Kay Nimitz Smith's Blog, page 14
August 13, 2016
College Lists -- what to bring
We are fast approaching that time of year when one must start mucking out the kiddos' rooms, getting ready to send them off to college.
These days, each college has its own unique list of things that they will supply your incoming college freshman. They also have their own list of things that they recommend that your college student brings along with them.
Many of these items can be bought online, and delivered to your student's college. Online shopping and often *free* delivery charges can greatly help with packing, particularly when you're sending your college student across the country.
Some colleges and universities also have a *do NOT bring these items* list. Make sure that you check out your college's restrictions before arrival.
From what I remember, a million bajillion years ago when I first went off to college, dorm rooms are SMALL. Take only those MUST NEED items with you. You can always buy more once you arrive. OR, online shop after dropping off your kids, and have the items shipped directly to them.
If, however, you have found your child a mansion, er, I mean, a spacious dorm room to live in, which can hold each and every thing they could possibly need or want, I have made up a fairly comprehensive list.
I think I've covered just about everything other than a bed, mattress, desk, desk lamp, and garbage can. But I was assuming (and you know what it means to assume!) that the colleges and universities traditionally provide those items.
So here you go!
I made this into a PDF file to easily fit on one page for printing, but for the life of me I can't seem to get the PDF file to upload. So here are two larger versions of the list to make it easier for you to see.
Did I leave anything out? I'm sure I have... Alas. Amazon, here I come!* * * * *
I wrote a book! You can buy it here:
* * * * *
August 3, 2016
*Spoilers!* The perfect actor to portray Nick Buchanan in Diamonds for Diamond.
So I was watching Stranger Things on Netflix...
And I found the *perfect guy* to play Nick Buchanan in my new Jack Diamond Mystery novel titled
Diamonds for Diamond by Kay Nimitz Smith
Now, I know some of you don't like *SPOILERS*, so for those of you who don't want to the author to envision the perfect actors to portray their characters,
PLEASE DON'T READ THE REST OF THIS POST.
(Okay, so I totally had a flashback to Sesame Street's Grover's book "The Monster At The End of This Book" that I used to read over and over and over and over and over and over as a child. The book both terrified me, and fascinated me, and I remember dreading each and every turn of the page. I still get a bit of a goose-bumpy chill when I think of it. Silly, how such things come back to you all of a sudden!)
Maybe you should go and read it now. Just for posterity.
Anyway, back to spoilers.
So I was watching Stranger Things, and this fabulous actor comes out of no where and *BAM!* I am completely enamored. Chris Sullivan, the man who played Benny in Stranger Things, was exactly, and I mean exactly, what I had envisioned when I wrote the character Nick Buchanan.
I absolutely loved the way he interacted with Eleven. I loved his kind eyes. I loved his charming smile. These attributes made it easy to see how well he'd make a loving big brother to his baby sister.
He looked, to me, like he had an amazing charm and personality, and a lively sense of humor, to go with his tough guy attitude. All perfect attributes for Nick Buchanan's character.
I could easily see him beating the stuffin' out of some punk (or at least wanting to). I'm hoping that he's got the intelligence (to go along with the great looks) that it takes to be a Detective for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Department. And even though Chris is an inch taller than Nick's 6'3", Chris' added size could easily help him to fit in to Nick's role as a ball player for the Chicago Bears and the OSU Beavers (Go Beavs!).
So here you have it folks, my first choice for the role of Nick Buchanan:
Chris Sullivan
For those of you who can't place him, here's a screen shot of Chris playing the character Benny on Stranger Things.
He was the diner owner who fed poor, starving Eleven a burger and offered her ice cream. No need for further spoilers. Go on, and agree with me! Is he perfect? or what?
* * * * *
July 25, 2016
Click here: My Book is FOR SALE!!
My Book is Finished!!Click here to buy it: Diamonds for Diamond, by Kay Nimitz Smith
Holy wow, I can't believe it!
So here it is! The moment you've all been waiting for!
(*drum roll please*)
On sale now on Amazon.com
Click here to buy it: Diamonds for Diamond, by Kay Nimitz Smith
If you have an apple computer / iphone / ipad you can download the free Kindle app on itunes. Then you can simply upload the book to your iphone / ipad and read it from there!
Download the FREE Kindle App
WOW!!!
I'm so proud!
Back Cover:
A serial killer is terrorizing the women of Portland, Oregon as he dumps their lifeless bodies around the waterways of Multnomah County. Detective Jack Diamond and his partner Nick Buchanan race the clock to catch the killer as the victims stack up, and the killings become personal. The ghosts of Jack’s past haunt him as the love of his life becomes the killer’s next target. Jack and the county’s Dive Rescue Team perform underwater crime scene investigations, turning up evidence that leads them to the killer — but will they get there in time?
“Diamonds for Diamond is a fast-paced mystery/thriller that takes you behind the scenes of homicide investigations like no other. You will race along side with Jack’s investigations to stop the killing. Smith’s debut novel gives you a first-hand, thrilling look at the exciting law enforcement arena of underwater crime scene investigation.”
