Working - Resting & Distancing

What's going on? – For me, and I expect many others, the answer is the traditional, "not much."

With all the extra time on my hands, I should be getting more, not less accomplished. I do get in about two hours each day writing or editing, an hour or so in my shop, gardens, or yard. The rest of the time, I waste. Maybe not all of it – I have done a good bit of reading – on the deck in the sunshine when I can.

I think he might have found me

Typing Skills – My typing skills, with a broken finger, have deteriorated recently. Took me years to become a proper typist, now I am one hand regular, and one hand two fingers.

Social Distancing – Much has been made of distancing ourselves from others recently. Everyone I know takes this quite seriously, but it can be kind of funny here. We live in a 2,111 square mile county with 8,391 other folks. Using my handy phone calculator, that means we have 3.98 people per square mile. Our county has two stoplights, both 26 miles away in Wheatland. As Wyomingites have been saying all along – "we have always social distanced." It is easier here - where standing or waiting in any kind of line is an oddity. 

 

Backyard Goldfinch Battle

Meanwhile – It is getting close to spring flower and garden time – a time for rejuvenation for all. And now would be an excellent time for me to get back to work. Book 13, another nonfiction book on aging, and all of the joys that go with it will be finished this month.

Newell Bay in Guernsey State Park

Photos – Wyoming's few people do make it possible for us to get out and walk/hike on nice days. Today's photos are from recent hikes in Guernsey State Park and from my backyard deck.

Take care, my friends!

Writing Book Three of a Series

About  Goals for 2019 – I saw a funny tweet the other day that went something like this – “Well I have already failed on my 2019 New Year’s Resolution’s but wait until next year, in 2020 I will hold to my resolutions – wait until next year. That will be my year.

That is why I do not make any hard and fast resolutions.

Writing Year – I did say on here a couple of weeks ago that I wanted to write more – well so far, I’m doing okay. As of today January 28, I have written, with a bit of an estimate to the end of today, about 18,000 words – not bad. At that pace, I will end up only a bit short of my normal quarter of a million words per year.

New Book – I am presently hard at work on my third in the series of my western mystery – Blade Holmes books. These are not long I am shooting for fifty-five to sixty thousand words and more than halfway home with my first draft. Looks like I may have a first draft completed in February, then several editing rounds, some beta reads and, hopefully by the middle of March it will be for sale on Amazon.

Research – I am also back researching my Wyoming book – going nicely, but as always with research, slow going

Life Goals for the Year – At my age, soon to be 71 I have decided that maybe I need a few life-changing goals. I have ruled out a run for president and starting a rock band, and settled on the following.

1.  Start playing golf again – I hope I do. I have played most of my life, but last summer, life changes, and disappointments caused me to quit or nearly so. I played, four holes once and six holes once in early July, and have not played since. I used to play quite a bit, actually good exercise, even when I am riding in a cart.

 How much? – We will see, but maybe, before it gets too hot, nine holes three times a week.

2.  Make sure we make our spring trip south to do some poking around in New Mexico state parks and historic sites. This trip has been planned each of the last three years, but sickness and lack of traveling cash have put it on the back burner each time. Also, make sure we, again, take our annual Branson trip in late October.

3.  Start walking again – looking to get closer to 10,000 steps per day up from my present, 3,000 if I am lucky.

4.  Last – get back to Nebraska, where we grew up, more often to see family and a few sites.

Photo of the Week –

From the Old West – Life is like checkers when you reach the top, you can move wherever you want.

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

Follow me on twitter at @wyohistoryguy

Keep on Reading and keep on Writing.

A Writing Year

There Goes 2018 – Like so many people, as the year comes to an end, it is time to do a bit of looking back. This year seemed to be a slow down year for me. We didn’t travel as much, I took a few thousand fewer photographs, and I did not write as much as I have in the past.

