Finally Get To Travel Back To Europe!

 

I'm finally getting on a plane again and traveling back to Europe. I'll be in Poland for a month and will be seeing friends there, traveling around, and working on my fantasy book, THE VORTEX: Book III of the Alban Saga!

I love it there and am always inspired to write and have fun.

"Vortex bw" by ahisgett is licensed under CC by 2.0

I'll update you on my progress while I'm there. What a year and a half this has been!

Writing and Traveling in Europe!

I've been living in Inverness, Scotland now for almost two and half months and will be going to Vienna for Christmas and New Years. I've been waiting on the final edits of my new book, Merlin & Arthur: The Awakening, to be completed and in the meantime have been working on a new book. I still don't know what the title of that book will be, but it's the third and final book in the fantasy series entitled The Alban Saga. I've already included a short section from the beginning of that book in one of my recent blog posts.

I've been traveling in northern Scotland and writing. I love it here. It inspires me, and I feel a connection to the place, the people, and to Scotland's rich history. All of the books in The Alban Saga take place in Scotland and contain a lot of Scottish history as well as real settings all across Scotland. Being here allows me to soak up the culture and helps me a great deal with my research.

I will be in Europe until the summer of 2020, and I plan on continuing my travels not only to Vienna but to Poland, Ireland, and then back to Scotland again at the end of my trip. I also plan on continuing my work on the new book and should get Merlin & Arthur: The Awakening back from the editors sometime soon. When that happens, I'm looking forward to entering it into some sci-fi/fantasy writing contests as well as seeking out an agent and/or a publisher for it. The reaction I've received to it thus far has been very positive, and I believe it has a lot of potential. I'll let you know how all that goes.

As always, I want to thank all of you that read my books and follow my blog. Writing has become my passion. I work hard at it and love writing science fiction and fantasy! Thanks for coming on this journey with me!

Bob Stegner

M: Beginning of Chapter 19 & Working in Scotland

I've left the Seattle area for a while and have been in Scotland since the middle of June. I love traveling and writing in the Highlands and will be revisiting several locations that I included in my two fantasy books, Beatrice and Black Grotto. I'll be here for several weeks, and it's not only been great to be here, but it's been a boon to the writing of my new book. I've finished chapter's 17 and 18 and am now at the beginning of chapter 19. I mentioned earlier that the two plot lines of "M" were coming together, and they've definitely melded into one now.

I also mentioned recently that "M" is not going to be the real title of my new scifi book. I will reveal the actual title soon as well as explain more about what the book is about. I'm looking forward to doing that. Up until now I've been keeping it a secret, but it's time to let it out.

Back And Writing Again!

I've been visiting family, traveling, and taking some time off from writing. This was actually my first real break since May of 2013, and I feel rejuvenated and excited to write again.

Yesterday, I decided to begin re-reading my new science fiction/fantasy book, M, correcting any mistakes I might find and simply reacquainting myself with the story. After I finish the re-read, I'll move on to completing chapter 8 and moving on from there. Soon I'll have some new quotes and info from the book to put into the blog to share with you.

While I've been gone, the number of people reading my blog and following it from different countries around the world has continued to grow. Thank you for your interest in my work and for following my accounts here on my blog. It brings a smile to my face, knowing you're with me!

BLACK GROTTO Excerpt: Chapter 1

Edinburgh, Scotland

In Edinburgh, Scotland Working on Black Grotto

I left Inverness yesterday on the train. It was a beautiful trip as you travel through Cairngorm National Park and then along the Scottish coast going south to Edinburgh.

Now, I have to find my places to write here. Luckily I've spent quite a bit of time in Edinburgh, so I have a good idea where those might be. I'll be working here for another week before going home.

I'm still working on chapter 23. It's taking a while, and tomorrow I have to read the first four chapters of the book again before I can finally complete that chapter. It's been an important and interesting one to write.

Also, I've begun handing out copies of Chapter 1 for people to read. I'm going to attach it here so you can take a look. Just click on this link to read Chapter 1.

Traveling in Scotland and Writing BLACK GROTTO

In Scotland Working on Black Grotto

Well, it's wonderful to be spending time in the country that is the setting for my newest fantasy, Black Grotto. I've been in Inverness for a week and have finished another chapter. I'm working on chapter 23 at the moment. As when I was at home, it's still taking me a week or a little more to write a chapter, and the closer I get to the end of the book, the more slowly the chapters seem to progress.

I wanted to mention a character in the book. His name is Andrew Jade. He's a geologist and used to be a professor at Edinburgh University. I love the name because it's actually based on my two favorite pubtenders in Inverness. They work at the Castle Tavern, which is near Inverness Castle. I don't usually do the type of thing where a character has a name that relates to who they are or what they do, but in this case it just worked out, and I thought it was fun. A geologist with the last name "Jade", who would've thought?

I'll be in Inverness for another week and then off to Edinburgh where I'll probably discover even more great ales, superb whiskies, and fun food!