January 15, 2023...
Dear Fans,
This will take a few minutes to read but will answer some of the questions fans and friends of the RB Facebook page and
/ or, Vernarockets.com website, have asked recently.
If you know us or are regular Rocket Babe fans you've probably noticed things haven't been quite right on the RB Facebook
page and Vernarockets.com for several months but now I finally have a few minutes to update all of you on what's been going
on behind the scenes.
Beginning in late September, Verna and I began dealing with several, out of the blue, problems / events, that have taken
most of my time since late September.
Event #1 was a near catastrophe 4 months ago when our underground powerlines shorted, sending a huge electrical surge
into our home. The surge hit every piece of electrical equipment and appliance that was on at the time. Of course, it blew
several breakers on the ground floor but it also fried our washing machine, refrigerator, HVAC system, a TV and electric range.
If I had not been home at the time, we might well have lost the house and everything in it.
Fortunately, my pc, printer, monitor and several other major appliances were all on 3 different surge protectors and were
spared. The surge protectors were scorched into oblivion but did the job. If my pc had been hit, I would have lost the complete
outline, notes and first 6 drafted chapters of RB-6. I began writing the next edition of Rocket Babe the middle of last August
and was moving at a good clip but having to deal with all the red tape of the surge and Alabama Power, took most of 3 weeks
proving the losses, getting repairs where possible and replacing appliances where needed. It brought my writing to a screeching
halt and due to what follows, I have yet to get back to it.
In the end, Alabama Power took full responsibility for the damage, paid for all the repairs and replacements and even
resodded the yard where they had to dig it up to replace the lines. It was a time consuming ordeal but I have to say Alabama
Power was much easier to deal with than I expected and gave fantastic customer service! We were completely satisfied with
their response and friendliness of their employees at all levels.
Event #2 Happened two days after the electrical work was finished. I had allowed myself to believe the nightmare was finally
over but late the following Saturday night, our large brick mailbox was destroyed by a newbie driver in a large Chevy truck
as he left a young lady neighbor's home. After a brief investigation the next morning and with the help of her dad, the young
man's dad contacted me and quickly arranged for the repairs. Again fortunately, the mason was able to reuse most of the bricks
and with a few I had left from when we built the house. In about 10 days we had a new mailbox. I was left stunned by what
a brick mailbox cost these days but happy I didn't have to pay for it myself.
Event 3. A week later, in early November, I asked the mason who rebuilt the mailbox to meet me at my 97 year old mom's
home, so he could give me an estimate for some minor repairs on her chimney. While we were on the roof inspecting the chimney
my mom stumbled and fell in her den, fracturing her arm in four places. The injury limited her mobility to the point she developed
substantial edema in her legs that required a 28 day hospital stay and for the last 10 weeks I've been taking care of her
8-12 hours a day, seven days a week. She's doing well, working through physical therapy and I believe she will be back to
normal in 2-3 weeks.
When you throw in all the other things, we all deal with on a daily basis, you can understand why I was a day or so late
with the November, December and January updates for, Photos of The Month and Fire & Smoke.
So, what does all of that mean for the Vernarockets.com website and the Rocket Babe series? In a nutshell, there will
be a couple of changes to Vernarockets.com. The website will continue as #1, a promotional site for the RB book series and
#2 as a reference for model rocketry. But even with our lives slowly returning to normal, it's time for me to do something
I've been putting off for over a year.
Due to considerable personal time constraints and my desire to increase my efforts on the Rocket Babe series, the time
has come to discontinue our monthly features, Photos of The Month and Fire & Smoke. The rest of the website will remain
intact.
But before both pages are archived, Verna & I would like to express our deepest appreciation to everyone who has loyally
followed Vernarockets.com for many, many years; especially all of those who have contributed thousands of fantastic rocketry
photos!
As for the Rocket Babe book series, Captain, Verna Starr and the Deep Space Strike Force are not going anywhere! They
are alive, well, and looking to a bright future with you!
Again, to all of our fans on both sites, we send our deepest, most sincere appreciation and affection, for your support
and friendship over the last 20 years!
For a long time we've known we have the best, most amazing fans and we look forward to many more years together!
As always, we may still be reached at: vernarockets@hotmail.com
God bless you all!
Verna & Randy
Looking for something entertaining and fun to read?
If you'd like something entertaining and fun to read, get your copies of the entire Rocket Babe series, paperback or Kindle.
Here's how...
Get The Entire Series On Kindle!
Just click the Amazon links
below:
Rocket Babe: Reflection
Prefer Paperback? No Problem!
Signed / personalized paperback copies of Rocket Babe - Dust Storm, Rocket Babe - Fallen Angel, Rocket Babe - Ant Men and
Rocket Babe - Reflection are all available directly from the author!
Books are great gifts for any occasion! Holidays,
birthdays or just because!
Dust Storm $10.00
Fallen Angel $12.00
Ant Men $13.00
Reflection $13.00
Standard
book rate shipping: $4 for 1st book; $1 for each additional book per address in the same order. Please allow 7-10 days for
shipping, longer during the holidays.
*Special "Set" pricing! Get all 4 books for $46.00 includes shipping within the continental U.S.! Saves over $10
off the regular price and shipping!
*Shipping outside the USA available. Contact us for a postage quote before placing your order.
HOW TO ORDER:
Send your email order to Verna at: vernarockets@hotmail.com with BOOK as the subject.
List each dedication separately and clearly. Be sure to include the full shipping address.
Verna will reply with how to send in your money order. Sorry, money orders only.
If you have any questions PLEASE email us: vernarockets@hotmail.com
Above, you see a rare photo of Dave Miller, appropriately
dressed in black as owner of the clandestine black ops organization known as Sirius Rocketry! What does he do in his spare
time? He reads Rocket Babe, what else?
That's a nice looking Cestris Fighter he's holding too! Get yours from https://www.siriusrocketry.com
Verna Starr Cestris Fighter!
This is our favorite Sirius kit, the Cestris.
The kit is intended to fly on a single engine but it was easily modified to a 3 engine cluster complete with Verna Starr fighter
decals, also available from Sirius.
Randy
Just click the BLUE link below the banner!
