Floppy Disc? Seriously!!!!

I came home this morning from helping out a neighbor, and found the kitchen table covered in old computer gear and modems from the last twenty years. Apparently the attic was being cleaned out, and Mom decided that they needed to go. I mean seriously, why would we need these old computers around? But before saying good-bye, I had to plug in the old e machine, for sentimental reasons. This is the computer that I used to type out my first complete copy of Adventures of Amy book one.

It's funny how my perspective has changed. This computer used to be REALLY cool because it had a disc slot! Now I look at it and think . . . "Is that a floppy disc slot? How old am I?"

I'll never forget the agony of typing a sentence, and then sitting back and watching the letters appear one by one in slow motion. Moving the mouse across the screen was an ordeal of it's own!

I typed in Works Word Processor, so when I decided to upgrade, I had a fit getting the file to show up on my 'new' old computer. It showed up as gibberish, but my oldest brother came to the rescue and somehow got the next computer to read my file.

Do you see the black line on the screen? It used to scroll by very consistently. I tried to save it to a USB stick, but after right clicking the document, the only options to 'send to' were either floppy disc, or CD ROM. Since the CD slot didn't work, that left me with the floppy disc option, and I don't have many of those sitting around . . .

Wow. Reading the unedited version of book one that I typed out when I was thirteen is . . . it's hard to describe. In some ways, it's hilarious! I mean the story has changed SOOOOO much since then. I mean I have a totally different villain! In other ways it hurts. I want to just grab a red pen and hack it to pieces! The grammar, the story line, and pretty much EVERYTHING about it is AWFUL!!!!! I wonder if in another few years I'm going to look at what I'm writing now and groan at it?

I tried e-mailing the document to another computer, but when I tried pulling up the internet, it said . . . Dialing . . . And I'm like "WHAT!?!?!?" I'll never forget the days of dial up. I remember being across the lawn, at Grandma's house and calling home to ask Mom a question, but the phone said busy. "She's probably using the internet. I'll just run home and ask." It was so natural at the time! Now, dial up seems so . . . old. 

Do you see all those cords, and the size of that thing?!?!?!!? I'm REALLY THANKFUL for my laptop!!!!

Craft Show!

  A LOT has gone on since the last time I posted! In the near future, I hope to do a post with pictures from my trip to the National Bible Bee in Texas, and other things that I've been doing, but for now, I wanted to give you some information.

         November 25th and 26th in the Roseau High School, I'm going to be working at the 'Country Corn Maze Christmas Booth' during the craft and vendor show. If you're interested in buying any of the 'Adventures of Amy' series, or the Mystery at the Corn Maze book, I'll be there selling them. Mystery at the Corn Maze will be $7.50 and the individual Amy books will be $8.50. If you're interested in buying the entire 'Adventures of Amy' set, there will be a special. All four books for $28.00.  If you know someone who's read the first three 'Adventures of Amy' books and hasn't gotten the fourth one yet, it would make a great Christmas gift!

Above is a picture from our craft show table last year. This year we've got a little more space and we're looking forward to seeing you there!

If you want to look at a few of the other things Mom's been working on for it, you can check my family's blog at www.greenpasturesfarm.blogspot.com

   

Interview with Amy Penner

      Here's a little interview I put together with nine questions to help you get to know Amy Penner from the 'Adventures of Amy' series a bit better. I've also included a few pictures of 'Amy' that didn't make it to the book covers. (Thanks KNJ!)

1. What is your life motto?

  “Well, it’s obviously changed off and on, but since I became a Christian, it’s probably been ‘Trust God.’ I mean I’ve had other mottos as well, but ‘Trust God’ is the one that I always went back to. It just seems to fit with every situation.”

2. What is your greatest regret?

“Umm . . . well . . . probably that I didn’t get to grow up with my real family.”

3. Who are your heroes?

           “That’s easy, Dad and Mom, and my brother-in-law Jim. Dad and Mom have always been there for me when I needed them, and Jim’s just . . . well, you know Jim. He’s a hero to the core.”

4. If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

             “I would stay home. I’ve been around the country and I’ve never been anywhere that I liked as much as home.”

5. What would you like to change about your life?

          “My life? Umm . . . well . . . nothing that I can think of. Well, I would like to change the fact that Uncle Keith hasn’t gotten saved.”

6. What is your most valuable possession?

                “The Bible that Dad gave me when I thought I was leaving the Penner farm for good.”

7. What is your most embarrassing moment?

          “I would definitely have to say that it was the time I met Timothy. I didn’t know he was my brother, and I accused him of being a thief. We were at an airport and I actually called security on him, and later that same day, I called Grace his wife. Yeah, it wasn’t my day. You probably haven’t heard about that though because I had Priscilla edit it out of my book. It was just too embarrassing.”

8. Do you have a strong memory that’s stuck with you since you were a small child?

          “With Uncle Keith and Aunt Fay? It would probably be the time they took me to the Grand Canyon for my ninth birthday. I remember a lot about that trip because we all seemed so happy on that trip. I remember us laughing together and having such a good time. In those days, I always gave a wish when I blew out the candles on my cake and I wished that we would always be that happy. I know now that wishing doesn’t do any good. I honestly thought that wishing would make it all stay that way. It was right after that trip that I got bone cancer, and then Mom died shortly after that and then Dad started stealing money and. . . Well, it doesn’t really matter now; I’ve learned that God has a reason for everything.”

9. What words or phrases do you tend to use all the time?

         “Well. . . I guess it’s probably the word ‘well,’ I tend to use it more than I should and . . . Well, you know what I mean.”

IT'S HERE!!!

Alright, so for all of you who have been 'breathing down my neck:)' I got my final proof copies in the mail and have proofed them!!!!!!!

So now, all four of the 'Adventure of Amy' books are for sale on Amazon! (If you have the 'thick' 'Adventures of Amy' than you already have the first three)

I've also made all of my books available on kindle!:)

Now I realize that my books aren't perfect. Sometimes the printer gives them redish tints, or whitish tints on the covers, and I know you could probably find some grammar errors if you tried; but I can't tell you how excited I am to present these books. I've learned sooooooo much through the process of writing them, editing them, formatting them, and publishing them. I want to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone of you that helped me out in any way, especially those of you who prayed for me.

Now... drum roll please... I present to you NEVER FORGET, book four in the 'Adventures of Amy' series.

Unexpected trouble... slander of the innocent... and government agents. The fuse is lit and Amy feels that life as she knows it will be gone forever. After a year on the Penner farm, Amy doesn't want anything to change... but change does come. Brent is missing and the farm is falling apart. The new pastor and a new sheriff just complicate things. Amy can't figure out what is going on. What secrets does their land hold? Why is the government involved and how does Dr. Josh fit in? Join Amy as she learns to wait on the Lord.