The Shed 14

a reply to: JustMike

Mike! Thanks for the update on Mrs. Mike!

Good to see you in the Shed, sir. Have a beverage!

a reply to: Bigburgh

HAHA! Nicely done BigBurgh!

a reply to: PrairieShepherd

Thank you😉.
Feeling a little punny.😊

a reply to: JustMike
Mike it is always so nice to see you in here. Glad to hear that you and honey are managing OK. Hey how is Part 2 coming of Finding the Goddess? I would just love to keep reading that storyline!

a reply to: Bigburgh
Ya liked my eggs? Punny? Hope you aren’t getting sick! Here gulp down some Vit C quick!


Headed home Shedigans! I will be by this evening after dinner.

a reply to: PrairieShepherd
It's good to be here...

I love it here because I'm just a "regular member". Except in very extreme circumstances (which I've had maybe twice in the past 4 years or so on staff) I must not do any "moderating" stuff in a thread where I post.

Drinks... It's nearly 9 pm and raining here, so I'm having a Jim Beam with a little coca cola in it. My wife also likes this mix, but I'm very careful that she only has very small amounts of the JB.

She has been pretty good today. I gave her some herbal tea earlier on, that helps her relax. Yesterday she was on edge all day long. Just incredibly edgy. I got to sleep after 4 a.m. this morning. (I can't sleep until she does.) I have special meds if we really need them, but I don't want to drug her up like zombie. That's not living. I want her to be herself, so her real mind has a chance to get out and shine once in a while. But sometimes, that means the days get very long.

But it's worth it. At least she smiles at times. And every smile is golden.

Well, we sure enjoy having you here, especially in member capacity.

You have a wonderful way of seeing and pointing out the preciousness in otherwise ordinary things, Mike.

a reply to: Martin75
Hi Chirp,

part II of the Tales of the Goddess, which will be called The Secret Diaries, is coming along very slowly. I'd love to just sit down and write more, but it's so intense and mentally draining to do that well and I don't want to make a half-assed job of it. My wife's needs have to come first, because her time is limited and I do not want to feel too many regrets when she takes her new path.

That was not easy to write. But we have to face things and I will do my best for her to live as long and as happily as possible. She is already beating the odds and I hope she will beat them by an absurdly long way.

Sometimes with Book II, I write notes or verbally review dialogue***, but I have to wait until we are more settled before I can get back into writing large chunks again. But it'll happen.

"Verbally review dialogue" means that I just sit or wander around in the living room and have conversations between characters. Out loud. It would look and sound crazy to anyone watching, because it's like I am talking to myself! But I'm not: my characters are talking and I'm listening to what they say, how they react and how they feel. It's how I do things at times.

Other times, I don't have to do that. I just "see" the scene (and hear it) and then write it straight out as fast as I can. It is literally like watching a movie on a screen.

Some of the best scenes (IMHO!) in Finding the Goddess (Book I in the series) happened that way. Including the prologue and the crucial scene late in the book when they are all in the temple with King Khufu and Heminunu and so much ...ummmm... happens. I wrote that whole chapter in just a couple of hours. In fact I wrote the last five chapters in just a couple of days. It was wonderful. Truly just like watching a movie.

I am sure many writers here can relate. They will know what I mean.

But I'll give you a hint for Book II. For you and the others here who've read Book I.

I can see what the cover will look like and I've seen this for some time now. The Goddess is standing on the deck of a ship. It's stormy, it's a windswept night and the spray is flying, and she is clinging to the mast. But she is not afraid: she is holding on to the mast because she has to. And her two handmaidens, who are afraid, but who trust her, are clinging to her. The Goddess is looking off into the distance -- and though we don't know what she can see, we know it's important.

And Wendy? Yes, we'll learn more about Wendy and we will hear more words and thoughts from her. I dare not say more than that now. But be assured, in some form or another, Wendy will also be in Book II. I know how this will happen because I've seen the scenes and they are wonderful, but I must not explain the hows and whys. I'll just say that Wendy is absolutely essential to Book II.

***In any replies, I'd ask any who've read Finding the Goddess do not to reveal any spoilers from that story.

a reply to: JustMike

Hey Mike!
Great to see you again.
Huge big squishy hugs for Dada and a large Jim & Coke for you sir! LOL

(I do prefer Jim Beam to Jack Daniels, but my loyalties (obviously!!) and preferences lie with a nice Single Malt Scotch!)

