Tag: Wayfarer

Next…

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Finished the next Wayfarer novel.  It still needs work since it is just the first draft.  I don’t even have a name for it.  I will soon though.  My first test reader finished it last night and she pointed out some flaws.  I will be fixing those as I work through the edits.  I’m sure the other two test readers will come up with other suggestions as well.

I’ve gone back to the Defenders series.  I have one more book to write to finish that story – I think.  I started rereading the last book so I can get back in the groove with the story.  I’m hoping to finish that in the next few weeks. 

My test reader finished the fourth Wayfarer and said where’s the next one so I have to think about the next plot and how I’m going to work in the details and subplots. 

My gout decided to flare last night.  My left foot is unpleasant today.  I’ve changed my regime to hopefully nip it in the butt early.  I’m fairly certain it is stress related so I need to find some zen moments. 

I’m hoping for a calm weekend with lots of time to do writing and crocheting this weekend.  I think it will help to settle things down.  I’ve also been making a point of sleeping more as I seem to be needing that. 

It comes back to finding the balance in everything.  I’m working on it but it is an ongoing struggle.

To do is getting done

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

I’m nearing the end of a manuscript, I am pretty sure I’ll finish with the chapter I’m on.  The problem is there is a lot to fit into this chapter.  I have story lines to finish, plot lines to clean up, and a murder to solve. 

This book has been a little different for me as I’ve worked it in bits and pieces with the crazy schedule I’ve had in the last month.  Normally when I work on a Wayfarer book I take two weeks and zip through the story. 

I have three people (my test readers) who are begging me for the next installment for this series.  I don’t know if they are going to like this one as I delved into different storylines but I’m sure they will tell me if they don’t.

On another task on my to do list, I got all the presents ready over the weekend (with the help of Ken) and brought them into the office.  It was a nice little thing for the people to get after the long weekend. 

Friday while I was down in Indiana with Vicki, I got my hair cut and donated 12″.  I now have short hair.  I don’t hate it.  I know that sounds odd but I’m so used to the long hair that going short is quite a change. 

We had fun at JoAnn Fabrics again.  All the yarn I bought was on sale.  Between coupons and sales, I paid half price (or less) for every item.  Vicki got a bunch of flannel super inexpensive.  It was a good couple of hours in the store.  Ken and Vicki went to Menards to look at a few things and both of them came out with goodies from there. 

Hermit Grumbling

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

Finished another student worker gift and am half done with another, as well as discovered I’m more productive listening to an audio book than I am watching tv.  This is probably due to my not having to look up to see what’s going on while I’m listening to a book.

Last night Ken and I went to supper with two of my sisters, a nephew, uncle, mom and brother-in-law.  It was a good supper and a good time with the people.  I thoroughly enjoyed being with the people.

Having said that, when I was getting ready to go all I wanted to do was stay home and keep working on my stuff.  I was grumbly about having to go outside my house and my comfort zone of being a hermit to go out to supper.

Now I do laugh at myself because we did have a good time and a good meal.  It was really nice to spend time with Aimee and Jerry because we don’t get a lot of time with them.  I enjoy their company and can have a good conversation with them.  It was just me being grumbly about going out.

Today the plan is to stay in all day.  Yes I’m going to be a hermit and work on writing and on crocheting.  I want to finish the student worker gift I’m working on and hopefully start the last one.  I have an idea in my head and I want to see if I can make it work out like I see it in my head.

I’ve been entering the Writer’s of the Future contest every quarter.  This quarter I haven’t entered because I didn’t love my choice for entering.  I have taken a lot of criticism on the piece and I’m not sure it is up to par for submitting.  Then last night I had a really good idea for a piece that might work out nicely – going to see if I can crank it out in the word limit they have.

It promises to be a full day with crocheting and writing.  There is so much I want to get done and I know I’ll be lucky to get like half of it done.  On a positive note, I’m now reading Rapture in Death and enjoying it thoroughly.

Not sure what Ken’s plans are for the day but he grumbled something about chores he wanted to get done.  I know he got out the snow blower because they were calling for six inches.  With it being weather, they have of course changed their minds on that.  But the lawn mower is put away and the snow blower is out.  We are switching gears with the season.

Come check out my web site and the books I have available at:  http://eileentroemel.weebly.com/

Crocheting to an Audio Book

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

Books are amazing.  They take you to a place you can’t go on your own whether it is in the future, the past, a distant location, or some other fantasy.  I adore a well told story.

Last night I worked on crocheting again.  I spent four hours working on gifts and got two and a half gifts done.  At the same time I listened to a book.  There is something about having a book read to you that is just entrancing to me.

I find I crochet more, getting more accomplished while I listen to an audio book.  I finished off Immortal in Death and thoroughly enjoyed the entire book.  Today I want to work on more gifts.  This means I’ll be finishing the half gift from last night and then I have a larger gift to work on for a student worker who is graduating.

I’ll have one more (I think) to finish for student workers and she asked me for something warm as she hates the cold of winter.  I’ll work on something for her next.