Writing Year – I have written 250,000+ words each year since 2012 – this year about half of that. I posted on this site 43 times down from 59 last year. The other sites I post quite a lot on really took a dive. My Wyoming history blog went from 27 posts a year ago to seven this year. My Guernsey State Park blog went from 21 posts down to three. I did manage to publish a couple of books this year, although much of the writing on one was completed in 2017.

2019 Goals? – Looks like I could use some goals for the next year. Like most Americans, I would like to lose a few pounds and get in better shape. That being said, what about writing goals?

Writing Goals – I would like to get, at least, back to my quarter million words a year mark. I would also like to publish another book in my kid's chapter books series and another of my Blade Holmes western mysteries. I also hope to finish at least one other novel and work on my nonfiction book and continue writing short stories. Wow – that’s a lot of writing, hope I can do it.

From the Old West – When a cowboy’s too old to set a bad example, he hands out good advice.

Photo of the Week –

From the Narrows at Guernsey State Park

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

 And

Follow me here on twitter at @wyohistoryguy

Keep on Reading and keep on Writing

& 

Have a wonderful New Year.

Writing & Publishing

One thing I have learned is that when I am not feeling well, it is hard to write. Other than a handful of blog post, like this one, and a bit on social media I am nearly down for the count. A bad cold is whipping me, every day I think it will be better but, so far, not much. Enough about how I feel – read on.

Writing Quote – Write while the heat is in you. … The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.

Henry David Thoreau

What Am I Working On? Two weeks ago I had a book nearly ready to go to my first reader – it is still there. Hopefully, who knows, maybe today, I will feel like working on it again.

Christmas Books – Don’t forget about my newest book, a book of Christmas short stories – G rated and fun. This one follows volume one that I published a few years ago. Both books, each containing 14 stories, are available on Amazon. Brighten your Christmas season and read a few short Christmas tales, all with happy endings.

Reading - I am doing some reading, presently enjoying C. J. Box’s Trophy Hunt. I thought that I had read all of the books in the series, then discovered I had missed one from several years ago. Like all of Box’s books, this one is an excellent read.

From the Old West – When a cowboy's too old to set a bad example, he hands out good advice.

 Photo of the Week – Like my writing, photo opportunities have been few the last ten days. I did get out this week for two sunsets and found some interesting opportunities.

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 terrific week.

Writing and Editing - Christmas Stories Too

One Afternoon in My Life – Yesterday I spent an hour and a half taking out and installing a new(er) radio and CD player in my wife's Explorer. As always, it took about as long to find the proper two tools I needed as it did to complete the project. It works great, not bad for a 70-year-old word-scribbling curmudgeon.

Selling Books –  Both book sales and KDP pages read continue to be healthy - interesting that I do spend some money on Amazon adds and the more I make, the more I seem to spend. I am not good at the spend little and make a lot. I seem to be more of the spend and take in about the same. Oh well, I will keep experimenting and continue enjoying the strong sales. 

From the Old West – Damn fool mistakes are always made by the other guy.

Christmas Books - I have two books of Christmas stories for sale on Amazon and other online retailers. Each book has 14 short stories. The first has been out for a couple of years is titled - Under Western Skies. My newest, out now for about a month, is titled Under Christmas Skies. Take a look and read a few free tales of Christmas by clicking on the Amazon link. Thanks!

My Photo of the Week - 

Writing – I am back at it, revising, for the last time, in one book, and reading through the first 20,000 pages of another WIP. 

My Best Selling Book - My western mystery (Commitment), continues strong sales, take a look at it here and read the first chapter for free. 

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

 Or

Follow me here on twitter at @wyohistoryguy

Keep on Reading and Keep on Writing

& 

Have a wonderful weekend

Writing Westerns and a Holiday Slow Down

The Holiday Slow Down – Thanksgiving and Black Friday, 2018 have passed into history, and now it is time to get back to work for most folks. I managed, at last, to not overeat and did zero shopping on Black Friday, hope that is not un-American.

Reading for Fun – I have been reading some short mysteries and cozy mysteries the last few days and enjoying the stories. I am also reading, as I am most of the time, a western. I can always tell when a story really grabs me – I stay up too late reading. I will be reporting more, with some mini-reviews soon.

