Robin McElveen's Blog, page 4

Busy Running Equals Forget Stuff

 Welcome! I hope you're having a beautiful Saturday. I normally do NOT blog on Saturday. I treasure my rest days. Goodness knows I needed one today! Read on to find out more...

Author Journey: Still Putting Stuff Together, Sort Of...

I'm still working on ideas for the collection of vignettes I plan to work on in November. I'm looking forward to the change of pace and the challenge. Another plus is that it's September and I feel I can "officially" start the planning. 

I'm also still working through the edits of Surge. The plan is to get that published between November and February, but it's all going to depend on how much I'm actually able to accomplish. 

I still haven't gotten to work on the sizing for both Ripples and The Tale of Outh'n Durr so I can put them into print. I haven't given up, but I haven't had much time to work on them. Please bear with me. They will be in print as soon as I can possibly achieve it. 

Writer's Life: Oh, Really? We're That Busy? Yeah.

It's been one crazy week. When I tell you there was something every day which brought us out of the home, I mean that literally. On some days, we needed to leave home more than once. While for some of you, that's an everyday normality, I assure you it isn't for me. I expect to be out of my home about three to four days out of the seven day week. Even today isn't exempt. So here's what happened:

Monday - Church Supper Gathering (a pleasant affair, certainly)Tuesday - Mom's doctor visit (a good report, thankfully)Wednesday - Dad's dental surgery (all went well), daughter's doctor's appointment (set up to go to a specialist from that point), and Church mid-week service and supper (also pleasant)Thursday - Rain. Rain. And more rain. We were home, but the rain totally messed up my schedule and therefore threw my brain for a loop. Could've blogged that day, but completely forgot. Friday - Run to the ER for aforementioned daughter (thankfully a better report than expected), also...Rain. Today - Had a gathering of friends planned but the two days of rain completely muddied our driveway and saturated our yard. There's no way someone wouldn't have had trouble leaving at some point. So we're postponing that. And we have to go shopping for a new mailbox because some goober who doesn't know how to drive (or whose momma never taught them it's illegal to mess with mailboxes) totally destroyed ours. Ah, spontaneity! I prefer with it's not combined with 'combustion'...  

So yeah, you could say we've been hopping this week. Still, I did manage to get something done which has been on my to-do list for a while. I made these yummy banana oat muffins topped with pecans. I don't add sugar to these because I enjoy them with coffee. However, when I first pulled them from the oven, while they were still warm, I snagged one and topped it with some rum cream we got when we visited Belize. (My husband's family treated us to a cruise in June.) It was as tasty as I expected! 

Muffins are on to bake!


I know you can't tell, but it's topped with rum cream. I have warm spiced milk in my mug because I had already finished off my coffee. Still a yummy combo, though! 

Books! You Should Read More BooksI know I haven't been able to put a review or book recommendation in the last couple of posts. I'm going to remedy that today. I'll also let you know what I added to my 'want to read' list, well, a couple of them. All are linked to their Goodreads page so you can check them out. 
Currently Reading: No Mistletoe Kiss for a Cowboy by Alexa Verde - She's not one of my absolute favorite authors, but she does write clean, somewhat inspirational romances that are enjoyable. And she's really good at story beginnings. That's how I got snagged on this book...with the blurb at the end of the previous book in the series. Best Friends to Love by Alexa Verde - This is a box set sampling of some of Alexa's books. I finished the first one, then had to detour so I could see what happened in the book that followed, which isn't included in the box set. So...well done marketing, Alexa!  Want to Read:  I Hide Among the Words by Sinbad Alexandros & Jaira Gina - I found this book while scrolling on a new follower's page on X. It sounds interesting and informative, and also unlike anything I've ever seen or read. The End Begins by Sara Davison - I found this one while scrolling on the Goodreads site. I'm not usually a fan of apocalyptic fiction, but this one sounded promising.  Book Reviews: Ranger Bravery by Lynn Shannon & Joy on the Mountain Peak by Misty M. Beller
Ranger Bravery by Lynn Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Still Enjoying This Series

I’ve read every book in the series so far and have enjoyed each one. The only thing I’ve seen in them that gives me pause is one or two not-quite-right words or phrases will slip through the editing cracks. They’re glaringly obvious when I come across them, but they don’t detract from the solid plots and characters I’m invested in. This book was more meat and less fluff than the previous ones, I think, though there’s not a lot of fluff in the others. I was happy to see that improvement in the author’s writing style. And like the rest, the faith element is strong without being preachy. So if you enjoy reading inspirational suspense romance which is clean, then do give this book a try.

