Ramblings and such

Ramblings and such

We’ve just closed out the month of August and the unofficial end to summer is this weekend. At least in the northern hemisphere. Those down under are about to move from winter to spring. As far as I’m concerned, all good times of years.

I have mixed feelings about the month of August 2016. It’s been one of the hottest on record. Not that I am complaining but it would have been nice to have had a bit more rain. Though, the south-west U.S. could use it more. I just wish I could have enjoyed the warm (hot) weather more. It just wasn’t to be.

Why? Well, as you may recall, I suffered a severe concussion in mid July. (See my post ‘I saw Stars‘.) Since then, I’ve been out of work much of the time, while I deal with the after effects. They include a constant headache ranging from 1 – 6 on the pain scale. I’ve also had to deal with a diminished ability to formulate several sentences together into a cognitive thought. When I write, I often fat fingered my typing or misspell words that I know how to spell. Then there are the times when I can’t think of the word I want to say, even though it is sitting right there on the tip of my tongue. I still have trouble maintaining my balance when standing still.

All of this sucks. I am so tired of the headache. My love tells me that she’d rather deal with the pain of childbirth rather than have the headache I have had for the past seven weeks. I can get irritable, and I’m restless — anxious to get back to a normal life. Most certainly, my quality of life has diminished. All I can do is follow my doctor’s instructions and continue to rest.

“Hey Doc, do you know what it’s like for a writer to deal with growing headaches simply because he’s writing?” Let me tell you all, it sucks. Guess how long it took me to write these short paragraphs. Too long, I tell you. Almost an hour. F*&K.

41943863 - black diagram on pc screen. financial data on background.On a good note, I was looking at my sales figures for the month of August. Pretty decent. Amazon alone posted nearly 300 copies of my books, mostly in the Her Client trilogy. That’s 9.7 books per day. My other outlets also showed good sales figures. I guess word is getting around. Not bad for a new author, considering I published my very first book June 2015. Who knows what will happen in the next couple of years. So …

THANK YOU for reading my stories. It means a lot to me.

Next on my agenda, I plan on posting about my novellas. I haven’t quite figured out what I am going to write about but since they are selling well, I’m thinking you may be interested in how I came to write them, plus I may write about my character development, and so forth.

Until next time, have a great weekend and I’ll talk to you soon. Feel free to write me by clicking on the comment button. I look forward to reading them.

Happy Saturday

Happy Saturday

That’s right. The weekend is here. Two whole days of not having to go to work. Two whole days of skipping the grind that pays the bills and keeps food in my belly and a roof over my head. It’s a beautiful day here in Rochester, NY. Blue sky without a cloud in sight. Moderate temperatures and low humidity, I think I’ll spend the bulk of it out on my patio, soaking it all in.Happy Saturday

So for me, the day is starting off well. I got almost nine full hours of sleep. I can’t remember the last time that happened. Certainly well before my knock on the noggin.  more “Happy Saturday”

Whirlwind nearly over, part 4

One's Home is their CastleThey say one’s home is their castle. I can’t help wonder about the truth in the statement.

The home I used to live in, the one I recently sold and moved from, used to be my castle. I loved my home. I did not envision leaving it any time soon. In fact, I was sure I would still be living there at least six more years. Instead, it’s now sold to new owners. Someone else is living with all of the upgrades I did along the way as well as with its issues that all homes have. It’s their castle now.

What I don’t understand is why I have moved on as I have. I have no interest in driving by to see what the new owners are doing. I heard from my moving company that the very same crew I used to move out was contract to move the new owners in. Small world? No, I don’t think so. I suspect how that happened and I don’t think it was a coincidence. It’s a local firm, not a national chain with a very good reputation in the area. Moving with a peace of mind http://sheridanbrothersmoving.com/ If you are moving, local or not and live in my area, check them out.

