for it yet.  Still, I've moved a few copies even without marketing, which tells me my other marketing efforts are doing something out there.  Yay.

I did some reading, as you can see from yesterday's post.

I also did some baking.  I made a chocolate oil cake with strawberry jelly and vanilla frosting.  Except I didn't have enough powdered sugar for the frosting.  I tried 'making' powdered sugar using my little food processor.  It wasn't nearly as fine as I hoped it would be and the frosting is gritty.  Oh, well.  Live and learn.  I also ended up doing stuff chicken breast for Easter, which turned out super yummy.  

On the activity front, I did something 5 out of 7 days.  I took 3 walks for 2.4 miles.  I weeded and did other garden stuff for 2.5 hours.  Unfortunately, I just stepped on the scale and bleh.  Weight: 176 even.  :shrug:  I feel good, so that's really the point, isn't it?

In the gardening realm, all the beds have been weeded.  (A couple already need to be weeded again, but that's how weeding goes.)  I planted all the seeds in the cedar bed - 3 packages of mixed wildflower seeds and one package of marigolds.  I think I'm already seeing some of those come up.  I also planted an old seed packet of basil that I found when I cleaned out my junk drawer.  We'll see if those even bother to come up.  Additionally, I planted some volunteer trees.  It's been a green time here at Sanderson Acres, lemme tell ya.

Speaking of cleaning the junk drawer, I did that.  I threw out some stuff and organized the rest.  Considering I've been meaning to do that for months now, I'm calling it a win.  Now, I really need to reorganize the storage cupboard.  Maybe today.  Maybe not.

On a cooler morning, I went into the woods along the road and attacked some vines that had escaped my snippers.  Those are dying nicely now, tyvm.  That will probably be my last venture into the woods until fall.  The ticks are out.  I had three on me already this month.  None of them bit me, but just seeing them is enough to warn me away.

Speaking of ticks, Hubs sprayed the lawn.  Die evil bastard bugs.  

Okay, I think that's about it.  Have a great day wherever you are and here's to a productive week for us all.  :waves:

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 4/26/25

Sorry I'm late.  I mean, it IS still Saturday, so I'm not as late as I was last week.  (You know, when I didn't post at all?)  Anyway, here's the wrap-up:

I finally picked up some new ebooks this week.  I got an urban fantasy, a regular SF, a humorous SF, and a dystopian SF.  No new hardcopies.

Books Read:

15) Dr. No by Ian Fleming (4/26/25) - action/hard boiled crime - 5 stars. Not new to me or underappreciated.  Picked it up for 25c at a thrift store.
Review: "Excellent story!"

14) Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (4/20/25) - dystopian - 5 stars.  Not new to me or underappreciated.  I picked this one up in June of 2024 for 25c from a thrift store.
No review.

13) Diamonds are Forever by Ian Fleming (4/16/25) - action/hard boiled crime - 5 stars.  Not new to me under unappreciated.  Got this for 25c from the thrift store.
Review: "Wow. I'm so glad I picked this up to read. I know I saw the movie at some point, even though I don't remember it. The book is so much better than any of the movies I do remember, though. Less fantastic and more down to Earth, the way a good gritty crime novel ought to be. This book is awesome and I'm looking forward to reading more of the James Bond novels."

No DNFs.

Currently reading... the urban fantasy ebook I picked up.  I just opened it, so no clue how it's going to go.  Tune in next time.  

What have you been reading lately?

Thursday This n That

 Mmm, coffee.

I started writing again yesterday.  A new book.  I know I know I know.... I have scads of unfinished manuscripts weeping from the neglect they've suffered, but when an idea strikes, it's best to just run with it.  Okay, maybe not best, but it's certainly easier.  I'm all about easy.  Anyway, I got about 1300 words down, so I've got that going for me.  We'll see what today brings.  And who knows, maybe I can cobble something I've already written into this.  That'd be good.

My baby tree project is going well.  Out of the scads of seeds I harvested last fall and planted either then or recently, I have 4 dogwoods.  Nothing else came up.  Live and learn for next fall.  On the other hand, I rescued a bunch of volunteer seedlings from around the outside - 4 cedars, 3 redbuds, and 2 oaks.  They're in pots now.  We'll see how they do.  I also have a boatload of volunteer elms that will either have to be dug up and replanted or pulled and thrown out.  They're not in optimal places to have a tree.  

Did you hear the news about the toddler who wandered away from his home in AZ only to be found by a dog 7 miles away?  Yay for the dog.  My suspicious mind wonders, though, how a 2 year old made it seven miles on foot.  Was he snatched and let go?  Was he dumped like a unwanted dog?  Sure, he could've just been a tot on a mission, but like I said, I'm suspicious.

Today, my bird-a-day calendar has a tern feeding its baby a tasty fish.

Earlier I heard a single yip out there in the darkness.  I'm guessing fox.  Coyotes have a tendency to move in a group and when one goes, they all go.  Foxes are more solitary.  On the other hand, neither of them are generally one yip kind of critters.  Since all I have is that one yip to go on, all I can do is guess.

They came and fixed my phone again.  This time, the tech called afterward and it was one I've worked with before.  He said to call him directly next time, and bypass the whole mess that is BS customer support.  And there will be a next time because they can't be bothered to replace what is constantly failing with stuff that actually works.  (He didn't say most of that - only to call him.  I don't want to get him in trouble.)  Anyway, he also said that part of the problem is because someone has been cutting their fiber optic cables.  Most likely they're looking for copper to steal and sell.  Morons.

I'm back to walking more regularly again.  The other night, I saw two rabbits chasing each other around and around.  Bunnies!  So cute.  I mean, they were adults, but still... BUNNIES!  And adult rabbits generally produce even cuter bunnies.  Yay.