View all my reviews

Joy on the Mountain Peak by Misty M. Beller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Lovely Story of Love and Forgiveness

If you enjoy stories about strong-minded, honest characters who overcome some pretty serious obstacles to be together, then you should check this book out. I love the way Misty Beller brings these MCs together despite serious issues from the past. The way the author weaves faith in God into the story was moving and came across as it should. It felt real, not preachy. The characters were easy to love and pretty easy to relate to. And the plot kept me interested all the way through. There is some closure in this book, but one of the side issues the MCs deal with continues in an extra epilogue you can get by signing up for the author’s newsletter. I did that because I love this author’s work, but others might not want to.

View all my reviews
Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day and a wonderful week following. Don't let the media hype and negativity ruin it for you. Do what your gut tells you is the right thing where all that nastiness is concerned and keep pressing on. I'm doing my best to only catch the highlights so I know what's going on and where all these candidates say they stand. Then I'm going hunting for the data which shows me where they actually stand. Only then will I choose who to support with a vote. 
Choose joy, y'all! Until next time,
Keep turning pages...

Marketing Madness, Vlogging, & the Overwhelming Mountain of Stuff

 Hi there! I hope you won't mind too much if this post is a tad late. I've been swamped with extra things this week and when I wasn't, I was trying to recharge. Check out what's been happening...

Writing Update: Book Sale!!

Yep. My sale is almost here. Get ready, y'all! Just visit my author page on Books to read. Here's the info you need.

Note that each book is free/discounted on a different day. I'll never understand why they make it harder for indies and easier for big companies...

If y'all grab one or both of these, come back to the blog and let me know which one(s) you chose and why. And when you finish reading them, I'd love to see reviews from y'all, even if you didn't like the books. I can't improve if I'm not aware of the issues. 

I'm going to try my hand at making facebook reels and YouTube shorts. I absolutely hate being on camera. I'm no beauty and well I know it! Fearfully and wonderfully made? Yes! Certainly! But ready for the big screen? Nuhn-uh. And public speaking isn't really my thing. I can manage, thanks to Mrs. Buller and that linguistics class I took as a senior in high school. But it's definitely outside my comfort zone. So if you enjoy watching shorts/reels, and you find one of mine, let me know what you think. 

Thank y'all so much for believing in me and sticking with me, even through the really tough times.

Writer's Life: This Weeks Doings

This week was spent trying to put together a tablecloth that's been sitting on my 'to finish' shelf for probably three months. I did that. It looks better than I hoped for size, but the color is kinda meh against my wooden walls. It's making me want to paint them, at least the one the table sits against. 

When I wasn't tablecloth-making. I was stuffing door prize bags for a women's conference my church is hosting this weekend. I had so much fun making door prizes. I hope the ladies who receive them will like them! I made the packaging look similar to something you'd buy in a store, made some informative labels for them, and added a care card so they'd know more info about the products. I love doing stuff like that. What about you?

My mom seems to be doing better. I'm thankful for that! And Spartacus is fat and mostly happy. He's certain we're not feeding him enough, even though he's fourteen pounds. We rescued a beautiful little white kitten a week ago. (PS If you're missing a beautiful little white kitten, let me know.) So we're doing what needs to be done for that little one. My oldest daughter wants to keep it, but if it belongs to someone else, we'd like to get it back home. 

Other Stuff: No Book Review or Word Prompt This Week

I'm a poor planner, I guess. No book review this week, as I'm not prepared for it. I like to keep track of what I post here so I don't double up. 

I am currently reading No Mistletoe Kiss for a Cowboy by Alexa Verde. Let me tell y'all! I read the pretty short excerpt for this book which was at the end of the last book I read. I knew immediately I had to read this book. That's what an excerpt is supposed to do. Well done, Alexa!! 

Thank y'all for stopping by! I hope you'll visit again next Friday. Maybe by then, I'll have a book review and word prompt ready for you. 
Until next time, 
Keep turning pages!

