Greg Strandberg's Blog, page 3
October 7, 2015
Reading Rut
I’m in a reading rut right now.
This can happen when you have too many books.
I have too many books.
It started with my quest to better understand the fur trade of the late-18th and early-19th centuries.
I got a ton of books at the library, read through most of them, and then got up into the 1830s.
That time didn’t interest me too much and I slowed down.
Now I’ve got these nonfiction books sitting around, no fiction books.
I haven’t been reading as much.
Maybe it’s time to just throw in the towel on the last few and switch to something else for awhile.
I dunno.
Reading rut.
This can happen when you have too many books.
I have too many books.
It started with my quest to better understand the fur trade of the late-18th and early-19th centuries.
I got a ton of books at the library, read through most of them, and then got up into the 1830s.
That time didn’t interest me too much and I slowed down.
Now I’ve got these nonfiction books sitting around, no fiction books.
I haven’t been reading as much.
Maybe it’s time to just throw in the towel on the last few and switch to something else for awhile.
I dunno.
Reading rut.
September 22, 2015
Westerns
I've been writing westerns lately.
These aren't really westerns like you'd think perhaps, with cowboys and Indians and the the like.
There are Indians, but there weren't any cows in the early 1800s on the Upper Missouri.
Yeah, that's the period I'm writing about, 1806-8, specifically.
The books are Colter's Winter and Colter's Hell and they're both on Amazon right now.
The first has been since April and it's been in the Top 10 of Western Horror since then.
The second book joined it this month and here's a link to a great article on my website with images of guns, locations, and maps of the places:
http://www.bigskywords.com/montana-bl...
It's all fun and readers like it. The sales show that.
I'm working on "Colter's Run" and "Colter's Friend" right now.
The latter involves the death of George Drouillard in 1809 and that will lead up to Colter's Revenge.
I hope you'll check these books out - hundreds of other people have. Thanks!
These aren't really westerns like you'd think perhaps, with cowboys and Indians and the the like.
There are Indians, but there weren't any cows in the early 1800s on the Upper Missouri.
Yeah, that's the period I'm writing about, 1806-8, specifically.
The books are Colter's Winter and Colter's Hell and they're both on Amazon right now.
The first has been since April and it's been in the Top 10 of Western Horror since then.
The second book joined it this month and here's a link to a great article on my website with images of guns, locations, and maps of the places:
http://www.bigskywords.com/montana-bl...
It's all fun and readers like it. The sales show that.
I'm working on "Colter's Run" and "Colter's Friend" right now.
The latter involves the death of George Drouillard in 1809 and that will lead up to Colter's Revenge.
I hope you'll check these books out - hundreds of other people have. Thanks!
August 20, 2015
Pages Read this Year
I'm reading a lot this year, and so far I've read 4,665 pages.
I know this because I keep a reading spreadsheet of books read, and have been since 2008. Here's how that breaks down:
2015: 4,665 pages (so far)
2014: 3,990 pages
2013: 4,583 pages
2012: 19,795 pages
2011: 13,629 pages
I didn't keep track of pages before then.
Another fun thing I do is color code books if I read more than three by the same author. If I really get on a roll you'll see this color rainbow in a section of my spreadsheet, as I go three greens and then one new color for each book read.
Yep, I'm weird.
I know this because I keep a reading spreadsheet of books read, and have been since 2008. Here's how that breaks down:
2015: 4,665 pages (so far)
2014: 3,990 pages
2013: 4,583 pages
2012: 19,795 pages
2011: 13,629 pages
I didn't keep track of pages before then.
Another fun thing I do is color code books if I read more than three by the same author. If I really get on a roll you'll see this color rainbow in a section of my spreadsheet, as I go three greens and then one new color for each book read.
Yep, I'm weird.
July 30, 2015
August Release Schedule
August will be a very busy month for me...sort of. You see, I've already got the books written, now I just need to push them out the door. So here goes - my August 2015 book release schedule:
August 4: Feds and Farmers: A History of Montana, Volume Five
August 11: Flight 370
August 18: How to Write Fantasy Fiction
As you can see, two of the books are already on Goodreads. I still need to get a cover for the third.
Feel free to add them to your 'to-read' list. Thanks for reading!
August 4: Feds and Farmers: A History of Montana, Volume Five
August 11: Flight 370
August 18: How to Write Fantasy Fiction
As you can see, two of the books are already on Goodreads. I still need to get a cover for the third.
Feel free to add them to your 'to-read' list. Thanks for reading!
July 24, 2015
Free Fiction Fridays
I'm not sure if you knew this, but I write short stories on my website each Friday.
It's called Free Fiction Friday, and I've been doing it for 72 weeks in a row now.
This week's story is called "Is the Kaufman Code Real?" Here's an excerpt:
‘Is the Kaufman Code real?’
The question the world’s been asking for the past year and a half started simply enough, with the film Synecdoche, New York. No one’s sure who brought its notice to which video rental agency first, but soon the internet was abuzz as well. The film simply could not be found.
It was a small story for many months, until a Swedish teen blogged about it. She had 243,000 followers on Twitter and it just spread like wildfire.
