Slightly Off the Mark: December 2024

The Good, the Bad, and the Baby

Some of you are already aware that my Dad was stuck in the hospital over Christmas after suffering a heart attack. He'd actually gone in for a severe sinus infection, something I also had at the same time, but they found the more serious problem there. Later he also tested positive for the flu, so we'll see how well Emily's and my flu shots hold up.

Today (Thursday) Dad had angioplasty, and they put two stints in. Blood had found a way to flow around a second blocked artery, so they left that alone. A third artery was also partially blocked, but there were complications with the procedure, and the doctors decided not to proceed due to his age and health problems. At 86, sometimes the best thing to do is not to do the thing.

By the time you read this hopefully he'll be home, where my sister Traci should get extra credit for taking care of him.

By good luck Uncle Ishmael was up visiting from Alabama, and stopped in to see him. That's Ishmael in the middle, and of course me on the right. The other guy would have to be Dad, or else we really confused some other patient.

Meanwhile, on Monday night, at another hospital in Fort Wayne, my youngest daughter Jill gave birth to her third child and first son, Zander Repine.

I think he looks kind of grouchy--he had a rough day.

He was a little jaundiced so they kept him an extra day, but he and Mom are home now. Including the step-kids, I now have eight grandchildren! I think. That's awfully high to count.

So this is how our December calendar goes: Zander's sister Willa has her birthday toward the beginning of the month. Then Emily's birthday is on the 21st, Zander's is on the 23rd, pretty much everyone knows what happens on the 25th, and Jill's is on the 27th. I believe I'm missing something.

Close enough to a Christmas baby!

Then comes the 31st, and we start the whole darned thing over again.

Personally, I think we should have spread things out a bit more, but a lot of this stuff tends to schedule itself.

Oddly enough I'm exhausted, despite having very little direct involvement in everything.

Please order some books--I have presents to buy!

· Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

· Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

· Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter

· Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/

· Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914

· Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/

· Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter

· Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter

· Substack: https://substack.com/@markrhunter

· Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914

· Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

Remember: Every new life is a potential new reader.

Happy Birthday/Christmas!

In the above photo you can see a Christmas decoration that depicts Emily and I kissing. This year we shared not a kiss, but coughing and hacking. (We're much better now, although there are other family members who would use good vibes.) Last year we shared Covid. Basically we didn't feel up to putting up the tree and decorations either time, so we didn't. However, I do have a Gilmore Girls "Luke's Diner" Christmas theme on the TV, so there's that.

Emily's birthday will be about the time you're reading this. She got her present early, but of course I wanted something to give her something that day, which seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I have reason to believe she's going to hate it. If I disappear, check in the big freezer in the garage.

She'll appreciate the effort, though. I hope.

Here's Emily with our house guest from earlier this year, Watson.

Between my Seasonal Affected Disorder and the way my brain naturally freezes when it comes to any kind of present shopping, added to the bronchitis/sinusitis thing, I have no confidence that I'll recover when it comes to the gift giving business, I'll try! Meanwhile, maybe I'll cook something for her. Or maybe that would just make things worse.

In any case, this will probably be the last blog from me until after Christmas, so I hope everyone has a great holiday. Our family get together might not come until after the New Year--but we'll still be together.

There's a nice Christmas tree at work, anyway!

Don't forget, we've got Coming Attractions and two other books for free until the end of the month, here:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

We and our books can be found ... everywhere:

· Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

· Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

· Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter

· Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/

· Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914

· Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/

· Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter

· Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter

· Substack: https://substack.com/@markrhunter

· Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914

· Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

Remember: Reading is a great activity for Christmas break, especially if the kids are busy with their new boys.

Speak of the Devil: The Very Best Season Of Them All

Speak of the Devil: The Very Best Season Of Them All: Winter is coming. I have an image blog for the occasion. Enjoy!

You Deserve a Free Book This Year

Once again we're giving away Coming Attractions on ebook, as part of the Smashwords 2024 End of Year Sale. I'm sure we're all looking forward to the end of this particular year.

So starting December 12th and going on until January 1st (of what I'm sure will be as better year) get my novel Coming Attractions on e-book for free! That's a 99 percent price cut.

I think 99%. I became a writer because I hate math.

The catch: Since its a Smashwords sale, let's face it, you have to get it on Smashwords. The other catch is that I won't make any money, but if it attracts attention to our other books it's what sales people call a loss leader.

You can find the promo here: https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos starting, as mentioned, on December 12th. This is also a great chance to get the books of other authors, for free or at a promotional discount (after you get mine).

If you want to go directly to my account, it's at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914. There are two other books there, anthologies that I have short stories in: The Very True Legends of Ol' Man Wickleberry and his Demise: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/700221, and Strange Portals--Ink Slingers' Fantasy/Horror Anthology: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/499789.

You can get Coming Attractions (and the two anthologies) on epub, mobi, and pdf formats, or as an original document, so it should be readable to anyone with an e-reader, cell phone, or computer. The print version, sadly, is not part of the promotion.

This is indie author paradise, and indie authors could always use the help. So please, check it out and share the promo with your friends and family, and anyone looking for their next favorite book.

Happy reading!