NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Bundle!

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for 2015 is coming up, and I imagine there are a lot of writers who would enjoy another good book on writing or two. Or five. Or how about twenty-five, all in one bundle? It’s a great collection—and no, I’m not part of it.

Here’s the full scoop, which I’ve shamelessly lifted from the Book View Café blog:

BVC is delighted to be included in StoryBundle's 2015 NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Bundle. Not only is our Brewing Fine Fiction anthology part of the bundle, so are two additional guides by BVC members: Writing Horses by Judith Tarr and Writing Fight Scenes by Marie Brennan.

Never heard of StoryBundle? It's where you can get fantastic ebooks at one low pay-what-you-want price. DRM-free means you can read them on just about all the devices you own, no matter who makes it.

• Pay the minimum $5 and get Brewing Fine Fiction plus five other great titles.
• Beat the bonus price ($13), and get seven more books including Writing Horses and Writing Fight Scenes.
• Opt into the 2nd tier bonus ($25) and get the 2014 NaNoWriMo bundle as well, for a total of twenty-five fantastic writing books!

Plus Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to charity.  
National Novel Writing Month happens every November. Thousands of writers all over the world take up the challenge to produce a novel in a month.

This toolkit offers great advice from a multitude of seasoned professionals including Kevin J. Anderson, Lawrence Block, Algis Budrys, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Dean Wesley Smith, and Al Zuckerman. Curator Kevin J. Anderson writes:

Here, to get you ramped up for the marathon, I've curated a baker's dozen of instructional books on all aspects of writing, from craft, to productivity, to business, to career advice, to specific areas of expertise. Presenting, for the second year in a row, the NaNoWriMo Writing Tools StoryBundle: a massive batch of useful books that will help you survive—and thrive—during National Novel Writing Month—the full spectrum of useful information. You name your own price, whatever you feel this batch of books is worth, and part of the money you pay goes to help the supportive non-profit NaNoWriMo organization. 

I put together these books from the general to the specific, a treasure chest of books vital to your success—not only in writing your novel but in launching your long-term career as a successful writer. This is a toolkit, a drill sergeant, a mentor, and a cheerleading section, all in one.

For complete details and to pick up your bundle, visit 2015 NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Bundle.

Me again. I picked up my bundle last night. Limited time offer. What are you waiting for?

Massive Ebook Sale at Kobobooks!

This one took me completely by surprise. Starting today, Kobo is running a huge half-price sale on all ebooks published directly with them by the authors (through a program called Kobo Writing Life). That’s a huge number of books, and includes all of mine. Time to stock up! And they’re paying authors the full royalties, so you can buy knowing you’re not just getting bargains, you’re helping authors get a boost.

Here are the details. The sale is a little different in different countries. And you have to use the coupon codes below.

Canada

October 28th – October 31st

Promo Code: CA50SALE

United States/Australia/New Zealand

October 27th – October 30th

Promo Code: GET50SALE

United Kingdom

October 30th – November 2nd

Promo Code: UK50SALE

Promo code is valid for 50% off select eBook purchases from this list.

Here’s a link to the page listing all of my books:

Treat or treat! Go get ‘em.

I Hate Raking Leaves, and I Hate Leaf Blowers. But Drones, Now...

Via the Washington Post, here’s a video of a leaf-clearing method I could get into. The guy's broom breaks, and he looks for another solution:

I Guess I’m Not 25 Anymore

I hadn’t played softball in at least twenty years, and when a bunch of people at our church retreat (on Thompson Island, in lovely Boston Harbor) got a game going, I thought, Why not? It’ll be fun! And it was, for a while. I can still catch a ball, and throw it reasonably accurately if not far, and even smack it for a base hit when I swing a bat! Amazing!  Especially since I was never very good at that stuff even when I was at my athletic prime.

What I can’t do, apparently, is run without injuring myself. Racing for home plate, I was about two strides from home when my left leg seized up and went out from under me, and I face-planted (dug a furrow in the ground with my nose, I think), and slid to a stop with my hand on the plate. My first thought—You look like an idiot. My second thought—PAIN!!! And I commenced rolling on the ground, trying to stretch the cramp out of my leg.

Well, I managed to give myself a pretty good hamstring pull, and now I’m hobbling around wrapped in an Ace bandage, giving an occasional yelp when I move in the wrong way. Luckily, I already have an appointment with the physical therapist tomorrow, for an Achilles tendon problem, so I’m covered there. And I have a classy-looking cane acquired years ago for costume purposes, so I’m covered there. But I count on walking and bicycling to get my exercise, so I'm more than a little concerned about slipping into worse shape while I heal.

But never mind that. To answer what seems to be everyone’s first question:

Yes, I scored the run.