Settling In

Moving into a new house requires lots of hard work. Our home improvements are slowly raising our comfort level day-by-day. The window treatments, most of which have been installed, greatly help our sense of privacy. My office is shaping up, although I had to order another bookcase to replace the built-in shelving I’d lost from the other house. It’s taking a long time to reorganize my papers but that’s essential to feeling in control.

My husband’s office space is great. He has his own computer desk and has put his music equipment in there. Adjacent to it is a guest bedroom with a Jack and Jill bathroom in between. Upstairs is another guest bedroom that will be a great boy’s room when our grandson stays over. We’re putting all the toys and kid’s books up there and have made the other upstairs bedroom into a media room with our CDs and DVDs. I don’t plan to go upstairs too often, but the kids will like it.

We have a list of projects for the handyman. We’ll need him to hang our mirrors and paintings among many other items. And these are only the inside issues. Outside are three towering trees we want to get removed plus landscaping, gutter cleaning and sprinkler repairs to do. Once we clear the garage of all our packing boxes, that space needs fixing up. So we won’t be done for quite a while.

Our new location is great. We are close to shopping with most of our favorite stores and restaurants nearby. We’ve had our first Covid vaccines and met our friendly neighbors. We even made an excursion one day to a strawberry farm. And of course, the best reason to be here of all is that we’re near our family. So there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I just wish we could be there sooner rather than later.

Plumbing Problems

We had remodeled our former house to our specifications, including all new comfort-level toilets and bathroom vanities. This current house shows its twenty-year-old age. Two of the toilets needed “rebuilds” as the plumber expressed it. Other plumbing problems included hose-like contraptions in two showers that we had him replace with single-function fixed showerheads. We replaced old-fashioned knob handles with lever handles, redid the tub/shower trim and replaced three sink faucets. It’s amazing how much better this makes things look.

Next the medicine cabinets need replacement. They are missing shelves. I’m waiting for the handyman to tackle that problem. We bought a new mirror at Home Goods for one guest bathroom where we had the old purple one taken down.

The bathrooms have other issues. Our master bathroom faces the front of the house. Its only window has frosted glass and a tree shading it so very little sunlight comes inside. In cold weather, this cavernous space is freezing. The a/c unit is on the other side of the house, and the heat doesn’t reach in here. It’s freezing cold at night. We’ve applied to the HOA for tree removal, but that’s another issue. There’s a lack of shelves to hold room sprays and such, so I’ve ordered a bathroom cabinet. It’s here but has to be assembled and hung. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent searching online for these items.

In addition, the kitchen and bath storage space were poorly designed. We’ve hired a company that can redesign these interior spaces using the same doors and cabinets. For example, they’ll add drawers and pull-outs and other features. Meanwhile, our bathroom items are strewn everywhere as we have no place to put them. It’s one big empty space inside these cabinets.

These are a few of the multitude of things we have to deal with in a new house. It’s also why I can’t concentrate to write. I’m still waiting on a handyman and landscaper. Yesterday we spent getting estimates on new a/c units. And so each day goes, moving us closer to our goal of settling into a routine.

If you read my last post, here are pictures of the creepy attic. Does it stimulate your imagination? More moving adventures next time.

Electrical Issues

The first couple of weeks in our new house brought a parade of workmen through our doors. Most important were the locksmith, electrician and plumber. We had the locksmith change all the locks and add a doorknob on the scary attic door. During our initial house tour, we’d thought this upstairs door to be a closet. Much to our surprise, it wasn’t a closet at all but an opening directly into the attic. You had to turn a key to open this mysterious door as there wasn’t any knob. Subsequently, we had the locksmith add a proper knob. The lock is on the inside so you can’t trap yourself in the attic. This lends itself to one’s imagination, as in The Body in the Attic. Or The Secret in the Attic. I’m sure I’ll use it somewhere in one of my books.

