Whoa! March really snuck up on me. Not just because February is shorter, but rather life got busy. Starting a new role at a new company in the tech industry in your mid-fifties isn't a walk in the park. I'm on an emotional rollercoaster that goes from feeling like I know some specific thing better than most people, to dawning realizations that I have no idea how some other thing works and fear of when the new folks will realize how ignorant I am. Arrogance, fear, humility, once in a while...
10 days ago • 3 min read
Life has been a bit chaotic, between elder care, prepping my oldest for college, starting a new job this week, and then all the normal bedlam of housework and helping with homework, family virus-share programs, etc. Oh, and writing, which is simultaneously the easiest and hardest thing to hold onto. Hard, because it can't be rationally justified in terms of trying to live a less-hectic life with well-balanced priorities. Easy, because my passion for it pushes me toward finding or making time...
24 days ago • 2 min read
I can now confirm that I am exiting retirement. *sigh* I'm joining arm. I love writing that without context. I assume most of you are not part of the semiconductor industry, so it sounds like I'm either supplying weapons or artificial limbs. Either of which are way too cool for me. I really enjoyed spending more time on writing and marketing, and I’m going to miss it. Secrets of Deara is coming together. I sent an early pass to Libby James—I would highly recommend her to my writer friends. I...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
This is an email I felt worth sharing from Matthew j Holmes. I'm not 100% sure how you would get on this email list, but here's a link to his general site, and you can navigate to what you want through your brilliance. Link to Matthew J Holmes site. Over the years, I’ve analyzed hundreds, if not thousands of Amazon Ads Campaigns across multiple genres, and with all this data emerge patterns and trends of what works and what doesn’t work. In today’s behind the scenes newsletter, I want to...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
I came close to missing the newsletter this time--just wrapped up in other stuff, and the date snuck up on me. In terms of life news, it looks like I'll be exiting retirement soon. I have an offer, but since I haven't accepted yet, I'll just hold off a bit on the details. The job would be a jump back into the semiconductor industry. Family hike up Enchanted Rock over break My youngest channeling her inner gymnast My youngest doing a press on the edge of a rock. I wish I'd gotten lower so that...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey, writer friends. I'm not sure there's real meat to be sent out, but I thought I'd provide an update on what I've learned since starting the FB Ads in August. Probably the best thing I can say is that using what I learned from Mathew J. Holmes classes, I can make the needle move on sales. I cannot yet say that doing so brings me to the point of profitability. I thought I had written about this before, but I cannot find a "Writer's Corner" email that explains what I I've done. So let me...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
I will have a request for you, but first, let me share the results of the Gingerbread House poll. My oldest daughter, who happens to be the only daughter who reads my newsletter, stole the crown from me. Congratz, Grinchy. Down to business. I've been improving my FB ads, and your feedback from the last newsletter helped. In particular, this poll: The Red and Grundle pic was not doing well on FB, so, trusting that you folks know what you like better than FB knows what you like, I created new...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Happy New Year! I should probably wait until the 2nd to send this out, shouldn't I? Everybody sleeping off New Year's Eve. I hope all your dogs survived the scary fireworks. I have lots of polls this newsletter. All really important, world-changing stuff. To get started: Who should have won the gingerbread house contest? Grinchy Classic Griswald Blingz Grinchy Classic Griswald Blingz (For the record, my wife disqualified herself in a Godzilla-like fit of rage when her roof slid off.) I sent...
2 months ago • 5 min read
Yup, a rare, out-of-cycle email. I wanted to share that I finished the first pass of Secrets of Deara. There's a ton wrong with it, but (and this was a better turn of phrase for the previous book) the bones are good. That's the crux of this email. The cycle between books should be shorter than usual. It's ironic that after asking ya'll to rate my books, yesterday I received the worst review I've ever been given. The person clearly hates my writing style of switching between multiple first...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Request - I don’t make these often. It would really help me if you took a moment to rate my books on Amazon (go ahead and give me some 5-star luvin’ while you’re at it). I'm going to try and keep it simple and provide links for the first-in-series for my two sets of books. Not even asking for you to review... just click to add your rating. Thank you! (If you feel inspired, go rate the other books of mine you’ve read). The Guardian of The Palace USA - Rate The Guardian of The Palace Canada -...
3 months ago • 2 min read