My new home is my castle now. It’s a nice home and I’m sure one day, I’ll come to love it as I did the old one. Sure, I love this home but as in all relationships, its different. I still don’t understand all its subtleties, all the things that make it unique and different from another house. Like a lover. You love your current partner, girlfriend, boyfriend, whatever. You love them deeply and would do anything for them. They are the best part of your life and complete you in ways that you want and desire. Yet, that does mean you didn’t love your previous lover any less. Just differently. Regardless of how or why you have a new lover, your love for them was just as deep. It was just different. At least, this is how I see the world. Perhaps you do to.

ghost in the haunted castleSo, I have a new home. It’s my castle. I love it now and as time goes by, I’m confident that I will love it more. For better or worse, it’s my castle and I’ve pleased to be sharing it with my lover, partner and best friend. Love you maggical.

Now, for those of you that know my perversion for Halloween, whatever am I going to do to celebrate Halloween?

Whirlwind nearly over, part 2

The other day, I wrote about why I had been pretty quiet of late. I moved from one home to another. The big question is … why did I not write about the move before now?

14269901_s
Snow Bird

It all has to do with a dear friend of mine. He and his wife have been bugging me for years to sell my home and move to one near them. I love them dearly and yet, I loved the house I used to live in. Frankly, I resisted the urge to up and move. They are also snow birds. For those of you who don’t know the term, it means that they fly to their winter home in Florida and return in the spring. Yup, they roost in the warm sunshine of Florida while I live and work in the North East snows and cold weather.

17059963_sSince the decision to sell and move occurred while they were in Florida, I decided I wanted to surprise them. Since they read this blog, I couldn’t write about it till now. The more I thought about it, the more the evil in me wanted to surprise them.

Yes, you guessed it. The surprise has been sprung. Last week as a matter of fact. They returned a week ago Monday and we all met up for dinner at my place. The old place and were they ever in for a surprise. The sold sign on the front lawn and closing happening the following day. They were shocked and speechless.

Together, we all went out from dinner, saying goodbye for the last time to the old house, ate a fabulous meal while we spilled the beans on everything we had hidden from them. After dinner, we all went to the new house and introduced them to it.

Can you feel the evil grin on my face throughout all this?

They also surprised us by showing up with a new car, which they bought while still in Florida. I am looking forward to entertaining and playing domino’s with them and the lady in my life long into the evening. Their closing comment to the two of us was ‘You done good.’

I couldn’t be happier.

 

On Re-Reading Favorites

I’m curious. Do you re-read your favorite books? Would you ever even think of re-reading a book? Has the idea of re-reading a book ever crossed your mind?

I do. Over the years, I’ve re-read my favorites many times over. Books from my younger years are favorite re-reads. Many I’ve kept in my personal library, moving them from home to home over the decades. Others, I check out of the public library or lately, buy the eBook version even though I have the paperback or hard copy of the book.

They are my friends, my companions, and never once have they ever disappointed me. I’ve never regretted reading them. I’ve never regretted re-reading them. When I re-read a book, I realize a new innuendo to the story that I hadn’t realized before. It’s amazing. I still learn something from these books years after I last read them.

What are your favorite books or stories? Here are a few of mine.

The Harrad ExperimentAs I wrote awhile back, I am a sci-fi, erotic, mystery & suspense, and paranormal aficionado. My all time favorite author in the genre is Robert Heinlein. Kim Harrison, the author of the ‘The Hollows’ series, is another favorite. Charlaine Harris, the author of the ‘Sookie Stackhouse’ books and later ported to HBO’s ‘True Blood’ is among my all-time favorites. An obscure favorite later made into a movie, is ‘The Harrad Experiment’ by Robert H. Rimmer. To this day, I wish I had been one of the students in that story.

Another favorite is ‘Logan’s Run’, a cheesy movie but the book was so much better. In fact, I remember writing a similar short story years before this book came out. Of course, I was still in primary school at the time. I’m sure it’s just a freak coincidence.

Tess Gerritsen is an author I enjoy reading again and again. So are John Grisham, ‘Along Came a Spider’, and the early works by Tom Clancy such as ‘Patriot Games’. There are many, many others.

