Except for my daily blog, I’ve been slacking off in the writing department since the release of Big Lake Ranger right after Christmas. I did bring out Murder, Mayhem, And Main Street a week or so ago, which is an e-book bundle with the first books in my three different mystery series along with a stand-alone mystery. Four full-length books in one is a heck of a deal, especially at just $5.99.
But aside from that, I really haven’t done anything to earn my keep, so the past few days I have been busy working on The Hard Years, the fourth book in my Tinder Street family saga. And I do have to say it feels good to be writing again. I’ve got about 8,000 words in so far and I’m rolling right along. Of all the different series I write, this is the hardest one because there is a tremendous amount of research to get the facts right for the time and place. Each book in the series covers five years, starting just before World War I, and it will eventually go to the Vietnam War era.
The current book will be about the Great Depression and how it affected Americans. I knew those were hard times, hence the name of the book, but I didn’t know just how hard it was for some places, including Toledo, Ohio, where much of the book is set. During the worst days of the Depression, Ohio’s jobless rate reached 37%, but in Toledo, a manufacturing powerhouse in its time, that number climbed to nearly 80%.
I hope to knock out a couple more chapters today and then print out what I have so far so Terry can begin editing and proofreading them.
Besides working on the new book, yesterday we drove to Daytona Beach to drop the Laramie off at Global Mobile Detailing to have the ceramic coating installed. It will take them a couple of days to do it, and then I will go back with the Mustang and drop it off to be done and drive the truck back home.
Terry followed me in the Pacifica yesterday, and after we dropped off the truck, we stopped at Publix on the way home to stock up on groceries. We try to do this every three to four weeks, rather than running back and forth to the store all the time. But after yesterday, we both agreed we wouldn’t be doing it on a Sunday afternoon anymore. The place was a madhouse, and very few customers were wearing face masks. We were glad to get done with our shopping and get out of there.
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. More librarian humor to start your week off right.
Congratulations Tom Lemcool, winner of our drawing for an audiobook of Big Lake Blizzard, the fourth book in my Big Lake mystery series. We had 34 entries this time around. Stay tuned, a new contest starts soon. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with U.S. addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed.
Thought For The Day – The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on and do nothing.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Good to see that you are back at work! 😉
I find that Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are the least busy times for grocery shopping. Obviously the earlier the better. I imagine that 10 PM (or shortly before closing) on those same days would also be pretty light and perhaps fit better into your routine.
Just finished Big Lake Ranger and the beginning of BL Drunk, but can’t find the book anywhere on Amazon! When is it coming out?
Ed, I am working on the fourth Tinder Street book now, then will do the next John Lee Quarrels book. I don’t expect Big Lake Drunk to be out before summer.
In our neck of the woods, the new grocery sales ads come out on Sundays, so our grocery stores are always crowded on that day. Plus, I figure as a retired person in my case, I try to stay out of the grocery stores at times when those working folks have no choice but do do their shopping then. I’m not always organized enough to do that but I do my best. Here in MN mask wearing is maybe 75% on a good day. Sad.
I hate to admit my ignorance but what is the purpose of the ceramic coating for your cars?
Liz, ceramic coating creates a hard shell on the vehicle that will prevent water stains, road grime, bird droppings, and other substances from reaching and harming the paint. With a quick rinse, they’ll simply slide right off. It will also help protect it from the salt air, since we live 800 yards from the Intracoastal Waterway, and from the love bugs that are difficult to remove and are notorious for damaging a car’s paint. Think of it as a super wax that lasts for years without having to be reapplied.
Sounds like a good idea. I wonder if something like this exists in Minnesota with all the salt we deal with on roads in the winter.
Liz, I am sure it is available there.
Ceramic coatings are awesome if applied properly We had it done to the new Honda we bought in 2013 a 2014 model. I have never waxed it and it looks great. As far as rust most rust comes from the bottom or the inside out. ait only takes like 2 oz to do a whole car from what I understand..
Any good detail shop should be able to do it, most new car dealers can do it and it can even be a DIY project.
https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/what-is-ceramic-coating-for-cars