Fighting My Way Back and an Upcoming Sale

 Well, I'm back. I hope, this time, it's to stay. So much has happened since March and I'll do my best to get you all caught up. And I've got some great news for those looking for something to read on a budget. Keep reading to hear all the news.

First, the Book Sale! 

That's right. I've set up a book sale for August 31 and September 1, 2024. It might be a little confusing, but when you're an independent author, the big companies don't make it easy for you. That's OK, though. As shown here, I might "take a lickin'" but I get back up by God's grace and mercy and keep pressing on. So here are the pertinent details:

August 31, 2024 - Ripples (Children of Y'Dahnndrya book 1) September 1, 2024 - The Tale of Outh'n Durr (Tales of Y'Dahnndrya 5) On those respective dates, each particular book will be free on all ebook seller sites except Amazon. If you use Kindle exclusively, then the good news is that you get $2.00 off! So you'll only pay $0.99. If you want both of them free (or discounted), you'll need to visit your preferred retailer on both August 31 and September 1. 

Here's a helpful link for you. It'll take you to my books2read page where you can click on the book you're looking for. Then click on your preferred retailer. 

https://books2read.com/ap/RDMO9r/Robin-McElveen

Happy reading! 

Writing Update

New things I've done since March in list form:

Started reading my books aloud at our local library's monthly open mic eventStarted getting a new binder together in preparation for NaNoWriMoIdea for NaNo project 2024 was birthedGot new biz cards and mini bookmarks done up, as well as a pretty new card holder for my purselost Camp Nano April 2024, but made progress so still a win for mewon Camp Nano July 2024edited most of Surgestarted a read-through of SurgeI've not been idle, but I haven't been able to focus as much on my writing this year as I'd hoped. I'm determined to keep going.

Life UpdateWhat's been happening in list form:Mom went through six months of serious illness but is now much betterGrandma seems to be slowly declining, though she's still able to live at her own homeOldest daughter has moved outYoungest daughter is planning to start a technical program at a local community collegeGetting settled into serving within our church communityGetting ready for a wonderful womens conference coming up at our church in about a weekMade door prizes for the aforementioned conferencePreparing to help with music for the aforementioned conferenceGoing through all our stuff to see what needs to be donated and what needs to be thrown outCleaning house as we go through stuffAs you can see, the life list is somewhat daunting compared to the writing one. It's certainly kept me hopping. I'm exhausted but... If not now, then when? 

So What's Coming Up?I honestly couldn't say exactly, except that I'm currently running through Surge with my oldest daughter and her roommate. That's going well, and I do hope to have it ready to publish at the end of this year or the early part of the next. 
I still need to get the cover art sized correctly for getting Ripples back into print, as well as The Tale of Outh'n Durr. I'm hoping within the next couple of months I can get that done. 
And going forward, I'm dropping my blogging to just once a week. I'll share a three word prompt, one book review, and both writing and life updates. At least, that's the plan for now. 
I hope you'll keep coming back to see how things are going. I get so discouraged with myself, so it helps to know there are people out there who care about my work, who enjoy my blog posts, and who hope to see more of what I can do. 
Until next time...Keep turning pages.

Author Journey: March 22, 2024 - Well, What a Busy Week!

 Welcome to the scenic route! I hope you had a great week and that your weekend is starting well. If not, don't worry. Tough times don't last forever, even when it seems like it.

Author Journey: What's Been Happening?

To be honest, not as much work was done as I'd hoped in my writing. What I have been working on is getting ready mentally for Camp Nano and making sure my binders are sorted. I'm also working (somewhat spottedly, I admit) on cover art for the books I haven't gotten to final edits yet. That's been a trip, let me tell ya! 

Despite my mother's health improving, my schedule is still not back up to where I want it. I guess I stressed more about my mom's health (and not showing that I was stressing to my parents to help them stress less) and didn't realize it. I'm still exhausted mentally. That being said, my husband and I celebrate 30 (or is it 31?) years together this year. He planned a little getaway for us around that time and I'm so looking forward to the quiet. At least, I hope it's quiet. 

While we're there, I'll take my writing with me and try to focus on refining what I've already written. Not cover art ideas. Not new story ideas. Just what I've already written. 

I guess we'll see if my brain will comply... 

Writer's Life: What a Busy Week! 

