Most of my writing is non-fiction  garden advice, commentary and garden how-to. But I am also working on a novel that has a garden theme running through it. What I love about the novel (vs. my other garden writing) is that I am constantly being surprised the novel is more a collaboration between the characters and me. During the growing season I have little time for the novel, but now, in winter, I can work for hours at a time without watching the clock a true luxury.

I started out with a Brother PE-150 and bought PEDesign 3 on eBay. Since you've started with a Brother machine, too, stay with the Brother software. That being said, a couple of years ago I found Generations Digitizing software on eBay at an incredible price ($600 vs $1800 retail). I still use the PED 3, but only to write my Generations digitized designs to the card. Today I received the newest issue of Designs in Machine Embroidery. Inside is their latest software survey which compares not only digitizing software, but also editing software. Pick up a copy to study. I really like Generations; it is easy to learn by following the manual, there is a good user's group to learn more, and the features are incredible. And yes, you can digitize photos, too! I had my grandkids draw pictures that I digitized and put on t-shirts for them. HTH, Laurielu

I, too, have just received a Viking 1+ with a parallel Reader/Writer. Since my computer has no parallel ports, I am in the same boat as txgigi. I thought that it would be easy to find a USB/parallel port adapter, but the 25-pin adapters found at Radio Shack are shaped differently from the Husqvarna cable. Are there other adaptors out there, or do I need to also purchase a USB Reader/Writer? Oh, by the way, I've got the Customizing Pro System 5 software. Any advice?

We each have different questions but in a nut shell we want to publish our family history. My goal is to break my brick walls and to get correct information "out there" for others researching our family. I've done a tree at ancestry which did produce "cousins". Unfortunately they are stuck at the same ancestor as I am. There must be someone who knows something we don't know. (Not to mention all the trees copied from each other with people who couldn't possibly be the same family.) I have put my tree on every site I've found so far and they give the ability to contact me. There is an Old published Bailey/McCauley family history book that married my gggrandfather to the wrong McCauley sister. I'd like to get the correct information circulated. The book was self published many many years ago and no longer available to be bought. (thank goodness) The nitty gritty question among us seems to be print on demand and/or ebook? Or both. How many pages? Include a pedigree report? -Mine run 30 pages- And which site to "sell" it? I don't care about making money. I want information from someone who can help me find my ancestors! I have a DNA match with one person who has settled on a Bailey name but I'd like to see something that shows he is our ancestor. We need more DNA matches and some kind of trail to Benjamin Bailey. We all know enough about the people we have found to write their stories and I've got a really good start on that. That's how I got the 800 page estimate! What documentation do I need to include and what can I take out? Take out all of it and if someone wants to know how/why I think/know that they can contact me for the documentation? The parts of the story that I have surmised and/or figured out from circumstantial evidence are identified as such.