Reading - Writing - and Wintering

Seems I am suffering through the writing blues of late. Not stuck, just don’t feel like writing much. Oh, I do some, but not many words, not sure why. Guess I will blame it on the weather, seems as good as anything. Wait maybe I could blame it on politics, naw, just not feeling it.

Typically in the winter, I get out and do quite a bit of hiking, this winter, not so much. I think I need the exercise to get my mind going and the old creative juices flowing. At present, I’m waiting for the review copies of my most recent kid’s book – the third in a series. Shipped on Friday, shouldn’t be long now.

Nice herd of Mule Deer with Laramie Peak in the distance

As always, I am reading several books at the same time, presently reading books by, Richard Wheeler, Elmer Kelton, and Hank Haney. The books are different enough that it is not a problem reading all three at various times of the day or week. What are they? Wheeler’s, Accidental Novelist, a story of his life from editor to writer of western novels,  Kelton’s, Ranger’s Trail, a western novel, and Hank Haney’s golf book, The Big Miss, about working with Tiger Woods.

When working I am re-editing my second Blade Holmes, Western novel, and finishing up my gardening book. I am also in the planning stages of the fourth of my kid’s books. Soon, when the inspiration strikes, I will get back to research and writing of my second nonfiction book. I have found nonfiction to be both rewarding and challenging, but, someday I will finish.

Nice setting for a Mountain Man book

Keep on reading – keep on writing, and keep on thinking SPRING!

Photos were taken yesterday on a snowy drive.

Who Do I Like To Read?

Favorite Author

Someone asked me this week who my favorite authors were. Not a tough question, but I stumbled around a bit before coming up with a short list. I often smile when I see famous people list their favorite books or authors. Most are nothing more than a politically correct list of who the polls must say are the books and authors they should read. In modern days, it is tough for me to believe that books like, Of Mice and Men, Animal Farm, 1984,  Ulysses, or Moby Dick, are anyone's favorites. (I am not saying these are bad books, only one’s that many people list as favorites because it seems like they should have read them – I have read all but Ulysses)

Wyoming Traffic Jam - Just for fun

Some Books are Hard to Read

I checked out Stephen Hawkins book, A Brief History of Time, at a librarian's suggestion, when it first was published and on many readers to read list, in the late 1980s. Well, I read it, or most of it, some parts, I actually understood. Yet a reported ten million copies have been sold. Who could read it? I am not a believer in statistics, but as Mark Twain once said, although he always attributed it to others,  "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.  Well, at this point in the post I will make up a statistic, less than ten percent of the ten million who bought it read more than a chapter or two. Of course, this statistic does not take into account all of us who checked it out at the local library and pretended to read it.

I just keep rotating books from here to the garage

Genre Fiction

Seems that reading genre fiction is not politically correct, even though millions and millions of fiction titles are sold each year.

My Reading

Recently I have finished reading a couple of mysteries. The first was C.J Box’s, Endangered, and I must say, this is a fantastic read. I also finished re-reading two of Lawrence Block’s, Bernie Rohdenbaug, mysteries, both fast paced, fun and, excellent as always, from Mr. Block. I am now reading, Fort Laramie by Douglas C. McChristian, nonfiction, for research purposes, but am finding it to be a good read. I am also reading Terry C. Johnston’s Sioux Dawn.

Sometimes I am reading, sometimes writing, and here selling books - Fun

My favorites?

Here is a short list of authors I have been reading the past few years, almost all mysteries or westerns. By the way, I took this list from my Kindel, simply scrolled down and listed who I was reading.

·        C.J. Box – Modern day westerns

·        Craig Johnson - Longmire

·        Lawrence Block – Many types of mysteries

·        Richard S. Wheeler – Love his mountain man books

·        Terry Johnston – Great research into his writing

·      William W. Johnston ( early books) Mountain man characters are unforgettable

·        Lee Child – Jack Reacher

·        Elmer Kelton – Cowboys, real life stories

·        Tony Hillerman – Navaho mysteries, terrific

·        Louis L’Amour – how can 100 million buyers be wrong?

My list of old time authors I like to read, and still do

·        James Fennimore Cooper – Leatherstocking Tales

·        Author Conan Doyle – Sherlock Holmes

·        Charles Dickens –  My all time favorite

·        Ernest Hemingway – My wife wonders how I can read his stuff

·        Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn – From many years of teaching European history

There you have it! Who do you like?

 

Looking for a good book

Richard Wheeler - An Accidental Novelist

Richard S. Wheeler’s, An Accidental Novelist –A literary Memoir, is so well done and so mesmerizing that it seems I was with him every step of the way. Wheeler who weaves some of the very best western literature ever written is again at his best with this one.

He tells the story of his life through his journey from a, not sure this job’s for me, newspaper-man to successful author. It is a story with settings from the upper Midwest, to southwestern desert and finally home in the mountains of Montana. Wheeler, like he does in his western tails, reels in the reader from the start using his unique blend of storytelling through truthfulness, humor and historical context.

The story is also an emotional journey, from happily married through heart wrenching divorce to the lonely writer and full circle to happily married and fulfilled in Montana.

For anyone who loves westerns, wants to be a writer, is a writer, or just wants to read a heck-of-a-good book, this one is definitely for you. How good was it? As I finished the last page, I couldn’t stop and immediately downloaded the first of his wonderful Barnaby Skye novels, Skyes West – Rendezvous, and started reading. This was a novel I read and enjoyed thirty years ago, and it is still captivating. Today I believe I will download another of Mr. Wheeler’s works.

Think you have read the best western books ever? Not if you have not read Mr. Wheeler.