More Updates: Writing, PC Repairs, and Getting A New Laptop...

Okay... Until I get this mess with my PC sorted out I'm probably going to update once a week just to let you guys know what is going on. Here are all the details of May 4th-11th, 2013.

Books I've Bought:

My Kindle got a bit more love. :)

Writing Updates: 

I started writing Promise Me Forever this week and the rough draft clocks in at roughly 6,500 words so far. I'm absolutely thrilled with the progress I'm making on it. I know I'm not as active here, and one of my later announcements should help more with that, but on the writing front I'm in great shape!

It's a bit irritating to have to put Sweet Rebellion onto the back burner, but all my notes for that are backed up on my e-mail and I don't want to go through the headache of switching them to where / how I'm writing the SP novella. That's part of the reason I planned the releases the way I announced them last week.

I'm also going ahead with planning the next SP novella, By Darkness Deceived (which is Ruby's story, for anyone curious) and my second Maple Springs novel, tentatively titled His Sweet Obsession (I'm still staying mum on the details for that--It's got a long way to go.)

For anyone interested, I usually post a daily word count update, complete with a snippet of whatever I'm writing, on my facebook author page if you would like to follow it. :)

PC Repair / Blogging Updates:

I have not been signing up for cover reveals, tours, etc. because this PC is running with two broken legs and one hand tied behind its back. It's still going to be a while before I can actually get it working properly. I don't drive, our local computer shop has hours that conflict with my family's work schedules, and if I were to take it in right now it could be a week or two before I would get it back.

Your continued patience is appreciated. :)

Time For A Laptop! :) 

This nightmare of thinking I lost all my writing is never going to happen to me again. Ever. I spend way too much time on my stories for them to get eaten by some stupid virus or maliware attack on my computer.

Now, I will make two things clear: (1) Yes I intend to use the laptop as a laptop, not just as a big fancy flash drive. (I had someone ask me this on a forum. "Ooo, we've got a funny guy, huh?" :p) But his point is clear: get a darn flash drive while I'm dong all this. And (2) Yes, I realize this isn't a magic wand that's gonna make me write twice as much. (I wish! Even though I outline, my characters surprise me when I get to the drafts and writing their stories often throws really awesome curve balls at me that I don't see coming.)

The point, really, is that if one machine is down I'll be able to use the other (see my current situation above, for example.) and the laptop will give me additional portability (and the ability to put a wireless printer in our living room, since my room is too small.)

After doing a bit of research, I've decided to budget myself $700 before taxes (Canadian; and not including getting a mouse, laptop bag, flash drive and printer / paper / binders to organize things.) I've gone far too long without getting things set up to take this writing thing seriously. I realize none of this is going to write the books for me, but (for me) I think there is some type of pride in having everything together and working properly. Plus I can sit at the dinning room table, which is much closer to the tea kettle and microwave. :p (Sound business / productivity strategy there, yes?)

But WOW do I have options! Do I want a touch screen? Do I want dedicated graphics? (My main PC is a gaming machine, and my bf is all "Just think, we could still play LOTRO if you go on vacation.) Do I want something with an SSD? (Expensive, would have to be a bonus, but very writing practical.) 15.6" or 17.3" ?

To tell you all the truth, what I want is:

1. A machine that is capable and which will load things without acting like a turtle. Meaning: it needs a decent processor.

2. A machine with a screen that I can read / see. Fortunately, I'm buying for writing and blogging, not gaming. Most of my writing / blogging programs can have their fonts increased for the drafting / editing stages.

3. (And really it should be #1, since it will likely be my deciding factor) A machine with a keyboard that I don't despise. I'm a writer. If my hand (I use a one handed typing technique, as I have little control of the fingers on my right hand) is gonna be like a permanent growth on that thing, it better work with me, rather than against me.

Everything else is a bonus, really. (I mean, I know I want at least 4gb RAM and that if I don't get a dedicated graphics machine that I should aim for something with Intel 4000 so it is at least up to date in its incompetency. :p *Did I say I was a gamer? :p*)

Anyway, I think that sums everything going on this week up. :) Would you guys like me to post a weekly recap of my facebook writing snippets here? Have you read / do you want to read any of the books I bought? Do you have any thoughts about my upcoming laptop purchase? I'd love to know!