Sherri Fulmer Moorer's Blog

I'm a believer in the power of positive thinking and intention; however, I also realize the fact that life and energy ebbs and flows, and bucking the tide is a recipe for disappointment. I’m an example of that today. Off days happen, and I’m certainly having one. I had hoped to go to Oktoberfest, but it rained all weekend. A Nor’easter formed off our coast, causing us to spend the weekend in gloomy rain for the past two days.  They had the festival, but I didn’t feel like making my way through crowds in a soggy, muddy, cool rain to get some pork schnitzel, especially since my flu shot late last week had me feeling slightly steamrollered, achy, and sluggish. So we skipped it. We visited our friends and family, I finished my revisions on The Dark Mirror Trilogy, and plugged along with chores and errands. I made the best of it, and enjoyed time with people and progress with my writing. It worked out.

Then I woke up 40 minutes late this morning. Yes, the clock went off. My hand was asleep, so I gave it a minute for the pins and needles to pass before rising. Which it did over the next 40 minutes. Fortunately, I allow extra time in the mornings since my husband has to be in before I do (but he doesn’t have to work today due to an in service/weather make up day), so it wasn’t a tragedy. But the funk remained when the weather cleared today to a beautiful fall day. The day after Oktoberfest closed. Great. At least he had a free day to enjoy. I did not. It’s Monday the 13th. Yay.

I know, it’s not worth it. I guess the best thing is to give it space. I took advantage of what I had, and will focus on taking care of myself as my soul and energy rebound. I did read somewhere that it's normal to have your energy dip when the days get shorter. Maybe that's also a factor. 

Tomorrow is a new day, and isn’t good that the Lord’s mercies are new every morning? We can use it every day, but there are some days when we feel it more than others. That’s alright. I’ll keep at it. I will continue to do my best with this day, and roll with the flow of life as it comes. I always snap out of it sooner rather than later. I'll probably wake up back on track tomorrow.

But at least there's good progress with the writing. I got back my beta read on Refraction, Book One of The Dark Mirror Trilogy, and they loved it. It's well on track. So hopefully that will be out in 2026. And another newsletter is coming Wednesday evening. More on Sundown recommended Halloween reads, and the Christian origins of Halloween. Wait - what? Sign up on the home page to get this issue!

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week!

​Bye!

In my latest YouTube video, I talk about my nine-month journey to overcome the self-defeating belief that I’m not a good cook, and to get more comfortable in the kitchen. It truly has been a path of self-discovery to learn how I unconsciously picked up on a message in childhood, and took steps to overcome it in middle age. It’s also led me to identify and work on other self-defeating beliefs that have me looking in the mirror right now and saying “You’re 50 years old and you believe that? Take a look around! You’re the grown up now!”

It’s funny that I’ve known about self-sabotage since I studied psychology in college, but didn’t realize the massive impact it’s had on my life until now. But, as I often say during setbacks – don’t get mad, get busy. My recent discovery that manifestation is actually blocked by these self-defeating beliefs is radically altering my paradigm, my goals, and my relationship with myself.

Before we rush to blame our childhood, I’d like to point out that self-defeating beliefs originate from three places. Yes, childhood experiences of limitation or criticism in childhood are one place, but we also learn them from societal conditioning and personal setbacks. I say in the video that the cooking thing did originate in my home, but not from any personal criticism – in reality, my parents didn’t like to cook, often complained about it, and never put any value on it as a life skill or something important. However, I believe that my tendency for perfectionism came from teachers and administrators in my schools, who put me in the highest-level classes and were always pushing for more. Add to that the young Gen-X messages that “we girls can do anything,” and you can see that bar of expectation rising. It’s no wonder that former gifted kids lament about “I was supposed to be a lot of things.” Reality did not align with a changing world, which resulted in reinforcement through shifting societal conditioning and perceived personal setbacks as a result of these shifts.

