Year: 2023

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Self-Published Editing

 

When I read a book the first page, I look at is the page with the date of publishing.

When I’m reading the book, I can easily find mistakes. Missing words in a sentence are easy to spot.

Then there are the misaligned sentences.

Incorrect: What I mean by that is when I read a book and the words

in the sentence are dropped in the middle.

Correct: What I mean by that is when I read a book and the words in the sentence are dropped in the middle.

Before I became an author, I never noticed missing words, dropped sentences, punctuation, or quotation marks. But now I do.

The thing that drives me crazy is the quotation marks in the wrong place.

Wrong: “I am going to the store”.

Correct: “I am going to the store.”

In my book Editing Fiction Mistakes. In this book, it demonstrates the correct and incorrect usage of punctuation.

I am not an expert but when I was teaching a class on book formatting and book publishing, I wrote this book with the continuous mistakes I saw.

Thank you for reading my article.  Copyright 2023 Linda Meckler

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Israel Under Attack

What is going on in the world is ______fill in your own words. I can’t think of the right ones. Israel attacked again. Who gets hurt in these attacks? The innocent women and children.

Where did the money come from to start and continue this war?

 We are talking billions of dollars. Do you know how much money that is? May brain doesn’t count that high. The rockets are being shot into the air and coming down killing and maiming innocent people.

Will the United States get into this war? That is the question on everybody’s mind. If The US does get into this war, I think it will be over fast.

I hope, our president has the guts to lead our country.

Copyright 2023 Linda Meckler

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New Mattress Fraud

Did you ever purchase a brand-new mattress and when it was delivered it was flawed.

This happened to me. When I went to lay down on my mattress that evening, I was shocked and amazed. In the middle of the mattress was a huge crevice.

The left side was lower and softer and the right side higher and harder. This mattress was supposed to be a firm mattress.

I called the company immediately and the women informed me that she would send someone to measure the mattress depth.

It had to be a full inch before they could exchange it.

The man came out and measured the top of the mattress and took pictures.

Now looking at the mattress you do not see the lump. You have to lay on the mattress in order to feel the lump.

So, I ask you. Why are they measuring on the top of the mattress where the lump does not show.

When the women called me back, she said, “yes there is an imperfection but it was only ¼ of an inch,

“Sorry.”

The sorry means that if I want another matters exactly like the one I purchased I have to pay for it again.

If I want another mattress, I can trade it and pay the price difference and pay for the delivery.

Was I mad. I was furious. She didn’t have to sleep on an uncomfortable brand-new mattress.

What happened to customer service? When something is delivered defective no matter what if the customer is not happy the company should make the customer happy by giving the customer a mattress that is not defective. 

Did this ever happen to you?

What do you think? Copy right Linda Meckler 2023

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Medicare    ????????????

The time of year for us senior citizens to make decisions on what kind of Medicare do we need.

I would say it would be determined by your income.

I would say it would be determined upon your health.

I would say it would be determined upon your doctor.

Now that you have determined this what is next.

But how do you determine if your doctor is on your Medicare plan.

Call Medicare. The customer service representative can tell you if your doctor is on your plan.

Medicare Plans

Regular Medicare

You pay 80% of your bill and you pay the 20%.

You can have a secondary insurance to cover the 20%.

HMO

This is the cheapest way to go but also the most aggravating.

You must pick a (PCP) a Primary Care Physician.

You must go by referral to a specialist or medical test.

You must have an authorization to have surgery or some specific test.

You must stay inside the contracted arena of medical care for your HMO.

PPO

You have more control over your medical care. But it does cost more.

Medicare/Medical or Medicaid

You need to qualify for this insurance.

It is for low income.

Whatever insurance you decide to go with always check with Medicare to make sure you are up-to-date in their computer system. 1-800-633-4227

www.lindameckler-author-author.com

My books Medicare and Other Health Insurances and Appeal and Collections Letters are available on Amazon.com.

Thank you for reading my article. Linda Meckler 2023 copyrighted

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Elementor #1790

 

 

 

 

Understanding Medical Insurance Contracts

What most people do not understand is the way medical insurance works. In plain English, it works by insurance contracts. The insurance companies are the ones to blame for this big mess in the healthcare system. They make all the money and love to keep their clients confused as to what it is all about. When the knife slices the reality of what it is and what it isn’t paying for it is too late.

A Medical Provider is a doctor, laboratory, hospital, ambulance company, x-ray lab, etc. Each medical provider signs a contract with each individual insurance company they want to be contracted with.

Every contract is different. With a doctor, it would be considerably different than it would be with a hospital.

This contract simply states that the medical provider will accept this insurance or that insurance and receive a percentage of payment.

Now with each insurance company the percentage changes.

Employers: The employers or business owners sign a contract with the insurance companies. This is where it becomes confusing. There are many different plans with the insurance company.

Medicare

Straight Medicare-

You pay 80% of your bill. 

You may have a secondary insurance. 

HMO  – This is where you have a PCP or Primary Care Physician. You need a referral to see a specialist and authorization to have surgery or some sort of test. These medical providers you will be scheduled with are within your medical contract. You pay a copay with each visit.

PPO – This is when you can make your own appointment with a specialist. You pay more for this insurance and you can go out of the contract of medical providers but it will cost more.

Straight Commercial Insurance – This is when you pay your contracted rate and a percentage of what your insurance doesn’t cover.

This is why when patient A goes to Dr. Brown and has a general examination of blood pressure and a blood test. The insurance will pay a certain percentage and the patient will be charged the rest after something has been adjusted off per the contracted rate.

