After a couple of rounds of offer/counter-offer, we've accepted an offer on our house. We need to be out by the end of the month...which really isn't that much time. Karen will be gone at the Romance Writers of America national meeting for at least a week in July and we're planning on heading for the bike trip at the end of the month so we've got a lot to get done between now and then. Not to mention, the Tour de France starts this Saturday, so we'll be busy with that.

We've only barely begun thinking about where we'll live. Karen's sister offered to let us park our cars and our pets with her while we're bicycling. After that, we're on our own.

I spent the day directing my regular Wednesday afternoon bridge game and the Wednesday evening 'not so serious' game (the guy who normally directs that game is at a tournament). I got to play both sessions, so that made it fun. Nancy and I stunk up the afternoon session. Corinne made a special trip to come play with me this evening so we wouldn't have a half-table. She's a nice player and a nicer lady (as is Nancy). Nancy's daughter is in Honduras where they're having the coup and stuff, so for those of you who pray, send positive thoughts her way.

I'm going to make Saragosa Prime by Kenneth E. Ingle the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. When his planet is invaded, Winner White goes underground. But the high ground is in space and he's got to get out and build a fleet if he's to have a chance. Then there's the beautiful woman who holds him responsible for her father's death. Exciting space opera...only $3.99. Learn more, read the free excerpt or buy the entire eNovel here: http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_08/saragosa_prime.html (available in HTML, Adobe PDF, eReader, Mobipocket/Kindle, Microsoft Reader, Sony Reader and ePub formats). Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

Karen and I got an offer on our house today. We countered, they countered and we're thinking about what to do. We're definitely close.They want to close in a hurry...like before the end of July. All of a sudden, we have new worries. We're going for a bike trip at the beginning of August and it seems, suddenly, as if we may not have a home to come back to. We can leave our pets with Karen's sister, and have our stuff put into a Pod. But I'm imagining flying back from Washington and wondering where the heck to go.

Actually, something very similar to that happened when I split up with my ex-wife. I came back from a trip and had no place to go. Very weird feeling.

I spent the morning working on the new new near future. I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped but I got enough for Karen to read 10 pages. She wasn't all negative (although this is so much the kind of book she doesn't read) but clearly I've got a lot to do.

I've gone into my week of directing bridge. Mark and Kathy, who normally direct most of the games, are down in San Antonio for a bridge regional tournament and so I'm directing my own games and theirs as well. I fired up my car for the first time in about three weeks because I don't like riding my bike on busy streets after dark. Too many people have been run over on bikes, even during the day. I don't worry too much during the day although drivers sometimes honk at me. But at night, I can just imagine being flattened.

I'm going to make A HUNTER AND HIS PREY by Joshua Calkins-Treworgy the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. Ace bounty hunter Portenda doesn't much want an apprentice, but when Jonah Staples makes it hard to say no and when Jonah's sister is kidnapped, Portenda and Jonah set out to find her and save her. A different look at fantasy...only $3.99. Learn more, read the exerpt or buy the book here: http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_08/hunter-prey.html. Available in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, Palm DOC, Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket and ePub formats. Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

After spending last week frustrated with my New Near Future story, I abandoned it. Today I started New New Near Future. New characters, new situations, but the same world I've conceived. It's set in my NanoCorporte universe but maybe a hundred years earlier. With the conquest of age and disease, the world is a different place. Those in the first generation live on and on--and own everything. I got 7 pages written. Not 10, which would have been good. Still, I've got a story going, which is better than I've been doing.

I finished edits on The Frog Prince's Daughters and sent it back to Wendy Palmer for her approval or changes. I've been nagging Karen for the cover so things should come together for publication in a week or so. I'm excited about this book (then again, I never publish anything I'm not excited about. It's too much work if I don't care).

I'm reading LAST RESORT: MARRIAGE by Pamela Stone.

I got word that my short contemporary, THE BILLIONAIRE'S PURCHASED PRINCESS is a finalist in the Golden Acorn writers contest. Yea me. It's nice to get some validation.