No wonder bunnies are associated with Easter.  Spring = Easter. Spring = Rabbits.  Therefore, Easter = Rabbits.  It's simple math.  ;o)

Okay, that's it for me.  I need more coffee and I should probably think about doing something constructive.  Have a great day!

Wondering Wednesday

This morning, I spent some time wondering when they stopped just giving the tetanus vaccine in a tetanus shot.  I'd heard a while back that they were packing other vaccines in with the tetanus vaccine, which to me seems like a dirty trick for people who only want a tetanus shot.  I'm naturally suspicious of shit like that.  Anyway, I did some research to see if my facts were right and sure enough, they can/do pack other vaccines in there.  Diptheria seems to be the bug of choice, but there can also be whooping cough, hepatitis, and flu vaccines in with your tetanus shot.  This is why I am hesitant to go get a freakin' tetanus shot.  If I think I need a shot for tetanus, because I ran afoul of rusty metal somewhere, I do not want them pumping me with other stuff.  

I've been replanting trees that I find in the garden beds - cedars, redbuds, and oaks so far.  I wonder if they'll all live.  And if they do... I wonder if I need a license to sell trees in the state of MO.

I wonder why Sawyer and Finn won't let us sleep through the night.

I wonder why granulated sugar doesn't break down in frosting and remains gritty.  You'd think that the wet of the frosting would soften those granules, but it doesn't.  

I wonder why male cardinals feed female cardinals. 

That bright 'star' I keep seeing in the morning... I wonder if it's just Venus shining really brightly.  I wonder why it does that.

I wonder why some birds don't seem to have the hang of their own songs.  One bird out there is singing his song perfectly and another bird is singing it off key and missing some notes.  I wonder if he's young or defective.

I started writing again this morning.  I wonder if I'll finish this one.

Is there anything you're wondering this morning?

Monday Update - Week 16

 Since yesterday was a holiday, here's a Monday Update...

No writing or editing.  Yes, I have been thinking about writing, but that's usually only when I'm trying to get some sleep.  I did some marketing for SLEEPING UGLY, which was free last week, but I didn't move as many as I would've liked.  :shrug:  I forgot to set anything up for this week.  We'll see if that changes.

I did some reading, but I forgot to post my Saturday Reading Wrap-up.  I'll do a two-weeker this Saturday.

No baking this week.  Yeah, I meant to make a cake for Easter, but that didn't get done.  I did make some awesome stuffed chicken breasts for dinner yesterday, which went into the oven, I maybe that counts. Or maybe that just counts for next Sunday's update.  Derp.

On the activity front, I started the week gangbusters, but then dropped to nada.  So, yeah, 4 days of activity - mostly weeding gardens and stuff like that.  I did one hard target walk, which brings my total mileage for the year to 6.55 miles.  That's kinda pathetic, but I'm not whipping myself over it.  I'm doing other active things.  And my gardens are starting to look good, so yay.

Speaking of gardens, I got the shade bed and the cedar bed weeded.  (Okay, Hubs did most of the cedar bed, but it's weed-free now.)  Then I planted the seeds I had intended for the cedar bed.  I also bought some more seeds to go in there, which I'll try and get to today.  If the rain is actually finished.  

Speaking of plants, I have 4 viable dogwood trees in pots.  They're only about 3 inches tall, but they've each got two leaves beyond the seed leaves and one of them is working on a second set of leaves.  Also the two cedar trees - Cecile and Clyde - are doing well, with plenty of new growth.  

And the rain... Oh holy crap did it rain.  Sploosherama big time.  The dogwoods and the cedars are currently hanging out in the sunroom.  I didn't want them to drown, poor things.  

Okay, I think that's it for the news of last week.  I need to get motivated this morning, but my gumption won't turn over.  It sputters and dies every time I try it.  ;o)

Have a great day and if you're motivated, feel free to drop a comment.  

Happy Easter

Happy Easter for those who celebrate.  For those who don't, Happy Bunny Day.  Enjoy whatever fits your chosen faith today.  Us?  We're chilling out and hiding from storms.  We'll eat something fun later - either French Dip sandwiches or stuffed chicken breast.  I haven't decided and Hubs' doesn't care.  

Anyway, here's a pic I snapped of the Easter Bunny taking a break after a long night of hiding eggs and chocolate treats*.  As you can tell, he's bushed, but satisfied.

Let's give him a hand for all his hard work. YAY!

*Not rabbit raisins. 

Thursday This n That

:yawn: :stretch:  Good mornin'.  I actually woke up early today, but I couldn't get to sleep last night, so I'm draggin'.  :slurp coffee:

And now Finn wants lots of attentions, so I'm petting and trying to type. With a tail in my way. rofl

Finn's really no small cat by anyone else's standard. He's 13-14 pounds of sleek feline, but next to Sawyer, he's my widdle bebe.  It's not his fault his adopted brother is a moose.

Our phone is out again.  Stupid BS.  Their supposed to be out to fix it again on Friday.  I harangued the phone girl to make sure they actually fix it this time instead of slapping a bandaid on it.  We'll see.  It's going out like every other day.  Then it comes back, then it goes out, then it comes back.  The other day it went out in the middle of a call to Mom.  It's a bit ludicrous that in this day and age we can't get reliable phone service.

Anyway... I saw a news story yesterday about a toddler that had wandered away from his (her?) home in the Grand Canyon area of AZ.  He was found about 7 miles away by a rancher's dog, who led the kid back to its place.  That rancher was out and saw his dog coming home with a kid in tow.  Wild.  Anyway, the tot's fine and the dog is being hailed as a hero.  Not sure how a toddler gets out and wanders 7 miles, but there it is.

