Eileen Troemel's Blog

Today I went with one of my nieces craft shopping.  I used gift cards and holiday cash to make all of my purchases!  The other great thing is everything I bought was on sale - everything.  So not only did I get great deals and the materials I wanted but I didn't spend a penny out of my own account.  Thank you to my faculty at my job, one family member, and a friend.  They made this relaxing day completely possible!

Joanns has a great sale on and I stocked up on crochet cotton.  I can't lie - the $1 a skein made me nearly clean out their display of the colors they had.  Then I hit the aisles to look for yarn for two blankets, one scarf and other crochet cotton (also on sale) which had different colors.  The per ounce price (yes I figured out for each of the brands on sale) for the $1 per skein was FABULOUS.  I got most of what I wanted - though I never get enough yarn.

My niece and I had a lovely day together, spending time and chatting.  We went to Burnie's rock shop as well.  It was crowded and busy and yet we both managed to find items to purchase.

I have an afghan nearly done for her and I was hoping to surprise her with it today but at 12:30 last night I gave it up and said nope... too much left to do.  I'll keep working on it and hope to get it done in the next week or two.

Aside from her blanket, I'm going to be at the Whitewater library on January 19, so I plan to make a few small things which can hopefully fill up my table and make some sales.  At this point, I'm thinking coasters and dishcloths but I want to consult my list to see if I can come up with other things.

While at Joann's today, I picked up pins to use for blocking several pairs of earrings, bracelets and a bookmark.  Once they've dried, I'll have to find buttons for the bracelets and those can come with me to the sale as well.

I feel like I'm getting caught up.  Tomorrow I plan to work on crochet patterns - publishing and posting.  I've got a long list of them to work on so I'm hoping to get a large chunk of them done.  I have new patterns which include two leaflets (meaning multiple patterns) to publish.  I have three groups of patterns I've not posted on Ravelry and need to get those up there.  This is the task which takes the longest.  I'm hoping to get through all of them before I go back to work so the next two day I think will be taken up with those.

I'm winding down on my days off.  I feel good about the progress I've made with projects.  Before this time off, I always felt like I was falling further and further behind.  Now I feel caught up and ready to move forward.

If I manage to get through the crochet patterns, I think I'm going to work on the short story I had professionally edited - it was so mangled from all the different version, I needed to help with it.

I'm at the end of my day and feel really good.  It was good to get one on one with my niece and to shop for things I love.  Now I get to play with all of it, making things for others who will hopefully really appreciate the goodies.

I can't believe my time off is almost half over.  Where did the time go?  I know where it went - lots of holiday things but I've still managed to be productive.

All the crocheting I needed to get done, I finished on Sunday!  I was very pleased to finish the slippers Sunday instead of Monday - pushing the deadline of needing them done by Christmas.  Last night I watched a new show while I crocheted.  Wynonna Earp - I thought it was going to be an old time western from the female perspective.  Nope.  It's a modern paranormal show based on the descendant of Wyatt Earp.  It was enthralling.  There are definitely lots of twists and turns.  I'm binging the first season so tonight when I work on the afghan I've got going, I'll be watching it.

Writing - I've been working on updating a bunch of stuff.  It's been a very productive time which I'm seeing the end of the tunnel for this project.

Today I'm alone in my house.  I can't remember the last time I was alone in my house for a full day.  I'm enjoying it.  I've gotten through the massive number of emails, worked on my website (ongoing) and hope to finish the project today.

In addition, I've made phone calls for my daughter and corresponded with our insurance and a variety of other people.

I've got a sale going on Smashwords!  Free books include Wayfarer, Defenders of the People, and a short story collection Grandma's Doilies.  The rest of the Wayfarer and Defenders series are 25% off along with Murder Next Door, Dragon Lord's Mate, Draconian Peace and Quick & Easy Throws.  Jute & Cotton Baskets, Rise of the Ancients, Moon Affirmations, Secret Past, and the three Moments in poetry books are all 50% off.

Ava Taylor also has items on sale on Smashwords!  She has Sibling Rivalry & Three Races for free.  Exploring Desires, Prospecting, Prisoner 849, Snowbound, Her Captain and Courtesan are all 25% off.

I've been trying to stay off social media because again - needed a break but with this sale, I need to be posting at least once a day about it.  Even during the holidays, I don't stop working because it's important I keep engaging people.

I went to my family Christmas.  While there, I delivered items to people.  I also got orders for more stuff.  The good thing about this - I'm going to Joann's over the weekend.  I'm really looking forward to shopping with my niece.  It will be a nice outing for the two of us.  I hope I can find the colors of the items I want.  Joann's has a sale going on for which I've gotten a flyer which I'll be taking with me.  The fabulous thing - I have two gift cards for $125 so none of what I buy I'll be paying for!  I get to feed my obsession without paying for my obsession.