Keep reading:
http://www.bigskywords.com/writing-bl...
It's called Free Fiction Friday, and I've been doing it for 72 weeks in a row now.
This week's story is called "Is the Kaufman Code Real?" Here's an excerpt:
‘Is the Kaufman Code real?’
The question the world’s been asking for the past year and a half started simply enough, with the film Synecdoche, New York. No one’s sure who brought its notice to which video rental agency first, but soon the internet was abuzz as well. The film simply could not be found.
It was a small story for many months, until a Swedish teen blogged about it. She had 243,000 followers on Twitter and it just spread like wildfire.
Keep reading:
http://www.bigskywords.com/writing-bl...
July 17, 2015
Not Reading as Much
I’m not reading as much this month as I was last month. For one thing, my wife and son came back from their travels. When you have a 4-year-old, you don’t have as much free time.
I have to admit, I’ve been a bit bored with my current “reading list.” I’m reading a Drizzt novel, which I’ve read before, and some short story collections.
I think one of the big problems is that I’m working on my fifth book of Montana history. That kind of crowds everything else out.
Well, I should be reading. Seeya!
I have to admit, I’ve been a bit bored with my current “reading list.” I’m reading a Drizzt novel, which I’ve read before, and some short story collections.
I think one of the big problems is that I’m working on my fifth book of Montana history. That kind of crowds everything else out.
Well, I should be reading. Seeya!
July 3, 2015
306 Reviews
I'm now up to 306 reviews on Goodreads. Looking at my profile, I have a 3.62 average on those reviews. I also think the 488 ratings factor into that.
So it seems that I still have 182 books that I've rated but not reviewed. I'm getting there.
Most of my reviews are long. When I say that, I mean they're about 3 paragraphs or so. When I do a review on a book I haven't read in awhile, I go look at it on Amazon and even look at other reviews. I look at Goodreads reviews too, and sometimes even the book synopsis on Wikipedia.
I do this so I can get a good idea of who the characters were. I don't always do this, and those 'older' reviews aren't that good.
Anyways, hopefully my reviews give you some idea of what books you want to read. Thanks!
So it seems that I still have 182 books that I've rated but not reviewed. I'm getting there.
Most of my reviews are long. When I say that, I mean they're about 3 paragraphs or so. When I do a review on a book I haven't read in awhile, I go look at it on Amazon and even look at other reviews. I look at Goodreads reviews too, and sometimes even the book synopsis on Wikipedia.
I do this so I can get a good idea of who the characters were. I don't always do this, and those 'older' reviews aren't that good.
Anyways, hopefully my reviews give you some idea of what books you want to read. Thanks!
June 22, 2015
Library Run
Went to the library tonight, mainly to return two books and get a few more.
Nothing too exciting - just some paperbacks. I did make a daring and gutsy move, however: I got a Book 2 and a Book 3...but not the Book 1.
**Spoiler Alert**
I read the Book 1 a long time ago, and also put a hold on it.
Nothing too exciting - just some paperbacks. I did make a daring and gutsy move, however: I got a Book 2 and a Book 3...but not the Book 1.
**Spoiler Alert**
I read the Book 1 a long time ago, and also put a hold on it.
June 19, 2015
Slow Summer
I'm kind of bored this summer, but in a good way.
First of all, my wife and son are away in Russia. My wife's Russian and she's visiting her mom for a month.
Next, I'm staying at home a lot because I want to save money. This also allows me to get a lot of writing done.
Finally...staying at home a lot because you want to save money gets old and boring.
I've been going to the library more and reading more as a result. Oftentimes I'll get nonfiction, but I won't read the whole book. Oh well.
I got some catnip plants the other day, but the neighbor cat ignored them and took a leak on a bush.
I did plant a lot of flowers this summer so far too.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...
First of all, my wife and son are away in Russia. My wife's Russian and she's visiting her mom for a month.
Next, I'm staying at home a lot because I want to save money. This also allows me to get a lot of writing done.
Finally...staying at home a lot because you want to save money gets old and boring.
I've been going to the library more and reading more as a result. Oftentimes I'll get nonfiction, but I won't read the whole book. Oh well.
I got some catnip plants the other day, but the neighbor cat ignored them and took a leak on a bush.
I did plant a lot of flowers this summer so far too.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...
June 7, 2015
2015 Reading Challenge Done
Gosh darn, I’ve just completed my Goodreads 2015 Reading Challenge!
I only had 20 books this year, up from the 10 or so I had last year. I’ve been making it a point to read more, and also not be so anal about it.
Yeah, if I read half a book and take it back to the library, I go head and mark that as read. That way I can write a review. Some of the books I read, there’s only one review – mine – so that might help people.
Anyway, I think I’ll bump my challenge up to 30 books or maybe 40, if I can.
How are you doing on yours?
I only had 20 books this year, up from the 10 or so I had last year. I’ve been making it a point to read more, and also not be so anal about it.
Yeah, if I read half a book and take it back to the library, I go head and mark that as read. That way I can write a review. Some of the books I read, there’s only one review – mine – so that might help people.
Anyway, I think I’ll bump my challenge up to 30 books or maybe 40, if I can.
How are you doing on yours?
