Oh What a Week

Confessions of a Writer of Westerns

 January 24, 2022 

What a week. My wife, Jan, had some outpatient surgery on Monday. Anything, at our age, with the word surgery in it, is troubling even when it is outpatient. I had a crown placement (no, not that kind - this one was on a tooth). Now that, usually, is not much of a dental appointment – in and out, no shots, no discomfort. The problem was I had been having a painful time with another tooth – yep, another broken tooth. Another crown is coming, and still not one for my head. Then the dentist said, "Might as well fill this small cavity we've been watching." Not sure who we are, but I never watch my cavities. The good news is my mouth does not hurt anymore. At least for a few days, weeks, or hopefully years. Disclaimer - My dentist, is the greatest ever, he is so good I sometimes even like going to see him. Oh - I forgot to mention, he is also my son.

But the past week was not all bad. We took a trip to Colorado to watch one of our grandkids play basketball. Now that was fun. I also got in several pleasant walks. All and all, I didn't get much writing done, nor did I do much editing. But some weeks are like that. Hopefully, this week will be better.

Reading – Slowed down here also, but I am trying to finish up a couple of previously mentioned, on this site, books. I did go back to re-read some pages from two different favorite writing books. For me, those old writing books are relaxing. 

Writing Tip – Find a great spot to do your writing. "I wish one time in my life I could do what other writers do . . . get me a villa in Spain and go there to write a book." Lewis Grizzard Sounds good to me. 😊

Weather – Pretty nice January week - We had a couple of inches of snow this week. That new snow brings us to 36 inches for the season. I hope we get another two or three feet, just not all at the same time.

Quote of the day – "In truly good writing, no matter how many times you read it, you do not know how it is done. That is because there is a mystery in all great writing and that mystery does not dis-sect out. It continues, and it is always valid. Each time you re-read, you see or learn something new." Ernest Hemingway.

Today's Photos – From one of our many trips west of town. We love that drive and make it about twice a month. 

Click this link to see all my books on Amazon

Have a great week. Keep on reading, and keep on writing!

Writing Slow Down

No writing in March, zero words on my WIP, and only one blog post. I did get out with my camera and took a few photos, but not many of those either.  The photos on today's post are from a trip to Guernsey State Park one afternoon last week. I am spending most of my time getting the yard ready for summer, organizing and cleaning the garage, and working on some, inside the house, projects.

I did quite a bit of writing in January and February but have, temporarily, I hope, lost my motivation. I am, however, enjoying working on the house, finished a new floor in the family room and, I must say, it looks great.

It is possible I will take off this month from writing as well, then see how it goes in May. I still enjoy writing, but too much going on right now to do anything.

Enjoy the warming of Spring.

My Amazon Author Page

Writing, Selling, Photos, Blizzards, and Such

It has been a busy couple of weeks. We took a week to visit family and friends in Nebraska and this week we are digging out from a blizzard. So goes March in the middle of the country.

From My Backyard

Book Sales – Not sure, what has happened but since Google Plus, where I posted quite a bit about writing, and about my books, started to shut down, my sales have slowed. Guess I did not know how important that site was for me. I hated seeing it go into shutdown mode; I have tried other sites, but have not fallen in love with any of them. Last month and this, so far, looks to be some of my lowest book sales, and KDP pages read in a couple of years. Guess I will get busy on some other platforms and see if it helps.

Writing – Like my sales, my writing has slowed some. I am near the end of my WIP and do not seem to want to finish – maybe spring weather will help.

Twitter – I am trying to ramp up my followers on Twitter, not sure it will help my sales but it is an excellent way to kill an hour or two every day.

The storm was just getting started good when I snapped this one.

Photos – The snow has slowed me some, but not much, there seems that I can always find something I want to photograph. Today’s photos are from the past week.

Have a great weekend.

My Amazon page 

Writing Books

It took a long time, too long, eight days to be exact to get around to my first 2019 post.

  As I did last year and the year before I started this year, sick in bed. For me, the first part of every year seems to be my time for a sinus infection. When I was younger, I fought it off pretty well, popped a few pills for a week and did not miss a day of work – no longer.  Now, these things involve a trip to the doctor, prescription meds and lots of rest. I am, at last feeling better, but still not doing much.

  Maybe with a start like this, the year will go out with a big bang – writing wise at least.

Goals for 2019 – Two books published and 36 read - that’s it.  I also hope to write in the neighborhood of 300,000 words. Last year I sluffed off, writing less, and taking fewer photos than I have for many years. That is what a New Year is all about, starting fresh.

Looking Toward a Terrific 2019

What I am Working on Now? – The third in my western mystery series. This one, like the others, is set in Wyoming and, so far is moving right along.

Cowboy Saying – Sometimes you’ll find a heap of thread on a mighty small spool.

What I’m Reading – I am through the first two tales in Steve Hockensmith’s highly entertaining – Dear Mr. Holmes: Seven Holmes on the Range Mysteries.

This one is a good mix of Sherlock Holmes, and an old fashioned western with quite a lot of humor tossed in. So far I am loving it - More about this later this month

Readers can find all of my books here on Amazon. All books are available as soft covers or eBooks.  

My Writing Days

Another Christmas has passed, and life will soon be back to normal. For me, normal means back to writing, taking photos and attempting to lose a few holiday pounds. I enjoy the holidays, but no matter how laid back we attempt to make them, there is always a certain amount of stress.

Today it’s cold, with an occasional flake or two of snow. Looks more like winter than it has for weeks.

 I have one short story to finish, then it will be back to one of two novels I have been working on.

New Year Resolutions – Not sure yet, I often try a few and fail miserably, but I do find them fun.

Have a terrific rest of the week!

Find all my books here on Amazon 

See me here on Facebook 

Twitter  - @wyohistoryguy

Editors and Selling Books

Editor Advertising

Be careful what you pay for. Recently I have been seeing more and more ads for editing services on Twitter, Facebook and in eMails sent my way. I have no problem with those who solicit work but would like to mention that if trying to find customers for an editing service,  it would be best to have a clean copy for potential customers to read. Last night I read through an ad on Google + with two errors in the first sentence. Another had so many errors I was not sure if the potential editor was trying humor, in showing things he would correct, or that far from being able to write clean copy. Don’t take this post in a negative way, good editors can be a great help to writers, but a bad editor helps no one, and hurt the entire image of the Indy author-industry. Much like paying for book covers, before you pay up, make sure you are getting what you want.

Great time of the year for hiking - we are enjoying the great wildflowers 

Selling Books

I am still experimenting with different ways of advertising my books and looking at how each influences sales. So far, I have found some eye-openers. First I have noticed that advertising has boosted my KDP pages read. Second I have found that sometimes the cost of advertising can be as much as the revenue added through additional sales. I will stay the course for another two months and then decide to continue or try something else.  

Click here to see my Amazon Author Page – did you know that Amazon keeps authors books in order by how they are selling at the present time?

Big Weekend Coming

Looking forward to a big weekend, Saturday, Fur Trade Days, at Fort Laramie and Sunday in Denver for Rockies vs. Giants.

2016 Fur Trade Days

Meanwhile

Keep on reading and keep on writing.

Osprey sitting on a fence post