I haven't gone anywhere

I haven't gone anywhere. I've been very busy with the move to Georgia, and while I've been reading the board, I've just not been posting anything.

But one thing is giving me cause to pause.

It seems as if no one has even noticed that I haven't been posting. Until Betty mentioned my name on another thread, I doubt that most realized that I've been missing. At least, no body has commented on it.

I think a lot of Alice, not so much of Lane. I hate that Alice left the board, but I always thought Lane was a lot to condescending. It always seemed to me that he thought his opinion was the only one that mattered. Some of us feel that way part of the time, but he seemed to feel like that always.

One more thing I've noticed. Without some of us that don't mind disagreeing some of the time, many topics seem to lose interest. I haven't seen a lot of threads lately that I thought really needed me to post my opinion.

Say what you will, but a few heated words do more to generate interest in a topic than all of the nice, polite, totally in agreement posts that are made.

Anyway, I've haven't left, I'm just very busy. Moving from one state to another is a big undertaking, and I'm busting my butt trying to make sure it all goes well.

Don I hope the move is a smooth one. We are preparing to head south in a couple of months, but there is much work to do in order to get the house ready for selling.

Although I have found much of Lane's info worth while, I felt that he often 'talked down' to people, and added a little humiliation to his posts. It seemed to me that he comes across as a school teacher who was belittling his students. But I tend to ignore that kind of thing when possible. I come from being very overly sensitive, and learned to give folks the benefit of the doubt. That means I am difficult to offend.

I have enjoyed many of the deep discussions that did not escalate into name calling and mud slinging. Those are the ones I learn from, even though opinions differ, they offer things I did not consider sometimes. It is too bad that we cannot all allow others to hold differing opinions, and keep an open mind.

Yes, controversy makes news too. I agree with Zada though about name calling, etc.

I noted you were not posting as I usually look for your posts, and I've been less long-winded myself as I put the second edit with the editor on Ghost Orchid. It's getting closer to publication each day........

It's also interesting to see how the editor can change a word or two that makes all the difference and keeps the voice in tact.

How's the novel coming? And I missed the Georgia part - why Georgia? Anywhere near Red Top Mountain? I love that area around Cartersville.

I noticed, Don, but then I haven't been posting much either. Been
trying to stay busy writing - and staying cool - which is relative in
this high humidity and a heat index that is usually 5 degrees higher
than the actual temp.

Hi Don,
I noticed that you weren't posting and made a false assumption. It puzzled me, but I thought you may have joined the gang that left in a huff for greener pastures.
Assuming is usually erroneous and this is a case in point.

I missed you, Don, but figured it had to do with the time of year when all boards slow down. Hope the move to Georgia goes well. . .and glad it is you and not me. You said earlier your new home will be Savannah and if that's correct it is the place I would choose in Georgia.
I always enjoy posts by Lane because he says things the way newspaper people did before the coming of computers. Blunt, straight to the point because there wasn't time for sugar coating. I like that, seems like old times. I hope he returns.

Any speaker must know his/her audience to be effective.
"Throwing pearls before swine" is about as foolish as dishing out crap to those already informed. Many educated people lack common sense. The audience will dictate the style and manner words of wisdom should be delivered if it is to be worthwhile.

Don, when you don't post for a while, I just assume you are working on something. You are prolific, and when you don't post, I miss you, but I know lives get busy sometimes.

dkchristi wrote:

I've been less long-winded myself as I put the second edit with the editor on Ghost Orchid. It's getting closer to publication each day........

It's also interesting to see how the editor can change a word or two that makes all the difference and keeps the voice in tact.

I'm so glad to see someone acknowledge an editor. Someone on here, and I won't mention names altho he's always shown with his pipe, mentioned something on another thread about hot-shot editors changing an author's voice.

Boy, is he full of hot air!

A good editor makes sure to leave the author's voice intact or that editor would soon be out of business. An editor makes suggestions and may demonstrate how cutting here or there improves the pace, or how revising several paragraphs can make a section more clear.

