More old pictures - part 4

Here are a few more pictures from my past travels. These were taken on a drive around Butler County in July 2011.

This first is what I believe is an old gas station in Latham.

This second is definitely a gas station (and in Latham), because it relates to the next picture...

This is the last sale made at the station on the pump still standing. Gas was $1.65 a gallon (the 1 was drawn on the window). The last sale was for a third of a gallon.

Finally, a side view of the library in Potwin, located in an old bank building.

Thanks for taking a look. I don't know if I'll have new pictures to share in the new year, but here's hoping!

Writing Stats for November 2018

Another month has passed, so here is an update on how much I wrote.

For some of you November is National Novel Writing Month. For me it's nothing special unless I write too much or too little. This past November I wrote 200 pages. That's about 10 pages over what I would have written if I'd only just met my session goals. And this number comes in spite of a pause between projects.

Speaking of projects, the month started with me finishing one. That ended up being a novel of about 70,000 words. I'm a little less than halfway through the current project which stands at just over 45,000 words. Looks like this book will be a bit longer than the books I've written this year.

Here's hoping for a strong final month of 2018!

What I've Read in 2018 (Part 3)

Sorry it's taken a while to get back to these posts. My reading has picked up of late. Here's what I've read and enjoy since the last post in mid-June. As before, clicking on the titles will take you to the books at Goodreads. And now, the books:

Waistcoats & Weaponry

Manners & Mutiny

The Custodian of Marvels

Royal Assassin

Assassin's Quest

European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman

Carmilla

Howl's Moving Castle

Treasure & Treason

Ruins & Revenge

A Closed and Common Orbit

To see everything else I've read, check out my profile at Goodreads. You can send me a friend request or follow me. I will try to get one more post put up in this series to wrap up what I've read to the end of the year, and to find out how many books I've read in 2018.

Writing Stats for October 2018

Another month has come and gone, so it's time to update you on how much I'm writing this year.

October really hummed along. The new project has been flowing fairly well. I wrote 212 pages during the month. If I had kept to my session goals, I would have written 200 pages. So, well over the goal, and that's with a few missed sessions, too!

I'm getting near the end of the current project. I'll start on something new before I take on an idea I've already plotted out.

Here's hoping for more pages to be written in November!

More Old Pictures - part 3

Here are a few more pictures from my past travels (the first two are from Greenwood County)...

The Madison Santa Fe depot, taken in 2008.

The Hamilton Santa Fe depot, also taken in 2008.

The Goodrich depot and a caboose, part of the historical museum in Pleasanton, Kansas; taken in 2006.

The Cassoday Santa Fe depot, taken in June 2011.

Writing Stats for September 2018

Here's the latest update on how much I'm writing this year.

I wrote at a steady pace throughout September. I wrote 184 pages last month. That's only two pages more than I wrote in August, but a few pages more than what I would have accomplished if I met all my session goals. Shorter month, I guess. And that's with losing a few sessions to my regular doctor's appointment and errands.

I'm almost at the end of the story I've been working on. I expect to have it done in next few days. I think I'm going to start on a whole new work, since completing this current project means the series of five short novels is at an end. An interesting idea for a project has popped into my mind recently, and I might see about firming that up a bit as well.

Here's hoping for another good month of writing!

More old pictures - part 2

Here are a few more pictures from my past travels...

This is the former Rock Island railroad depot in Clay Center, Kansas; taken in September 2012.

The caboose and a couple of the buildings at the historical museum in Ellsworth, Kansas; taken in April 2011.

The former Missouri Pacific railroad depot in Salina, Kansas; taken in October 2012.

The C. N. James Cabin, part of the Augusta Historical Museum; taken in November 2009.

Writing Stats for August 2018

Here's the latest post on how much I'm writing this year.

August seemed at times fast and slow. I did finish the project I was working on at the start of the month. It ended up being a short novel, coming in at around 56,000 words. I lost a few days to my annual eye exam and a pulled muscle (hard to sit for too long), but I have started on the next project.

All that means I wrote 182 pages last month. That's about 20 pages under what I would have completed had I met all my session goals.

I see that I started late in July on the short novel I finished. This new story is book five of a series; the completed work was book four. If the new one is like the old one, I could have it done towards the end of the month. Check back next month to see if that happens!

Blog housekeeping & pictures

If you look at the column to the right, you may notice that one of my links is to Pinterest. I'm back there, posting more for personal reasons than to promote, though I will do a little promotion of my stuff there along with everywhere else. I need books to sell, after all. :)

Anyway, I stumbled across a pin of one of the pictures I'd posted here years ago. I thought I'd posted more travel pictures, so I started checking old posts. It turned out I hadn't, and many of my pictures were gone. I must have inadvertently deleted some. I went back to many of my old posts and restored the pictures that disappeared. I'm going not to restore all of them. Some were cover images for books no longer in print. But I did what I could.