This door opens from the upstairs loft. Upstairs, you say? What about downsizing at our advanced age? Well, we downsized in terms of price but not in terms of square footage. We didn’t want a pool and this house has a screened patio with no neighbors behind us. But in return, we accepted a house with a second story wing. It was a trade-off. We wanted a one-story ranch house but most of the ones here come with a pool. So we made a choice, plus we liked the layout of this place. On the second level is a loft, two bedrooms, and a full bath. This level will be the grandkids’ play area. The wall in the loft held all kinds of weird outlets with wires sticking out, same as in the family room and master bedroom. We suspected the prior family had elaborate sound systems set up with their media centers.

We tasked the electrician with removing the unsafe wiring in the attic on the other side of the loft wall as well as plating all unneeded outlets in the downstairs rooms. We gave the electrician myriad other tasks, such as separating the ceiling fan light switch from the fan itself, so we could turn on the light without turning on the fans. We had him add new outlets and dimmer switches, and got rid of the florescent lights in the master bedroom closets, putting up our choice of fixtures instead. He was here for two full days, and we still have some more tasks that need to be done. You only find out what makes you comfortable as you live in a house. And this one is still far from finished. More in the next post. I hope I am not boring you with this recital, but it is helpful to me to write about our experiences.

A New House

Moving into a new house is a daunting task. It can be more difficult than leaving your old place. Packing to move involves shoving stuff into cartons and sending it off to your destination. But at the other end, you have many decisions to make. You have to decide not only where everything should go but what you need to do to make the house comfortable for your needs.

There’s a reason why we forget what it was like to move before. Like any traumatic event, we’d prefer not to remember the details. Here we planned ahead to have new carpets installed and the painting started before we moved in. The to-do list kept me up at night as I kept adding items. If your house is brand new, you don’t have many of these issues. If it’s a resale like ours, often the owners will have left window treatments and lighting fixtures that can be desirable. This house is twenty years old and hasn’t seen much in the way of renovations. We know the a/c units need replacement, but since they are working, other things must take priority.

Window treatments are number three after carpets and paint. While we kept the blinds, out went the original valences and drapes. That left us with no coverings on the living room window, family room sliding glass doors, patio door in our bedroom and two guest bathroom windows. At night, we have nowhere to go for privacy except our home offices and the master bedroom, and the latter is thanks to our daughter mounting a temporary blackout drape on the door. We won’t feel comfortable until these openings are covered, among other things. But then at least we’ll be able to go somewhere else to read at night if we can’t sleep.

What’s next? Stay tuned for the continuation of our moving adventures. And thank you for listening. It is cathartic for me to relate these details, and it helps me get back into the writing mode.

Moving into a new house takes adjustment #moving #awriterslife Share on X

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The Big Move Begins

Greetings, dear friends. These last few months have been tumultuous as we prepared to move from our house of forty years into a new place near where our kids live. As we get older, it becomes evident that we need to be close to family for mutual support, and the pandemic brought home that nothing else really matters. And so we spent the Fall months packing our belongings and missing the friends that we would leave behind. The virus already had isolated us and sent us to virtual or phone visits. In a way, that detachment helped the process of moving.

American Van Lines made everything go smoothly. Alan B., our moving coordinator, answered my calls promptly and stayed as our agent throughout the process. It took three days for the actual move. On the first day, the guys arrived to pack our things. We’d already taken many of our small fragile items to store at our condo in Windermere. They packed everything else, including all our books and art works. They loaded the two vans on the second day, leaving us with an empty house. Afraid to book a hotel room due to the rampaging virus, we slept overnight on the carpeted floor of our daughter’s former room. It had to be one of the most uncomfortable nights we’d ever spent. Don’t our empty rooms look forlorn?

Then came moving day. At dawn, we headed north on Florida’s turnpike. We arrived at the house around 11am, having had the foresight to stop off and buy a quick take-out lunch. Not long afterward, the movers arrived. They unloaded the furniture and placed it where we wanted. All the boxes went into the garage. And that’s where many of them sit now. Alan called us daily to make sure everything was going smoothly and so did Elena, another team member. I was impressed by how carefully this company handled our items and their professional courtesy. I had paid extra for insurance with a high deductible, and while a few small items and an older tv had problems, they weren’t worth a claim. Then began the job of unpacking and deciding where to put everything, but that’s the topic for my next post.

