Counting Words and Sunshine

It is nice that, at last, we have some sunshine in our part of Wyoming. We have had quite a few cold, wet, dreary days in a row. Today the sun is shining, and I have spent some time outside enjoying it.

What Am I Working On? – I am still working on the fourth and most likely last of my kid's chapter books in the series I call, The Mike, Moose and Me Growing up Mysteries. Each of these books is 12-15 thousand words. The print is a bit larger and the spaces between sentences a little wider, making them easy to read for younger readers. Surprised and happy to find some older readers enjoying these books also. The books are pure fiction but based on my life and times growing up in the 1950s.  

Like many writers, I keep count of how many words I write each day. (Only with my books not posts like this one) Unlike many writes I have no goals for words per day, just like to keep track. This week I wrote - Monday – 197, Tuesday 198, Wednesday 289 and Thursday 1,501words.

What Am I Reading? – Reading Wallace Stegner - Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs: Living and Writing in the West

This is an excellent read, the stories are all, at least, a quarter of a century old, but still terrific today. The book itself is a collection of essays and reminiscing. For those of us who live in the west and for those that do not – a nice collection.

My Photo of the Week –

On the Grounds of Fort Laramie

As always, you can find all of my books here on Amazon

or

follow me here on twitter at @wyohistoryguy

Keep on reading and keep on writing – have a sensational rest of the week.

Photo of the Week 2 -

Jr. High Football in October - Nothing Better

Writing Update and Fort Laramie

Another month has come and gone, and we have reached May 2018. I remember May 1, May-Day as a big deal when I was a kid. We would do something called a May Pole at school, and after school deliveries of May-Baskets full of candy to our friends and sweethearts – not sure any of that goes on in today’s world. But, the 1950’s in the middle of America were much different than today.

Selling Books – April never seems to be a great month for selling books – speaking of my books only. I was down a bit in pages read, eBook and regular book sales. Still, I am happy to be able to pick up enough each month to pay a bill or two.

Works in Progress – As I was with my last post I am spending most of my writing time working on a nonfiction work on Fort Laramie, and my third Marshal Blade Holmes western mystery. I am also spending time watching my grandson at baseball practices and reminiscing about my days as a kid.

What am I Reading? – The Hair of Harold Roux: A Novel, by Thomas Williams and still reading, A Guide to Photographing Rocky Mountain Wildlife, by Weldon Lee.

Life in General – My wife and I enjoyed spending time at Fort Laramie this weekend in the celebration of the 150 year anniversary of the Treaty of 1868. The crowds were big, and the weather was nice - a wonderful event. I am also spending time tending my growing flats of, tomatoes, onions, and flowers, three more weeks, and in the gardens, they go. Still spending some time, out in the wilds, with my cameras, and doing our walking.

Today’s Photos – From the four-day celebration at Fort Laramie.

Keep on reading, keep on writing, and enjoy the renewing season – Spring

See all my books here on my Amazon Author's Page

From our backyard

Buried by Research - Who was Who

Research can, at times, be more than I can take. I spent two days working on one obscure commander at Fort Laramie. Not only was there not much about him but there were two of him. Not really two of him, but another with the same name. Both men held the same rank, captain, achieved six-weeks apart and both were with the same group of Kansas Volunteers. After a few more hours I was able to separate them as one went east to fight in the War Between the States, and the other, the one I was looking for, came west to Fort Laramie. 

Thought I had it all figured out, except now when my man coming west should have been listed as the fort commander, he is not. Now I have another dilemma to work through. So goes the life of a researcher.

At some point I will go down to Fort Laramie and see if I can find answers in their files, actually looking forward to it. As of now, I am swallowed up in books, military records, and online research sites. Fun, but it can be exasperating.

Oh, I didn’t mention when doing the research I ran across a murder at the fort and another of a past Fort Laramie Commander in Texas, a few years after he left Laramie. Two stories I will likely use in my book.

Hard work, but highly interesting and entertaining. 

All photos are from Fort Laramie - I took them on an April visit. 

November - After a Fast Finish in October

Packing and getting ready to head out for some R & R.  Reminds me of years ago when someone asked Willie Nelson if he was ever going to retire. His answer, “Retire from what, all I do is play golf and play music.” That’s much like me saying I am going for some R & R. All I do is write, take photos and play golf. I also watch way too many football games and am enjoying this year’s World Series.