I cut my hair yesterday.  Whacked it short because it was irritating me.  I butchered the holy hell out of it.  But I didn't notice until after it dried.  I think I can fix it.  If not, it'll grow out.  Thankfully, I didn't cut it so short it looks like mange.  ROFL

Every morning for the past week or so, I've seen a weird 'star' rising in the east.  When I first saw it, it was about 6am, but it's rising earlier every day.  This morning, I saw it peeking through the trees at 5:27.  I searched online to see if I could figure out what it is, but no luck.  It's not the space station.  It might be like Venus and a couple other planets rising in a line so they look like one big bright light, but that doesn't make sense to my brain.  :shrug:  

Okay, with distractions, it's taken me over 30 minutes to write this and I really need to get my morning marketing done.  Have a great day wherever you are and if you feel inclined, drop a comment about whatever little things are sparking you today.

Marketing Monday - Sleeping Ugly

 Sleeping Ugly... I resemble that title this morning. Blerg.  You might've already heard the story of how this book came to be, but for those who haven't...  Way back when I was a teenager, I stumbled out of my bedroom one morning and there was my middle brother, who was home on leave from the USAF.  He took one look at me and, without even a 'how do you do' said "You're not Sleeping Beauty, you're Sleeping Ugly."  Ah, brothers.  Flash forward a few decades and that memory floated to the surface followed by the idea for this book.  

Anyway, Sleeping Ugly is on freebie starting today and going through Friday.  You know the drill. 

Now through Friday, get SLEEPING UGLY absolutely free.  (It's always free with KU. This is for non-subscribers.)  Get all the snarky goodness of this paranormal mystery today!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GM24Q48

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 15

 Wow, it's Sunday again.  Whoda thunk it?

Anyway... It was a week.  No writing or editing again this week.  I did the marketing thing because DE was on freebie, but I only did marketing M-W-F. Tuesday and Thursday were neglected.  Derp.  Tomorrow, Sleeping Ugly goes on freebie.  I need to prepare for that, I guess.  I'm unmotivated.

I did a boatload of reading last week.  4 books finished.  Woot.

In baking news... well, there isn't any.  Which is probably good for my lard butt.  I had planned on making a pizza, but then I lazed out and did french bread pizza instead.  

Despite being a toad in every other aspect of my life, I did do some active things this week.  There was only one day where I didn't really do much of anything.  The other days, I walked, gardened, sawed, or cleaned.  I walked 2.4 miles this week, which is my best week this year for walking.  After stepping on the scale this morning, I'm glad I decided to get back on the walking regimen.  Weight: 176.6.... ooph.

Speaking of gardening, I finally cleared out my shade bed.  Three astilbes survived the neglect and I still have one lily of the valley in there.  Everything else died over the two years of not really weeding in there.  :sadface:  Today, I tackle the cedar bed - which hasn't had anything planted in it for years, but I have plans to rectify that.  As for the already planted stuff, I have 4 glads coming up.  Also 4 of the dogwood seedlings look like they might make it :fingers crossed:.  The potted cedars are looking fine and both have plenty of new growth.  None of the other tree/shrub seeds are doing anything.  I think I might have a couple of volunteer redbuds in the yard, so I'll try to transplant those into pots.  I know I have volunteer elms and cedars.  I'm loathe to try and grow elms after The Tragedy of Elmer (wherein the deer ate him as soon as I put him in the yard).

In other news, there is no other news.  Life is rolling along and I'm rolling with it.  What's up with you?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 4/12/25

Hello again.  This was a banner week for reading.  I don't think I've read this many books in one week in years.  Yay.  And reading this much means I'm now only 7 books behind schedule.  Woot.

No new books acquired. I'm out of unread ebooks, though, so I need to rectify that.

Books Read:

12) Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke (4/11/25) -  science fiction - 4 stars.  New to me - I don't think I've read anything by Clarke before - but not underappreciated. Picked this one up at the thrift store for 25c.
Review: "This was an interesting enough story, but there was no real plot. It's just the tale of a 16-yr old boy's short time at a space station of the future. Things happen and he reacts to things. I was expecting something a little more exciting, I guess. All in all, I did enjoy the story, though."

11) Murder by the Script by Lisa Pevey (4/8/25) - cozy mystery* - 5 stars.  Not new to me, since this is the fourth book of this series I've read in the past few weeks.  I got this one for free, which prompted me to buy the first three books.
Review: "Another fun installment of this series. I really enjoyed it. The characters are all just as awesome and quirky as they were at the start. I loved the plot. It's just good, clean fun all the way around."

10) Festive Fonts and Fowl Murder by Lisa Pevey (4/7/25) - cozy mystery* - 5 stars.  Not new to me or underappreciated, but I'm sure it could always use more readers.  I picked this one up at full price with the first two after getting the 4th one for free.
Review: "Another fun installment of this series. I'm really enjoying reading them all. In this one, the stakes are higher because Buck's in trouble, which makes it fun. And like all good cozies, it all works out in the end. Yay."

9) The Modigliani Scandal by Ken Follett (4/6/25) - suspense - 5 stars.  Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  I mean, it's Ken Follett, after all.  I got this one from a thrift store for 25c.
Review: "I wasn't sure this was going to be all that great a book when I first started it, but man, was I ever wrong. It's not the kind of work most people know Ken Follett for, but it's pretty brilliant. The final twist really sealed the deal on this being a five-star read for me. Like I said... brilliant."

No DNFs.

Currently reading... I finished the SF last night with minutes to spare before bedtime, so I didn't start anything else.  I don't know what's next.  I have tons of unread books to chose from, though.  

What was on your reading list this week?

Friday This n That

 Yeah, yesterday got busy first thing and while I did mean to post, it was later by the time I remembered.  Sorry about that.

