Father Knows Best

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 242026
 

Anybody who has followed my blog for very long knows that I am totally inept when it comes to tools, and I don’t fix things. That’s because I follow the advice that my father gave me a long time ago.

When I was a teenager, a thousand years ago, my first car was an old Chevrolet Bel Air with faded blue paint, worn upholstery, and well over 100,000 miles on the odometer. But to me, it was the best car in the world. One of the hottest things you could do to a car back in those days was to install a set of clear spark plug wires that glowed when the motor was running. So I hurried myself down to the local Kmart and purchased a set.

Back home, I couldn’t wait to get started, and I tore off all the old plug wires and started plugging new wires in. It only took a few minutes, and I jumped in the car and fired it up, eager to see how things looked. Well, I didn’t fire it up, I tried to fire it up. It would turn over, but it wouldn’t begin to catch.

Stumped, I got outside and checked that all the wires were plugged in securely, and I knew I had plenty of gas, so there shouldn’t be any reason why it wouldn’t start. But alas, it would not.

My older brother Jack and his family were visiting, and I went inside and asked if he and my dad could take a look at my car and see what I was doing wrong. That’s when I learned that there is a thing called a firing order, and certain plug wires needed to be on certain spark plugs, not just slapped together willy-nilly, the way I did it.

It didn’t take long for my dad and Jack to get things straightened out, and when I started the car, it ran fine. And boy, did those plug wires glow, just like the ad said they would!

That’s when my dad gave me a piece of advice that I’ve followed to this day. He said, “Son, there are guys who can fix things, and there are guys who pay people to fix things. You’re not a guy who fixes things, so figure out a way to make enough money to pay people to fix things for you. It will be faster and cheaper in the long run.”

There’s an old saying that goes, “When I was 16, I thought my father was the dumbest man in the world, but about the time I hit 30, he’d turned into a genius.” I am proud to say I didn’t have to wait until I was 30 to realize what a wise man my dad was. It only took me two or three more attempts to fix something before I took his advice, and I’ve stuck to it ever since. He was right, it’s faster and cheaper in the long run.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of Muddy Mouth, the fifth book in my friend Carol Ann Newsome’s Lia Anderson Dog Park mystery series. A Fourth of July parade, 89 feral cats, and a missing author aren’t anything Lia and her schnauzer can’t handle. While the dog park gang trains their fur-babies to participate in Northside’s famously eccentric Fourth of July parade, starving artist Lia Anderson is building a float commissioned by Fiber and Snark, the cat-rescuing knitting club managing the career of local best-selling author Lucas Cross. Then Lucas disappears at a book convention, someone attacks Lucas’s accountant, and Lia is the only one the ladies of Fiber and Snark trust to discover the truth while protecting a secret no one suspects they have.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – Stupidity is expensive.

Rest In Peace, If You Can

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 232026
 

I’ve been all over this great land of ours and in a few foreign countries, too. In my travels, I have visited some amazing cities. New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle, to name just a few. Along the way, I’ve also popped into Tokyo, Saigon, Manila, and a couple of places in England. But in all of my travels, I would have to say that Savannah, Georgia, is my favorite city, hands down.

I don’t know if I believe in things like reincarnation, but if it is for real, I think I may have lived in Savannah somewhere in a past life. Every time I’ve been there, I felt like I was coming home. I love walking down the streets where the trees form tunnels over the sidewalks and vendors sell their wares in the squares every couple of blocks. I enjoy the historic waterfront, wandering through beautiful Bonaventure Cemetery, and admiring the stately old Victorian homes and antebellum mansions in the Historic District.

One would be hard-pressed to be able to see and enjoy everything Savannah has to offer in just a single visit, which is why we have been back several times. But in all my stops in Savannah, one thing I only recently learned about is that the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is the only such facility in the world with two graves in the middle of an active runway. Who are the people buried there, and why?

The answer dates back to 1929, when the Savannah Municipal Airport opened on 730 acres south of the city. In 1932, the name of the airport was changed to Hunter Field.

Decades later, with World War II underway, the United States War Department established a base called Chatham Field, where bomber crews were trained before going into action. The push to get more trained airmen overseas resulted in expanding the military operations, and the federal government negotiated a lease with the city of Savannah for 1,100 acres, including Hunter Field, as well as buying adjacent plots of land.

Within the land they purchased was a family farm established in the 1800s called Cherokee Hills, which was owned by Richard and Catherine Dotson, descendants of the original owners. Among other things on the property was a family cemetery with approximately 100 graves, including enslaved individuals.

Part of the negotiations for the government to acquire the property was that all but four of the Dotson ancestors were relocated to Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah. They also specified that the graves of Richard and Catherine Dotson, along with two beloved relatives, Daniel Hueston and John Dotson, be left undisturbed. Today the graves of Daniel Hueston and John Dotson still lie in the grass just off the edge of the runway. And the graves of Richard and Catherine Dotson, who both died in the late 1800s, are embedded in the 9,350-foot main runway, where thousands of people land every week, most not knowing the history underneath their airplane.

Federal law requires that family members be allowed to visit the graves, escorted by airport personnel. These visits require advanced coordination with airport authorities because the runway has to be shut down for safety and security reasons during the visits. The epitaph on Richard’s grave says “At Rest,” and on Catherine’s it says “Gone Home To Rest.” But I have to wonder how much rest they’re getting with so much activity going on right above their graves.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of Muddy Mouth, the fifth book in my friend Carol Ann Newsome’s Lia Anderson Dog Park mystery series. A Fourth of July parade, 89 feral cats, and a missing author aren’t anything Lia and her schnauzer can’t handle. While the dog park gang trains their fur-babies to participate in Northside’s famously eccentric Fourth of July parade, starving artist Lia Anderson is building a float commissioned by Fiber and Snark, the cat-rescuing knitting club managing the career of local best-selling author Lucas Cross. Then Lucas disappears at a book convention, someone attacks Lucas’s accountant, and Lia is the only one the ladies of Fiber and Snark trust to discover the truth while protecting a secret no one suspects they have.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – The truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.

Where Am I?

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 222026
 

For a while yesterday, I kept asking myself, “Where am I?” In our days as fulltime RVers traveling around the country and living on the central Florida coast and in Alabama, we are no strangers to tornadoes. From the Midwest to the South, they are just a fact of life. But not here in Arizona.

However, yesterday, much of the state was under a rare  tornado watch as strong storms wreaked havoc across the Grand Canyon state. The news reports had pictures of trees down all over the place, roofs ripped off of buildings, and cars washed away in floods. The first thing we did yesterday morning was take up all of the lawn chairs and everything else that wasn’t nailed down off the front and back decks and put them in the garage.

We definitely dodged the bullet because, while we got some wind and sporadic rain, it was nowhere near what was expected. However, the small town of Heber, 35 miles west of us, wasn’t so fortunate. A tornado touched down there, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. So far, we haven’t heard any news of injuries, and we are hoping for the best for everyone in the area.

We’re supposed to have more strong thunderstorms today before the system finally clears out. Terry has an appointment with the eye doctor this afternoon, but if things are nasty, we will call and cancel. There’s no reason to risk our lives for something that’s just a routine examination.

It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of Muddy Mouth, the fifth book in my friend Carol Ann Newsome’s Lia Anderson Dog Park mystery series. A Fourth of July parade, 89 feral cats, and a missing author aren’t anything Lia and her schnauzer can’t handle. While the dog park gang trains their fur-babies to participate in Northside’s famously eccentric Fourth of July parade, starving artist Lia Anderson is building a float commissioned by Fiber and Snark, the cat-rescuing knitting club managing the career of local best-selling author Lucas Cross. Then Lucas disappears at a book convention, someone attacks Lucas’s accountant, and Lia is the only one the ladies of Fiber and Snark trust to discover the truth while protecting a secret no one suspects they have.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – If you’re persistent, you’ll get it. If you’re consistent, you’ll keep it. If you’re grateful, you’ll attract it.

