Well, I haven’t had a sale since the ad ended, so I am going to try another experiment. At the beginning of February, I am going to run an ad for “The Dreaded Day Job” for the entirety of the month on Amazon. If I get any traction (more than two sales) I am going to run ads perpetually on Amazon for whatever books I have. Thus far, I can’t tell that Facebook has done anything for me other than visibility. While that’s good, I’m not going to throw away money if it’s not going to help me at least break even. To quote DJ Quik: “If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense”.

Which is all the more reason to get back to work. While I have a working laptop…kinda…and I have a still functioning iPad, I have no real excuse to not be writing (even if it is the blog). But, thanks to Microsoft, the laptop – which I can type on relatively fast – no longer has a working network card, and a wonky spacebar (feels mushy and sometimes doesn’t connect). The iPad however works fine, but I’m not writing on it as fast as a laptop. I can’t explain why, but it not only has a working network card, but it also has a cellphone data link. With it, I can write anywhere.

Having said all this: I’m getting a new laptop. The one that I have dedicated to nothing but writing is staying, but it’s going to be at home so I can write there as I have a network cable connection that still works. The iPad is going to be my portable device for the time being. I just have to get used to typing on it for the lack of a better phrase. This laptop is still good, but I am having problems beyond keys. It’s blue screening a lot and it’s getting worse. I’m going to try to fix it, but…stop laughing…I should also be realistic.

Originally, this was going to be a “game only” laptop and really expensive for me. Now it’s going to be a “game and writing and research” laptop. They just don’t seem to make them like they used to anymore. I don’t think I’ve had this one for a year, and I’m already having problems.

Where I am not having problems is writing. This new version of Valentina’s Repast is coming along better. Valentina’s madness is growing at a good pace, and I am showing her trying to fight it, but the fight won’t really ramp up until she’s spent more time with Cady, the other female lead. Right now, the babysitter is still alive. Good for her!

The Lovecraft story I’m working on in my head is not coming along as quickly, but at least that’s on the backburner for a while. I have some ideas, I just need to shoehorn them in somehow. I might noodle with them over the course of the week and toss them out here to see what sticks. Who would think that working in worms, sky dragons and the end of the world would be such a headache?

That’s all for today. As always – there are books to the right written by both myself and dear friends, so feel free to examine and buy. Also, I have a ko-fi account, so please feel free to contribute to my near-crippling caffeine addiction. Until next week – stay safe and stay warm where applicable.