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Post by Admin on Jul 6, 2022 12:57:27 GMT
I know I answered this last night but no sign of what I typed. I'm sorry Susan got such bad news but I do know that treatment and prevention is much improved for breast cancer. I will send Reiki and healing energy her way. I'm sorry you and everyone else has Covid. If you had your vaccines, you should shake it pretty fast. I think if you call in there is a medicine they can give you to shorten the duration of the illness. I'll send Reiki and healing your way, too.
If I can help, let me know.
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Post by bill on Jul 6, 2022 15:45:22 GMT
We've all had our vaccines but I'm not shaking as fast as I want, for sure. I had an anitbiotic, cough medicine, and something for inflamation I think.
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Post by Admin on Jul 17, 2022 16:54:45 GMT
I'm still working on Be Careful what you wish for. Enjoying it a lot. The book club wants to read Bone Weary. I have enough books to hand out to them. I told them they could have them and if they don't want to keep them then hand them around or leave them where someone will find it. The more people who read it, the better.
I'm glad you're home. Sorry that you got Covid. That is never a fun time. I do have a ticket for you if you want to do the paranormal night. I also have a guest bedroom you can crash in if you want to get some sleep before heading back home. If you decide you can't do it, let me know and I'm sure I can find somebody who would like the ticket. there were only 60 available. I think its going to be a lot of fun. I'll put Josh in his room and Chalino will sit with him here so I can go.
The basement is beginning to look like a real basement. We're going to start finishing the bathroom at the end of the week. It shouldn't take long.
Again, glad you're home and recovering. If you need me, holler.
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Post by bill on Jul 17, 2022 21:37:38 GMT
I am feeling much better. Still need to gain some strength and stamina, but took a short jog this morning for the first time this month. I plan to come next Saturday and looking forward to it. I'll plan on spending the night since it will run so late. If I don't need to rush back to Halstead in the morning there is a church in Cottonwood Falls I'd like to visit. A couple I know from our church goes there. It's called church on the prairie or fire or something. I'll have to find out.
UFO Festival - I was on pace to have my best event ever when I pulled out the third day because of feeling ill. And that was without a good location. Hopefully I can get a better location next year and really ramp up the sales.
Rex (Vetrix, book 5) - I didn't get much writing done the last three weeks obviously, but I did spend a little time organizing what I had for this book. I had around 25,000 words. My goal is to write another 30,000 in July to finish the rough draft. I then hope to keep going and write books 6 and 7 so I have the rough drafts done. It's strange, because the week before I left for New Mexico one of things I talked to Susan about was prioritizing my writing. One thought I had was if I died at the end of the year, what would I want to leave behind, and having at least the rough drafts done for the Vetrix Series is the top of the list because then my kids could do what they wanted with them, but would know where I had the story going. Ten days later I have covid and Susan has breast cancer. I decided I would finish the Vetrix series, just in case. I'd rather leave the other stories unfinished than this series, if something should happen.
Mystery 4 - I received two of my three beta reads back. I haven't looked at them yet but hope to, maybe this week but definitely by the end of July.
Anthology - I submitted a flash fiction (my second submission) for the anthology this week. I have an idea for a short story related to the Vetrix Series but I haven't gotten it written. If I pull it out by the end of July (the deadline) I will submit it as my third (you're allowed three).
PPWC - Submissions are open for presenters for next year. I have four ideas and started filling out the submission forms yesterday. They aren't due until October or so but I want to get them submitted and not wait until the last minute and risk forgetting. I know what I want to submit I just need to get it done. Probably take me 2-3 weeks to work and rework them until they are the best they can be.
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Post by Admin on Jul 23, 2022 4:43:57 GMT
I'm going to give tiktok a try. I feel silly talking to a phone but Im sure i'll get used to it eventually. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.
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Post by Admin on Jul 25, 2022 4:02:14 GMT
I wasn't going to do it but I renewed Medium. I had 22 published articles over there and I was worried that at some point they would drop them before I had a chance to copy them. I renewed for a year. I'll pull off what is on there and add a few articles to see if I can start momentum over there too. I don't hold out much hope for it but it does get me seen a little bit.