After that I’ll be working on gifts for my faculty.  I’ve got a huge stash and I’m hoping to be able to pull out of my stash to create all sorts of goodies for them.  I’ll have to see what colors I have and such.  I also have new books that I want to try different projects so I guess they are going to be guinea pigs for my crocheting.  I hope they don’t mind.

For this weekend, I’m hoping to finish the student worker projects and maybe a little bit of writing projects.  I have to copy stuff over from my flash drive and see what the plan is for the day.  Ken has already run errands and I didn’t have to go with.

I’ve decided that at heart I must be a hermit because once I get into my house, I just want to stay in my house and not go wandering around too much.  It’s good to snuggle in – especially as we are getting colder – and just work on projects at home.

I’m going to make sure I take pictures of the projects I’m doing and I’ll post them after I’ve given the gifts.  It is definitely a colorful year for gifts.  I like almost all the colors I have been working with and when I look in the bag of gifts that are done it is great to see the rainbow.

If you’re looking for a good gift to give, check out my books at my site:  http://eileentroemel.weebly.com/

Change of Focus

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

Starting tonight, I’m going to crochet instead of working on writing.  I need to get a number of gifts made in the next month. 

This weekend I’ll probably work on two manuscripts which are close to being done but during the week this week I’m going to either watch tv and crochet or listen to an audio book.  I have three Michelle Sagara books to catch up on.  I also have a ton of JD Robb and Nora Roberts audio books to read.  I’m sure there are other audio books I can listen to as well.

Interestingly, I was listening to Glory in Death and taking note of certain scenes and how she handled certain types of scenes.  I respect her as a writer so as I’m reading her books I’m also researching writing techniques. 

I guess as I’m listening to the books I’m also doing research on writing techniques.  It will be fun to read a book while I’m crocheting.  Two of my favorite activities will get done all at once. 

It is the whole NaNoWriMo but this month doesn’t work for me.  I’ll be working on crocheting this month.  I wonder if they have a craft project month?  I’m sure they do – they have a month for everything it seems. 

In all likelihood I’ll still work on writing on the weekends.  I will go stir crazy if I don’t write, especially since I’m almost done with three manuscripts.  Marketing will have to be a focus.  I need to promote more to a wider audience. 

So the plan – I’ll see how well this one works – is to crochet and listen to audio books during the week.  Work on manuscripts on the weekend as well as crocheting and listening to audio books.  In the next month I have to finish a lot of presents, three manuscripts, and keep my sanity.  Well okay – the sanity is probably too much to hope for.  I’ll have to see how the plan goes. 

No Stress Day

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Vicki called me last night to chat before she went to bed.  Before she called I was writing, the words were flowing, everything was moving along nicely.  I hung up with her, typed a sentence and my phone rang again.  It was my other two daughters calling to chat.  I asked if they coordinated that with Vicki.  They laughed and denied by I have my suspicions.

It seems like every time I go to the bathroom or am writing they call.  I think they may have hidden cameras in my house.  Well okay – probably not.

Yesterday I got the new Wayfarer book out!  Today it is available on Amazon.  I’ve reviewed the proof and the paperback will be ready in a few days.  I ordered copies so I can have them on hand, donate to the University library, send to my kids.

Last night I worked on another story and am trying to get it wrapped up.  I realized I had three plot lines to complete before I could finalize the book.  Of course I have editing to do after that.  I’m hoping to finish it off in the next week or so but I’ll have to see how writing goes.

I’m going to play with a cover for one of my novels I’m almost done with.  I don’t have one in mind so I’m going to play around with a few ideas.  I am leaning towards simple with my covers.  I find I like them better when they are either a photo someone has taken or a simple cover.

Once I’m done with a few of the writing projects, I plan to work on crocheting.  I’m hoping to get a few of the gifts made while I watch movies or tv today.  It will be interesting to see if the crocheting loosens up my hands a little.  If it does, I may have to go back to crocheting on a weekly basis to keep the arthritis under control in my fingers.

It’s Sunday so I want a nice and easy day without a lot of stress.  Crocheting, writing, tv, movies, all sound like a good plan.  Of course I have a manuscript to edit so maybe that will find a way into my day as well.

Wayfarer Immemorial

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing
Decker and Adara face her new role as clan leader while struggling with new threats from the Barions.  The Fletnon calls for help and the crew of the Pritchard is forced to rescue the Barions who nearly killed Adara. 
The Wayfarer clans give the Cloch clan – Adara’s clan – three long haul ships as reparation for the damage the Dotean clan did to the Cloch clan.  Adara is inundated with requests to join her clan but she’s not even sure how to induct people into her clan.
A trip to the Etiennes for a solstice celebration solidifies Decker’s commitment to Adara.  He looks for a way to express it.  Franklin gets an apprentice from the Etienne hunters.  Janet and Hal hook up for some steamy romance but his past pushes them apart. 
On her way to do clan business, Adara is confronted by a lone Barion claiming to have a message for her.  The Barions are up to something.  Battle cruisers abound and it’s unclear whether they’re working together or chasing a single ship. 
At the clan gathering, members of the elusive Spiorad clan join the Cloch clan as well as dozens from the other clans.  Members of the crew step up to officially join Adara’s clan bringing all aspects of Adara’s family into her clan.
The artist for the Aegis memorial flirts with Decker, making Adara furious.  She refuses to be featured as part of the memorial and forces the artist to look at the people who died on the Aegis.  Before the memorial, Adara and Decker are captured by Barions.  Harot has Decker tortured to punish Adara. 
Go see all my books on my web site at eileentroemel.weebly.com

Relaxation!?!

