Judith A. Barrett's Blog, page 6
February 21, 2022
Binge Readers Rock!
We’re being told we need to practice self-care, right? Binge readers actually invented self-care by immersing themselves in a story that takes them away from day-to-day stresses and into a world where they share the exciting adventures of overcoming bad guys with their favorite characters.
Somewhere not long ago, a sharp pyschologist peeked into her office waiting room and noticed that three relaxed patients were reading ebooks or paperbacks while the rest of the patients paced, fidgeted, or fumed about the wait. Ah, ha! Self-care! She promptly instituted a take one/leave one book table and hired another psychologist to help with her practice.
Ready to binge read? Here’s an omnibus of the first three books in the Donut Lady Mystery Series; or in today’s language: boxset. Tap or click on the books for MORE…
February 5, 2022
GRID DOWN SURVIVAL SERIES
Dilemma: The original Grid Down Survival story made its appearance in 2018 as a Young Adult book, THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS. The book was a blend of the stories of Major Dave Elliott and his granddaughter, Aimee Louise, but didn’t quite reach all the readers who would enjoy the story.
Easy Fix: A “Major” (did you see what I did there?) adjustment, and DANGER IN THE CLOUDS expanded more of Major’s story and was released in January 2019.
A Series is Born: DANGER IN THE CLOUDS became Book 1 of the GRID DOWN SURVIVAL SERIES in 2020 when DANGER IN THE WIND, Book 2 was published. Watch for Book 5 in June 2022!
Dilemma: The Girl Who Saw Clouds still had a lot of non-YA adulty boring stuff.
Fun Fix: THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS underwent a huge Minor (get it?) rewrite, and THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS, SECOND EDITION was released in January 2022.
Related to A Series is Actually A Thing: Because THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS is the same story as Book 1, except it’s from Aimee Louise’s point of view, the next book to read is DANGER IN THE WIND, Book 2.
Your Dilemma: Should you read both DANGER IN THE CLOUDS and THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS? Aren’t they exactly alike? It’s up to you because both books tell the same basic story, and you’ll know what happens next and how the book ends. There won’t be any surprises for you except remember that even if two people go through an experience together, their points of view are different. Your choice, but either way, if you enjoy one or both of the books, you can continue on with DANGER IN THE WIND.
Friendly Fix: Confused? Tell me what confused you, and maybe I can help!
January 22, 2022
Out with the Old; In with the New
New GRID DOWN SURVIVAL SERIES Book 1 a novel for YA readers.
Autistic and Orphaned. The nation’s survival depends on her.
Aimee Louise doesn’t see faces; she sees clouds. Happy, sad, and worried clouds, but most importantly, she sees the clouds of danger.
A local transformer explodes, but it’s only the beginning of the coordinated, widespread collapse of the nation’s grid and economy. When the power-hungry criminal discovers the information to stop his plan to take over the US government is hidden at the new family’s farm, the attacks escalate and become personal. The target is Aimee Louise.
Sometimes all it takes is the willingness to Go For It!A week or so ago, I was on track to finish a new book that’s already set for preorder on March 15 when the admin of a really cool authors’ association announced only two members had submitted books for the upcoming Young Adult Science Fiction promotion that the association was sponsoring.
I had a YA Sci-Fi book! Of course, it was written in 2018 and was my second book. For any authors who are reading this and suddenly remembered your own second books, I heard your groans.
I assumed all Book #2 needed was a teensy rewrite to clean it up a bit; nice thought, but after I dived in, I was shocked at how awful it was. The story was good, the characters were great, but the writing was rough.
My talented editor, bless her fearless, flaming, red pen, and I did a four-day marathon of painful, exhausting writing, cutting, rewriting (me), and ruthless editing (her), and the end product was a brand-new book, Second Edition, Book #20!
I submitted the Second Edition with its own new cover, and BOOM! The Girl Who Saw Clouds, Second Edition, is included in the International Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors, IASFA, promotion from January 23 – January 27. Here’s the link to the promotion where you’ll find 14 sci-fi novels that will be FREE through January 27: https://iasfa.org/get-free-books/
If you’ve read DANGER IN THE CLOUDS or even the original THE GIRL WHO SAW CLOUDS, you already know the story, but the Second Edition has a bit of new material that wasn’t in either of the other two. You might enjoy a fresh read!