“This gripping, fast-paced book makes you feel the pressure building with each victim’s death. The frantic pace of the investigation practically spins out of control.”
“An exhausting journey into homicide investigation. It will keep you enthralled through the very end.”
About the Author:
When she isn’t plotting new ways to kill off fictitious victims for her Jack Diamond series, Kay Nimitz Smith can most often be found in her kitchen, baking her way into the hearts, and stomachs, of her friends and family. Smith, a retired college professor, lives with her husband in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, raising their two children. Married to a career law enforcement officer, Smith uses her creative imagination to integrate real crime scene investigation strategies into her mysteries. When she’s not mulling over book plots, she enjoys reading, being crafty, watching films, avoiding housework, and, of course, perfecting her culinary skills.
* * * * *
Holy wow, I can't believe it!
So here it is! The moment you've all been waiting for!
(*drum roll please*)
On sale now on Amazon.com
Click here to buy it: Diamonds for Diamond, by Kay Nimitz Smith
If you have an apple computer / iphone / ipad you can download the free Kindle app on itunes. Then you can simply upload the book to your iphone / ipad and read it from there!
Download the FREE Kindle App
WOW!!!
I'm so proud!
Back Cover:
A serial killer is terrorizing the women of Portland, Oregon as he dumps their lifeless bodies around the waterways of Multnomah County. Detective Jack Diamond and his partner Nick Buchanan race the clock to catch the killer as the victims stack up, and the killings become personal. The ghosts of Jack’s past haunt him as the love of his life becomes the killer’s next target. Jack and the county’s Dive Rescue Team perform underwater crime scene investigations, turning up evidence that leads them to the killer — but will they get there in time?
“Diamonds for Diamond is a fast-paced mystery/thriller that takes you behind the scenes of homicide investigations like no other. You will race along side with Jack’s investigations to stop the killing. Smith’s debut novel gives you a first-hand, thrilling look at the exciting law enforcement arena of underwater crime scene investigation.”
“This gripping, fast-paced book makes you feel the pressure building with each victim’s death. The frantic pace of the investigation practically spins out of control.”
“An exhausting journey into homicide investigation. It will keep you enthralled through the very end.”
About the Author:
When she isn’t plotting new ways to kill off fictitious victims for her Jack Diamond series, Kay Nimitz Smith can most often be found in her kitchen, baking her way into the hearts, and stomachs, of her friends and family. Smith, a retired college professor, lives with her husband in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, raising their two children. Married to a career law enforcement officer, Smith uses her creative imagination to integrate real crime scene investigation strategies into her mysteries. When she’s not mulling over book plots, she enjoys reading, being crafty, watching films, avoiding housework, and, of course, perfecting her culinary skills.
* * * * *
July 24, 2016
My Business Cards!
They're on the way!My business cards, that is!
So whilst I am anxiously awaiting my VERY FINAL EDITS on my manuscript, I poked around online and made up some AWESOME business cards. I am *thrilled!!* with how well they turned out. I know, I know, they're super simple and very 'plain,' but I LOVE 'EM! And I just can't wait to see them (and feel them) in real life!
Here's a (sort of) close up:
The little bit in the middle, for those of you who want to know, is my *official* Jack Diamond logo. JD for Jack Diamond, obvs. And the words around it are in latin. Again, obvs. I'll let all y'all figure that one out on your own. Yes, I have a sense of humor. And yes, it's Jack Diamond's sense of humor that snagged that latin bit for his Scuba Dive Rescue and Recovery Team's logo. It may or may not, ahem, be a phrase I may, or may not, *cough cough* have heard a certain *nonfictional* MCSO Scuba Dive Rescue and Recovery Team member once mention to me a long time ago. Ahem.
I can't even tell you just how excited I am that all of this is coming together so quickly. Tomorrow I shall spend the day changing my manuscript's format to Amazon's format. Then I have to make HTML links for each of the chapters. I've written up my blurb for the back of my book. I've written up my blurb about me. I've written up my acknowledgements (which I'm going to hold off until the very last minute, because I'm quite sure there are a million bajillion MORE people to thank that I haven't listed). I have NOT yet found a picture I'm happy with. I decided instead to put that off until the very last minute. I got a haircut this morning hoping that would help. Alas, no. But I did work on several different versions of the Copyright part -- I guess I'm not sure if that's standard language, or if it'll be plagiarism if I snag that off some book some where. Guess I'd better find out. And I've even written up my dedication. But that's not a surprise. Cause all y'all who know me know exactly to whom I'm dedicating this book. :)
Needless to say, the book is coming out SOOOOOOOOOON! And I'm so excited!!!
* * * * *
So whilst I am anxiously awaiting my VERY FINAL EDITS on my manuscript, I poked around online and made up some AWESOME business cards. I am *thrilled!!* with how well they turned out. I know, I know, they're super simple and very 'plain,' but I LOVE 'EM! And I just can't wait to see them (and feel them) in real life!