One of the things I was busy with was Wallyworld.  Man, was it busy in there yesterday morning.  It's usually pretty quiet on a weekday morning, so not sure what was up with that.  Some old dude clipped my elbow with his cart and didn't even say excuse me or sorry or anything.  As I said on FB, I hope all of his Depends have a manufacturing defect.  Anyway, I loaded my cart with groceries - including all kinds of meat - and made it out of there for just over $200.  I take that as a good sign.  There aren't any specific prices I can point to - other than whole turkey breasts for 97c a pound, which could be due to Easter's approach - to show that things are getting better, but I'm optimistic.

The weather's gotten nice here.  I'm trying to walk every day.  2 days in a row so far.  Woot.

We were without phones again.  On the third day, I finally called the phone company - because apparently no one else does that but me.  They said it wouldn't be fixed until the 14th.  As I was headed out yesterday, I crossed paths with a Brightspeed truck coming into the neighborhood and the phone was fixed by the time I got home.  Dial tone!  Yay.

The birds are being really LOUD this morning.  Looking for love and all that.  It's like a big, avian single's bar out there right now. Bow chicka bow bow.

Speaking of love, Hubs saw a baby squirrel yesterday.  Yep, it's about that time when mama squirrels kick their babies out of the hole.  Which ought to remind one that after bow-chicka-bow-bow comes waa-waa-waa, so if you want the first and not the second, there are things that prevent that from happening.  Use one or several.

DYING EMBERS is still free, but only through the end of today.

And that's it for me today.  What kinds of this n that things are it for you?

Freakin' Wednesday?

 Oh my gah... it's freakin' Wednesday?  Where did Monday and Tuesday go?  Holy crap.  

Okay, so Monday... Dying Embers went on freebie.  Go snag a copy.  

And Tuesday...?  We voted. 2 tax increases, a property tax cessation for old people thing, and some dude was running unopposed for commissioner of something.  I voted no on the tax increases - natch - yes on the property tax thing, and I didn't bother voting for the dude I didn't know.  As of this morning, one tax increase passed, one failed, the cessation thing was approved, and the dude probably got elected but I wasn't paying attention to him.

So, now it's Wednesday and we're all caught up, I guess.

Today, I am thoroughly unmotivated to do any marketing.  I need a shower.  The cats... okay, just Sawyer... were spastic last night so I didn't get much sleep.  What sleep I did get was sometime this morning, so I got out of bed late which is part of the unmotivational problem.  And I have about a half hour before my morning call to Mom.  (Yes, I call my mommy almost every morning.  She's 84, so there are a finite number of days left to call her, and plus, I like talking to her.)

Sometime around 11 last night, whilst Sawyer was trying to dig his way through Hubs dresser... pat pat pat pat ad infinitum... I snapped and threw my pillow at him. Scored a direct hit, scared the holy hell out of him, and sent him running for under the bed.  I felt really really bad about it.  He spent quite a while under there and once I ascertained that he was physically unharmed, I got some sleep.  Until about 1-ish when he decided it would be a good time to play with a jingly ball.  He batted that sucker all over the house, running after it and jumping on it... jingling all the way.  Oh what fun it is to... nevermind. That went on for a couple hours.   

Today, I'm supposed to do more marketing, as I previously indicated.  I'm also supposed to go grocery shopping.  I'm not sure either of those things are going to happen, and if they do, there won't be much zip in any of it.  :yawn: :stretch: :blah:

And I just remembered our phone is out again and I forgot to call the damn phone company.  !@#$%!

I need a coffee IV.  Just stick the needle in a vein and let the coffee drain in.

What are you up to today?  Hopefully, y'all have more oomph than I do.

:wander off in search of gumption:

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 14

 Yeah, yeah... I woke up late.  And yes, I've said before that I need to write these things ahead of time and get them scheduled, but we both know I'm not going to do that, so here we are.

Anyway, it was a week.  No writing, no editing.  I did think about writing, so that's a step in the right direction, but no actual words on paper yet. 

Last week's marketing effort was sorta blasé.  Thus, I only moved 28 copies of UNEQUAL.  Starting tomorrow, Dying Embers is on the freebie rotation.  I'll try to do better marketing that and see if I can't generate some interest.  Something's working because I am seeing a smattering of sales for books marketed previously.  Nothing spectacular, but better than nothing, and I appreciate every page read.  (Reviews would be nice, too, but beggars can't exactly be picky.)

Oh, yeah, I started working on a cover for the new book.  It's not horrible.  I don't hate it.  Then again, I don't love it either, so I have more work to do.  Personally, I think it turned out too bright and soft, like a chick lit cover instead of a gritty crime novel.  I really need to set everything up again and take another round of pics while it's still super-gloomy outside.  It might be the lightbulb.  I think it's a soft-white instead of a bright white.  :scuttles off to change bulbs:

Anyhoo... I did read a bunch last week.  I finished 3 books and made it halfway through another book.  I should finish that one today.  Right now, though, I've only finished 8 books this year, which leaves me 10 books behind schedule.  :shrug:  I'll either make that up or I won't.  

No baking this week.  It's not like my Ever-Widening Ass™ needs baked goods.

Speaking of the EWA™, my activity level sucked this week. I only got in a couple days where I did anything other than sit on said body part.  One day I did some woods work and the other day I went for a walk.  :throws confetti:  Weight: 174.8

One reason my activity sucked was the weather.  We've had some torrential rain crap move through in waves.  I think we've gotten about 6-7 inches of rain over the last 3 days.  And today we're supposed to get SNOW.  How is that even possible???  Stupid weather.  I moved all my baby trees inside for the duration.  Here's hoping Wrenegade leaves them alone.  

Yes, we still have that silly bird in the garage.  Although, maybe not so silly considering the rain and the cold.  He's a helluva lot better off than his free range counterparts right now.