The good news is that we have the advantage through neuroplasticity. That’s a $25 word (my grandparents would have called it a $5 word, but I’ve got to adjust for inflation) that means your brain can change and adapt in response to experiences, learning, and environmental factors. Basically, the very same things that planted those beliefs can be countered to rewrite them in our favor. Most of our self-defeating beliefs are rooted in fear of failure. We think we can’t, that we aren’t good enough, that we don’t have what it takes, etc., etc., etc.  I believed I could never be a good cook because nobody taught me to appreciate it and do it right – until my brother developed an interest in it, proving me wrong. We grew up in the same home with the same beliefs! If he can change, so can I.

Screw that. You don’t need luck, a mentor, money, time, friends in right places, perfect circumstances, more stuff, or a different life. You need to work with what you’ve got, which is more than you realize. If it’s in your heart, then it’s for you. Step up. Claim it. Own it. But first: acknowledge it. Be honest with yourself. As I said in the video, check your ‘but.’ Claim what you want, then wait to see what comes after the internal “I could do that, but –” Write down your ‘buts.’ Keep digging to the root cause of your ‘buts.’ Then get out the post hole diggers, uproot it with a new thought that you claim daily, burn the ‘buts,’ and take inspired action each day to prove yourself wrong. Of course you’ll start  small, but it’s ok – it will build. Just keep moving in the right direction and don’t give up, especially if you get tired or discouraged. One thing I’ve started doing is claiming my truth as I go to bed each night, and reviewing instances where I’ve already done it in other areas as I fall asleep. I felt like a new person in two day.

Bold, yes, but it’s going to take a bit of sassiness to break these chains, and you can. I’m proof of it. I’m using myself as proof to rewrite other nonsense junk in my brain! So folks, let’s welcome fall by getting out the post hole diggers and digging up the root of those limiting beliefs so we can fill ourself with the light of inspiration and positive action. We’re going to rip up those thoughts, toss them in the yard, and light a bonfire.

Anything that compromises you is not truth.

I heard that on a podcast this morning, and it struck me so hard that I wrote it out and taped it in conspicuous places at home and work where I would see it daily. Maybe you should, too. Or at least, repeat that along with your new affirmations, as you add the successes you achieve each day that prove your new truth. It is your truth. Nobody can take it from you. Break the chains of limiting beliefs and wipe the slate clean. Claim it. Own it. Live it. This is your world. Go out there and do something!

If you’d like more information, check out these resources:Manifestation Mastery: The Science-Backed Guide to Achieving Your Dreams, by Adrian HoltThe Real Reason We Self-Sabotage (and How to Stop) | Psychology TodayUnshackling The Mind – Conquering Limiting Beliefs And Negative Self-Talk
That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.

​Bye!

​I remember when I first read Stephen King’s The Stand. I was a senior in high school, and was captivated by the concept of how spirituality came into play with the survivors of a man-made apocalypse. Honestly, I still don’t know what amazed me more: that they brought about their own demise, or imagining what would happen if everything you knew fell apart and you had to start all over with a clean slate.

I think this is the true lure of apocalyptic fiction. People often describe it as a “safe space” for considering issues affecting humanity, exploring worst-case scenarios, and contemplating the consequences of our actions. All true, but I think there’s one more thing about it that draws readers in: it’s the ultimate “clean slate” that wipes away all you know and gives the world the biggest reset of all.

We do it often in life. It’s a series of beginnings, middles, and endings. Every ending is a new beginning, leaving us to carry forward into the unknown with nothing but ourselves and the wisdom we have. What if it weren’t personal? What if it were global? What’s next? There’s nothing like imagining what we would make of the ruins of a demolished world. Would we fight to bring it back, or start anew?

You can see how my take on what the apocalypse would mean has shifted over the past 12 years. If you read Splinter, you can see that I used to believe we would take advantage of opportunities to evolve and do better as a species. I wrote that novel during National Novel Writing Month in 2010, after a major job transition and a struggle with tendinitis in my right wrist that stopped me from writing for six months. I acknowledged that there are negative forces out there, but you can choose to embrace possibility. I believed that humanity would do that.

Then COVID happened, and I saw how humanity really reacted in the face of life-altering circumstances. I learned that I was wrong.