Author Spotlight – Janelle Molony

 Posted by at 12:08 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 212026
 

In an effort to introduce my readers to other authors and their work, every week I run an Author Spotlight, sharing information about an author, their work, and how they go about writing their books.

Janelle Molony is a prolific nonfiction writer with stories about women, wars, and the West. Her work promotes the active preservation of women’s voices and the equitable representation of their perspectives on matters of U.S. history. Molony creates vibrant YouTube content and has garnered a fun and friendly following as the “Hottie Historian.” Her latest book is Birds Gone Wild (And Other Stories of Arizona Ostrich Ranching)

A conversation with Janelle:

When did you decide to become an author and why?

Becoming an author is the result of my passion for research. I don’t usually set out to tell a story. What readers see is the abundant overflow of an adventure into the past that was simply too much for me to contain to myself.

How long have you been writing, and what was your first book?

I’ve been writing poetry and songs since I was a child. In college, I wrote a few short plays. They were weird, and I have moved on from that phase. My first book was a memoir that was birthed out of a well-received blog. I’ve also moved on from that genre to write almost exclusively in nonfiction history.

What genres do you write in?

Now I write nonfiction, primarily on women, wars and the West. I write for academic journals, serials, publications such as the Tombstone Epitaph, for family history blogs such as GenTales Magazine, and of course in book form when a topic warrants the attention. Like with the original poetry, songs and plays, I still enjoy presenting stories with some sort of scandal or deeply emotional journey that readers of today find catharsis in.

How many books do you have out?

Nine are available for sale, though three are contributions rather than exclusively my content. Three more are sitting on the computer waiting for inspiration to strike so I might finish them. One of the realities of writing for profit is the tradeoff between work time and payment. Each time a new story begins to realize itself, I ask: “Should I work for over a year on this and beef it up into something big then hope for earnings at a later date (or maybe nothing at all through an academic publication)?” Or: “Should I find a reasonable cutoff point, keep things light and submit this as an article or blog to get published faster and with more immediate payout?” The takeaway here is that not everything needs to be a book, and authors who like money need to diversify.

Are you trade published, independent, or a combo?

I am published in major trade and academic journals, featured in international documentaries and speaker series, hosted on national television, radio and podcast channels, in addition to self and hybrid publishing.

What is your writing style? Pantser, plotter, or something else?

I’m usually writing in an accordion fashion. I start with the most exciting parts of the story, or the landmark truths. From there, I build out and connect the threads. I’ve found the most difficult part of the story to be the first chapter. I do better writing that last, once I know what I want to hint at and what I want to keep the readers blind to. I’m also becoming more aware of the AI-powered systems that are intelligently recommending content to new readers using those first 10-20% “free preview” pages. From now on, my first chapters will be SEO optimized.

Do you write more than one book at a time?

I always have multiple writing projects in some degree of unfinished state. I have a folder on my desktop titled “Abandoned WIPs.” One Word document in that folder has a title and one sentence. I know that’s going to be a great story, and all the research has been completed for it… I think I just need to reach a certain point of insanity or euphoria to come back to writing it.

How much research is involved in your writing?

I’m an intense researcher. I love the hunt and sense of building a puzzle. Once I’ve satisfied myself with seeing the full picture, though, writing it down can feel like a chore. Some stories will remain mental mountains of research I’ve summited for my own pleasure.

Where do you write? Do you have a home office, write in a coffee shop, or what?

I have a home office, but I’ve found that when a book is being birthed, I need to go out into the world and write in a coffee shop or library. These places add to the sense of urgency and are not conducive to my finding “one more thing” to explore, printing a new map, re-opening a super-stuffed folder one more time or some other activity that distracts me from just finishing the document.

Do you use any programs like ProWriting Aid, Grammarly, or ?

I have used ProWriting Aid many times, but I find that it doesn’t quite adapt to nonfiction writing that is source-document heavy. Quotes and citations gum up the system and cause me to get a bad “score” on that program. And ridiculous typos still slip through. I’ve learned that no matter what – if I still have the final say on editing, then errors are still going to be present due to mind blindness. There is nothing out there that can substitute a real, human editor.

How do you promote your books?

I am not big on paid advertisements. I believe that connecting with readers in a relatable, authentic way is more profitable for many reasons. For that, I prefer writing blogs, submitting to newsletter stories, publishing short articles, making social media videos, and finding other ways to deliver morsels of the story in widespread content that costs nearly nothing, establishes a reputation and slips in the book info anyways.

What are your writing goals, long and short term?

My husband and I were just talking about what each of us “collects.” The joke was that I collect writing awards. It’s true, but wouldn’t I rather collect money? Remember, all that glitters isn’t gold.

Any advice to new authors or someone who wants to become an author?

Two things:

1) Be aware of your brand and your themes. Your image as an author sells the product just as much as the cover and content within. If you don’t look the part… or if you don’t have the “street cred” or other visibility to prove you are the right person to have written the content, you’ve already shot yourself in one foot.

2) Write whatever floats your boat, whenever you want, but if you want to sell your writing, then take time to learn how to write what actually sells.

Links to Janelle’s website, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.

Official: JanelleMolony.com

Short Stories: Medium.com/@Janelle.Molony

YouTube: YouTube.com/@JanelleMolony

Facebook: Facebook.com/@AuthorJanelleMolony 

Instagram: Instagram.com/@AuthorJanelleMolony

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – I think all writing is a disease. You can’t stop it. – William Carlos Williams

Some Progress, But More To Go

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 202026
 

A few days ago, we picked one of the golden watermelons that Terry grew, and yesterday we decided to try it. They look strange because they are not red inside like a typical watermelon. Instead, they are golden, as the name implies. This one was very juicy, but not as sweet as we had hoped for. That may be because we harvested it too soon. We still have another big one out there, and we’re going to give it a few more days before we try again.

In other news, as I shared a while back, I took my 1952 Chrysler convertible to a local shop to see if they could figure out the problems with the carburetor and the very loose steering. The car had been running roughly, and whenever I stopped, it would stall. They were able to order a rebuild kit for the carburetor, and besides rebuilding the carburetor, they changed the spark plugs and checked the alignment.

The alignment was good, and they decided they weren’t qualified to mess with the loose steering. I suspect it needs a new steering box, but Kenny is first going to try to adjust the lash, which means to adjust the gap in the internal gear teeth.

Driving home from the shop, the car ran a lot better. However, whenever I would stop, it would try to bog down as I pressed on the accelerator to take off again. It was like I had to feather the accelerator rather than fully depress it. In talking to some folks on one of the internet boards about old Chrysler cars, I learned that on a car with the Fluid-Matic transmission like mine, the idle speed has to be set considerably lower than on a modern automobile. While modern cars idle at around 700 to 800 RPM, mine should be somewhere around 450 to 500 RPM. So I will see if I can get Kenny to adjust that, too.

The fact that I’m a totally non-mechanical person is not good for somebody who’s interested in old cars, but it is what it is. I can change the tire, but that’s about it. At least we’re making some progress, but we’ve still got more to go.

Today we have to do some banking business, and then we have an appointment in the afternoon to get flu and pneumonia shots. A while back, Terry’s mom had pneumonia, and her dad nursed her through it. But now they both have the flu, though her dad seems to be coming out of it about the time it’s hitting her mom hard. If Terry or both of us need to run down there, we want to be protected, just in case.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – He’s the type of person who would climb a glass wall just to see what’s on the other side.

A Day Off? What’s That?

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 192026
 

Someone asked me not long ago if Terry and I ever take a day off, because it seems like we always have something going on. What is this day off you speak of, sir? I don’t believe it’s a term I’m familiar with.

