Tag: Wayfarer Trials

Back to Editing

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Last night I worked on editing Murder Next Door.  It is a murder mystery, romance set in 2178.  After talking to one of my daughters until after 8 pm, I started editing.  I really just wanted to go to sleep when I started but it was too early for me if I wanted to sleep all night. 

I put on classical music, turned off all but one light and set to work on editing.  Somewhere around 11 or so I realized how late it was.  I looked at the number of pages and decided to stop by midnight.  At 12:30 I looked up and realized how late it was but was in the middle of a chapter.  I said at the end of this chapter, I’ll quit and finish it tomorrow. 

That didn’t happen.  I finished editing it last night – or more correctly this morning around 1 am.  It felt good to work on writing, to think about plot lines and characters, to look at verbage and decide the tone this word or that one gave to the story. 

Tonight I’ll be working on Wayfarer Trials.  This is the sixth book in the series and I think full of action and craziness.  I know there is one major rearrangement I want to make in this book but there are a lot of loose ends to tie up for plot lines so I have to make sure those get done. 

If I can get this one done tonight, I will only have one left to do the edits on, which is Wayfarer 7.  I don’t have a name for it yet though one or two options are floating in my head. 

My restlessness of last week evaporated with me editing.  I lost time as I worked and the tiredness I felt dissipated as I sunk into Murder Next Door.  The book drew me in, kept me occupied.  The act of editing soothed me in ways I find difficult to explain. 

In the back of my head, I’m working on writing the last Defenders story.  I think it’s time to finish it.  I just need to sit and write it.  I have the next two scenes (part of a bigger scene) in my head, the major parts of it starting to coalesce and take form.  Soon I’ll have to write it or I’ll be dreaming about it again. 

A week off was good, I guess.  But I’m glad to be back to writing, editing, and getting stuff done.  Interestingly, I didn’t miss the tv stuff at all last night.  I was more entertained by my work.  Now I just need to look at my to do list and decide what’s next. 

Chronic Pain

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

It’s been a rough week.  I’ve had higher pain levels and less motivation for a week.  I’m still struggling with pain but I can’t let that stop me from moving forward with things that need to get done.

The good thing about a rough week – I listened to a number of audio books while I crocheted.  It is about the only thing I can do that doesn’t hurt.  I finished three gifts and two other small projects.

The purple shawl is supposed to have buttons on it but I want to have Vicki here so I can place the buttons in the right spots.  This was a pattern I liked the looks of but had to rework it.  The person who designed it gave only directions for a magic ring start and a non-chain double crochet.  I’ve done them.  I don’t like how they look.  I rewrote the pattern and I think it turned out nicely.

The blue scarf isn’t done yet though I’m close.  It is baby yarn that will make a nice light weight scarf for spring / summer / fall.  I still need to get some length on it but I’m pleased with how it is working up.

I finished my niece’s afghan, the throw for my student worker and a hood / wristers set for another student worker.  I’m not posting pictures of them for obvious reasons but I do have to say I think the afghan turned out particularly nice.

I finalized the cover for Wayfarer Aegis and got preliminary covers for Wayfarer Trials and Murder Next Door.  TJ Jahns did a wonderful drawing of what I needed for Murder Next Door.

I finished my preliminary edits on Wayfarer seven.  This gives me four manuscripts to edit and I’m hoping to get them done soon.  Wayfarer Aegis has the final paper edits done, I just need to get them on the computer and read them one more time before it hits production.  I’ve posted a look at the cover and a description on my web site.  http://eileentroemel.weebly.com/

Most of what I need to get done can be done on my netbook but production work – finishing edits on manuscripts and prep for publishing – has to be done on my computer in my office.  When I’m in pain, this is difficult.  Until the pain eases, I will work on whatever I can on my netbook.  I certainly have a litany of tasks I can work on up until production becomes necessary.

This week I’ve struggled with attitude and self image.  When all I can do is sit in the recliner and hope the pain will ease enough so I can think, it drags me down into a well of grumbliness.  I hate not being able to get done the things I know need doing.  I keep reminding myself it will pass, it will get better.  All I can do is what I can do when the pain washes over me.

People genuinely care and are concerned about my welfare which is nice.  It helps remind me to keep looking up.  When they ask ‘are you feeling better’ I hate telling them no.  It’s hard for people to understand that there are layers to the pain.  There are the days where I start out feeling fine but go downhill.  There are days I start out feeling awful but can force myself to get through the day.  There are days when I can’t do anything more than sit in my chair and hope the pain goes away.  The thing is…. the pain is always there, always tearing at my joints.  I can’t remember the last time I went without pain.  All I can do is manage and hope I can get through what needs to be done and not fall into that well of darkness where the pain wins.

Accomplishing things, like the crocheting or writing which take little movement, helps clear the grumbliness I feel.  It helps me be able to say, at least I can do this.  At least I can accomplish something for now.  Even in my worst moments, I know it will get better and I’ll batter back the pain to a level I can tolerate so I can keep moving forward.