Karen and I went to Chilis for date night. We normally go there when we need to go to Lowes...in this case, for suet for the birds. Some birds like seed. Some (like woodpeckers and Carolina Chickadees) like suet. Sparows will eat anything, which probably explains why they do so well. Afterwards, we went to the Dollar Tree and I bought a couple of magic tricks. I've always loved magic tricks...I used one on my first date with Karen and she thought I was a nerd and almost never went out with me. I think it's my poorly sublimated wish to be a powerful wizard like Gandalf.

Speaking of wizards, I'm going to make THE DREAD KNIGHT'S REDEMPTION by Joshua Calkins-Treworgy the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. The evil wizard Richard Vandross is on his mission of conquest and only Byron... a renegade dread knight...stands in his way. Exciting fantasy action, only $3.99. (Available in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, eReader, Mobipocket and Microsoft Reader formats). Here's the link: http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_08/dread_knight_redemption.html. Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

This morning, Karen and I got up early to head to Richardson for our monthly DARA (Dallas Area Romance Authors) meeting. Author Kat Baldwin gave a workshop on plotting for pantsers, along with a number of suggestions on what we can do to make our writing better. I've spoken about being a pantser before, but for the benefit of those who don't know, a pantser is a writer who writes by the seat of his pants. It isn't a comfortable way to write. Plotters outline, use tools, know where they're going. Pantsers live in doubt and chaos, trying to create order as they go rather than impose order from without. (I was pleased that Kat Baldwin said 'oh, please,' about the frequent comment that characters went in directions authors didn't want them to. I mean, come on, characters aren't real, they're characters). Anyway, Kat had some great ideas on how to use plotting tools that plotters use (e.g., Goal, Motivation and Conflict, Scene and Sequel, Three Act Structure...) as check-back tools for pantsers rather than plan ahead tools for plotters. Good stuff.

Afterwards, Karen dropped me off at the Bridge Academy where I directed the Saturday game. Only 3.5 tables today...not very good. Lots of people are doing vacations these days, which I think explains the dropoff. I'm going to be working a lot of games next week because my boss (Donna) and the other academy director (Mark) are going to San Antonio for a regional bridge tournament.

Joshual Calkins-Treworgy's MOTOR CITY SHAMBLER is written up in eBooks just published. Congratulatons, Joshua. Here's his book: www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_09/motor_city_shambler.html. Here's eBooks Just Published: http://www.ebooksjustpublished.com/.

I'm going to make DAMNATION OF THE REALM by Joshua Calkins-Treworgy the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. A former paladin was corrupted by a wizard but that doesn't mean he goes along with evil. Wtih the death of the wizard, he's still a dread knight, but he's not going to roll ove and let the wizard's apprentice become the realm's ruler...not if he can help it anyway. But what can one skull-masked ex-knight do? Only $3.99. (Available in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, Mobipocket, eReader and Microsoft Reader formats). Here's the link: http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_08/damnation_of_the_realm.html. Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

We had someone coming to look at the house between 1:30 and 2:30 this afternoon (the peak of Texas heat). So, we walked down to the Jack in the Box (have you heard whether Jack is recovered from his bus accident--I've lost track). Karen tried the chicken and rice bowl. She doesn't recommend it. I had a chocolate shake...it was great. Afterwards, we walked to the park and saw a couple of ducklings about the size of, well, eggs. These guys couldn't have been more than a day or two old. They were swimming around all by themselves, though, eating whatever ducks find to eat. Cutest things.

By the time we got home, the visitors had gone and we were wasted from the sunshine. There's something about 100 degree heat that just sucks your energy out and leaves you wilted. It's definitely partly dehydration and I try to drink as much water as I can force down. I got to lead warmups in tae kwon do tonight and did some extra sweating for that (it takes a little more energy to talk and exercise than it does to just exercise).

I'm still reading DEAD AND GONE by Charlaine Harris. I also got some work done on submissions, spent some time editing THE FROG PRINCE'S DAUGHTERS and even did a little writing today.

