C. (Comment, never msg).’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2014)

C. (Comment, never msg).’s comments from the Gentle SPECTRUMS group.

Thankfully I have succeeded at getting many wonderful portraits. That's why I had my own greeting card company! I should show you my PDF catalogue one of these days. It was my outlet to publish some of my words (with my own pictures) in a small way, years before I would finally think about what to write as a novel. :) As I mentioned in yesterday's e-mail, I'm shy about asking for money, even when completely warranted and fair; so I made a terrible salesperson. Presenting myself to stores sucked, so I just have whatever's let of my stock to sell friends/family and the odd new interested party from home.

I stopped creating new cards (and no longer have my print manufacturer) since I left the city, so there are none of Marigold and the cute faces of the kitties that were born here! However the existing cards features several of McCartney, Spirit, and my former dear cat who looked like Spirit: our precious Thumbelina. I did succeed at getting nice shots of several friends' dogs, horses, and other animals too. My company was called "Riedel Cards". They had a neat feature I created, which I thought filled a hole in everything out there in stores. They aren't blank notes, nor do they ruin the front of the pictures with the name of a holiday across the front. They are "Unseasoned Greetings", as I trademarked them so you can use my verses and portraits for whatever you wanted. Think of it as "blank, without being blank". An awesome idea, if only I didn't live in a community that was dollar store-minded. Mine are gorgeous 5x7 portrait quality cards at $4.00. :) As a future author, I like to think my verses were much better quality than what was out there too. LOL!

Nice to see your assessments of these, especially having seen Bailey Cates around a lot and being a fan of "Cleo Coyle's" haunted bookshop series. It is frustrating to fans of adult ghost fare that the coffee one, without the paranormal, is focused on much more than the few haunted bookshop novels. Without the mystical elements, I don't know if these authors's humour and style would be enough to amuse me. They are a husband & wife, also called "Alice Kimberly". It's helpful to say you love the coffee shop series but the sadness or grimness has me wondering. If it were a deceased animal, you know I couldn't hack it. Human bodies? They are so frequent and "plastic" in books, as you called it, that they cause no flinch. It's like Pierce Brosnan said: "The blood in 'James Bond' isn't very real". I would have to risk a spoiler and know how sad or disturbing you mean before I would venture that series. But we fans would rather see more of the "Alice Kimberly" ghost book shop!

Thank you! That means the world, to hear the wishes returned to us! I need to pose with McCartney in a few good pictures but got a good variety of him and the others, in and out, that day.

Yes, Phyllis A. Whitney, June Wetherell, and other authors nearly as long-lived sure would have seen a lot of shifts in their century. Our elder loved-ones and animals wouldn't be with us all those years but those we care about who are young, would be. If I don't get around to being a human Mother, I like knowing I have a nice and nephew to enjoy and come after me, even if they are in Toronto.

"Plastic" and "sanitized" are astute words that I had not thought of, to describe why the genre called "cozy mystery" is not my top choice. I find the writing and plotting quality if often as watered-down as the sexual and suspenseful content. With several excellent exceptions on both sides, as my blog article said. Light topics or humorous approaches can come from great writers.

I've seen a lot of Bailey Cates and the covers indeed suggest your typical water-down, sanitized "cozy mystery". Your word is valuable, that these ones aren't!

Over-watering should be never be an in a ground and not bad in pot/basket/box with a well-ventilated bottom. Anyway it's fun to talk gardening and I'll do more of it soon. Today is McCartney Hendrix's sixteenth birthday!

June 13 is a day to take pictures of our cats today, wherever I can find them walking around in decent backgrounds. Then taking pictures with our cats when Ron is home. My parents already mailed him a humorous card. Happy sixteenth birthday to our dear boy, McCartney today!

Yeah. I have loathed win 7 for the reasons I expected. It came with this computer when we bought it, which is why I knew *software I use regularly* would become obsolete. Things there is no newer version of, or which would be difficult to download and search with only dial-up internet (in case people wonder what the deal is). It was a fight to turn it to XP, older software and get the computer working. We kept it working as long as we could. There are new, let's call them 'features' to win 7 that have me gnashing teeth too, like their stupid security for not letting me access all the folders I wish on my own computer! Anyway enough of that. I wanted to clarify it was not a preference thing but the dawn of a change I dreaded. People using only the programs microsoft comes with wouldn't notice. So sympathy might be a leap. Just know I'm relieved this is working in general and that I'm back.

