Except for my wedding ring and a gold chain that I have worn around my neck for at least 30 years, I’ve never been into jewelry all that much. At least not for me, although I have spent a considerable amount of money on jewelry for various women over the years, but that was just a reward for putting up with me. The exception to that rule has been Miss Terry, who is also not into jewelry. If I want to make her heart flutter, I have to take her to the tool section at Lowe’s or any place where they sell kitchenware or yarn and weaving equipment. But that’s another story.
However, years ago a friend of mine had a very cool gear ring made by a company called Kinekt Design. It had rotating sides that turned a series of gears located in the middle of it, kind of like a fidget spinner you could wear on your hand, and I really liked it. I kept saying somebody I might buy myself one, but I never got around to it and probably never would. So Terry ordered one for me, and it arrived a couple of days after Christmas. At first, I was very impressed with it, but in wearing the ring, I’m not so sure anymore. For one thing, it’s very thick and heavy, making it hard to get used to on my finger. And the other day, when someone shook my hand rather firmly, it hurt like hell. I also find myself snagging it when I reach into my pocket. So as much as I appreciate Terry getting it for me, the jury is still out on the ring. I guess that’s one of those “be careful what you wish for” things.
Thanks to all of you who have downloaded a copy of my new book and told your friends about it, Big Lake Ranger is off to a good start. The feedback I have been getting from my readers has been very positive, but I was a bit dismayed at a one-star review left on Amazon. Not because it was a one-star review, every author gets them, and you learn to shrug them off and go on about your business. Especially when you get a lot more five-star reviews than that. Not everybody is going to like what I write, and that’s fine. But in this case the reader thought the book was okay and even said so, but he was offended because he felt he was required to leave a review (which nobody is required to do), so he only gave it one-star with a simple one-word title, Bad. Oh well, it is what it is, and hopefully I’ll see some better reviews soon.
Speaking of reviews, last night Terry and I watched Miss Potter on Amazon Prime. The movie, starring Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, is the story of children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, who created such characters as Peter Rabbit, who have been loved by generations of children. We both enjoyed it, and I think you will, too.
And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. My friend Joyce Space saw this in a campground and wanted to share it.
It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of The Oil Conspiracy by W.R. Hill. Things get complicated when veteran CIA operative Jack Wilder is called upon to discreetly investigate the assassination of a high-level OPEC oil analyst on the verge of announcing a startling discovery, and then another body turns up, this one Wilder’s best friend, also an oil analyst. Stonewalled at every turn, Wilder struggles to find motives for the two murders even as more deaths occur as he gets closer to discovering the truth.
To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed.
Thought For The Day – The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it’s still on my list.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Based on his use of grammar, It looks to me like “Mike” may not be an English speaker. Which makes me wonder how he was able to read the book so quickly and then express an opinion? I am willing to bet that “Mike” is a Russian provocateur hired by the Kremlin to spread discord among your reader base. 😉
My husband said the same thing about his gear ring. He’s a mechanic (gearhead) and I thought it would be the perfect anniversary gift last year. But he said it’s too thick and clunky, uncomfortable, and makes it hard to do a lot of things, even tying his bootlaces or playing pool. He also said the same thing about hurting when shaking hands. So it stays in his dresser drawer and never gets worn.