The worst part about a laptop deciding to die midstream is the rebuilding of said laptop. After of course it takes a trip to the computer vet to be worked on. Finally got it back up and running, located as many of the files I could, installed software… then had to hunt down Dragonspeak because the download link I had wasn’t good. Finally got that done and now, everything is up and running.
So much time and so much task avoidance in doing it. But it’s done.
I’m hoping to get more focused on what I’m writing. There’s so much I want to complete and honestly, it’s kind of daunting in some ways. I definitely need to pick something and just go for it.
I also need to remember I love writing. Remind me of that sometimes.
So, as the summer is winding down and we are heading into my favourite seasons… fall and winter… I’m looking forward to tons of rain, much coffee, and more than a few words.
I also need to find something to read. Something to sink my teeth into. Mysteries are always welcome. Urban fantasy depends on if the main character is interesting and not a Mary Sue. It’s been a challenge to find something at times but that’s because really you have to go past the blurb and truly go looking at samples of writing. I find that’s the best way to see if an author’s voice hits.
So my question to all of you… what draws you into getting a book? What’s that one thing you see when looking at the stacks of offerings and you say… that’s the one?
Rhys Ford 
I’ve been known to get hooked on a title. But tiktok has been getting me lately. I have thoroughly enjoyed Hannah Nicole Maehrer’ fantasy series. The humor and the story have been fantastic. I did discover she’s not done yet so I’m on a cliffhanger.
Ahhh cliffhangers 😀
Not a comment about picking books…I listen to a Kai Gracen book pretty much every day, often as I fall asleep. My brain rests easier to a story I know extremely well. I still hear new things—literal and figurative. The imagery becomes deeper and clearer as time passes. The characters are friends. I was in a desperate survival situation several years ago and while I knew to collect resources whenever I can, it was Kai saying (via Greg Tremblay’s) “but it was always good to grab resources as we went.” This is only one instance. I suppose this is all to say that your stories matter, in case you ever wonder. Thank you and I am excited to see where these stories lead. Shann
I am really glad that you found something inside of Kai to comfort you and of course Greg can be such a fantastic voice to make you warm inside. I’m sorry for your struggles and I hope that you are doing better now. Hopefully now that the laptop is back up and running I can go back to what I was doing and that would be great. I hope to have something for you guys in a little bit.
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
Pour encourager les autres—as the saying goes.
You and I “met” on December 29, 2012, with a “Dirty Kiss”…ahem!
We rendezvoused again the next day, meeting about a Dirty Secret while sipping some Sinner’s Gin (a new brand to me! s)
Since then, I’ve acquired and read a total of 49 of your books, and seeing this email from you, means I’m now going to go back and re-read the entire Cole McGinnis series. Fortunately, at 82 and working only part-time (gotta pay for all them there books I buy, somehow!!!!) I have time to read, and as AMZ tells me I’m currently reading 1.75 books a day, it won’t be a hard task.
You are an extraordinarily talented writer, and I hope (quite, quite selfishly) that your health has improved/improves to the point where you not only want to write again, but you do so.
Cyber-hugs from the old gay guy in the American Midwest.
Eric (of the Alan Westfall variety)
Thank you so much! And yes I fully intend to get back to writing because unfortunately it is a sickness that I suffer from. I don’t know what it is because really nobody enjoys writing but at the same time they love it! I am glad that you found words that I strung together to be entertaining because that’s really all I want to do, is tell you a story that you enjoy. I hope you’re doing well and most of all taken care of yourself!
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
Sometimes it’s what I don’t see that draws me. I like fantasy and LitRPG, but I don’t care for isekai so seeing that is a turn off. It’s not like Kai where the worlds collided. I love the Kai Gracen stories.
Thank you very much! To be honest writing Kai is a lot of fun.
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
Hey Rhys, that’s a lot to go through… here are three series that I reread whenever life gets extra: Guildhunter by Nalini Singh, Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter & all of Ilona Andrews’ work
It sounds like you have a solid to read list!
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
Character every time . I have to feel, within the first chapter, that the main character or characters could be my friends and I will really care what happens to them. Same with films and TV series. And even when they’re fantasy people e.g.werewolves and I could never meet them. Sue Brown has begun a fascinating new series of urban fantasy. I know one of the titles is Feline Protector but that might not be book one. Oh, and she’s writing as Sapphire Wolf. Hope the laptop has a long new lease of life!
I’m hoping the laptop does better than it did last time because it didn’t even go a year before the hard drive crashed but sometimes that happens.
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
I hear you. My last laptop decided a microphone was an unnecessary luxury and wouldn’t let me download any kind of fix. My current one is quite new but won’t charge so has to be used plugged into the mains. A new battery wouldn’t help as it’s the charge link, not the battery itself! It doesn’t give you much confidence in technology!