Vacation - We are off to Branson, Missouri, we have been there many times and always enjoy the entertainment and the friends we will meet there. On the way a chance to catch up with brothers and sisters.

Writing - I have not done as much writing as I expected this month although I did finish one small project I have been working on. The small project/book is about turning 70, which incidentally will happen to this old guy in early March. I thought a thoughtful but humorous look at turning 70 might be fun to write and fun for others of us Golden Year people to read. It is a short read of 75, or so, pages and after some editing should be ready to go by Thanksgiving. I had hoped to get out my second book of Christmas short stories this year, but it looks like it will not be ready in time.

Sales - I started slowly this month and then everything turned around, and October became my second best ever, sales month. Thanks, everyone.

Work – Work – Work - I am still working on other projects, both fiction and nonfiction, just not very fast. Looks like my next finished book will be the fourth in my series of kids chapter books. There will be a fifth book, and then the series will likely end. My third Blade Holmes novel is still in the outline, thinking stages, but someday it will take off.  I am still researching my second Wyoming history book and will be into my third year with it soon, might need to speed this one up a bit.

Now for 10 days of travel and relaxing. See you soon – Keep on reading and keep on writing. The first thing to pack? Reading material.

Books and Tracking Sales

Sunset Last Evening

I read a post yesterday where an author referred to the, 70,000,000 books available on Amazon. Is that correct? If it is, that is a lot of books. Makes me feel better about my sales rankings for my slower selling titles.

I took a quick look at Amazon this morning and found these numbers,  Soft cover – 34,438,903 -  eBooks, 5,557,018 and hard back, 14,631,957.  Quite a bit short of the 70 million, but this does not include, audio or large print, and various other book categories so it might end up close to 60 or 70 million, and as I said above, “That’s a lot of books.

Breaking down the two most common types, soft cover and eBook it looks like if a writer has a softcover book in the top three and a half million, they are in the top ten percent on Amazon. As for eBooks, a book in the top 555,000 places the author in the top ten percent once again. Interesting.

What is a Best Seller - I occasionally see a book or an author listing their book as a best seller, when I check it out the book often does not make my top ten percent numbers. Not really saying anything here, the numbers are fascinating though.

If I look only at the numbers above I have two books, my two Blade Holmes western mysteries in the top five percent of all books – not bad. So how much do I make from these two each month – drum roll please, around a hundred bucks. Not exactly Steven King or J. K. Rowling money. I do have other books that boost this to enough to make some good pocket money every month.

Good Numbers – Bad Numbers - So how about my worst seller? It’s my attempt at a humorous look at gardening. I like this book with useful gardening tips, humor and four short murder mysteries with a garden setting.  Well, it ranks in the top half in both soft cover and eBooks, actually top 20% in soft cover. Total earning or this book, $42.00.  Not so good, and I like this book. I am thinking about giving this one away for a few days next spring, just before gardening season, see if it can get any traction.

Selling Books Myself - One last thought, my CCC book does not rank high in eBooks or softcover because it is a local history book. I do quite a few speaking engagements, around the area, about this book and the CCC.  I have peddled several hundred copies myself and because it is sold in area museums and book stores it does quite good. This was my first to sell 100 copies and my first to pass 500.

Canyon four miles north of town - nice setting for a western story

Checking Sales - I don’t know of any writers that sell on Amazon who is not, at least, partially addicted to checking sales numbers and author rankings on Amazon. I try to limit myself but it is hard to not check each time I set down to the computer.

Sandy Cove at Guernsey State Park

Have a great rest of the week and keep on reading and keep on writing.

Neil A. Waring - Writers Update on a Super Summer Day

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. – James A. Michener 

 

Backyard

Oh – That First Line

The above quote about sums it up for me – I like the sound of words when strung together in great sentences. Once in a while, often a long while, I write something that I think sounds great. Sometimes I will read it to my wife for her reaction and hope she likes it as much as I do. Like everyone else who writes, I have read the lists of best first lines or best opening paragraphs, most I like, some I scratch my head. Regardless all writers hope to come up with a great opening hook – keeps readers reading. And not only an opening hook, but enough great lines to make the read memorable, possibly quotable.

Works in Progress

So here I sit today working on a couple of different projects but having a tough time with the opening lines. That’s the way I write – most of the time. First I get an idea, then I write the opening line, paragraph or typically the entire first page. From that point, I outline, or in my case, more of a list of where I will go from there. Don’t get me wrong here, I have opening lines for these in progress works, but I’m not sure I like them. Maybe it’s my way to not work too fast or too hard on a pleasant summer day.