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Year-End Goal Review

As a writer, it’s important to do a year-end goal review to see what you’ve accomplished and what has yet to be done. This will help you in setting goals for the new year. Aside from moving to a new location, this is what I’ve completed:

CREATIVE GOALS

Publish Easter Hair Hunt, #16 in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries – DONE.
Published March 10, 2020

Reissue mystery backlist titles and update earlier covers – DONE.
a) Updated mystery covers and/or interior back matter for 14 books
b) Reissued in ebook and paperback:
Shear Murder – April 14, 2020
Hanging by a Hair – May 23, 2020
Peril by Ponytail – June 14, 2020
Facials can Be Fatal – July 14, 2020
c) Added all Bad Hair Day Mysteries to IngramSpark for new trade paperback editions

Revise and reissue romance backlist titles – DONE.
Reissued the Light-Years Series in September and the Drift Lords Series in November – 6 books total.

Put Writing the Cozy Mystery into audiobook – NOT DONE

BUSINESS GOALS

Bundle books into box sets – NOT DONE.

Schedule Price Promotions – NOT DONE.

Go wide with audiobooks via Findaway Voices – DONE

Year-End Goal Review #writers #writingcommunity Share on X

In conclusion, I published one original title and finished reissuing all my backlist titles. Now I’m ready to move forward once my home office is reorganized and my life is put back together. A vaccine is on the horizon, which hopefully will allow socializing again and in-person events in the not-so-distant future.

How about you? Are you happy with what you’ve gotten done?

Happy New Year and thanks for sticking with me during these tumultuous times!

The Big Move

My husband and I are about to embark on a grand adventure. After forty years in our cherished house, we are moving four hours away to be near our kids and grandson. It’s not easy when we’ve remodeled this house to suit our style and we love the neighborhood. It’s difficult saying goodbye to our friends and leaving our favorite local restaurants. In a way, the pandemic has helped by isolating us from everyone. Meetings have been cancelled. We can’t get together with friends. So we talk on the phone and visit via Zoom. We can do the same things from our new location.

At the moment, we feel as though we have two lives. One half of us is still in our long-time residence getting it ready for sale and the moving van. The other half is planning ahead to what we want to do in the new house. Hopefully, the rewards will be worth the angst in the end.

In the meantime, my posts (and my writing) will be taking a back burner to these disruptive changes. I’ll resume at the beginning of next year if all goes well.

Have a wonderful holiday season and thanks for understanding.

Until later,

Nancy

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Warrior Lord Reissue

I am excited to announce the reissue of Warrior Lord, Book Three in the Drift Lords Series. This title was previously published by The Wild Rose Press. A fantasy wedding in Las Vegas turns into a nightmare when contest winner Erika Sherwood realizes she’s married an alien in this action-packed fantasy paranormal romance novel.

Book Three in The Drift Lords Series
Copyright © 2014 by Nancy J. Cohen
Published by Orange Grove Press
Digital ISBN: 978-1-952886-15-7
Cover Design by The Killion Group, Inc.

Pottery sculptor Erika Sherwood marries a stranger at a Las Vegas casino after they win a game together and agree to split the reward. It isn’t until her life is threatened that Erika realizes the wedding was for real and her husband is an alien. A warrior from another planet, he’s come to Earth to quell an invasion of beasts from another dimension.

With their location exposed, Erika and her new husband need to make a fast escape. They plunge into a whirlwind of danger, passion, and heart-pounding suspense in their pursuit of a weapon that can defeat the enemy. More alarming are the feelings Erika develops for the taciturn warrior. Will he leave her when their mission is done?

A Drift Lord and swordsman of the Tsuran, Magnor tricks the redhead into marriage when he realizes she is one of six women prophesied to save Earth. But as they race to prevent an apocalypse, he wonders if he risks his heart more than his life.

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Excerpt

Cameras aimed at her, and a wedding march blasted from the speaker system. She resisted the urge to press a hand to her aching temples.

Magnor waited for her under the canopy where myriads of tiny lights twinkled. He looked proud and tall, an unreadable expression on his face as he watched her step forward. His cape swung behind him, making him look like an avenging god with his impressive height and sword.

