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?
…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
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!
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.
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!