Yesterday was not a very busy day for me. After answering the morning’s load of email, I went through the subscriber list for my free author’s newsletter, culling a few bad addresses and a couple of duplicates. Then I spent some time working on the family trees for the Tinder Street series. After that, I wrote a quick outline for a video presentation I’m going to be doing for the Arizona Professional Writers next week.

By then, I needed to get away from the keyboard for a while, so I went outside and threw a ball for Alli while also digging up a bunch of weeds I had killed a while back and disposing of them.

While I was doing that, Terry was wading through her own backlog of email, organizing paperwork for our month-end bill paying, doing a load of laundry, and then she deboned the leftover chicken from Saturday night’s dinner, roasted the bones to make broth, and made delicious homemade chicken noodle soup. Then there was cleanup after we finished eating.

It was busier than some days we’ve had and not as busy as others. But a day off? I don’t think either one of us can sit still long enough to do that. We’ve got too many irons in the fire all the time.

Congratulations Toni Levitt, winner of our drawing for an autographed copy of The Last Candlemaker by A.R. Weston, who I profiled in last week’s Author Spotlight.

In 1884, the city of Hanover still burns by candlelight. For Chandler Bliss, a fourth-generation candlemaker, flame is more than a livelihood. It is tradition, identity, and the quiet warmth that has guided humanity for centuries. But when a revolutionary new invention known as Artificial Illumination is unveiled at City Hall, Hanover is transformed almost overnight.

The glowing machines promise safety, efficiency, and endless progress. Streets shine brighter. Businesses flourish. City leaders celebrate the arrival of a modern age. Yet beneath the perfect glow, something feels deeply wrong.

Candlemakers vanish from the streets. Neighbors grow fearful and distant. Old traditions are condemned as dangerous relics of the past. And as the city rushes toward its brilliant future, those who question the new order are quietly pushed aside.

Caught between loyalty to his family and a world changing beyond recognition, Chandler must decide whether to adapt, remain silent, or risk everything to protect the fragile flame that once defined his life.

We had 35 entries this time around. Stay tuned, a new contest starts soon. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – I’ll never forget the day we met, but I’ll keep on trying.

The Fun Never Stops

 Posted by at 12:20 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 182026
 

The fun never stops around here. We’ve always got something going on. I spent most of yesterday making suggested corrections Judy had for the chapters I had sent her and talked to Roberta, my other proofreader. She’s having some problems with her computer but hopes to get her chapters back to me as soon as possible.

While I was doing that, Terry was outside cutting back some of the plants in her greenhouse that have taken over the place and doing the same with her outdoor raised garden beds. She also harvested this golden watermelon. We put it on the scale in the house, and it was 10.7 pounds.

When we were done with that, I shut off the water to the greenhouse. It’s gotten down to 35° a couple of nights, and the air feel was 31°. I neglected to turn the water off to the greenhouse last year, and we wound up having to replace some PVC pipe fittings that froze and burst. Terry still has quite a few plants in there that aren’t quite ready to be harvested, but she’ll water them another way until it’s time to pick them.

Back inside, Terry made a delicious roasted chicken dinner, along with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. And the good news is there was enough left over for another meal. 😊

A few days ago, I ordered a WSKEN screen protector kit for my new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and while dinner was cooking, Terry installed it for me. It’s a good-quality kit with protectors for both the fold-out screen and the standard screen. The kit came with two sets, so if we messed up on an installation or something happens to it, we have a replacement. I also ordered a set of camera lens protectors, and she installed them.

After we ate and everything was cleaned up, we watched television for a little while before it was time to write the blog and call it a day.

Today is your last chance to enter our Free Drawing for an autographed copy of The Last Candlemaker by A.R. Weston, who I profiled in last week’s Author Spotlight.

In 1884, the city of Hanover still burns by candlelight. For Chandler Bliss, a fourth-generation candlemaker, flame is more than a livelihood. It is tradition, identity, and the quiet warmth that has guided humanity for centuries. But when a revolutionary new invention known as Artificial Illumination is unveiled at City Hall, Hanover is transformed almost overnight.

The glowing machines promise safety, efficiency, and endless progress. Streets shine brighter. Businesses flourish. City leaders celebrate the arrival of a modern age. Yet beneath the perfect glow, something feels deeply wrong.

Candlemakers vanish from the streets. Neighbors grow fearful and distant. Old traditions are condemned as dangerous relics of the past. And as the city rushes toward its brilliant future, those who question the new order are quietly pushed aside.

Caught between loyalty to his family and a world changing beyond recognition, Chandler must decide whether to adapt, remain silent, or risk everything to protect the fragile flame that once defined his life.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn this evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. Don’t worry, it’s not the same watermelon I’m holding in the picture.

Thought For The Day – Do you think seahorses know about the land horses?

October Q&A

 Posted by at 12:13 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 172026
 

I’m back with more questions from blog readers. While I try to answer all questions individually, I also share some here occasionally.

Q. Traveling in Canada and have not been able to get online much in the last two weeks. I wanted to get an update and see when your new Tinder Street book is going to be out, as well as the next Big Lake?

A. I finished The Forgotten Years, the next book in the Tinder Street series, a couple of days ago, and it is going through final editing and proofreading now. I hope to have it out by the end of the month, if possible. In the meantime, I will start working on Big Lake Settlement, the next book in the Big Lake series. You can look for that sometime in December.

Q. There hasn’t been an update on your old convertible in a while. The last I heard, it was being towed into a shop. What’s going on with that?

A. The Chrysler is at Performance Auto and 4×4 Center in Show Low, waiting for a carburetor rebuild kit to arrive. Since it was built in 1952, you can’t just run down to AutoZone and pick up things you need. They had to look around the country to actually find one available, and ordered it. Once that’s done and they get it running right, they will address the loose steering issues. If they can adjust the steering, that’s one thing, but if they have to replace the steering box, it’s another case of finding one available. So all I can do is sit patiently and wait.

Q. I have an author friend with five books out that I would like to suggest for your weekly spotlight feature. How does she get included in that?

A. Have her contact me by email at editor@gypsyjournal.net or through Facebook, and we’ll see if we can start the process.

Q. We need Bad Nick to come back and talk about the mess this country is in these days. Will we ever see or hear from him again?

A. I’m sure that Bad Nick would have a lot to say about the present state of the nation, but I have so many irons in the fire that I can’t seem to fit him into the schedule.

Q. A while back, you talked about an old trapdoor Springfield rifle from the Indian War days that you acquired. My uncle has had one sitting in his attic for 30 years, at least. He asked if I wanted it, so I brought it home and cleaned it up, but I’m not sure if it would be safe to shoot it or not. How would I find that out?

A. If you’re not familiar with firearms, I would suggest taking it to a gun shop or a gunsmith to be checked out. And be aware that these old guns cannot handle the pressures of modern-day ammunition. However, I just ordered a box of HSM Cowboy Action ammunition for mine. It is low-pressure ammunition that is manufactured to use in the old Springfields and other firearms of that era.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of The Last Candlemaker by A.R. Weston, who I profiled in this week’s Author Spotlight.

In 1884, the city of Hanover still burns by candlelight. For Chandler Bliss, a fourth-generation candlemaker, flame is more than a livelihood. It is tradition, identity, and the quiet warmth that has guided humanity for centuries. But when a revolutionary new invention known as Artificial Illumination is unveiled at City Hall, Hanover is transformed almost overnight.

The glowing machines promise safety, efficiency, and endless progress. Streets shine brighter. Businesses flourish. City leaders celebrate the arrival of a modern age. Yet beneath the perfect glow, something feels deeply wrong.

Candlemakers vanish from the streets. Neighbors grow fearful and distant. Old traditions are condemned as dangerous relics of the past. And as the city rushes toward its brilliant future, those who question the new order are quietly pushed aside.