Our immediate family is doing Christmas on Saturday!  We normally do ours early and I'm not sure I like the late thing but the girls are all going to be together.  I think it will be good.  We'll video chat.  There are several things I want to see the girls open and hope they like.

Until then, I have a long to do list... too long to list here.

Last night we went car shopping with our middle daughter.  Now we're waiting to hear from the dealership.  In the meanwhile, grocery shopping, breakfast, and other errands have been done by Ken and Vicki. While I worked on the computer.  I got blog tours posted, checkbook caught up and email dealt with.

There's a dozen other things which need to get done today so it's going to be busy day.  We'll be going to a variety of stores and finish up the errands.

I have four projects I need to take pictures of so I can work on publishing.  I also need to look over the other crochet items I've been waiting to distribute until I got a yeah or nay from the publisher.  We're passed the issue they were made for so it's time to publish and distribute.

By the end of tomorrow I hope to have all the crochet stuff photographed and measured.  I still need to make one crochet item before Tuesday.  I'll be working on that over the next couple days.

Other than that I have a ton of writing things I want to get done.  I finished the first round of edits on Wild Magic 2 but it needs at least one more big edit before I can work on fine tuning it.  I feel like I need to add in a few scenes which will help the relationships develop and the story to flow better.

I've got a third of a short story edited.  This is the mangled one - poor little story - and I need to get the rest of it edited.  I had a friend edit it professionally because it was so mangled and I'd looked at it too much.  Now I'd like to finish it off.  Everyone keeps telling me it needs to be a book - I'm resistant but did add several paragraphs to the first third of the book so I'll see how that goes.

Aside from that, I've got crochet patterns to publish.  I have a long list of writing projects I am in the middle of so want to work on those.  I never know until I sit down to work which one will get my attention.

I've got three more days of work before I have eleven off.  I swear someone has slowed time just to torment me.  I really want it to be Friday so I can get started with the time off.

With a long long long list of stuff to do, I cannot decide what I want to do first.  There are commitments for the holidays but I'm hoping to be able to have a couple days to do only what I want to do.  Let's be real - write.  I want to work on writing.

I've got Wild Magic 2 in the edit phase which I need to enter the edits I've done on the computer.  Do a read through and then probably print out and edit again.

Seven Sisters - working title - is also in the works.  I want to finish writing this so I can move it to the editing pile.  Sequels are pushing at me.  One is a longer one which will take time but the other will take a little more plotting out - maybe.  Generally I don't plot things out because I never end up where I've plotted things.

As well as the writing projects, I have piles and piles of photo albums I need to work through in order to get them online for the family.  I'm talking hundreds I think and probably thousands of photos.  I will not be scanning every single photo but I do want to get the family pictures and a sampling of mom's photography.  After the albums are done, we  have the same amount of slides which we will have to deal with.

Now I know all of that won't get done over my time off but I want to make a start.  I'm hoping I can make a dent and do a few a weekend or something like that.  I'll have to set up a system.

The holidays are approaching.  I'm not interested. I don't know any other way to say it.  When I think of the holidays it makes me sad.  This leads to grumpy.  I'm trying not to think about it but... In a good year I have issues at the holidays and this has not been a good year.

I've been working on Christmas gifts / holiday items for crocheting.  I got a number of them done but I have two skeins of yarn I want to make up - mostly because I have a bunch of crochet patterns which I want to publish and these skeins will fit nicely with them.  I also think I have people who may want them.

Now if they don't take them, I will be doing a City Market at the Whitewater Library (I hope) in January (and possibly other months).  I can always put them on the table to sell for that event.  I think though they will get snapped up before then.  I have one more pair of slippers to get done before Christmas day.  I need a break from them though as I did a bunch.  I find them tedious and annoying.  For some reason, I can usually only do about half a slipper at each sitting.

Right now I have to get pictures of two projects - can't talk about the one as it's a gift.  Once I get those pictures, I need to ship the one out.  The other gift will be hand delivered.  I LOVE how the two projects turned out and can't wait to share the patterns.

There are six new crochet patterns available on Amazon and Smashwords.  They will be available more places in a couple of days.  These have been done patterns but I just haven't had time to go through all the steps for publishing.  I hope you like them.  

