Finding a Great Book and Writing for the Month

A few years ago I was able to purchase a copy of Charles A. Guernsey’s book, Wyoming Cowboy Days. It is hard to find and I suspect never sold too many copies. The copy I have is a first addition, there are modern day reprints, published in 1936. I love to buy used books that have a name inside, they seem to tell a story all their own. This one say’s, “To Taylor, 12/25/ 1938.  Underneath the date, Sacramento Calif. I thought that was pretty neat, a Christmas Present 78 years ago. I bought the book for research purposes because the little town in Wyoming where I live was named after him, along with a nearby State Park and a reservoir.

The view from Powell Mountain in Guernsey State Park

March was not a good month for me, word number wise. I was down about 10,000 words from where I want to be. In January, I set what I thought was a modest goal of writing 350,000 words in 2016. For non-writers that may seem like a lot, but I am a regular reader of two blogs where writers go over the one million mark each year –WOW! I thought if they could write a million I should be able to do a third of a million, then I rounded up to and even 350,000. January and February I was able to be right at 30,000 each month, not bad, I was on track, then came March.  I am not much of a mathematician, actually not one at all, but, 20,829, is a long way from 30,000. Guess I better buckle down in April, so far so good, four days and have passed 6,000 words.

The Castle in Guernsey State Park - one of America's great picnic shelter's

If anyone reading is crazy enough to start keeping track, I count my work on books and blog posts. This is pretty standard, although some count everything, replies on blogs, tweets, and anything else they write. I didn’t want to go overboard, so for me blogs and books – hey, catchy.  

Taking a break, sitting in the world famous Oregon Trail Ruts, a 15 min. walk from our house

In case anyone wonders, yes my wife now believes I am completely crazy. I am sure that she has suspected it for years but know she is sure.

Good Luck and keep writing.   

My hiking partner, and wife, near the scratch boulders on Knight Mountain Trail in the park