She took her place at his side and together they faced Dennis. The official held an open book in his hands. Dennis began the brief ceremony, his words bypassing her brain as she stood rooted in place, immobilized by the rapid pace of events.

“With the power invested in me by the State of Nevada and the city of Las Vegas, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Erika’s head whirled. Not even fifteen minutes must have gone by. Was this what passed for a Las Vegas wedding?

What a sham. She supposed that every minute they were on the air, it cost money.

Magnor’s head descended, and he pressed his mouth to hers. As far as the TV viewers were concerned, they’d been married. The exchange of rings had felt real. She wondered who’d given him the one he’d slid onto her finger. Dennis, most likely.

The ruddy-faced official shook their hands, gave Magnor the key to the honeymoon suite, and said their new car would be available for pickup from the valet. As for the cash, it was theirs for the taking. He handed them a large-sized signed check made out to Mr. and Mrs. Magnor.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Dennis said. “I’ll need your signatures on these documents, please. It’s simply a formality, but we do need permission for the resort to use your likenesses for publicity. These papers also include transfer of title to the car, tax forms and such.”

Erika signed with a shaky hand. In her frazzled state, she couldn’t be bothered to read the details.

Magnor followed suit, then grasped her hand in his and raised it in the air. The watching throng cheered loudly.

“That’s it then, wife.” His low, rumbly voice broke through the haze in her head. “You’re mine now.”

Praise

“Cohen’s third book in her Drift Lords series is an action-packed thrill ride from start to finish. She effortlessly blends fact with Norse mythology and fiction to create a fabulous tale, layered in detail and rich in texture.” Muddy Rose Reviews

“Warrior Lord held me spellbound with this story of soul mates trying to save the world. This book has action, adventure, and romance. If that is not enough for you, this book will have you at the edge of your seat. I love mythological beings and incorporating them into a modern story takes a lot of skill and creativity…A great read.” Drue’s Random Chatter

“A fun combination of action, adventure, sci-fi, mystery, mythology, and romance. I loved this book and cannot get enough Drift Lords.” WiLoveBooks

“I really felt connected to these characters. This is an entertaining read and definitely will leave you satisfied.” The Book Maven

“Warrior Lord is a fast-paced science fiction tale with suspense and romance. Erika, the sculptor from Earth and Magnor, a warrior lord on a mission to find the book of Odin, fall in love while fighting his enemies. A very-well written book that kept me reading and guessing until the last page.” Reader Forever

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A fantasy wedding in Las Vegas turns into a nightmare when contest winner Erika Sherwood realizes she’s married an alien. WARRIOR LORD #pnr #fantasy #romance Share on X

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Back-to-Back Book Releases: Yay or Nay?

Launching a series all at once can be a daunting task. You have to plan the promotion campaign with tight deadlines. This release schedule was a new venture for me. With two backlist trilogies, it made sense to book the releases close together. This meant getting all the titles ready before the pre-order dates.

Once I’d completed my revisions, here is what came next:

Assign individual ISBN Numbers and add to Copyright pages (optional but recommended).
Mention this title was previously published by your former publisher if it’s a reissue.
Add new front and back material.
Complete formatting for each book.
Add updated book covers to website.
Convert book into digital and/or paperback formats.
Set release dates.
Add book to vendor sites and schedule as pre-order.
Create memes for series as a whole and for each individual book.
If running a sale, create memes for sale book(s).
Write tweets for each title and for overall series.
Schedule a newsletter.
Book ads if desired.
Write blogs for Cover Reveals and Reissue dates.
Add distributor links to scheduled blog posts and website.
If a reissue, decide if you want to link to earlier versions to retain reviews.
Claim your titles on BookBub, Goodreads and Amazon Author Central.

I decided to run a pre-order sale. With the titles respectively at $.99, $1.99 and $2.99, this would give readers a saving of $6.00 over the regular retail price of $3.99 each.

There appeared to be a spike in sales for each book on their release dates, presumably due to preorders. The first book in each series had the most sales. I’m experimenting with these books on Kindle Unlimited and will evaluate the results once the royalties start coming in.

