Jump! Tip #23

I remember the first time I ever saw a jump drive. (Yup, I'm that old.) It was at a weights and measures conference. The director of Nebraska's weights and measures program plugged this plastic thing into the secretary's computer to make a transfer of data. Almost sounds obscene saying it like that, but I was fascinated that he could submit his entire committee report in this manner.

​That fascination carried through to my first murder mystery novel, "Knitting Up a Murder," where a USB drive features heavily in the mystery plot line.

Today, I don't leave home without my jump drive on a lanyard around my neck because I am fearful that all my hard work on my next novel will go up in flames if my house catches fire while I'm gone. I know I could get an online back up service for my computer, but I like the security of knowing my files are with me, besides, the pink USB drive looks good with my orange whistle.