Caught between loyalty to his family and a world changing beyond recognition, Chandler must decide whether to adapt, remain silent, or risk everything to protect the fragile flame that once defined his life.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – I know you tried your best. That’s what makes it so disappointing.

It Was A Wonderful Birthday

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 162026
 

Thank you to everybody who wished me happy birthday by email, text messages, and Facebook comments. It was a wonderful day and you all made me feel very loved.

After answering some emails and posting the blog to Facebook yesterday morning, I spent part of the day making corrections to some chapters of my new book that Terry had edited and proofread.

During the afternoon the whole family came over to wish me happy birthday and share some of Terry’s delicious pork green chili posole. There were Tiffany and Kenny, granddaughter Hailey, her husband Toby and little Tyler, along with granddaughter Destiny, granddaughter Brittany, and grandson Travis. Definitely had a full house, and after all of Terry’s wonderful cooking, we definitely had full tummies, too.

Terry still has a few chapters to go through, but she’ll get them wrapped up pretty soon. Then I will make her suggested corrections and send it off to Judy and Roberta. But I think she needs a day or two off first, because she spent all day yesterday and much of the day before getting the meal prepared. She loves cooking and seeing people enjoy her food, but it is a lot of work. I love you, and I appreciate you, Terry.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of The Last Candlemaker by A.R. Weston, who I profiled in this week’s Author Spotlight.

In 1884, the city of Hanover still burns by candlelight. For Chandler Bliss, a fourth-generation candlemaker, flame is more than a livelihood. It is tradition, identity, and the quiet warmth that has guided humanity for centuries. But when a revolutionary new invention known as Artificial Illumination is unveiled at City Hall, Hanover is transformed almost overnight.

The glowing machines promise safety, efficiency, and endless progress. Streets shine brighter. Businesses flourish. City leaders celebrate the arrival of a modern age. Yet beneath the perfect glow, something feels deeply wrong.

Candlemakers vanish from the streets. Neighbors grow fearful and distant. Old traditions are condemned as dangerous relics of the past. And as the city rushes toward its brilliant future, those who question the new order are quietly pushed aside.

Caught between loyalty to his family and a world changing beyond recognition, Chandler must decide whether to adapt, remain silent, or risk everything to protect the fragile flame that once defined his life.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – As you get older, three things happen: The first is your memory goes, and I can’t remember the other two.

The Forgotten Years Is Done!

 Posted by at 12:49 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 152026
 

It took longer than I expected, but late last night I typed the last pages of The Forgotten Years, the eighth book in my Tinder Street family saga. It came in at 103,000 words, not counting the front matter and the teaser chapter for the next book in the series, which will be included at the end of this one. This will be my 64th book. I started writing it on July 2nd, which means it took almost three months to complete. The books in this series always take longer because so much research is involved.

Yesterday, Terry edited and proofread a bunch of chapters, and in the next couple of days, she will do these last chapters. After I make her corrections, I will send them off to Judy and Roberta to do their thing. Depending on their schedule, I hope to have the book out by the end of the month.

While I’m waiting for all of that to be done, I will be writing my free author’s newsletter to send out to readers when the new book is published and getting a lot of pre-publication chores done. And once the book is out, there’s no time to sit back and relax, because I’m jumping right into Big Lake Settlement, the 29th book in my Big Lake small town mystery series. I plan to push hard and get this one out by the end of the year, which will make my 4-book quota. As they say, there’s no rest for the wicked.

It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of The Last Candlemaker by A.R. Weston, who I profiled in this week’s Author Spotlight.

In 1884, the city of Hanover still burns by candlelight. For Chandler Bliss, a fourth-generation candlemaker, flame is more than a livelihood. It is tradition, identity, and the quiet warmth that has guided humanity for centuries. But when a revolutionary new invention known as Artificial Illumination is unveiled at City Hall, Hanover is transformed almost overnight.

The glowing machines promise safety, efficiency, and endless progress. Streets shine brighter. Businesses flourish. City leaders celebrate the arrival of a modern age. Yet beneath the perfect glow, something feels deeply wrong.

Candlemakers vanish from the streets. Neighbors grow fearful and distant. Old traditions are condemned as dangerous relics of the past. And as the city rushes toward its brilliant future, those who question the new order are quietly pushed aside.

Caught between loyalty to his family and a world changing beyond recognition, Chandler must decide whether to adapt, remain silent, or risk everything to protect the fragile flame that once defined his life.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done. – Bruce Lee

Author Spotlight – A.R. Weston

 Posted by at 12:06 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 142026
 

In an effort to introduce my readers to other authors and their work, every week I run an Author Spotlight, sharing information about an author, their work, and how they go about writing their books.

A.R. Weston is an American author and Army veteran born in Houston, Texas, and raised in La Grange, Kentucky. He joined the U.S. Army at 18, following in the footsteps of both his grandfathers. He served as a Fire Direction Specialist in Field Artillery, an experience that strengthened his values of service, duty, and patriotism and continues to influence his writing.

A.R. earned a master’s degree in Homeland Security with a focus on Counterterrorism from the American Military University. Drawing from his military experience, education, and imagination, he writes stories blending action, adventure, mystery, suspense, humor, and heart.

Outside of writing, A.R. is passionate about fitness, enjoys working on cars, and treasures time with his family. He met his wife while serving in the military and is a devoted husband and proud father of three children and a follower of Jesus, A.R. strives to live by faith, family, honor, integrity, and loyalty. Through his writing, he hopes to entertain readers, make them smile, and tell memorable stories filled with courage, hope, and the enduring spirit of service.

A conversation with A.R.

 When did you decide to become an author and why?

In the spring of 2015, shortly after reading a story to my young children. As I read, I found myself changing parts of the story, trying to make it funnier and more entertaining. My daughter would giggle and my son would smile. Later that night, I told my wife I was going to write a children’s book. My motivation was also personal. Growing up, I never enjoyed reading, and wanted something different for my children. I wanted them to discover how much fun a good story could be. That philosophy still drives my writing today: always seek to entertain first. I want people to genuinely enjoy my stories, laugh when appropriate, and escape from everyday life for a while. As my children have grown, my storytelling has grown with them, expanding from children’s books into stories written for older audiences.

How long have you been writing, and what was your first book?

I’ve been writing for more than eleven years. My first book was The Ballerina and the Bear: Sandcastle Mayhem, a children’s story about a brother who destroys his sister’s sandcastle during a day at the beach. At its heart, it is a story about family, mistakes, and forgiveness, lessons that can be difficult to learn at any age.

The title is especially meaningful because “Ballerina” and “Bear” came from nicknames for my children. That personal connection made the book a fitting beginning to my writing career. What started as a desire to create stories for my children would enjoy ultimately became something much bigger.

What genres do you write in?

My writing has evolved considerably since I began with children’s books. I still enjoy writing stories for younger readers, but my work has expanded into comedy, action and adventure, and more serious speculative fiction.

Comedy remains an important part of my writing. I enjoy creating ridiculous situations, memorable characters, and stories designed simply to make readers laugh, which explains my young-adult novel series, Tank Thornstone. I have even written a joke book, Men Don’t Just Exist, They Exaggerate, bringing me back to the humor that helped inspire my earliest storytelling.

On the more serious side, I also draw from my academic and professional background, which influenced The Last Candlemaker. The novel explores societal oppression, social unrest, government power, and the conditions that can allow totalitarianism to emerge. The genre may change, but the goal remains the same: tell a story worth reading.

How many books do you have out?

Six currently. Each book represents a different part of my life as a writer, but they all trace back to the same reason I started writing in the first place: I want readers to enjoy the time they spend inside one of my stories.

Are you trade published, independent, or a combination?

I’m an independent author. Being independent gives me the freedom to tell the stories I want to tell and to move between genres without feeling confined to a genre.

What is your writing style? Pantser, plotter, or something else?

