Tag: Writing

Mishmash of Gobbledy Gook

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Paperwork done.  Next is yarn and crafting stuff with my niece.  I can’t wait.  It will be fun to wander through what I have and then go shopping for what we need.

Today is going to be filled with book work and updating things.  I have to work on my web site and marketing details.  I have books to get in the mail.  It’s all the administrative stuff.

Ken leaves in six days to go to Atlanta.  People are trying to horn in on my alone time and I’m guarding it like a fierce dragon.  I have PLANS.  I’m busy busy busy busy while he is gone.

Tomorrow I’m working on crocheting for the girls in Atlanta.  They’ve put in their request so I am hoping to get a good chunk of it done tomorrow.  It will be good to make things for them as they don’t often request crocheted stuff from me.

I think we are going to watch Justified and Babylon 5 tomorrow.  The fifth season of Justified is free on Amazon so we’re enjoying it as we’ve been waiting a while for it to become free (for prime users).

Tax season starts soon.  I have a bunch of documents to print out for my business and my finances.  Ken’s got his paperwork.  Then it’s a matter of which family members are going to want me to do their taxes.  I’ve already told them it won’t be until after Ken comes back.  I am NOT giving up my hermit time.  I have a to do list of writing to get wade through.  I’m hoping to be extremely productive.

Weekend in Review

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

We spent part of the weekend with Vicki as it was her birthday.  It was good to go see her but I wish I could have had more time with her.

Now we are home safe and sound.  On the drive down I wrote three scenes for the next Wayfarers book in my head.  While Vicki and Ken were out shopping I got them on the computer.  On the way back, I wrote a couple more scenes in my head and a couple of scenes for a different story I’m working on.

Driving would be better if I could stop and write stuff down but Ken gets annoyed when I do.  Plus it makes the trip much longer.  While visiting Vicki I made her a couple of things (of course).  She was thoroughly spoiled in the crochet department.

Now I need to turn my attention to Gin and Stephanie as Ken is going to visit them in less than two weeks.  I need to get their list of crocheted items done so he can put them in his bag.

Today will be a bit of a lazy day.  I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to crochet or write.  I still have one or two scenes in my head I want to get out.  I wrote last night and got the Wayfarer scenes out but was tired from the trip so crashed somewhat early (for me).

I’ve got the next JD Robb book to listen to and Cast in Peril still.  I’ve also got Babylon 5 to watch.  Either option could be fun.  I’ll have to see what Ken wants to get up to.  We’re having lunch with my sister, aunt, uncle, and mother.  After that, I’ll see what mischief I can get up to.

Beware the Exploding Head

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

I spent my night reading a manuscript and editing it.  I see the weaknesses in it and know where I need to improve the story.  I did some minor edits but I’m at a stage where I need to do my searches and print it for a thorough editing. 

I have no name for the book.  When I started writing it, I just called it murder.  Now I want to think about the story and what I want to call it.  My test readers have suggested it would be good to be part of a series.  I don’t know.  I’m not confident in the murder mystery arena. 

I could not face my books last night.  I needed to work on editing / writing things.  I am still working on that scarf for Vicki.  I just made a list of the things I need to make over the next semester for student workers who are leaving me (sadly).  When they grarduate, I make them something.  I have four who are leaving, this makes a lot of crocheting for the next semester.  I got one done already but I still have three more to do. 

Plus I have three afghans on my to do list already.  It’s a good thing I have audio books galore to read.  I can crochet while I listen to all the books Vicki’s been telling me to read.  I’m going to have to juggle my time and energy. 

Part of the problem I am having is I need to write.  If I’m not writing, I get grumpy.  There are times I take a break from it to give my brain a break but they are few and far between.  I will have to balance out what I want to do.  This is an ongoing struggle for me – balancing out all the aspects of my life.

I guess for this it will be a matter of prioritizing and scheduling so I get everything done in time.  I already have the yarn for two of the three student worker gifts.  I also have a baby gift to make.  I have some of the yarn for that and if I go to my stash I probably have the yarn needed for the blanket I want to make.  I have a ripple book that would take stripes. I could make something nice from that. 

Ideas are just flooding my head.  I may have to write them down so I don’t forget.  That way it is just a matter of grabbing the material and getting to work. 

My Atlanta girls have requested coasters so that is my next project.  I have a LOT to get done before Ken flies out and can take them all their goodies.  That will be next week and I have until the 29th to get the stuff done.  Once I’m done with their stuff, I’ll turn towards these other projects. 

Plus I have three afghans on my list for family members.  I have the yarn for two of them.  I just have to make the time.  It will be an interesting spring while I juggle all these different projects with my writing projects.  Let’s hope my head doesn’t explode with all that I have going on. 