When I'm editing and make those kind of suggestions, I always use the author's own words, and I never remove the author's wording. I want my client to see both versions to decide which is best.

I can almost guarantee that every successful writer with the majors has been through the editing process, and still, most people can tell the difference, other than genre, between a Stephen King and a Nora Roberts book.

Don,
so people won't think I disappeared for no reason, I am leaving early tomorrow to Virginia for four weeks. I hope to check in from time to time.
Bye

Have a great time, Abe. Be glad you're not coming to So CA. We're having temps in the high nineties and low hundreds.

Hi Don!

I envy you, Abe. I am looking into my Va ancestors right now. I'm caught up in the area around Martinsville, Henry county. Where will you be?

Ann

Someone on here, and I won't mention names although she's always wearing a black dress, posted a libelous and slanderous comment about someone who is always smoking a pipe. This is an outright falsehood as that person just posted his new driver's license photo and there isn't a pipe in sight.

By the way, did I tell you the one about editors? There was this editor, see, and. . .

Have a great trip, Abe!

I missed you, Don. And Phil too. (I know that isn't proper, but I wrote it the way I said it out loud. So There! *grin*)

Anyway, I missed you guys. Just figured you were busy and would post when you had time. That's the way I am lately: posting when I have time, though I read the posts.

I am glad you are both fine. Have a safe move and a wonderful settling-in.

Savannah and Charleston are two of our favorite cities along the coast. Hope you enjoy your new home.

Malcolm

Back again.

Busy, busy, busy, but we're up over the 40,000 word mark on the new book. I wrote about 4,000 yesterday, then polished on it a bit this morning. I'm liking it more every day.

While Savannah is one of our favorite cities anywhere and we'd like to be moving there, this move is not the one. I once posted that if I could retire anywhere, that's probably where it would be. Maybe in the future.

We're moving about 50 south of Macon, way out in the woods near our daughter. We like the area, we're close to her and only about 3 hours away from one of our sons, and since Helen has pretty much got burned out at Sprint, we decided to go ahead and make the move. Our lease is up here at the end of the month, they want to increase the payment by about $150, and we just said the hell with that.

Helen may or may not find a part time job, I'm planning on sitting in the middle of 20 acres of pines and red dirt roads and working on my books.

The new book, Sundown Two, is getting more exciting as Phil and I explore the world that exists after the greatest natural disaster we've ever seen. Nothing we knew is still the same, and unless our guys can stop the weaponry at the Sundown Bunker, all life on the planet will end. Damn, I hope we can figure out a way to prevent that.

E Don:

Quote :

I'm planning on sitting in the middle of 20 acres of pines and red dirt roads and working on my books.

What paradise! Like Arthur's knights who began their quests in the darkest part of the forest...
Ann

Assuming you can stay awake on I-16, you can get to Savannah for a visit fairly easily from the Macon area. Meanwhile, enjoy your new locale!

Malcolm

Uh-oh! Hope this was not part of old Camp Wheeler.

We're already talking about Savannah for our wedding anniversary. We hit 44 years on September 10.

Congratulations on the upcoming event, Don. I hope you do something really special while you are in Savannah.

Shoot, as much writing as you do, the volume will probably triple once you get moved and settled in.

It's hard to imagine a more romantic place than a bed and breakfast in old Savannah (well, it's all old) but where all the turn abouts are; there's a cafe run by the art college's culinary chef that fits right in.

With a little imagination and a horse cart in the early morning when the sun rises before the "off to workers" hit the road, it's like time travel backwards.

I was fortunate to experience that morning once, with the sun shining through the due on the moss. My soul smiled.

Abe F. March wrote:

Don,
so people won't think I disappeared for no reason, I am leaving early tomorrow to Virginia for four weeks. I hope to check in from time to time.
Bye

Did you see a green truck with a white trailer? That was me. I just drove through Virginia last night.