Here's a (sort of) close up:
The little bit in the middle, for those of you who want to know, is my *official* Jack Diamond logo. JD for Jack Diamond, obvs. And the words around it are in latin. Again, obvs. I'll let all y'all figure that one out on your own. Yes, I have a sense of humor. And yes, it's Jack Diamond's sense of humor that snagged that latin bit for his Scuba Dive Rescue and Recovery Team's logo. It may or may not, ahem, be a phrase I may, or may not, *cough cough* have heard a certain *nonfictional* MCSO Scuba Dive Rescue and Recovery Team member once mention to me a long time ago. Ahem.
I can't even tell you just how excited I am that all of this is coming together so quickly. Tomorrow I shall spend the day changing my manuscript's format to Amazon's format. Then I have to make HTML links for each of the chapters. I've written up my blurb for the back of my book. I've written up my blurb about me. I've written up my acknowledgements (which I'm going to hold off until the very last minute, because I'm quite sure there are a million bajillion MORE people to thank that I haven't listed). I have NOT yet found a picture I'm happy with. I decided instead to put that off until the very last minute. I got a haircut this morning hoping that would help. Alas, no. But I did work on several different versions of the Copyright part -- I guess I'm not sure if that's standard language, or if it'll be plagiarism if I snag that off some book some where. Guess I'd better find out. And I've even written up my dedication. But that's not a surprise. Cause all y'all who know me know exactly to whom I'm dedicating this book. :)
Needless to say, the book is coming out SOOOOOOOOOON! And I'm so excited!!!
* * * * *
July 23, 2016
Yet one more step in the process
Things are moving along in the book business!
So for those of you who don't yet know, I wrote a book.
Yay me!!
Well, actually, I wrote a manuscript. And now I'm going through the tedious process of turning that manuscript into a book.
Writing (and publishing) a book is OH SO MUCH MORE than simply sitting down and writing a manuscript. It didn't take me terribly long to actually sit down and write my first draft. But now, it seems, is the horrifically long process of waiting for edits to come back, making the changes, going through rounds two (and three! and four!) of additional edits, writing up book blurbs (the lovely descriptions on the book covers), coming up with a decent photo, writing a blurb about myself (oh, so much harder than writing the manuscript!), and then playing around on the computer all day making up logos, and business cards, and bumper stickers and t-shirts and hats and and and and and and...
And, whilst Amazon and Kindle are amazing at helping first time writers to get their works out into the Great Big World, the process itself is rather intimidating, and time consuming, and terrifying, and thrilling -- all at the same time.
So I shall continue to pace the floors and fret and stress whilst waiting for my final edits to come through. And I shall spend my time designing book covers and worry over which profit margin to choose, and whether or not I want to allow my books to be translated into other languages. Because THAT is a LOT of fun. And when the days grow long and the nights grow short, and the whole nonsense gets to be too much, I shall browse Netflix for actors who could possibly make a good fit for my characters -- just so that I'm all ready when the day comes when my book becomes a Big Hit and they want to turn it into a MOVIE!
And then hopefully, very soon, some day, very close to today, I shall have my book for sale on Amazon. And you can begin reading the adventures of Detective Jack Diamond as he traipses about Portland, Oregon saving the world from bad guys.
* * * * *
So for those of you who don't yet know, I wrote a book.
Yay me!!
Well, actually, I wrote a manuscript. And now I'm going through the tedious process of turning that manuscript into a book.
Writing (and publishing) a book is OH SO MUCH MORE than simply sitting down and writing a manuscript. It didn't take me terribly long to actually sit down and write my first draft. But now, it seems, is the horrifically long process of waiting for edits to come back, making the changes, going through rounds two (and three! and four!) of additional edits, writing up book blurbs (the lovely descriptions on the book covers), coming up with a decent photo, writing a blurb about myself (oh, so much harder than writing the manuscript!), and then playing around on the computer all day making up logos, and business cards, and bumper stickers and t-shirts and hats and and and and and and...
And, whilst Amazon and Kindle are amazing at helping first time writers to get their works out into the Great Big World, the process itself is rather intimidating, and time consuming, and terrifying, and thrilling -- all at the same time.
So I shall continue to pace the floors and fret and stress whilst waiting for my final edits to come through. And I shall spend my time designing book covers and worry over which profit margin to choose, and whether or not I want to allow my books to be translated into other languages. Because THAT is a LOT of fun. And when the days grow long and the nights grow short, and the whole nonsense gets to be too much, I shall browse Netflix for actors who could possibly make a good fit for my characters -- just so that I'm all ready when the day comes when my book becomes a Big Hit and they want to turn it into a MOVIE!
And then hopefully, very soon, some day, very close to today, I shall have my book for sale on Amazon. And you can begin reading the adventures of Detective Jack Diamond as he traipses about Portland, Oregon saving the world from bad guys.
* * * * *
