• Challenge,  Fun Stuff

    A Sort-Of Day Off… And Black Books…

    Without Really Taking the Day Off… You know how that goes… You sort of think you are going to take the day to rest, but then end up puttering a bunch of stuff done. Yup, that was me today. Finished up email, worked on a workshop, did laundry, got some research done of the UHaul for the final July move to bring the marbles, digests, files, and extra author copies down to the Vegas office. And three naps. Guess I was tired. (grin) Black Books… I have mentioned to a few people that I bought a long time ago a mountain of gold, just could never get to mining it.…

  • Challenge,  Fun Stuff,  Licensing

    Some Licensed Products

    Cold Poker Gang Licensed Stuff… In the mail today I got a nifty box with another metal box inside. It was a set of poker chips in a metal case with an image of the cover of Bottom Pair on the outside of the metal case. And inside each chip was embossed in gold with the words “The Cold Poker Gang.” I put two decks of The Cold Poker Gang cards inside it in exchange for the regular cards that came with it. I get to keep it for something down the road, because no one took a set in the Kickstarter Campaign. So I get to keep this first…

  • Challenge,  Fun Stuff

    Some Promised Pictures…

    Hard to Get a Sense of 7,000 Square Feet of Stuff… But the following pictures will sort of give a hint at the monster I am tackling. (And yes, I owned all of this stuff.) What I did for four days was mostly pack and make decisions about entire collections and found homes from most of it. Like a large collection of anniversary clocks went to my old bookstore, along with a ton of nonfiction books that I sorted that were from Kris’s old library. I had also bought a massive collection of decorative wooden boxes. Those went to the bookstore as well. The massive Muffy Vanderbear collection (that was…

  • Challenge,  On Writing,  publishing

    Just Eight Hours Left!!

    Cold Poker Gang Kickstarter Campaign… Almost to the fourth stretch goal. If we manage to hit that, everyone will get 5 extra books, plus $35o in lectures, Pop-Ups, and Classic Workshops. Plus, remember that the only place to get into the special Writing Mystery Series workshop is in this campaign. It is a three week workshop and the reward level is $150. You have your choice of taking it in July or August. And there are discounts on lectures and regular workshops as well. Ends at 6 PM tonight, West Coast Time, so not much time left. Here is the link to the campaign… Cold Poker Gang Kickstarter

  • Challenge,  Fun Stuff

    Home and Exhausted

    Assignments and Email Tomorrow… Long two-day drive from the Oregon Coast to Las Vegas. I had forgotten just how long, actually. But great to be home. Last twenty hours of Cold Poker Gang Kickstarter. And we are nearing the next stretch goal which adds another free book for everyone plus a choice of Pop-Up Writing Class worth $150. So sure hope we can make that. It would be very cool. And thank you, everyone, for the support of my series. Means a great deal. And one blast to the past. One of my most famous short stories, a story I have made over $20,000 on and counting is called “In…

  • Challenge,  publishing

    Back in Boise

    Headed Home to Vegas… Tomorrow, Wednesday… So I will be responding to assignments on Thursday in the workshops, but all of Week #3 workshops have been launched, a real feat from this iPad. (Grin) And wow, with almost two days left as I write this in the Cold Poker Gang Kickstarter (links in posts below), we are gaining on the 4th stretch goal! That one has another one of my off-brand series books to read and a choice of a Pop-Up worth $150. So I sure hope we can get to that. Thanks for passing the word. Long day today. Spent three hours in the warehouse this morning with Allyson…

  • Challenge,  Fun Stuff

    Headed Home Tomorrow

    Tuesday…. I need to spend a few hours to pack the car tomorrow morning, then head out. It will take me two days to get back to Vegas. And then on Thursday I will be back in my office and answering letters and assignments. But give me some time to get caught up, please. Thanks! And wow, we went right past the third stretch goal with the Cold Poker Gang Kickstarter (information in posts below) and are solidly on the way toward the 4th. Wonderful!! Again, thanks!! The big warehouse has gone from massive amounts of things to massive numbers of piles of boxes. But most things now have a…

  • Challenge,  publishing

    Very Close To Third Stretch Goal!!

    As I Write This… Only $90 away on the Cold Poker Gang Kickstarter. (See posts below for links.) And when we hit that, everyone will get an electronic copy of my novel Death Takes a Partner: A Mary Jo Assassin novel. (Yes, I know, I write books no one has every heard of, but actually have two in that series and some short stories.) Also, you get your choice of a classic workshop. And still have three days left and if we can hit the next stretch goal, everyone will get a copy of my Earth Protection League novel, Life of a Dream.  And your choice of any of the…

  • Challenge

    Another Day of Packing

    Things Are Locked In… Got some minor stuff to find homes for, but for the most part I have given away just about everything. Still have about eight display cases to deal with, and get things ready to next month’s move to Vegas of the stuff we are putting in the new office in Vegas. Still creating a giant donation pile, and a pile for six other places. I’ve had great help every evening with Cameron (owner of a store here in town) coming in and doing some heavy lifting, Jo (the owner of my old store) helping with things, and Chris and Steve York making sure I am fed.…

  • Challenge,  Misc

    One Scary Long Day

    Started at 6:30 am… Made a ton of progress. Got homes for most everything. Picked up, packed, and moved a ton of boxes. Didn’t get back to the room here until 9:30, so 15 hours, a lot of steps, and a ton of exercise. Got some photos of what it looked like when I started. But had great help, Chis and Steve York brought me dinner, and talked with a ton of friends stopping by. I would have some pictures that I took today, but can’t get them to load. So will do that when I get back. Working on an iPad has limitations, especially when exhausted. Don’t forget there…