There is not much I can personally do to help out during these stay-at-home days, or so I thought. But of course I can! I write books. I can give away free kindle copies.
Free kindle Downloads March 23 - March 27 (5 different titles)
An added feature is that my works are mostly fun mysteries & capers, light-hearted, take-your-mind-off-the-world, laugh a lot books.
How about a trip to Bali? Broadsided in Bali
Or Tel Aviv ? Murder, Jaz, & Tel Aviv - Jaz, Tall Men, & Mayhem
Travel from Monterey, California to Mexico. Bad Accounts
And a bit of Magical Realism in Brazil, with The Many Wonders of Costa Contente.
I am trying to set up a free promo with my latest A Neapolitan Intrigue, but am having a bit of trouble. That should be resolved soon.
Please enjoy!
Plans for getting a lot of writing done were not realized today. I blame it on the fog and cold. Try as I may, this brain does not creatively function in such conditions.
Yes, I do realize that is a rather poor excuse.
To anyone stuck at home and thinking of writing, how about turning the next month into a NaNoWriMo extravaganza? What people are able to accomplish during the event that takes place every November, never ceases to amaze me. They actually do have a physical headquarters, which I visited a few years ago.
The Office of Light and Letters
One could also use the time to read some light-hearted, fun, escapism books. All of my titles would suit the bill. If you have Amazon Prime, kindle editions are free.
Tomorrow, I hope will prove to be more productive!
It's the first day of Mandatory Self Isolation. As said previously, I self-isolate most days as a matter of choice. Still, I wondered if anything would feel different. And there were changes. No traffic, for one.
I live on a fairly busy street. It's not big and wide, not in the middle of a large major city, but it is a commute route for folks trying to cut through town. Commute hours are the worst. But this morning, at around 6am, scarcely a car rushed past on its way to wherever it is cars go.
It continued to improve. The workers on the mansion down the street, for the first time in nearly two years, did not arrive. A day without tile cutters, drills, machinery piercing the ears of all the neighbors, is better than almost anything I can imagine.
The day was off to a good start. Why not try and drive to the supermarket to see if anything was available? Those three cans of beans were not sounding so appetizing. Maybe they'd have toilet paper and hand sanitizer, although I doubted it, after last nights rush to Stock Up Before Mandatory Stay At Home orders. (which does not include shopping, but that did not seem to register with the populace.)
First, I made a quick stop at the 7-11 convivence store, for completely unnecessary items. Who knew that 7-11 carried eggs? Who knew I'd ever buy real food at 7-11? I then realized that I could forgo making a pointless trip into Safeway for another few days. By the end of the week, there might be foodstuffs back on the shelves.
I drove by a couple of CVS pharmacy stores but did not bother to go inside. On the door they had posted a large sign stating: No Toilet Paper, No Hand Sanitizer, No Bleach, and so on.
On the way back home, I drove by Peet's Coffee and was surprised to find they were open. My coffee supply is running low, and although I have been reduced to instant coffee in many places I have traveled to around the world, it was not a thought I relished. I bought my pound of freshly ground beans in a store that had removed all tables and chairs. I sort of wanted to dance, what with all the open space.
As I sit here in the afternoon, (neglecting that latest book I should be pounding out), I keep marveling at the stillness in the air and the lack of engines revving up and down the street. It is very odd indeed. But quite wonderful.
The entire San Francisco Bay Area is now officially on lockdown.
Regrettably, I don't live on a charming Italian street where the residents come out on their balconies to sing with their neighbors.
Fortunately, I live in a house with a lovely garden I can work in...provided the rain stops and it warms up. Except that we want the rain after almost no winter wetness here. I can wait.
I have no problem avoiding restaurants and nightclubs and concerts and crowds. I am basically a loner, by choice, and am happy with my own company most of the time. I hate crowds at all times. So all in all, the Shelter in Place mandate actually doesn't change my life.
The problem lies in the food chain and the hoarders. I'm not a big person. I do not require a lot of food. Still, I sort of need to occassionaly eat.
Last week I took an a friend to Trader Joe's market. It has never been my market of choice, but usually I pick up a few things. However, once at the front entrance I told my friend I would wait for her outside. The place was packed tighter than a can of sardines with lines clear to the back of the store. My concern was less corona virus than claustrophbia and the commom cold.
A few days later, I went down to the local Safeway at 7am. I thought I might beat the crowds, and I may have. However, the store was by no means early morning empty. The poor employees rushed to unpack and shelve items. They looked knackered. I tried to make cheery remarks and thank them as I went about trying to get a few items.
No eggs, no tofu, no soy milk, no oatmeal, one package of suspicious looking chicken. (which I left on the shelf.) I got the last pakage of spaghetti. No toilet paper, no cleaning supplies, no tissues. What are people thinking? What happened to the concept of sharing?
And now we all have to be locked up and only go out for necessary items. I am a little unhappy that I might have to go out into the Germ Zone every single day until I find a package of toilet paper, or a carton of milk. I know I will never again see a bottle of bleach or container of hand sanitizer.
The lockdown goes into effect at midnight. I'll give it a few days before I once again try to find some sort of protien. The three cans of beans should last until then.