Monday was grocery day. We probably spent a couple hours in the town closest to us trying to get all the stuff we'd need for the week. I hate grocery day because by the time I get home, whether it took an hour or half the day, I'm still exhausted and not wanting to do much else. But Monday is also a laundry day. And this particular Monday was the day we were to celebrate our granddaughter's birthday. So...busy...yeah. 

Life has kept us hopping this week. Tuesday, our granddaughter had her last track meet of the year. We went out to support that. We came back with smiles, stuffy noses, and irritated throats from the cold, damp air. Me, being the brilliant soul that I am, brought my warm coat and hat. Me, being the #allofthedumb, left them in the car because it wasn't too cold at first. Now I will say I'm not as bad off as my husband, probably because my diet is so much more restricted and I'm an elderberry-loving fiend. 

Wednesday, the son of one of my husband's military friends got married. Though a small event, and somewhat last minute, it was nice to see the venue filled with people who wished them well. What surprised me was the lack of gifts on the gift table. It felt both awkward and somewhat satisfying to know we were able to fill a spot on that table with a little something for the newlyweds. 

Thursday is usually a group Bible study day. While we didn't have it yesterday, we still went out of the house to get some other things done. Did I accomplish anything I'd hoped to accomplish? Other than to find the things that weren't really going to work? Nah. I did at least get a wonderful cup of jasmine petal tea from the cafe I went to. 

Today is blog-and-prep-for-polls-day. I wish I had more faith in our voting system. I sometimes wonder if it does any good to vote when they mess with the count anyway. (And probably have been doing so for decades, just saying...) Still, my actions are between me and God and I want to do my best with what's available to me. I can at least let people know who I want in those governmental chairs, even if they ignore what I say. <sigh> So with that, I'll encourage you to get out and vote. No vote, means you're OK with whoever is put in that position, yanno?

Spartacus is doing well. I post about him periodically on my facebook and instagram pages. Not quite as much on Twit X... Still, if you follow me on those sites, you could see a random cat photo or video. I'd have posted one today, but I just haven't had time to even remember there were media bits of him on my phone which I could put in today's post, much less get to the editing part of that work. 

Maybe, hopefully, next week's post will be a little better. 

Thanks for sticking with me on this crazy roller-coaster-ride called life. I hope you'll visit again next weekend. My plan is to have another post ready for you on Friday. 

Until next time,
Turn the page...

Author Journey: March 15, 2024 - Camp Nano is Coming!

 Welcome to the scenic route! I'm happy you stopped by today and hope your weekend is starting off well. While I don't have a whole lot to share today, I still wanted to stay on schedule. I do have a cat collage to share with you at the end so keep reading! 

Author Journey: Camp Nano 2024 - Spring Edition

Yup. You read that correctly. There's a spring and summer edition of Camp Nano. What I like about these is the ability to control the goal amount. Rather than a set 50k, I could drop it to 30k. I could also raise it to 80k if I was feeling extremely energized and more motivated than what's been my normal for the last couple months. 

I'll be focusing on a read-through of Surge to try to get that ready for publication as soon as I have enough ISBNs to do so. That means the goal should be set around 91k if I want to make it through the entire novel. I have to say I'm impressed with that number. I thought it was sitting around 70k or so. 

My mom is a willing listener. My sister would be, too, but her work takes so much of her time. So as I do this read-through, my mom will get the first look at the whole thing, outside of the Discord writing group I'm part of. Oh yeah! I need to start posting chapters in there again. Yikes!

Another note which you might find helpful... Don't accidentally update your windows OS unless you're prepared to pay for upgrades to your writing programs. <sigh> Yeah, that happened last week, I think. Maybe the week before. Seriously, life is just flying past and I feel like I'm living like a zombie. And I keep forgetting to check my inbox for news on whether I have to pay to upgrade my most expensive program. I'm hoping if I do, it's not the full cost, since I paid for a lifetime plan. 

I'm back on social media, in case you missed that. You can find me at Facebook, X (We all know it's twitter.), and Instagram. Hope you'll join me there. 

Writer's Life: On the Home Front

Good news, y'all! Finally, we have the initial results on my mom's last two tests. So far, her health looks good. So we're thinking it was one of her meds (which she's no longer taking) that caused such a severe reaction in her system. I'm so thankful to all my followers who prayed on her behalf.  I know Almighty God is also 'The God Who Healeth Me' and I know He was watching over us during this whole difficult ordeal. 

