Monday, September 19, 2011

I just don't know

Do I want an iPad? Should I get one?

I don't know. The geek in me (read all of me, including that little fingernail that rolls its fictional eyes whenever I get stuck on the topic of geeky stuff) says yes. At the moment, I have a really underpowered netbook. I'm not kidding. If I try to do much more than writing on it, it has a fit and sits in the corner until I leave it alone. Browsing websites is a chore, and watching digital movies is a nausea-inducing exercise (ever been in a nightclub when the lights start blinking on and off rapidly, so that people look like they're moving jerkily? Yeah, bit like that).

I know what you'll say. Get a new laptop! Which is a good idea. My only problem is that the sort of new laptop I want, means spending upwards of £600 to get.

With the release of IOS5 later this year, an ipad is only getting more enticing. No more needing to tether the thing to a pc! Proper multi-tasking! I would still need a pc to do a lot of things with my book, especially when editing the file to get it ready to publish, though that's something I can use my current laptop for. And I could do a lot of writing on the ipad - as long as I got an external keyboard, essentially turning it into a netbook.

The problem is, I've been getting a bit annoyed with my iphone of late. Admittedly, a lot of that has to do with the fact that it's so damn slow, being a 3GS. It's put me off having another iphone (that and the signal issue, of course).

The question is, what do I use my laptop for?
Internet browsing (reading the latest news, writing to this blog, making online purchases)
Watching videos
Writing

That's about it, really. And I can do all of that on an ipad, only switching back to the pc when it's time to edit. Hell, I already use my phone to browse the internet and watch videos, due to the aforementioned reasons.

My phone is due for an upgrade sometime over the next 6 months, so when I get rid of the iphone, maybe I'll put some of the money toward an ipad.

We'll see.

Friday, September 16, 2011

No time like the present

Well! The final edition of Liberator's Ruin has finally been submitted to Amazon and Smashwords, and should now be live.


What's so different about this edition I hear you ask? It turns out my editing wasn't quite as good as I thought it was. Whilst the edit itself is fine, I missed an awful lot of typos. Far more than I thought I had. But with the help of some very kind people on Goodreads, I should have got them all now! I'm ashamed that I let such a shoddy copy get published, but at least that's one thing I can finally let go.

Mosey on over to Amazon or Smashwords to download a copy. Samples are free!

I'm working hard on the plan for Serial Psyence at the moment, so hoping to starting writing it by the end of October. It's going well. I think I finally passed the halfway mark today, so the main plot is starting to heat up (there are two plots running parallel in the story).

We've almost finished moving out now. After over a month since we first got the keys to the new flat. We're having to downsize from a 3-bed maisonette to a 2-bed flat, so some things are going to be stored in a parent's loft for a while. And here I was thinking I'd moved out of my mum's house. Ha!

Maybe one day.

What I'm listening to at the moment: Deus Ex: Human Revolution Soundtrack. Believe it or not, it's very good. Nice bit of music to listen to whilst planning Serial Psyence.

PS. Anyone waiting for the next update to We Should Have Run, it's coming. I just have to sit and write it ...