Okay, I think that's it for me today.  I need more coffee and another cigarette.  Have a great day wherever you are.  :hugs:

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 4/5/25

 Oops.  I plum forgot it was Saturday and that I had a post to do until just now.  I'm addle-headed lately.  Anyway, here goes...

No new books this week, but I have a boatload of previously acquired books to read, so it's all good.  

Books Read:

8) A Murder in Cursive by Lisa Pevey (4/3/25) - cozy mystery* - 5 stars.  This is book two, so no new to me, even if it could be better appreciated. Picked this up at full price with books one and three after snagging book 4 for free.
Review: "This second book was even better than the awesome first book of the series. A fun and twisty cozy mystery with enjoyable characters, an interesting plot, and a satisfying end. Yay!"

7) The Ebony Swan by Phyllis Whitney (4/1/25) - romantic suspense - 5 stars.  Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  Snagged this hardcover edition from the thrift store for $2.  I didn't realize at the time that I already had a paperback copy of this I'd read 10 years ago.
Review: "Phyllis Whitney is a comfort read for me. I read as many of her books as I could get my hands on as a teenager in a rural community. Somehow I missed this one. It's as good as all the others I remember. She nailed romantic suspense early in its inception. The tortured hero, the strong - but uncertain - heroine, the tangled web of lies and deceit and mystery. All culminating in a satisfying resolution and a happily ever after. :happy sigh:

Second reading... I guess after almost 10 years, I'd forgotten I read this, so I read it again as if I'd never read it before. I still agree with everything I said then."

6) The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip (3/29/25) - fantasy - 4 stars.  This title was new to me, but I loved the author as a teen.  Picked this up at a thrift store for 25c.
Review: "When I picked this up at a thrift store, I had no clue it was the first of three. (It's not on the cover, but it is on the back. I should've looked closer.) It's an awesome book full of magic and mystery and adventure... and of course, riddles... but it ends without anything really getting solved. Which is frustrating. Now I have to hunt down the other two books if I want to see what happens. =op"

DNFs:

No DNFs this week.  Yay!

Currently reading... an old suspense by Ken Follett.  It must be one of his earlier works - first published in the 1970s - and it's okay.  Nothing to write home about, but I'll finish it and let y'all know.

What's on your reading list for this week?

Labor of Love

What happened to Tuesday?  :shrug:  

Anyway, it's Wednesday.  There's really not much going on in my life right now.  I did spend a couple hours yesterday setting up for cover photos and then taking a bunch.  And then doing a mock-up of a cover.  They're pretty good pics, but I'm still not 100% in love with them.  I'll try something else today.  

Being self-published means wearing a lot of hats.  Not only am I a writer, I'm also an editor, a marketer, a cover artist, PR... chief cook and bottle washer.  It's kind of tiring sometimes.  Ya know?  And all of this for a paycheck that would make a mouse starve.  It's a labor of love, I guess.  

One really big upside to this is I don't answer to anyone else.  (Good thing, too, because if I was working for someone and not making money at it, I'd quit or they'd fire me.)  The cover choices?  Mine.  Wording?  Mine.  Ideas?  Mine.  Stand or fall, it's all on me.  It's kind of freeing.  I don't have anyone breathing down my neck pushing for me to get the book out.  Okay, so that's both a negative and a positive sometimes, but on the whole, this is a pretty good gig.

I mean, seriously.  I work when I want.  I write what I want.  I don't have to pay anyone a percentage of anything.  If I want to hire someone to do cover art or marketing or editing for me, I have that option and I still have creative control... mostly.  

Of course, working for myself by myself means I don't often have the scratch to hire someone to do anything for me.  I mean, I made $25 last month, and I was excited about it, but that don't put food on the proverbial table. $25... I spent that much on stuff at the thrift store to make the cover I'm working on.  Oh well. :shrug:  Labor... of... love.  Damn it.  ;o)

That being said, I'm not sure if I'd recommend this vocation to anyone.  Of course, if you're inclined to be a writer, you won't need recommendations and cautionary tales won't stop your drive to write.  If you're inclined to be a PUBLISHED writer, you'll make it happen, no matter the hurdles.  You do you.  

I do me - all the time.  

Marketing Monday - UNEQUAL

It's Marketing Monday and even though I'm a little late, I did remember!  Yay!  

Starting today UNEQUAL is absolutely free. (Always free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.) Get this action-packed dystopian novel today. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LDVFWBS

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 13

Thirteen weeks into 2025 and I'm feeling pretty good about life in general.  Sales are up, soon I'll publish my 18th novel (the first published since 2022), and life is good.  As for the past week, here's what went on...

No editing or writing.  Once my edit notes come back, there will be a flurry of stuff to do, though, so I'm not kicking myself too hard.  I did some marketing this week.  This is looking to be my best month of the last few years.  Which still isn't going to get me into any higher tax bracket, but I'm hopeful.  I need to figure out today what I'm going to do for this week's sale.  I'll be as surprised as you are tomorrow. ;o)

The main writerly-type thing I'm focused on is driving ahead on cover art.  I even spent a couple hours wandering the local thrift store to see what sparked my creativity.  I picked up a couple tablecloths, a fake plant arrangement, and a lamp.  Now I just need to make that and some stuff we already have here into something that will sell books.  It's all percolating in my head.  I'll probably get the camera out and start playing today.  

I spent a lot of time reading this week, although it doesn't seem like much when you look at the reading wrap up from yesterday.  I did finish that book I said I'd finish, though, and I started another one.  Yay.

In baking news, I made another batch of cinnamon rolls and I also did a pizza.  So yummy.  My ever-widening ass is telling me I need to cut back on the baking, but I doubt I'll listen to it.

Speaking of the old ever-widening ass, I was pretty active this week.  I did something active every day - from gardening to tromping through the woods to just wandering.  I also did some cleaning. No update on the weight this week.  I feel slimmer, but I'm not going to promise myself any fewer pounds.

