My week began slowly with regard to Pat’s situation. This was the beginning of what we call the ‘second week’ in the chemo process where the patient is most vulnerable. I had to pick up seven syringes from the hospital to begin the ‘protective’ phase for her, but by Wednesday she was showing signs of deterioration and Thursday morning was taken back into hospital. She is now on antibiotics and has had three scans. Outwardly, Pat is OK, and is showing signs of good recovery, but it’s unlikely she will be home for a couple of days yet. I’m getting used to living off ready meals by the way.

On the book front, I have joined a promotion for my latest book, No Time to Die. It began yesterday and this morning I’d sold five copies. The promotion will run for five days. The link for the books on offer, all free or $0.99 (Crime thrillers — 17 of them) is at https://storyoriginapp.com/to/5Jey3uT. At the moment mine is showing on the first page, but I think the organisers rotate the pages. Why not have a look?

All in all this month, my book sales have been sketchy, but I’ve managed to sell about 44 copies so far. That is good for me because it isn’t all promotion; a lot of that is organic. I’m hoping to remedy that by creating a campaign on Amazon Ads. Trouble is, I still haven’t got through the first Bryan Cohen video properly. I set the video going on my PC, sit back to absorb the information and wake up with out a clue of what’s been said. So I rewind and then give up. Back the next day, same thing. I will crack it though, after all, it cost a fair bit, but the idea is to have a forensic understanding of the way in which the ads work, and how to manage them. Time will tell just how successful I’ll be with them. Unfortunately my current situation doesn’t lend itself to serious study. I’m off to the hospital in ten minutes, couple of hours and home again. Snatch a meal, walk the dog and go back to the hospital. I’m spending more on car parking each day than I would on advertising. Frustrating, but that’s the way it is. When we lived in Spain, car parking at the hospitals was free (probably still the same).

I'm back from the hospital now, and have a couple of hours to eat, walk the dog, iron some PJs for Pat and finish this blog.

I have changed my reading habits from typical A&A thrillers, most of which annoy me, to perhaps a more cerebral crime novel. I downloaded The Sound of Rain by Gregg Olsen. (No, me neither). Anyway, the guy’s a ‘best-selling author, so I thought I’d give it a go. So far it’s a little weird for me, but interesting. I think the story will become more edgy as it goes on. I’ll let you know if I get round to finishing it; something I seem to have trouble with these days — finishing what I started.

I can’t see much further ahead for my own book ambitions, simply because I have little time to myself now. If Pat recovers fully, I should be able to get back to some semblance of order. I can only squeeze this blog in because of separating my morning and afternoon visits, plus I think by keeping this ‘space’ open, it helps me to maintain links to my readers and zillions of fans. Meanwhile, I hope I sell a ton of books. Wish me luck!