Just about everyone on the planet has heard of John Steinbeck, the author of Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Of Mice and Men. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 which laid to rest any doubts about his abilities. He based his books on events and characters of the time and readers snapped up new works.
But did you know his dog Toby ate the manuscript Of Mice and Men? Toby destroyed the only copy Steinbeck had, all that work of finding the right words to fill the pages gone. If only Steinbeck had a computer and thumb drives back then!!
The dog got swatted with the flyswatter and Steinbeck started over. Back then, a writer had to type everything or write in longhand. I’m not sure, but I think he had a typewriter.
Some writers might’ve thrown in the towel but not him. After writing his agent in May 1936, to inform him of the setback, he started over in new surroundings and inspiration flowed. He finished the book and submitted it a mere three months later in August. He didn’t have a lot of faith that the book would amount to anything. He called it mediocre. However, the book released in Feb. 1937 and was a wild success.
After that, he wrote While Travels With Charley and it gave the ailing author one last bestseller. So everything worked out.
I can relate to this. True story. I was writing a contracted book, The Cowboy Who Came Calling, and had completed the first half. I came home from work to find my husband had deleted the book from my computer. He’d been getting rid of files that were no longer needed and happened to get my story.
A huge lump formed in the pit of my stomach. All that work vanished, every single word, and I was writing under deadline like Steinbeck.
To give you an idea of the total devastation, I’d been losing vision and my doctor warned he might not be able to stop it. So this story was about a woman losing her sight after getting kicked in the head by an animal and I had become the character. I put myself in Glory Day’s shoes and wrote what I was experiencing. It was taking a lot out of me emotionally to say the least.
But, you know, when I began writing the book again, inspiration grew by leaps and bounds. The story turned out far better than it was to start with. I don’t know what it is that kicks in but it’s just amazing. My editor loved the story and it went on to win the National Readers Choice Award.
Sidenote: My neurologist did save most of my vision. And from then on, I saved everything in multiple places and on various devices. I did forgive my husband. He didn’t do it maliciously and felt so badly. He really went all out in showing his remorse.
I’ve recently published my 50th book with my newest western called Creek so that was a good lesson learned. I never lost anything else.
Have you ever lost something, doesn’t have to be on the computer, that held value for you? I’m giving away two copies of Creek so leave a comment.
For more fun and information, check out our Petticoats &Pistols Reader Group on Face Book HERE.
Here in the Texas Panhandle, we do love our cowboys. There's just something about a man in a Stetson and jeans that makes my heart beat faster. I'm not much of a cook but I love to do genealogy and I'm a bit of a rock hound. I'm also a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of historical western romance. You can contact me through my website and I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. HAPPY READING!
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I very much fear my family helped me lose a beautiful shawl my friend knit for me. To store it, I’d folded it up and zipped it in a sealing plastic food storage bag. It’s AWOL; I’ll hunt more once school gets out on 5/29, but I’m really afraid one of my “helpers” threw it out when cleaning house. I’ve been too nervous about the answer to ask if either my husband or daughter recalls doing this.
Oh, Mary! How awful. I know you must be frantic to find it. Hopefully, it did not get thrown out. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. Thanks for coming and thank you for your comment.
I lost my wedding ring somewhere. Years later I found it in our garden!
Rhonda, isn’t that strange? I’m so glad you did find it, even if it was years later. I would’ve been frantic. Thank you for coming over. I hope you have a good day and keep everything, especially jewelry, safe.
Several years ago we had a flash flood that flooded our entire neighborhood. I was away from home at the time so was unable to save anything. I once bemoaned to my best friend that I had lost every one of my wedding pictures. She put things in prospective when she told me to be thankful I had no pictures but I had a marriage. Many people have tons of pictures but no marriage at all.
Rhonda, I think you have a very wise friend. Still…I wish you had your pictures. I understand how you feel. I felt a similar way after going through a tornado that destroyed our house and a whole part of town. We lost everything. My dad had made our kids a little chair out of willow branches. It was just adorable but it got swept up in the sky. Thank you for coming.
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BN100, thank you for coming. You are so faithful to read our posts and we appreciate that.
I had a babydoll like rocking crib that my grandpa made me for my cabbage patches & other dolls. I was saving it because my grandpa made it and I would have something to pass down to my kids. Sadly, it disappeared before that could ever happen and no one knew anything about it.
Joannie, what a big loss and it’s something you can never replace. I’m so sorry. Maybe one day it’ll turn up. I sure hope so. Thanks for coming over.