Speaking of gardening, I have now potted all the dogwoods that were germinating in the fridge.  The ones I potted previously... Well, some of them died.  On the upside, I have 4-5 that look like they might make it and even have real leaves - 2 each.  Nothing is coming up in the redbud pots or the spicebush pots.  I think the over-winter neglect killed those seeds.  Better luck this fall.  I also potted all the buckthorn seeds I could find.  Note to self: do not put black seeds in black dirt in the fall.  You'll have a tough time finding them come spring.  Cecil and Clyde... the cedars... are both doing well and both have lots of new growth.  Yay.  As for my gardens, I'm not seeing the glads or the lilies coming up yet.  Fingers crossed.

On the woods work front, I got a lot of dead limbs off the cedars and the area is looking really nice - at least from the road.  Now that it's getting warmer, I'll have to stay out of the woods, so the rest of the work in there will have to wait.  

This week, I plan on finishing the clean-out of the last two garden beds that need cleaning - the cedar bed and the shade bed.  There's nothing in the cedar bed but weeds, which I hope to change this year.  As for the shade bed, I'm not holding out hope that anything I planted is still alive in there.  If it's all gone, I'll order up some replacement astilbes and coral bells, and maybe some more lilies of the valley.  We'll see.  I also plan on knocking some other stuff off the to-do list I posted on Friday.  Time and gumption allowing.

And I think that's it for me.  What have you been up to lately?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 3/29/25

Woot, I remembered to post today!  

This week, I added 3 new books to my big list of new-to-me books that I get to read whenever I want because they're MINE.  I picked up a Phyllis Whitney I've never read and two Tarzan's (a new collectible for me).  Yay!

Books Read:

5) Murder by the Letter by Lisa Pevey (3/27/25) - cozy mystery* - 5 stars.  New to me but not underappreciated by my measure of more than 50 reviews.  (I was the 50th on Goodreads, as a matter of fact.)  After seeing this advertised on one of the FB groups I follow (posted by her husband Seth Pevey, a writer whose books I love), I paid full price for this one after snagging the 4th book in the series for free. I also snagged the 2nd and 3rd. 
Review: "What a fun story! I really enjoyed getting to know Mila, Cherie, and Auntie Roma. And, of course, I loved Serif! I also enjoyed the glimpse into the backwoods of Louisiana and the Cajun way to life. This is a fun romp through that world and an interesting mystery to boot."

4) Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout (3/26/25) - noir crime - 5 stars.  Neither new to me nor underappreciated.  Snagged this from the thrift store for 25c.
Review: "Excellent story! I love Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. It does start off a little slow, but it more than made up for it."

DNFs:

3/26/25 - SF - $4.99 - if you know me at all, you know I hate DNF'ing any book I paid full price for.  Hell, I hate paying for books if there's any chance I might DNF it.  Anyway, I bought this book because the author was in need.  I really REALLY wanted to like it enough to leave a glowing review for it. Unfortunately, I didn't get very far before I realized that wasn't going to happen.  :shrug:  I feel bad I can't leave a review, but at least the sale might help this person out of a jam.  

Currently reading... a fantasy called The Riddle-Master of Hed by Patricia McKillip.  I'd hoped to finish this last night, but it was late and I was tired.  I'll finish it today.  

What kind of reading fun have you been up to this week?

It's on the List, Man

I have so much to do and it seems like every time I turn around there's another thing to do, so I've begun saying "It's on the list, man."  It's not a written-down list.  It's an in-my-head list, but this is it...

- finish potting the tree seeds
- clean out the cedar bed
- clean out the shade bed
- plant the wildflower and the marigold seeds I bought for the cedar bed
- order plants to put into the shade bed because I think everything nice in there has died
- finish cutting dead limbs off the cedars by the road
- finish replanting the irises bulbs that the critters had moved over the winter
- vacuum the hard floors
- wash the hard floors
- dust
- wash windows
- clean the kitchen
- clean my bathroom
- clean the smoking porch / sunroom
- redo the irises by the big rock (which may have to wait until after the blooming season)
- take furniture polish to the kitchen cabinets
- tidy up the spare room
- clean the fridge
- create a cover for my new book (which includes setting up stuff for a pic and taking said pic)
- hit the thrift store to find something to use for the above pic
- finish editing my new book
- format my new book
- create next week's sale
- sort my books to decide what stays and what goes so I have room for my unshelved new books
- tidy up the storage closet
- shred old paperwork I've tidied out of the storage
- create a donate box of everything I've picked to go
- go to a thrift store and donate the stuff (which should coincide with going to find pic stuff, but probably won't)
- hammer in all the loose nails on the deck
- work on getting Wrenegade out of the garage
- clean bird poop off the garage floor
- clip the cats' claws

There is a longer list Hubs and I have together, by the way.  Stuff that requires money as well as time.  That one includes things like repairing the deck, fixing the roof, and putting in a wood stove.  One day, I'd like to remodel the kitchen by turning the wall between the kitchen and the living room into a pony wall, so I can get some natural light into the kitchen, but that is so far down any list that I doubt it'll ever happen.  Maybe if I win the lottery... ROFL

Since I started typing this out, I added about a half-dozen things I need to do that I had forgotten.  You see what I mean about 'things keep getting added'.  Just thinking about it all makes me tired.  I need a nap.  Too bad, naps aren't on the list.  ;o)

What's on your list to get done today?

(I might come back here and put a line through stuff as it gets done, but then again, I might not because seeing stuff NOT getting checked off over time will depress the hell out of me.)

Thursday This n That

My arms look like I've been attacked by an itty bitty swordsman.  Only a tiny portion of the damage is cat related.  The rest of it is thorns and woods work.  I didn't even feel most of it when it was happening and only noticed it later.  Eh, it's visual proof I've been working.  And the yard is looking quite nice, if I do say so myself.  

