The sunspots have open up the HF frequencies to where amateur radio stations from around the world are coming in loud and clear.

I have spent most of my free time on the radio contacting other "Hams" around the world. I use both Voice and Morse Code. It is quite exciting to talk with someone from another country, even if it is a quick hi and bye contact.

Another amateur radio operator friend of mine here in town is a doctor. He and I are sort of competing to see who can make the most contacts. So, far he is ahead a little bit, but of course he lives in the country where the sky is open to his antenna instead of being among trees in a city.

Being that the bands we operate on are so open, there has not been much time or effort to get back on the rewrite. I am up to chapter 14, so it is a slow process and of course this distraction doesn't help.  But, winter is coming and not being able to go and do things will free up some time for the rewrite.

What do you do in your spare time?  Leave a comment and let us know what it is you like.

Until next time,

John

Really glad there is no snow here as I hate snow. I hate the cold too, but can't afford to move away.  Colorado had a big snowstorm and then the east coast.  Maybe we could be missed altogether all winter long. Wouldn't that be nice?

Daughter-in-law is giving a speech on eBooks, so I told her to show my book covers as her props.  Maybe somebody will buy one from her class.

Editing the novel is really slow as I cannot seem to get rid of this headache that I have 24/7. I hope the eye surgery later this month will do the trick. If not, then something else will have to be done. It is hard to work reading something when your head is pounding.

Of course the local so-called hospital said the CT scan was normal. They also said that about my wife's lungs, that a medical doctor, not from that hospital, said showed COPD.

I will be doing some more work on video games stories in the near future. That should be interesting.

Just think, about 55 days until Christmas. Have you made your list yet?  I made mine and it was laughed at, so that emptied my list.

What is on your Christmas list?  And tell us what you think winter will be like.

Of course, we would like to hear about how your writing is going too.

Comments can be left below.

Until next time,

John

I can't believe it has been a month since I was able to write here. Workload has been really busy, but now for a couple of weeks no more essays to grade. Of course it won't be long before the new batch comes in for the next nine week grading period.

It has been a very hard week already, as we lost one of the great students in a car accident the other night. This young man was very talented in music and an excellent student in the classroom as well.  A well liked by all young man that will be missed by everyone for a long time.

On the writing front there is a story brewing with a style of writing that I have never done before. If it can mature into something, it might be just the ticket to make someone happy to read it. Of course this will be a long road to completion, as I said, I have not written this style and will take a lot of close work to make sure the writing is just right.

Yes, fall has arrived and we have been enjoying Indian summer for the past couple of weeks. Tomorrow it is to change back to fall like temps and rain.

I hope all of you are enjoying the weather and are able to get some writing done while doing so.

Why not leave a comment at the bottom and let us all know how you are doing? 

We would all like to hear what you are up to.

Until next time,

John

The last story went live on Kindle and Smashwords this week.

She Rises at Dawn is about Patricia Michaels, a female Private Eye in Chicago that must find a missing rich wife.  Wonder if you can solve it before she does?

Get your copy here for Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005LT33AE        or you can get it at Smashwords for many different eReaders: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87125

The other three are still alive and one has even been downloaded 140 times. Good number of books out there with people.

What comes next?  Patricia Michaels is begging for a new case. There may be one in the future for her. Inspector Carlson is yelling that he is tired of sitting on the sidelines and wants a new case himself. Shame they are in two different locales.

The novel front is moving slow. Hopefully, my Muse will return as summer is done, and if I lucky she will spend the winter here in northern Indiana.  I know how stupid can she be to want to stay in an area where the snow falls knee deep at times.

I am hoping that she has had enough of the sunny beaches and wants to spend time making snowballs or skiing.

She should have some good ideas after her long rest in the Islands.

What is your favorite thing to do in the winter? 

Leave a comment and let us know if you want more from Michaels or Carlson, and don't forget to tell us your wintertime activity.

John

Last week we started the first of the quarterly writing prompts. the only difference this year from past years is that we are not having the students print them out, since they do not have print abilities with their Macbooks.

We get to grade them as PDF documents on the Macbook.  Staring at that small screen will most likely damage some eyes before too long. I was thinking and held on to my old monitor and hook it up to the Macbook so that I can see the documents in a larger format.  My eyes are bad enough now, don't need to strain them more.

Labor Day weekend is suppose to be the last big fing of summer.  Ours was not all that great! 

My son's golden retriever/Lab went upstairs with Rebecca, my daughter-in-law and his tail hit a storm window that was leaning against the wall. It broke into big pieces and he sliced off about two inches of skin which cause him to start bleeding.

Vet said once their tail or ears get cut they will bleed to death and the muscles in those won't let them blood clot. Naturally being a Sunday the only place open is the emergency vet about an hour away.

They had to put him out and finally take off about 4 inches of his tail, then sew it up. However, he is still bleeding from the incision. He goes back to their vet tomorrow for dressing change and check-up of wound.