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.

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

TO BE A WRITER . . .

 

A Quote From Carl Sagan About Books!!

I love this quote. It came from Carl Sagan's 1980 book Cosmos, Part 11: The Persistence of Memory. The illustration was by Chris Riddel.

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: Update & Chapter 24 Short Excerpt

BLACK GROTTO 

Update & Excerpt From Chapter 24

Below is a short excerpt from the Chapter 24 of the Black Grotto. But before you get to that, I thought I'd give you a short update.

At this point, I've finished Chapter 24, and it looks as if there will be another three chapters before the first draft of the book is completed. That could change, but for now that's my best estimate.

Writing the ending of a book is something that I enjoy a great deal, and this one is no exception. I love it when all of the various strands of the plot come together and build towards the climax. I usually have a very clear idea of what I want to do, but sometimes as the story unfolds in my mind, a surprising detail can simply present itself, and I have to put it in. I mention it because a situation exactly like that arose in chapter 24, and it made the that part more challenging, yes, but also more fun to write!

Anyway, here is the excerpt that I promised. It contains the first two paragraphs of chapter 24, which is titled "Path to Power". I'm having a blast!

Chapter 24

Path to Power

April 1, 2023

In the distance, the morning sunrise in the west had just touched the horizon with its thin yellow glow, and the night had begun its retreat. The stars dimmed, and the moon dipped behind the hills in the east as the lonely raven soared over Stornaway Bay, flying inland. Tilting her head, she glanced down, one-eyed, at the town and harbor and began her descent, gliding over the forested parkland and the top of Lew’s Castle. Deciding to land for a moment, she set her wings, caught the air, and fluttered to a halt at the very top of one of the castle’s two turrets, resting on the battlements. With her binocular, two-eyed vision, she stared out across the isle and thought of how it had been her home and sanctuary for almost seventeen years. She then pushed away, beat her wings but twice, and glided downward along the backside of the castle to a soft landing on the ground below.

The raven’s dark, glossy wings lowered and rested at her side. She shook her head rapidly and stared upwards, feeling small as she stood at the base of the large stone citadel that spiraled high above her. Refocusing, she noticed the streaks of brownish-red that still tainted her dark black beak as well as several caked and dried stains of the same color that had splashed on the down of her chest.

Home From Scotland & A New Review Of Rooms

Writing in Edinburgh

I'm home from my trip to Scotland. I thought I'd try to finish my new fantasy book, Black Grotto, while I was there but didn't quite make it. I accomplished a lot, though, and I'm working on Chapter 24 now. I'll let you know how it goes.

I spent two weeks in Inverness and loved being there. It's right in the middle of the highlands and has a population of about 47,000. I worked every day, and also enjoyed the people, the culture, the music, the food, some good beer and a little whisky. But mostly, I loved working on the book. Being in Scotland added a lot to the writing.

The last week I was in Edinburgh, and most of my writing time was spent in the Scottish National Library. It was a very motivating and inspiring place to work. Also, every day I ate breakfast at a place called Mrs MacIntyre's Coffeehouse. It's run by a wonderful family. They had great food, and it was a cozy and warm place to start my day.

One of the owners of Mrs MacIntyre's, read my first science fiction book, Rooms, and wrote a review on their Facebook page. If you CLICK HERE, you'll be able to take a look at it.

New Fantasy Novel CAVE OF DREAMS: Foundation Laid

Cave of Dreams 

Foundation Laid

From AD 500 to 2010 to the most current time in the book of 2022, the foundation of my new historical fantasy, CAVE OF DREAMS, has been laid out in the first ten chapters along with some interesting plot twists.

I just finished chapter ten and have brought in all the major players that will be involved in the book. I've also tied together most of the plot segments that started in the first book of the series (BEATRICE) and will continue in this one.

The work that I've done on each chapter to this point has been a slow and deliberate process, enlivening and developing the story as well as setting the tone and creating a strong feeling of place. I've included history that will influence the plot throughout and brought the Bauman family back in as well as the mysterious character that appeared at the end of Beatrice. She's back in this story in a big way.

