Wayfarer is on sale for 99 cents! It will be on sale for about a week. I’m hoping to publish Wayfarer Trials this weekend.
Wayfarer is the beginning of the story and on sale for only 99 cents. It is the beginning of the story between Decker and Adara. Wayfarer Trials is the latest installment of their story. Decker and Adara return from their honeymoon to fall right back into the investigation into Castitate Colony and Patrick Richardson with the rest of the command staff.
Danger rounds every corner in this book for the crew of the Pritchard. Decker’s family comes onboard for protection as Delilah tracks down the businesses involved in their cases. Action packed and fast paced, Adara, Decker and the rest of the crew face bombs, pirates, and human traffickers as they gather evidence to take down a lifelong criminal.
Busy weekend equates into compressed time for working on writing or crocheting. Yesterday I got together with my family to have lunch for mom’s birthday. It was a good time and I think she enjoyed herself. There are several people who have March birthdays including one of my sisters and that sister’s mother-in-law. They always like to have a birthday lunch with mom to celebrate all of their birthdays.
After lunch TJ Jahns came to my house and we worked on several projects. I’m creating a website for her and her artwork. She has some pretty amazing stuff. I had gotten so far with it and needed input from her which she gave. It is now published but still a work in progress. (Check it out at TJJahns.weebly.com)
TJ and I are working on a new book. I got to see her drawings and talk about her ideas for the pictures for this project. I’m so excited. She is taking one of my poems and turning it into a graphic poem. It will be wonderful when she gets through all the pictures and I can’t wait.
After she left, Ken and I watched a little tv before he went to bed. I worked on manuscript editing last night. I was so tired by the time I was done, I crashed. Purposefully, I didn’t set my alarm for early today but woke up on my own. I usually do better when I can wake up of my own accord.
Today promises to be busy. I have several projects to work on as long as my legs can stand me sitting at the computer. One of my friends is coming over this afternoon. It will be wonderful to see her. Once she goes, I’ll be working on manuscript editing again. Murder Next Door is close. I want to read through it one more time – I feel it needs something but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Here is the cover for it – done by TJ Jahns. I’m LOVING it. It fits exactly what I wanted. Wayfarer Trials has a couple of large edits to it so it may need a second round of edits as well. When I rearrange scenes as I’m planning to do, I have to let it sit before I edit it again. It has to make sense the way I rearrange. I like the scene I am moving but to have the flow better, I need to move it so I have to write the transition for the scene in a different place.
It is going to be a busy weekend, has been already and I’m not slowing unless I’m forced to. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I’ll have three manuscripts ready for final edits and moving towards production.
Tuesday I was unproductive but last night I got a third of a manuscript edited. I made a point of breaking the papers up so I would have a definitive stopping point. This helped me get to bed at a reasonable time.
I’ve been away from the characters and story of the Wayfarers. I thought I wouldn’t remember where I left off and who the characters would behave but I started reading and it all came back to me.
It was good to have a goal and meet it. Work (at my day job) is speeding up and my days have been busy and a bit stressful. This means by the time I get home, I’m sort of done in. Being able to fall in and get the editing done is a bonus as when I leave work I think I’m done, I think my brain can’t take any more for the day.
I come home, have supper with my husband and then turn to my evening actitivies. Last night it was editing 50 pages of Wayfarer Trials. This one and seven to me are two of my better stories. Don’t get me wrong I love the entire series but in these two I bring to culmination some of the longer story lines and start the set up for the next phase for my characters.
Having let the manuscripts sit for a time, I wasn’t sure I’d like what I wrote and then as I got into the editing, I realized I did like the story, the way things worked out. When I’m writing I am sometimes taken by surprise when my story takes a twist or turn I wasn’t expecting so when I edit, it’s nice to realize those twists are working well and the turns add a bit of oomph to the story.
Tonight I plan to work on editing. I’m hoping to finish the manuscript I’m working on. Hopefully this weekend I can make the updates to the computer for the two manuscripts and shift them into production mode.
