School Day

  I am taking a course this week in learning how to use Amazon Ads and (hopefully) really make them work. I've previously run a couple, but with very little results. So far, I'm pretty happy with what I've learned, although it's way too soon to tell if anything is happening as a result.

But this is not a class in theory. We have real assignments to create ads. Today was labor intensive. If you haven't previously created Amazon keyword lists for your books (not just the 7 keyword slots they give you when you post your book) this takes a bunch of work. My brain is fried, but I have three ads running, one based on title keywords, one on authors, and one on subject-based keywords. We are supposed to focus on one book this week, so I chose The Secret Cellar. It's not a free book, and it's first in a series. All good choices.

No wonder I haven't been getting Amazon sales on the kid's books- they don't show up in searches even of categories they are listed in. The Secret Cellar doesn't even come up first on the list if you put in the exact title. Amazon is a grim mystery of its own.

Needless to say, I did not do anything else today. Have the pretty sunset. So nice of the cloud stripes to line up parallel with the electric wire!

And here is the ad with the new "hook" copy that is being run.

See That Mystery Tree

Still Not Quite

  Spent another 4.5 hours on the well pit project. Still not done, but 4.5 hours closer, right? I decided that paint was the priority because there may not be any days warm enough to be painting for a while. I got all the exterior painted brown, and the trim boards. It would be cute with white trim, but I decided I'd rather it just be unobstrusive. And what I just claimed isn't quite true. I still have to buy 2x2s for the corner trim. But those pieces can be cut to fit and then painted in the house because they are small.

I have the trim boards and drip edge on 5/8 of the perimeter. It will take a little bit of fussing around the hatch, which is why that part is not done.

Then I decided to do one of the short pieces of rolled roofing to see how that would go. Well, it's OK. It's awkward to work with. But I saved money since I only had to buy one roll.

It was starting to sprinkle, and although we aren't supposed to get any real rain, I decided to quit. It was after 6 pm, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to finish the outside before it got dark, anyway.

So, I had to cover it all up with the tarp and blocks again. I managed to mash a finger between a block and the edge while lifting one of the blocks. I iced it for an hour. Purple and fat, but not very sore. I think I just broke a blood vessel.

In other news, I spent all morning on the course I'm taking with its assignment.

Did I tell you the copies of The Lonely Donkey have arrived?

See It's Hatching

More Autumn Color

  Have some more samples of autumn color. I took these on my walk to the bank and the post office.

I was very surprised to see some blooms still on the yellow rose bushes by the bank.

These two maple trees are magnificent.

And a flower bed that is still looking nice. I thought these must be zinneas, but they smell like marigolds.

I never got to the well pit today. I spent all day working on book sales record-keeping and other author-related stuff. Make no mistake, if you are going to do the self-publishing thing, you are running a small business. Then I went to bell choir practice, and grocery shopping.

I squeaked into a vendor event for this Saturday in Baldwin. The first copies of The Lonely Donkey came today, so I'll have them available.

See Yellow Rose of Michigan See That Mystery Tree

That Mystery Tree

  When Robert was here the other day we were talking again about the mystery tree back by the railroad tracks (because he's a tree enthusiast, so we often do botanical things together). It seems to be some sort of hybrid cherry tree, although it has never borne fruit. Some years, it is exceptionally beautiful, and it has a lovely shape. This was yesterday

It looks more mysterious today. And wetter

The rain didn't actually begin until late afternoon. I probably could have worked on the well pit. However, in the morning I was taking a class and doing an assignment about book advertising (which I'll be doing all week). Then in the afternoon I did some volunteer work, and read another book.

I thought I was done with this blog post, but the after-rain sunset decided to be a bit showy. That tree again. I do love it.

And the view straight west.

Trying to make my mind get busy cooking up the details of the plot for the next Dead Mule Swamp mystery, but I'm continually drawn to the next Dubois Files book. Making notes, and trying to steer myself back to the other series. We'll see which one wins.

It looks like two more days of nice temperatures, then more rain, and then significantly colder. I'm going to try to finish the above-ground work on the well pit in those two warmer days.

See Finally Some Color

It's Hatching

  I spent five hours on the well pit today. Didn't get quite as far as I'd hoped, but it will have to do. The lid is on, and the hatch is attached.

The first second thing I had to do (the first was go to the store again) was haul those sheets of plywood off the top and line them with the 1" thick used but still good foam sheets. It had to be made to fit around the rafters.

Then I figured out where I wanted the split for the hatch to be. The answer is that I didn't really like any of the sensible choices given the width of the rolled roofing sheets. So, I picked what I hope is the least problematic of the options that gives me a large enough access. Then a cross-member needed to be fitted between the rafters to give the hinged area some extra support.

Cut the plywood, and attached the hinges. Works fine. See top picture.

By then I was running out of time and energy. I knew I couldn't get as much done as I had hoped. But it's supposed to rain a lot tomorrow. So I tacked the tarpaper in place with plenty of overhang for finishing. Yes, I know I covered the hatch. I can just slit along the edge the next time I am able to work on this.

Then I covered it with the raggedy tarp held down with cinder blocks and rocks again. But I think with the tarpaper underneath it, lapped properly, the plywood will stay dry. Hope so.

There is no other news. Waking up this morning was exceptionally nice. I was warm and lazy in bed, and there was a cool breeze coming in the window. It was just perfect. I had a ginger-pear scone, and my coffee, and finished reading a book before I decided to get busy.

See Four Out of Three