July 2013 trip

                        Thanks to the Greater Power

The Lord guided us safely on our trip to South Dakota and back. We enjoyed the trip through Utah to Denver,   a route taken only one other time. Inattentive drivers made us nervous. We had to purchase a new battery and two new tires.I felt His presence as we visited friends and relatives. Some of whom it is doubtful we will see on this earth again. In fact we attended the memorial services for a first cousin when we were there.

Our youngest grandson delighted us with his compassion and love. I enjoyed going to a matinee with him and his mother and also viewed the fish hatchery again.

He wanted to give us something, but of course has no money at his disposal. He begged for two quarters from his father and inserted them in what I thought was a gumball machine, Instead it discharged two miniature rubber balls. He joyfully presented his grandfather and myself the treasures
he was able to obtain.
I have my ball and plan to display it somehow. Any suggestions?

I re-read Pride and Prejudice while on the trip. Although I found Ms. Austen's extensive vocabulary disconcerting and sometimes inaccurate, I enjoyed it as much as I did on my first reading. Upon reading the novel I did comprehend that I have been much  lacking in  vocabulary in my own writing. Be prepared, dear friends, for I endeavor to correct that particular fault in my future literary efforts.

Sturgis here we come

Strange, everytime we go home I think it will be the last time we drive, but guess what? We'll be driving back  a week from Friday and intend to stay until after the threshing bee.
I am getting anxious to be in cooler weather, and to see our close friends and family.I fully intended to have my new novel, Running Strong, ready to submit before we leave, but time is running out. I also want to re-submit a love story.
And when I get back I will concentrate on my triology, Jeremiah's Issue. I started it in  1993 on my old typewriter. My problem is I evidently lost some chapters and can't find them in my computer or on my back-up tapes. I do have them on file on paper, so I'll just have to re-type them.
I have been attending an exercise class three times a week. It is called Silver Sneakers and is a fitness program especially for elderly people. I know it is good for me, but then I have to take a nap when I get home and there goes my day.
PUblish America is bugging me to promote the two novels I wrote under my alias, J. Rose Knight, but my contract with them will expire soon and I'll get the rights back. I think I will revise them and send them to a publisher who will edit. They really need editing, and Publish America doesn't do that.
Write LIfe Publishing in Omaha published my latest book , Andy's Shock avaiable at Amazon and at http://writelife.pnnaclecart.com/fiction/Andy's Shock/ That company edited my book thoroughly.

I had another birthday in May and realize I better get busy if I want to finish my triology
If you read this I hope you will comment as I feel as though I am talking to the wall.

Never give up

I spent 4 hours at the Book Exchange yesterday and didn't sell a book. I did have fun visiting with the other authors. One also has a business in which he does one on one consulting about how to use phone, tablet and computer together. I need this. I'lll see how much he charges and maybe take a quick course. Another author and good friend of mine found an outlet whereby it put her on line book up for free. He got over five thousand requests for the book. She is happy that five thousand people will read her book even tho it is free. She doesn't have to pay for it either.
I don't know if I'll do that. I just got notice that muse-it-up publishing is going to advertise my on line book, Jeri Bittle on their newsletter April 22 As a Buzz deal for 99 cents. Hey, that is great. just go to http://museituppublishing.com/ and find their newsletter. This book was written under my alias J. Rose Knight.
I also received a seven page agreement form from WriteLife publishers. It is so full of whereas's and heretofors and such I've read it three times and still don't know for sure what it says. I think it says they want to be my agent which will be wonderful. I've got to read it again. They have also granted an author's discount so I can buy books and sell the;m at my discretion.
I had about thrown in the towel as far as writing. I am too old and broke to be running around the country promoting my books.
I love to get e-mails and telephone calls from my grandchildren and have skype now so Jesse and I have skyped a couple of times. I look worse on skype than I do on my driver's license!
L'm so looking forward to having Robert up from Phoenix this Friday  is his birthday. Rich and Sheila are coming down from Portland and we will all celebrate  our first grandson's birthday.

I am going to a book signing tomorrow at The Book Exchange in Havasu.
There will be 10 authors. I hope I sell a book or two.
I got a letter from a second cousin telling me of the death of her brother. She didn't know I had lost my sister Dec, 10

We are all getting older. She mentioned cousins I never knew.
Sometimes I wonder why I'm still around, but I'm glad I am. I enjoy the company of long-time friends and meet knew ones often.
I still feel protective of all my children even though I can't help them much. At least I can listen and sympathize with them. I love to lurk on facebook and keep up with the younger ones. My grandchildren and their friends.

This new technology is mind blowing. I try to keep up, but my Cruz reader died and my cellphone didn't like its bath. lol I need to get out my book for my computer as it is not doing quite what I expect it to do.
I have a novel completed on paper but can't find my electronic back-up. Don't  remember where I stored it. Thumb drive or disc I hope I didn't put it on the floppy disc because I don't know where I could get it to run.That computer died a long time ago. well I better get some slep for my big day tomorrow!

My New Book

I can't believe I finally got back on my blog. I had thought it was history. Here goes. We celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary in JUne in Sturgis South Dakota where we were married. My most recent book Andy's Shock will be available soon in paperback. It can be ordered at http.//writelife.pinnaclecart.com/fiction/andys-shock/ I submitted a Christmas story to Muse-it-up Publishing and a Bea and Ben story to long-story-short, but haven't heard anything yet. I have several novels in the works, guess I'll have to concentrate and finish them. I've been publishing one a year for awhile, but, let's see. I have seven novels unfinished so .....I'll have to live to be 87 if I want to finish them all.Of course I will.

The new technology

Intelligent individuals have made gigantic strides in communication. People contact others by pushing speed dial on their telephones. They can snap a picture and send it to someone almost instantly. Computers make writing letters absolete, file cabinets are empty, information is stored in the computer and in discs and thumb drives.
An advertisement for a televion set that is also a computer recently caught my attention. What next? the television show, Person of Interest, may not be too far fetched.
More important, how has this access to our private lives improved humanity? In the field of medicine and improving health it has been dramatically useful. Records are more accurate, sharing of information and medical procedures are more precise. Criminals have become sophisticated. No need to rob banks when funds can be accessed by using the correct digital combinations on the computer.
Law enforcement and law makers utilize the telephone and computer to catch law breakers and
penalize them. Education of children from pre -school to universities has been greatly enhanced by computers.
They are here to stay.
I try my best to keep up with the times, but just when I see a light at the end of the tunnel changes are made, new ways to use Facebook, Twitter etc. and again I am left in the dark.

Anxiously Waiting

Last summer I entered a short story contest at Good Housekeeping magazine. They will declare the winners this month. It would be so nice to at least get honorable mention. They state that they will have no contact with entrants, so I guess I'll find out when the magazine comes out.
I sent my 3rd. revision of the novel, Andy's Shock, to Write Life Publishing. I thought it would be the final one, but I just received an e-mail saying that it will be edited again!
I met Jean Webster through church and she and I are going to review each others novels. I gave her Snap Decisions. It has been rejected several times. She right away told me she didn't like the main character, so I will have to sweeten her up a little. She gave me Becoming Margaret. I don't think she has ever submitted it to a publisher, but I enjoy reading it.
We became great-grandparents for the first time. Feb. 6th Emerson Whiteway is her name. They are calling her Emmy. (Thank goodness)I've seen her pictures, and she is cute.
I sent her a Disney gold bracelet. Nick made a coin collectors thing for her.
I have pretty much given up on Muse-it-up. I can't keep up with them technology wise. Don't know how to make a banner or do a web site.
I've pretty much given up on facebook too I waste too much time looking at it.