The Story Behind Prairie Dog Cowboy

Vivian Gilbert Zabel is the author of Prairie Dog Cowboy, a juvenile historical fiction book that incorporates Oklahoma history into its telling.

Prairie Dog Cowboy
By V. Gilbert Zabel
ISBN: 978-0-9797513-7-0
Publisher: 4RV Publishing
Genre: juvenile/ historical/ fiction

Recently, Vivian answered some questions about the writing of the book and is here today to answer your comments/questions.

Creatif: What inspired you to write Prairie Dog Cowboy?

Vivian Gilbert Zabel: My husband had shared his experiences as a cowboy, farmer, and horse breaker. I always wanted to work some of those into a story or book.

Since I didn’t want the book to be nonfiction, I invented families and characters that would live in the part of the country where Robert was born and lived. Then I set the time of the book  about 45 years before Robert was born.

I did some research to be sure I had the historical facts correct, and used some marvelous research provided by the current family members who own the ranch that is the setting for the Hyman Ranch. I can’t thank Dallas Mayer and the others who gave her information enough.

Creatif: Did the character of Buddy come to you all at once or did he evolve, even for you, as the book progressed?

VGZ: Buddy’s character existed almost complete from the beginning. However, the other characters evolved as the plot did.

Creatif: Other than writing a good story, did you have any other goals for the book while you were writing it?

VGZ: I wanted to provide a taste of frontier life and knowledge that dysfunctional families, as well as loving ones, have always existed. Many times an adult other than a parent or parents can make the difference between a child surviving or being corrupted for life.

Creatif: Once the rough draft is written, what is your process for editing/revising or does it differ depending on the project?

VGZ: I’m one of those writers who edits as she goes. However after the first draft, I do at least four edits and revisions (waiting at least a day or more between each edit) before I allow anyone else read and proof. I have six people who read, proof, and/or edit my manuscript. I revise after each one and then send to the next person.

After those revisions, I let the manuscript season a few days or even weeks. I then do another read through and edit and revision. My six “editors” then have another go at the manuscript. After that go-round and revisions and after I’ve made another edit and revision myself, two editors go through it again.

The editing and revision process takes longer by far than the writing and self-editing does.

Creatif: Is this a stand-alone book or will there be more around some of the same characters/setting?

VGZ: The sequel to Prairie Dog Cowboy, Prairie Winds, has been started.

---

At the end of the tour, a drawing will be held for four canvas bags from 4RV Publishing. Each person who comments on a blog in the tour will be entered in the drawing (one entry per person per blog stop).

---

Links:

Prairie Dog Cowboy web site
4RV Publishing
Vivian’s blog

The book can be purchased through any book store, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble. com, and through the 4RV bookstore.

Prairie Dog Cowboy cover art

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , Prairie Dog, Prairie Dog Cowboy, virtual book tour, Vivian Zabel, write, writer, writing

Looking Back at 2008

I started looking through the archives for my list of writing goals for 2008. Apparently, I didn’t post them on the blog. Bad Jen.

This year had a lot of successes for me, writing-wise. I have:

• 4 website reviews published in the OWFI Report.
• 3 articles published with WritingforDollars.
• 1 request for a full manuscript from an agent.
• 2 requests for partial manuscripts from publishers.
• won 1st place at the OWFI conference for a technical/how-to article.
• won 3rd place at the OCWI conference for a novel.
• judged the nonfiction article category for a contest.
• successfully completed 1 fixed-rate job with oDesk.
• successfully completed 1 hourly-rate job with oDesk.
• had a poem, “Gestation,” published in the November/December issue of Writers’ Journal.

I also

• completed the rough draft of DEVON’S WISH, the second book in the Maguire Men series set in medieval Ireland.
• re-edited KIERNAN’S CURSE (the first of the Maguire Men).
• started BENEN’S BURDEN (the third of the Maguire Men).
• started and finished NAVAJO ROSE (will soon be re-editing that.)
• spent two weeks at the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
• submitted queries/synopses to 3 agents and at least 10 publishers on various manuscripts (mainly KIERNAN’S CURSE, NAVAJO ROSE, and CONFESSIONS OF A FAT CHICK.
• bought the domains for www.confessionsofafatchick.com and www.theideapocket.com.
• achieved PRO status with RWA.
• joined OK-RWA, the Oklahoma City chapter of RWA.
• led a “buzz session,” an informal workshop, on blogging at the OWFI conference in May.