Slainte!

G

a reply to: Gordi The Drummer
Than k you kindly for hugs. They are returned to you with a dram or two on top!

You living in the land where it's whisky and not whiskey, I'd be amazed if you did not have a local one as your first choice. But yes, I prefer JB to JD as well. Even though JD is fractionally dearer here, it's not quite to my taste.

But on a cold, stormy night? I'd accept a glass or two of JD if no other good stuff was around.

Among the scotches from Scotland, I have long had a preference for Glenfiddich Single Malt. There are many others I enjoy as well but that is one I have sought out when choices were availed. I also enjoy the Ballantines 12-y-o special reserve (got a bottle as a gift and we eked it out over about 8 years!) , but though it's superb, it's a blend. I still prefer single malt.

Looks like I will be taking off for a couple weeks. Need to get My house in order. In more ways than I can go into right now.
I will be thinking of You all, and will Miss You.
Bye for Now, Syx...

a reply to: PrairieShepherd
Thank you.

Maybe it's just because I've somehow reached 60 already and so I see the value in so many seemingly ordinary things. I don't know.

Also, I was just wondering: through my contract with Kindle Direct Publishing, I can offer my book free (in Kindle format) for a few days as a special promo. So I've been thinking that maybe I should put it on offer as a free download for a limited period. I think three days is usual.

What do you think? Or, what does anyone here think? If you (anyone reading!) don't have a copy, would you like one free? I don't mind; I'm still nowhere near breaking even on what it cost to produce but that doesn't matter so much. I'd just like folks to read it.

I also read that releasing the Kindle free can help boost printed books sales. That would be wonderful, but again, it's not the main factor for me. Number one is to let people read it and hopefully get its message and enjoy the story.

And if you fall in love with one or two of the characters a little, that's even better.

a reply to: SyxPak
I think we understand what you mean, Syx.

Fly back in soon, okay?

a reply to: JustMike

A difficult question. I would think a few days might be a good thing. I imagine from a practical standpoint, you want to get the word out before Tales of the Goddess II is completed - generate some interest. That may be a higher priority than profitability at this point.

BUT, you're published, I'm not. I'm just trying to play out a few chess-moves with your situation. So take anything I might say with a grain of salt.

Sorry I've been offline all day everyone! I am pages behind and need to catch up in here.

JustMike, I see you have stopped in. I always pray for your lovely Dada and think of you guys often! Hugs!!!!!

a reply to: JustMike

OK, guys, seriously. JB and JD though? If you're mixing with Coke, fine, but..but...Knob Creek...and Maker's...and Blanton's...and Basil Hayden's...!

a reply to: PrairieShepherd
I live in the Czech Republic. Selections from local stores (ie, very local to where I live) are somewhat limited. They don't even stock Maker's Mark, let alone the others you mentioned. But they do have JB and JD, along with a good range of Scottish and Irish whiskies, so I have to buy what's available.

a reply to: PrairieShepherd
I've been thinking it can't hurt to make the Kindle available free for 3 days or so. That's the way they normally do it. At worst, a few folks will download it just because it's free. But some might read it eventually and I'd be very happy about that. But at best, it could help to generate more interest for when I finally get Book II finished and out there. And then start on "Beyond the Diaries", which will be Book III.

a reply to: JustMike

Ah yes, I forgot you are across the pond. Good bourbon is but a 16 hour truck drive and some distribution for me here.

Of course, I suspect you have access to certain beverages I would envy.

Oh flimflam - double post!

a reply to: PrairieShepherd

Oh, yes. We have all sorts of wonderful beverages available here. Like locally made absinthe with herbal additives, for example. 70% alcohol. And slivovic (plum brandy), ditto high-octane. (BTW it's pronounced "sliv-o-vits")

I know a few old folks who swear by the benefits of having a shot of slivovic every morning. And okay, it's only anecdotal and not scientific, but when you have people pushing ninety years old telling you this, it makes you go, "Hmmm..."

I guess it's like my grandfather used to say: "Everything in moderation." And he lived past his 95th birthday and was fully lucid until just a few minutes before he passed away. This is one reason I don't worry if my wife has a shot of JB or similar. I even asked her specialist consultant M.D. He said it won't do her any harm if she's not on other meds that will conflict with it, and she almost never is.