Yes, I love my readers! I truly do. I announced in yesterday’s blog that my new book Highway History and Back Road Mystery II was available in the Amazon Kindle store, and by the end of the day had sold 29 copies! How cool is that? Thanks everybody, I appreciate your loyal support.
What I don’t like is my Dragon Dictate software program. We’ve all seen the TV ads where they claim all you have to do is talk into the microphone and your words appear as text on your computer’s screen like magic. Uh huh. And if you believe that, let’s talk about a real estate deal I want to let you in on.
I have arthritis in my hands, and I bought the software and the expensive microphone they recommended, as well as the extra tutoring program. I did all of the training sessions, and it’s still worthless. I’m a slow two finger typist at best, and I find that I can get more work accomplished by typing than with the time it takes to dictate something, then go back in and make the corrections to the mess the speech-to-text software makes of my words. Here is an example of a garbled line of text it gave me yesterday, and below it what I was actually saying:
:She rift web R slammed done the tele bone, yanked his yak roof the coat hoop, and stymied out the door with Murdoch in his eye.”
“Sheriff Weber slammed down the telephone, yanked his jacket off the coat hook, and stormed out the door with murder in his eye.”
Oh well, it’s just one more of the challenges of life, right? 
I spent most of yesterday writing, trying to make up for lost time in my new Big Lake mystery. I’d have made more progress if I had not wasted so much time with the Dragon software, but I still managed to knock out about 2,000 words.
I did stop for a while when Shorty Guptill, a friend from a Facebook Thousand Trails group I belong to, rode his motorcycle up from his house in Zephyrhills for a visit. Thanks for stopping by, Shorty. Ride safe.
After Shorty left, I got back to work while Miss Terry made a run to the post office to mail out an order to one of our new subscribers, then stopped at the Winn-Dixie in Wildwood to stock up on groceries. I’m a growing boy, and I need fed on a regular basis. And being married to the world’s best cook is a pretty good gig!
Before I close today’s blog, I do want to mention an e-mail I got from a lady yesterday who told me that she is 69 years old, a widow of three years, who told me she is “sick and tired of sitting around listening to her joints stiffen” and, against the strong objections of her son and two daughters, has bought a B van and is headed to Sarasota for the winter. “I’m in very good health, my mind is still active, and if I don’t do something soon, I’m going to go stark raving mad,” she wrote. “My husband, God bless him, never wanted to do anything but go to work, come home, mow the grass, and watch the ball game on TV. I told the kids “Dad may be dead, but I’m going to start living! My sister and my childhood best friend live less than five miles apart (in Sarasota), and we’re going to be our own version of the Golden Girls. Wish me luck!” You go girl, you’re going to do just fine.
Thought For The Day – Quiet people have the loudest minds – Stephen Hawking
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
I would buy several more of your books if I could find them for my Nook. I do have the first three Big Lake books and certainly enjoyed them!
I just have to comment. My daughter has dyslexia and the Dragon software has been a Godsend. She could not do her College English without it. It works very well for her.
Jon
Hi, NIck..just bought your “Overlooked Florida” destinations book and it’s great! Great story about that gal who’s going to hit the road…
Nick, if your using Windows 7, it comes with speech recognition. I’ve never tried it but I do have Dragon and have the same problems you do. The Windows version can’t be any worse.
Glad to see the 69 yr old is going for it. I agree, “Go Girl.” As she said she doesn’t want to sit around, stiffen up and die. The RV lifestyle is all about being active and having fun. We love it and will continue as long as possible. We believe RVing keeps you young in heart, mind and body.
I have been following your comments on the frustrations with the Dragon Dictate software. My husband, who is extremely hard of hearing, relies a good bit on reading lips … in spite of wearing significant hearing aids with a Bluetooth booster. He finds that men with facial hair present greater difficulties for him when trying to decipher their speed. Perhaps if you shaved your beard the Dragon Dictate would achieve better accuracy. Neither the lady nor the kid in the commercial sport whiskers. 😉
The widow heading to Sarasota put a smile on my face. Outstanding!
Din, Many of my books are available on Smashwords.com formatted for the Nook and eventually I’ll have them all there.
Am I to understand that Dragon Dictate can read lips,but only if one shaves?
Maybe your wife should try it first with and then without a Santa beard…
The result of your dictation sounds like me after a few beers!
Mark – Dragon doesn’t read lips, it’s voice recognition software.And since I have not had a drink in over 35 years I don’t think that’s the problem either. 🙂
Nick I bought your new Highway History book last night and have been reading it all morning. It’s wonderful! Now I have to go back and buy book 1 in the series. I hope you keep them coming.
Just now reading your new book and I’m impressed by the variety of stories in it. Loved the tale of Old Rip, the horny toad that lived inside the bank cornerstone for 30 years. And the story about the Town That Hung Santa Claus was wild.
Nick:
I am a blog follower, and Gypsy journal subscriber We have never met.
But from the Dragon Software translation, you must have a southern accent or mumble! 🙂
To that 69 yr old reader, you go girl! We live our lives trying to impress or make other people happy. As Suze Orman says, “people first”, she means you! Your kids, friends or neighbors aren’t living your life. I had a husband like that, work, work, work, make lots of $$$$. I divorced him after 20 years, he went on to work, work and make lots of $$$, he died a year ago at age 64 without enjoying the short retirement he had. His second wife and my kids got lots of $$$$, my kids would rather have had a Dad that paid more attention to them. After one season in Sarasota your kids will see how happy you are, safe travels!
Hey Nick! You should just “go with the flow’. I bet that if you published your book just as Dragon wrote it, you’d have a best seller in no time! 😉
…or maybe you should just get ‘three sheets to the wind’, and it would all come out perfectly clear! 😮
Maybe the Dragon software requires the Vulcan Mind Meld, instead of dictation??
The story of the lady heading to Florida warmed my heart. I say GOOD FOR HER!
Nick, I have bought your Big Lake books on Smashwords and will wait for your others.
For the young lady of 69 what a great idea go for it gal, enjoy life.
your kids should be happy that you are healthy and able to enjoy everything you do just travel safe;