Update #3 - October 2025

 The second proof copy arrived, and my attempt to fix the minor cover problem didn't work, so I made one more try. Ordered one more proof copy Monday, and turned my attention to the Taliesin book, where I'm making slow progress. The proof copies are in salable condition, only the first proof having a few minor punctuation issues the proofreaders didn't catch.

Not much progress in the garden - there are lots of scarlet runner beans which aren't getting ripe because it's not warm enough. I was hoping for fresh seed for next year, but only have a little so far. At least I have a lot from past years which should still be viable. A lot of fallen and falling leaves, except for the stubborn elms and the oak tree in front which are still green. I need to bring the geraniums indoors tomorrow, since I'll be busy Saturday running some Zoom sessions and we may have a first frost that night. We're getting closer and closer to Winter.
 

 

Update #2 - October 2025

 I'm still waiting for the second proof copy of The Well of Wisdom - tracker says it's got as far as Texas, so I might have it by Saturday. The e-book versions are finished and will be available around November 1st - I'll share the link when we get closer. I did some work on Mac Criomthann Tales III earlier this week, but a couple of the stories are short, so the page count is still low. I'll need to write another longer piece, but while I'm waiting for inspiration to strike, I've begun looking at Taliesin: King Arthur's Bard. The tricky part may be putting together all the bits that he's told Gwernin about his early life. If some of them don't fit, I'll have to blame Gwernin's poor memory, as happened in the last part of The King's Druid <grin>. In the meantime, enjoy the cover art I put together three years ago!

In the outside world, autumn is progressing, with a lot of rain earlier in the week and a lot of falling leaves. No frost so far, although I had 36 F at dawn yesterday. I need to do some yard work later today and tomorrow. And it will be time to move the geraniums indoors for the winter before long...

 

Update #1 - October 2025

 The proof copy arrived Monday, and was pretty clean except for a small design problem on the front cover which I didn't notice in the preview. I fixed that, and also corrected a couple of things in the text which I wouldn't have bothered with otherwise - a missing comma at the end of some quoted text, and some missing quotation marks on one of the poems. I published the revised version yesterday and ordered a second proof copy. This process is why I needed all the proofreading finished in September. My next job is to finish up the Smashwords/Draft2Digital version, which is scheduled for publication November 1st. 

My next book will be Mac Criomthann Tales III, which shouldn't take long - I'll be editing the new stories a bit to take out the narrator parts. I might have that one out by January 1st. Then I'll move on to Taliesin: King Arthur's Bard, which will cover Taliesin's early life before Gwernin meets him. Farther down the road after that is the last Gwernin trilogy, called "The Fall of the North". The individual book titles are The Last True King, Three Hundred Spears, and The Fall of the North. There will be some heavy going in all three of those books. And yes, I've had them planned for several years, even if not in detail. After that - well, that is a story for another day!

The leaves of the ash tree outside my window have turned gold and are falling. Still no frost, but it can't be long. I hope it holds off a couple more weeks so my scarlet runner beans can mature - there are a lot of them that set last month after the Japanese beetles were no longer eating the flowers! Four weeks now to Samhain, and winter. 

Update #4 - September 2025

 After spending last weekend working on layout issues, mostly in the headers and footers of the manuscript, I published it Monday and ordered my first proof copy. It's available now on the Lulu bookstore (where, btw, I get about a third of the price as opposed to $2 from Amazon, whenever it gets there). It won't go to global distribution until I get the first copy and approve it, but I think/hope it will be clean, although there is always another typo <grin>. I'm working now on the ebook version, which should be published by the end of October. I'm also working on another collection of Mac Criomthann stories, the four from this book and one from The Fallen Stones. After that I may take a month off before starting my next project, which should be Taliesin: King Arthur's Bard. I have a lot of material for that book already - snippets that Taliesin has told Gwernin in the last three Storyteller books - so it's possible I might finish that one by this time next year.

In other news, it finally rained Sunday and Monday - over 2 inches, which was badly needed. The garden is nearly done for the year - the only tomatoes still struggling on are the sweet 100s. No frost yet, but 40 deg F this morning. Time to start yard cleanup.The leaves on the ash tree outside my window are turning gold. Autumn is definitely here.