Would I do this again? Not for original titles. You’d have to write all three of them first and then promote your books to the next millennia. It gets tiring fast. There’s a reason why publishers produce one book a year in a series. You need time to contact reviewers, plan a promotional campaign, schedule ads, write copy, and so much more. It’s easier for backlist titles when you already have reviews, but you still want to attract new readers with fresh covers and added bonus materials.

In conclusion, a back-to-back publication schedule may work for more energetic writers, but I wouldn’t do it for my original works. I need more time for advance planning. In this case, though, with all three books in each trilogy already written, it was easier to get them ready for a fast launch.

Back-to-Back Book Releases: Yay or Nay? #bookpromotion #pubtip Share on X

Have you ever rapid-released several books in a row? How did that work for you?

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Warrior Rogue Reissue

I am excited to announce the reissue of Warrior Rogue, Book Two in the Drift Lords Series. This title was previously published by The Wild Rose Press. A fashion designer and a space warrior race to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save the world. “Star Wars” meets “Romancing the Stone” in this adventurous fantasy paranormal romance novel.

Fashion designer Jennifer Dyhr’s world turns upside down when she hires a hunky actor for her video game commercial. No sooner do they board an aircraft and take off when they’re assaulted mid-air by alien invaders. Even more dangerous are the man’s sensual caresses that ignite the embers in her heart.

When space ops warrior Paz Hadar falls through a spatial rift onto Jen’s film set, he soon realizes she is essential to his mission. Not only must he protect her, but his success depends upon her special powers. As they struggle to stay one step ahead of the enemy, he discovers that fighting his attraction to the lovely Jen is as much a challenge as keeping them both alive.

Finalist in the 2014 Carolyn Reader’s Choice Awards
Finalist in the Reader’s Crown Awards by RomCon®

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Excerpt

Jen tilted her head, taking the plunge. “I’m just wondering where we’re going with us.”

“Are you embarrassed because of my job, is that it?”

“I brought you home to meet my parents, didn’t I?”

“That’s not a proper answer.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “All right, I really like you. I want to be with you. But what happens when your mission is over?”

His gaze hardened. “I go back to my job.”

“Exactly. You leave me. You leave Earth.”

“Why, would you come with me?” For a moment, something flickered behind his expression.

“Not if you’re a space jockey hopping from one port to another. I want to settle down and have a family.”

“Well, then I guess you’ll have to look for someone more stable and suitable to your goals.”

Hurt and disappointment slashed through her. “I guess so. Someone like you can never understand drive and ambition. You just know how to kiss women or kill people.”

She regretted the angry words as soon as she flung them at him, but his refusal to consider her feelings wounded her.

He grinned, but his eyes were two cold ice chips. “I’m very good at killing, Jen. It’s my best trait. Too bad you don’t count that among your requirements for a mate.”

Praise

“This is an exciting read set in a rich, detailed, and fascinating world peopled with interesting characters…A fast-paced read with a dash of romance.” Coffee Time Romance

“Highly recommend this epic adventure filled with passion and drama.” Eclipse Reviews

“Rips in the space fabric, special powers, and naked men, oh my! This is a book you will devour in one fell swoop! Nancy J. Cohen has created a very realistic world with characters you cannot help but love.” Faerie Tale Books

“You have aliens, interstellar heroes, mythology, dragons, demons, and demi-gods all rolled into one. Most of the story is fast-paced action, but there is a nice dose of romance thrown in. It all managed to work well together.” Jessica Loves Books

“Cohen’s futuristic, paranormal romance series blends aspects of science fiction with magic and mythology then tops it off with steamy sexy scenes that are so hot you will need a fan and a mint julep drink to cool off. I love the Drift Lords so much I dream of having one of my own.” Manic Readers

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A fashion designer & a space warrior race to fulfill an ancient prophecy & save the world. WARRIOR ROGUE #pnr #fantasy #romance Share on X

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Category: Blog

Settling In

Plumbing Problems

Electrical Issues

A New House

The Big Move Begins

Year-End Goal Review

The Big Move

Warrior Lord Reissue

Back-to-Back Book Releases: Yay or Nay?

Warrior Rogue Reissue

Contests:

Where To Find My Books: