Been in the holiday spirit? I got 3 sales! I haven't been keeping track as the past two weeks have been pretty crazy, but just checked it out now and--BOOM--sales!
That takes us up to 35 total! Thanks guys/gals! I still haven't made $10 from the royalties (you need $10 before they send you the money), but it's the thought that counts (or at least that's what I tell myself).
I've been trying to get back into the swing of things, but it's been difficult.
Still sick. And there are still events to attend and people to...uh...entertain.
Just a quick recap of the situation.
I've been working on the sequel to the Judge for the past month or so. However, the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest is just around the corner, so I'm going to dedicate my time to that. I have until the end of January, so I need to make sure everything is perfect by then. If you don't know what that is, it's a competition of sorts for novels. You have to have a novel ready for them, then you just send it in. The novel is pit against thousands of other novels. And only a few emerge victorious with a grand prize of...getting PUBLISHED!
As no one wants to publish my books, this is really the only way to fight for it. So I'm going to try.
Anyway, since I've been sick, I thought I'd do a little piece called
SICK TIPS (TIPS FOR THE SICK!) Note: These are personal tips and since I'm not an expert at all in health, these are probably really stupid. So...don't rely on them!
1) Stay at home -- There's a story behind this one, and it starts off with...being sick...and going to a lock in(stuck somewhere with nothing healthy to eat and a bunch of people who do not go to sleep). Yeah. Home is the best place to be when you're sick. I went to a lock in when I was still okay, but perhaps due to the extreme cold of winter and lack of ventilation in areas with a bunch of people...things got worse...fast. Also, it didn't help that there were only two bathrooms and over twenty people...and when you drink lots of fluids because of a dry throat...you have to go to the bathroom...A LOT. There are probably lots of other stories to tell, but I won't go into detail. I'll just say I felt like I was dying. Best to stay at home and rest.
2) Medicine? -- I'm the type that believes that medicine should only be taken when needed. In general people say that medicine is a cure. But when it comes to basic sickness, like a cold, all the medicines do is remove symptoms. But...symptoms are often the bodies way of removing the sickness. So I think that medicines are best taken when needed, like if a fever gets too high or if you need to sleep but it feels impossible. And don't forget to sing: "Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down" You don't even need the sugar. Just the song makes the medicine go down.
3) Hot shower/Bath -- Does this work? I don't know. Sometimes it makes me feel better. And I think the steam/humidity from a hot shower or bath makes my nose run better to clear out the congestion. Might just be my imagination. But it can get pretty disgusting in the shower when your nose starts dripping.
4) Natural Good Stuff -- I'm pretty sure this is obvious, but any sick fellow needs access to good nutrients. A hot bowl of soup/broth is great for this. Tea has some nice properties as well. Whenever I'm sick I have a nice hot bowl of ramen. And of course, drink plenty of fluids (because you lose plenty too).
5) Sore Throat Remedy -- My most hated part of any sickness is the sore throat. Congestion, stuffy/runny nose, cough is annoying. Fevers suck. Chills and aches are despicable. But, for my money, Sore Throat is the worst. Nothing hurts me more than a constant UGH feeling in my throat that makes me not want to talk, drink or eat. That's why I take all measures to nip it in the bud before it gets too dangerous. From what I understand, sore throats are caused by germs in the throat. Perhaps an infection or inflammation of sorts. So...to destroy the sore throat, you must destroy the germs. I go all out. Here is my method:
a) Gargle with salt water (put salt in water, stir it well)
b) Gargle with mouth wash (Should kill something...I think)
c) drink hot lemon, honey tea or have a spoonful of pei pa koa (this is for preparation of next step. If you don't know what pei pa koa is...check google)
c) eat/drink hot, spicy, salty foods/soups (it'll hurt like heck and you'll be sweating like fifty testosterone-overflowing men trapped in a sauna while running on treadmills...but...maybe it'll help. Make it extra spicy and extra salty. Don't go overboard...or you'll die. Maybe.)
d) wait a few hours, if problems persist, rinse and repeat. if you're suffering even more...stop.