Update #3 - September 2025

 I've finished designing what I think is an acceptable cover, also finished tweaking the interior layout. The chapter breaks don't always come where I'd like them to, but I think it's more important to keep the poetry stanzas together. I'd like to publish and order a proof copy soon, so if necessary I can repeat the process and still have the book ready by October 31st. I'll also need to turn my attention to the ebook version for Smashwords, which has rather different format requirements. Then there's Chokecherry Grove's Autumn Equinox ritual this Saturday, and our annual mid-October retreat, which is one-day and virtual this year. By the time I get to November, I'll need a vacation!

We actually had rain along with cool weather the last two nights. This is good because I don't have to water the garden, although I may have to mow the grass in some places before long. Such tomatoes as are left are no longer getting ripe, so no worries there. I think the raccoons have given up and moved on to someplace with better foraging. Autumn is truly here.

Update #2 - September 2025

 Well, I couldn't leave it alone -  I'm slowly reading through the manuscript again, still finding the occasional typo or punctuation mistake, or changing a word here and there. One of my proofreaders has also found a couple of things I missed. A writer's work is never done. I've also noticed some themes I didn't notice while writing, partly I think because there were so many interruptions. It's interesting how these things develop. Taliesin and Fraechan, for example, both have "I won't do this again" moments. Gwernin's son Ianto learns a lot during the summer, and becomes an important character. And of course there's the big reveal at the end, but I've known about that one since the beginning.

 We're still having warm or occasionally hot weather - 80s and sometimes 90s. It's ironic that we look like having a late first frost when my tomatoes have mostly quit producing. Still, there's always more yard work to do, and at least I'm now getting more beans since the Japanese beetles are no longer eating the flowers.

Update #1 - September 2025

 I'm mostly trying to leave the manuscript alone for a couple of weeks until I get feedback from the proofreaders. Instead I've pulled out the Mac Criomthann stories which will make up most of that next collection. I may however try uploading the current draft of the manuscript to Lulu to see if they've instituted any annoying new changes to the process in the last two years. After I publish The Well of Wisdom and the Mac Criomthann collection #3, my next book will be another spin-off: Taliesin: King Arthur's Bard. I have a lot of bits and pieces already for that one, so hopefully it will only take a year to write, not two!

I've been doing a lot of yard work the last week, partly because the city inspector came by and left me a notice about tall weeds. This has happened before, and I think I've got on his "naughty list", but it's stuff that needed doing anyway now that the weather has cooled down a bit. At least no more raccoon damage, but there are no more tomatoes for them now. Also the Japanese beetles have mostly disappeared except for a few on the remaining (highly shredded) Virginia Creeper. A gardener's work is never done - I'm  looking forward to winter.
 

Update #4 - August 2025

 I've finished my first editing pass, including formatting, and shared the results with three friends who have agreed to do simple proofreading, mostly looking for unclear or confusing bits, inconsistencies (e.g. X has brown hair in chapter 2, red hair in chapter 5...), and simple typos. If anyone else is interested, email me as gwernin at gmail.com. I would need any feedback no later than mid October, preferably earlier, as my planned publication date is Nov. 1st. Total page count is currently 364 pages including title pages, maps, and appendices. 

We've now had a week of cool damp weather, and it's wonderful! I've harvested all the ripe and almost-ripe tomatoes because of the raccoon incursions last weekend, and will be canning a lot of them tomorrow. Other than that, I'm just enjoying the early autumn weather, and will be starting some yard cleanup. 

The seasons are changing...

Update #3 - August 2025

 I finished chapter 31 yesterday and added it to the manuscript. I am now in the process of proofreading the whole thing. After I make any needed corrections, it will go to two or three people who are willing to read it and find anything I've missed. Then I'll upload it Lulu and Smashwords. My planned publication date is November 1st - only a year after my original target, sigh.

Last weekend the raccoons finally discovered my tomatoes. After losing some two nights in a row, I picked all the ripe and almost-ripe ones. The raccoons came one more night and caused a certain amount of damage, possibly out of frustration. I've now had three raccoon-free nights, and hope that they've found someone else's garden to pillage. Also after a week of mostly very hot weather, we should get a break starting tomorrow. On the whole, things are looking up.