Didn't expect everyone would notice the disadvantages, if they don't use PCs the same way we do. Just wanting sympathy that I knew it would be a headache and do already finding myself loathing win 7 as expected! LOL! Sympathy that I went through something I have dreaded. Still trying to make the thing work to my specifications and finding it a wrestling-match. *I* am interested in win 8 etc myself, to see if enough people complained about the things I have in mind and that Uncle Bill did away with those! You have nothing to regret. Windows will be around and around, easily attainable. Damn Bill. LOL!

I am here: arrived somewhere that is a port in the storm for me! The day was coming that I would have to change from windows XP to windows 7. I wanted a few more things settled before I did and the reason to keep it going as long as we could, is because many programs we use do not work on win 7. It is a stubborn thing. However things got so riled up on our personal computer that I had to make the change. Our PC would not work unless we did, after the wrangling I did with freezing problems, possibly from a virus. It happens that getting windows 7 to work because the hopeful step! I am back, without the warning of the change I would have given if I could have.

Shortcuts are all gone but my files are fine. I will find a way to replace the software that has become obsolete on this picky program. Not easy on dial-up internet and win 7 takes getting use to but I am here. We kept XP lasting longer than we hoped. To arrive at one place that is familiar despite those changes and obsoletions we will be circumventing / overcoming in the next days.... feels good. Good evening, everyone!

:)

I am certainly in harmony with a girl on a gothic kick! I knew you were open-minded because you are a real reader. I have seen in your Goodreads statistics that you have finished some years, many more books than me. Phyllis is a risk for those who don't consider that she started publishing in the 1940s and in fact, that she was born in 1903! I wasn't joking that she lived to age 104 though, so she had time to get modern. I love 1970s novels, although several of my favourites of hers are from 1949-1960.

The other risk is to people who judge a book by a cheesy cover. She is a person who likes to have a little bit of romance in her novels, as many authors do. I prefer her ouevres where she focuses more strongly on other story aspects but she blended those things well enough that I didn't mind. But the covers: oy vey! I think they would do her a disservice because they make her oeuvres look like.... well... Harlequen romances. LOL! She is romantic suspense at times, straight up mystery at times, and you bet that many are gothic. You are someone who will see the skill beyond flimsy covers. There's a reason she left us more than 100 books, despite starting at age 40!

Lyn published much more modernly but started in her 40s too. Unfortunately she died of cancer fairly recently so we only have 10 of her wonderful books. I have spares of two of her novels at least, if you didn't mind finding a copy of "The Xibalba Murders". Her Toronto antiquities shop is a series. That first was special to me, because Ron & I have been to the Chitzen Itza Mayan pyramid sites in Cancún! The e-mail I just sent promises to expand my list for you personally when you're through with the existing one. There are a great deal more to show you when you're done scouring this one. :)

Don't worry, we would have checked before you pressed "send" to the first trade (book for gift cert). Your same USA sign-in password and name works across all Amazon world websites, just like my Canadian one does. However the gift certificates are not transferable. If you want a Canadian to purchase books for lowest postage possible (please, LOL!) they need to have a Canadian certificate. Otherwise I would have to spend a UK or US one on those world websites, charging extra overseas postage that would waste the lovely gift certificate.

Our postage per book is $6.49. If I wait for books I want to go down to a penny in "very good" quality, that's where the $6.50 comes from. It's roughly what it costs for me to mail books, which is why I suggested this price. I was glad to find you keen because I wouldn't get $6.50 per book if I held a garage sale for instance, where people would expect them blown out for a buck and not know what it costs readers like us to acquire each of these! Whether we trade or you send a gift, that you are so sweetly saying, please know it would be more happily received and helpful than you know. Finances are tougher this year.

I can't let McCartney (15) and Spirit (11) go much longer without dental work, we had a water pressure problem that cost $200, and I have just picked-up my first pair of reading glasses; the whole optomitrist visit came to $1000. Because of recent expenses, I can no longer buy things from my Amazon.ca wish list, unless I have a gift certificate. I wanted you to know how much your friendship gestures of gift-giving or exchanging with me, sure come at a nice time, Erin! :)

United Kingdom? I live in Canada! :) It would be "Amazon.CA" and you would click "wish list" on the screen. It will lead you very clearly to where you can send a gift certificate to someone. Yes, my usual e-mail address. I just sent you your message.

You don't owe me anything. What I mailed you in February was a prize from one of my reading challenges. No need to think about this, until you have a list going of books you would like to have.