Spartacus is still doing well. He's still pretty playful and has been having a blast as our temps rise and bring in more bugs. <sigh> His joy is my annoyance in that case. My husband created this awesome collage, showcasing the most peaceful faces of our little buddy. 

Spartacus 'Ponce' Jones 03/2024
Photo by JD Kittles Photography
©2024

Thank y'all so much for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed the post and something in it made you smile. Your support and encouragement are much appreciated. 

Until next time,
Turn the page...

Author Journey: March 8, 2024 - Forgetfulness & Determination

 Welcome to the scenic route! First, I'll apologize for missing last Friday. I've been so busy trying to get ready for the event I'll tell you about below, that other things were set aside. I haven't been idle, just busy. I'm so excited to tell you about the Read Across America event and my experience this year. Let's get to it!

Author Journey: Forgetfulness & Determination

I guess that title should really read 'Forgetfulness, Prograstination, & Determination' but who's picking at those nits? Not I! 

Seriously, though, I knew on January 31 that I'd be participating in the Read Across America event at Legacy Christian Academy. They'd gotten my name from a mutual friend last year and had asked me to come again. To be honest, I didn't expect that. It was a pleasant sort of prodding that got me going on a few things I'd been dragging my feet on. 

Cue checklist creation, right?

New updated business cards - ✅New really cool mini bookmarks - ✅Choose which part of the story to read - *erm...*New bead merchant costume - *screeching halt*I know I posted on social media about my new business cards. They came out so well! I tried a new company and I'm pleased with the results. I'll probably redesign them again next year, but for now, these are good. I had already created what I wanted. The only thing I had to do was find a site who could work with me that wasn't Vista Print. (They've made some iffy choices I disagree with, so I've decided against using their services for now.) I also wanted to try someone else besides Zazzle. The new company is a bit pricey, so I don't know if I'll use them again. I'd love to be able to work with the printers in my local area one day. 

The mini bookmarks were so fun to create! They match my new series covers and showcase the symbols I created for my book world. Rather than being focused on a single book, they can be used to market the series and any other stories or novellas which take place in Y'Dahnndrya. These I ordered through Zazzle. The kids seemed to appreciate them better than a business card, too, though I think they liked last year's map best. 

Now when it came to deciding which part to read, I first thought of the scene where Outh'n has to cross the sea. It's one of my favorites, but it's about halfway through the story and could be a spoiler. Then I thought to read the part my blurb comes from in which Outh'n meets Oowah. But I was almost positive that part contained a derogatory term (made up, but still) which was too close to a modern day word that is far too commonly used. In the end, at the last minute, I decided to start at the beginning. 

And then there was the costume I'd planned. It was going to be oh, so fabulous! ...And it still will be, but not in time for the event. After I'd finalized things with my connection, I set to work pulling out fabrics and patterns. Then my awesome husband told me we had enough extra to spend a little on a super-awesome, embroidered net I'd had my eye on for a couple years at Joann's. I ran out of time, though, when it came to the actual sewing. 

I always forget that there's always a problem which crops up in the construction process. I had to rip and re-sew one seam. I ran out of eyelets, too. I planned to initially use the grommets you have to use a setting tool for. But I somehow forgot how our cat hates loud banging noises. Before I'd decided on the grommets, I thought maybe sewing some metal rings for the lacings would look pretty cool. I bought two packages of forty spacer rings which are used for jewelry. I ran out of those after the sleeves, shoulder straps, and one side were completed. 

If that wasn't enough of an issue, I cut the skirt opening incorrectly. I now have to cut a new piece of fabric for that part before I can finish the skirt. Still, it's almost complete and if it looks half as good as I hope, it's still going to be fabulous. 

Here are a few photos I snapped of the progress:

As you can see, progress was made. It just wasn't enough progress. And that's entirely on me. If I'd started working on it immediately, I'd have had time to run to the store to pick up the eyelets I needed, and recut the fabric piece for the step I constructed incorrectly. Still, I'm not displeased with what you see here. I'm super excited to wear this in the future. 