Update #2 - August 2025

 Slow progress on Chapter 31, which is the last one. Very hot weather yesterday and today doesn't help. I'm currently tinkering with a praise song; once that's finished the rest should fall into place. Then I can start proofreading the whole manuscript. I'm still looking for anyone who'd like to help with that. It would be a matter of noticing any typos or inconsistencies, nothing technical.

The intermittent very hot days (upper 90s) have not helped the gardening, although the beans seem to like it. Of the eight tomato plants I started with, three have died, all large fruit types, but the sweet 100s, romas, and purple topped ones are now being very productive, and I am finally getting the occasional zucchini. I haven't had appreciable rain since early June, which is a bit unusual - there are thunderstorms from time to time, but they go around me. At least we're almost halfway through August.

Update #1 - August 2025

 I finished Chapter 30 yesterday, which took Gwernin and his friends to the Well of Wisdom, also called Segais, which is the source of the Boyne. There were interesting revelations <grin>. I've also started work on Chapter 31, the last one in the book, which will take everyone home. After that I get to read my way through the whole 350+ page manuscript, looking for typos, inconsistencies, or just things that could be phrased better. Anyone want to join in the fun?

This week has been dry and very hot, but things should at least cool off some starting Saturday. I'm still running a sprinkler in the back most evenings, which helps some. The garden is mostly doing well - lots of purple podded beans and sweet 100 tomatoes. The romas and the basil are also thriving, and the zucchinis may finally produce a couple of zuchs. I've had some nocturnal raccoon visits, but no appreciable damage so far - I think they come partly for water from the bird bath and an easy path from the alley to the street since I don't have privacy fences like everyone else in the block.

update #5 - July 2025

 I finally finished chapter 29, and have made a tentative start on chapter 30, slowed down by some not very successful research and a need to take a break in this week's milder weather. Since I couldn't find exact information on the location on the physical source of the Boyne, I will make some assumptions and go on from there. I tried to find it on one of my trips, but it's apparently on private land and inaccessible to wandering tourists. Topo maps only help so much.

After last weekend's upper 90s, the mid to lower 80s of the last few days are a welcome break. It did take a couple of days to get the house cooled down, and it won't last, but it's wonderful right now. The beans are doing great and setting beans, most of the tomatoes (but not all) are doing well, and the basil is happy. With August starting tomorrow, we're at the end of the Celtic summer, but not alas the Colorado one. 

 

Update #4 - July 2025

 Chapter 29 is about half done, partly through using descriptions of places earlier in the book. Gwernin et al have arrived at Bru na Boinne, and there is about to be excitement. The weather is cooler today, so I can probably finish most of the chapter -- I've had the central part of it in my mind long enough, after all!

We badly need some rain, but the beans, tomatoes, etc are doing well. I've been running a sprinkler in the back in the evening some days, but at least such grass as is left in the front isn't growing and therefore doesn't need to be mowed. Lots of birds in the back most of the time -- yesterday the 4 flickers and sometimes 5 or 6 bluejays were here at once. The flicker family is out there now going to it on the suet cake!
.

Update #3 - July 2025

 Finally finished chapter 28 ("A Triple Death"), and made at least a start on chapter 29 (tentatively titled "A Last Fence"). This takes Gwernin et al back to Bru na Boinne, where some exciting things are set to happen. After that, one more chapter ("The Well of Wisdom") before Gwernin and Ianto go home. Slightly cooler weather helps since I had to write two praise songs for Taliesin and Fraechan to sing in a competition at the Tailtiu Oenach, which took some concentration.

Gardening is going well, despite Japanese beetles on some of the bean leaves. At least slug damage is now minimal. The tomatoes are mostly setting heavily, so I should have ripe ones before long. And one zucchini plant finally set a zucchini! The fact that we're not getting much rain at least means I don't have to mow, although there is always more yard work.

 

Update #2 - July 2025

Still haven't finished chapter 28 because I decided I need one more scene, and the weather has been too hot for my brain to function properly. Clearly I won't finish the first draft of the book by the end of July, sigh.

