This has been a rough few weeks for me (whimper) and it's all because of two things in my life I think of the least but which appear to affect me the most: My computer and the power company, things I use without thinking about them or their importance in my life. Well, now I KNOW how important they are! So important, I've hardly had time to agonize over the release of my latest book in the Wolf Tales series, Wolf Tales V. So, maybe all the trouble is a GOOD thing.
Nah. I don't think so.
My computer crashed two weeks ago. Luckily I send my manuscript to my gmail account every night, so it's saved online, because I lost a lot of stuff and I won't know if it can be recovered until next week when the repairman finally has time to check the problem. One of the things missing is my calendar. I know I've committed to a lot of events this month because I have a new book out, but they were all noted in my Outlook calendar, which is totally inaccessible. If I'm supposed to be chatting with you or blogging or doing SOMETHING, please email me and tell me! I am seriously thinking of getting a "gasp" REAL PAPER CALENDAR. I was in the middle of running a contest for my newsletter group and I can no longer access the entries. Not a good thing. So many things going on, lost or in a file I can't access.
If that's not enough trouble, we're in the middle of the "STORM OF THE CENTURY!" I have to write that in all caps because that's how the weatherman keeps describing it. I'm always amazed at how many "storms of the century" we have, but will admit, this one has been spectacular. Seven inches of rain in two days, winds up to 60 mph, trees down, roads blocked, flooding...and no power. Which is why the blog post I think I was supposed to do this morning (remember that missing calendar?) isn't getting done until now.
We live in a forest of huge pine trees--well over a hundred feet tall. In high winds they all blow and sway at different rates, depending on the size of the trunk and the thickness of the crown. My office is on the top floor, literally in the treetops. I've been seasick most of the day, watching the trees swaying to and fro! At least none of them have come down on me yet--many of you know of my intimate meeting with a fallen tree. If not, check out the pictures at www.katedouglas.com/fallentree It will give you a whole new perspective on the immense power of a large oak tree that's ready to come down! You'll also understand why I'm no longer as fond of trees as I used to be.
So, for me, anyway, this new year is starting out on a rather technical note. As in, me and tech are not getting along. At least my old-fashioned muse if functioning again, and my WIP, Wolf Tales VII, is coming along really well. While the power's on, I guess I'd better get back to work. In the meantime, I hope your computers behave and your weathermen speak in lower case letters. And I wish you all a wonderful new year and smooth sailing ahead.
PS: I was dead serious about that request--if you know of something I'm supposed to do, please drop me a note and tell me! I don't even have email addresses of the people I can contact to find out for sure what I'm doing....sigh. Write to me at kate@katedouglas.com. Thank you!
