Whoa, Back Up There…

We’ve all been there at some point or another. We work hard on something on our computer, then some random anomaly happens and *poof*, it’s gone. And then we want to scream and cry and stomp our feet. Right? Right.

I am paranoid about backing up my work. I used to test all kinds of software for a living, did it for almost ten years, so I know exactly how glitchy it can be. I don’t exactly have the greatest confidence in the tool that I use every single day: my computer. Most of the time, the code behind the software works the way it’s supposed to, but sometimes it goes off and does really weird things. Even really solid, high quality code can go all ADHD every now and then. Software programmers know this better than anyone, and I know one who backs up his personal computer every single week. It’s practically a professional setup, with a huge storage device that can hold an image of his entire hard drive. Needless to say, if something happens to his computer, he’s set.

The rest of us? Not so much. We don’t have the time, money, or knowhow to set up something like that. It’s too much hassle. But, there are things we can do to safeguard the really important things, like our manuscripts.

The best thing you can do is keep at least three copies of your files, all in different places—the key here is to choose the right place. If you keep a copy on your computer and then two different thumb drives, they’re all still in the same location, so to speak: your home. If your computer gets a virus, all three documents could still get infected. Also, if there’s a fire, or if someone breaks into your home and steals your electronics, you’ll still lose everything.

I actually have copies in four different places. Two in my home—one on my computer, and one on a thumb drive—and two offsite. There are some excellent offsite storage options available today. Google Documents is one place. It’s easy to use and you have a good amount of storage available for free. This also allows you to work on various computers without the need to carry around a thumb drive, and no worrying about losing it. You can also share your documents with specific people, in case you’re collaborating with someone or want him to read your work for feedback.

Another place is Dropbox. You do need to install it on whatever computer(s) you’re using, but once you do then you have access to Dropbox’s offsite storage. They also have a handy ‘version’ feature, where they will store the various versions of your documents for up to a month. If something goes wrong with the version you’re using, you can retrieve the previous one and not lose all of your work. Also, if you find you need more storage space, you can buy more for not too much money.

Yahoo Groups is another option. This is meant for multiple people to use together, and you can even create a group email that will send messages to all members. A couple of trusted writer friends and I use this to store our work, and when we’re ready we’ll ask the others to read and give us feedback. Yahoo Groups has a huge amount of storage so multiple people should be able to use this space easily.

These are just three offsite storage options, but there are probably more. Do you know of any? If so, please share!

Winner of the March Book Giveaway!

It's the last day of March already, so it's time to announce the winner of this month's giveaway for these three books...

And that person is...

Midnyte Reader!!!

Congratulations!! I will get your books out to you asap. As for everyone else, stop by next saturday for something extra special. I'll have three ARCs to give away, plus a signed hardback! You know you want it... :)

39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers 1 - 3

The Cahills aren't the only family searching for the Clues. . . .
The Cahills thought they were the most powerful family the world had ever known. They thought they were the only ones who knew about Gideon Cahill and his Clues. The Cahills were wrong.
Powerful enemies —the Vespers— have been waiting in the shadows. Now it’s their time to rise and the world will never be the same. In Vespers Rising, a brand new 39 Clues novel, bestselling authors Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman and Jude Watson take on the hidden history of the Cahills and the Vespers, and the last, terrible legacy Grace Cahill leaves for Amy and Dan.

This is another set of books in the 39 Clues series. The same characters return, but the plot is different: the Cahill family has come together, of sorts, but now there us a new enemy. The Vespers. And they want something that Gideon Cahill, father of the splintered family, once protected. Beginning with 39 Clues book 11: Vespers Rising, this new story has hit the ground running.

I enjoyed the first installment for the most part--the hunt for the 39 clues. Once all the authors got a mutual feel for the characters, the story flowed nicely. The clues vs. questions had a good balance and I was always looking forward to more.

This next installment is similar. The pacing is good, the characters are consistent, and the story is just plain fun. There have been a few moments where I didn't quite buy the logistics, but these moments are small--the rest of the story doesn't hinge on them--so they don't bother me. In fact, both my eight year old son and I are hooked and we are eagerly awaiting the release of book 4 this fall.

There are also seven short stories, called 39 Clues: Rapid Fire, that were released last December. My son and I have been reading these as well, and enjoying them. They aren't necessary backstory for the Cahills vs. Vespers series, but they do add another interesting layer of information. And they are just as entertaining as the books.

If you liked the original 39 Clues series, then you will probably like Cahills vs. Vespers since it is more of the same. I think boys of all ages will love it.

More Inspirational Quotes

Here's some more great quotes for you. Enjoy!

If you tell me, it's an essay.  If you show me, it's a story.

- Barbara Greene

A kid is a guy I never wrote down to.  He's interested in what I say if I make it interesting.

- Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

When a writer talks about his work, he's talking about a love affair.

- Alfred Kazin

The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.

- Robert Cormier

I discovered that rejections are not altogether a bad thing. They teach a writer to rely on his own judgment and to say in his heart of hearts, 'To hell with you.'

- Saul Bellow

Half my life is an act of revision

- John Irving

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart...

- William Wordsworth

Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion. Technique alone is just an embroidered potholder.

- Raymond Chandler

Every writer I know has trouble writing.

- Joseph Heller

If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I’d type a little faster.

- Isaac Asimov

Real seriousness in regard to writing is one of two absolute necessities. The other, unfortunately, is talent.

- Ernest Hemingway

Writing is the hardest way of earning a living, with the possible exception of wrestling alligators.

- Olin Miller

The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean.

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Once the grammar has been learned, writing is simply talking on paper and in time learning what not to say.

- Beryl Bainbridge

Sunshine Award!

The totally amazing Tyson Devon McFrost, aka Frost Lord, gave me a totally amazing blog award last week: The Sunshine Award!


Here are the rules:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and provide a link.
• Write a post about it
• Answer the questions below.
• Pass it on to 10 bloggers who you think really deserve it and let them know
• Answer 10 Questions:

1. Favourite colour: Yellow
2. Favourite animal: Dolphins, but not in that stereotypical girly-girl way. Dolphins are smart, and that's awesome.
3. Favourite number: 16
4. Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Warm milk with a splash of vanilla
5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook 
6. My passion: Writing and spending time with my family
7. Getting or giving presents: Giving, definitely! It's not that I don't like getting presents, because I do. But I get far more pleasure from giving than getting.
8. Favourite pattern: Anything that's complex
9. Favourite day of the week: Saturday! Especially with this unseasonably awesome weather we're having.
10. Favourite flower: Daisy

These are the people I'd like to pass this award to:

Kelly Hashway

PJ Hoover

Jenn Hubbard

Janice Hardy

If you haven't checked out any of these blogs, you should because they are awesome! And definitely go visit Tyson, because he is great fun. :) Thanks again for the award, Frost Lord!

Writing Exercise: Ghirardelli’s Ice Cream

As promised, here’s a writing exercise I did several years ago. It’s a memory instead of a mundane task, but the focus is on all five senses. Enjoy!

***

The sweat rolling down my back soaked into my shirt and plastered it to my skin. Cars zoomed down Michigan Avenue, horns blaring and tires screeching. The acrid exhaust mixed with the sweltering air, choking me. I really wanted to go for a dip in the pool, but it was closed for cleaning. I would have to settle for the next best thing: ice cream at Ghirardelli’s. I practically ran down the block to the cheery blue and white striped awning.

I opened the door, and the air conditioning washed over me like a wave of relief. A smiling lady handed me a menu, and I stood in line next to the soda bar. Kids and adults perched themselves atop tall bar stools with red vinyl cushions, eagerly watching the employees make malts and sundaes. Soon, they’d be making mine.

But what should I get? There were so many choices! The World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae had two scoops of vanilla ice cream, warm chocolate syrup, and lots of whipped cream. The Golden Gate Banana Split had three scoops of ice cream, a banana sliced down the middle, crushed pineapple, sliced strawberries, chocolate syrup, and even more whipped cream. Yum! I decided on a butterscotch sundae, though, and placed my order.

I found a place to sit next to the window with the awning, where a man was wiping off some tables. The marble tabletop was still damp when I sat down, and smelled faintly of soap. I ran my fingers across the wet streaks, the marble cool on my fingertips.

A woman brought ice cream to the family sitting next to me, and the little boy squealed with delight. He stuck his hand into the whipped cream of the nearest sundae and spread it all over his face.

Another woman set my sundae in front of me. It was huge! The long-stemmed glass was filled to the brim with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch, and a huge mass of whipped cream—topped with a cherry—covered the whole thing.

I shoved a spoonful of whipped cream into my mouth. It was light and fluffy on my tongue, like I imagined a cloud would taste. I dug my spoon deep into the sundae, emerging with a dripping mound of ice cream and butterscotch. The sweetness of the ice cream blended with the richness of the butterscotch, and the cold soothed my hot tongue and throat. I took another bite, and butterscotch rolled down my chin. Giggling, I wiped it off and sank in my spoon for a third bite.

Slowly, the sundae disappeared until all that was left was a mixture of butterscotch and melted ice cream. I wrapped my sticky fingers around the stem of the glass and scraped out the last bite—tink-tink-tink! I put it in my mouth, slowly drew out the spoon, and pressed the butterscotch against the roof of my mouth. I let it ooze down my throat, savoring every last drop, then dropped the spoon into the empty glass.

It wasn’t a dip in the pool, but it was close enough.