This blog is a window on my world, and the past two weeks have been A: a never-ending stream of health care appointments; B: an epic case of Password Panic; and C: writing. I’m going to skip number one and go straight to number two.
A month or so a go while on Spring break, our grandson drove 200 miles round trip so he and his girlfriend could see a movie, The Hail Mail Project, on IMAX. When I learned the movie was based on a book by the same guy who wrote The Martian, a book and movie I loved, I paid attention. Then a week ago, a friend showed up to visit and gave Bill a paperback copy of the book. I watched him attempt to read it, but his tremors were so bad I’m surprised he didn’t get seasick.
For the past 40 years Bill, a retried Electronics Engineer, has been the tech genius in our family. I’m a Liberal Arts major. Whenever I’d have a problem with my computer and have it go south on me, I would be completely flummoxed. I’ve never quite recovered from the time my laptop filled up with a screen of skull and crossbones! At times like those, the first thing Bill would ask me is “What were you doing when that happened?” Usually I didn’t have any idea. And then, once he punched a few keys and magically fixed it, he’d turn to me and say that the solution was “dead simple.” I always told him that if I ever got around to writing a book about the murder of a double E, the title would be Dead Simple!
But after watching him struggle with the book, I thought to myself, “Why not buy it for his iPad?” So I went to Amazon on his iPad, found the book, and ordered same. I asked to read it instantly, and sure enough it showed up. But I failed to read the fine print. The problem is, he reads iPad books on his Kindle app, and the Amazon app doesn’t support Kindle. (Don’t ask me why.) I could see the book on his iPad, and Amazon said he owned it, but I couldn’t move it out of the shopping cart and into his library of books. When Bill tried reading it, if he touched anywhere on the screen—which happens a lot—the book would simply vanish. I could get it back eventually, but it took six iPad steps in Amazon which included by-passing the Italian version of the book each time. That happened over and over. Frustrating? You’d better believe it!
So then I had another brilliant idea. Why not get him an actual Kindle, something with a screen that wouldn’t go haywire if he happened to touch the screen? So I ordered one. It was small. It was lightweight. It looked good. So I tried turning it on. In the process of attempting to register it, I somehow passed the page that would have connected to his existing Kindle account and ended up on the page for creating a new one—WHICH I DID NOT WANT TO DO! Unfortunately there was no way for me to get back to the original page. Not only that, in the process, I somehow managed to disable Bill’s Amazon password. By then, I was two days into the process and tearing my hair out with frustration. Meanwhile, he STILL couldn’t read the book! Let’s just call my situation by then total melt-down mold.
Not long ago, when my workhorse MacBook Air needed a new battery, it went to a place called Jet City here in Bellevue and came back with my computer looking and running like new. So at the end of the second day of my Hail Mary dust-up, I called Jet City, explained the situation, and asked if they could help. Turns out they’re hardware guys rather than software guys, but they directed me to a place called Nerds on the Go. So I called there and was told they could help but there was a fifty-dollar charge just for making the appointment. I paid that with a happy heart.
The next day when I went there I was astonished to learn that their office is less than a mile from here. I arrived with my computer in hand along with Bill’s iPad and our brand new, non-working Kindle. Once inside a very nice young man named Josh spent half an hour going zip, zip, zip and fixed everything. He fixed the password issue. He got the Kindle up and working on the right account. He found the book I’d purchased on Amazon—the English version instead of Italian—and somehow transferred it to the now working Kindle. And just for good measure, I had him send Bill’s extensive collection of Kindle books to MY computer in case I ever have time to sit down and read again. Total cost? $169, appointment charge included. Money well spent! As for what did I learn from this case of Password Panic? Next time I’ll ask for help sooner!
So now I’m back to work on Joanna #22. No, the book still doesn’t have a name, but I’m thinking about it. But having just survived the copy-editor naming disaster for The Taken Ones, I’m trying to avoid using the same names over and over. To that end, I’m keeping the name file for the book and the book file itself, side by side on my computer screen, making it easy to go back and forth between them. The problem is, a number of people from previous books, are showing up in this one. I named one guy Walter which seemed harmless enough, but then another guy showed up—Walter McFadden from Joanna #1. At that point I renamed the guy James. Oops, turns out a number of pages later a bad guy named James Ardmore from Field of Bones also ended up making a cameo appearance. So I changed his name again. For the moment, his name is named Roger, and with any kind of luck, it’ll stay that way.