I'm excited about the novel, and I think that it will be a long and detailed book with multiple plot lines and a variety of interesting characters. I'm truly enjoying the work as well as being in Scotland again - in my mind!

CAVE OF DREAMS: Character Profiles

Cave of Dreams 

CHARACTER PROFILES

I'm writing a new fantasy novel titled Cave of Dreams. In sequence, it comes after Beatrice, but it is being written so that you can read it without having read the first book. They have many of the same characters with some new ones added in Cave of Dreams.

It seems the more I write, the more I attempt to give each of my characters their own very unique personality and characteristics. In order to accomplish that in a more organized fashion, I've recently taken to listing each of their attributes before I begin writing about them in the novel. I can remember them better that way, and I can also make sure that each of them is truly an individual. It's a technique that I'm finding quite helpful, as I seem to refer back to each character's profile often and even add to it as I write.

To give you an example, I'm going to show you one of the profiles that I created for a new character in Cave of Dreams. I've taken the list of attributes for him directly from my working notes for the book and listed them below. The list does not contain all of his characteristics because some of them would tell you too much about the novel. There are enough, though, for you to get a sense of what I'm doing.

One other technique that I found useful in developing this particular character was that I did an image search on the internet for a person that would fit his general description. And in so doing, he actually ended up being a compilation of my imagination as well as several of the pictures that I viewed during the search.

In relation to his name, it is completely fictitious, derived from a Scottish name search that I did.

Dr. Willam Hamilton Brodie or Wellyn (his Druid name)

• Professor of Celtic and Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University
• Avocation is as a Druid healer mostly during the summer months
• In that capacity, his name is Wellyn
• 59 years old
• 5' 10"
• White shoulder length hair parted in the middle of his head
• Ruddy, outdoors complexion
• Gray eyes
• Summer clothes
• T-shirt and blue jeans
• Leather loafers
• Dress as Druid healer
• Brown, hooded ankle-length robe
• Tattoos on arms and one shoulder
• Druid runes
• Fit but slight paunch - likes Scottish ale
• Strong arms like his ancestor, Erin
• Serious student of
• Celtic and Druid history
• Sacred Druid sites in Scotland
• Druid healing techniques and customs
• Knows of the Baumans and the new Center on their estate
• Direct descendant of famous Druid Prophet, Erin
• Drives a white and brown 2-door Cooper

Expanding My Writing

Cave of Dreams 

Cave of Dreams is my latest novel. It's my fifth and probably my most ambitious project to date. As I've written, studied, and read other authors, I've become more and more aware of the importance of details. Having a rich story that feels life-like and real to the reader beg the necessity and importance of them. There are scenes to be painted, character's to be enriched and enlivened, and the tremendous importance that details play in the plot as well. There are times, though, when you need to watch out for the pitfalls that one can encounter with details from either slathering the page with too many of them or trying to place them into a story at the wrong moment.

In Cave of Dreams, the number of characters has increased over my other novels as have the fine details that tick the story along - moment to moment. And, I'm painting my characters with richer and finer tones and qualities. All of this detail also teaches me patience and sometimes creates a need for more research to make sure that the work feels authentic and has some basis in fact, even if it is a fantasy, as this book is.

I've been working on Cave of Dreams since the beginning of June, and I'm only into the sixth chapter. So far, though, my chapters are longer, and I'm building the world of this story a lot more slowly and carefully than ever before. In those six chapters, I've almost written 25,000 words, and chapter six isn't even complete yet. I'm not a word counter, normally, but it is an indicator of what I know is happening in my writing.

I mentioned patience, and I know that I'm gaining that as an author. I'm really enjoying the slower pace. I've always loved writing descriptions anyway, and taking more time to lay out the scenes has become very enjoyable for me.