Thread Bookmarks
Need a small gift? Looking for items to make for a craft fair? Try these eight easy bookmarks. Made with crochet cotton, they work up quick allowing you to build inventory.
Amazon
Smashwords

Braided Scarf
For the beginner, this pattern is easy to assemble while offering a stunning end product. The chain group weaves into a braided look for this extra long scarf.
Amazon
Smashwords


Spiral Hat
Round and round you go, working two colors in tandem. This styling hat is warm and fun.
Amazon
Smashwords

Tree Hanging
Made with single crochet, this wall hanging adds a seasonal touch to any room. Use the copper (as shown) for a fall flare, or green for a summer flare. Use white or silver for a winter look and spring, simply add some small light green French knots.
​​Amazon
Smashwords


Triangular Doily
Light and different, this doily works up nicely to provide a beautiful decoration for any room. Worked in crochet cotton size 10, this is durable as well as decorative.
Amazon
Smashwords

Triple Triangle Afghan
Worked with triple crochets, this works up in under twelve hours.  The pattern is easy for the beginner and makes a beautiful blanket for your home or as a gift.
​Amazon
Smashwords

The family got through mom's possessions.  We got them divided up, organized and sent off to the appropriate sibling or charity.  This includes the difficult task of dividing up her jewelry.  Saturday was a very long and emotional day.

Now I'm working on gifts and projects.  I had five student worker gifts to make - can't say what at this point.  Since Sunday I've gotten four of them done.  I'm hoping to make the last one tonight.  I'll take pictures of them as they are new patterns and then ask my husband to please wrap them. 

This is the rest of my immediate needs for crocheting:

3 baby bibs - moved up because the publication changed the date for the issue they're going ingift for my daughter's boyfriend - again can't sayblanket for the woman who organized my blog postslipper socks for my niecescarf and hat set for a clientI think these are the immediate needs.  I am still working on a blanket for my niece which I may submit to the publication - I may be too late for the issue.  I have to check since they rearranged dates of issues.
I'm hoping to get all of these done within the two weeks.  After I get these done, I'm going to think about making things for the markets I'm hoping to participate in.  However, I have a lot of writing things to get done as well.  
I'm sure I'm going to be bouncing back and forth between tasks.  It's all a balancing act for me to keep moving forward in both of these areas.  
I've been feeling too scattered so I wrote up a to do list for my writing.  I need to break down some of the tasks into pieces so I can check them off but I'm hoping with the list, I'll be able to focus a little better and spend less time bouncing around and more time accomplishing things.  
Work is winding down for the end of the semester so this means I can think about more things.  I've also got a long eleven days off over the holidays.  I'm looking forward to this as I'll actually have about three days in the house alone.  I'm hoping those will be productive days for writing.  On the days where I'm sharing the house with other people I'll work on things like posting patterns on Ravelry or marketing as that is easier to be interrupted than writing.  
I'm also hoping to start going through some of the photo albums of my mothers.  This is going to be a task as there are dozens of them if not hundreds.  Without a doubt there are thousands of pictures to look through, determine if they are good enough to scan, and pick the ones the family will be interested in.  My mother was a prolific photographer who snapped shots of everything.  Collectively, we've already decided we can't keep them all and there isn't time to scan them all.  Still it's a big job and will take time.  I'm hoping to take a few hours on one of my days off and work through a number of them.  
After I get done with the pictures, the next thing will be the slides.  This is going to be time consuming as well.  Both my parents took a lot of pictures.  This means I've got lots of slides to go through from the beginning of their marriage to about the 70s (I think).  This will be slow going as well.  
All of this should keep me very busy through the end of the year.  I'm hoping to rest a bit during my eleven days off and come back to my day job a little less stressed.  I'm also hoping to get quite a bit of work done while I'm off. 

Saturday I'll be at the University Wisconsin Whitewater vendor sale from 10 - 3 signing and selling my books and some crocheting.  I'm concerned because the reader event I went to at the beginning of the month was a bust financially so I'm hoping this event is better. 

I've almost got all of my mom's stuff divided up.  A few more days for people to look at the pictures and then I'll print.  Next Saturday there will be a physical dividing of things. 

Mom had a lot of jewelry so I'm working on that next.  If I can get it all organized, I'll be handing those things over next weekend.  But it's a lot of going through and figuring out so I'll have to see  how things go. 

A friend contacted me last night to ask about a book contract she was offered.  It wasn't a bad deal but in reading the fine print I suggested she contact a lawyer to have it clarified.  Some of the terms were not the best. 

My author I've been helping has updates she wants me to make.  I'm hoping Sunday but I'll have to see.  I need to finish the slippers I'm working on so those may have to take priority.  I have one and a half socks for the paid ones.  I have one pair to finish for the requested (from my niece).  There's one more paid project to work on so I'll have to see how my time goes.

