Death, Taxes and Writing- Can't avoid 'em

And so I write. I've lost another friend today. That makes three this week. I know now why my mom got so depressed her last few winters. She lost many, many friends. I guess I'm beginning that cycle and I really don't like it one bit.

What did I do to cheer myself up? I completed my state sales tax report for my business sales in 2010. Hey, hows that for a cheery activity during an eight inch snowstorm? GRRR! Leave it to the state to complicate what should be a very straightforward exercise. But it's DONE! On Time!

But that process made me do a mental evaluation of my business, my writing and why I still do it, after fifteen years of banging my head on the wall, so to speak. Yes, I have several novels published. But my non-fiction work is easier to sell, and brings in more in the short term. So why write the long stuff? Evidently, that retorical question slipped out loud. Hubby glanced up, gave me his teacher-look over his glasses and said "Because you enjoy it."

I sighed, nodded and went back to my taxes. He knows me well and he's right. I do enjoy creating worlds and sharing the stories and characters that run uninhibited through my brain. He knows they wake me up at night, banging on the inside of my skull. They inisist I write them down, so I don't forget them and their story when I wake. That would still happen, even if I stopped writing tomorrow.

I guess I won't. I do like sleeping. So I'll keep writing. Emile, the hero in the third book of my Regency trilogy, has a very heavy cane and a very interesting story. He'd never let me rest.

Best Buy for the New Year

Here's a way to start the new year right. Before you decide to buy yourself an e-book reader, ignore all the hype from Amazon and Sony and all the others and take a look at what may be the best buy of all, The eBookwise-1150. It's a compact reader that has lots of good features, holds lots of books, fairly easy book buying capability and it's under $100!

You read that right. The 1150 sells for $89.95. It's the closest reader to my old favorite the Rocket e-book. It's the only one that's backlit as far as I can tell. I love that feature. Check out http://www.ebookwise.com/. I own a Reb 1100, which was the precursor to this device.

While it's not as flashy as the Kindle, it's a solid workhorse and will serve you well, I think. It will read multiple formats, including files you've created yourself, without a lot of fuss and bother.

A good way to start out the new year! Read on!

It's a new Decade

Here we are, 2010 is upon us. Time to reflect on the last decade. Remember the milinnium scare? The world coming to an end in 2000. Hmm. Didn't happen.

What di happen is that e-books have finally come of age. In 2000, I had been writing and selling e-books for 4 years. Not that the "big publishers" noticed, but our small band of "non-traditional" writers and publishers were gaining ground. Dispite everything we weren't going away. And we didn't.

I have five books out now in both e-book and print and all five are available for both the Kindle and the Sony e-reader.

Despite many health problems I am working on a sixth book. Here's hoping this decade is easier than the last. It's been a tough 10 years.

Happy New Year

Between The Holidays!

Hmmm. Well, Christmas has past and we're ambling toward New Year's Eve. I'm actually doing writerly things--like meeting with two very new "think they want to be "writers. Had a great conversation. Perhaps I can help them on their way to publication. Of course they're making all the mistakes every beginning writer makes. At least I can encourage them to NEVER GIVE UP! And to go shopping for their new "want-to-be-an-author's" THICK SKIN. Writing is and art. Publishing is a business. Never confuse the two. We'll see how it goes. I've agreed to meet with them again. Hmmm.

I'm starting over on the sequel to No Place for a Lady. It's amazing how much trouble an obscure volcano eruption can cause to a plot. At least to a tale set in 1816. Whew! It's a whole new book.

Stay tuned. The feathers are ruffled and flying in the nest.