I have lost several things but when I look back, they are only material things the memories attached to them are still there.
Sharon J, you must be a wise woman. You have the right attitude and I envy that. Thanks for coming. I hope you have a lovely day.
Photo of my maternal grandfather in his late teens. Only photo to exists.
Oh, Kim! That’s priceless. I do hope and pray you eventually find it. Thanks for stopping by to read my post.
Yes, I lost my books The Five Little Peppers books in a house fire we had back in 2000. I was devastated as they had been my grandma’s.
Barbara, how devastating! Having gone through a tornado that took everything, I can totally relate. I’m so sorry about that lost legacy. It’s hard to let things like this go. Love and hugs.
Lost close to everything in a house fire 36 years ago that was caused by old aluminum wiring that we weren’t aware of. Family heirlooms over 100 years old, photos, things I’d collected during my world travels were gone. We lived in a rural area and the fire happened on the coldest night we had that winter. It took memories but my kids and I made it out without anyone being hurt or killed.
Carol, how horrible. I’m sorry for your loss of those. It’s nothing you can ever replace. Just like the tornado I was in, one minute all your belongings are there and the next they’re gone. Thank God, you made it out with your kids. Thanks for coming by.
Hey Linda! What a story! Bless ya! I lost two things dear to me. One art piece was called The Carpenter. It was a pencil drawing of my father’s tools. I used one tool by coloring it in(colored pencil). It was the pencil. I sold that picture for $200 and have regretted it to this day. Another drawing was The Lineman. My husband’s work. I had put all his tools (climbing tools/hooks)on my dinning room table and drew it. I left one thing in color. It was the label in the hard hat. Label of where he worked. It was a lightning bolt in red. He took it to work and hung it in the meeting room. We moved and he got a job in Gainesville. Years later a friend across the road started working there and I asked would he look for that drawing. He said that one was hanging in the meeting room. He brought it to me and it was a photo copy in a cheap frame. There were hard feelings when my husband left for many years, but they worked it out. But, I never saw that drawing ever again. I have prints made, but the original was very dear to me.
For me, it’s hard to sell my art. I put everything into one. I’ve done a few commissions with no problem selling them. But, I absolutely hate commissions! “It’s my work and I’ll do it the way I want to!” Heh.
I loved Creek! And finished Devon last week. I’m enjoying the series.
Best wishes always Linda!
Tracy, first of all, thank you for liking Creek and our Gun For Hire series. About your drawings, that’s horrible. Who knows where that original drawing went! Maybe one day out of the blue, someone will bring it to you. Keep plying your art. The world needs it and drawing gives you such reward. Love and hugs.
I didn’t lose it, it was stolen. Our home was broken in and a small can I kept jewelry in was stolen among other things. A locket that my grandmother bought for me when I was a toddler, an embroidered bead that my mother gave me as a child, my Girl Scout badges, a lock of my daughter’s first hair cut, and the first diamond ring my husband bought me were all in that can.
How horrible, Karijean! And the thief probably just threw it all away except the diamond ring. He probably hocked that. It was of no value to anyone but you and that is so sad. But, maybe one day that can will turn up. Miracles happen. Love and hugs.
I had my first bicycle stolen from an outside shelter when I was growing up. Back then, a toy wasn’t replaced very easily, so I never did get another until I was older, had a job and replaced it myself. Then I mostly wanted it for exercise.
Connie Lee, thievery makes me so mad. These people don’t care at all about what something like this means to you, to us. I’m so sorry. Even though you replaced it years later, it still bothers you. Thanks for coming and thanks for your comment.
Yes I had a diamond ring slip off of my pinkie finger in a freezer full of turkeys in November – never found it and whoever did find it kept it – it was insured of course but the sentimental value could never be replaced!
Teresa, oh no! I’m glad it was insured. That’s something at least. But still, it really hurts to lose a treasured piece of jewelry. Insurance usually only covers a portion of what that ring was worth. I’m glad you came by. Much love.
My hard drive died a few years ago. I’d been having issues and kept showing my husband the warning signs.
I lost so much, because not everything was backed up. I was devastated.
My husband’s friend tried to salvage the hard drive multiple ways.
Denise, that’s horrible. If you’re like me and stored pictures on there, you lost them all. These things happen and we can’t get them back. I’m sure Steinbeck was just sick over losing his book. It was gone just as your data and everything was gone. Thanks for coming. Love and hugs.