From our Backyard Garden

Good day to be Outside

Today I am sitting on our back deck writing this post, temperatures have moderated, at last, and it is once again comfortable outside. My wife is sitting at the table reading on her Kindle, and I am typing away sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs my dad built to sit on our front porch, when I was a kid, more than 60 years ago.

 Almost Silent

It's comfortable outside listening to birds singing, the occasional dog barking or car passing and the helicopters from the near by base whirling overhead. Seems like all the sounds come in a jumble then it turns almost silent except for a Blue Jay calling from high up from the safety of one of our front yard Aspen trees. Such is life in our small town in Wyoming.

They Stay Around all Year - Fun to Watch

Think I have something, time to write, and for all of you,  keep on reading and keep on writing. 

Need a relaxing read? See all my books here

Cliff Swallow Nests at Register Cliff - along the Oregon Trail

Neil A. Waring - Writing Update

Update time

As seems to be my M-O, when it turns to summer my writing becomes sporadic at best. I have done a bit of work on a few smaller projects and posted a handful of blogs, but, otherwise, have been pretty silent when it comes to writing. I have finished one short story I like and another is nearly finished. I spent a few hours in research for my next nonfiction and wrote less than a thousand words on my novel in progress, the third of my Blade Holmes novels.

So – What have I been up too?

Just returned from the state Cal Ripken League, (11 and 12-year-olds), state tournament. Not much that beats watching a grandson play baseball on a hot summer day. We watched four games the past two days.

I have also been out and about with my camera watching wildlife

and watching where I step.

Question - Why was the Rattlesnake crossing the road
Answer - To see how far, and how high, and old guy could jump

The garden is doing well, picked our first tomato on July third. We are picking many raspberries and harvesting some very nice onions, peas, radishes, and soon, it looks like Bell Peppers.

Now Reading

Thomas McGuane’s, Nobody’s Angel and Tony Hillerman’s, Talking God, very different but both good reads. We are also listening to a pretty good thriller as we travel, might need to look at the title so that I can mention it here.

June Book Sales

June was a pretty good sales month, as my softcover books and my, KENP, (Kindle Edition Normalized Pages Read), were up significantly, my Kindle pages read was my best ever month! My E-Books continued an upward trend started a few months ago for which I am most thankful. All in all, a nice month.

Check out all my books here - and thanks for reading.

Why Do We Like Summer?

That is the question my neighbor often poses. We spent time working on the lawn, working in the garden, traveling, visiting and hosting visitors, relatives, and friends. We also have to put on sunscreen, mosquito repellent and take constant showers to wash away sweat from the hot summer days.

A pool of clear water in a mountain rock crevice

My neighbor lady suggests we should embrace winter rather than summer as it is the time for relaxing. A time for sitting around reading books, watching movies, and complaining about the cold as we happily sit by the fire sipping a favorite hot beverage. I think she may be on to something.

Maybe not!

Meanwhile

Keep on reading and for all you writers, keep on writing, even if it is hot and time for summer at the lake, pool or on the golf course.  

Not many know that all the horses and mules from Rocky Mountain National Park are taken to Fort Laramie for the winter. Old animals from the park are also retired there.

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

My Books and Kindle Unlimited

Things are looking up. Sales I mean, and my KDP pages read is now looking better than ever at nearly a thousand pages each day.

Whether or not to put books in the Kindle Select or in the Unlimited program is a decision many self-publishers are having to make. Basically, self–pub authors have two choices, go with the Select or Unlimited program on Amazon, or go wide and publish on many platforms. There are certainly good points and bad to each, so why did I choose to go with the Amazon only, Select program? Easy, I’m pretty lazy, much-preferring writing, taking photos, working in the garden, traveling and playing golf to trying to sell books. 

All this and a great short - free on Kindle Unlimited

Don’t get me wrong, I love selling books, just not crazy about all the time it takes to do promotions. I still do some and will continue but only on Amazon. Over the past two years, my sales have been mostly through Amazon or with the soft cover books I sell myself or that are sold in bookstores. I don’t believe it will harm my sales to be exclusively on Amazon, so far it is helping.

Relaxing at the Guernsey Dam Spillway with a nice rainbow

Meanwhile, I am researching, time-lining, and rough outlining the third in the series of my Marshall Blade Holmes western mysteries. Still early, but I like the way the story is shaping up. Also, I am still working on my nonfiction Fort Laramie book.