This has been a very busy writing year. It’s not possible to list all the queries for articles I’ve sent, essays and short stories written, and so on.

Perhaps with continuing all this and more, I’ll have an even better year in 2009. (A 2009 goal entry will be coming soon.)

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , 2008, agents, articles, Benen's Burden, Confessios of a Fat Chick, Devon's Wish, goals, Jen Nipps, jennipps, Kiernan's Curse, Navajo Rose, OCWI, OK-RWA, OWFI, poems, poetry, publishers, queries, RWA, Writers Journal, writing

More News & a Problem

First, the news: Sunday evening, I finished the edits/additions to NAVAJO ROSE. I added another chapter and a short epilogue. I’m actually pretty satisfied with it.

Second, the problem: I had intended to get NR in the mail yesterday. However, I goofed up on the cover letter. I corrected that last night and repackaged it to mail today. I don’t drive, so when someone volunteered to take it to the post office for me, I agreed. I gave them the money and the packaged manuscript.

They didn’t take it to the actual post office but to another place that is also a drop for the PO that has their own mail box rentals. That ordinarily would not be a problem. The problem comes in when they didn’t send it the way I asked that they do it.

I know what they were thinking. They thought they would save me some money. So instead of sending it Priority Mail, they had it repackaged and sent UPS ground, which requires a signature on delivery.

Sending something via private courier or requiring a signature is a big no-no. Especially the bit about the signature.

In the morning, I have to go buy paper and print all 260 pages out again with a new copy of the cover letter and synopsis. By noon, I WILL have it at the post office. I will go myself and send it Priority Mail with delivery confirmation, which does not require a signature.

I know their intentions were good, but it has caused a bit of a problem for me. I just hope that for some reason, the UPS package comes back to me.

There is something else news-worthy to come out of this, though.

This evening, I downloaded, printed, and completed the application for the Romance Writers of America PRO designation. It’s signed, sealed, and waiting for tomorrow’s mail.

Filed under: editing, writing , application, Jen Nipps, jennipps, Navajo Rose, post office, Romance Writers of America, RWA, RWA PRO, UPS, write, writer, writing

Back in Eureka Again

(Sing the above to the tune of “Back in the Saddle Again”)

I arrived in Eureka Springs, at the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow, Sunday afternoon. Every time I come to this town, it’s like my heart says “I’m home.” But that’s neither here nor there at the moment.

My project list I want to work on is long:

• Finish the rough draft of “Navajo Rose.”
• Edit “Kiernan’s Curse” per the editor’s recommendations. (Possibly resubmit to them? I don’t know on that one.)
• Write at least 3 chapters on “Confessions of a Fat Chick.”
• Work on some article queries to keep up my $80/day goal.

What have I done so far?

• Finished 2 chapters on NR (10 & 11).
• No editing on KC.
• One paragraph on CFC.
• Set up a page to apply for a paid blogging gig (The Beaded Jen Tribune).
• Applied for a non-writing job here in Eureka Springs.
• Sent some applications to writing jobs on Craigslist (courtesy of Freelance Writing Jobs).
• Sent two queries to magazines.

It’s actually more than I originally thought, but I’m still not happy with the progress. I’m my own worst critic, you know.

But that’s where I am at the moment.

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , Dairy Hollow, editing, Eureka Springs, Jen Nipps, jennipps, Kiernan's Curse, Navajo Rose, write, Writers Colony, Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow, writing

It’s Done

A week ago, I think I mentioned that I had received an on spec assignment due around Labor Day.

If not, well…I did. 

For various reasons, I’ve had a difficult time getting started on it. It’s a short-ish article, so I didn’t think it would take long to do once I got it started.

I was right.

I started it yesterday afternoon. I finished it tonight. I’m not saying it’s completely finished. I’m saying the bones are down and now I need to let it rest overnight before I look at it again.

I’ve also asked someone else to look at it. Between the two of us, I’m sure I can get it into submittable shape by tomorrow evening. Hopefully I’ll get it submitted tomorrow and they’ll accept it.

Hey, I can dream/hope, right?

Right!

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , article, Jen Nipps, jennipps, on spec, write, writer, writing

De Ja Vu

One of my goals for this month is to edit Devon’s Wish, which I’ve been working on.  But, for some reason, I also decided to pull Kiernan’s Curse out and dust it off again.

(Actually, I have a good reason for that, but I’ll tell you about it when the reason actually comes about and gets done.)