I also mentioned the possible pitfalls of too much detail. I'm watching for that and using places where I believe other authors have stepped over that cliff as my measuring tape. Sometimes simpler is better, so I'm doing my best to balance conciseness with rich texture. "Balance in all things..." has always been one of my mottos, and I think it definitely applies to writing as well.

I'm enjoying and learning and working hard on Cave of Dreams. The book should be done in five to six months. I'll be excited as always when I finish and look back on its development and the wonder of creating something from my mind. It's a ride that I relish and revel in!


Learn More About My Other Books
To learn more about my other books, click on the BOB'S BOOKS link at the top of this blog.

NEW FANTASY NOVEL!

I've almost completed all of the research and preparation in order to write the sequel to Beatrice. As with Beatrice, it will also be a fantasy, but the second book will be a much darker novel and will include some new characters along with some of the original ones from the first book.

I'm also glad that I've taken time away from Beatrice before writing this book. I think the counterpoint between them will be not only challenging but very interesting to write and, I hope, compelling for the reader as well.

I'll let you know more as I get into it!

Don't Forget to Update Your Kindle Copy of Rooms

If you have Rooms on your Kindle, or on a Kindle Reader for one of your devices, you can easily get the updated version by either emailing or calling Kindle Support at 1-888-280-4364 and asking them to update your current version.

Finally Beginning Research For My Next Novel

NEW FANTASY/MYSTERY NOVEL!

I've started work on a new novel. It will be written as a stand-alone novel, but it will also take place after Beatrice and be the follow up book to it.

I don't know the title yet, and there isn't a lot than I can share at this point, but the book will center around a struggle of wills, and there will be a mystery that will need to be solved along the way. It will include many of the characters from Beatrice as well as some new ones.

The setting will be in the Scottish Highlands, as in the picture above, as well as some other locations around Scotland. Some of those will be real, some historic, and others will be fictional. It might also include one or two other countries.

I've started the outline, a list of characters, the setting, and have been doing some research for the book. I am very excited to begin writing again!

Update Your Kindle Copy of Rooms & Get a Free Copy of Beatrice for your Kindle.

       

If you have Rooms on your Kindle, or on a Kindle Reader for one of your devices, you can easily get the updated version by either emailing or calling Kindle Support at 1-888-280-4364 and asking them to update your current version.

From June 1-5, you can get the Kindle version of Beatrice for FREE on Amazon.com and download it to your Kindle.

Thoughts on Self-Publishing, Writing and Future Projects

I've now published one short young adult novelette and two longer novels on Amazon. They have all sold to family and friends and to people that I have never met who have found them on Amazon. I'm now officially part of the self-publishing world.

It's not an easy or quick road to have people read and recognize your work, but I have subscribed to a theory about self-publishing that I read recently. It presented the idea that the best way to establish yourself as a self-published writer is to first of all write a lot, which I'm doing. I'm spending about 4-10 hours per day on it. I have worked extremely hard over the past year and a half and have learned a great deal.

The people who have read my books have liked them and have been able to see both my growth as a writer over the course of reading them and have enjoyed them. Also, in the article that I read, it spoke of publishing and creating a body of work that would give people the chance to find something that they can relate to and enjoy out of what I write, which in turn would encourage them to look at my other works. It's also important to continue to get training and improve as a writer and enter contests and seek out an agent. Above all else, it's critical not to get discouraged or think that becoming an author will happen overnight.

For the future, I would like to write more poetry and possibly put together a book during the next few months. I'm thinking about a title for that and a theme. Also, I have three books planned. Two of them are sequels to Rooms and Beatrice, which will be great fun to write. The third is a brand new book, which I'm very excited about. It will entail a lot of research and will be another modern adult fantasy that will be a take off from an older, famous historical fantasy character.

I also want to share with you how I'm doing and feeling through this process. I've had great highs and have also felt down at times. It's an exciting and very difficult process. I know the stories that I'm telling are good stories, and I know that my writing is getting better each day. The encouragement that I've had is from people who I respect as readers who have seen my progress and have really enjoyed the stories and what I've attempted to communicate with each of the books that I've written. Also, it has been wonderful to see how my blog has been so well read throughout the world. I have a lot of hits each month from people who have visited from many different countries and continents.