A Box of Yarn

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

I’m obsessed with yarn.  I love yarn.  I came home tonight and here was my order from Herrschners.  A friend gave me a gift card from there so I handed it to Vicki and said, I need crochet cotton, you know the colors, and whatever is on sale.

This is the result.  Now most people see just a bunch of yarn.  I see smiles, hugs, and appreciation.  I see hours of enjoyment as I listen to a book and crochet.  I see dishtowels, pot holders, dish cloths, scarves, make up pads and more.

There is so much potential in this one small box and so much happiness for me and for others.  I am sitting here saying I will not pick up the new yarn and make stuff because I already have four projects in progress and I need to finish at least one or two of them before I start new ones – right?  Maybe…

The colors are exciting.  The textures are exciting.  The hours of just enjoying myself with the goodies in this box are exciting.  One might assume I am a little excited about this box.

It’s a little box and a little thing but I know it will bring a lot of happiness.  The items made from the yarn in here will be useful and appreciated.  I can’t wait to dive in and play around with the goodies.  I have to wait … I keep telling myself I have to wait.  I have other projects to finish before I start with the new yarn.  I must resist the temptation – am I convincing anyone else?

Tonight I’m supposed to be working on a manuscript.  I have two I’m working on that are in progress.  I should work on writing and not crocheting.  I could pull up the next JD Robb book and listen to it while I work on one of the projects.  Maybe I would finish the project so I could play with the new yarn tomorrow.  But I have those two manuscripts.  Oh the war of responsibility and the desire to play with new yarn.

I’ll be good.  For now.  Maybe…..

Unplanning My Next Year’s Goals

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

My year has certainly not turned out the way I planned it.  This is one of the reasons I don’t like to make long term plans. 

It isn’t that my year has been worse – quite the contrary – it just hasn’t turned out the way I planned.  I could be disappointed in myself and the events of the year but that would be ridiculous.  I was supposed to submit to contests and publications at least four to six times each month this year.  I didn’t.  I was supposed to get my poetry books, romance book, and meditation book all published.  I did this.  I did more than this.  I got eleven books and two crochet patterns published. 

In looking back at my year, because that’s what we do at the end of December, I find myself very satisfied with what I’ve accomplished and am looking forward to the accomplishments of the coming year.  I have four books in progress that I want to get done.  I’m certain these will get done and published. 

Knowing me, there are other stories rattling around in my head that will find their way onto paper and into publication. 

I keep telling myself I need more balance in my life – equal out the time I spend crocheting, writing, working, spending with family and so on.  I’m not sure that is true.  I think having the imbalance helps me accomplish things.  When I’m so focused on one or two things, I get them done.  Very little gets in my way or stops me from accomplishing what I set out to accomplish.  Sometimes it takes me a while to figure out what I want to accomplish but once I do – it usually works out in the end – even if it isn’t the way I planned it. 

When I look forward to the next year, I know I want to write, crochet, spend time with my family.  I think I’ll leave the details of how that works out to the future and just enjoy the journey I’ll be taking in the upcoming year.

Sleep, blessed sleep

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Sleep was the order of the day yesterday.  I dozed until after 11 in the morning.  I worked on the computer for a short period of time updating the checkbook and such.  We had lunch (or breakfast for me) and watched West Wing.

He put up the Christmas tree while we watched.  I meant to crochet but I didn’t.  After the tree was up he did other things and I napped.  With supper, we watched Diners, Driveins, and Dives and then West Wing again.

He went to bed and I thought about going to bed.  Instead I worked on editing a manuscript.  Once I started editing, the night slipped away from me.  Still I made it to bed before midnight.  Apparently I needed sleep yesterday but not today.  I woke up early this morning and am up, showered, dressed, and ready to face the day all by 8:00 am (or 8:20 as it is right now).

Ken’s wrapping gifts and I’m going to crochet today I think.  I have a few things I want to get done but we will see.  I’ve not written in a week it may be time for my brain to kick back into gear and work on writing.  I edited the fourth and fifth books of the Wayfarer series over the last few days.  They aren’t done.  I need to swipe through them again once I get the edits in the computer.

Before his game starts, I may see if he wants to watch Babylon 5 or West Wing but if he doesn’t I might just decide to make it a writing day.  I’m feeling ambivalent about it which could be good or bad for the writing.  I could open the file and the words could just flow or I could putz around and not accomplish anything.  I’ll have to see how the morning goes.

If I’m not knee deep in writing, this afternoon while he watches football I’ll work on getting the edits on the computer.  After that it is a matter of getting all the pieces together.  Wayfarer Negotiator and Wayfarer Wedding are the next two in the series.  I have the cover for the one but need other pieces in order to publish.