I'm going to make A REALLY BAD HAIR DAY by Rob Preece the www.booksforabuck.com book of the day. Whe Erin Tsong notices snakes growing out of her hair, she's convinced things can't get worse--but then they do. The 'return of magic plague' means that there are werewolves, fairies and other strange creatures roaming the streets and the reaction of those not changed is about what you'd expect. Exciting and thoughtful, only $3.99. Learn more, read the free excerpt or buy the book here: www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_08/bad_hair_day.html. (Available in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, eReader, Mobipocket and Microsoft Reader formats). Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

On Wednesdays, I direct a bridge game at the Bridge Academy of North Dallas. It's always a nice game--we had eight tables today which is a good number although down from what we had last week. From a literary perspective, directing bridge games gives me ideas and background for my stories (especially for Ace of Werewolves), but it also gives me a couple of hours a day on the train going to and from the game. Before leaving for the game, I went over Karen's suggestions from yesterday's critique group, incorporating them into what I'd already written. On the train, I started a new scene from the point of view of the eventual antagonist--a sort of private investigator tasked with shutting down excess families. I think I've got enough that I can go forward with the story.

When I got home, I was tired. No more writing. I did re-do the eReader format for WITCHY WOMAN by Karen Leabo (www.booksforabuck.com/rompages/rom-2004/witchy_woman.html), as well as adding ePub and Sony LRF versions. I'm reading DEAD AND GONE by Charlaine Harris.

It hit 100 degrees today. If you can believe Yahoo's weather forecast, it'll be at least in the high nineties every day from now until whenever. It's exhausting. I ride my bike from home to the train and from the train to the club (about a mile each direction to/from home and 3 miles to/from the club). In the heat, I feel like I'm being drained of energy. I haven't motivated myself to fence after riding for weeks now. Karen did her jury duty (she didn't get selected), but she had to wait for 20 minutes with no shade for her bus on the way home. I had to twist her arm to get her to eat something for dinner (we went to Normas, our neighborhood cafe).

I'm going to make REDOUBT OF GHOSTS by J. E. Bruce the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. A team from the future is harvesting DNA from ancient battlefields, but they hold secrets even from one another. Bruce brings Carthage to brilliant life. Only $3.99. Learn more, read the free excerpt or buy the entire eNovel here: http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_08/redoubt_of_ghosts.html (available in HTML, Adobe PDF, eReader, Mobipocket and Microsoft Reader formats). Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

Karen and I created our own little critique group. On Tuesdays we go out for a little snack and read ten pages of whatever the other is working on. Today I read her synopsis to a young adult paranormal she's writing and I gave her the first ten pages of the New Near Future novel (perhaps I should also work on the title???). She tore it up pretty well but that's what critquing can do. We also brainstormed some ideas for my much-needed antagonist. I decided I need to plan on that from the start. They're so hard to introduce late in the book and then go back and weave into the plot.

I somehow neglected to recharge my eBookWise and it ran out of batteries while I was on the train on my way to Tae Kwon Do. Frustrating...it's charging now. I finished reading RIDES A DREAD LEGION by Raymond E. Feist. Not bad. I'll post a review probably Thursday. Now I'm reading DEAD AND GONE by Charlaine Harris. When your battery runs out on your eBookWise is when you remember how bad it used to be before eBooks when you were always finishing a story and wishing you had something else to read. I looked over the shoulder of the guy in front of me reading a newspaper...how pathetic is that.

Bravenet seems to be having problems again...I'm not happy about this. It seems that I didn't used to have so many hosting problems but things got very bad with my original hosting company...and they kept raising rates. Bravenet goes out too much but they're more affordable. Because of Bravenet's issues, I'm not going to have a book of the day. Just head over to www.BooksForABuck.com and check out our great selection.

rob

Karen and I decided to do our walk early today--it didn't matter, it was still brutally hot. Not as hot as it would have been if we'd walked after lunch, though. It's hard not to turn into lumps of lard in the Texas heat. As we were walking, we kept our eyes open for birds and money. Karen spotted a Western Kingbird. I found an Indian Penny. Considering I found a buffalo nickel just a couple of weeks ago, I'm sort of on a roll when it comes to old money. My goal is to find a stash of $20 gold pieces. Now that would really help with the BooksForABuck.com profit and loss position.