This will leave me with one more manuscript to edit before I look for another story to work on which will probably be the last Defenders book. I’m hoping to get that finished this month (or maybe next as my month is filling up).
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.
Before the Pritchard and Decker, Adara had a contract on an explorer class ship. The ship was supposed to be her home, the crew her family. With a rigid by the books captain, Adara found herself written up, reprimanded and in danger of losing her contract. Still she forms bonds with people on the crew. Carving out a niche, she finds a balance until fate intervenes with a deadly asteroid shower.
This is a short story about Adara’s experience and rescue on the Aegis. It is available for sale on Smashwords and Amazon:
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.
Yesterday I managed to check off two big things on my to do list. I got the taxes done for my mom and sister as well as the paperwork for my uncle. Last night I finished writing the rough draft of Wayfarer 7.
This morning I promptly rewrote the ending as it felt bad and abrupt last night. I woke up knowing a better way to end it. One of my test readers said it felt too final and the tweak I had in mind I hope makes it feel less final.
However, this means I now have four manuscripts in the editing phase. I will try to get them through this phase and into production. It will take time. I swear I’m going to write on the Defenders series next.
Before I turned to the Defenders, I want to get some crocheting done. I think today will be a day of going through the LARGE stack of coupons I have to clip and then crocheting to see how many gifts I can make. In all honestly I’m working on the throw I need to make and hoping I can finish it today.
As is normal for me after finishing a project, I feel rung out and used up. The ending for seven was tough, One of the constants in the book goes away. Now I’ll have to replace it in the next book but I’m not thinking about eight until I get some editing done.
I think I’ll work on crocheting for the next two weeks with the editing thrown in. Hopefully I’ll be able to do a cover reveal for Wayfarer Aegis shortly. I am excited for the release of all these books. I love them all and can’t wait to get them edited and into production.
If I do the coupons, I can lay out my crocheting on the card table and figure out which projects I can get off my to do list. If Ken doesn’t want to watch Babylon 5 with me, then I’ll probably listen to the new JD Robb book. Either way, my crochet hook will be going and my brain will hopefully get a rest from creating – well creating a story anyways…
It’s dang cold out, it seems like the perfect day to stay inside and get things done, fun things like harassing my husband and crocheting. All while I wait nervously for my test readers to come back with whether they like seven or not.
I hesitate to use the word normal because I don’t consider myself normal but I guess I could qualify it as normal for me.
This week has been busy with work and writing. I’m neck deep in a manuscript (Wayfarer 7) and working towards finishing it. I’m also attempting to get some editing done which thinking of all the aspects of all the novels related to whatever I’m editing. Since one is a prequel to Wayfarer, this means I have to keep in mind all the things that have happened in the books since and how they relate to the prequel. I’ve also got a murder mystery novel to edit and the first edits (search and replace) for the sixth Wayfarer novel.
Edits inevitably lead to the need for a cover. I have the prequel one done and will be doing an event to share the cover. I worked with TJ Jahns to get the cover going on the murder mystery. I’m hoping she will come back with a cover for me to use. It still leaves me with a cover to make for Wayfarer 6 which I still don’t have a title for yet but I’m working on it. I have one in my head, I just have to think it over and decide if I like it.
I started one of the crochet projects I need to get done. I’ve got the new JD Robb book Obsession in Death to listen to so I may take a break (once I’m done with 7) and listen to that while I work on the crochet project.
This weekend I’m working on taxes for people and helping my uncle with some paperwork. It promises to be busy and possibly frustrating. I was going to work on my own taxes but then I got notified that two or three of the forms I got were wrong. I believe I will get the corrected forms next week – I hope so at least.
To do list – marketing of Wayfarer (on sale) finish writing Wayfarer 7 Editing three manuscripts Crochet gifts – student workers, wedding, baby, Virginia’s afghan Read new JD Robb Taxes for people and paperwork for my uncle.
These are just the things I need to do by Saturday or Sunday. I hope I can get them all done. Ken’s back home so I’m less productive though he is very understanding and gives me lots of time and space to do what I need to. Still I sort of like spending time with my husband. Seems like if he’s around and in the house, I could maybe spend some time with him.
