A BLOG BY CALVIN DEAN:

A BLOG BY CALVIN DEAN: AUTHOR | TROPHY HUSBAND

Friday, April 17, 2015

Nasty Computer Virus

I've been away from the favorite desktop computer for about a week thanks to a nasty computer virus. This bugger was really, really bad news. Unknown to me, the thing struck my hard drive on Tuesday, April 7. By the next day, the virus infected my entire hard drive. Every folder: Word Docs, photos, video files...everything was wiped out...including the sequel to my latest novella. Ouch!

My virus expert in Florida called it "Decryption". The virus encrypts files and renders them useless. I couldn't open anything. What's worse, I use a USB "thumb" drive for back-up. Unfortunately, I left the stick plugged-in. Guess what. The virus infected my USB drive also rendering every back-up file unreadable. He also said the virus would have infected any remote back-up system too...anything connected to my PC.

I was sick. In fact, I'm still not over it. I had to completely wipe my hard drives...all four of them. Count 'em. Four! The USB drive too.

After spending a day or more re-installing software including a lot of downloads from the internet, I'm finally back up and running. Many thanks to my son for allowing me to use his laptop during this ordeal.

That sequel I mentioned? The one I lost forever? Yeah, that one. The Word Doc was approximately 7500 words when the virus hit. After a day of mourning, I got to work recreating the story. I'm up to about 5000 words right now. Amazingly, the story is coming back to me without the benefit of an outline, which was also destroyed.

Lesson learned. Back-up your work regularly...and don't leave your USB connected.
 

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

New Author Facebook Page

I've been active on Twitter for a few years now. Today, I finally got around to creating my Facebook author page. I'm a decade behind. Feel free to click on over and hit Like. I'll try to make it worth your while.

Calvin's Facebook Author Page

Calvin's Twitter Page

Monday, April 6, 2015

Odds & Ends

Well, it's finally here. This past Sunday night marked the first pitch of the 2015 Major League Baseball season. Big doings for those of us here in America who love our national pastime. To celebrate, I published a free short story on Wattpad entitled The Rookie Umpire. Check it out here. I'll publish a second short story in the coming weeks. Both are true stories.

Speaking of baseball, this spring and summer, I'll be umpiring youth league baseball games at Snowden Grove Park, home of the Dizzy Dean World Series. Last year, I accepted an invitation to umpire four Dizzy Dean World Series games. I'm hoping for more games this year.

 
Changing the subject - I also added a couple of new videos to my YouTube Channel recently. One is a brief author interview in which I address the premise and main characters of the first novel, The Epitaph of Jonas Barloff. Today, I added a brief author introductory video. Go here to view them.


Sunday, April 5, 2015

The Rookie Umpire

The Rookie Umpire is based on a true story that happened
to me, the author, many years ago. Was I scared? You better
believe it. Afterwards, I said I never umpire another baseball
game as long as I lived. For decades I didn't. But something
changed. Last year I started umpiring local league games at
Snowden Grove Park. By the end of the season, I was asked to
umpire four Dizzy Dean World Series Games. I accepted.
Without hesitation.  

In this story, I created a main character, Elliot Mathews, and
gave him more athletic ability than I possess, but the story is
real. Only 1800 words, The Rookie Umpire is for people who
love the game...from the sandlot...to little league...to the professionals. Click the link
below that will take you to Wattpad where the story resides. Then relax and let
this story take you back to the baseball diamond of your youth. Baseball. Truly
America's pastime. Enjoy.
 
THE ROOKIE UMPIRE  ON