Saturday, April 19, 2025

Short Stuff!

Welcome, I’m Mary Louisa Locke, the author of the USA Today best-selling Victorian San Francisco Mystery series and the Caelestis Science Fiction series. In this daily newsletter, I reflect on my life as an indie author trying to age gracefully. Occasionally, I will also publish some of my shorter fiction in this newsletter to read for free.

Daily Diary, Day 1690:

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I got over 20 new subscribers to this newsletter, which was a very dramatic increase for a single day, since usually I only get a couple of new subscribers a week. It could be that, since I also had an unusual number of people who regularly get the monthly newsletter I sent out yesterday click on links to this daily newsletter, this might be the source of the new subscribers. If not, I would love if some of you commented saying what prompted you to join (smile.)

Anyway, all you newcomers are very welcome, and I hope you enjoy being here and at least occasionally reading my rambling on what I am doing as an aging author in these rather perilous times to keep writing.

Yesterday I ended up with a lot of exercise overall. After reading some research some time ago on aging and exercise that said that you could include cleaning and other forms of housework as mild a mild form of exercise as part of your weekly totals, I have noted both total exercise for a day, then amount of time actually walking (or riding my new recumbent bike.) So, for example, on Thursday, with only my regular cleaning and one walk, I had a total of 60 minutes of exercise, 30 of it walking. Yesterday, between yoga, cleaning, putting away groceries, and two walks, I had 150 minutes of exercise, 60 of it walking.

I also had a scheduled phone call yesterday, reached my 500 word goal for writing, and even found some time to do recreational reading and get caught up reading a couple of magazines and substack newsletters. In short, a very good day, balanced and productive.

And as you can see, another set of walks with gray skies and really interesting clouds, with a couple of more vibrant flowers to share with you.

Today, I slept in an hour! (which meant I got up at 6:15 rather than 5:15), and I had a zoom meeting early on, which curtailed both my cleaning and walking time and was the reason this post is a little late going out. I also have a phone date after lunch with one of my oldest friends (over 40 years) that will probably go on for an hour or so, which may limit the amount of time I get in writing on Mr. Wong to the Rescue. But I should be able to get at least a little done. And I am already thinking about what I will write tomorrow in my Small Moments of Delight newsletter.

Today it dawned sunny, is supposed to get quite warm, and I hope to sit outside in the sun and read a little at some point. Hope you all have pleasant days as well.

Everything I publish in this newsletter is available to anyone who subscribes, but I am always pleased when someone shows their appreciation for what I am writing by clicking the button below to upgrade to paid, thereby providing me more resources so I can spend more time writing my fiction and less time marketing. In addition, please do click on the heart so I know you’ve been to visit and/or share with your friends, and I always welcome comments! Thanks!