On the DayThe morning of the event was spent sewing initially. I really did try to finish that costume. But I'd planned the night before to pull out a skirt that I made years ago and wore only once. It's black with a wide green trim on the bottom which I added a few glass beads to. It matched my favorite medieval-esque, steampunk vest well enough. So I paired those with the shirt and bustier top I usually wear with the vest. Not what I'd wanted, but it worked well enough. I even got compliments on the outfit. They haven't seen anything yet, though... 😁
When I got to the school, I was nervous because I was running late. My first group was outside, which was awesome. The weather was gorgeous -- sun shining, cool breeze blowing. And the first group was part of the class I'd read to last year, though it was only the boys. 
It is a wonderful thing to hear that someone you read to a year ago still remembers you and your book with fondness. That made me so happy! Last year, I was so nervous I doubted they were that impressed. And usually kids move on from one thing to the next pretty quickly. 
Last year, I only read to one class because my anxiety was super high and the planning was so organic. I now know I need a rigid schedule so I know what to expect and when to expect it for these type of events. This year, I knew I was supposed to read to two classes. I ended up reading to four. My last group was made up of mostly repeat students, so they got to hear all the way through chapter four. 
...Which presented a tiny issue. That word I was trying to avoid cropped up in chapter three and I had to skip over it. They didn't seem to mind. And I think I managed it well. I wish I didn't have to skip it, but I don't want to give them any fodder for sibling fights. 👀
I was starting to lose my voice and felt a little tightness in my chest by the end. Thankfully, I'd brought my tincture for breathing with me. The one thing about old buildings in Louisiana is that humidity always does a number on them, even if we can't see it. And as much as we dust, there's always more of that. 
Still, though, four classes! And the last teacher said, "I'll need one of those bookmarks. I need to know what happens next." God bless her! 
Overall, this was a win.
Photo by John D Kittles ©2024
The teacher with the first group was my contact with the school. It was the first time she'd heard me read. She got a picture of me with the group, which I won't post here because...minors and legalities. She also got a couple of videos which I can't post here for the same reasons. But it's nice to have those, anyway. 

Thank y'all so much for visiting the blog today. I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Please visit again soon. The plan is to post again on next Friday, but as last week showed clearly, I'm obviously still not solidly into that schedule yet. Thanks for your patience, encouragement, and support. 
Until next time,
Turn the page...

Author Journey: February 23, 2024 - Checking Off Goals

 Welcome to the scenic route! I've got some good news to share with you. I'll get right to it. 

Author Journey: Checking Off Goals

I've been checking a few things off this week. First, my business cards came in. Since they're pretty basic overall, I decided to make up some mini bookmarks/biz cards that I can pass out to the younglings I'll be reading to in a couple of weeks. Those will come in handy for them, much more than a business card. 

Another thing I managed to check off was reading the contractual agreement for IngramSpark. Twenty nine pages, y'all! It took me around two hours to work my way through that tome. That I managed to complete it was a major victory. 

Having done that, I was able to get moving on setting up my account there and I'm that much closer to getting my books back into physical copy. I'm also closer to actually being able to get them into physical stores. That is scary and awesome at the same time. 

While all that is great, and I'm getting closer to getting books into physical hands, I'm under no illusions. It'll probably be another couple of months before I'm looking at proof copies. I'll have to learn how their system works and then, how it works with Gimp. 

Keep me in your prayers please. I'll keep pressing on. 

I know this is a super short post, but I'm two minutes away, literally, from running out the door. 

Thanks for sticking with me. I truly appreciate you. 

Until next time,
Turn the page...

Author Journey: February 16, 2024 - So Much To Do!

 Welcome to the scenic route! I've got tons to share with you today. Spartacus even worked hard to make a video for you, so I hope it'll load. If not, you may just get a picture. Still... Let me get to all the good stuff.

Author Journey: So Much To Do!

Yep. I'm now swamped with stuff to do. It's amazing how getting invited back to a school to read can motivate a person. And then I realized, shouldn't I always be motivated? As a child of the Most High God, shouldn't I always want to do my work 'as unto the Lord'? For His glory alone? And the answer is and must be a resounding yes. I think I've been looking at this 'through a mirror darkly', as the Apostle Paul would say. 

