Keeping busy during the off-season.

This summer I had two book projects to complete for Rourke Educational Media, then as often happens in summer, that was it until fall work comes in. But it ain’t quittin’ time!

The writing life can be sporadic when it comes to paying work, but that doesn’t mean writers should just stop writing. If we keep working at our craft, our work is bound  to improve. I always have a list of projects to work on for a few hours each day. This summer, I researched and wrote a new 6-book series proposal, revised a picture book, started on a new picture book, submitted projects, and continued with a new self-publishing venture which I’ve been working on for a little over a year. Here it is:

I’ve been posting about this project on my other blog, WildCat Man, where I chronicle the many projects of my partner of 41 years, Marvin Denmark. I’ve written twelve Instructables about his projects along with a few of mine. It’s a great writing exercise, and they have contests (we’ve won two so far). Here’s the latest: Building a Wood-Framed Panelized Yurt. Please vote for it if you feel so inclined, thanks very much. *UPDATE: We won first prize!*

Meanwhile, the book is now 160 pages long, and still growing. I’ve taken hundreds of photos of the process and interviewed Marvin extensively (sometimes to his great frustration). The goal is to provide the reader with an easy-to-understand, well organized presentation of the start to finish of constructing the components and assembling a 12-sided wood-panelized yurt. Which, in case you wondered, is a dodecagon. I did not know that until I started on this book project.

I do help with the construction/assembly on many occasions when an extra hand or two are needed. It also helps me better understand what the heck I’m writing about.

And here are the Three Yaketeers: Marvin is in the middle with our neighbor on his right who will do just about anything for a beer. Jeep is our supervisor.

That’s all for now! I hope you all are enjoying what’s left of summer while keeping that butt in the chair for at least a couple hours a day. My motto: The weeds can wait.