Oh and I have season 5 of Downton Abbey. I wanted to watch it this next weekend but I don’t think that’s going to happen. If I get all of my to do list done maybe I can do it next weekend. I can work on crocheting while I watch.
I got my hubby from the airport just fine last night and even though it was 5:00 on a Friday night, traffic wasn’t horrible. We had one stretch of parking lot like traffic but still managed to get home by 6:30.
We spent a nice night together before he went to bed. I was tired so planned to go to bed early. Then my sister texted me a couple of times. Then my oldest daughter texted me and I called her. We talked until 12:30. It was one of those good conversations.
At 12;30 I had every intention of going to sleep. I meant to. I meant to just turn out the light and crash. Instead I pulled out my net book and started writing. A scene was bouncing around in my head. I couldn’t get the scene out of my head. I had to get it on paper. I started writing. At 3:30 in the morning I stopped writing but only because my eyes hurt and were watering. I turned out the light and struggled to get to sleep until 4:30… then I woke up at 7;30 wishing I could sleep for another two or ten hours.
I finally gave in to wakefulness and got up at 9:00. By 11:00 I was ready for a nap. I didn’t get one. I was either texting or talking to a variety of people all day long. It seems the moratorium on my peace and quiet so I can write is up and now everyone wants my attention.
I did get a lot done and last night I wrote 5300 words. Today I’ve written about 3300 words. I’m making progress but not as quickly as when people were leaving me alone.
Since the people bugging me are my daughters, I’m okay with that. I’ve had good conversations with all three of them, one of my nieces and one of my sisters. It was a busy day. Tomorrow will probably be just as busy but I’ll see how things go.
I swear I’m going to bed early and getting up early so I can get stuff done tomorrow. At least that is what I mean to do… yeah – I know that didn’t work so well last night.
Last night I finished the manuscript I was working on. I wrote about 15,000 words yesterday. It was a good day.
After I finished I was tired and rung out (like I normally get after a manuscript) and opted for a little tv. I watched an episode of NCIS LA and Person of Interest. I crashed. At 1 my phone beeped with a text message and woke me up enough I struggled to go back to sleep. However, a scene played and played in my head. I’ll have to see about getting it written otherwise it is going to annoy me.
I woke up this morning groggy – not unusual as I didn’t sleep well after I woke up at 1. After I talked to my middle daughter, I realized I had to get dressed today. Since I left work on Tuesday I’ve just been hanging out at home in my jammies. I did shower and change, just put on jammies both days.
This morning I’ve been busy with paying bills. I called my credit union because I had a question. The woman I spoke with was polite and friendly. We ended up talking about yarn and I learned she was a crocheter as well. Crafters are everywhere! You cannot escape them!!!
My hubby comes home tonight. I have about five hours more of my alone time. I’m not sure what I plan to do with it, probably write, but I definitely want to make the most of it. I guess I should find some clothes as I don’t think I want to drive to the airport in my jammies – tempting but no.
Defenders series I have one more book (I hope it’s only one) to write. I have maps of the villages I’m currently writing in and I am going to look for a list of which people went to which group. If I can get that info in paper form (yes I know but sometimes I just gotta have paper) I will go sit in my recliner and fall into Bri, Tof, and the other defenders.
I could use another week of alone time. Do you think Mother Nature might snow us in for that period of time? Probably not. I guess I should just be grateful for the time I’ve had and keep working.
At this point I have two manuscripts in paper form to edit and one electronically to edit. Electronically, I do a search for a set list of words I know I overuse and look at them to see if I can rewrite without the words and I do a spell / grammar check. Then I print. Either way, I have three manuscripts in the edit phase. I should add them to my spreadsheet where I track these things.
Wayfarer is the beginning of the story and on sale for only 99 cents. It is the beginning of the story between Decker and Adara. Wayfarer Trials is the latest installment of their story. Decker and Adara return from their honeymoon to fall right back into the investigation into Castitate Colony and Patrick Richardson with the rest of the command staff. 