If you read Singularity, then you see my perspective shift. We talked about a “new normal” throughout the COVID pandemic, and then fought tooth and nail to bring back the same old “comfortable” things. So it is in Singularity. They were tired of scratching by and turned to their AI to speed up the recovery process, despite mounting evidence that this “comfort” was a lie and probably the cause of their problems in the first place. Exhibit 1 – the rejection of working from home. In 5 years, we’ve gone from “more productivity with a work-life balance” to “we aren’t effective unless we’re forced to leave home and collaborate.” I suspect it has more to do with control issues, but that’s another blog – for now, I’ll settle for using it as an example of how we did not walk the talk. We did not take control of our healing. We handed it over, letting the worst-case scenarios without the self-discipline to handle that freedom control the narrative, and we are back to where we were in 2019.

We learned nothing.

My mother recently told me that my grandfather’s older sister, who was a teacher, failed a student because he wasn’t making an effort. Failing students is no longer allowed, at least in my district school system. That generation lived through the Great Depression and two world wars. My grandfather and great aunt (and all of their siblings) lost their mother to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1919. This generation has survived a pandemic, argued over the scientific breakthrough of a vaccine, wiped out the moderates and all concepts of "middle ground" in the face of extremist opinions, and literally kills people over social and political opinions. You tell me who evolved.

Perhaps this is a harsh perspective. I realize this is a divisive opinion, but I stand by it. I had a boss who used to say, "try harder.” I respected that because I witnessed countless episodes of people stepping up and overcoming their “impossible odds” to get what they truly want. I do believe that we, as a society, should try harder.

I’ve been told to “dummy down,” but I refused, because I believe people are capable of understanding, doing, and being better.

I’ve been told to settle down and “accept reality,” but I refuse because I believe that limitations are in our minds, and we can achieve our purpose if we are bold enough to pursue it.

I’ve been told not to “rock the boat,” but rocked it anyway because I saw a storm coming, and was willing to allow “tomorrow me” to benefit from having a few waves propel me to a safe shore in a right direction, instead of capsizing in a storm.

I’ve been told that I’m an idealist, which is true of all sci-fi fans. We believe the potential to evolve is within us, if we put forth the effort to pursue it. I have changed my mind before, and would welcome changing it again. In fact, I beg you, please prove me wrong! If you don’t agree, then go ahead and comment. I could use some good examples to encourage me this week. In the end, I think that both novels come to the same conclusion: we can learn and grow from our mistakes, and find better ways to live our best life no matter what we face.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.

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In today’s YouTube video, I talk about what it means when you feel stuck or stagnant. I encourage you to watch the video below, because my husband ran across something interesting that changed my perspective on times when your soul feels like life is stuck in a box a size too small for your spirit. It’s something I’ve never heard before, and was a word in season that I didn’t know I needed.

It happens to us all. The “big shocks” might be what jolt us into action to change our life and manifest differently, but these “soul squeezes” are the reminders to keep us on track. The key to changing your perspective on this discouragement is all in how you utilize the items in your mental toolbox to flip the script from “why not me?” to “never give up.”