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

Yesterday I was busy with writing.  I published a book, downloaded reports from the companies who I publish through, printed a manuscript for editing, finished editing one manuscript and got a third of the way through another.  It was a busy day.

In addition to all the writing things, I talked to all three of my daughters, organized coupons, and spent time with Ken.  It was a good day with a bit of balance in the day.

This morning I’ll be putting edits into the computer for the manuscript I finished a round of editing.  I have more coupons to go through.  I want to work on croheting.  I also have to get stuff ready for work this week.

I now have nine books under my name.  This is way beyond what I thought I would do in a year.  In the next two months, I’m hoping to get two more books out.  The two manuscripts I’ve been editing need to have a nice polish put on them and then out for readers to enjoy (I hope).  The one will be Wayfarer Immemorial, the third installment of the Wayfarer series.  The other will be a new book about magic, love, good versus evil, betrayal and a bit of redemption.  I’ve not named it yet but it will hopefully be ready by the end of November.

I’ve been submitting short stories and other items to other places and having absolutely no success.  I don’t know that I’m successful with the books but they are at least out there for people to try.

My relaxing weekend has been full of writing and hopefully today a bit of crocheting while I catch up on the tv shows I’m behind on – NCIS LA, Dr. Who, Person of Interest.  I hope I can finish the current scarf I’m working on and then start some of my holiday crocheting.  I’ll just have to see how things go though because the editing is really calling to me.

I started the fourth Wayfarer book and have struggled with getting more down.  It’s in my head, I just can’t seem to decide which scenes to write first.  I realized last night the moon is in the full phase.  This is almost always a non-creative time for me but a productive time in getting things done.  I can only assume as the moon shifts to the dark moon I’ll get back on track with the fourth Wayfarer book.  I also have a bunch of information in my head about the last Defenders book and the second book in another series I’m working on.  I just need the time to get it all into the computer.

Defenders of the Land

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Book two in the Defenders series is out and available on both Amazon and Smashwords.  It will be available in paperback by Monday (I hope).

  If you read the first book – Defenders of the People – you know that Tof, Bri and the rest of the Defenders are just getting started.

The Defenders grows into a group of young adults who protect against any and all evil, including the agents of the council.  The council’s magic seekers bring perverted magic to capture and return victims – mostly children and pretty women – to the Chancellor Ravick. 
Tof with his lieutenants, Bri and Alex, work with the villagers in their province to protect against these agents.  They learn as they go.  Mistakes are made, lives lost as the group becomes a cohesive unit. 
Magic is key to their success and they don’t know enough.  The magic seekers bring perverted magic to the province with magical illnesses and a sleeping spell which holds people docile in their captivity. 
In the end, Tof and Liza must become joined with the land to complete the healing Queen Sirina did during the plagues.  As the time for the joining draws near, Tof worries he will be weak and spoiled like his father.  The land demands sovereigns.  The two suited for it are Tof and Liza.  Tof overcomes his concerns with a threat or two from his friends.  
See this book and all my other books on my web site http://eileentroemel.weebly.com/
All the books are available on Amazon and Smashwords.  Most are available on Barnes and Noble.
Coming soon – the third Wayfarer book!  

Going with the Flow

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

When I finished my degree last December, I had goals.  I had specific goals I wanted to accomplish every month.  I was going to step up my submissions.  I wanted to have five to ten submission each month.  It shouldn’t be hard to maintain that as I wouldn’t be doing school work.  I wanted to get my romance novel and my meditation book published.

Looking back at how I felt in January facing these tasks, I thought the submissions would be the easy part and the book publishing the hard part.

I’ve flip flopped.  I have almost no submissions this year, maybe four or five, and none of them went through to publication.  It’s annoying and frustrating.  However, not unusual.

On the book front, I’ve published the two I hoped to.  I also have published six more and will probably publish one more before the end of the year, possibly two more.

It seems like every time I turn around, I’m working on another manuscript of some sort.  Currently I’m actively writing in two manuscripts and editing a third.  Last night I finished a rough draft.  Today I wrote an outline for the next book in the series.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes.  I discovered that I’ve got a lot of my page numbers on the wrong side of the pages for a few of my books.  I’ll have to fix that and see if there are more fixes before I upload a new file.  I’m enjoying the process.  I love almost all aspects of it.

I freely admit I’m obsessed with checking sales and hoping that the little line is above zero.  I get a thrill when I see one of my books has sold.  It’s exciting to me to know that someone in Canada or the UK (or any of the other countries) has bought my book.  I wonder if the story will cross the culture differences and if they will enjoy it.  I hope so.

My goals have flown out the window but I don’t really care.  I’m loving what I’m doing.  I’m thrilled with the work I’m doing and loving telling a story – hopefully a good story.

Come check out my book page at:
eileentroemel.weebly.com