Patient B same thing, the same doctor. But when patient B receives his Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from insurance the rate the patient is expected to pay is different.

This is because of the name of the insurance company and the type of plan that was picked.

FOR MEDICAL PROVIDERS

My book Appeal and Collection Letters is for you.

If you have any questions please contact me on my website www.lindameckler-author-artist.com

Linda Meckler author of over 25 books and worked in Medical Insurance Billing for over 25 years. Her book Medicare and Other Health Insurances.  Explains in simple English how Medical Insurance Works, sample Appeal Letters, and much more.

Copyright Linda E. Meckler 2013 updated 2023

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Writing Class

For the last twenty years I have been writing books. They are all on Amazon.com. There are children to adult, adult, fiction and non-fiction. That about covers almost every category of books.

I had never taken a writing class. Now I go once a week to a writing class. There are fifteen people in the class. We all write 4 pages and then I read in the front of the class what I have written.

The other authors give phrase and criticism. We each bring enough copies of the 4 pages to give to each author in the room. This is where I get written editing corrections and other phrases.

I have learned much from this class. I enjoy it because it’s what I love to do write. This is what the others in the class do write.

If you do not have a class you can take in your area start one.

Thank you for reading my article. Linda Meckler, Author copyright 2023

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Social Security What A Joke

What do you think seniors? Can you live on the amount of money you get from Social Security monthly?

The amount of Social Security stays the same. But everything else goes up.

Food has gone up so high in price I don’t want to go into the grocery store unless I have no choice.

People have to eat to stay alive.

They need a home. Whatever that means to you.

They need medical care.

They need dental care.

They need clothes.

They need to be clean.

This sounds so ordinary but is it.

Today thousands live on the streets. All these necessities evaporate in their search to stay alive.

Politicians who are running for office love to mouth off about cutting Social Security and Medicare.

Keep it up and you won’t get elected.

There are more living (voting) seniors alive than ever before.

Thank you for reading my article.

Linda Meckler, author  copyright 2023

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When Writing A Book

When writing a book for the reader it looks easy.

But it isn’t.

 It’s hours, days, weeks, months, and sometimes years to complete a manuscript.

Then there are the rewrites.

The editing is never-ending.

This is truly something you have to love to do. It is a solitary job with only yourself as company.

But how do you start to write a book.? I get asked.

You start with an idea and then think out the story systemically.

For instance, if you were planting a garden, you don’t just plant seeds in the ground.

You have to prepare the soil and then plant the seeds.

Then water the plants.

This is the same idea in writing.

Check out my book Writer’s How to Publish Free. It will save you hundreds of dollars.

Whenever you do something, yourself you know it was done to your satisfaction.

Thank you for reading my article. Copyright 2023. Linda Meckler, author

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Writer’s How to Publish Free

I’ve written a book. Now what? What do I do with it? The first thing I think of is a publisher costs money. The next thing is a professional editor and of course I need a cover.

All these things cost money and I am not counting copyright expenses or a ISBN number.

These are the expenses I will need to think about when I want to publish my book.

I will tell you, my story. My first two books I published I went through a publishing company. It was expensive. But then I kept writing and I could not afford to self-publish my next book or the books after that.

I learned how to do everything myself and guess what it didn’t cost me a cent.

Then I taught a class at a senior school and now many people who didn’t think they could become a published author achieved their goal.

After my teaching career was concluded I wrote two books. Writer’s How to Publish Free and Editing Fiction Mistakes.

If you truly want to become a published author read my book Writer’s How to Publish Free and the book with the most common fiction mistakes Editing Fiction Mistakes.

Thank you for reading my article.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2023

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My Audio Book Journey 2

My Audio Book Journey 2

I want to keep all my readers up-to-date on my audiobook adventure. This is something I wanted to achieve since I started writing twenty-five years ago.

The first thing I did was order my microphone, filter, headset, and dog training clicker. I don’t know if there will be other products to purchase but that is what I have for now.

The next thing——- and this is a huge thing——–, is where to put my new soundproof studio. How do I soundproof a bedroom? That is a good question and I’m still working on it.

First off, I called my friend Dan. He is the one person I can count on whenever I go off on another adventure in my home.

He had great ideas. The first thing we did was go to Home Depot. I had a piece of carpeting cut to the dimensions of the bedroom. He placed it in his car with the end sitting between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat. It worked.

Then when he lugged it into the house, he emptied the bedroom. This was not a small task. I use that bedroom to keep my art supplies. If you ever had a hobby, you know how much room the hobby supplies take.

He cut, fitted, and laid the carpeting in the room. Then he and I, lugged everything back into the bedroom. More him than me. I helped.

While he was working in the bedroom, I was watching you tube videos on how to soundproof a room. These videos were quite involved. There was one video I liked and showed it to him. This guy on the video compared four things around the house to use on the walls for soundproofing. You will never guess but towels won out. Other videos I watched said placing furniture against the walls, large bookcases filled with books, canvases, and clothes hanging closely together.

I order on Amazon 12 packing blankets and he nailed them to the walls. I have a big window and it took 2 to cover the window. 

I have been playing with the software I will be using it is free and so far is easy to use. But when it comes to fine tuning my voice and the other numerous controls that need to be adjusted correctly I still need that to learn that. 

All I hear is that ACX which is the Amazon website for audio books is hard to get accepted.

It has to be exactly the way they want it or you have to read and edit it again and again until you get it right.

I am going to do my learning process on my book Ghost Kids Trilogy. I am changing the name and the title to Ghost Kids Mystery. I will make a new cover.

I can’t wait to get started on this project. 

Copyright Linda Meckler 2023