Friday, August 31, 2012

Netbook

I've started using a little netbook for doing some writing, it does pretty good. It's tiny, cheap and very portable which means I can carry it really easy to wherever I am.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VRXG3I/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00

It even came with a little USB mouse which is better than the little touchpad. I guess you can also hook up a full sized USB keyboard which could make the writing process even better. One thing that seemed to interfere right at first was the on screen keyboard, it took up about half of the screen. It also slowed down my writing a bit, seemed to hesitate when I was typing any letters. Once it was shut off the hesitation went away for the most part.

I will note that the office suite that it comes with is horrid. This one is much better and its free. http://www.kingsoftstore.com/android-office-application

I kind of like the ability to go right to the end of whatever document you were last working in. You really don't want to scroll through 70 pages of book as its really slow on this netbook.

Later today I'll try the WiFi out and we'll see but I expect that will work quite well. I will note that any ereader software you want to install you really need the netbook up and that you want to be connected via WiFi. It actually has a large enough screen that you could turn it into a very handy e-reader. Was looking at doing some of that for testing my final versions of my books on an additional device. Many of the free Android apps run through Google Play, you can't download them to a PC and copy them to your netbook. I may live in the city but there is no WiFi where I live, actually will have to be elsewhere to get some of the most useful apps.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Party, party, party!

Where did I leave my toga again? Oh, yeah, this is a different kind of party.

Get ready to party with Allison! Oh, do I have a surprise for all of you. Are you ready to go on a FREE cruise to places no other cruise ship can take you? Far off places, interesting characters and the best authors! Join me September 1st through December 2 on Allison Bruning's blog at http://allisonbruning.blogspot.com/ for interesting cruise stops, contest, prizes and more! Oh boy! Oh boy I just can't wait.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

While raking leaves (very short story)


Raking the leaves was turning out to be an arduous task. It needed to get it done but the wind kept coming up and was undoing my handiwork. I just wasn't able to keep them in the neat little piles I had them in before for gathering into bags. Other breezes would come and once again spread them all over the lawn.

"Hello Mr. Johnston", a nearby voice disturbed me from my frustration which I was grateful for.

I felt by now I needed a break from my exertions so it was a rather nice disruption. "Hi, how are you doing today Mr. Walters."

"Better than I was", the old man's voice turning into a growl, "those damned doctors don't know anything I swear."

I nodded as I tried to keep him talking a little longer before I got back to my pyrrhic task. "So, what did he tell you to do this time?"

"That I needed more exercise, like I can with these old worn out knees and body." He held up a single hand a moment indicating he was leaving and headed the rest of the way into his house.

I kind of felt sorry for him because it looked like he was totally alone at his age. Rarely, his adult children would come around to visit and they never stayed long. They seemed always in a hurry to leave once again. It occurred to me they were just awaiting their inheritance.

After Mr. Walters disappeared from view I returned to gathering up leaves again. Now I took one of the bags and held it to the ground before it blew away. Holding up the top of it with one hand I tried to use the rake to pull up the little escape artists.

Just as I got ready to shove them in another eddy of wind came. It began to rise in force for only a moment before all of the detritus began to swirl around me. In a matter of seconds it was as if I were in the middle of a small tornado. Scarier still, my heart skipped a beat or two as I began to feel like I was rising off of the ground.

Over by the fence a couple of shadows began to take shape and move towards me. At first I thought they were walking and yet that wasn't the right word. They combined with the small maelstrom to lift me further up into the air. Soon, I was looking down at my yard where I had been diligently working. A little more and I was also seeing the roof of my house.

I really didn't like this as I wondered what would happen to me. Would the wind stop blowing and then I would be dashed against some rocks somewhere?

Jonathan's Rendezvous

I just hit 18,000 words on the rough draft of Sea Witch book 2 and there's still a lot of story to tell. I'm in chapter 10 right now. I don't want to give any details as of yet other than it centers mostly around Jonathan (Timothy and Cherise's son) and his new girlfriend Cassie. Jonathan turns 18 in the book, she graduated the year before and is 18. Timothy and Cherise are also in this book, especially at the beginning.

Brandy read the first 5 chapters and she really liked what she was reading. She especially liked the way Timothy and his Son was interacting. After completing the rough draft I'll have a bunch of editing to do which I'm actually looking forward to. I'm really liking the way this story is progressing.