Oh, and the spot on the back of my middle finger?  That's a burn I got while making dinner.  I'd show you, but I don't want to flip you off.  ;o)

By the way, 100% pure aloe will take care of minor burns for you.  Slather that crap on as soon as you can after you've burned yourself and it'll be unpainful in no time.  Works for sunburns, too.  And dry skin patches.  And sometimes bug bites. (Depends on what bit you.)  I use Fruit of the Earth.  And I get mine from Wallyworld.  

I'm having a sale.  I'm not being good about marketing, though.  I missed it on Monday and today's not looking good either.  Still moving books, though, so yay.

We've now located 4 redbud trees on our property.  And I found a honey locust yesterday.  Thankfully, I didn't find it the hard way.  Those things have nasty spikes on them.  I hacked all the spikes off the trunk up to Hubs' height, so either of us can walk around the damn thing without getting speared.  I also spent some major time removing dead limbs from the cedars.  

Yep, I hurt today.  90 minutes of sawing can do that to a gal.

Okay, I'm running late, so that's it for me for now.  Have a great day out there!

Marketing Tuesday?

Okay, so I woke up late yesterday and I was a total toad, so I didn't get to my marketing. :shrug:  Which means that we get Marketing Tuesday instead of Marketing Monday.  

To that end, both of the books in the Dennis Haggarty Mystery series are up for marketing. 

For a limited time, get both books in the Dennis Haggarty Mystery series for the low price of only 99c. (Both are always free with Kindle Unlimited.) Now thru Friday, ACCIDENTAL DEATH is free and NATURAL CAUSES has been reduced to 99c. Pick up both today!

Accidental Death: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XM6VJ9U

Natural Causes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y44BXTM

Enjoy!

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 12

Well, howdy there.  It's Sunday and I'm feeling pretty good, so let's get started with the week...

I did no writing, editing, or marketing.  Yep, I had a week off of all things writerly.  Woot.  There's not much for me to do with editing until I get my notes back from the beta readers.  And I don't really write while I'm in the throes of getting a book ready to publish.  (I could, I guess, but I don't.)

This coming week, Accidental Death will be free and Natural Causes will be 99c.  Look for marketing here tomorrow on those and throughout the week on social media.

I read some stuff.  See yesterday's post.  Yep, I actually did a Reading Wrap-up.  

This past week, I made carrot cake... which is almost gone, so I need to think about the next bake... and I made chocolate oatmeal cookies.  Yum.

The big deal this week has to do with activity.  You see, Hubs and I have started working on our land to the south.  It's about an acre of forest we haven't had a chance to touch yet.  So we're touching it.  Mostly moving deadfall and cutting vines.  Gah, so many vines.  Oh, and cutting dead limbs off the freakin' cedars.  So many dead limbs. It feels like every time I turned around in there, I was at risk for putting an eye out or getting skewered.  That will change.  Unfortunately, it's getting a little late in the season to spend too many more hours in the woods.  Ticks and snakes... :shudder:  On the upside, we found a redbud tree we didn't even know was there.  Yay.  Weight: 174.8

Speaking of trees, my little dogwoods are doing okay.  Some are doing better than others, but if I get 3-4 trees out of this experiment, life is good.  Nothing else is showing any signs of growing yet.  Except for the cedars.  They're awesome.  Cecil has new growth and Clyde is starting to green up now that he's in a pot instead of dirt under the deck.  I might take today and do some more potting.  I have a few more dogwoods to get in dirt.  All of the buckthorns need potting.  And I have a few more volunteer cedars that can be transferred to their unwanted spots into pots.  

I think that's it for me for the week.  What have you been up to lately?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 3/22/25

Hello.  I know it's been a long time since I did one of these. Sorry about that.  I got so far away from doing it that I don't THINK about doing one until it's too late.  Okay, so let's see what's happened since the last time...

I picked up a boatload of books - both ebook and hardcopy.  Since my last installment, I got 16 books from the thrift store - mostly hard-boiled crime and mystery, but some SF and romance, too.  I also downloaded 6 ebooks - 4 of which are from an author I love who wrote this series under his wife's name.  Suffice it to say, I have a lot to read and I'm working on it.  At this point, though, I've only finished 3 books this year.  

Books Read:

3) Moonstruck: Retribution by Silver James (3/20/25) - paranormal romantic suspense* - 5 stars. Silver's books are definitely not new to me, but they sure are underappreciated.  I paid full price for this - $4.99.
Review: "I'm sorry this took so long for me to get around to, because it was AWESOME. I love the Wolves and their mates, and all their stories, so much. This was no exception. All the action, all the thrills, all the suspense... all the LOVE. And, of course, all the satisfying ends. Good guys win and bad guys die. That's my kind of happy ending. Woot!"

2) President Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer (3/14/25) - noir crime - 5 stars.  Not new to me but this one only has 20 reviews.  Sad that more people don't pick up Sax Rohmer novels.  I got this for 25c at the thrift store.  Woot.
Review: "Ooo, this is a good one! Evil Dr. Fu Manchu is trying to take over the United States by putting his own man in the White House - but as dictator, not president - and it's up to Sir Denis Nyland-Smith to stop him. The twists and turns are as awesome as always. Mr. Rohmer knew his stuff, lemme tell ya."

DNFs:

3/20/25 - romance 25c - I picked up this '80s romance because I loved the author once upon a time, and I had collected the entirety of this series (which I sold at a thrift store in FL because I needed the money).  Unfortunately, this particular installment of the series was lame.  The heroine was a whiny, snotty kid and I couldn't envision how the older hero would EVER want to get to know her, let alone fall in love with her.

Currently reading... Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout.  I love Nero Wolfe stories.  I'm not loving this one yet, but there's hope.  :shrug:  I could be his one dud.  We'll see.

