April started off with a bang for me and I was off and running. But about mid way through the month life was interrupted. Emergency room visits (everyone’s okay) combined with my PC and laptop infected with malware were the main culprits.
Somebody attempted to download something on both devices (the kids) and that’s where the trouble began. If anyone has had problems with Redirect, AdSense, AdBull, and such you know what I mean. They completely take over your computer and fill your screen with ads. Try to click out of one and two more appear. Then it's like a game of Space Invaders trying to get rid of pop ups that just keep coming.
 |
| This Is What My Screens Looked Like. Pretty Much. |
Performance is turtle speed at best. And the two local guys I trust to fix my computers were not available.
Toss in a few other unforeseen events and it was a very difficult second half of April. Anyway, I had fun. Just not as much fun as I could have if life was not interrupted.
On The Upside: I dusted off a WIP from a couple years ago I outlined called Murcat Manor. It's a play on words. Mur for Murder and Cat for, well ... Cat. Murcat Manor I rock and rolled on it over this past weekend and am up to fifteen thousand words already.
 |
| Template for Murcat Manor |
This will be a paranormal psychological thriller horror story with a synopsis soon to follow in an upcoming post.
I’ll be looking for an Indie publisher for this one. Thought I would try it out and see how having a publisher could work for me.
If you have any advice or know of really good Indie publishers, please leave them in the comments.
And Congrats!
Again to all who participated in A to Z!
Sorry you had so many issues!
ReplyDeleteI started writing again, trying to finish a manuscript I'd begun before the Challenge, but I didn't write a third of the words you did.
And sorry, I don't think my publisher takes thrillers.
I enjoyed all your posts Stephen, glad you got them through despite all the problems. Good luck with Murcat Manor.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephen,
ReplyDeleteNice to be here.
At last we did it!
I can very well relate to your experience
at this year's challenge.
Keep informed
Best Regards
~ Philip Ariel
Hi Stephen. I'm just dropping by to say thanks for all the hard work you put into the A to Z.
ReplyDeleteI'm just getting into my other writing projects now, but I'll be back for a proper visit later.
Mr Stephen!!! You've had some adventure here with your A-Zing but more importantly I'm so glad you and your family are ok (emergency room visits!!! Yikes!). HUGE congrats with your A-Zing!!
ReplyDeleteI hate hate hate hate adware/malware/and all these nasty annoying viruses! I hate them and all those who create them! May their skin turn putrid and fall off! LOL! I'm at the moment battling a fake java update notice and it's something I could really do without! Aaaaaaargh!! LOL!
Awww but well done you with Murcat Manor!!!!!! How exciting!! Looking forward to reading more about it - I love a good mystery thriller, me!! Yay! take care
x
Congrats on finishing A-Z. Sorry about the computer problems. We have a problem with a black screen but just the mouse showing. Looking for our original Windows disk to try to repair it. Or maybe take it to the repair shop like you did.
ReplyDeleteAmazing, that's what the A-Z participators are (and I sorta love that amazing has an a and z in it...). Glad things are back on track for you.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand how life interrupts the wants. Glad everyone is ok and not still in the hospital. I'd not have made it through the A to Z had I not pre-scheduled my posts for the same reasons.
ReplyDeleteSpyware/Malware is just horrid. Hope everything worked out in the end.
And wow! Love the Mercat Manor photo. And good on you for getting started on it! Progress is amazing! :D
Jamie Dement (LadyJai)
My A to Z
Caring for My Veteran
Sorry for all your technical difficulties. I also had a few. Not this time, but I've had that nasty ad virus, too. Blah. Your novel sounds interesting. Thanks for all the efforts you put into the challenge this year!
ReplyDeletePlay off the Page
That pic of all those pop up ads sent me spiraling back to a time when my old Dell laptop got caught up in an ad storm just like that. Couldn't accomplish a single thing so I can understand your plight there. Sorry to hear of the ER visits but glad everyone's okay.
ReplyDeleteKeep at it with your MURCAT MANOR ms. I don't have any small publishers to recommend at this time, but maybe soon when I get a chance to make some headway with a story that's been pecking at my forehead for a while.
One day computers will actually work like they're supposed to. We'll all be dead by then of course, and robots will rule the world, but still, it'll happen.
ReplyDeletemood
Moody Writing
Need to monitor those kids. Will Murcat Manor have lots of cats?
ReplyDeleteI have a rule that my kids are not permitted on my computer. I learned about the problems with stuff they download when we all shared a desktop. I really enjoyed your science posts this year. I don't write mystery but I'm sure you'll find some great indie publishers out there.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for being a part of the amazing hosting team...the challenge rocked! I made the most out it although I was 12 days late for the challenge...got to know about it late.
ReplyDeletehttp://vinodinii.blogspot.in/
I can empathize with your computer problems. I've never had the malware pop-up problem on my home computers but several years ago I had that problem on my shipping computer at work. The folks back there must have been doing something they weren't supposed to be doing and it took me a lot of time to clean that thing up.
ReplyDeleteHere at home I just have slow old computers I guess, or maybe networking problems. I don't know much about any of it so it's been difficult to get it fixed.
Good luck with the writing and hope your computers stay clean.
Lee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to stop by and thank you directly for co-hosting the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. :-)
The View from the Top of the Ladder
Hi Stephen .. oh crumbs - I am sorry ... if the machine goes down we are 'sunk' aren't for a while. Hope it get sorted and we see you up and around and fighting fit soon - looks like June ... Good luck though ...
ReplyDeleteMurcat Manor sounds fun .. and so pleased you're taking time to get writing .. all the very best - cheers Hilary