Linda, that just made me sick to read that about your husband deleting your entire file. OH MY LORD. This is why my husband and I have separate computers. I lived in fear of that when we just had one. He is a computer geek so is ALWAYS fiddling with stuff. I did have something happen one time that was not his fault, but thankfully, he stopped it. This was many years ago, but I was typing along and suddenly, it began to automatically erase every word I’d written one letter at a time going backwards. I had written about 150 pages, and when I saw what it was doing, I quickly realized I could not stop it. I yelled for him and he came in and knew what to do to stop it. But it had erased several pages of work by then. HOWEVER, I write everything in longhand and then enter it into the computer, so at least I could recreate it again! I learned a few days later that another friend of mine had that same thing happen on her computer when she was typing. I’ve never heard of it since then. Thankfully!
And it sounds like that turned out as a blessing for you in the end! As for Steinbeck, talk about a new take on “the dog ate my homework”!
Cheryl, I’m so glad to see you. I had that happen to me once a long time ago and it was such a helpless feeling watching it erase sentence by sentence. I think I got out as quick as I could and it only erased a page and a half. Thank goodness, you wrote it in longhand! I didn’t. I just had to recreate from memory and get as close as I could to the orginal.
Mine and Steinbeck’s did turn out far better than in the beginning. I learned a very important lesson and I always back up everything in multiple places.
My husband was like yours. He was always messing with stuff and I never knew what he’d delete next so I lived in fear of getting on the computer. I did my best to back up every single file but you know sometimes you simply can’t or you forget. Once he got the idea to clean out my kitchen cabinets and threw away everything that didn’t match. I rescued a few things from the trash but most had already been taken out. Have a beautiful day up there in Okie land. It’s really nice down here. Big, big hugs, my Filly sister.
When I first went to work in a law office, I DIDN’T have a computer and had to type a brief for a response in the state appellate court. Considering all the revisions, you better believe I wished I had a computer to type this! 🙂
Ginni, I can’t imagine typing a brief. Bet that was hard and like you said, if you make a mistake, you have to redo the entire thing. Computers are much better. Thanks for coming. And thanks for your comment.
I had a hard drive that stopped working, it was kind of upsetting.
Bridgette, oh my goodness. Yes, we all need our hard drive. I assume you never recovered your files and that’s heartbreaking. Thanks for dropping by to read my post.
Good morning. Yes, it isn’t something I lost on the computer, but one day many years ago when I went on my walk I Always carried my house keys and on them I had a very pretty Guardian Angel epoxy charm. Well when I got home I felt so bad because it wasn’t on my keychain anymore, I had lost it, but then I thought well, whoever finds it probably needs it more than I do at the time, so that made me feel better. I actually did lose a code for an audio book somewhere in the computer, it has been a year and I have no idea where it went. I love the sound of your book and I love the book cover. Thank you for the chance. Have a great day and a great week.
Hi Alicia, good grief! That charm sounds lovely and I’m sorry you lost it. Those codes are so hard to hang onto. One day out of the blue, you’ll probably find the code. Thank you for the compliment about my book and cover. Good luck winning!
Glad your book turned out great after the accidental deleted one..?
All great things work for the Glory of God??
Marilyn, that is so true. Thanks for the reminder. Everything really turned out well for me as it did for Steinbeck. Thanks for coming.
I lost the pearl earrings that my sister gave me to wear at my wedding. My sister died in Nov. So I am sad.
Becky, I’d be sad too. I’m so sorry about your sister. Maybe those pearl earrings will turn up at some point. I sure hope so. Thanks so much for coming.
I lost the key to my brothers house. The book sounds great.
Hi Linda, thanks for coming by. Oh dear, a key to your brother’s house. That sounds horrible. I hope you find it or can get a new one made. Have a wonderful day.
I once lost one of my favorite earrings as a kid in a hotel swimming pool, it was a small gold hoop with three blue gemstones on each earring. I was so upset about loosing it, that my dad, who never swims, went into the pool that night to find it, which he did! It had lost two of the gems, but we were able replaced them later. Now I NEVER wear any jewelry to go swimming, plus I wear those plastic earring backs on earring that snap to close, just for a little added protection. 🙂
Sabrina, thank you for sharing that. Wow! You’re very lucky your dad found them. Yes, we do live and learn and take precautions with things we treasure. I hope you have a good rest of your day.
I loose things all the time I tell myself that I am putting things up so I will know where to look for them and then forget where I put them.