As I said in the video, I’m not about platitudes. Sure, everything has a season, and we’re all on unique journeys, but this is little comfort when you need something right now to motivate you to stay the course. Manifestation is an inside job, and the inside has to be in alignment before the outside can walk in blessing and light of your purpose. Here are a few things to recalibrate your vibe when you’re discouraged and need a “pick me up” to get back on track to build your life and purpose.Reflect on your journey. I know people say “don’t look back,” but a review can be helpful to clear your present perspective. Look back at old journals or social media posts and study how your mindset has changed over the months or years. We don’t notice the small shifts in how we think or feel along the day-to-day journey of life unless something happens to call it to our attention. These feelings are you call to attention. Heed it. I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at how much “inner work” has happened while life was happening to you.Take Stock of Where You Are. What does the realization of your inside change mean? What has that wisdom enabled you to do, to try, or to achieve, no matter how small? In my video I mention that I’ve been writing for 25 years, but only focused on actively reaching readers and promoting my books for the past 2 years. Why? I was learning how to write and publish books, and my personal journey just brought me to the promotion end of the business recently. The introvert side of myself had to master the “behind the scenes” work of creation before my mental and spiritual health were ready to probe the extrovert to take it to the masses. This is particularly helpful now, since all of the publishers for my early books (before 2011) have reverted rights to me, and I'm not free of contracts and a completely independent author and digital creator now. Talk about timing! Everything is an inside job, and the outside can’t manifest until the inside is in order and ready for it. It’s all about timing. Value your current progress, and take it as a sign that, while things look stuck, this discomfort means that changes are happening at the quantum level of your soul to move the universe where it’s supposed to be for you’re ultimate good. Take a Break and Pray/Meditate for guidance. I know this sounds like a platitude that I promised not to give you, but moving into the future is about realizing that it’s about your journey, not worldly standards or perspectives. I have a personal policy to stay off social media if I’m in a bad mood, because those are curated images. You can’t share the space of your soul, only the manifestation of truth, for better or worse, and that’s not helpful when you’re confused or upset. So shut it off temporarily and take time to pray and/or meditate for guidance on what to do with this. What’s driving these feelings? Where does this impatience, envy, or discontentment come from? What do you feel that Spirit is trying to tell you? Ask it to guide you to where you need to be, release it, and go about your day.What about advise? Proceed with caution. As I mentioned in #3, this is about your journey, and only you know what’s right for you. While it can sometimes be helpful, it can also be confusing. A person offering unsolicited advice led me to a breakthrough in my promotional efforts, but a lead from somebody else recently fell through, which is part of the inspiration for this video and blog post. Discernment is key. Spirit can speak to you through other people, but so can the enemy. Again, I say sent it through the filter of Spirit and inspiration to see if it’s in alignment with your soul and journey.Don’t give up. I recently bought a charm that says “never never give up” because it is true that we will reap, if we don’t lose heart. Inside work takes time and effort. We all get tired and need motivation. That’s normal and part of being human. So take a break, take stock, and rest in knowing that this discomfort is actually a good sign that the inside work is in progress and pushing for greater space. Don’t despise the day of small things. Mine them for all the diamonds and gold they have to build your abundance for the present and future.
That’s all today. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a wonderful weekend!

​Bye!

Would you trust AI to rebuild a world that it might have helped to destroy? While it sounds like the fundamental issue is whether or not we trust the AI, I think it actually points to something different. Obviously, we trust it. Otherwise, we wouldn’t rely on it for information, navigation, and monitoring and regulating routine functions. I think the question isn’t about whether we trust it, but rather how much we trust it. How far does this trust go? Where do we draw the line?

I did a read for a fellow author a month ago, and she surprised me when she asked if I could tell what parts she asked AI to help her write. I couldn’t. The entire manuscript read just like all of her other work, and blended seamlessly. She laughed when I told her that I had no idea that she had used AI to write the novel, and said it was probably because she went behind it and edited it to make sure it blended in perfectly. “It was work,” she said, “honestly, I don’t know if I saved any time, but it gave me a guide to building a manuscript that I was happy with.”

I can relate to that. I’m working on rewrites for The Dark Mirror Trilogy, but I’m relying on old-fashioned inspiration for these expansions and improvements. I want to create the manuscript entirely on my own, and turn to the AI to assist with the edits, especially with grammar and spelling. I trust the AI with the critical eye for the mechanics of writing, but not so much with the creation of my little worlds. Only I can hear these characters, and bear witness to their story. Or maybe I’m just possessive of my creation.

I think I used an important word in that previous paragraph: “assist.” I find AI useful in assisting in areas where I’m weak. Obviously, you can’t proofread your own work, and nobody has a dispassionate eye for words like AI. Likewise, I’m not a graphic artist. I can mess up a stick figure. Seriously, I painted the easel stand and my smock in kindergarten because I got frustrated with that gloppy mess on the paper. I just couldn’t pull off that type of “art,” but AI has been extremely helpful to me in creating graphics for promotional materials. I am also honest about it and careful about reporting it and giving credit where credit is due.