I begin with an outline and know the major direction of the story, but leave plenty of room for the unexpected. Sometimes a scene or idea appears that is simply too good to ignore (mainly regarding comedic moments), and when that happens, I let it change the trajectory of the book.

There have been more mornings than I can count when I got up early because a scene was already playing out in my head and demanding to be written. The outline keeps me moving toward the larger story, but the journey between those major points is often much less predictable.

Do you write more than one book at a time?

Two books at once is my maximum bandwidth for writing. I have settled into a rhythm that allows me to work on two very different types of stories simultaneously. One is typically a comedy-driven action and adventure novel, while the other tackles more serious subject matter. For example, right now I am writing the second action adventure comedy, Tank Thornstone: The Secrets of Uluru, and a more serious political fiction novel titled The Mayor’s Butler.

How much research is involved in your writing?

The amount of research depends heavily on the book. The Last Candlemaker, for example, required considerable research because I knew virtually nothing about candlemaking when I began. The craft plays an important role in the story, and I wanted the descriptions of the candlemaking process to feel authentic.

At the same time, I’m writing fiction, not a technical manual. I freely uses creative license when the story or the larger allegory requires it. My goal is to establish enough real-world accuracy to make the fictional world believable while still giving myself the freedom to tell the story the way it needs to be told.

Where do you write?

My favorite writing spot is the recliner in my bedroom. Since my time in the military, I’ve dealt with difficulty sleeping. Writing has become a productive escape during those restless hours. Instead of lying awake with my mind running, I can get out of bed, sit down in the recliner, and put that energy into a story.

Do you use programs such as ProWritingAid or Grammarly?

No, I don’t rely on writing programs. I am fortunate to have something considerably more valuable, a trusted editor (my mother) in the family who is spectacular at grammar. I send her chapter drafts, and she provides feedback on what works, what does not, and where something needs to be clarified.

That human feedback is important. An editor can do more than identify a technical mistake; she can recognize when an idea is not landing properly, when a sentence does not communicate what I intended, or when a reader may need more information.

 How do you promote your books?

I enjoy promoting my books in person at farmers’ markets, festivals, and similar events. There is something different about meeting readers face-to-face, talking about books, and watching someone discover a story for the first time. I’ve experimented with Facebook and Amazon advertising, but word of mouth has been my strongest form of promotion.

What are your short and long term writing goals?

In the short term, I want to keep writing, keep improving, and keep putting stories into the hands of readers who enjoy them. Writing is something deeply personal for me. It gives my mind somewhere productive to go, particularly during the nights when sleep does not come easily. What started as an escape has grown into something I would gladly spend my life doing.

After leaving the military, I built a career in corporate America, but writing is where my passion continues to pull me. My long term goal is simple: I would love to make a living writing. If given the opportunity to spend my days creating stories, building worlds, making readers laugh, and occasionally making them think a little differently about the world around them, that is exactly what I would choose to do.

What advice would you give to new authors or someone who wants to become an author?

Don’t worry if you do not have a full story in your head. Start writing, and you can fill in the pieces later.

Any other comments that might be interesting or useful to readers?

I believe a good book can change the world. I love and have a passion for serving others. It’s an honor for others to read my work and hear what they thought of the story.

You can visit A.R.’s website at www.arweston.com and learn more about him at his Amazon author’s page, https://www.amazon.com/stores/A.R.-Weston/author/B0F3TZ39CQ

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. When we saw this fuzzy fellow in a parking lot the other day, he didn’t seem all that bad to me.

Thought For The Day – I don’t need an alarm clock. My ideas wake me. – Ray Bradbury

Taxicab Tales – Would Ya Take?

 Posted by at 12:01 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 132026
 

In the past, I have shared a series of stories from my days publishing small town newspapers, from a job I had selling cars, about my time in the Army, and some tales of the offbeat adventures and misadventures I’ve gotten into in a series called Nick Happens. Now, I thought I would share some stories about a period in my life many years ago when I drove a taxicab in Tucson, Arizona. Oh, some of the things I witnessed back then! I’ve told more than one prospective author that if they really want to learn about human nature, they need to become a cop, a nurse, or a cab driver. You will see the best and worst of people in any of those jobs.

In one of my first Taxicab Tales blog posts titled Without A Leg To Stand On, I told you cab drivers get offered all kinds of things in exchange for a ride. I’ve had people offer me drugs, power tools, jewelry, food, and yes, some even offered to barter sex to get where they needed to go. In the same blog post I recalled the time my driving partner Manny was given a prosthetic leg to hold as collateral until the wife of the drunk husband Manny had brought home, whose leg it was, could get the money to pay him the next day. That got me remembering some of the oddball offers I got in lieu of money.

While I was never offered a prosthetic leg, I think everything else on the list above made it to the bargaining table at least once, and some of them many times. And there was even more – some of them crazy, some of them sad, and some of them downright frightening.

I was offered sex on my first night as a cab driver, and usually at least once every couple of weeks after that, believe it or not. These were usually ladies of the evening or drunk women, although I did have one nicely dressed soccer mom looking woman offer me a half hour of her time in exchange for a ride across town. Probably the strangest offer I got in that regard was from a woman who offered to trade sex for a ride to Casa Grande, about 70 miles from Tucson. What made it strange was that her husband and kid were in the cab with her. The husband looked at me and said, “Go for it,” but I passed. There are some things you just don’t do.

Another time, I picked up two drunk Native Americans, and five miles into our trip to the Tohono O’odam Indian Reservation, about 60 miles west of Tucson, one asked the other if he had any money to pay me. His friend said, “No, I thought you had the money.” That’s a long way to go without getting paid, so I pulled over right there and told them I needed cash or they needed to get out and hitchhike. One of them offered me his junky Timex watch with a cracked crystal, and I told him no. Then the other said, “Hey, I got something for you. You want a rattlesnake?”

Now, if you’ve read my blog for very long, you know that I don’t like snakes. I don’t like big snakes, I don’t like little snakes, and I don’t like sticks that look like snakes. I told him no, and he said it was a good rattlesnake, then lifted up his backpack and started to unbuckle it. As he did, I could hear the buzzing from inside and told him, “Nope, don’t even open that thing.” He said it was not a big rattler, only about three feet, and that’s about three feet more snake than I wanted to be close to. I hope they got home, and I don’t know what happened to the rattlesnake but none of them rode with me a mile further.

Another time, a woman offered me a Smith and Wesson .38 revolver. It looked like a brand-new gun, and I asked her where it came from. She said she had stolen it from her boyfriend when they broke up. I unloaded the handgun, put the bullets in my pocket, handed it back to her, and told her no. It wasn’t two weeks later that the same woman got in my cab in front of a bar in Tucson and offered me another handgun that she had stolen from another boyfriend. I didn’t take that one, either.

But once I took a trombone to hold as collateral until the passenger could pay me two days later, and on another occasion, a very nice violin and case from a University of Arizona music student. Both times the musicians paid up when they agreed to.

I had to laugh one night, when a woman with the biggest boobs I’ve ever seen (I didn’t really see them, but her shirt made it plain that they were humongous) offered me her brand-new bra in exchange for a ride. Okay, I wasn’t as fat as I was then, and I didn’t have man boobs yet, but even so, they wouldn’t have been that big. I asked her what I was supposed to do with that, and she said, “I don’t know. Go camping? It’d make a good two-room tent.”

There were a few others that made me laugh, and, like I said, there were some that were sad. That included somebody who asked if I would hold her urn with her mother’s ashes until the end of the week, when she could pay me. In that case, I just told her to call me when she had the money, and she did.

