“A heavy investment….”

So a few weeks ago, when I celebrated finally becoming a paid fiction author, I made a vow to myself that I would use at least the initial profits to further my writing career. Whether this was through purchasing a website, printing hard copies of my book or otherwise, I felt it was important to invest in my future. And I still do. So yesterday I bought a mouse.

You see, up until now, I’ve been working off a relatively cheap wireless Logitech mouse and keyboard bundle (an older version of this one). And though it was lovely at first, over the years it has become the bane of my existence.

Kill it.

Don’t get me wrong, the keyboard isn’t too bad for the price. It types fairly well and at a moderate sound level. But the mouse. Ugh. Not only did it run on two AA batteries it sucks the life out of quicker than Dracula on a virgin, but on most days it made me click three or four times to do what should’ve only taken me one.


Yes, this is what working with my mouse felt like.

To say the least, it became frustrating. So much so, in fact, that I learned to almost completely forego its use, relying instead on hotkeys and keystrokes to navigate around most programs. Finally, after being almost completely unable to merely scroll through my manuscript (even after changing the batteries), I gave it one last task: find it’s replacement.

Initially searching for a complete keyboard/mouse combo, preferably a corded version, I found the selection altogether underwhelming, as none seems especially useful for authors, with most designed first and foremost with gamers in mind.

I then tried for just a new keyboard, thinking I could be happy with only an incredible version of that and leave the mouse to its own devices. I liked what I saw of the ergonomic types but, though I’ve known at least one fellow writer who swears by them, unsure how I would like their feel or sound level, I hopped in my car and drove to my local Best Buy.


Picture looks like something out of 1984, but you get the drift.

(Seriously, one day, someone will have to find a way to mimic hands-on time with a product through the Internet. It’ll literally change shopping as we know it.)

Unfortunately, Best Buy only had about six keyboards showcased in the back corner of their store, tucked in a muddled cross of towers, laptops and tablets they labeled simply as “Computers.” Not sure if it was simply the fact they were display models, but each was either loud, uncomfortable or just not at all what I was looking for. Their two ergonomic models, by the way, typed to the sound of jumbo jets.

Back to the drawing board, unable to find a suitable keyboard outside of a handful of $100+ designs I’m still having difficult wrapping my head around (Mechanical keyboards? Aren’t they all mechanical?), I slept on it and had the brilliant idea just to buy a mouse. And settled, finally, on this lovely device:

Oh, who's a sexy beast?

As you can read in its product description, it has a “nearly frictionless scroll wheel” that flies through documents, “laser precision” that “outperforms optical mice,” side grips for “more support and control” and backward/forward buttons to “navigate… with ease.” Also, it’s corded. No more need for extra batteries! Or changing them!

Just look at that comfort.

So, I pulled it from its package (sparing a glimpse at the ridiculously complex instructions), tentatively placed on my desk and stretched the cable over to plug into my computer, quite worried it wouldn’t reach. Thankfully, the cord proved extra-long (huzzah!) and actually had plenty of slack. Two second later, it was ready to go and I pulled the batteries out of the old wireless.

Step 3: Profit

For the moment, it will be a lovely paperweight reminding me of what I’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Why, yes, that is a monkey.

Thanks again to all of you who’ve read and purchased a copy of Sanity’s Flaw. I hope you find The Nobodies equally as, or even more, enjoyable and continue to follow me as I work forward from there. ‘Til next week….