Selling Books – Book sales are going well, not sure, how I got it going so well, but I am most happy for it. I never will call myself a best-selling author, hope I can, but for now, selling a few books every day is quite nice. I hope it continues. My personal best-selling books right now are the two Blade Holmes novels and my two Christmas books.

Waterfall below Guernsey Dam

From the Old West – Some men talk ‘cause they have somethin’ to say. Others talk ‘cause they got to say somethin’.

What I Am Working On – I hate to admit I have spent more time watching football than writing or editing the last few days. After coaching high school football for more than three decades, it seems to be in my blood. The good part of this is that some of the teams I was rooting for won. The bad part – I am falling behind, even without specific, word or page goals, I am getting behind. There is always next week.

 Photo of the Week –

The spectacular Gatehouse at Guernsey Dam

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

 Or

Follow me here on twitter at @wyohistoryguy

Keep on Reading and Keep on Writing

&  

Enjoy the coming of a new and more normal week.

                                       

Back from Vacation and back to Writing

Home Again – After a nice trip to Branson, Missouri we are back home. It is always nice to get away, and then nice, to be back home. While in Branson we caught up with old friends and took in several, terrific as always, shows.

Now home again with regular chores and back to writing, and oh, we just voted a couple of hours ago.   

From the Old West –  Too little temptation can lead to virtue

A View of Laramie Peak from the Trails at Guernsey State Park

What Am I Working On? – Editing the fourth book of my Mike and Moose & Me kids chapter books. Also doing some serious writing and researching on my nonfiction Fort Laramie Book.

For writers reading this, I have never done the NaNo, write a book during November project, admire those that do. I am too lazy and too random to keep to a tight schedule and to stay on the same subject.

My New Book is Out - My second book of Christmas short stories is now live and for sale on Amazon. 

 Photo of the Week – 

A ride and dinner on the Branson Belle

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

 Or

Follow me here on twitter at @wyohistoryguy

Keep on Reading and keep on Writing

& 

Hope everyone made it through the time change ok.

A New Book and Finding Steampunk

With the weather here wet and cool, I have plenty of time to write. If it were sunshine and warm, I would be out finishing the painting of our garage. I am always happy to have an excuse to skip painting.

What Am I Working On? – At last, I have finished my second volume of Christmas stories. I enjoy writing them, but it might be a few years before I am able to come up with enough for a third book of Christmas tales.  This book titled – Under Christmas Skies, is already available as an eBook. The soft cover should be ready in the next two weeks.

What Am I Reading? – My first ever steampunk story. (Artificers Apprentice by D.H. Edwardson) It is a short story of 25 pages, I read the first half or a bit more before, I became distracted and started writing this post. I do not have much of an idea what steampunk is, that is why I decided to try one. The story, so far, is excellent and well written. By the way, I found this one free on Amazon. If you, like me, want to learn a bit about a genre called steampunk, I linked above to this free story.

My Photo of the Week –

North Platte River in Guernsey State Park

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

https://amazon.com/Neil-Waring/e/B00XV26KLC

Look me up on twitter at @wyohistoryguy

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

Photo 2 -

Young Big Horn Sheep

After a Bit of Time Off

I have taken a few weeks off - seems a series of trips to the Dentist and Cardiologist will do that. If you are as old as I am, or close, you may have heard the expression, "I was feeling kind of punk." It came from when wood started to rot and got punky, not sure I like that definition but then again . . . .

Muted colors as the sun was setting -  Mule Deer  does and fawns

Now I am feeling better and hope to get back to writing more than a couple of hundred words a week, where I am now. I have always tried to post on this blog three or four times a month and hope to still make it this month. 

View from the Castle on the North Bluff in Guernsey, Wyoming State Park

We are also planning our annual trip to Branson Missouri, in early November. We have been going there for many years, and it always seems to rejuvenate me, and along with that, my writing.