I think the saddest one was a woman who was crying when I picked her up at a medical office. She and her boyfriend had just gotten an ultrasound of their child. He had told her he didn’t want to be a father, that he was done, and walked out of the office, telling her that her clothes would be in the front yard of his apartment when she got there. It was obvious she was at a low point in her life, and she told me before she got in the cab that she didn’t have money to pay me. She offered to give me the ultrasound pictures of her baby, saying they were the most precious thing she had. She promised that she would come up with the money to pay me somehow, and begged me not to lose or trash them before she could. There was no way I could leave that lady stranded on the other side of town, so I took her back to where she had been living with her boyfriend. We collected the clothes that were strewn across the front yard, and then I took her to a friend’s house where she could stay. And no, I didn’t take the ultrasounds, and I told her the ride was on me No matter what my ex-wife’s lawyers tell you, I’m not that big of an SOB.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. They’re just missing a letter, right? It’s got to be that, doesn’t it?

Thought For The Day – If you handcuff a deaf person, do you take away his freedom of speech?

6,000 Words Closer

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 122026
 

As I said in the blog the other day, it’s gotten a lot cooler here, with temperatures in the low 60s this weekend and expected to be that way for the next week or so. We were supposed to get a lot of wind and rain, the effects of Tropical Storm Rachel. We did get quite a bit of wind Saturday night and Sunday morning, but the rain was sporadic at most.

I didn’t care either way because I was wearing a warm sweatshirt and staying inside writing. except for the times when I took Alli outside to go potty and chase a ball. Using my Plaud Note Pro, I narrated a bit over 6,000 words yesterday, bringing me that much closer to the end of my latest Tinder Street book. I’m getting there, folks, but there’s a lot happening that needs to be covered, including the bloody Korean War and its aftermath on the veterans who served there, new love, broken hearts, and people paying the consequences for their actions, both well-intended and bad.

Hopefully, I’ll get another chapter or two done today, but I first I have to go to the post office and mail out a book order, and I also have to go to the UPS store and send a couple of items back to Amazon.

Congratulations Margaret Bergen, winner of our drawing for an autographed copy of New Angel in Town, the latest release in Jody Sharpe’s award-winning Mystic Bay series. I featured Jody in this week’s Author Spotlight.

A secret still lies in Mystic Bay, California. Angels live as humans there. But more miracles happen when Angel Ken and others help Ron, a new angel, as he swoops into town. Guardian Angel Ron flies down to live a human existence to make sure his charge, Evan, a boy in foster care, finds a forever home.

Meanwhile, writer Noah Greenstreet is writing a film showcasing the townsfolk’s angel encounters. With twists and turns and a bully to turn around, Angel Ron has to decide if he will stay in the harmonious town. Will Evan find a forever home? Will love and goodwill help Angel Ron decide to stay? With angels at the helm, readers ride along on another miraculous story of the angels of Mystic Bay.

We had 31 entries this time around. Stay tuned, a new contest starts soon! Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. Anybody in the market for a good used cow?

Thought For The Day – Paying the internet $9.99 to take an IQ test is you failing the IQ test.

New Phone Setup

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 112026
 

For the last 5 or 6 years, I’ve been using a Galaxy S21 smartphone, and over time, it had gradually begun to deteriorate. The battery life has become very short, it seems to lock up a lot when I’m trying to make a call or access any of the different apps, and sometimes it just won’t work at all. Terry has been nagging me for the last couple of years to upgrade, but with the price of new phones, I really didn’t want to do that.

Last week I finally bit the bullet and ordered a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra. My daughter has the Fold7, the previous incarnation of this phone, and one thing I really liked is that it folds open to give you a much larger screen. My tired old eyes appreciate that.

I decided to set it up yesterday, and overall, the Samsung Smart Switch app does a pretty good job. I just put the two phones together, both hooked up to WiFi, and set things in motion. Within a couple of hours, it had moved everything from the old phone to the new one.

Well, not quite everything. I have two Microsoft Outlook mailboxes under the same email, one for business, and one for personal use. It transferred the personal use account, but I can’t seem to get it to access the business account, which is where all of my email contacts and the email that I receive on a regular basis reside. I’m still trying to figure that out. It also didn’t transfer any of the photos in my Gallery, and I’m not sure how I’m going to get those onto the new phone yet. I’ll have to do some Googling to figure it out.

I will say I’m impressed with the battery life of the new phone. I was using it pretty much all day long for transferring things, and it was still over 60%. With my old S21, I would have had to recharge it midway through the day with that much activity going on.

Today is your last chance to enter our Free Drawing for an autographed copy of New Angel in Town, the latest release in autographed copy of New Angel in Town. I featured Jody in this week’s Author Spotlight.

A secret still lies in Mystic Bay, California. Angels live as humans there. But more miracles happen when Angel Ken and others help Ron, a new angel, as he swoops into town. Guardian Angel Ron flies down to live a human existence to make sure his charge, Evan, a boy in foster care, finds a forever home.

Meanwhile, writer Noah Greenstreet is writing a film showcasing the townsfolk’s angel encounters. With twists and turns and a bully to turn around, Angel Ron has to decide if he will stay in the harmonious town. Will Evan find a forever home? Will love and goodwill help Angel Ron decide to stay? With angels at the helm, readers ride along on another miraculous story of the angels of Mystic Bay.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn this evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us. I don’t know where this place is, but I think I’d feel right at home there.

Thought For The Day – Childproof means grandma needs to get a child to open it for her.

Got Hair?

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 102026
 

I heard someone say once that often when a person loses one sense, something else increases to compensate. For example, if you lose your sight, your hearing might get much better to help you know when other people are around. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it could be true when it comes to hair.

I started going bald when I was still in the Army, and by age 30, there wasn’t much left up there. I tried the comb-over thing, but that was a waste of time and looked ridiculous, so I just said to heck with it and let nature take its course. That’s where that compensation thing I was talking about comes into play.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love dogs, except for those yappy little mutts that don’t outweigh a house cat and don’t know how to shut up. Those aren’t dogs, they are barking rats. And of all the dogs I love, German Shepherds are my absolute favorites. I’ve been owned by several of them over the years, and they were all fine animals.

Except for the hair. They really should be called German shedders, because for all of their wonderful qualities, I haven’t seen one yet that didn’t shed hair anywhere and everywhere they go, every day of the year. I’ve never felt I needed one of those doggy tracker collars, because if any of my German Shepherds ran away, I would just follow the trail of hair until I found them. But maybe it’s nature’s way of compensating for the hair I lost on top of my head. I don’t know.

Between Alli and Terry’s two cats (did I mentioned that Miss Terry sheds, too?), a lot of hair gets spread around throughout our house, and poor Miss Terry is always trying to keep ahead of the mess. It’s a full-time job and after vacuuming just our bedroom or the living room alone, the machine’s canister is so full that she has to empty it and cut all the hair out of the brush rollers before she can start on the next room.

We have tried all kinds of gadgets and products that are supposed to help pick up pet hair from the furniture and our clothing. Some of them work so-so, and some of them are a waste of time. But the other day, on the recommendation of a friend of mine, I ordered a Keyhelp pet hair removal glove from Amazon. To say I was amazed is an understatement.

Even though Terry had vacuumed that day, including our couch and love seat, with just one pass back and forth across each of them, I got more hair than either of us could believe. I was so impressed that I immediately went online and ordered four more of them, so we would have one in each room and one handy for pet hair on our clothes. We’ve tried similar products and were not all that impressed, but this one is a winner. If you’ve got pet hair, take my word for it and order two. I guarantee you, once you get one, you’re going to want another.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of New Angel in Town, the latest release in Jody Sharpe’s award-winning Mystic Bay series. I featured Jody in this week’s Author Spotlight.

A secret still lies in Mystic Bay, California. Angels live as humans there. But more miracles happen when Angel Ken and others help Ron, a new angel, as he swoops into town. Guardian Angel Ron flies down to live a human existence to make sure his charge, Evan, a boy in foster care, finds a forever home.

