Rod Miller's Poetry - Review

Last evening I completed Rod Miller’s wonderful book of poetry, “Things a Cowboy Sees –and Other Poems.” I don’t read a lot of poetry, not anymore. Much of today’s contemporary verse is either beyond my comprehension or is simply incomprehensible. I still read Robert Frost, my all-time favorite, and a few others from a century or more ago. In my most recent book, the historical novel, Commitment, my protagonist, Blade Holmes is known to quote some of the great poets of the day.

This one, Things a Cowboy Sees – and Other Poems, by Rod Miller, I liked, liked it a lot. He breaks the book into five sections: Horses and Hosses, Life Out West, The Rodeo Road, Roundups and Trail Drives and Making a Hand. My favorite section, well I live in Wyoming and loved the -  Life out West, section. Miller’s poem, A Guide to Ranching for the Politically Correct, is hilarious. That poem gave me my laugh of the day, two days in a row.

Miller was born and raised in Utah and grew up with ranching and rodeo. His background shows in his writing with a depth of understanding that could not have been written by a drug store Cowboy type. He has a long list of writing credits and looking through his books on Amazon, I see that I have read several of his western novels. Miller is a three-time winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award and also a winner of the Westerners International, Fred Olds Award for Poetry.

All in all this is a terrific read for anyone who enjoys the west or westerns. Give it a try.

For the Want of a Good Western

Seems like most everything I see on author/writing sites deals with fantasy. Science fiction still has a bit of popularity but does not seem to be as strong as it was a few years ago.

What I don’t see are non-fiction and westerns.

My new Western - give it a try

I can find a bit of historical fiction, but most of it is of the romantic genre. I still enjoy reading both nonfiction and westerns, although I shy away from the old fashioned, shoot-um-up type. I also can lose myself in a good detective murder mystery and there are still a few good writers working in this genre.

Looking for a good western novel

I have a nice start on a detective mystery, modern times, but set in the west of course but haven’t looked at it in years. I drug it up this weekend and thought, “hey, not bad.” Pretty good story with some humor and three interesting main characters. Maybe I will take a longer look at it this winter.

In the meantime, my new book of Christmas stories in the West looks to be good to go this Friday. 

Cover photo from my new book

Still Working and Enjoying the Fantastic Fall Weather

Spoke at a very nice Rotary Club luncheon today in Cheyenne. Gave me a chance to talk about my Civilian Conservation Corps book and tell a few stories about Guernsey State Park. Great crowd and I sold a few books too.

In other news, I have finished the re-write of my historical western, Commitment.

Is available now as an Ebook and should go live as a book Friday. Pretty excited as this was a long project, glad to see it over and the book, well the book, is a really good read, even if I am a bit prejudiced.

I still plan to have my western shorts  collection of Christmas stories out by the first week in November, and I have a title - Under Western Skies - 12 Tales of Christmas.

Also hard at work on the third of my Mike and Moose and Me chapter book,

and researching my next non-fiction. Life is good when you keep working, but not too much. I accompany my wife for a nice hike in the park several times a week. Walking in the park is great exercise and most therapeutic.

Taking a break hiking a CCC trail in Guernsey State park a few days ago

School Has Started and I am Going Back to Work

Wow, what a summer! I managed to keep up with my blog posts, kind of but did little other writing. My western novel, Commitment, is out in eBook, and I had hopes of getting the physical copy of the book out by July 1. Now it is September and still no book. Why? I decided to do a rewrite of part of the eBook before publishing the hard copy. New goal, both out by October 1. Hope I make it. Meanwhile, I am going to do a .99 cent sale on it until I get the new copy finished. Not that there is anything wrong with  it. I am not changing any of the plot or the characters, not even the cover just felt like it needed some word changes - likely didn't. This might make a great writing exercise, read the .99 cent version (in a few days when it goes on sale) then buy the $3.99 eBook with the changes and compare - just kidding!

In other news, my two children’s books

and my nonfiction book about the CivilianConservation Corps have had a roller coaster of up and down selling weeks. I sell a few copies and the book soars into the top ten percent of all books on Amazon, then no sales for a week or two and they fall to number 2,000,000 - crazy stuff.

I have sold more than 100 copies of my CCC book around this area. Wish those sales could be reflected as Amazon sales. However, I’m not complaining, making more than I thought I would on all my books. Not big money by any stretch, but when I make $50 in a week for a few weeks in a row I feel pretty good.

Enjoying the research on my new nonfiction and hoping to release some bits and pieces soon. It deals with Fort Laramie’s role on the plains and along the trails west.

Fort Laramie July 4, 2015

Still setting hard on my goal of releasing at least three books by the end of May. Guess that is the old school teacher in me, my year is September 1, to the end of May.

I like this hike - refreshing

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great book going 

Post #202

Can't believe I missed celebrating my 200th post. After I made post 201 I noticed I had missed the big 200. Oh, well, its only a number like weight and age and calories and . . . . . . .

My western mystery, Commitment, is out in eBook only and not selling as well as my three print books. Not sure why. The three print books, two chapter books for kids and my nonfiction book about the, Civilian Conservation Corps and the building of Guernsey State Park, are selling a few copies each day. Not much, but to an independent writer like myself, that's a big deal. I will have, Commitment, out in soft cover in two weeks (fingers crossed) and then will see if it sells better as an E-reader book or as a paperback.

I'm a bit of an old guy,

and maybe my readers are also, we like books. But I do love my Kindle and like putting books on the cloud (not sure what type of cloud it is or where it is located) so that I can read them wherever I am. But, there's just something special about holding a real book.

Coming this fall - my next western. That is if I get the house painted soon

Covers and Chapter Books

Looks like I need a new cover for one of my chapter books. I have read so many posts about how important a book cover is. I never really paid attention but I guess they might be right. I take no more than a passing glance at a book cover, couldn't tell you what has been on the cover of any book I have ever read. I might be able to make a guess. I look at the title, turn the book over and read the back material, if I like it I go further, if not, I put it back and pull another book. I do like titles and sometimes will pull a book from the self because I like the title, I turn it to the back and read. I must be out of the norm - far out. That probably is the case.

Not sure what to think - see all my books here.

But the second book in my kids chapter book series is selling much better than the first. And I love that first cover. Why? Well, maybe because it was my first. So, guess what, I will be changing it. I had a professional designer/artist tell me why the second cover was good and the first was lacking.

The cover to be changed - too bad for me

I do the covers myself, using simple templates, and might someday try a professional, but the cost is too much. I only make a few dollars each month from my four books and am not ready to spend several hundred on a cover or covers.

The better cover - designer liked the colors and photo better

I am taking a longer look at my eBook covers and may do more changes on them, it is much easier to do only a front. Much easier than front, back and spine.

The following book covers seemed to have passed the first look test.

My target readers, historical society and park types love this cover

My western mystery novel cover