Quilt Lady, I do the same thing. I once put a necklace under my mattress to keep it safe and didn’t find it again until I moved from that house. I wish you luck in finding the things you put up in a safe place. Much love.
Yes, my Grandmother’s ring when our house was broken into once.
Joye, I can’t imagine your heartache to discover that. I hope that thief got caught but they usually don’t. Thanks for coming. Much love.
Great blog, Linda! I loved your examples of happy accidents–which is kind of an oxymoron, if you think about it. 🙂
Thanks, Pam. Glad you liked my post. Yes, happy and accident are oxymorons. I thought readers could relate and they sure seem to. Comments are better than they have been. Thanks for the comment. Big hugs.
I haven’t, though my Mom did!! Mom put a calendar away once that she bought for my aunt. Actually, she bought three, one for me, one for my aunt, and one for herself. Mom put the ones for herself and my aunt up somewhere, and when it was time to send it to my aunt, she couldn’t find the two. So, she came to me and asked if I knew where mine was. I said of course, and Mom asked if she could send it to my aunt, and whenever she found the others I could have one of them. It was well into the next year or maybe the next when Mom finally them!! It was good thing we really wanted the crochet patterns for each month!! Mom also lost one of her emerald rings. She couldn’t remember when or where she lost it, and finally gave up trying to find it. The year after she passed, I was going through plastic bins that we’d put in our shed, and I found the emerald ring.
Trudy, how odd that your mom couldn’t find those calendars. By the time she did, they were out of date but still you got the crochet patterns. I’m glad you found her emerald ring. She must’ve looked everywhere and never found it. Thanks for coming by.
I lost beloved kitty’s during a household move with the help of my mother-in-law who had dimentia. Wasn’t her fault, but so sad and I’ll never get over it ;o(
Lynn, that’s really sad. I’m so sorry you lost them. I hope someone gave them a good home. Thanks for coming. I hope your day is a smooth one.
I don’t tend to lose things since I am a well organized person and everything has a place and it is in its place. I am sure over the years I have lost things but I can’t think of anything at the moment. I have read all of Steinbeck’s books and even tho he had to start over after his dog wrecked havoc, he did a good job on the story.
I am also losing my vision but mine can only get worse, not better. I lose the words I’m looking for when speaking or typing. I can’t spell very well anymore either. Sometimes it’s so bad that spellcheck can’t even help me! I’ve lost my childhood memories. I just can’t remember much about then. Sometimes a spark of a memory comes up. Most importantly, I lost my Gran in 2013 and miss her dearly to this day.
I lost an antique ring that my mother gave me once, I felt so bad about that, still do. But it was a lesson learned to not wear anything too valuable outside the house.
My husband bought me a diamond tennis bracelet for our 20th anniversary. I just loved it so much! We went out to dinner with some friends one night, and they oohed and ahhed over it. When we got to our car, I looked at my wrist, and my cherished bracelet was gone! We retraced our steps, spoke to the restaurant manager, and asked around. My friend said “hopefully an honest person will find it and turn it in”. No one ever did, and it broke my heart. I did get another one later, not as nice or as pretty, but I still wonder who is wearing my bracelet!?!
I lost all the photos on my phone. There were vacation pictures, my granddaughter when she was born, and so many more family pictures. We are not sure how it happened, but I did get a new phone after that. I also make sure everything is backed up on iCloud now.
My wedding ring for a time but thankfully found it.
My grandmother lost her wedding ring when she was in the hospital. We never could find it. It was given to her by her husband (my grandfather) who had already passed away a few years before that.
When I was in 7th grade, my grandmother gave me a silver bracelet with religious links on it. It was worth a bit and was so special for me because it came from my grandmother. I wore it to school not long after I got it to show the nuns. It was winter and I had on a heavy coat. The heavy sleeve fabric must have have undone the latch and there was no safety chain. When I got home, it was gone. I looked for it everywhere along the route I walked but never found it. I was terribly upset. It was the only time I can remember my grandmother being upset or disappointed with me.
My grandfather was a southern Baptist preacher, and I was lucky enough to inherit a picture of him baptizing people in a local river and the original of his ordination papers when he became a pastor. When I was putting together a genealogy book for my kiddos, I went in search of those items, and they were gone. I searched everywhere and could not find them. I was heartbroken–even feared that they had been accidentally lost in a recent move. Then one day, I opened my file cabinet, and guess what I found? Yep, you got it right, the picture and the ordination papers tucked away with my parent’s other important papers. I had put them in the file cabinet for safe keeping and forgot where I’d put them.