Meanwhile, writer Noah Greenstreet is writing a film showcasing the townsfolk’s angel encounters. With twists and turns and a bully to turn around, Angel Ron has to decide if he will stay in the harmonious town. Will Evan find a forever home? Will love and goodwill help Angel Ron decide to stay? With angels at the helm, readers ride along on another miraculous story of the angels of Mystic Bay.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – I’m not dumb. I’m just stubborn. You need to work harder at persuading me.

I Should Have Stopped At Three

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 092026
 

I spent much of yesterday editing and proofreading the last three chapters I had dictated for my newest Tinder Street book, as well as fact-checking. That’s always important to me, especially in a historical novel, because you can bet if you get the slightest thing wrong, somebody’s going to notice it.

In the sixth book in the series, The War Years, I mentioned a certain type of American bomber used in World War II. While that aircraft was indeed used during the war, a sharp-eyed reader who is a history buff let me know that it wasn’t introduced in the South Pacific until a few months after I had it in the story.

After I finished that, I helped Terry put up a shepherd’s hook hanger and a new bird feeder in the backyard. The hummingbirds have migrated further south already, but we’ve still got all kinds of other birds coming around.

That part of the backyard has several little islands with mulch, plants, and trees, and pathways separating them. We had put gravel down on some of the paths a while back, but some were still bare. We still have a big pile of gravel from what we had delivered several months ago for projects around the house, so I used my Gorilla Cart to haul several loads of gravel across the yard to where we were working.

The carts are supposed to have a 1,200 pound capacity, and while I’m sure it wasn’t 1,200 pounds, I  don’t know how much I had in it each time. But it was a challenge pulling it across the yard. Especially since our land has a slope, and I was pulling it up the uphill side. At least coming back with the empty cart was quick and easy. 😊

After three loads, we only had a little bit left to do. Terry asked if I wanted to stop for the night since the mosquitoes were getting thirsty, but I told her I would go ahead and get that last load. I should have stopped at three. That last one kind of kicked my butt! But we got the gravel spread out, and I think it looks pretty good. We still have work to do back there, but it’s shaping up a little at a time.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of New Angel in Town, the latest release in Jody Sharpe’s award-winning Mystic Bay series. I featured Jody in this week’s Author Spotlight.

A secret still lies in Mystic Bay, California. Angels live as humans there. But more miracles happen when Angel Ken and others help Ron, a new angel, as he swoops into town. Guardian Angel Ron flies down to live a human existence to make sure his charge, Evan, a boy in foster care, finds a forever home.

Meanwhile, writer Noah Greenstreet is writing a film showcasing the townsfolk’s angel encounters. With twists and turns and a bully to turn around, Angel Ron has to decide if he will stay in the harmonious town. Will Evan find a forever home? Will love and goodwill help Angel Ron decide to stay? With angels at the helm, readers ride along on another miraculous story of the angels of Mystic Bay.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – I don’t make mistakes; I make opportunities.

It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This

 Posted by at 12:08 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 082026
 

I had dictated over two chapters of my new Tinder Street book into my Plaud Note Pro on Tuesday, and I spent most of yesterday transferring them to my phone, converting them to text, checking some facts about that time period online to make sure I got it right, and then editing and proofreading them.

About the time I was finishing up with that, granddaughter Hailey and baby Tyler showed up. We just saw the little guy a few days ago, but it looks like he’s grown even more since then. And what a sweet little boy he is, always smiling and laughing and enjoying every experience the world has to offer.

It was going to be a family night, and Terry had started two days ahead, making dough for pizzas. Yesterday she chopped all the veggies, grated cheese, and made the sauce to make everybody’s favorites. A while after Hailey and Tyler arrived, so did Tiffany and Kenny. I had to arm wrestle both Tiffany and Kenny to get to hold Tyler for a while, and he had a good time pulling my beard. Then Terry then took him for a few minutes before she had to get back to the kitchen and finish prepping the pizzas.

If you’ve been reading this blog by now, you know that I love pizza, and I’ve had it in every corner of the United States, and in a couple of foreign countries. I can say for a fact that nobody beats Terry’s pizza. And I’m not just saying that because she’s my wife and cooks for me and is a darn good shot with a handgun or a rifle. Everyone at the table raved about how good it was.

Great food, and the family gathered around laughing and enjoying being together. It doesn’t get any better than this.

It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an autographed copy of New Angel in Town, the latest release in Jody Sharpe’s award-winning Mystic Bay series. I featured Jody in this week’s Author Spotlight.

A secret still lies in Mystic Bay, California. Angels live as humans there. But more miracles happen when Angel Ken and others help Ron, a new angel, as he swoops into town. Guardian Angel Ron flies down to live a human existence to make sure his charge, Evan, a boy in foster care, finds a forever home.

Meanwhile, writer Noah Greenstreet is writing a film showcasing the townsfolk’s angel encounters. With twists and turns and a bully to turn around, Angel Ron has to decide if he will stay in the harmonious town. Will Evan find a forever home? Will love and goodwill help Angel Ron decide to stay? With angels at the helm, readers ride along on another miraculous story of the angels of Mystic Bay.

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – Some people look so much smarter than they actually are.

Author Spotlight – Jody Sharpe

 Posted by at 12:01 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 072026
 

In an effort to introduce my readers to other authors and their work, every week I run an Author Spotlight, sharing information about an author, their work, and how they go about writing their books.

Award-winning author Jody Sharpe had a rewarding career as a special educator. Writing about angels became healing after tragically losing her daughter over a decade ago. Sharpe says she learned valuable lessons about moving forward and loving life in the now. Her stories about angels are written with love, humor, and spiritual awakening. The fictitious town of Mystic Bay she created has given her an avenue to put characters and themes together, moving the reader towards contemplation of the precious life and memories we are given. The town is replete with psychics and ordinary people. All live a bucolic life until bully Klaus Waxman comes to town and tries to change its psyche. It’s difficult to ignore his negativity and typecasting; especially when he opens a store that mocks the angel sightings the town knows to be true.

Her novella 20 Moon Road An Angels Tale, won first place in the 2023 National Federation of Press Women communications contest. Her latest release, the seventh book in Jody’s award-winning Mystic Bay series is New Angel In Town.

A conversation with Jody:

When did you decide or become an author and why?

I wrote little stories as a child and published my first book in 2012.

How long have you been writing, and what was your first book?

Since childhood and my first book was The Angel’s Daughter.

What genre’s do you write in?

Fantasy and memoir.

How many books do you have out? 

Ten so far.

Are you trade published independent, or a combo?

I used a publisher in the beginning, and it didn’t work out, thus I decided to publish my own work on Amazon.

What is your writing style? Panster or plotter or?

Plot and character driven.

Do you write more than one book at a time?

No, just one book at a time. I’m currently writing a prequel in the Mystic Bay series set in 1988.

How much research is involved in your writing?

Just researching cities, towns, topography and some crime.

Where do you write?

I write at home mostly in the early morning or afternoon.

Do you use any programs like ProWriting Aid, Grammarly, or ?

No, I don’t use any programs. I write in Word, and I have an editor that is fantastic. She has edited my last three books.

How do you promote your books?

With a publicist, Facebook, Instagram, book fairs, and book clubs.

What are your writing goals, long term and short term?

I hope to write screenplays when I finish my last novel, which is in the works.

Any advice to new authors or someone who wants to become an author?

Get a good editor recommendation, a publicist, and be your own advocate. My advice is something I would love to share. I had a story in a drawer for years a long time ago, and a friend of mine said, “Jody, get your writing out of that drawer! You’re a writer, so write!” and so that’s what I do. I just keep going.

I guess my biggest point to share is that after my daughter passed away I met a man I’m sure was an angel who comforted me, and thus a few years later I started writing first about grief and then about him and that’s where the Mystic Bay series came from and I’ve had many encounters.