This week I want to get the two new books ready to send to agents. I'll have to research again to find somebody that fits. again, I don't hold out much hope. my main purpose is to find out if the stories generate more interest than my previous ones did. I'm trying to figure out if I've improved at all or if I'm treading water. somehow, somewhere, I have to figure out what to concentrate on.
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Post by bill on Jul 28, 2022 22:18:58 GMT
Susan is out of surgery. They found a little cancer in her lymph nodes so took a few more than planned. They'll run tests and she should know a week from tomorrow the results. It was a double mastectomy. She'll go back in four months or so for reconstructive surgery. The plan is for her to go home tomorrow. She was still asleep when I talked to Chad.
I called the mechanic in New Mexico yesterday and they haven't received the engine for my car yet so I'm not driving down there today like I planned. If they get it in by next weekend I'll go then, which means I'll miss the corn roast. Will have to wait and see.
Vetrix series - My goal was to write 30,000 words this month (really in half the month since I didn't write much the first two weeks in New Mexico). I started today a little over 22,000. Since I didn't go to New Mexico this weekend I'll likely hit the goal. Most of those words are on book 5, Rex, which is around 41,000 now. I also wrote a short story explaining what happened during 1947 during and after the crash. It ties into Vetrix. I had hoped to send it in to the PPW Anthology but I won't have it revised and ready, at least for this year. I'll decide later what I actually want to do with the story.
PPWC - I have four submissions to present workshops for the conference next year. I'll have them reviewed before submitting. I think they're all good ideas and am hoping they'll give me at least a shot with one of them.
Blog hop - I participated with the last of my GRIT stories. I need to finish the series so I can publish them, maybe by Halloween.
I had a great time Saturday. Looking forward to the corn roast if I'm able to make it.
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Post by bill on Aug 1, 2022 3:10:55 GMT
Rex - I finished the month at just over 30,000 words, mostly in the Vetrix realm. Rex has around 45,000 words and I'm guessing I have another 10-20,000 to go. I'll keep plugging away into August, trying to get new words written every week. When I finish with Rex (hopefully in a couple of weeks) I'll move on to book 6.
Goals - I reviewed my goals from PPWC an updated them. My next focus is getting an email newsletter going. I have some resources to check out and hope to get it live in a few weeks. I need to stay focused on this because I keep starting and getting distracted.
Halstead Mysteries - I have my three beta reader comments and need to go through them and make a plan for revision. I should get this done in the next couple of weeks hopefully.
T-shirts - I updated my website with all my t-shirts. I ran an ad on Facebook for testing purposes. I need to start learning how to do ads so they are effective. I know it will be a BIG learning curve, Ugh!
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Post by Admin on Aug 2, 2022 20:49:43 GMT
I'm still trying to get Kinsey to agree to be my media manager. Its not a hard job and she's much better at media than I cam. I'm continuing to get the basement functional. Every day I have help we make progress. I'm having so much fun finding pieces for the bar area. I think its going to be cute and functional. I think Ron will help me get the two big pieces I bought home. Once they are in place the big room will be very close to done.
I don't see me getting much writing done until after the corn roast. Rhonda is coming in Friday and Bill will be here on Thursday. I think we're going to plan a Hocus Pocus II movie night. More info on that as I figure it out.
I've been trying to get into the art room for the last wo days. The urge to paint is strong.
Thank you for keeping us updated on Susan. We love her very much and I'm sending Reiki her way and lots of love. Love to all, in fact.
Good to hear from you. If you go to New Mexicao, safe driving, and if you get to come to the corn roast, I'll love seeing you.
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Post by bill on Aug 8, 2022 3:06:50 GMT
I had a good visit with Susan this weekend. Hated to miss the corn roast but it was worth it. She's doing good, not sleeping much though. She meets with the cancer doctor this week and will hopefully know more of what the plan of action is.
Rex - I only got a little less than 5,000 words written this week. I hope for a little more next week - 7,500 - 10,000, I hope.