I also realized that I haven't posted very many of the pictures I took from my travels over the years. So I'm posting a few here. I hope to put up a few more of these picture posts as time permits. Without further ado, here goes!

This is the city hall building in Elmdale, Kansas; it was taken in October of 2009.

The Old Depot Museum in Ottawa, Kansas; it was the Santa Fe depot; this was taken in June of 2008.

Locomotive and coach from the Abilene & Smoky Valley excursion railroad; taken in Abilene in October of 2011.

Writing Stats for July 2018

Here's the latest update on how much I'm writing this year.

July was pretty steady for me. I completed project I'd been working on when the month started. It turns out to be a short novel of 56,000 words.

I paused after I finished. I had an idea for a story in a universe I'd worked in earlier this year. In doing so I decided that not only did I need to flesh out some details in what I'd already written, but I should break that work back into three parts, with the new project being a fourth part. I started work on that new project at the very end of the month.

All that means I wrote 185 pages in July. That's less than 10 pages under what I could have written if I'd met all my session goals for the month. While that's down a little from last month, it's a good number all the same.

As I said I've started on a new work. I'm pretty sure I'll be at it in August. I'm hoping it'll be long enough to keep me working for more than one month. Come back this time next month to see where things stand.

Writing Stats for June 2018

Here's the next update on how much I'm writing this year.

I worked on one project throughout most of June. It ended up being a novel, with a word count of just under 75,000. I paused for a day or two, then got started on a new work. The novel moved along at a good pace and the new work is as well.

That means I wrote 196 pages in June. That's a few pages over what I would have done had I hit all my session goals. Considering there were sessions I missed, I'm very happy with how June turned out.

I'm not sure how long this new project will be. I might wrap it up by the end of July, or I could still be working on it come the end of the month. I'm hoping the numbers will remain strong no matter when I reach the end. Follow me here or on your favorite social media platform to see how it goes.

What I've Read in 2018 (Part 2)

Back in March I put up a post about what I'd read. Most of the titles on that list were ebooks I acquired last year. I've continued to read the rest of those acquisitions. The titles will take you to each book's page at Goodreads. Here they are:

The Summer Tree

Etiquette & Espionage

Curtsies & Conspiracies

Assassin's Apprentice

Throne of Jade

Michael Kohlhaas

To see everything else I've read over the years, check my profile page at Goodreads. You can follow me or send me a friend request. Recently I added some game books to keep the list accurate.

Writing Stats for May 2018

Here is the latest post about how much I'm writing this year.

I finished one project in May then started on another. However, I had some trouble getting going. I ended up taking a few days to plot out another project. But I did finally get back to writing, and now the story is moving along.

All that means I wrote 196 pages in May. That's just a few pages off what I would have written had I met my daily goals. Even with some lost days, I kept up a good pace.

The story I'm working on is flowing. I don't know if I'll finish it earlier or later in June. I do know that I already have a project to work on after that. Once that's done, well, then it's the "distraction project." I'll talk more about that when I get there. Until then, here's hoping for a good June!

The Sun Spirit

My Defender series comes to an end with this latest collection, The Sun Spirit:

Violetta is the cousin of the Lord of Crossroads. She has no interest in the usual pursuits of the nobility. She wants to be one of the Defenders and fight injustice.

However, Violetta has no ability to cast spells. What she does have is the ability to think, to reason, to lie, and to follow where the truth takes her. Twice before with Defenders she proved her skill and courage. She’s therefore sent to the Royal Academy of Magery to learn what the Defenders learn.

In these five novellas, Violetta travels the kingdom in search of cheaters, liars, and murderers. It’s not work for a Lady, but it is work for Violetta, the Sun Spirit.

The Sun Spirit available as a print book and as an ebook. You can find store links on the Defender series page.

Writing Stats for April 2018

Here's the latest update on how much I'm writing in 2018.

April hummed along for the most part. I came to the end of one work and started on another. There was a brief pause between them, and at the end of the month I had to get edits done on my next release.

All that means I wrote 182 pages in April. That's only a couple pages under what I would have written had I met all my daily goals. Considering that I had some time away from writing, I am okay with that figure for the month.

I'm in the middle of writing a work right now. It's moving along, so if all goes well, I might be done with it by the end of May. I have two more projects on deck after that. I'm hoping to keep up a good pace for a while yet. Here's hoping the momentum continues!

Two More "Defender" Releases

Two more works in my Defender series are out, a print book and an ebook. First, the print book, Defender Side-Stories:

Here are four novellas set in the world of the Defender.

The first two tell of the dramatic changes that happened long before the Defenders arose when magic was weakening. The second two involve the present fate of the Witch Lands, and how magic and knowledge might improve the lives of those who live there.

If you’re a fan of the Defender series, you’ll want to read these novellas that fill out this world!