At some point, I need to get mom's paperwork all together and organized.  I've got it in piles so I need to organize those piles.  Then it's a matter of hanging on to some of it for a year and then discarding.  Some of it will have to be kept for longer. 

There are times I feel like I'm drowning in tasks.  My day job has been super busy and life has been the same.  This leads to a lot of stress for me.  I'm hoping for the holiday break to clear up a number of things. 

Christmas is always hard for me and this year it is more difficult.  I find myself teary and emotional - defaulting on irritable because it's easier to cope with.  I know this is grief but part of me is very impatient with myself because I have so much going on right now I don't have time to fall apart.  I'm coping.  I'm tackling one thing at a time - though I have my moments.  I know it will all get done and I know people will understand if it takes longer.  Most of my deadlines are for me - I've already put off editing / publishing a book because of all the chaos in my life.  It's a matter of giving myself time and reminding myself to take a step back when I need to. 

I know when I accomplish a task it helps ease my stress.  Right now I've got photo albums galore in my office.  My task - scan all the good ones and distribute to the family.  The problem - the clutter is driving me crazy.  It's a constant reminder of all the tasks not done yet.  But if I get mom's stuff and jewelry organized, I'll have time to work on the next step - the photos.  Behind the photos I've got thousands of slides which are going to need converting to digital.  I know this next year is going to be busy - very busy.  One thing at a time and checking things off my to do list.

Last month I was neck deep in helping a non-fiction author get her stuff published, getting Wayfarer Resolve published and a variety of other tasks when my mother started a health crisis. 
Sadly my mother passed away 10/12/2018.  This led to a ton of tasks when I was not at my best.  Writing got set aside.  I don't easily or lightly set aside writing because it balances and grounds me. 
Here I am a month later saying where did October and most of November go?  I know I went to my day job and worked through arranging the funeral, clearing out her apartment, and well you get the idea. 
I attended a book signing (my first) the first weekend in November.  The tasks associated with my mother's death and estate are wrapping up but I'm left feeling unsettled, sad, and crabby.  I'm all for finding a nice recliner and curling up in a cave somewhere no one can bug me.  Reality is that isn't going to happen. 
Writing is my sanity.  But I've not had time for writing.  This is never good.  I've got a manuscript in my bag and I started edits on it.  I've read on my phone using my kindle app to highlight grammatical errors I find as I read familiar friends (i.e. my published books). 

Over the last month, I've found little writing things to keep me sane.  This has helped with my grief and my stress.  I may not be able to climb into my comfy recliner in the luxury cave (yup totally have it designed with high speed internet and a large hot tub), but I am able to pick up writing tasks to ground me while I work through my grief.
Last weekend with other family members, we went through my sister's house where mom lived prior to her health issues.  We sorted, took pictures, and discarded all of her things.  My niece struggled with memories and grief.  I shoved it all away, keeping the feelings squashed to get through the task at hand.  However, when I got to a box of stuff from her office, I discovered a stack of correspondence.  Some was letters from my sister who lives a few hours away.  The rest were all the cards her grandchildren had sent her.  She kept them all because the meant something to her.  
This simple thing - nothing worth keeping - cards with short little blurbs from family.  Yet I knew if mom were in the room, she would have said these were her most precious possessions.  This broke my reserve and brought tears to my eyes.  There was no point in keeping them but they spoke to me.
There are a few more tasks to work through, scanning pictures, figuring out slides, and so on.  Once we distribute her things among the family, her estate will be done for the most part.  The funeral and all the work will be behind us.  A part of me doesn't want to let go of these last few tasks but I know like all the other times it's difficult to let go - it's time to let go.

#OnTour with @SilverDaggerBookTours | #SilverDaggerBookTours
~~&&~~#BookTour & #Giveaway~~&&~~WAYFARER RESOLVE by Eileen Troemel#SciFi #Romance #Wayfarer #NewRelease @EileenTroemelAuthor
In this final installation of Wayfarers, Decker and Adara face an attack on their homeworlds as well as on their children. A clan member from Phelan’s clan attacks Addy and Zoe while Adara and Decker deal with riots and attacks on the home world. Phelan’s clan member is at fault. Will this break down the clans? 

Out exploring their sectors of space, Adara settles into being Mathair Naclan - mother of the clans. At the home planets, Hal, Dimitri, and others cope with vandalism, sabotage, and racism. The Humans only group rises with violence and hate to attack the Wayfarers from within.

Sentenced to hard labor, prisoners are placed at Tom and Angeline’s manufacturing facility and Monroe’s mining operation. Though facing punishment for breaking the terms of being with the Wayfarers, Bernard Lundquist still runs operations on Hometown. 