However, I do have a problem. There are so many new books and authors that I enjoy following, that it’s getting harder to enjoy these older books again and again. Do you have the same problem? Or, do you just wing it and read the next thing that captures your fancy?

Then there is the problem of the books and stories that I write. I love them dearly. A bit of my soul is in each of them and again, I like to re-read them as well. What am I to do?

What’s your opinion?

Do you want to be entertained?

Same Old Stuff

Instead of watching the same old stuff on the boob tube, read a book, any book. It doesn’t have to be one of mine. Read any book that gives you pleasure, knowledge, or enjoyment.

Go ahead. I dare you. Pull the plug on the boob tube and read a book.

Book on green grassI don’t know about you, but I’m really tired of the same old stuff on the boob tube. I find it hard to become captivated by the story presented to me. All too often, I find that I am multitasking between what is on the screen, browsing the internet or just bored with the content. I could be shopping, catching up on the news, watching porn, or simply clicking link after link. Am I watching? Technically yes but in the end, do I even care? Usually not.

I know I’m not alone in this behavior. My girlfriend does the same thing. I suspect most of you out there do as well. My attention is split between the flat screen on the wall, the little screen on my lap and random thoughts.

In general, I read for the entertainment value. Picking up a good book allows me to focus my thoughts. For me, it takes a bit of effort to read. While I will read the occasional tutorial book, I most read novels, fiction or nonfiction. I like getting captivated into the universe the author created. I can’t multitask like I can do when watching the boob tube.

boobtubeBoob tube

By the way, in case, you don’t know, the boob tube is an old slur meaning the television set. Back in the day when TV images were displayed on a CRT tube, that was shaped somewhat like a boob, the term was appropriate. Today’s flat screen televisions look nothing like the old but I still think of them as boob tubes.

If you want something different in your entertainment climate, may I recommend reading a book? They’re still inexpensive, especially when compared to a Cable TV or Satellite TV bill. The best part, like a TV, if you don’t like the story, change the channel, or in this case, choose another book. It’s a lesson I learned a long time ago. There are so many books out there, there is no reason to suffer through a book that you don’t like simply to get through it. Put it aside and pick up another.

And guess what? You can read a book almost anywhere and at any time. You don’t need electricity, batteries, or devices to read them. Just sit down and turn the page.

I read all the time, in bed, at the table, on the throne, anywhere. I read curled up next to a window, on the beach, in the park, on the deck, and just about anywhere.

Again, I dare you. Pull the plug on the boob tube and read a book.

What do you think? Where do you read? Do you read, other than this blog of course? 😉 Please feel free to comment. I really want to hear from you and your opinions, even if you don’t agree with me.

One final thought. Thanks for reading.

Thank you!

The Taste of Honey
The Taste of Honey

A big thank you to the person who bought a copy of my book, ‘The Taste of Honey’ the other day. I really do appreciate it.

As you read it, you’ll find out just how to have an office meeting. You’ll never go to another meeting without thinking twice ever again.

I hope you will post a kind review.

 

Peanuts

What is your favorite Peanuts character?

I don’t know why, but I’ve been pondering this question for a couple of days. I compared each one to what I think is important in my life and decided that Snoopy was the best fit.

A dog you might ask. Look at it this way and take the species aspect out of it.

Snoopy has a very active imagination. He’s a fighter pilot flying in an open cockpit bi-wing fighter plane. He plays baseball. He knows enough to get enough sleep. He decorates his house for the holidays. He is a writer, a good friend, and a party animal. He tells it like it is and makes no bones about it. He questions idiocy and doesn’t take shit from anybody. Most importantly, he unconditionally loves his friends and family.

He is an independent soul and won’t be forced to conform. He believes what he believes and lives his life accordingly. You either take him as he is or you don’t. It’s not so much that he doesn’t care. Rather, it’s more akin to not being aware that some people may not appreciate him.

Snoopy and I are very much alike. That is why he is my favorite ‘Peanuts’ character. Who is yours and why? We could get into a very interesting dialog.