Thursday I got some good news that really blew me out of my chair. My mystery, Big Lake, had risen to number 23 in the Paid Kindle store, number 4 in Bestsellers in Mysteries & Thrillers, and even more amazing, it was listed at number 76 on the New York Times Kindle Bestseller List! The numbers fluctuate all the time, so I have no idea where it will be by the time you read this. The book has been in the Top 100 list for seven days in a row now. Who’d a thunk? 🙂 Trust me, nobody finds that more unbelievable than I do! I have a new self-publishing blog post about the book’s current status, titled Big Lake Takes Off!
We had ordered several items from Amazon that were due to be delivered yesterday, so we stayed home waiting for them to arrive. It’s interesting that, even though we ordered everything at the same time, they came in three different deliveries, from Fed Ex, UPS, and the post office. Apparently when you order something from Amazon, they send it from the nearest distribution center that has it in stock, by whatever delivery method works best.
We were impressed that, even though there was a problem with one item, and the customer service rep Terry talked to at first, it was resolved quickly and beyond our expectations. Being the world’s greatest cook, Terry is very demanding about the ingredients that go into her recipes. She had ordered a bottle of Tahitian vanilla, and when the shipment arrived, they had sent Madagascar Bourbon vanilla instead. Don’t ask me what the difference, but she says each type has a different purpose. I just eat what she makes, and it’s always wonderful. 🙂
Anyway, Terry called to complain, and the customer service rep gave her a little bit of a runaround, so I told her to ask for a supervisor. In just a couple of minutes she was talking to a supervisor, who immediately issued a full refund, including shipping, and told her to keep the product she had received in error. So she has to reorder, but we are still happy with the end result.
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Among the things we ordered was the Dragon Dictate software for my computer. It will take me a little while to get it installed and “trained” for my voice and speech patterns, but I think it will be a big help with my fingers once I get it going.
While we were waiting for the shipments to arrive, Dave and Linda Spindle stopped in to say hello, and we had a nice visit with them. A little later on, Tom Drotning came by to say hello, and we chatted for a few minutes. The lady who has the other Winnebago Ultimate Advantage here at Sumter Oaks also popped in to look at the way we have our coach laid out, but I just can’t remember her name right now.
About 5 p.m. I took a short nap on the couch, and woke up to the smell of baking bread. Miss Terry made two loaves of oat and quinoa wheat bread, and they sure looked yummy!
If the weather cooperates today, we want to drive over to the Greek sponge fishing town of Tarpon Springs. We visited there several years ago and really enjoyed poking around the fishing docks, checking out the shops along the waterfront, and Terry twisted my arm enough to get me to stop into one of the Greek bakeries for baklava. I imagine she’ll do the same thing again this trip! 🙂
Thought For The Day – The easiest way for your children to learn the value of money is for you not to have any.
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Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Hi Nick,
I just bought your book, Big Lake, for my wife’s new Kindle. I’m giving it to her for Christmas so have had to keep it hidden out of sight. I’m hoping she’ll let me use it too so I can read your book! 🙂 I look forward to reading your book as our son lives in Surprise, AZ. We don’t get out there often enough, but when we do I enjoy exploring around the state and want to get up to the Show Low area someday.
Congratulations on the great sales numbers on Big Lake!
Bill
Nick,
I have Dragon Dictate software on my laptop and even though it is a little difficult to use at first once you get the hang of it it is great! In fact I am using it right now to dictate this comment. Just have patience with the software as your training it to your voice.
The biggest issue that I have encountered has been that my dear wife Carla, I is always asking me who I am talking to. Now she says I have a reason to be mumbling he to myself.
Good luck with the software and I am proud to say that I know the best selling author of the New York Times book review!!
I can hardly wait until the new book is released. Continued good luck. He
Wow you are on your way to becoming becoming a famous author, and just think I have one of your early original copies before you hit the magic 100 sales. If I can get it signed by you it may be worth double or triple what I paid for it some day. lol
Congratulations
Pat and Jim
we love Tarpon Springs area. It was a regular stop yearly as we went south. Always hit Honeymoon State Park out of Denedin as well. Nice walk on the beach and pretty gulf waters. Getting me hungry for Greek food and drink..
I had to be pushed, kicking and screaming, into the baklava bakery…oops… no, that was, I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the bakery…
Congratulations with the success of your book. May there be many more.
It’s a good thing Terry didn’t bake any of her bread in Celina. She would
have had all the Rally attendees sitting on her doorstep – even in the rain!
Next time take a picture with the bread cut with a slab butter on it and we’ll
all sit by our computers drooling.
Merry Christmas to you both.
Virg
Congratulations on the success of ‘Big Lake’. It is well deserved.
If I remember right, there’s also at least one ice cream store along the waterfront.
JC
Hi Terry and Nick,
Glad you are enjoying your Florida Stay. If you go to Tarpon Springs, there is a great shop there that sells Artemis Olive Oil Hand Cream and Body Lotion. I forgot the name of the store, but there is a table outside the store that has sample bottles of the lotions. My hands get very dry and this cream is the best!
In the meantime, we are waiting for our house to sell so we can get on the road. Going to your rally is at the top of our list of places to get to ASAP.
Enjoy,
Ann Brody .
Wow as of 10; 50 AM central time Big Lake is at #4 on the mystery book list, A big Congratulations
Your book deserves it place. I can hardly wait for the sequel.
I suspect that picture of the bread is making Greg sorry he’s not camped next to you right now. Why on earth would he choose to be working instead?!
In Tarpon Springs go all the way to the end of the street along the docks to http://rustybellies.com/ They have a nice restaurant and a great fish market.
Hey Nick, I’m in the middle of reading Big Lake right now and enjoying it. I bought it some months ago and now that we are in Arizona (Sedona) for the winter I’m relying more on my Kindle. Met you and Miss Terry at Life on Wheels in Moscow ID in 2004 when we first retired. I took one of your classes. Consequently, it’s been fun to follow your adventures online and now read your book. Looking forward to some more mysteries–maybe something about RVers!
Any just why were you surprised at the success of your book? You are a skilled writer. And lucky enough to be married to an incredible bread baker! Wow…Miss Terry – I swear I could smell the bread through the internet.