Revised the cover art last night. Revised the cover copy last night. Did more cleanup on the books last night. Finally got all the versions of the book acceptably formatted (I think) around midnight. And uploaded after that.
Back up early this morning, getting the MINECRAFTTM spaceship/spacestation maps ready for uploading. (Important note here: If you’re not writing a book and using Minecraft as your worldbuilding mapmaker, you have to call this playing. I get to call it work. :D)
Came on today to see if everything but the print version was live.
Not so much. Apple version is MIA, which I’m coming to think is going to be my forever experience with Apple. (You’re wondering why I haven’t put in the many, MANY hours of work to upload everything I’ve done to iTunes? This is why. Only about half of it shows up, with no reason given for why the other half didn’t make the cut. I loathe arbitrariness and unpredictability.)
Today, had errors in the cover art for the print version, and just this instant got verification that my fixes worked. So have resubmitted, and will proof as soon as I get clearance.
But if you’re on the Cady Reader list, you should get your COOL STUFF email from me over the weekend, or Monday at the latest.
I know this is a day late, but the internet connection on the ship yesterday was that bad! The poem below was forwarded to me by one of my shipmates. Thought I would share it with my fellow writers … And we did have a fake tree by the way, small and kind of reminded me of the one from Merry Christmas Charlie Brown (because of its short height) LOL. Merry Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas, the ship was out steaming,
Sailors stood watch while others were dreaming.
They lived in a crowd with racks tight and small,
In a 80-man berthing, cramped one and all.
I had come down the stack with presents to give,
And to see inside just who might perhaps live.
I looked all about, a strange sight did I see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stockings were hung, shined boots close at hand,
On the bulkhead hung pictures of a far distant land.
They had medals and badges and awards of all kind,
And a sober thought came into my mine.
For this place was different, so dark and so dreary,
I had found the house of a Sailor, once I saw clearly.
A Sailor lay sleeping, silent and alone,
Curled up in a rack and dreaming of home.
The face was so gentle, the room squared away,
This was the United States Sailor today.
This was the hero I saw on TV,
Defending our country so we could be free.
I realized the families that I would visit this night,
Owed their lives to these Sailors lay willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on Christmas Day.
They all enjoyed freedom each day of the year,
Because of the Sailor, like the one lying here.
I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve on a sea, far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The Sailor awakened and I heard a calm voice,
“Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice.”
“Defending the seas all days of the year,
So others may live and be free with no fear.”
I thought for a moment, what a difficult road,
To live a life guided by honor and code.
After all it’s Christmas Eve and the ship’s underway!
But freedom isn’t free and it’s sailors who pay.
The Sailor say’s to our country “be free and sleep tight,
No harm will come, not on my watch and not on this night.”
The Sailor rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent, so still,
I watched as the Sailor shivered from the night’s cold chill.
I didn’t want to leave on the that cold dark night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.
The Sailor rolled over and with a voice strong and sure,
Commanded, “Carry on Santa, It’s Christmas, and All is Secure!”
HONOR, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT
Currently on chapter 11…
Scary crazy good! Totally off the hook as my sister has been known to say.
On my current wip, I’m all over the place, writing scenes out of sequence as they hit me. Not the most efficient way of writing, but the plot is so freaking huge in terms of concept, that I’m not sure how to grasp a decent corner of it. Lol that’s never happened before.
@Holly CONGRATS! Looking forward to it. 🙂
On this neck of the world, between maintaining the ship and the command schedule, Still holding at 10500. Not giving up, just that deployment (along with life) tends to get in the way. I miss my wife. She is my creative partner, my love, and my best friend. We have made up a lot of cool stuff that’s nipping at our heals to be worked on. Six months and still not done yet. BLEH!
@Ken – I’m rooting for you! Keep up the good work. And I’m sorry that you have to be away from home and away from your wife right now.
Write on and stay safe.
Thank you 🙂
Holly,
Missed the pre-read, but just finished the first three chapters instead of rereading my own recent novel. LOVE the last sentence of chapter three.
Gonna have to pace myself on this one or the house won’t be clean for company in three hours and the table won’t have dinner on it tonight without a call to Papa Murphy’s.
Welcome back.
Rob
I posted a review of Warpaint (based on the ARC I got) on Amazon. I hope that helps sell lots of copies for you Holly 🙂
Me too! Looked the other day and it was not up yet. Thanks for the nudge!
Holy cow, this is done and available already? Congrats! I need to get on the stick and read Hunting the Corrigan’s Blood and then this one.
And I almost forgot…great cover, by the way.
Bought Warpaint for my kindle today. Trying to get the kids to bed so I can read it!!!!
I don’t think Apple is really interested or committed in making iTunes a good way to distribute books. IMHO Amazon is the place you go to when you want to buy an eBook these days. I personally would not deal with Apple. Why partner with a business that is such a pain to deal with and gives you so few customers?
Argh. Sounds like you’re getting the details worked out.
Slowly. With a lot of growling.
But I took a short break and updated the site header.
Look up, see what you think. 😉
Looks like everyone else is busy for christmas, but I wanted to say congrats about Warpaint, and also that I got 456 words today. Yay!
Congrats on the words. 😀 And thank you.
@Roisin: Woo hoo on the words – I’m still plugging away here too despite the holidays. 1355 words. Most of them dreck – but whatever! It’s the habit of writing every weekday that I’m going for. Content is secondary.
Taking a break on Mugging the Muse to stop by. Congrats to you Holly on creating the finished peice, boo on Apple for making your itunes situation difficult.
@JenofHens,@Roisin: bless you for your post, dears. Glad to hear other souls tap-tap-tapping on the mountain.
@Jackrich – glad to know others are keeping the faith too! Yesterday I took a break but I’m back at it today.
Peace and words, everyone!