QuickJAB

Time Out for Toby

Our front and back yards and the field from the house to the road are completely fenced. The fence around the house is chain link, and field fence completely encloses the front field. The purpose of our fence is to keep the neighbors’ dogs out and our dogs in. It was a brilliant plan in theory.

Last week, I realized TJ was patrolling the front field alone. I whistled and called for Toby, then finally TJ and I walked to the road. Still no Toby.  We keep our gate closed, so we aren’t overrun by wandering canines, but sometimes Toby gets it into his head to go visiting, and he jumps the four-foot fence.

TJ and I climbed into my Doggie Van, which other people might call a minivan, and I drove a mile down the road then turned around and drove two miles in the other direction, but the only dogs we saw were two old dogs that were enjoying the warmth of the sun. When TJ and I returned home, Toby was waiting for us on the front porch with his tail tucked.

He followed me into the house and spent the rest of the morning under the barstool. Evidently, Toby put himself in self-imposed Doggie Time Out, which was fine with me since I was still mad and wasn’t speaking to him.

Toby stayed in time out until FarmerMan came home and asked him if he was okay, which must have lifted the time out curse because Toby wagged and grinned with delight as he came out from behind the bars.

How’s that for a twist to the old standard, wait until your father gets home?

QuickJAB

Stories Are Everywhere

I see stories everywhere, and I’m certain all writers say that, but look what I found! I don’t remember seeing it when we went into our Friday Date Coffee Shop, but when I was on my way to go outside to people-watch, it smiled at me, and I was shocked!

I have never seen a Short Story Dispenser before, and I was surprised I was the only one admiring its beauty and genius. There are three buttons: Press 1 for a short, 1-minute story; 2, for a 3-minute story; 3, for a children’s story. So, I did, and the dispenser printed out my selected story on paper that reminded me of one of the long receipts that some retail stores print, except the stories were interesting. (looking at you, national drug store chain, and you know who you are.)

The short 1-minute story was an enjoyable poem that I read in seconds.

The 3-minute story was not a quick read. I read it several times because of the depth of the science fiction survival story, and every time I read it, I caught another nuance. Wow.

The children’s story was interesting and funny, and I laughed. I don’t know if anyone in the coffee shop noticed because it didn’t matter to me. I half-expected someone to join me and ask what was so funny, but maybe they waited until after I left to get their own story.

The graphic at the top of the Short Story Dispenser is the logo for the Thomas County Public Library System. Well played, Librarians!

When Farmer Man joined me, I was really excited about the Story Dispenser and told him all about it and the stories, and he listened. He’s a keeper.

QuickJAB

Honey Bee Buffet

We don’t mow our front field in the early spring because the honey bees love the clover buffet. The bees gather pollen after the sun dries the dew in the morning until early afternoon when it’s bee quitting time because the Georgia sun is hot. I guess they get too sweaty, and they aren’t that kind of bee. *

Toby always goes with me when I take a walk in the front field. Evidently, Sadie taught him to take over her job of guarding me, and he takes his work seriously. I am particularly safe from all birds and grasshoppers. He used to snap at bumblebees, but he decided against that; we’re not to discuss that ever.

I don’t know if our bees are wild bees or if they have a lovely apartment at a beekeeper’s farm. It doesn’t matter to us; we’re happy they are enjoying their springtime buffet at our place.

I suppose you think there’s a story that was inspired by the Honey Bee Buffet… and you’re right. I’ll give you a hint: Donut Lady and Andrew decide to celebrate National Honey Bee Day.

You’ll have to wait for the story because it’s in SWEET AND SOUR DEAL. You can preorder now, and Book 6 of the Donut Lady Cozy Mystery Series will automatically be delivered to you on June 21.

       

Extortion, Murder, and Honey Bees. 

Another Story with a Twist.

Sweat bees* don’t make any honey and are particularly drawn to the salt and minerals of sweaty humans’ skin.

Not Into Cozy Mysteries? No Sweat*

*See what I did there? There’s a new Sci-Fi or Thriller book every month or so for you! Tap the link… to subscribe to the newsletter for book news and stories!

Or if you like, Tap on the cool Word Cloud!

QuickJAB

Author Goals – 2022

strategy_image 2022

The road to 2022 is particularly appropriate because road trips are part of the plan.

RECAP

2018 Goals: Publish a book Results: Published two books

2019 Goals: Publish four books and earn a prestigious award Results: Published four books and received three prestigious awards.

2020 Goals: Publish four books, receive a prestigious award, sell one book through a bookstore; and stretch goal, end the year with a POSITIVE net income. Results: Published six books, received a prestigious award, sold books in US and UK bookstores, and ended the year with a POSITIVE net income.

2021 Goals: Publish six books including Book 1 of a New Series, sell a complete series through a bookstore, a wild dream of a stretch goal: end the year with a positive net income; and a bonus goal for 2021: Tame the wild unicorn.

2021 Results

  • Published six books including Books 1-3 of a new series
  • Sold 1 complete set of a series through a bookstore
  • Sold 4 complete sets of a series at in-person signing events
  • Sold and signed books at two in-person signing events
  • Wrote a short story that was included in a Halloween anthology
  • Attended a national book conference and incurred travel and lodging expenses but gained an incredible amount of knowledge.
  • Ended the year with a positive net income, and I learned a lot about marketing in 2021.
  • Tamed the wild unicorn! There’s a saying among authors that if a book receives 50 reviews on Amazon, the author receives a Unicorn. I received more than 50 reviews on 6 books: Each Book 1 in all four series, and Book 2 in two series. BOOM! Unicorns tamed!

UnicornsandCoffee

GOALS for 2022

  • Publish six books
  • Publish a Halloween novella
  • Publish a trilogy boxset
  • Write a Survivalist SciFi short story
  • Sell and sign books at four in-person signing events
  • Attend the national book conference (Road Trip, Baby!)
  • There’s a saying that when readers read more than one million pages of an author’s books in one month, the author has caught the Wild Rainbow Trout.

Bonus Goal: Capture the wild Rainbow Trout!