Okay, that's it for me.  I'll try to do these EVERY Saturday like I'm supposed to.  How's your reading been?

I Need Some Good News Baby

 Wow, the world has definitely gone crazypants lately.  I mean, have you seen it?  I can't seem to get away from it when I'm online.  WTF is wrong with people?    

Anyway, here's a song that kind of speaks to me today...

https://youtu.be/TX9ODx2_Vqk?si=a-PcrBVqo0Loe1_x

Other than that, I just don't have words...

Thursday This n That

Well, that super secret good news thing I talked about a while back is now in the books.  I still don't want to talk about it publicly.  Suffice it to say, it's a happy thing.  And no, I'm not pregnant.  ROFL.

Speaking of being paranoid, have you seen the news about the conservatives getting SWATted?  Horrible, nasty bastards are putting in fake calls to the police and getting the police to show up at innocent people's homes ready for an armed standoff.  In the middle of the night.  I saw one poor guy (a conservative pundit, if I recall correctly) captured on his own doorbell cam, standing on his own sidewalk in nothing but his boxers with his hands on his head.  This was after the image of 3-4 armed officers in tactical gear standing in the same spot to get into his home.  That's one of dozens of similar occurrences.  Seriously, if you think any of this is good or right or funny, just don't bother associating with me anymore.  Shoo shoo.

So, anyway... Hubs and I went to town yesterday.  It was REALLY WINDY.  And the temperature was dropping, so it was COLD.  We started the day at 62.  By the time we passed the bank near here on the way home, it was 51.  Derp.  But we saw some stuff and did some things, so it's all good.  

The tree butchers are at it again.  This time on the really nice and pretty drive up to the town we went to.  They were, in fact, in the middle of cutting, so we had to stop going and coming.  It's kind of gross looking now.  All those hacked tree limbs.  Ewww.  Yeah, in the long run, it'll probably help keep the road safer, but right now it's just nasty.

Oops... I started this first thing this morning and just now noticed that it was still sitting here.  At 7, I called Mom.  We talked for an hour like usual, and then I went outside to play in the woods on what might be our last cold morning until fall.  Sorry about the delay.  Have a great rest of your day!

Excuses, Excuses

 I wish I had a legitimate answer for why I'm such a toad, but it all comes off as excuses.  

1) DN2 is out of my hands right now and I'm taking some time away from the computer.

2) With everything going on in the world, I need time away from the screen to preserve my sanity.

3) I have so much to do around the house that I don't have much time to spend at my keyboard.

4) Cats

5) I got blasted with a special project at the pay-job and all my computer time was being shunted over to that. And now, even though I'm done with that project, I have all my regularly scheduled work coming in that needs doing.

6) It's gardening time.

7) Those yummy treats aren't going to bake themselves.

So, you see, I've got a lot going on over here.  And I'm a toad.  The long and the short of it is that if I wasn't a toad, I could find time to do what needs doing.  Sometimes I have ever intention of doing stuff and then I forget.  (Brain damage... could've put that on the list of excuses, too, but that's a REALLY old excuse.)

And on that note, I really do have some spreadsheets that I need to get done before the start of the workday in Michigan.  

:wanders off in search of coffee, wishing she could still smoke at her desk:

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 11

Well, hello again.  I almost forgot it's Sunday and time for my weekly update.  (Yes, I did forget yesterday was Saturday and even though I did have stuff for a Reading Wrap-up, I didn't post one.  Oops.)

So, this past week, I finally finished the edits for Duke Noble #2 (Thicker Than Water... Secrets and Lies... Whatever Title I Think is Better Than Those Two).  It's been sent out to readers.  If you did not receive a copy and you were expecting one, email me.  Right now, it's just about 63000 words.  I don't expect that to change overly much.  That's about 2K less than the first book, but it is what it is.  I could shove more words into it but they'd just be filler.  :shrug:

I did marketing for Cinder Ugly.  Not great turnout, but I didn't push it nearly as much as I should've, so I only have myself to blame.  I need to figure out which book is up for marketing this week.  Stay tuned for that.  It'll be a surprise for tomorrow's Marketing Monday post.

I finally read another book.  Woot.  I'm also about halfway through a third book. Also woot.

In baking news, I made pizza this past week.  It turned out really yummy, so yay.  The plan today is to make carrot cake again.  I still have loads of carrots left and why the hell not?  LOL

On the activity front, I did something active on 4 days, but two of those days had multiple activities.  It was mostly outside/gardening stuff.  No weight update.  I'm chunky and I'm okay with it.

Ah, gardening... I finished the south bed that runs along the garage and 1) put all the irises and lilies back, 2) planted new gladiolas.  Then I worked on cleaning up the other beds for Spring.  On a happy note, not all of my grape hyacinths died in the neglectful times.  They're not blooming, but also not dead.  I still have a lot of work to do to bring my gardens back to nice, but I'll get there.  Oh, another thing I did this past week was pot the dogwoods that germinated in my fridge over the winter.  I ran out of pots, though, so I didn't plant them all.  Now I have new pots, so I'll be planting the remainder of the dogwoods this week, along with the buckthorns.  Everything I planted previously - redbuds and spicebushes - have been watered.  I think this was the week where I also potted a volunteer cedar.  I've named him Clyde.  Fingers crossed everything survives and thrives.

We had weather go through, but it was mostly wind.  No storms and no swirlies.  We lost some dead branches.  Nothing major and nothing damaging to anything else.  We barely got any rain.

I think that's it.  Oh crap, I just remembered a project I was supposed to be working on for the pay-job.  One that I said I'd have ready for them on Monday. Guess what I'll be doing today?  :shrug:  I'll make cake tomorrow.  

Anyway, have a great day.  Peace out.