But what did I learn from this? The copyeditor was more right than wrong. Evidently some names seem to stick in my head, and if they’re good enough for one book, why not use them in all of them? So now I’m trying to check every name as I go along, not only in current books but in previous ones as well.
Now back to Nerds on the Go. I’m really grateful. They did a great job for me, but now they keep sending me messages asking me to post a review. The problem is, in order to do that, I’d have to find my Google Password. Nope. Not doing that. Instead, I’m writing this blog, because I really do recommend them highly.
That being said, I’m back to writing. Wish me luck.
I am thoroughly confused here. Why didn’t you just order the kindle version on your laptop from Amazon, and assuming you and he have the same Amazon account, he should have been able to download the book right on to his Kindle app on his Ipad. Am I missing something?
Spoken like someone who understands all this “tech” speak! You say “app”, “digital” “download” my head just explodes! You guys make it sound so simple!
…and they told us computers would make our lives easier..
We enjoy all your books. Keep on writing! Please! ;=)
Fred smith
I can identify with this!
My old iPad currently at a nearby shop called Need a Geek.
Can’t wait for a new Joanna Brady book!
Yes, tech can be frustrating. I hope you have a password manager of some kind for all of your family passwords. My husband and I did this years ago and when he was hospitalized once, being able to access anything I needed made one aspect of life less stressful. We use mSecure, but there are many others available.
Glad he got to reading the book.!
You and I have the exact same tech abilities! This really made me laugh at all you were going through since I could totally understand your dilemmas. Glad you found help. By the way, when you are seeking names I’d love to see my Dad, Ned’s name in one of your books. He was in France and Germany in WWII, and died way too young at the age of 59. Nicest sweetest man ever.
Dearly love reading your blogs…stay well! Helen Dempsey-Tennent
Because it’s almost Memorial Day and in honor of your father’s service, there is now a Ned in Joanna # 22. It’s a small part but a meaningful one.
I know this blog wasn’t funny, but for some reason, I got a couple of laughs out of it, and will be waiting for a book from you titled Dead Simple, but first Joanna #22. Now, I just need someone to show me how to get around in my Kindle.
Blessing to you and Bill.
I feel you pain! My computer and all modern technology has made my life a living hell over the last year! Please take me back to the 1950’s.
I REALLY enjoyed your Friday blog. Not that I enjoyed your troubles. No, I just enjoy your writing.
I’m looking forward to your upcoming books too. I did find an author who I have enjoyed almost as much, he even has a character much like your Beau.
I hope Bill enjoys reading again through the Kindle.
So true about so much. Tech and me don’t get along very well. I would do the same, ask my husband why, how come and most of all “I didn’t do anything. “. He would always come to my rescue. He also has tremors as your husband does so even the easiest task has turned in to a chore and quite often frustrating. I realize this doesn’t have anything to do with reading but the challenges for him and me, if I have to fix it on my ipad or computer, are similar.
I’m currently camping on the East side in a town called Bridgeport WA and have no cell service. Can’t wait to get to the library and find one of your books again.
Hope this gets back to you because I cannot type very well on this phone.
Have a wonderful day.
This whole message was done on a phone? I’m impressed.
Good luck! Buy baby names book. You’ll have enough names to last a millennium.
In terms of Amazon and Kindle I also only read on a Kindle because of my eyesight. Amazon owns Kindle. You just need to download the Kindle app on the iPad, iPhone computer and most any other device you want to read on. Your library appears on all the devices and you can sync between the different devices so no matter what device you are reading on you start right where you left off. I also left it the hard way or as my kids call the “dumb Mom questions”. Geez guys I was raised with a black and white TV and the remote was our feet getting up and changing the channel!
Alternatively, get the book “What Not to Name the Baby”, clever read on how many people react to names of those they don’t know
I’m sure that Nerds on the Go love the recommendation in this blog and will be well compensated. My knowledge of electronics is on about the same level as yours or maybe less.