PPWC - I revised my presenter submissions. I hope to review them one last time this week and then submit them online. I don't think they're due until October but I want to get them turned in so I don't have to think about it any more until they make a decision.
Newsletter - I've signed up with Mailerlite and am working my way through on how to use it. I want to get my newsletter started sooner rather than later.
Marketing - I met a publicist through a friend and ended up hiring her to do some work for me. If you see my Facebook page more active that's why. I have a live TV interview on Thursday at noon to talk about the Vetrix series. I told her I couldn't hire her for very long if I didn't start selling some books or t-shirts. We'll see what happens. She's definitely doing a lot though.
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Post by Admin on Aug 8, 2022 5:30:52 GMT
I HAD A BIG POST AND LOST IT. i'm ticked off now so will wait to create a new post tomorrow
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Post by bill on Aug 10, 2022 0:44:11 GMT
Bummer
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Post by Admin on Aug 16, 2022 12:47:32 GMT
Thank you for keeping us updated on Susan. Continuing t0 send her healing energy.
I spent the weekend getting my part of the house decluttered and clean. I fixed a space for the new desk. I can't wait to get it home. It's big enough to hold my computer, printer, and file organizers so I can have all my work in one place. I'm also getting a piece delivered on Friday that I hope will hold all the office supplies. I'll be able to wake up in the morning, walk over to the desk and work from six to nine.
I got the lockers and countertop home. I need to scrub down the lockers and paint them. They will organize the draft and sewing area downstairs. The countertop will be the bar in the big room. Those are the two main areas of clutter right now. I'm planning on the big room being mostly done by Halloween.
On the writing front, I intend to print out everything I've got and put them in appropriate folders. I intend to have them at my finger tips. With the printer right by my hands, I can hardcopy every day's work. I want to work on cleaning up Kncok Kncok. Get Bite Me and Be Careful What you Wish for, in a proper formate to send off to agents. I don't intend, at this point in time, to sell them but I want to see if they generate any kind of knterest.
I need to figure out work hours for Joshua and painting time for both of us.
Life is busy right now but I'm having fun again. I'm grateful for that.
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Post by bill on Aug 18, 2022 16:42:35 GMT
Cole introduced me to a podcast that I'm enjoying. It's called Red Web and they talk about conspiracies, true crime. legends. Listening to it I thought of you and your desire to find a local urban legend and you might be able to find something through this, or it could spark an idea. Just a thought if you want to check it out.
Rex - I've written about 10,000 words the first half of the month. I'm close to moving on to book six but will have a ton of revision work to do on five when I return to it. But I like what I have figured out to this point and am eager to keep going. Just wish I had a bit more time to focus on it.
PPWC - I submitted four proposals last week to present at next year's conference. They said they usually contact those who they chose in November so I'll just wait...
MM 4 - I really need to settle on a name for this! My goal is to focus on doing my final revision for this and finish by the end of August.
E-mail - I spent some time setting up an e-mail system in MailerLite. I hope to have it ready to go by the end of August. Then I'll need to start signing people up.
I'm heading to KC this weekend to see Susan and go to the concert with Nyla and Rhonda. Should be a good time!
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Post by Admin on Aug 18, 2022 17:19:20 GMT
Sounds like a fun weekend. Please give Susan my love. I miss her and need to figure out a time to see her.
Desk is paid for. I brought the drawers home but need to find help to lift the main part of the desk. I want it home tomorrow morning. I'm getting the second piece of furniture in the afternoon. Once I have those two pieces in place, I will be well on my way to productivity.
Richard, Joshua, and I are going to spread half of Hank's ashes Saturday on Mom's grave. Richard will take the other half to Illinois and turn them over to Hank's cousin for spreading there.
Sharon, Joshua, and I are going to Illinois the second week of September. Won't be there long. Maybe be gone five days.
I'll keep you updated on progress. Got the writing time figured out. Still need to figure out the painting hours.
I will cross my fingers for your proposals. I'd have to go the conference and sit in the audience. I'd be so proud of you. I always am but what a step forward if you can make it to the other side of the table.
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