I own most; haven't read the second. The first is not her strongest but it becomes exciting in the second half. This is historical fiction during an era when ladies needed to be married off. You would derive enjoyment from it if you are a person who understands that older books, or stories about older times, have some outrageous attitudes that don't match ours. It's a case of ignoring an intro that is implausible to us and being open to the rest of the novel's adventure. Seafaring is fun for priarie folks and might seem natural for Floridians. :)

Gardening in Florida! You will pay attention to heat, shade, watering and whether you need to add purchased soil. Often are soil as-is is great. However in terms of having warm enough weather to grow things long enough (soil temperature of 15 Celcius): Floridians are blessed! I always fun it strange and fun to imagine people living in the land of palm trees. To us those are vacation spots! Pretty much plant anything you want and match sure the sun doesn't scorch them. I'll be eager to hear about it! Annuals expire eventually but if you plan perennials, they should go on and on.

Mom knows Dad has a short temper but it felt good that she understood that what he berated, cut too inappropriately deep. You don't question the long spiritual life of your child, over something you read or watched lately. Mom said in reassurance and seriousness that sometimes his temper hits a kink where he makes no sense and doesn't care what he's saying and that it was unfortunate I got him at such a time on the phone that day. For me this time, the effects were heavy; for him, he wonders with great concern why we seem upset with him afterwards. I can imagine your Mom getting to you when you see her daily. Can't be easy and yet you appreciate her help, being a working Mom and having her nearby.

Yes, it was a relief every bit of our visit was such a pleasure. And I think Dad knows now better than ever, that certain topics are off the table because they aren't worth the negative tone that some people can't help bringing with them. So it should be wonderful visits for a long time forward. He is letting me choose any record LPs that I want, since they have been filling up his basement for years and I appreciate a lot of old music. As for Mom, she may want to join me at this week-end's garage sales in our area! Ron & I look forward to these each year.

I should have said "I'll send a list again, if you don't get back to the original PDF first". I figured I'd send a fresh list to make it easier but have been downloading songs and other things and it is hard to open two website windows at the same time. I'll e-mail today. Take a little time to look up any titles you need (at FantasticFiction.co.uk etc) and e-mail any titles you would like to have. :)

You bet that our blogs make good memories. It *is* a published version of my thoughts and I am glad the public and friends / family can read them.

It's nice to chat about this! I was excited to write the article because I had observed confusion of this genre's core definition for a long time. No way, Agatha is not light; not to absorb her polished words and the complexity with which she wrote. That doesn't change just because some of her investigators were cute people.

Throw a stick at any garage sale and you find Phyllis A. Whitney.... except her youth mysteries. Those are rare and particularly good. A few are on that giveaway list. :) She only started at 40 (gives me encouragement!) but was so prolific, it can give the impression that she was churned-out trash. Few authors went to the trouble she did to research a romantic mystery. She almost always got her husband to go on a trip with her, so that she could BE at exotic locations when she wrote about them. Her tutorial book about writing is exemplary and encouraged me even more than her prolificness. Living to be age 104 surely helped!

Lyn Hamilton, rest her soul too, I can't say enough about. She too travelled to her locations as much as possible adn was in the field of culture and heritage with the Canadian government. Best of all,I discovered her writing style was like mine. Don't bother with a lot of description about what characters are wearing and even what they look like: zoom from ponits A to B and only take time to describe things that are worthwhile. Feelings, key locations, new towns. I have a few of hers on reserve too but hers are a series. Phyllis's work was all standalone.

On our plants subject: gardening season has long ago arrived in Manitoba! It is wonderfully early this year and I need to soon take pictures of each of our four plots and flowerbeds because they are already growing! Three days after our regions's usual "last frost date"! For a little of what I'm up to lately and a look at what gardening is like in my province - very different from most other places due to sudden nighttime frost possible in September: here is at last a blog post from me. The next will be about our reading groups (meaning reading challengs; these *are* reading groups after all). :) https://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2016/0...

Had a talk with Mom early this month and was very relieved she did not minimize my concern "to keep peace"; understood what was amiss. Relieved too either Dad realized argumentative tendencies went too far, or Mom filled him in that pressing a point is never worth feelings. Had them over for a Mother's day visit that went wonderfully well and was the most beautifully successful visit we have had in a long time. Conversation by phone thereafter remained pleasant too.

It sure works, to keep away from debating and not squander the time to update things about ourselves personally! It's all I ever want: to discuss music, films, books, gardening any of us have enuoyed lately: to savour our country surroundings. Very happy with how it went. Since I had been distressed enough to need a public outlet originally, thought I would strike balance by giving a happy conclusion.