Three Things to Look For

Last week, I posted my list of goals for the next five weeks. It looks rather daunting. Tomorrow, however, I get to check off one of those goals, as I am driving to Ashland, Wisconsin, for the Crossroads Spring into Summer Market. I’m excited to meet new people, share my stories with anyone who will listen, and sell a few books.

Just last night, I checked off a second goal. I signed up for another vendor sale, this one in my hometown, on July 3.

But enough about me. How many of you have finished reading my latest novel, “Prior to Now?” It looks like most of you have not, as I still have only received two reviews on Amazon.com. And I know that all of you will love the book.

Now that summer is just around the corner, you’ll find the time, right?

Here’s a treasure hunt to lure you in.

First of all, someone recently pointed out to me that I made a grievous error towards the end of the book. Totally used the wrong word with the wrong definition. I corrected it immediately, but those of you who purchased the first edition should plunge into the book and find that error. I’d love to tell you that I’d give you a prize if you mention it to me, but isn’t just knowing me the best prize?

The second thing to look for is a scene which is in all three of my novels – this one as well as “The Truth Beyond the River” and “Where the Sky Meets the Sand.” The main character is doing a particular thing when he or she is deep in thought about the situation they are in.

The third thing is a specific location in a single scene that is common to all three books.

I’d love to hear that someone discovers all of these gems in my books. And I’d even love more to see those five-star reviews pop up on the internet.

Thanks for reading. Chris 

 

Very Late April Goals

 I have completely fallen apart on making and keeping goals. Holy Cow! It’s been six weeks since I posted any goals here.

Not that I haven’t been making goals. I have an old tablet sitting next to my laptop in my office where I handwrite my goals for each week. I can’t believe that I gave up on typing them into a file on the computer, because I keep track of everything else there.

But I digress. (I feel the word “digress” is not used nearly enough in the English language, but not enough that I feel I should incorporate it into a goal. This week I will use the word “digress” in a dialogue twice and in my writing once.)

So really, I should wait one more week, I suppose, and start off the month of May with a list of goals. But, nah, it’s been too long already.

Goals for April 21 through May 26 (chosen because May 26 is my last and final day of work in healthcare; it has sucked the life out of me for long enough.):

Writing:

1)     Publish my Covid Chronicles. I started that journal a month or so into the pandemic three years ago. It never was written to be published, but when I reread it a few months ago, I was like, “Wow, this woman has some psychological damage from this pandemic. Maybe others should read her story so they don’t feel like they are so crazy.”

2)     Get back to work on my next novel in the Ice Cream Spies series. I was 14 chapters into writing it back in 2020 when life hit me and then the idea for the next book in the “Spies” series insisted on  being written first.

Reaching:

1)     Promote that latest novel, “Prior to Now” on social media once a week.

2)     Attend vendor sale with my books next Saturday.

3)     Research other vendor sales. Sign up for one.

4)     Sew five more book bags, which I sell with my books at sales.

Reading:

1)     Read two books. Last night, I finished reading, “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.” It was cute and different, but predictable. Not sure what I’ll pick up next.

2)     Read and study five chapters in the Book of Acts for the Bible study group I can’t attend because of work, but I want to keep up anyway.

Retiring (yeah, the new subtitle and most exciting one):

1)     Take the camper out of storage on May 2 and get it ready for summer camping.

2)     Research our trip to Seattle this summer.

3)     Research my trip to Cambodia in the fall (I’m so over the top excited about that one!).

4)     And the most depressing goal – figure out what I’m going to do for insurance once I quit work.

Ranching (okay, you know I don’t have a ranch, right? But I wanted to stick with the “R” theme and ranch was all I came up with for the house and yard):

1)     Start cleaning closets in the house, not quite sure which ones, yet, but I’ll dive into one of them.

2)     Hopefully, the snow will be gone and the ground warm enough by mid-May to at least start prepping the garden and getting some flowers planted.

I think that should about do it for the next five weeks. Five weeks! Holy cow!

Click the link to buy my latest book on line. Or to write that review you've been putting off. 

Some of the many book bags I've been sewing, each just big enough to fit one or two of my books. 

Can't wait to bring the camper home again from winter storage. Just hoping the snow melts by then. 

Deer in my yard on April 6. And we had 12 inches of snow ten days after I took this picture. No, I don't think it will ever melt.