SADNESS AND AGGRAVATION PLAGUE ME THIS FALL
My life has been complex and sad enough, dealing with the sudden death of my life-time best friend, Carol Reynard. We were not only writing collaborators for my first thirty books or so, but pals since we were kids. I spend more time at her parents house than at my own. Since my own father had already passed away when I got married, her dad gave me away and, of course, she was my maid of honor. A year later, I was the matron of honor at her wedding. After a long separation because of covid where we could only stay in touch via phone, just a few days before she passed, we planned my visit to her home in Michigan to celebrate both our birthdays. Her heart just gave out and she died peacefully in her sleep. Since Jim, this has been the greatest blow I could imagine. I wish everyone could have a friend as loyal and amazing as "Suz" (her nickname since childhood.)
Then more things started to happen. Michael Zapp, my format guy who has put my books up on Apple, told me he was retiring and he had to shift them to an account I had to set up. Easier said than done, but with his help and that of my son Matt, I finally struggled through the process. I know you Mac users are probably laughing, but I was lost on their Byzantine website. Lots of pulling hair and screaming__yep and a few imaginative vulgarities that would have done Jim proud. Then we learned the transfer of older books meant that the covers all had to be high rez. This was half of my 45 titles! Apple is picky that way. My cover designer Kim Killion was able to convert all of them except for those that she had not done-four novellas. She pulled those books off Amazon and converted them for me! Then Michael uploaded everything into my new Apple account. Thank you, Michael and Kim! I have been blessed with good friends in my professional life as well as personal.
All of the Apple stuff was delayed while I learned a new computer program! My old internet machine was dying slowly and Matt finally convinced me I had to purchase a new one. I still have far from mastered the wretched thing (remember, I'm the gal vending machines spit quarters back at and gas pumps spew gasoline over) but now at least I can operate the new machine well enough to read email and send messages. I'm a crotchety old broad who really hates change. Oh, did I mention my TV service also turned tits up? Yes indeedy, I had to shift from the company I'd dealt with since we moved home to ATT and a streaming service. "Streaming service"? Any relation to trout fishing? Matt assured me I would get the hang of it. So far, no dice and new seasons of all my favorite shows are starting up!
At least my son is patient (most of the time) with me as he tries to show me how the blasted streaming thingy works. All of this explains why my writer's bloc has not abated, nor do I expect it to soon. In exchange for BLTs, we have lessons on streaming. Since I can offer no new or upcoming book, at least I do have a new recipes that's perfect for cooler fall days and right on into winter. Give it a look. Pretty yummy. I'm a troglodyte with books, but I still can cook.
I'll sign off for now, but one final thought-I am writing this as I did all my books (since I quit writing them longhand) on an old computer in my upstairs office. It is a Windows XP 2003. It better last as long as I do because this stubborn old gal will cling to it with her dying breath!
Happy reading,
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