If you haven’t read any of the GRID DOWN SURVIVAL Series books, dive into the new second edition. BONUS! It’s free all five days from January 23 – 27.
January 1, 2022
Fear of Missing Out
This is my FOMO jar. Fear of Missing Out.
When I reviewed my expenses for 2020 and 2020, I discovered I spent a significant amount of money, especially on the latest and greatest software tools that everybody else was getting, that was a total waste of money and of my time.
My reason for buying the Latest and Greatest Whiz Bang tools? FOMO
My reasons for not using the new tools were not impressive: the software wasn’t instinctive; the software tutorials were too much work to listen to; the software wasn’t as good as what I was using; I didn’t have time to spend learning new software; I had trouble with the download because my internet is slow, so I quit; it was foggy outside. I know that last foggy excuse is pretty lame, but so are all the rest of them.
This year, I have a #FOMOjar. Every time I purchase something because FOMO, I’ll drop a quarter in the jar. Every time I decline a FOMO purchase, I’ll drop a penny in the jar. At the end of every month, I’ll set aside bonuses and penalties based on the cost of the purchase temptations. Penalties for FOMO purchases, and bonuses for saving money by avoiding a FOMO purchase.
The coins will be a reminder and a tracker of how I’m doing, and the bonuses and penalties will go toward paying for gas when we drive the the truck and camping trailer to a national convention next fall that I really want to attend.
Watch for my first report for January 2022 at the end of the month!
Follow my page on Facebook for more FOMO tips! Tap to follow me on Facebook
December 30, 2021
Author Goals – 2022
The road to 2022 is particularly appropriate because road trips are part of the plan.
RECAP2018 Goals: Publish a book Results: Published two books
2019 Goals: Publish four books and earn a prestigious award Results: Published four books and received three prestigious awards.
2020 Goals: Publish four books, receive a prestigious award, sell one book through a bookstore; and stretch goal, end the year with a POSITIVE net income Results: Published six books, received a prestigious award, sold books in US and UK bookstores, and ended the year with a POSITIVE net income of four figures.
2021 Goals: Publish six books including Book 1 of a New Series, sell a complete series through a bookstore, a wild dream of a stretch goal: end the year with a positive net income of five figures; and a bonus goal for 2021: Tame the wild unicorn.
Bonus Goal: Tame the wild Taco!
December 19, 2021
Tagged by the Holiday Spirit
TJ, aka Black Dog, and Toby, aka Brown Dog, are always on guard. It’s that time of year to be watching for Santa.
A year ago on Christmas Eve, a brown, stray puppy followed our old, brown dog, Sadie down the long driveway to our farmhouse. The county animal control officer told us it was common to find abandoned puppies dumped in our rural area. Sadie must have told him to stay, because he did and became a part of our pack.
You’ll meet another abandoned dog named Toby in the RILEY MALLOY THRILLER SERIES. Book Toby is just as brave, faithful, and handsome as our farm Toby. Book Toby also has an old black lab friend, Jordy, who has a remarkable resemblance to TJ. Imagine that!
TAP to read about Toby and Jordy/TJ in TAGGED BY DEATH
December 1, 2021
Operation Santa Paws
A year ago, Sadie, our sweet, fifteen-year-old German short-haired pointer, walked up our long driveway to the road. We had adopted Sadie from an animal shelter when she was two, and I’d never seen her wander off by herself before. I had a moment of panic because she couldn’t hear, so I couldn’t call her away from the county road, and we weren’t sure how well she could see. I was certain she’d lost track of me and had became turned around as she purposely marched in the wrong direction away from the house.
Before I could make it to the end of the driveway to rescue her from the road, she returned with a puppy who followed her down the driveway to our house. Sadie had rescued a one-year-old stray puppy, a German shepherd Labrador Retriever mix, according to our vet, that had wandered close to our small farm.
The County Animal Control Officer told us that people dump puppies in the country all the time when the puppies aren’t so cute, grow and eat more, and become too much bother, and most of the dogs are killed within a week by predators or run over by cars, and the rest starve. He said if we were willing to care for the puppy, he was ours. We’ve always had rescue dogs, and Sadie brought him home. He was part of our pack. He followed me home. Can I keep him?