Walking up a mountainside

Meanwhile, my sales and pages read also seem to be slipping - might be my lack of advertising and blogging. 

My wife and I have been out the past few days hiking and walking, and with that, I have taken a few, okay, a lot of nice fall photos. Enjoy!

See all of my books here - read a free sample.

Taking a break on our Saturday afternoon hike

Keep on reading and keep on writing!

What Makes a Good Edit?

It’s not often that I edit something and am satisfied with the result. This one was pretty good. I am working on a novel with an opening chapter of 3,200 words and not very good ones at that. It is a story I like, but the first chapter has me putting it on the back shelf, time after time. What did I do? I gutted it, streamlined it back to 1,800 words, and now it works.

Thought I might need the Military to blast out parts of this book!
Took this photo on a recent walk - nice fly over

Novels do not need fillers - I should have known better, I tried to explain everything in the first chapter, even things the reader would discover later. It not only had laundry lists of facts that were not needed, it had too many things that had no relation to the rest of the story. It reminded me of the parts in newspapers and magazines that we used to call, fillers or interesting tidbits, whatever that is. For me, it was useless added information that would not become part of the story later.

Now this is pretty good filler and will make a great novel scene someday

One last comment - I like a shorter, not a longer opening chapter. Maybe that is what bothered me, a 12-page opening chapter, I like the all-new look of the now seven-page chapter. Now off to the press, not really, but I always wanted to say that.

A note on the book with the new first chapter – here is the cover (shot moments ago with my cell phone).

The Photo is Centered on the Actual Book
Not So Much Here On My Cell Photo

The book should be available in the middle of July. It has already been proofed and edited, I just did not like it.

Ralph Waldo Emerson on Editing – I love reading Emerson, and in my historical fiction book, Commitment, the protagonist, Blade Holmes quotes him, as he will in my upcoming, book two, of the Blade Holmes trilogy.

  Emerson said, “Let the reader find that he cannot afford any line of your writing because you have omitted every word that he can spare.”

Not sure he was always that sparse but he often was.

 Meanwhile - Have a great week - keep on reading, and keep on writing, and sadly we must all keep on editing and rewriting. 

My Wyoming Garden is doing fine, and thanks for asking!

Edit or Write - I Will Take Writing - Every Time

Nothing to do with the post but I saw this yearling and she wanted her photo taken

Trying to edit and rewrite something seven years old is difficult work. I have never tried anything like this before and am glad that I have not. Seems that my writing is better now, or, at least, I like it better, and I am changing everything as I go. I liked the story, still do, but it seems like it is taking more time than writing a new one. I had a goal of completing this by the end of the month, not sure I can make it now.

The following is an excerpt from the book, my first attempt at a young adult western mystery.

Russ Duke stood chomping the stub of a cigar on the balcony of his third story room at the downtown Casper Motor Inn, watching traffic crawl past the oldest hotel in town. The room was awful, the location was terrible, the bed was the worst he ever attempted to sleep in, but the rates were good, and that was the way Russ Duke liked it.

Duke had kept Medina’s room the past two days, and that was long enough.  He walked up the road to the Platte River, stopped and threw the key to his former partner’s second floor room from the bridge. He was pretty sure the cops had not yet found the body if they had it would have been on the news by now. He was safe. He smiled at how easy it had been. Then he started to laugh, he used to hate Medina, hated all pretty boy’s like him, now he didn’t care, Medina was dead. Duke laughed, tried to whistle a tune, but started coughing instead. He flipped the inch long stub of his cigar into the river, started laughing again as he walked toward a row of fast food restaurants.

“Ha dead, couldn’t happen to a nicer guy,” Duke laughed at his joke, life was good.

Duke ordered the #3 breakfast, grabbed a newspaper and sat down to eat. The headline in the Casper paper said what he had been waiting for. Man Found Dead at Hell’s Half Acre – Cause of Death Under Investigation. Duke could not help himself; he started to laugh, again.

End of the Day