Bias within the Wayfarers and against the Wayfarers frustrates Adara as she and her admin council defend against the Humans only group. The family is threatened by the people Adara rescued. Can they find a way to peace or will the prejudice tear apart the connections Adara and the Wayfarers are making?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42121750-wayfarer-resolve
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wayfarer-Resolve-Eileen-Troemel-ebook/dp/B07HYFGC95
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wayfarer-resolve/id1438041340?mt=11
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wayfarer-resolve-eileen-troemel/1129685910?ean=2940155833147
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ch/pt/ebook/wayfarer-resolve Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/898981
~~&~~~~&~~~~&~~~~&~~

Author Links Website: https://eileentroemel.weebly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EileenTroemelAuthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/EileenTroemelAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Eileen-Troemel/e/B00JL4OXLSGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7868345.Eileen_Troemel
~~&~~~~&~~~~&~~~~&~~Giveaway2x $5 Amazon , Print Copies of the first three Wayfarer books
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Wayfarer ResolveWayfarer Series #18by Eileen TroemelGenre: SciFi Romance 
In this final installation of Wayfarers, Decker and Adara face an attack on their homeworlds as well as on their children. A clan member from Phelan’s clan attacks Addy and Zoe while Adara and Decker deal with riots and attacks on the home world. Phelan’s clan member is at fault. Will this break down the clans? 


Out exploring their sectors of space, Adara settles into being Mathair Naclan - mother of the clans. At the home planets, Hal, Dimitri, and others cope with vandalism, sabotage, and racism. The Humans only group rises with violence and hate to attack the Wayfarers from within.
Sentenced to hard labor, prisoners are placed at Tom and Angeline’s manufacturing facility and Monroe’s mining operation. Though facing punishment for breaking the terms of being with the Wayfarers, Bernard Lundquist still runs operations on Hometown. 
Bias within the Wayfarers and against the Wayfarers frustrates Adara as she and her admin council defend against the Humans only group. The family is threatened by the people Adara rescued. Can they find a way to peace or will the prejudice tear apart the connections Adara and the Wayfarers are making?

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  “It’s been seven hours and twenty one minutes,” Frey whispered as Jolen held her. “They’ve missed nursing twice now.”  “Everyone is working to find them,” Jolen said rubbed her arms, tried to comfort her.  “I can’t breathe,” Frey said rubbing her hand between her breasts.  “You have to,” Jolen said. “You have to keep hoping. Harry needs you.”  “He fought hard,” Frey said. “He used the self-defense training. We both did. It didn’t help.”  “I know,” Jolen said. “Do you remember how many came in the house?”  “Seven,” Frey said frowning. “They shoved all the other kids in a room, locked them in. They pointed phase rifles at my children.” Temper started to flush her cheeks.  “Do you know how many were outside,” Jolen asked.  “No,” Frey said. “We heard the detail fighting. Tray came in by us but they shot him without warning when they got into the house.”  “He’s going to be all right,” Jolen said reassured her. “What happened next?”  “They put the kids in our bedroom,” Frey said. “They ordered us away from the babies but Harry refused. I refused to go.”  “Did they speak,” Jolen said.  “One man spoke,” Frey said. “He spoke and the others did what he ordered. Harry fought. The man who spoke ordered two men to hold him while others beat him. I thought he was dead. I fought, I tried to stop them hurting him but they threatened my babies with their phase rifles.”  “Was there anything distinctive about the man’s voice,” Jolen asked. “Did he have an accent, say words a particular way, or stutter?”  “No. He spoke softly like he didn't want his voice to be recognized,” Frey said.  “Do you remember any distinctive features about them,” Jolen asked.  “Two of them were over six feet but not by much,” Frey said closing her eyes. “Three were shorter than Harry, they might have been women. The last two were between five ten and six foot. The three shorter ones were bulky but I think it was an attempt to prevent us knowing they were women.”  “Why,” Jolen asked.  “When they put Harry down and me next to him, those three shorter ones took the babies,” Frey said. “The man in charge, he seemed to think it beneath him to carry babies.”  “Frey, you’ve been wonderful,” Jolen said. “I’m going to step out. Regan and Rowena are coming back in to sit with you. Before I go, I want you to know, you are safe here. You are in a private room at the Healing Center. There are several squads of fighters surrounding you. Outside of those people, we’ve got neighborhood watch patrolling the nearby neighborhoods.”  “Where are the rest of the children,” Frey asked.  “Libheanna has seen to them,” Jolen said. “She set them up in a space across the hall. They are secure.”  “How many of the detail died,” Frey asked.  “The count is up to four now,” Jolen said. She patted Frey’s shoulder as she shook her head burying her face in her hands.
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