You can learn more about Jody at her Amazon author’s page at https://amzn.to/4zgyHW2 and contact her by email at Sharpejody76@gmail.com

Jody also has a YouTube channel and angel stories at https://www.youtube.com/@jodysharpe6337

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you didn’t write.

Taxicab Tales – The Conman And The Cabby

 Posted by at 12:24 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 062026
 

In the past, I have shared a series of stories from my days publishing small town newspapers, from a job I had selling cars, about my time in the Army, and some tales of the offbeat adventures and misadventures I’ve gotten into in a series called Nick Happens. Now, I thought I would share some stories about a period in my life many years ago when I drove a taxicab in Tucson, Arizona. Oh, some of the things I witnessed back then! I’ve told more than one prospective author that if they really want to learn about human nature, they need to become a cop, a nurse, or a cab driver. You will see the best and worst of people in any of those jobs.

One afternoon, I got a call to pick up a Mr. Johnson in front of a Coco’s restaurant in Tucson. I pulled up and a very professional-looking man in a nice three-piece suit got in the back and asked me to take him to Kmart. When we got there, he told me to park off to the side, away from the front door, gave me a twenty-dollar bill, and asked me to wait for him. He was in the store for about 10, maybe 15 minutes and came back out. He told me to go to Fry’s grocery store, again told me to park off to the side, gave me another $20, and told me to wait for him. We went to three different stores, and it was the same thing at each store. Then he had me pull over at a curb and let him out, giving me a very healthy tip. We had been talking between stops, and he asked for my card and said he would call me for a ride again sometime.

I didn’t think much about it until a few days later, when I got a call to pick up Father Johnson at a Denny’s restaurant. When I pulled up, the same man got in my cab. This time he was wearing a clerical collar and asked me to take him to Walmart. We repeated the process from before, me parking off to the side, him giving me $20 and telling me to wait. From Walmart, we went to a Mervin’s department store at the Tucson Mall with the same scenario playing out. I don’t remember where all we went that day, but it was probably five or six different stores. Between stops he chatted, and I really liked the guy. He was intelligent, funny, and had a great personality. And as happened the first time, he told me to pull over at a random corner, give me a good tip and got out.

Fast forward another few days, and I got a call to pick up Dr. Johnson at a Burger King. Same man, but this time he was wearing hospital scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck, and we did the same routine. We stopped at several stores, he had me park away from the door, he went in and came out, and eventually had me stop at a corner and let him out, again tipping very well.

This went on for two or three weeks in different areas of the city, and by then I knew that one of two things was happening. Either the guy was some kind of a thief, or else he was crazy. I’d driven a taxicab long enough to know that it could be either one. He never carried anything into a store and he never carried anything back out. I always picked him up at a different restaurant and always let him out someplace whenever he decided it was time to call it a day.

I have to say that we had become pretty friendly, and one day I asked him, “So, what’s going on with you? Are you crazy, or are you a crook?” He asked what I meant, and I told him that obviously he was up to something shady, but I didn’t know what it was, or else he was living a fantasy life. That’s when he explained his scam to me.

He would do his homework in advance to know what brands each store carried. Thus prepared, he would go into a Kmart, for example, walk to the tool department and pick up a Black and Decker power saw. Then he would take it to the customer service department and say he had bought this for his brother-in-law’s birthday, but it turned out his brother-in-law was one of those guys who had to have a Craftsman, or whatever brand he knew they did not carry. The customer service clerk would tell them they don’t carry that, and he would ask if they could order one. They’d said no, it wasn’t one of their brands, and he’d say, well, he guessed he needed a refund, apologizing because his brother-in-law was such a jerk.

When they asked for a receipt, he would go through his wallet and hand the clerk his business card, saying he was Attorney So-and-So, Family Counselor So-and-So, or Dr. So-and-So, or whatever he was play-acting to be that day. Then he would say he guessed he was going to have to come back to the store with the receipt, but it wouldn’t be that day because he was due in court, in therapy session, in surgery, or whatever. He said nine times out of ten the minimum-wage clerk would see him as an authority figure and think that a doctor, a priest, or an attorney wasn’t going to be ripping them off, so they would just give him the refund as a courtesy.

On the rare occasions when they did say he had to come back with the receipt, he would take whatever the item was with him, say he would see them the next day, and go to a store that carried that brand, but not the brand he was looking for, asking for their refund. He told me that small power tools under $50, different types of swimming pool chlorine treatments (tablets, powders, etc.), and Similac baby formula, of which there were several different varieties, were his favorite targets. He only went to chain stores, never mom-and-pop places, and said he had never been challenged by a manager or any kind of store security in all the years he had been working the scam.

He also said that when he was dressed as a doctor he was routinely asked about some random pain or symptom the clerk had. He would ask for a few more details and then say, “It’s probably nothing, but if I were you, I would consult my family doctor just to be sure.” When he was playing Reverend, they would tell him about some family crisis or a son who is into drugs or something and he would tell them that he would light a candle for them and include them in his prayers. If he pretended to be an attorney, they would tell him about some legal issue they were facing. He would tell them that unfortunately he was booked solid for the next six months, but recommend that they contact legal aid for a referral to an attorney. Space doesn’t permit me to tell you all the stories he told me about his scams moving from town to town every two or three months, but if even half of them are true, he had quite a few adventures.

In those days, the scam was called refunding, and you probably couldn’t get it away with it today, with so many security procedures in place. But back in the so-called “good old days” he seemed to make a pretty good living doing what he was doing. In those days, if he scored three or four $50 refunds it was a pretty good day’s wage. He was just one of many characters from those days that have or will eventually wind up in one of my books.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – Anxiety is a pathological liar.

I’ll Stick To Pepperoni

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Nick's Blog
Oct 052026
 

Something I’ve noticed at both our last house in Alabama and our current place here in Arizona is that whenever we get a lot of rain, we have all kinds of mushrooms popping up in the yard. It seems like they’re everywhere.

Since you all know I don’t eat veggies, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that I also don’t eat mushrooms. Google says that they are not technically vegetables because they don’t belong to the plant kingdom. Why not? They grow out of the ground, don’t they?

At any rate, I don’t eat them, but I was curious about the ones we have out in the yard. So yesterday I took some pictures and used Google Lens to identify them. Here’s what I learned – both of the different types of mushrooms I’m showing are either good to eat or very toxic. I guess to find out, you have to cut them in half and count the gills or some such nonsense. Mushrooms have gills? I thought only fish had gills.

Whatever, I just know that when I order pizza, I’ll continue to stick with just pepperoni. It’s safer that way.

Yesterday was another writing day for me, and I knocked out a 2,600-word chapter. As always with the Tinder Street series, there’s a lot of history involved that requires research to make sure I get things right. Yesterday’s research involved a killer tornado that ravaged much of the nation in 1953, as well as facial reconstructive surgery in that same time period. Sometimes I learn things I don’t really want to know, but it’s all to make sure the book turns out correct to the time period.

Congratulations, Yvonne Rising, winner of our drawing for a copy of A Game of Chess, the 23rd title in Karen Harbert’s Murder at the Dog Show series. I featured Karen in last week’s Author Spotlight. A finalist in the 2025  Dog Writers Association of America competition in two categories, Karen considers it one of her best books.

When the much-loved relative of a friend is killed in a so-called hunting accident, his family members are suspicious. Especially since the guy who pulled the trigger is now trying to pressure the widow into selling their valuable property to him. Young forensic examiner Sabrina gets involved and has to convince a rural county attorney to reopen the investigation, over the objections of a small-town sheriff.

We had 38 entries this time around. Stay tuned, a new contest starts soon.  Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 30 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

***

Did you know that you can find all of my books and sign up for my free author’s newsletter on my website at www.nickrussellbooks.com?

Thought For The Day – Medicine in the 21st century is not about healing people. A healed patient is a lost customer.

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