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The Weekend
We’ve had another busy weekend. The big excitement around here is the installation of a ductless heating system. Yep, I think that last statement confirms that I’m getting older. My husband and our super-amazing electrician friend did the installation themselves. All we have to wait for now is the professional to make the final adjustments and we’ll be warm.
Our farmhouse is 112 years old and we’ve lived here for the last fourteen years. Even with many of the windows now replaced, it can get chilly. I won’t bore you with all the details about ducting and racoons, but the two don’t go well together.
Another blessing from the weekend was the weather. Wow. It was so warm and sunny yesterday. I think I’ll be able to live another week on that vitamin D boost.
The pears have all fallen and the bees are having their annual Thanksgiving feast under the tree. I’ve been doing a lot of research on bees lately. They’re helping with the theme of my latest manuscript. If you have any knowledge about beekeeping in the 1930s, please let me know.
The sun also brought the kiddos out to play. For the first time ever, Emma has poison oak. And in Emma fashion, she has it everywhere. Poor kid! We were suppose to have our portrait taken tonight. Well…that’s been rescheduled.
My husband and I have started working with the high school group at our church. What a blessing it is to spend time with these kids.
So that’s my weekend. What did you do?
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New Kindle Opinions?
What do you think about the new Kindles?
I went over to Amazon and checked them out this morning. The Kindle Fire has an amazing number of capabilities. Now you can watch movies, play music, download apps, and all this with a color touch-screen.
But I’m not running out to buy one. Why? It takes away one of the greatest benefits I get from my simple Kindle, the chance to dive into another world uninterrupted by the information overload of this one. I love my Kindle because it’s a book. Well, it’s more like a portable library, but you understand what I’m saying. My Kindle just gives me stories, and that’s all I want from it.
This works for me, but what about you? What do you think about the new Kindles?
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Reasons It’s Hard For Me To Blog
Time
We all know this one. Time has a way of vaporizing when I try to take hold of it. I do have a very busy life, but writing (even in the blog form) needs to be a priority. I’ll just swap it for that old priority…Sleep. Speaking of time, I only have fifteen more minutes to finish this post.
More questions than answers
When I sit down to blog, my mind throws out question after question. I am one of the true Google junkies. Questions come to me throughout the day and I dive for my computer. I think this may be why I love research.
Insecurity
It may sound funny to some of you. I’ve published a couple of stories and I regularly send chapters to my critique group. I’ve even been a finalist for some major awards. Still, the thought of others reading my work makes me nervous. And honestly, my blogs posts aren’t as carefully edited as my manuscripts. That goes back to the topic of time. I feel like I should toss a major typo in write here.
I know, as authors we’re suppose to grow thick skin, and oddly I have no problem with most upfront criticism, it’s the behind the scenes that gets me.
Lack of tech ability
Blogging is suppose to be easy, right? Huh! I’ve had more glitches than I care to remember. Sometimes a picture won’t load. Sometimes I type but nothing appears. Sometimes my website just disappears. I’m a writer, purely a writer. When people start to talk computer, my mind jumps into a story world.
Spite
Yep! Spite. I’m really working on this one. Compliance isn’t my middle name. I don’t like to be told what to do, even when it’s the right thing. My husband actually finds this amusing. I think I’ll become compliant…just for spite.
What makes blogging difficult for you?
Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Freelance Friday!
I have a habit. You could easily call it an addiction. Maybe a calling…yeah, that sounds better.
It’s novel writing. I love it and I can’t stop. Not a problem, right? Well, no, but it can be a spendy habit-addiction-calling. There are the conferences (I love them so much), the professional memberships, the books on craft, and the books just to read, the paper, and the ink.
I’m married to an amazing man who fully supports me in my quest to follow this dream, but he’s also an accountant. He knows very well that the output does not equal the income. I’m confident this is a temporary issue. In fact I’ve got my cell phone on me right now if any editors are reading this and would like to call about a book deal. Really…Now would be fine.
Until the phone rings, and maybe even after that, I’ve decided to implement Freelance Fridays. I’ll be committing a chunk of time each Friday to query letters, article writing, and short-story writing. Feel free to offer suggestions.
Question of the day:
For the rest of you novel-writing junkies, what do you do to support the habit?
