Back In Business

My baby and I have been reunited and it feels so good. The last two days have been spent restoring my machine to where I wanted it. And I've learned a few things. In restoring my back up I realized some of my iTunes music didn't save. Or at least I couldn't find it. But I figured out how to save from my iPod onto iTunes. It isn't hard but it took most of the day to move the files over. I've loaded up my Microsoft Office and I'm back to editing. I did a lot of editing last week on my desktop so I'm actually about 60% done. I think I'll have it ready by Friday. I hope, anyway, I'm eager to start on something new.

So Where was I?

I got my hard drive backed up. I want it to be known, I could have done it myself, but I realized the price of data recovery software wasn't much less than having a computer repair person do it. So I surrendered and took the hard drive down and had what I needed recovered. Now that I have validated myself, I can move on...

I have my MS open on my desktop. I wrote the darn thing in Word 07 and I had to revert it to Word 03. There are some big differences. One of the biggest was a word symbol that didn't translate from one version to the next. Irritates me because I should have started editing in the older version anyway. So I got to start over. That's okay since all but 30 pages had been done. I should whiz through. And then I have to format the headers and footers. Ugh. I could spend a week on this. I tend to get obsessed about it. I want perfection. I don't think my agent cares.

I miss my laptop. My email is building up because I don't have the patience to sit at a strange computer and read. It means spending time back in the office which is far from the hub of the house so it is grossly inconvenient.

Anyway, the situation is making me cranky. I miss my little machine.

Black and Blue All Over

Things were going pretty good last week. I had most of my book edited. I figured I'd finish all my editing today and ship it to my agent tomorrow.

Alas, my optimism was my downfall.

I got the dreaded blue screen of death on my laptop. I wasn't too concerned, it isn't as big a deal in Vista as it is in XP. However, the black screen of death was more worrisome. To make a long story short, my computer won't boot up. I've tried everything, even tried reformatting and nothing doing. After talking to the manufacturer, it was decided I have a faulty hard drive. Luckily it is still under warranty so it is going back. Yes, I backed up, but not the latest edits. To say I'm really annoyed with myself is putting it mildly. Anyway, after studying the matter at some length, I think I can get into my hard drive and recover the data.

I can't even contemplate the loss of my stuff. Like I said, I did do a back up, but to be honest, I'm not sure how to restore it. I forgot to research that. However, I know the info is there and someone would be able to find it. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to recover my hard drive enough to pull off my documents. But if not, I'm going go ballistic.

My hubby has kindly offered to let me use his laptop, I can even keep it in my computer space and use it there. However, I came to realize how personl my pc is to me. Its like my car. I know its quirks, I feel comfortable on the keyboard. I know where I keep things. I really miss it. I'll be glad when it comes back.

In other news, I'm off to a book signing. Patricia Briggs will be signing her new book in the Mercy Thompson series, Bone Crossed at a Barnes and Noble not too far from me. I'm pretty excited, she is one of my favorite authors right now. I've been holding off buying the book and lucky me, I got a coupon from B&N the other day. It will be a nice break from the Shakesperean tragedy I'm going through with the computer.

How often do you back up? Are you going to go back up right now after reading this post? How emotionally attached are you to your computer?

On Writing: Bashing Other Bestselling Authors in the Press

"The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn"

Stephen King has spoken. And what he has to say about Stephenie Meyer isn't very nice. In an interview for USA Weekend bashes Meyer as being not very good. He claims her books appeal to young girls because of the non-threatening sex scenes. Whatever.

I actually agree with Mr. King about Meyer's writing. I don't think she's very good either. However, plenty of people who I know, like and respect enjoy her immensely. So truly, isn't it a matter of taste and perception? Writing is far too subjective to give it such a black and white judgement.

Also, Mr. King is talking about its popularity among young girls. How does he explain the legions of adult women fans who have fallen for the series? Is there something wrong with them? Are they unable to judge what is good and what is not?

Meyer has struck on something powerful in her books, just as Rowling did (by the way, I've never been impressed with her writing either, but I am blown away by her imagination). To think the mechanics of writing is what captures a reader is short-sighted.

I'm guessing Mr. King has probably been quoted out of context, at least I hope, because as it stands, I feel like he is setting himself up as high priest of pop culture. I read his columns in the Entertainment Weekly and enjoy some of them. But I do feel a certain arrogance coming through. I'm also disturbed by this need to rip into Meyer. Like Rowling, she has brought in a new generation of readers. In a time when books have to compete with television, the Internet, video games and other electronic mediums, Meyer has successfuly pulled in young people into reading. And yes, that includes boys. My son has read the series as well as his friends. My nine year old daughter is reading "Twilight" along with the other boys and girls in her class. This is the first book she has stuck with for any length of time, to which I'm grateful.

Obviously Mr. King is entitled to his opinion and certainly has the right to speak it. But I thought it was tactless to be so harsh in his criticism in the national press. I thought it was crass and bordering on cruel.

What did you think about Stephen King's comments?

The End, Fine, Concluded, Finished.....

Yesterday I finished my WIP. I wanted to finish on Saturday and was almost there, but we had to make a trip to Sam's Club. By the time we got home, I was done for the day. If you've ever been to Sam's Club on a Saturday, you can understand how it sucks the life out of you. Made me appreciate Costco like never before.

Anyway, I got up Sunday and wrote until I was done. There is such a feeling of disorientation I have when I finish a book. It doesn't feel like its done. I've lived with this WIP for so long and it has been consuming for the last few weeks, it just jars when its over. Today I start editing (I enjoy that as much as I enjoy going to Sam's Club on a Saturday) and I need to start a new book. Neither has any appeal, but I was on writing roll yesterday and I'd like to keep it fed.

On the dark end for my kids is that Mommy is back from her half-dazed existence. They take advantage of my distraction to behave the way they want and I'm more than willing to let them guzzle 3 sodas if they will only leave me alone. Today, I'm a different person and their opportunities will be cut short. I will be watching to see how many fruit snacks they gobble in a day. I will be on them like a spider monkey over leaving their junk lying around the house...until I hit the end of the next book and I go back into my stupor.