While waiting for the friends who are editing my book to finish and get their comments and suggestions back to me, I’ve been doing some research and writing on a new book. Originally, I intended to place this book in the mid 1870s. I decided on this time because I
had read somewhere that the first published Sherlock Holmes story was published in the early part of that decade. Unfortunately, I recently found out that this isn’t true. A Study in Scarlet, the first work involving Holmes was written in 1886 and published in 1887. The Sign of Four, Doyle’s second novel was published in 1890. This difference of twenty years means that I am going to have to go back and make sure that nothing changed much in the things I discovered about the 1870s in relation to the 1890s. Now, my 
newest book will take place around 1892. The lesson I have learned in this is, “check and double check,” everything you research. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, especially on the internet. Historical fiction is proving to be quite the challenge.
People who know me have seen me with a mustache for the last forty years. I 
shaved it off this past week in an effort to change up my appearance a bit. I am an international man of mystery after all. I’m including a with and without photo in this post for you 
to judge. MY friends on social media are evenly divided as to which they prefer. Personally, I think I look better with one. Maybe that’s because I’ve had it for so many years and the new look will take some getting used to. Regardless, I think I’ll use this opportunity to change my look from time to time just for the heck of it,
This past weekend a good friend of mine, Aaron Pavia Layton, invited me for a 
morning coffee. He owns his own tour company here in Peru. His ultimate goal was to get me to accompany him while he tried out the local parasailing passion here on the coast of Lima. 
He was afraid if he went alone, he would chicken out. In the end he did just fine, and came away with a nice video of the experience. It’s included in the package. It looked like a lot of fun to me but my height and weight prevents me from experiencing the thrill unless they have a hefty breeze going for them. Maybe one of these days I’ll head over there when a minor hurricane is blowing in. LOL
Since my last post, I’ve only enjoyed that coffee with Aaron and met up with my 
friend Kathy for lunch afterwards. She’s back from having a 
fabulous visit back to the US and enjoying a nice visit with several members of her family. Now that she’s back in Lima, she will be returning to Yoga, painting, Tai Chi, and her many other activities.
Lima’s winter continues to confound us with moments of sun and warmth interspersed with clouds, chill, and the thing that passes for rain here. Only a month
and a half left and I will be returning to the US for my annual Fall visit and a momentary escape from the dreariness of Lima’s winter.
That’s it for this entry, hope you all are exercising body and mind. I’ve been back in the gym for two weeks now and feeling the energy. If I can do it, so can you. Have a great week everyone.
A Writer and his cuy 