Toby was muddy and smelly, had ticks, fleas, and worms, and both of his ears were infected. The vet gave us a ton of medication and instructions. After a nice bath at the groomers, Toby wasn’t even smelly.
Sadie passed away in her sleep last March, but she trained Toby well before she left us. He was immediately housebroken and quickly learned all the household rules.
December is Operation Santa Paws Month. It’s the perfect time to take a big sack of dog food to your local shelter, or send them money. If your money is tight, donate your old towels to the shelter or check into the opportunities to volunteer your time. And if you’re ready to accept the responsibility and joy of a new faithful friend, adopt; don’t shop. Tell them Sadie sent you.
November 29, 2021
Cyber Monday Shopping
Cat Shopping on Cyber Monday
What do you think about on Sunday night after you’ve gone to bed? In the olden days when I was employed in the Corporate world, I’d lie awake and worry about all the stress and deadlines that had piled up from being out of the office for four days. Good times.
Last night after a weekend of being reminded by ads and emails that Cyber Monday bargains were in the works, I wondered when and how Cyber Monday got started. These days, when I wonder about something in the middle of the night, I hop online and do a little research first thing in the morning.
What I learned: In the early 2000’s, savvy marketers noticed a creeping trend of online shopping on the Monday following Thanksgiving. They surmised that people either didn’t finish all their Black Friday shopping or were opting to avoid the craziness of waiting in line in the cold at four o’clock in the morning for a bargain, only to be trampled in the crush when the doors opened at the insane hour of six am or discovered their item had been completely sold out before they made it into the store. More good times.
Each year, more and more shoppers waited until they got to work on Monday to do their online shopping on the faster, more secure Corporate internet. Of course, that was against Company Policy, but pfft.
In 2005, the US National Retail Federation coined the term “Cyber Monday,” and an entire nation became slackers at work on the Monday after Thanksgiving. In 2020, data shows that Americans spent a record $10.8 billion online by the end of Cyber Monday, and 2021 is expected to break that record.
Not to be outdone, I’ve jumped onto the Cyber Monday train, and TAGGED BY DEATH, Book 1 of the Riley Malloy thriller series, is free today. As a bonus, Amazon joined me and lowered the price of the $17.99 paperback to the unbelievable price of $9.92!
Now’s your chance for a real Cyber Monday bargain that won’t disappear before you’ve finished your Monday morning coffee or tea!
Only the vet tech who’s a dog whisperer can identify a serial killer if she can put the pieces together before she’s murdered; death follows her.
Want the complete Riley Malloy Thriller Series with one click? Here you go!
November 23, 2021
Bingeworthy Thriller
When Maggie and her unusual team uncover long-hidden crimes, the desperate criminals attack, and Maggie fights for survival. It’s kill or be killed.
Maggie Sloan, librarian and self-taught spy and her unforgettable, unique team avenge a heart-wrenching murder in I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY, BOOK 1.
In RED IS THE NEW GRAY, BOOK 2, Maggie and her team travel to Galveston Island, Texas. Maggie persists in her pursuit to uncover the deadly crime and the vicious criminal who has escaped detection for years.
In HIDDEN BY FIRE, BOOK 3, When Maggie and her team investigate the puzzling clues that point to a long ago, unsolved theft of famous works of art, Maggie intends to discover the truth hidden behind the series of fires.
In ONE EYE ON THE KILLER, BOOK 4, Maggie uses her uncanny skills and talents to piece together the deaths of senior center residents and staff and the theft of valuable jewelry. A deadly attack on Maggie leaves her maimed, but the killer wants her dead.
What the Readers say:A well-crafted story! If you’ve thought you have it all figured out, the story jack-knives off the page and spins you in a whole other direction. Very fulfilling. — Amazon
I love it! Taut, well plotted mystery. Beautiful turns of phrase. Laugh aloud moments. A kickass heroine. Imaginary companions who are somehow tangible. You’ll love it, too. — Amazon
Have you read some of the Maggie books? Tap the download button for the ones you have missed!
October 9, 2021
Once Upon a Halloween…