Fort Laramie

What am I reading?

Fort Laramie by Donald Clayton Porter

The Man From Hanksville by Oscar W. Case

I am nearly finished with both and will write a full review. I have read much of Donald Clayton Porter’s work and always like it, but at the moment I am really enjoying Mr. Case’s book. My Kindle says I am at 71% of the read (I do miss page numbers when I read on my Kindle) and am sure I will wish for more when it is finished. I started the Hanksville book a few weeks ago but put in on the backburner as I was off on some speaking engagements and heavy into the research part of my Fort Laramie book, now it is my go to each day. Click the link above and take a look at Oscar Case’s Man From Hanksville.

See my Amazon Author Page and all my books here.

Summer Writing

At last, it looks as if summer is here.

My writing normally slows down a bit when warm weather arrives. For me, summer means lots of vacation days, short trips, golf, long walks, and hikes, gardening, a little fishing, and more time with my cameras taking wildlife and landscape photos. I also spend time watching Little League baseball and my favorite big league team the Rockies who are off to a great start.

One of our favorite places to relax and only a few minutes away

I will continue working on my new nonfiction book and hope to finish the 4^th  kid's chapter book from my Mike and Moose & Me series. Here is the link to the first of the series.

I am doing a few small promotions for my newest book – here is my latest post on it.

Just in time for summer. Beginning Gardening and Other Entertaining Lies. Everything from how to read labels on a bag of fertilizer to building backyard raised beds. Great for beginners along with terrific reminders and how to’s, for long time gardeners also.  Complete with humor and four short stories, each starting with a body in the garden.

NOW FREE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED OR A MERE .99 CENTS TO PURCHASE THE Ebook.

Give it a try today,learning and laughing all in the same book.

Other than that I will do lots of soaking in the sun and relaxing in the warmth of summer. How about You?

Last evening - sunset over Guernsey State Park 

My New Book is Out

My new book is out and much different than all of my others. 

This one tackles my love of gardening along with short murder mysteries.

Beginning Gardening and 4 Cozy, Garden Murder Mysteries

Here is the book blurb 

A book for everyone who gardens or wants to garden. Gardening tips from a Master Gardener who has tried it all, over more than half a century of digging in the soil. With, just for fun, four Garden Murder Mysteries from a Master Story Teller.

All the information needed to start your own gardens, flower beds to do a complete landscape makeover. Tips on everything from fertilizer and seeds to bushes and trees. Raised beds, locating your garden and more. Want to start a garden and not sure what to do? Read it here. Check to see if you are doing it right, it’s all in the book. Tired from all that hard work in the garden?

Relax with four cozy, murder in the garden tales

.

Beginning Gardening and 4 Cozy, Garden Murder Mysteries $2.99 eBook or soft cover for $8.99  Click and read the free excerpt.

Oh - What a Couple of Weeks

To say the last two weeks have been a bummer would be the ultimate understatement. 

1. Tooth Extraction
2. Root Canal
3. Flu
4. Arthritis Flair up

There you have it, and a fun ride it has not been - but, the good news is I am on the mend. Seems as I get older bad things seems to come in groups, I only hope this group of ailments has ended for a few years - not fun. Finally up and around - some - the past few days, even managed a half hour speaking engagement yesterday. 

A few weeks ago standing behind the - one of a kind - CCC Cap House in
Guernsey State Park

All of the above means that I have not got around to much writing or editing. I did get a second proof copy for my newest book. I wasn't happy with some of my headings and spacing in the first. After a bit, okay quite a bit, of editing,  Happy Days, at first look, this one seems to be fine and should be available soon, but I will need to take a more careful look first - Just to be sure.

My light-hearted look at gardening - available in a few days.

The first Iris are starting to open - always look great

On the good news side, my yard and garden look quite nice for this time of year, and with no frost, in the two-week forecast, it looks like I will be able to continue planting in our gardens the next few days.

I am continuing the research and rough draft, on what I have found to be both a challenging and energizing new nonfiction book. This one I cannot wait to publish but it will be winter at best before it is ready for the big edit. 

On the grounds of Fort Laramie
 Setting for the new nonfiction book I am working on

Meanwhile, keep on writing and keep on reading.

The famous Iron Bridge at Fort Laramie - What stories it could tell