AI, like technology, is a tool. It’s designed to help us. I often say they’re called “smart phones” because they make us look smarter than we are – not because they actually are. The truth is that they are the creation of humans, and I believe their potential is as limited as our own. Sure, many of us have grown up with the nightmare images of Skynet taking over in the Terminator movies, and other stories of how our technology outpaces and outlearns us, but how likely is that? AI is a creation of humans, and humans are imperfect beings in an imperfect world. I think that, in the end, it’s a balanced approach on both ends.

Why do I believe this? I’ll continue this conversation on why I don’t believe AI will outpace humanity on my YouTube channel this weekend. Look for the post for the continuing conversation.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.

​Bye!

​Greetings one and all, and I hope you’re keeping cool during yet another heat dome this summer. I’ve spent my time under AC vents working on updating book promotion, and one new venture I’ve launched is a YouTube Channel. A series of events gave me the opportunity to record a promotional video for a friend and member of my book family, which led me to the idea of launching a whole channel focused on inspiration and writing.

My first video picks up on the recent passing of Ozzy Osborne, and how his Back to the Beginning concert inspired me to “step up” with my writing. You can see the entire video below on finding the courage to overcome fear and pursue your dreams and vision for life. Today, I’d like to talk about what it takes to start this venture, and three things that are vital to do it.

You often hear of what I call “trifectas of progress.” It’s usually three item lists that promise to give you balance and focus for the best life possible. Christians are told to read and meditate on The Bible, pray, and be obedient to the Holy Spirit working in them. Health experts and therapists say that eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep are key to a happy, healthy life. Certainly, these things are critical to living your best life, and I encourage you to heed them. However, I believe there’s one more trifecta you can tap into to overcome fear, reprogram your subconscious mind, and rise to the next level.

It all has to do with changing your habits. We naturally resist this because we naturally form habits to make life easier and save energy from excessive thought on repetitive things. The key is to use this tendency to your advantage so you can make your habits serve you and your purpose for life. To do this, you need three things:

Internal motivation. You need to clearly and specifically define what you want. Meditate and pray on what’s in your heart privately, and define a goal. Don’t ask everybody else for advice, because that will only confuse you and it will only be revealed to you. Outwitting the Devil, by Napoleon Hill, warns readers of the dangerous habit of drifting that most people are prone to – and defeated by. Too many people simply drift through life with no goals or purpose, taking what they find. The problem is that life gives you what you ask for, and if you ask for nothing, then you get nothing! Don’t be a drifter. Know what you want, and focus on it. And if you haven’t read Outwitting the Devil , get it through your library on Hoopla. It will teach you how to not fall victim to this common and all-too-successful trick.

Self-Discipline. Don’t wish for it, work for it. I recently ran across a quote from Bruce Lee that says “Make at least one definite move daily toward your goal” and pinned it to my Vision Board. One thing a day is an easy start to find a path toward the life that you want. A month ago, I asked a friend online one question that led me to adding a valued new member to my book team who has been a tremendous help and motivator for my writing and book sales and promotion (and led to the YouTube Channel). The path starts with a single step, and usually builds from there. Stay focused on the goal you defined and follow the Spirit promptings of inspired action. Keep moving forward, especially on slow or “down days.” You never know what will lead to a big breakthrough, and it always starts with the small stuff. Fortune favors the persistent. 100% of people who succeed don’t quit. 100% of people who quit fail. There are few absolute statistics in life, but those are two that are universal. Believe them, and live by them.

Personal Growth. Expansion is life and stagnation is death. This is a major theme in The Dark Mirror Trilogy, and is a fundamental truth of life. You need to know yourself, and dedicate yourself to evolving into the best person you can be. This is where those other trifectas come into play. You need to dedicate yourself to growth and evolution so you can fill the space around you. Don’t waste potential. It was put there for a reason, so use it! If you need help or inspiration in this area, read The Secret. It’s available through your library through the Libby app, and will inspire you to set your mind, heart, and attitude right so you can see the joy, gratitude, and potential in yourself and in the world. Take care of yourself, believe in yourself, honor yourself, and respect yourself. That last one alone will set you apart from most people.

