Last Post of the Year

Look's like we are about to do away with another year. I have much to look forward to in 2018. I have two books being edited now, and another soon - so, fingers crossed, three, maybe four, new books this year. Also coming, our anniversary number 50, and my birthday, number 70. 

Not sure how I feel about that last one. 

As of this late date, I have not come up with a list of New Year's Resolutions. No wonder, they never last long for me. But, I am thinking about a few things - maybe, just maybe. 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday season. We never mind the snow this time of year and it's a good thing as we have several inches on the ground. Nice White Christmas 2017.

THAT TIME OF YEAR - CHRISTMAS LETTER TIME

We are enjoying mild temperatures for the middle of December making it not at all Christmas like. But I did remember it was time to write my annual letter. I have for years, written my, tongue in cheek letter, I will admit only to it being an anti-everyone else’s letter. Here is an example from the second paragraph.

Reindeer ? - Probably not!

Christmas Letter Excerpt - Our kids, Jennifer, Aaron, Thomas, & Andrew, are all doing well. The grandkids, like everyone else’s, are all special, good looking, and talented. Jan and I are shocked and happy when people are surprised to learn we are over 50 years old and often remark, “You guys don’t look a day over 30,” It makes us feel so good. NOTE – I made up that last part, but our kids and grandkids really are fantastic.

 I write the entire letter without really saying much of anything, and that’s the way I like it, and I have written 49 of them. All letters are on one side of the page only – short and sweet.

Winter Look

A Week Of Writing - The reason I am talking about my Christmas letter, is because I am not getting much done with my two work in progress books. Some but not much. Christmas programs, shopping and maybe a bit too much time out and about with my camera have slowed down my writing. I did write about 5,000 words last week which is about average for me. My winter word numbers often run to 10,000, but guess I will take five.

Thanks to everyone who purchased my Christmas storybook, I watched with pure glee as it rose into the top 25, for a time, on Amazon.  

Open water and Ice

All photos were taken this week - my early winter collection.

Below Power Plant - Guernsey Dam - On the North Platte River

At Last Cold Weather and a Time to Write - A Lot

Cold weather has set in here and it’s almost comical how much my writing has picked up. Yesterday I final-edited 30 pages from my humorous nonfiction look at aging, and completed another short story for my Christmas book, coming in 2018.

A Writers Struggles - I still seem to be struggling with my third western mystery. It is another Western historical mystery with my popular protagonist, Blade Holmes. Thinking about trashing the two chapters and outline I have, and come up with a new story. Meanwhile, I will just keep working on other things.

Outlining or Not - Speaking of outlining before writing, I have a bit of an unusual method, or at least it looks odd to me. I outline or list what I want to happen in my novels and nonfiction books. With short stories, I start with a title, use it for my inspiration as to where the story will lead. Occasionally, I will write a short story then go back and change the title I started with, but not often.

I keep saying coming soon, and hope it is a true statement - With a bit of luck I will have two books ready soon, one in the next few days, and another, the fourth in the series of my kid's chapter books, should be out within six weeks.

Photos - I still attempt to get out with my cameras most days. If the weather is nice we walk and I snap what I see, and when it’s cold most shots come from the warmth of my pickup.

All of today's photos are from one of our afternoon adventures.  

Keep on reading and keep on writing, and make sure to buy yourself a nice book for Christmas

Christmas Stories From Out West

Excited to see my book of Christmas Short stories, all set in the west, up to Number 35 on Amazon – Thanks for reading – Under Western Skies