Linda Nelson

Who ever thought society needed cellphones should be held accountable for all the car accidents in the past ten years. People just don’t get it. They don’t even seem to care that it is now a crime in most states to talk, let alone, text while driving. Is it really that important that the message can’t wait until you have pulled your car over on the side of the road out of the way?

I remember phone booths. Oh does that make me sound dated? Heck, I don’t care. It really wasn’t that long ago when we would stop at the nearest payphone on our way home from work to make that urgent call that couldn’t wait until we arrived at our destination. You know, the ones that took a coin to operate?

The other day, I saw not only one person trying to text and drive but several that were either texting or talking on the phone. Do they do it for the fun of punching the buttons on the device? Oh wait, what buttons, most phones now have touch screens. So how does one text and drive while using a smartphone? If you tip the thing the wrong way, you’ll be standing on your head.

It is amazing to see how important that call really is. Oh right, life and death important. That’s why you just missed that car you sideswiped into that ditch back there. Too bad the driver never stood a chance when his car hit that tree. You never noticed it did you? That’s because you were too busy looking at you phone screen instead of what was in front of you on the road.

Imagine what you would do if you suddenly looked up from your phone to see a bull moose standing in the path of your car. Too bad you didn’t notice it a few feet ago. Your car is a total wreck, and you’re getting a ride in the ambulance. I wonder if you’ll live to tell about it.

Is that your phone still in your hand? Figures, you can’t wait to send that next text.

After months of looking and looking at book covers, I’ve finally come across new ones for Aaron & Keja and Witch Book. These books are going through their updates while I write this post. Very eye appealing.

Also, a new title for Friends of Choice. Ever since I wrote and published this book, the title had an odd sound to it. I can’t blame readers for not liking it. I thought and thought about what else I could call the story and nothing until now came to mind. I’ve finally settled on changing the title to What Karla Wants. It’s what the story is all about anyways. Throughout the story, the only thing she cares about is what she wants. Teens can be so selfish in their early years. They think they know everything when they know nothing at all. Just as is said in Game of Thrones to Jon Snow… “Jon Snow, you know nothing at all.”

I will slowly roll out these updates over the coming weeks. Then I will feel free to move on with my new works in progress, which I’ve been plinking at over the past couple of weeks. It’s just that these covers and a title have been troubling me for quite some time. I had to do something about them so I could move on to bigger and better things.

I’m thinking that my NaNo this year maybe the next book in my Orgarlan Saga. The next book is long overdue.

Today, I’m visiting the local bookstore. A friend of mine, Linda Kepner is having a book signing. She’s the one responsible for introducing me to RWA. I’m so glad she did. I’ve learned so much since joining, and I’m not done learning yet, either. There is so much to learn about writing and publishing and everything changes so fast.

Summer is in mid-swing. I’m feeling better than a couple of months ago. There’s so much to do and not enough time to get it done. I don’t mind. It will all get done in the end.

How’s your summer going? I’d love to hear.

How’s the writing? Are you having trouble with writer’s block? It happens. Keeping a writing journal to jot down daily 15-minute free writing sessions helps. Try using those ideas to form your story. That’s what I’ve been doing lately.