Cloud Computing

For me, Blogger has been down for another 24+ hours.  By a circuitous route, I managed to get back here.  Very sad that a company as wealthy and clever (let's call it clever and leave it at that) can't keep Blogger running.

Makes me want to put all my really important files on an off-site computer and hope it's there next time I need it.

Like yeah.

Kindle has been slow all week but seems to be picking up somewhat.  I am weaning myself off of seeing what my ranking is on any book for a while.  I don't mind the rankings but then you see the stupid reviews.  I would like to know if everyone has very disenchanted/mean readers or if people are really being mislead by NLM.  I think they think it's chicklit and it's not.  So they take out their disappointment on me.  I've thought about playing around with the price of this, too, but I suspect I won't.

I have been working on NLM2.  A lot of time and upset has gone into the cover art due to the camera.  I got the camera to do the photography for the knitting book.  It was at the time a fairly expensive (to me) camera, a Nikon d70.  It's my 3rd Nikon but my first digital Nikon (I did have a point and shoot Epson to take images for eBay).  I've always been disappointed in the quality of the images.  First I thought it was the kit lens that came with the camera, and that's probably true.  They're going to give you a good lens?  No they'll give you the crappiest piece of plastic they have.  So I eventually got a 75-200 vibration reduction zoom and that was better but still left much to be desired. 

Over the last few weeks--and I'd like to say Way to go Nikon!  When I first read the manual I thought whoever wrote it had to be stoned and after this most recent session, I'm convinced of it.--I researched what other people were doing and trying and the problems they were having and the fixes they came up with.  I finally reached a point where it's as good as I can get it.

Which you could see if Blogger worked but it doesn't so, Sergy Brin should apologize, I've done all I can.

I suspect only a photographer would detect the softness of focus that bothers me so mightily.  It should be sharp as a knife.  That's the point.  If it's not then it's Fail.

I can't publish NLM2 without the cover, so that has to be as perfect as possible and I have a lot of work in front of me for that.  Or I can pay $150 for a lovely image from someone else.  $150 is a lot of money.  In the real world it's a lot of money.  It's not that much to those selling 20,000 books a month but I don't so I can't make that choice.   Actually my covers (change in that status in 4...3...2...) have never gotten a complaint.

I don't understand the reviews that intimate I'm an idiot.  Okay, you don't like the book.  Why does it have to become personal.  We are living in a very meanspirited culture where the snarkier you are, the better your street cred or something.  I think this is something I should deal with in Bad Apple 5 maybe.  BA4 is about something else.  Which will probably be missed anyway.  "Not enough happened!"

If Blogger ever heals, I'll try to get that image inserted, otherwise, Happy Memorial Day and thank a soldier for the freedom we enjoy and far too often take for granted.