Yes, good luck, Judy…this experience of yours was so similar to one of mine that I actually thought you had been writing about me…I have an excellent resource for all my Apple issues – Simutek, here in Tucson, which coincidentally happens to be owned by my son-in-law. It is an Apple authorized entity, so if you (or anyone) needs Apple help in Tucson, go see Rich at Simutek.
Praying for you and Bill and all your health issues.
I know you’ll find the perfect title for Joanna #22 and if you searching for new names for your characters, may I suggest Ted and Valerie?
J.A., get a program called Dashlane on your laptop. I’ve been using it for 8 years on my laptop, and it’s fantastic! I opted for the paid version. Each app or website you go to, it asks if you want it to save the password after you’ve made it, and it saves it. You have to sign in every morning with the Master Password (I chose my parents’ old address, which nobody would know), and a whole screen pops up. Any website or app you go to it autofills the password. I don’t have to remember a thing. You can go in and get the password if you need it.
Good luck!
Jacke O
The best thing about books on Kindle is the font. You can change it to make it larger or smaller. Good luck! As for the computer problems you can reboot or set everything back to factory default but that isn’t easy for non techies. Glad you found help and able to read the book.
I hate it when tech gets the best of me. I’ve been fighting with my laptop which keeps changing my search engine from Google to a microsoft engine every few weeks. I get it fixed but it happens again. Wish I was smart enouh to figure out why it’s doing this. Anyway I’m glad it worked out and you found a good place close to home to help in the future. I’d love to know how you like The Hail Mary Project. I read it years ago and loved it. We saw the movie recently and it was excellent too. Can’t wait for the new Brady.
I love it!! Sounds just like home! We do what we can to carry on. Blessings.
Oh, my gosh, I have so been there! You are very fortunate to find someone to help.
It seems the more we rely on technology, as if we had a choice, the more frustrating it gets. It should just work, right?
I have a new solution for when it reaches the stage of virtual implosion — and it doesn’t take much anymore. I put whatever it is aside and just scream. Nothing prolonged, but LOUD. It’s a perfect vent. I can then go back to it later or seek assistance with some degree of calm.
I finished your story laughing out loud. ?
As I read your blog , a thought came to me. Wasn’t it easier in the early days to just sit down and write. Also, my friends and I graduated in 1966! And we are forever grateful that cell phones, and all that technology weren’t around to video our exploits!
But, honestly JB, reading and the library, saved my life as a child. It gave me a safe haven to get away from the ugliness of my home life. I have all your books and many times reread them for that safe place again… thank you!
Your computer/ipad problems sound so familiar! My biggest problem is that I’ve got a Google account, Gmail, Google this/that and the other thing. Can I use the same password for all of them? Doesn’t that sound like the best solution? If I use their suggestion for a strong password, then I have to have a different sign-on name for each one! I’m soooo confused by it all. 86 is not a good age to sign up for anything new on a computer!
This is your BEST post ever! I’m only 70, and I’ve had a very hard year with Fraud on my Visa…. big password problems etc. I’m no dummy, but I do worry about the future with all these new things, downloading, purchasing on internet etc.
thanks for giving all a wonderful place to go for help and also knowing they are safe! That helps!
I read books that i get from amzn on my iphone, ipad, and (sometimes) kindle. All books, including yours. There is a way to send the same book to multiple devices on the same account. I don’t buy paper books anymore.
Good luck, and may the Force be with you
Judy, you are so funny! Yup, been there, done that! Tech stuff can absolutely get so frustrating. I’m glad you were resourceful enough to get it all solved. And thanks for the recommendation of the Nerds on the Go guys.
I started reading The Project Hail Mary and then ended up going to see the movie before I was finished with the book. Now I’m trying to finish reading the book, but I have to say that I’m not as motivated. They did do a good job with the movie but of course the book is much more detailed and therefore better. I recently saw Remarkably Bright Creatures on Netfix after reading the book and I highly recommend both. Bill is so lucky to have you. You are so thoughtful and caring.
I just read your response to Helen and I was genuinely touched that you will be honoring Ben. I spent 26 years in uniform and always appreciate it when veterans are recognized in some way. Thank you Judith.
How uncanny! My husband (81), and I just had issues with digital (Prime video) and Amazon accounts. It took 2 days and threats to quit everything Amazon before it was resolved. Plus digital skills I didn’t know I had. Hopefully, it will have been a free lesson versus the $70. I believe it will have cost?
This might help. I suggest you go back to your friends at Nerds to Go. There are apps that can search the text of all of your books and using the app you could get a list of all names you’ve used in your books so you can quickly scan them while writing to see if you are duplicating any of them. There are also other apps and AI that they might be able to set up on your computers for you to help prevent you from repeating names without you having to scan, look over, a list of them. Happy Naming!
The Taken One is jp that you are working on rught?
No, The Taken Ones is through the editing process and in production. I’m working on the next Joanna.
Somewhere, a while ago , I read of an author (was it you?) who had a collection of old phone books she referred to for year/decade-appropriate names. Of course, really old ones had mostly men’s names and later, for safety, only initials for women’s first names. First initials follow trends and fads, too — think of Josh, Jessica, Judd, Julie, Jason, Jordan, etc.!
Thanks for all your writings–they’re the standards others are held to.
Hi to Bill, xx, Annie
One of my sons—his junior year of high school took on a job of helping some of my age friends with their computers. Having a nice young man in their home working on their computer being polite was fun for them;;and for him meant cookies and coke and $20. He said it was easy and could not figure out why she did not know how to do what took him just a few minutes.
Glad your computer issues were solved; and Kindles are absolutely wonderful
I’m glad all your tech is fixed for now.
I just read Duel To The Death. I am reading my way through all of your books. Right now that is my favorite of all your books that I have read so far. It is so timely with the AI.I loved it.
As I read your blog on my kindle, I recall the proprietary issues I had in the early kindle days. I couldn’t read my kindle books on my phone. Then a couple of years ago, my husband pointed out there is a kindle app on our phone now, so I can access my kindle books on the phone if needed. I rarely do, I like the size and ease of the kindle, and if you don’t have a “tablet pillow”, they work great to read without having to hold the kindle. Gods luck writing and naming!
Not sure how good turned into God’s in the last sentence but either works I guess!
How timely! Right now, the server is up, after being “down” off and on for several days, but the emails I thought I was sending (when I didn’t realize the server was down) landed in an outbox in another account, where I don’t know how to get them out. Thought I’d be smart and use my work laptop, as it has a different account, but when I try to access my email on that one, I get a screen advertising Gemini, and talking about AI. I don’t want Gemini, or AI, or a new account–I just things to go back the way they were, when I could type “mail” in the whatchacallit, and the screen immediately opened up my inbox. Arrghh! So, along with so many others, I feel your frustration with you!
This is the finest review.
Some months are nothing but A, B, and C’s. Yeppers.
Hang in there!!!
Well, Judy, as you probably know, I am just about the only person on this planet who doesn’t even own a cell phone. Which means all of you are talking Greek to me. I do everything with my old fashioned camera and my computer. I ocassionally have computer problems so I call the Geek Squad. I do not need any more gadgets to drive me crazy. I love reading your books by holding the hardback printed copy in my hands. Yes, my son screams for me to get into this century, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. I do not miss sending or receiving texts.
Now you know what it’s like for Canadians to try and order a book from Amazon. Although my Amazon account is Canadian I do have access of course to an American Amazon account. But in order to buy the book I have to go to amazon.ca and a web browser and buy it for it to go to Kindle.
Ask for passwords here’s from a Microsoft network administrator extraordinaire. Computers translate everything into zeros and ones. It hates having to translate letters. Hands, when passwords are hijacked by scammers the software usually skips right over anything that is mostly made up of letters because it takes too long to convert letters into zeros and ones. Even though I have a Yahoo mailbox that is so old it doesn’t have any numbers in it I would regularly get notifications from Yahoo mail about every 6 to 12 months telling me that decided didn’t hacked and that I should change my password. It was making me crazy. You have to keep finding all of these passwords and you’re trying to mix up numbers and make sense and then of course you have to write it all down somewhere which is defeating the whole purpose. But if you write a short phrase or a slightly long word like eight letters and make sure you make one is a capital letter and that you have one number and one symbol and you will never have to replace your passwords again. Hence you could do for example 1stDetbeau# and you’re done! Never heard from Yahoo again and it’s been 5 years. If you want to make it more applicable to the app you’re using you could complicate it and have for example 1stdetbeaugoogle# 1stdetbeaucapone$
That would be first detective Beaumont Google hashtag. But if it’s something that you pay money for you can do first detective beau capital one and then a dollar sign that just indicates for your memory but you pay money for it. But you can stick to the original one and use it on all of your apps. I have never ever been sent a message from any app since I changed. Not once. And if I forget what the password is which is pretty hard to do quite honestly then it’s really simple to just create another simple one that’s about the same and you’re good to go. And again according to my extraordinary talented nephew who’s been a top talented Microsoft administrator for more than 30 years it really flummoxes the algorithm searching for passwords and they just can’t be bothered to try and break it down. It’s like yeah you live in a safe neighborhood and you can leave your back door unlocked. But if you locked the back door no one’s going to try and break into it because the one next to you is going to be open anyway. The other really important thing I learned back in 1999 when I got the Magistr virus that my brother went trying to repair blew up my brand new $3,000 laptop? AVG free is the way to go for all your antivirus needs. I’ve used nothing else since 1999 and I have never had a virus or any glitches in my computer since. And, I had a girlfriend whose desktop went down. Had a virus. The last time she scanned her computer was in April and this was now November. A lot of the Trojans used to freeze your CD players so it’s not like you could slot your CD and with the software that you paid a zillion dollars for and run it again. But the computer would let me turn on the computer itself and it would let me run the internet and so I downloaded AVG free, let it run for an hour. 14 Trojans and I don’t know how many other extraneous bits and pieces. Computer was good as new. Faster than Wiz Bang and she never had to remember to run a scan. AVG just keeps it going and going and going. If you sign up for the non free version then they just now inundate you with everything in their arsenal. But all you need is AVG free. All the network admits run that on their home and personal computers. But they do buy AVG PRO for their corporate computers just for the liability. So good luck to you.
Have you considered audible books for Bill? I love listening to books on my IPad, phone or in my car when driving. I read books using the Kindle app on my IPad, or the Libby app from my library, I can also borrow audiobooks through Libby. So far I have only read your books so I am not sure who you have for narration, but I am sure they are good! And I really enjoy reading your blog!
The problem with hearing my own books is the mispronunciation of geographical or regionally-specific words.
The readers for her audio books do a great job, especially the Beaumont ones
Dear J.A.,
I, too, am fairly hopeless with computers. Fortunately, I continue to work half-time at a medical center that has IT help – maybe that’s one reason I continue!
I’m also a serial reader. Right now I’m most of the way (again) through your Joanna Brady series – it’s like catching up on old friends. I like the development of the characters and their lives. I have to find the lead characters in mysteries likeable. You do an outstanding job of that in all your series. I think it works best in your Joanna series because there are so many different characters and subplots to develop. I hope you keep writing for a long time. Best wishes, Elli
Been there done that a million times. I do feel your pain sister. I too don’t write reviews because of the google thing.
As was already said, JA, I feel your pain immensely. Tech is so frustrating sometimes, for sure.
GOOD LUCK. You are a real trooper.
Sending my regards to all those brave people who served in our arm forces and who are no longer with us; I also have so much respect for our soldiers serving now who are trying to keep us all free.
In Memoriam.
Best to you and Bill, JA. <3
Good to know other options are out there besides Geek Squad. I have a phrase (not coined) “Technology…we have a love/hate relationship”. I am the “tech” person in my house, and there are times…well, let’s just say my stubbornness is what gets the job done…lol.
On another note, I just found out my granddaughter’s prior college roommate Mars is friends with your granddaughter Cece…what a small world.
I am pretty null and void with tech. A computer that gets a lot of restricted use, a ginormous iPad that all I do is use it for amazon books in a Kindle app because of my eyes. I so dislike change that I turn the iPad sideways and get both sides of a paperback, just like it was real. Sure that I did that by accident, but it works. As for passwords, I take that frustration out by using all cuss words as the passwords in various incarnations. Feel like a foulmouthed Gabby Hayes.
I’ll keep the name of your tech guys if I can’t find a 3rd grader to help me, or laugh at me. The latter being more likely to happen.
Happy Memorial Day
I love that! All “cuss words”!! ?
What a time you had–sounds a bit like when I first got an I-Phone, which was just about three months ago. Glad you were able to get everything taken care of so Bill can read his book and you can continue writing.