Simple? No. Changing how you think and your habits is one of the hardest things you can do. If you watched my video then you know that I’m doing it with you, so let’s start a movement. Ozzy left us with a heck of a legacy. Now let’s create our own. Take up all of the space. It’s expanding (especially in this heat) so you might as well fill it with right things.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week!

Bye!

It’s finished! The rough draft of The Dark Mirror Trilogy is written! What’s more amazing is that I wrote the entire trilogy in about four and a half months. It took me five months to write the rough draft of Singularity.
How did I do it so fast, especially when Dark Mirror required a lot more research and development? All books are different, but one thing that made a difference this time is meditation.

I’ve been working on meditation for two years. My search for meaningful meditations recently led me to a suggestion to “ask questions” of your subconscious mind. When somebody shared the “Wise Mind” concept that seeks to bridge the reasonable and emotional mind into a middle path of wisdom, I had a breakthrough with the “ask the wise mind a question” meditation. This involves breathing, asking a question, and listening for the answer. I tested this meditation by doing it every night for the past week. The answers didn’t come immediately, but I usually either had an inspiration later or woke up the next morning with the answer. I applied it to my writing by asking “what happens next?” every night before I went to bed.

I wrote the rough draft of Book Three in eighteen days.

Results may vary, of course, but I was blown away. If you doubt that meditation can work for you, I urge you to rethink it. It not only helped me finish my trilogy (along with inspiration from other writer friends), but it’s changing my perspective on a lot of things. Just this morning, I was frustrated when my workout app crashed and I couldn’t do my Friday morning yoga, but I remembered the “Burnt Toast Theory” that interrupted plans could be leading to a better outcome or saving you from trouble later. Who knows, that crashed app might have saved me from a sports injury, bad traffic, or car accident on the way into work.  

I understand that not all things work for all people, but meditation is a tool that’s been beneficial to me in all areas of life. If you want to try it for yourself, I suggest the UCLA Mindful App. It helped me to get started, and is a tool that I continue to use in my daily practices.

That’s all today. Have a wonderful weekend.

​Bye!

Variants, Book Two of The Dark Mirror Trilogy, is written! I finished the rough draft of it on May 12, and am thrilled that 2/3 of this series exists. Now on to Book 3! This series has taken twists and turns that I didn’t expect. The story is deeper and more complex than I planned, but that’s the joy of writing. I love it when the characters and situations take over to create a more perfect tale than I could come up with.

To celebrate, I want to offer you a special freebie. Cymone had the perfect bachelorette party planned in an exclusive resort in Alexandria, Virginia, until a legal conference and a rock band crashed the hotel. Her efforts to save her plan go astray as she quarrels with the event manager and two other women trying to restore order to their own plans. When the event manager is found dead in the hotel pool minutes after their argument, everything goes sideways, and one of them is suspected of murder. It leaves Cymone wondering if surviving a day like this is possible.

A Day Like This isn’t published – it’s a special offer just for you. Grab this mystery novelette to start your summer reading with something different, and enjoy it while I work on a bigger trilogy to take you out of this world in the future!

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.

​Bye!

Work is rolling along with The Dark Mirror Trilogy. I’m in the middle of Book 2, and it’s gathering steam and rolling along well. Our recent vacation and “return to reality” gave me the reset I needed to break through the “sagging middle” and find my way through to exactly what these characters needed. If the end of Book 1 was “smack your protagonist” time, then Book 2 is “smack your antagonist” season.

I guess that makes Book 3 “smack everybody” season. Fun times.

In the meantime, life is all about writing, and the creativity continues to flow. I had a dream this past weekend that probably should have been a nightmare, had I not turned it on it’s head. Rick said it sounded like a story to him, and I agreed, so here it is.  I hope you enjoy it! 

​Dummy 4-28-2025

Jess sighed as she dug through the shelves, looking for the box with her cleaning supplies as she bumped against the old hospital bed.

The CPR dummy in the bed bolted upright . “I am Matilda the Miserable!”

Jess screamed and threw a wrench at the dummy, knocking her head against the wall of the shed.

“You’ll pay for that!”

Jess leaned over and picked up the head. “How? Your body’s over there.”

Madilda’s eyes shifted. “Oh.”