So going forward, I ordered business cards for the first time in probably five years. Now that I've finally settled into a website and my YouTube and Blogger accounts are set as well as can be for now, the cards have been finalized. I should have them next week and can't wait to see how they came out. I used a different company than previously, so I'm kind of nervous. 

Scheduling things has been interesting. I bought a simple booklet from a local store and have been using it to track my water intake, as well as make to-do lists. It's been a good thing. There's a ton of items on my list today, but I won't get to most of them. For some strange and unusual reason, a problem cropped up. Sometimes I ask myself 'why me' but then I remember 'why not me'. I'm no different than any other human on the planet. So I have to deal with that before I can do the other stuff that needs doing. 

I'm working hard on the costume I'm making for the Read Across America celebration. I decided to create a bead merchant's costume since I have all I need for the props for such a costume. Y'all! I'm so excited about that. And while it'll be different to sew suede-cloth (it's got the feel of suede, and the weight of it, but it's much more affordable) I think this costume is going to be a winner. I can't wait to share pics with y'all!

Physical books are looking more and more like a possibility now. I did check out Ingramspark to see what their specs are and I think they'll do well enough for my printing company. All that remains is to read the fine print and sign their forms before I can start working on the cover art adjustments and get things uploaded. I'd like to have that at least started in the works in two weeks. It would be nice to let the young ones know they'll be able to get a physical book at some foreseeable future date.

Writer's Life: What In the World?

Oh, my goodness, y'all! We went to Waffle House for Valentine's Day. It's in a nearby town that isn't as busy as the town where the other restaurants I can eat at are. Yep. Sentence, I can. sigh In any case, they had to deal with this really feisty lady who was trying to get free food. I mean she was really fighting for it. And when I say I can understand being hungry enough to want to do that, I really can. There've been times we were that skimpy on both food and funds. But there's really no call to make everyone else in a restaurant miserable on a special occasion kind of day just because you wanted a free meal. 

I have to say they handled it well. Called the manager as the woman requested. Didn't call the cops like they could've. I really felt bad for the workers because they'd been really hopping all day long. 

The cook had been there for more than 12 hours. We've struck up a speaking friendship with the guy over time. He always cooks my food to my special request. That day, I didn't make any other specifications that what was needed for my dietary restrictions. The ornery lady had them so riled, he messed my order up. When I reordered, I simplified the meal so it wouldn't add to the anxiety. And when we paid, we tipped our waitress very well and also tipped the cook. 

After it was all over, I told the cook he'd have an interesting story to tell. Then I corrected myself and told him, "As my girls would say, you got some tea to share." But I should've said 'spill'... Honestly that lady had me all full of anxiety. I was thinking they really were going to call the cops because she was so loud and obnoxious. Ugh...confrontation...

Kitty Korner: Wat Liet Thru Dat Windo Brake?Spartacus has a friend. We call him the white bug and he flies all over the house when the sun shines through the windows just the right way. It's great way for him to get exercise, so we don't discourage the white bug from having a little fun. 
Yesterday, our oldest daughter was watching a video on her phone and the light hit it just right so the white bug landed on one of our couch pillows. This was the result. And just so y'all know, he's super cute while he's doing this, but I'd hate to be on the recieving end of that hard smack that he puts all his fifteen pounds into. I'm using Apple Clips app now.  

My oldest said, "He's expecting it to dart away like it usually does." And yep, that's exactly what's going on here. Poor guy! It's so much #orangecatenergy he can't even. XD

Just Keep Writing: One Word PromptAlso seen in the video above is the stack of fabric that will become my Shinnoahn Bead & Bauble Merchant. Bauble is a great word, don't you think? Why not use that as a word prompt for writing or creating today? I've linked it to an online dictionary to help. Let me know what you come up with if you accept the challenge. 

I'm so happy I was able to share a video with you again. And it was great to be able to update you with some positive progress and awesome goals dealing with this author's journey. 
I hope you enjoyed your visit here. Did you find it helpful, useful, or encouraging? Let me know in the comments below. And I hope you'll visit again next Friday to see how things are going. 
Until next time,
Turn the page...

Author Journey: February 9, 2024 - Where In the World...?

 Welcome to the scenic route! If you're a die-hard follower of this blog, I need to apologize. It might be long, but I don't know. I'm just going to write and see what happens. 

Author Journey: Nothing Much Happening Here, But...