The second is the ebook, The Defender Chronicles, Volume 4:

Allan began life poor, and knowing that magic was the stuff of ancient legends. One day he discovers that the magic never went away, and that he has the gift of using magic.

He decides to fight injustice as The Defender, and fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. His wife Nancy joins him as The Moon Spirit. Although she can’t cast spells, she can fight and use the enchanted equipment Allan crafts.

This volume contains Defender stories 31 to 35. Also included are four novellas set in the same world. Two take place in the Witch Lands, and two in the distant past, when magic was in decline.

You can find store links to both these works at the Defender series page. The series is almost complete...

Writing Stats for March 2018

And now, another post on how much I'm writing this year.

It felt to me like March was a fairly straight-forward month for writing. No truly extraordinary writing days, except for when I worked on the edits for an upcoming book the whole day, morning to evening. Some missed sessions, too, but about average. I wrote 178 pages in March. That's about 20 pages below what I would have done had I met all my session goals.

I'm almost at the end of the current book I'm working on. I have two more projects ready to go, and two more that I need to outline to be able to work on them. I also have one more release set to go this spring. April looks like it will be pretty much the same as March. Keep following the blog to see if that turns out to be accurate.

What I've Read (So Far) in 2018

I've gotten quite a few ebooks for my birthday last year and over the holidays, and I'm reading what I've bought. Here's what I've finished up to now (mid-March):

(links are to the pages on Goodreads, where you can see my ratings)

The Woman Who Rides Like A Man

Lioness Rampant

Searching for Dragons

Calling on Dragons

Talking to Dragons

The Caledonian Gambit

Tigana

Unseemly Science

I still have a number of books to read. I'll try to put up another post when I've read through them (hopefully in a few months). To see everything else I've read, check out my profile at Goodreads. If you aren't following me there, please do, or send a friend request.

Tales of the Defender 7

The next volume in the Tales of the Defender print series is now out:

Allan began life poor, and knowing that magic was the stuff of ancient legends. One day he discovers that the magic never went away, and that he has the gift of using magic.

He decides to fight injustice as The Defender, and fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. His wife Nancy joins him as The Moon Spirit. Although she can’t cast spells, she can fight and use the enchanted equipment Allan crafts.

This volume contains the Defender stories 31 to 35. The Defenders have power and influence, which brings more mysteries. Their adventures have even inspired one young lady to join their battle against injustice!

The book is now on sale. Check the Defender page for the link. More works in the series will be coming in the next two months!

Writing Stats for February 2018

Here's the next post about how much I'm writing this year.

Earlier this month I diverted away from the sci-fi book I was working on. I said at the time that I was going to "tinker" with an old project. I finished "tinkering" at the end of the month, and turned it from a 44,000-word short novel into a 77,000 proper novel.

I did lose some time to errands and such, but overall February felt pretty good. I wrote 177 pages in the month. That's just one page over what I would have written had I met my session goals.

Also in February I took care of the proof for the next print book in the Defender series. I'll be dealing with another proof in March. That means one more print book will come out this month, then a print book and an ebook next month.

After a break I'm going to finish up that sci-fi book I hit "pause" on. We'll see if I'm still working on it this time next month. Here's hoping for more good numbers!

Writing Stats for January 2018

The first month of 2018 has passed. Here's my post about how much I'm writing this year.

January really zipped along for me. I finished part one of what's going to be a three-part long novel, and I'm nearing the end of part two as I write this. Even with a brief break and a few errands, I wrote 218 pages. That's 18 pages over the session goals for the month!

I don't expect to lose any momentum once part two is done. I seem to have some real passion for this story. I do have something else to work on after I finish. However, I don't have any projects after that, so I'm taking a little time to work on that.

Here's hoping for a strong flow into February!

Writing Stats for December 2017

Here is the last post for 2017, summing up December and the year in general for my writing.

December started by finishing the story I'd been working on. The piece ended up being a novel that came in at 76,000 words. After that I started on a new work. It's the first of a three-part story. However, I'm not certain right now if those three parts will be long enough to be stand-alone novels, or if they'll have to be combined into one long novel.

So, for December, I wrote 205 pages. Even when errands got in the way a few times, I was able to make up ground. That's actually about 15 pages over what I would have written had I met all my session goals.

For the year I wrote 1,853 pages. What does that mean? It means that I completed a 55,000-word short novel; a 70,00-word novel; an 81,000-word novel; and a 76,000-word novel. I'm about 50,000 words into the project I'm working on. Although I had some slow months, I'm pretty satisfied with how much I wrote in 2017.

As for 2018, I do have the current project to complete, and the next two parts of that story to write. I have another work in the series I've been working on the past couple years plotted as well. Beyond that, I think I'll plot out at least one more work in that series (if not more). In short, I should be able to keep busy for at least the first half of the year.

Here's hoping for more works written in 2018!