Jess pursed her lips. “Matilda the Miserable? It sounds like you need purpose in your afterlife. Come on.”

“What are you doing?” Matilda asked.

Jess replaced the head. “If you can sit up, I’ll bet you can run a vacuum. Or dust. Or clean bathrooms. Or even cook!”

“I am going to be your doom.”

“Dummy, I’m a middle age, perimenopausal woman.” Jess scratched her cheek. “Do you do cold spots? That could come in handy with hot flashes, especially during these humid summers.”

“Why should I help you?”

Jess swung her arm in an uppercut, knocking off Matilda’s head once again. She bent over. “Would you rather be my sparring partner in kickboxing class?”

“What happened to the older woman who had this bed?”

Jess replaced the head. “She’s gone. Now you’ve got me. If you’re going to haunt my house, you better help. Are you my maid or my sparring partner?”

Matilda pulled the box of cleaning supplies off the shelf.

Jess stopped before opening the door. “By the way, Fluffy’s chew toy got torn up yesterday, and they can’t deliver the replacement until tomorrow.”

“So?” Matilda asked.

Jess opened the door to a growling German Shepard. “I hope you can run fast.”

Matilda took off across the yard with the dog barking at her heels.

“Put it by the oven! That AC vent doesn’t blow hard enough to cool me, and I’m cooking a lasgna!” Jess yelled.

Now she knew why her friends haunted teenage girls.
 

I’m excited to announce that all of my books are now available on Audible! Love Audiobooks? I do too, and now mine are available in that format.

Amazon offered me an amazing invitation to publish all of my books utilizing AI Audio Assist a week ago. Audio books are something I’ve wanted to do for years, but I couldn’t afford to pay a narrator so it was a no-go for me. Amazingly, technology has now offered me one more avenue of opportunity to get my books out to the world: first ebooks, and now AudioBooks. Yay, technology! Yay, AI!

I’m not idealizing AI, which you know if you’ve read my work, but there’s no doubt that it can do some good. I checked into this and found that the audio quality with AI assistance is excellent. It’s definitely better than my NOAA Weather Radio, although there were several instances where I had to manually correct the readings of some names and dates. Some things are a mystery for the ages. It’s like how we can have crystal clear pictures of Pluto, but the security camera shots from the corner store that was robbed are so grainy that you don’t see anything but blobs and pixels. Or maybe it shows where the effort and money are spent to do it right. That’s more likely. Corner stores don’t have a NASA budget, and the fine folks typing in that weather forecast probably don’t have time to listen to the feed and correct “party funky” to “partly cloudy.” I can assure you that I took advantage of Amazon’s amazing resources, and that I spent time to ensure that these audiobooks do not sound like the bots calling with your doctor and dentist appointment reminders.

In true “harnessing the energy” fashion, I also entered Singularity in the Crave Books sci-fi giveaway. This is a great contest for readers to have a chance at winning a Kindle Fire 7 tablet and/or 20 ebooks. Don't miss out on this unique chance to expand your library and discover fresh, engaging stories at https://cravebooks.com/giveaway/science-fiction

I also decided to check out some other things. Remember “A Day Like This,” the long story I wrote when I had COVID late last summer that I deemed “unpublishable?” I’ve been doing a beta read for a fellow author, and it made me rethink that piece. I sent her “A Day Like This” over the weekend, and she liked it and had suggestions for improvement. I went back through it this week, and I’m going to use it as a book magnet for newsletter subscribers. 

Writing is also in progress for Book Two of the Dark Mirror trilogy. I renamed the first book Refraction, and book two, which is in progress now, is tentatively called Variant. It’s rolling along well, and I’m happy with it. It’s funny that I was thinking that there were three things I never thought I’d be when I was younger: a tea drinker (I love my lemon ginger tea now), a person with tattoos (I have two), and a sci-fi writer. Surprise, surprise, and all good.

It’s been a good, busy time with the writing. I’m definitely giving the SurfacePro a workout these days! Well, that’s what it’s for.

That’s all today. Take care. Have a happy Friday tomorrow, and a wonderful weekend.

Bye!