As much as I slept yesterday, I wouldn’t mind a nap at some point today but I’ll have to see how the day goes and how involved I get with what I’m doing.

Six Days…

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

Last Friday I worked on changes for the fourth Wayfarer novel and came up with a splendid opening for the fifth book. 

Over the last six days, I’ve been busy.  Monday I had 22,000 words in the fifth novel.  This was not my intention, though it was certainly a nice surprise.  There are times when I’m writing that I know the story is going really well.  I can’t get the words out fast enough and as I’m writing I know that every step I take is the right one.  That’s how this one went.  Four I struggled a little in places, rewrote some scenes, added in to the rough draft, but this one…. this one was a dream.  There were nights I was mad because I had to go to sleep in order to get up for my day job.

Last night I spend an hour putzing because I was trying to think how I wanted to do a scene.  I was annoyed with myself because I had written myself into this scene and there was no way around it.  It was supposed to be the culmination of a plot from multiple books. 

I did wha tI normally do when I’m feeling grumbly about a scene.  I called one of my daughters.  I rambled around the topic and the options and eventually decided on a method for handling the scene.  Since I finished writing it at 12:30 last night, I don’t know how well it worked.  My test readers have it and will tell me if I need to change it.  I’ll read it and decide if I need to change it. 

There is one scene after, maybe two little scenes, in which the two main characters are together.  I went for a little funny, a little romantic, and hope that it worked well. 

Now all my test readers – I’m working on a different series for the next month.  No nagging for the sixth Wayfarer.  It isn’t even in my head …. yet….

Late Night or Early Morning

by eileentroemel, posted in Writing

It has been a week of late nights and last night I stayed up writing (and waiting on my computer to shut down) until Ken got up. 

Ironically, he always asks me why I’m still up.  It’s a silly question because mostly I stay up writing.  It could also be that I can’t sleep but lately it’s that I’m writing. 

I’m working on the fifth Wayfarer novel.  The fourth one is done and needs editing but I’ve been really busy with writing the fifth one.  I did some rewrites on Friday to the fourth one.  I sent them off to my test readers and they liked them.  After I was done with the rewrites, I realized I knew the perfect opening for the fifth book.  I wrote it hoping it would get it started and get it out of my head so I could work on other things.

I wrote it and the next scene seemed to follow in its heels.  And the next… and the next… and – well you get the idea.  I now have 42,000 words written and two more scenes to write.  One will be a big scene with lots of smaller scenes leading up to the culminating scene.  The other will be a summing up scene, not quite an epilogue but a scene that says essentially – hey this is where we’re at and maybe hints at what comes next. 

Hopefully when I’m done with the obsession five has become I’ll be able to go to the last Defenders book and finish it.  Unless the sixth Wayfarer takes over my brain, that is entirely possible.  I’m going to try to put my foot down though because I don’t want to have three books to edit in one series. 

Two of my test readers are cranking at me to finish the fifth book.  They apparently want to read it.  Of course they will read it and ask for the sixth book.  It is just a neverending round of demands from them.  They are such slave drivers.

Times Awasting

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

I need a clone.  With all my responsibilities, I need a clone or a longer day or to somehow stop time so I can get more done.

This morning I spent two hours working on the business end of writing.  Mostly I compiled data about sales so I could see how that would help me for marketing.  I told Vicki yesterday that I’m getting steady sales with an average of about 45 books a month for the last three months.  This is great as I’m just getting started but at the same time I have done very little marketing.  The thing for me is to figure out how to market and where to spend my money for marketing.

This led to another analysis of sales – which books are selling the best.  By knowing which book is selling the best I can either choose to put more money into marketing that book (because it is popular) or I can choose to let it grow on it’s own (because it is popular).

When I’m done with this blog, I’ll be heading to the recliner to put my foot up because my foot is doing better and I want to keep it that way.  While in the recliner, I can write and listen to music or crochet while I watch tv or listen to a book.  I’ll probably write for a time because I have a new book going and there are scenes I want to work on.  If Ken and I opt to watch something together I’ll try to pull out my crocheting but we usually do that when we’re eating so I might be busy eating.

If only I had a second me, I could work on all of it at once.  I have three crochet projects started and several in the works.  I have a half dozen writing projects started and actively working on plus all the other ones that aren’t being actively worked on.

It promises to be a full day one way or another and that is with only the writing and crocheting demands.  Two of my daughters just bought a house so they are calling with questions.  My sister is writing a paper so she will want me to edit it for her.  I’ll slide those in because it’s family and they are important.

We’ve been watching West Wing and in their they’re always saying – “What’s next?” That is my life right now.  I’m done with this so what’s next.    

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.