Videos Coming?

Several of you have asked me when I’m going to release my first video.  I don’t have a date for you because I’m not comfortable with the finished products I’m turning out now.  I don’t want to make a video that isn’t worth your time or mine.

I’m learning some of the technical elements of production.  I’m getting better at making videos, but I’m not to the point where I want to release a video.  I’m my worst critic and I have several areas that I need to improve before I’ll be ready to post a video.

Remember how long it took me to start a podcast after you suggested that I should do that?  The amount of work involved in the production of watchable video is much more than what it takes to record a podcast and post an MP3 file weekly.

I don’t know if I’ll ever feel comfortable making videos.  If that day comes, I’ll let you know and post a video for your enjoyment and viewing pleasure.  Until then, please hang in there with me.  I have plenty of things going on right now to keep me busy without turning out poorly made videos.

If you’d like to share your thoughts, please contact me.

As always, thanks for your continued support!

Editing Third Novel

I shared with you that I took a first, rough-cut edit on my next two novels to try to speed up their release.  Several of you have been letting me know that you don’t appreciate the time lag between my books.  Part of that is because I don’t spend enough time writing them, the rest of my life can interfere with writing.  That’s another story for another time.

I’ve started editing the third book that is being queued for publishing.  I don’t know how long it will take me to do my small part in this process, but I’ve been editing that novel as much as time allows.

Thanks to those who sent in tricks that they use to edit their own works and the efforts of others.  I discovered some of the tips you sent in, but I hadn’t heard of all of them.  I’ve put some of them to work and they’re making my editing efforts quicker and easier.

When I get the third novel edited, I’ll let you know.  Once I finish my part, the manuscript goes through a Byzantine process that takes far longer than it should.  I don’t know how to speed things up any more than I have.  If you have an idea on how to accomplish that, please contact me.

If you’d like to pass along your thoughts on other topics, please contact me.

As always, thanks for your continued support!

Post Errors

A couple of weeks ago, I made a mistake in a post I was working on.  I didn’t schedule it properly so it appeared on the website, briefly, before it should have.  For those of you who get emails when I post something, I’m sure you received notification that the post was on the website.

I don’t have a good reason for my mistake, other than I was trying to rush through writing and scheduling the post so that I didn’t have to worry about it not getting posted on time.  What I’m trying to say is that the reason for the mistake isn’t the software I’m using, the hosting site for my website, it’s because of the guy behind the keyboard.

I wish I had some great story to share with you about how I made my mistake, but it was simply forgetting to schedule the post for the future.  User error jumps up and gets me from time to time.

For those of you who caught my mistake in real-time, thanks for calling it to my attention.  To those of you who didn’t notice my mistake until now, this post provides written proof that I make mistakes.  I correct them as soon as I discover them or they’re called to my attention.  I didn’t get the mistakes in this post corrected until several of you pointed out my errors.

Thanks for letting me know about my boo-boos.  I’ll try to do better in the future, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll make more mistakes in the days ahead.  In most cases it’s called being human.  In my case, it’s called hurrying to get something done when taking things a little slower would have been a better choice.

If you’d like to share your thought with me on this topic or any others, please contact me.

As always, thanks for your continued support!

Offers to Help Edit

After last week’s post, several of you said that you’d be happy to assist with the editing of my books.  I appreciate the thought, but I think other people in the circuitous route the books take from my computer into print and digital versions wouldn’t see things the same way I do.

I’m sure that you could lend a hand, but I can’t take advantage of your offers because I’m bound by some agreements and other things that are already in place.  I wish I could take you up on your offers to help edit my books, but that’s not an option I can pursue at this time.

If you’d like to share your thoughts or send me a comment, please contact me.

As always, thanks for your continued support!

Editing Two Novels

As I’ve mentioned on my podcast, I’ve been editing some of my novels in an attempt to get them through the editing process faster.  I finished editing one book and passed it along to my first editor.  From there it will go to a second editor, and then it comes back to me with their comments, thoughts, and opinions.

I review their changes and decide where the manuscript is changed and where it remains unchanged.  Then the manuscript go through another edit to make sure I didn’t introduce errors in making changes based on the first batch of edits.  When the text passes its last edit, it goes to the people who design the book cover and begins a whole new cycle or creation, editing, and finalization.

I’m sharing this with you so you know I haven’t stopped writing and that I’ve taken steps to speed up the editing process.  As this is a new routine for me and everyone involved, I don’t know if it will have the desired effects, but that’s the point in trying it.

After I edited my book scheduled to be published next, I went on the one after next.  When I finish that one, I’ll go on to the third one.  After three tests, we should have a good idea if the extra work is worth it.  I’ll let you know how it all works out.

If you’d like to share your thoughts with me, please contact me.

As always, thanks for your continued support!

Spring Ride Location

In a surprise, come-from-behind win, the Michigan Great Lakes location walked away with the most votes.  Several of you told me that you’d been there and it was some of the prettiest scenery you’d seen anywhere.

Given the northern latitudes we’ve picked for our Spring Ride, we’ll need to give the region a bit of extra time to thaw out from winter’s cold grasp.  If those of you who live in the Michigan area could keep me updated on the weather and road conditions, I’d appreciate it.  Please contact me as things warrant.

If you’d like to let me know what you think about this or some other topic, please contact me.  I read all of your notes, but I can only respond to a limited number due to time constraints.

As always, thanks for your continued support!

Linux and Windows Dual-boot PC

I mentioned in my podcast several weeks ago that I have a dual-boot PC that allows me to run Linux or Windows.  I said that it was truly a dual-boot setup and that I wasn’t using any virtual machine software to run Linux on a Windows box.  Yes, I know that’s possible, but I wanted to run Linux on a Linux box and Windows on a Windows box.  The emulation software isn’t quite where it needs to be to ensure hassle-free use.

The Linux computer uses about 1 GB for its operating system, swap file, printer spooler, and the usual files associated with an operating system.  Windows uses about 9.8 GB for the same items.  Due to the amount of RAM I have in my computer, I don’t have a swap file.  Everything is loaded into memory.

The difference in the resources required to run the two different operating systems is remarkable.  Linux offers a much lighter weight OS (Operating System) than Windows, but doesn’t have the ability to run some of the most popular Windows programs.  The trade-off is a less resource hungry computer or getting one that runs everything you need or want it to run.

If you run Linux, let me know if you’re seeing the same type of resource requirement.  I’m running Linux Mint 19.2 Cinnamon and Windows 10 Pro.  If you kmow of a short-cut that can be used to reduce the RAM required for Windows, please pass along your tips.

If you’d like to share your thoughts with me on computers or anythng else, please contact me.

If you’d like to share your thoughts with me on computer OSes or anything else, please contact me.  I read all of our comments, but I don’t respond to all of you primarily for time considerations.

As always, thanks for your support!