There's been a spot of good news. Even though my hope of working through Surge one more time this month hasn't happened, all is not lost. 

I got a call from the little private school not too far from where I live. They'd like me to read part of my story again this year for their Read Across America Day celebration...extravaganza...thing. I'm looking forward to it and wondering what I could wear to this one. I have an idea, but I'll need to put a costume together...which I haven't done in so long. I've been wanting to put this costume together for a /long/ time but never had a reason. So I think that'll jump start me out of this slimy pit I seem to have fallen into. 

But as far as actual writing, yeah, nothing there. I've been dry as a bone when it comes to the written word. I thought I was burnt out before! Nah. Seems like I hit that in January. I'd blame it on the holidays throwing a curve ball at me, but I don't think that's accurate. 

Writer's Life: So Here's the Deal...

If you kept up with the blog at all last year from around August through December, then you know my mom had a serious health scare. She's doing much better now, but I think that was the push to overwhelm for me. I don't deal well with change when it's good, or even neutral. But when it's bad? Aye yai yai! It's like I had a complete mental meltdown. 

Then as I wrapped presents for Christmas, I managed to pop my ankle. I should say I probably sprained it, but it wasn't really hurting so much as just uncomfortable. In early January, I squatted down to pick something up off the floor and that did the ankle in. I was confined to the couch for a week. Not a great thing. While I did get a lot of reading done, and I could very well have written or edited something...anything...I did not. It's like the very thought of how much I want to accomplish seemed like Everest compared to the placid lake of reading for fun or playing puzzle games on my phone. 

So now that I'm seeing this downward slide and not at all liking it, I've been trying to figure out ways to kick myself out of the Stanky Nest of Stagnation. Yup. Stanky. And I think I have to thank Mrs. Chastity of the little private school for the nudge that spurred me on. I'd already determined I needed to get back to work, but it was just to Do It. 

It's also been established that I'm now my mom's bolster for doctor visits. We had to find a new PCM for both her and my dad. We like the new one and are sad to not be able to see the old one much anymore. We really liked her a lot and she helped my parents so much. Now that I'm going with my mom to those visits, it eats into my schedule in odd ways. While it's not the most fun thing, I'm happy I can do that for her. It makes her a little more comfortable knowing either me or my sister are there. 

So here I am, apologizing for taking so long to get back to you guys and the blog. I think for a bit, I may only post on Fridays to ease myself back into it, but don't be surprised if I change my mind. Now that I have a sewing project as a goal, I can't wait to get that completed. 

Stick around! I'm not sure what the next Friday post will bring, but I'll do my best to make it good. 

Until next time,
Turn the page...

Author Update: January 9, 2024 - Injured!

 Hello and welcome to the scenic route! I must apologize for the absence of a blog post yesterday. I injured my ankle, y'all! Read on to hear more. 

I initially injured it while wrapping a large Christmas present, if y'all can believe that. Then, I guess I didn't realize how injured it was so I irritated the injury several days ago. As of Sunday, I've been trying to keep my leg elevated when I don't have to be up walking around. So sitting at my desk for any length of time isn't happening right now. 

It was necessary, in my mind, to let my readers know I won't be posting for the rest of this week. I'm going to focus on getting that ankle healed up and do what I can to prep for editing next month. I'll also continue prepping my blog calendar so I don't double up on book review posts. 

While I'm writing this, I might as well give you a look into what I'm reading and studying this month:

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians (yes, the Bible book, which I'm studying with a group of awesome ladies from my church)The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul (which I'll be studying with my Saturday ladies Bible study group for the next couple months or so.) Uncertain Spring: A Christian Romantic Suspense (Northern Shore Intrigue #5) by Lyn CoteAnd I just finished Brides of Adoration books 1-5 by Josephine Blake, which I enjoyed and will be posting reviews for, probably later this year. I've added these to my TBR list:

Biblical Foundations of Corporate Worship by Scott AniolGentle & Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane C. OrtlandOminous Midsummer: A Christian Romantic Suspense (Northern Shore Intrigue #6) by Lyn CoteSleeping Dragon (Dragon Ever After book 4) by Amberlyn HollandThe Chaplain (The Chaplain's Legacy prequel) by Mary KingswoodI hope you'll keep coming back, reading, and writing. 

Until next week,
Turn the page...