I bought 2 books in the end from Amazon with my gift vouchers, earned playing games, and I still had £5.02 left. The books I bought were both writers’ guides. I really am a sucker for writers’ guides, but I’d like to think I’m getting more discerning in my choices. There was a third book I could have bought too, also a writers’ guide, but I wasn’t sure it was worth the £13 price tag. Not for one book by someone I’ve never heard of.
The poet had already carried on making tea by the time I closed the office for the day on Monday. We had fishcakes and my contribution was putting the jacket spuds in the oven. And then I made a pear crumble. We had that with home made ice cream.
First thing Tuesday, I had such great plans to continue on from where I’d left off the day before. I hadn’t done everything I wanted to on Monday, so I was just going to carry on. Over breakfast, I started to read one of my 2 new books. But then I got embroiled with probate stuff again. Several texts and emails later, and I’d lost around 2 hours. That’s a chunk to lose out of your morning.
Nevertheless, I still made it to my desk before the morning was over and I started by starting today’s blog post. One of the books I bought was on writing a cosy mystery step by step. I started to read it and wanted to carry on. It was a conscious effort to turn the tablet off and concentrate on work.
I skipped study but updated my reading log. Then I went straight into THE SECRET OF WHITEHORSE FARM. The garden birds started to taunt me again through the office window, so I broke off to go and top up their feeders. Then, when I tried to read one of my books at my desk, I discovered that a certain ebook retailer are using *another* suffix on their files to reduce copying.
I understand why they want to reduce piracy, I really do. But I think this is more about monopoly than that, to be honest. I think that if we’ve bought a book, then it should be ours to read on whatever device we wish. Also, we should be able to backup our libraries, and unless we know how to make the conversions, we can’t do that.
Yesterday I tried to open up one of my new writers’ guides on my old release version of *the reader*, and once again it wouldn’t open. My options were to only read on *the reader* apps, or update *the reader* for desktop, which is what they want us to do. And I was feeling really disheartened. However, I did some research, and I discovered that the conversion companies are now keeping up with them.
Nevertheless, it was still with caution that I updated the reader. I found, downloaded and installed 2 updated plugins for the library converter, then held my breath…and it worked! I’m sure there will be another roadblock in the near future, but for now, at least I still have the installer for the earlier version of the reader if I want to revert back.
That all took quite a lot of time and before I knew it, it was dinner time. I made a salad, using an extra jacket potato I’d thrown in the oven the night before, and I caught up with a few news stories and some blog reading. The dog wanted to go out on the front again (no steps, bird’s nest in the bush), but this time he didn’t want his wheels. I caught him trying to sneak into where the nest is again and grabbed him just in time.
Peering into the hedge, though, it looks like the blackbirds have moved house. There was just a broken blackbird egg on the ground, in amongst the roots. The poet had found one on the driveway a few days ago too, so they must have a predator that also knows where they are.
Back at my desk, I wanted to read again. I mean, I had a shiny new reader and wanted to see how it was better than my old version. So I allowed myself a chapter. Or two. Honestly, I’m such a rebel. But it didn’t look any different.
Then I started work on a bit of an experiment. I’m keeping it under the radar because I keep seeing advice regarding not sharing what you’re writing until it’s written. Or a draft at least is written. So this one is going to be my Undercover Project. I started by creating a Scrivener file that might be a template in the future. There’s a lot to go in it, including structure and guidance notes.
Finally, the exercise books I ordered arrived and I put those in a safe place, along with my stash of Post-it notes. The time had run away with me by then, and it was time to close down for the day. I could hardly wait to carry on reading my new glut of books.
Sometimes the reading time is as vital as what looks like work! You still got quite a bit done. And the probate, what a nightmare.
I’m doing a lot of reading at the moment. I think I’m starting to go cross-eyed!
I thought Probate was done and dusted…Silly me.