This blog documents my life as a writer, and I hope that you are enjoying it. I want you to know what this is like, and I want to share my work with you. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please don't hesitate to let me know.

And...if you haven't yet, please check out my three books on the right side of this blog and the links below each. You can also see and purchase them on Amazon by clicking on the cover of each of the books.

Rooms Book Cover & Publishing Update / New Book / Next Book / Poem: "60 Years"

ROOMS Book Cover

Well, here is the cover of Rooms! If you click on the image of the cover above, you can see a larger version of it. 

Greg Opalinski did an outstanding job and truly captured the feeling of Rooms for the reader. He was wonderful to work with and is obviously a real talent. The book will be sold on Amazon in both the U. S. and many other parts of the world. You will be able to purchase it in both paperback and the Kindle eBook version. I'll let you know as soon as it's available. It may be a week or so yet, but it will be out soon!

New Book: "Beatrice"

(Forest)

My new book, Beatrice, is now over 51,000 words, and I just completed chapter 20. Each chapter now gets more and more fun to write as I near the end of the book. It looks like the final chapter will be chapter 23 or 24.

For anyone new to reading my blog, Beatrice is a very different book from Rooms. It's a Fantasy/Mystery/Thriller with lots of twists and turns and questions that will make you wonder as you move deeper into the plot. It's interesting because even though the general direction of the story can be seen early on, those questions will keep you wondering until their finally answered.

I have a lot of rewriting and editing ahead, but I am enjoying seeing the story come together. This book is really fun to write!

Next Book: Sequel to Rooms
I've begun planning my next novel. I've known for a while that I'd like to work on a sequel to Rooms, and I have a plan  started and will begin work on it when I've finished Beatrice. It will be a while, but I thought I'd let you know. I even think I have the title for it, but I won't let that out for a while.

Poem
As I near the publishing of my first adult novel, my mind goes to my mom and dad. They have traveled on to brighter lights and a place of harmony and balance that goes beyond earthly understanding, but I still feel them most days and hear them as they talk to me and help me along my path. I know they're proud of what I've accomplished, so I wanted to share a poem that I wrote for them on their 60th wedding anniversary.

60 Years

Seasons play our lives
Like a fine ballad

Weaving melody and harmony

Between laughter and thought

The first note came forth

Played in glorious celebration

As a birthday begun

With song and love

Motherhood

Protects, provides, nourishes

Fatherhood

Protects, provides, nourishes

I, a note in life’s pop-ballad

Mother, coaxing the song from my lungs

Father, showing me honesty, laughter, and work

Family, singing of home

60 years of laughter, worry, and music

60 years together

60 years as one

60 years bringing each other love

My Mom

My Dad

No one knows me better

No one loves me more

Mom and Dad

I love you!

Copyright © Bob Stegner 2006

Tree/Moon Image from: 
Forest Blue Moonlight Wallpapers.. Digital image. Travelization. N.p., 30 June 2012, Web. 16 Mar. 2014. <www.travelization.net>.

Novel Update & Poem: "The Lake"

ROOMS

by Bob Stegner

(Trish Steele)

Wow! I just received the latest update of the cover of Rooms from Greg Opalinski. It's really going to be good! He is a real talent, and the cover will create an image for the reader that will also set the right mood for reading the book. I'm excited!

New Book: "Beatrice"

(Forest)

My new book, Beatrice, is now about 42,000 words long. I don't think it will be as long as Rooms, but it should be between 60,000 and 70,000 words. I'm into the heart of the plot now where more and more is being divulged as it moves towards the climax. It is a blast to write it!

Poem
I like this poem. I wrote it after walking around Green Lake in Seattle, Washington on a brilliant day of sun and color. It made me think of Monet's works.