Gardening is going OK, although now that slugs are less of a problem for the beans, the Japanese beetles have arrived. At least they don't go for the tomato plants to any great extent. All of them are setting tomatoes now, so a lot of them should be getting ripe by the end of the month. If I have an oversupply, I'll freeze some - it will probably still be too hot for canning.

Update #1 - July 2025

 I'm still grinding my way through chapter 28 - the hot weather hasn't helped. I've got most of it laid out but need to go through and edit it -  I had enough interruptions that it doesn't all flow well. I also need to set up something that comes in chapter 29, which takes Gwernin et al back to Bru na Boine. I'm hoping to get through chapter 30 (The Well of Wisdom) by Lughnasadh; then there's only Gwernin's homecoming in 31.

Pretty warm weather here - mid to upper 90s some days, but no thunderstorms or indeed other rain. As long as it's dry I don't have to mow in front, which is good because the sweet peas have taken over on the south side of the house. If I need to do anything, I can use the weed whacker.

Update #4 - June 2025

 I've only made modest progress on chapter 28, partly due to very hot weather over the weekend, partly due to other distractions in the news. I have some chunks of the chapter, and have to keep stitching them together. I also have to figure out how to set up something that happens in chapter 29. Onward...

The hot weather hasn't hurt the tomatoes et al, I just had to run sprinklers three days as well as the morning watering round. Three of them have little tomatoes which are getting ripe, but these are ones that had already set on some of the tomatoes before I got them. The zucchinis are blooming, but it would help if they could have male and female flowers at the same time. I continue my morning battle with the bean-eating slugs. And I found the first Japanese beetle on the last pink rose. They'll be on the repeat blooming David Austin roses soon. Summer in the garden...

Update #3 - June 2025

 I finished tinkering with chapter 27 over the weekend, and started chapter 28, although I haven't got very far yet. I should make more progress today and tomorrow, when it will be too hot to do anything outside. Then there'll be another pause Saturday, when we will be celebrating Midsummer/Summer Solstice. I've also been thinking about what needs to happen in chapter 29, when Gwernin et al leave the Lughnasadh Oenach at Tailtiu and return to Bru na Boinne. After that, chapter 30 will take them to the Well of Wisdom and some surprises, and chapter 31 will take Gwernin home.

We're getting a hot weekend for Midsummer - expected highs around 100 F. I'll be up around sunrise every morning for slug patrol and a watering round, followed later in the day by sprinklers. Happily things should be better for a while after Sunday. The zucchinis are blooming - male flowers today, but they'll be setting soon - and the tomato plants are doing well. I usually start getting ripe tomatoes by late July, and hope to have enough to can some this year. 

Update #2 - June 2025

More good writing progress -- chapter 27 is done, bar a little tinkering. It deals mostly with Druidic initiations for Neirin and Mael, based loosely on Gwernin's initiation in The Fallen Stones. The next chapter will take Gwernin et al to Tailtiu for the Lughnasadh Óenach. This may put Fráechán in danger, since King Díarmait is likely to be there, but it's his idea to go. I'll get to that sometime in the next few days, after I clean up chapter 27.

Our cool rainy weather is over, and we're about to get some heat for Midsummer. The tomatoes will like it anyway. My biggest gardening problem now (aside from needing to do some mowing in the back yard) is the slugs which keep eating the beans. I need to put out fresh beer for them tonight, in hopes of catching more of them (slugs, not beans!).

Update #1 - June 2025

 Better progress - I finally finished chapter 26, and am almost halfway through chapter 27. This takes us back to Sliabh na Calli, where Fráechán will be leading Neirin and Mael through a Druidic initiation much like the one Gwernin had in The Fallen Stones. I now have a good idea of what will be in the next 3 chapters after this one, but not the last (chapter 31) when Gwernin gets home. We'll see what happens when we get there.

Last weekend was pretty warm - T shirt and shorts weather for the first time this year - but since then it's been cool again, with thunderstorms or at least showers almost every evening. The vegetation loves it, but Ruay cat is less impressed. It does give me an excuse to do more writing and less yard work!

 😀