I didn't get any writing done today. Instead, I dusted off and polished In From the Cold, my assassin story. I don't think this book ever got a fair look by the big publishers as I was going through agent trauma when I wanted to submit it so I'm entering it in a contest. Tomorrow, I start working on new pages--assuming I can figure out my new story's antagonist (it helps to have one of these).

I posted a review of TURN COAT by Jim Butcher. I'm a fan of Butcher and enjoyed this one. I thought, though, that the mystery side didn't qute click. What do you think? Here's my review: www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_09/turn_coat.html.

I'm going to make AFTER THE DRAGON by Wendy Palmer the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. He was chosen priest of the god of fortune--and he's been on the run ever since. Now, he's forced to confront himself. Exciting fantasy adventure--only $3.99. Learn more, read the excerpt or buy the book here: www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_08/after_the_dragon.html. (Available in HTML, Adobe PDF, eReader, Microsoft Reader, and Mobipocket (Kindle) formats.) Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

For those who are fathers, or who have fathers, I wish you a very happy father's day. Karen and I are remembering our own fathers, now passed. My father wanted the best for me and my sibs. He didn't always know what the best was, and it pained him when I didn't move in the directions he thought I should, but he meant well. I'm a father myself and I think I understand my father's situation a lot better now than I did at the time. He was a long way from perfect, but he meant well and generally did well, too--mostly.

Another scorcher here in Texas. I usually mow the lawn on Sundays but we went out for breakfast and by the time we got back, it was too hot. So, I decided to mow tomorrow. Right now, I'm wishing I'd gone ahead and done the mowing today. Oh, well.

I'm reading RIDES A DREAD LEGION by Raymond E. Feist.

I'm going to make THE CARPATHIAN SHADOWS #1 the www.BooksForABuck.com. Deep in Transylvania is a castle reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Lord Erdsley. Exactly why he haunts, and who he haunts, is lost in myth. But a group of tourist discovers that something is definitely going on. Dark fantasy--only $3.99. Available in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, eReader, Mobipocket and Microsoft Reader formats. Here's the link: http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_07/carpatian_shadows_vol1.html

Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob

During the American Civil War, the Confederates were in no hurry to notify their slaves that Lincoln had emancipated them. Only after the Union victory in Texas (which came late in the war as Texas was a long way from the major battles) were the slaves informed--it happened that this notification took place on June 19th--Juneteenth. So, happy Juneteenth. I hope today was freeing and enjoyable to everyone even if it wasn't as historically significant as the same date back in 1865.

I promised I'd get started writing my new book and I did--sort of. I managed three pages which is NOT the kind of productivity I expect, especially with the excitement of a new book pushing me forward. Don't know why I'm struggling so hard recently to write. I did re-do the eReader and add ePub and Sony Reader formats for QUEST FOR THE TALISMAN by Michael Faris. I also  posted a review of the mostly enjoyble ORACLE OF THE DEAD by John Maddox Roberts here: http://www.booksforabuck.com/mystery/mys_09/oracle_of_the_dead.html. I'm still reading TURN COAT by Jim Butcher.

After lunch, I talked Karen into a bike ride to the library. It's less than a mile away so this wasn't exactly a trek, but it's HOT here--high was 95, high tomorrow 97 and getting out at all was an accomplishment.

If you waited to buy DEADLY STING, you've missed your chance to buy it for a buck. Right now, the cheapest price is over at Fictionwise. Check it out here:

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b89399/Deadly-Sting/Michael-Paulson/?si=0

I'm going to make SWORD OF THE DAJJAL by C. Scott Saylors the www.BooksForABuck.com book of the day. Discovery of a new back-door space route makes an impoverished planet suddenly the bone of contention between the Alliance and Human Hegemony. Naturally, both groups use locals as their cat's paws in the effort. Exciting military SF. Only $3.99. Learn more, read the free excerpt or buy the book here: http://www.booksforabuck.com/sfpages/sf_07/sword_dajjal.html (Availalbe in HTML, Adobe Acrobat PDF, eReader, Mobipocket and Microsoft Reader formats). Here's the cover (cover design by Karen Leabo):

rob