(Monet)

The Lake

A malleable portrait of dots and scraps of color

On a canvas shifting the world from focus

Step back

Those same brush strokes become lucid

We see

A tree, a running creek, a bridge

A world recognizable, yet nonetheless new

Monet dared us to see

The painter of impression’s journey

From mind to canvas to eye

Giving form,

As the canvas took shape

Around lives, beliefs and memories

Monet taught us to look

Even so,

We recognized these things
From the beginning

As a child turning its head

Staring in that strange way,

Until a slight smile revealed

Awareness

And as we go through time

The earth brings us wonders

Pushing us beyond plain sight

We gaze at sunsets, storms and evenings of light

Mornings of bright, brisk awakenings

We focus

And reach deep

To catch a glimpse
Of it all

Monet remembers

One day, I saw a lake

It embraced me in vegetative abundance

And shades of color beyond knowing

It lay surrounded by mounds of earth and trees

Wild fowl traveled its surface
And set upon it as dots on a dream of light

People gathered
Paid homage

And dared not leave its magnificent shore

For fear of losing
The moment

The vision
Was as if we could perceive

Monet’s painting
Of a perfect Lake

We stepped back and viewed its splendor

Becoming part of it

The people, the plants, the animals, the ground, the sky,

The liquid shimmering ripples of radiance

I sat on a bench, mesmerized

Partially closing my eyes
And caught sight of

The light from the evening
Sparkling and changing shape

Transforming perception

The jewel in my eye

Taught me

How to live

How to love

How to see beauty

Monet smiled

Copyright © Bob Stegner 2006

Image of Door:

Trish Steel [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Tree/Moon Image from:

Forest Blue Moonlight Wallpapers.. Digital image. Travelization. N.p., 30 June 2012, Web. 16 Mar. 2014. <www.travelization.net>.
"Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge" by Claude Monet - In U. S. works published before 1923 are in the public domain

Novel Update & Poem: This Day

ROOMS

by Bob Stegner

(Trish Steele)

Rooms is very close to being published. I think it's about two weeks away. I've worked more with Greg Opalinski, who is doing the book's cover design and illustration, and I'm extremely excited about his work and the direction that the cover is going. When it's published, you'll see why!

New Book: "Beatrice"

(Forest)

Beatrice is coming along. It is very different from Rooms, but I'm enjoying the differences. It's not easy to write, but exciting to see it progress. I've written about 34,000 words, and I'm into chapter 14. The book is very intricate, and putting all the pieces together is challenging.

The book is a fantasy/thriller, so I'm working on building the tension as I go through. Also, the amount of fantasy will increase as the book progresses as well as the more dynamic plot elements. I'm enjoying it more and more as each chapter builds on the others.

Poem
The poem below was written in 2006 and coincided with the writing of Wheatgrass: An Irish Fantasy. I've traveled to Ireland a lot and have read a great deal on its history, people, and its rich legacy of writers. This is a poem that has that Irish feel, and I like the story it tells, the picture it paints and the way it ends. 

This Day

On summer planes

Of green and peat

Of wind and marsh

And bog

She swiftly stepped

Around the rock

As sunlight chased

The fog

She moved and flowed

And smiled her eyes

Upon the beauty

Green

The awesome roar

Of windward storm

Came in

From out at sea

Round drops then touched

Her cheeks again

As light still crossed

Her path

She knew this day

Would ne’er return

To bless her eyes

So soft

So by the sea

As seabirds soared

And cried

Their whistled tunes

She took it in

All sounds and sights

And imagined

Secret runes

She closed her eyes

And dreamed a man

Who touched her

Bright as spring

The time ticked by

The hours moved on

The storm kept

Rolling in

She thought

And pondered

Journeyed home

And finally at her door…

Last peek around

The wood frame square

A final look

At sea

She caught a glimpse

Of her true love

And saw the look

Of me

Copyright © Bob Stegner 2006

Image of Door:

Trish Steel [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Tree/Moon Image from:

Forest Blue Moonlight Wallpapers.. Digital image. Travelization. N.p., 30 June 2012, Web. 16 Mar. 2014. <www.travelization.net>.