In chapters 1-3 of Kiernan’s Curse edits, though, I kept feeling like I’d been over it before, doing what I was doing then.  It wasn’t on my computer or my flash drive, though.

Last night, I started chapter 4.  On one section in particular, I thought, “I know I’ve already done this!”

I went and turned the laptop on.  (When I first moved here, before I got my desktop computer, I used the laptop for a while.)  I found the file and….

I WAS RIGHT!!!

So I’ve worked on re-doing edits for the past few days that I had already done.  If I’d followed the de ja vu feeling the first time and investigated all possiblities, it would’ve saved some time.

That’s OK, though.  It means I was on the right track with those edits the first time around because I was doing the exact same thing this time.

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , de ja vu, Devon's Wish, editing, goals, Jen Nipps, jennipps, Kiernan's Curse, writing

Sunday Status Report

Ah, the first status report for June.  Here we go, right into it:

The Absolute Write Water Cooler Freelance board has monthly Just Hit Send challenges. Instead of leaving my information just over there, I thought I’d bring it here as well. Previous months can be seen under the Just Hit Send heading on the right.

June 2008

-Get back on blog schedules.

6/1: “Sunday Status Report” on Creatif.
6/2: “Poetically Speaking” and “A Change In the Blog” on Creatif, “Makeup Minute: PRE-Makeup” on Confessions of a Fat Chick,” and “Exercise: Stand on Your Head” on The Idea Pocket
6/3: “Some News” on Creatif and “Tip: Do Something Different” on The Idea Pocket.
6/4: “Weight a Minute: It’s Decided” on Confessions of a Fat Chic
6/5: “Some News” on Creatif
6/6: “Quotable Friday: Solution” on The Idea Pocket and “Fashionable Friday: Seams” on Confessions of a Fat Chick.
6/8: “Sunday Status Report” on Creatif.

-One query a day from online job boards.

6/3: Three queries to Craigslist ads, one application to eHow.com courtesy of ProBlogger.
6/5: Application for writer/researcher with Humane Society courtesy of PayingWriterMarkets Yahoo group.

-Minimum two magazine submissions a week.

6/7: Application to About.com Guide for Journalism and submitted an article to Writers’ Journal.

-Send nonfiction proposals out to two agents.

-Send fiction queries out to two agents.

-Edit Devon’s Wish.

-Finish first draft of Navajo Rose.

6/1: Currently on chapter 4.
6/5: On chapter 5

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , agent, chapter, draft, fiction, Jen Nipps, jennipps, Navajo, nonfiction, wish, write

Sunday Status Report

Go to, enjoy, and network at the conference (starting Thursday evening through Saturday night).

5/4: Got home around noon today.  I made some wonderful contacts, received invitations to send two queries to agents in addition to the two awards.  (3rd HM for Poetry Rhymed Long, “Paris, April 1998″ and the 1st is for How-to/Technical Article, “10 Tips for Getting Organized.”)  

-Get back on blog schedules.

5/4: “Sunday Status Report” on Creatif
5/5: “Response to Judge’s Comments” on Creatif, “To MakeUp or Not to MakeUp” on Confessions of a Fat Chick, “Exercise: Cliches” on The Idea Pocket.
5/6: “Tip: Trust Yourself” on The Idea Pocket.
5/7: “I’ve Been Tagged” on Creatif, “Weight a Minute: I’ve Got to Do Something” on Confessions of a Fat Chick, and “Associated Sites” and “My Thoughts: Life in General” on The Idea Pocket.
5/9: “Been Working” on Creatif, “Camouflage” on Confessions of a Fat Chick, and “Quotable Friday” on The Idea Pocket.
5/10: “Source: Music” on The Idea Pocket

-After the conference, do one query a day. (I’m pretty dang close to that now as it is, so we’ll see how it goes.)

5/4: Thursday morning, I got one query in to an ad on Craigslist.  I think it had to do with resumes, but I’d have to look at my “sent” file on Outlook Express to be sure.
5/6: Sent two queries, one to a magazine and the other to a business newsletter
5/7: Sent two queries, one in reply to an ad on Craigslist, one as a reply to an ad by Publishers Weekly on MediaBistro.
5/9: SUbmitted queries to write online for EthnicDenim.com and Sheckys.com.
5/10: Sent ground mail submission of a fantasy short story to Realms of Fantasy.

-Send nonfiction proposals out to two agents.

5/4: One query will be going out tomorrow, as requested by an agent.
5/6: Due to delays in not being home, the query went out to the agent yesterday.

-Send fiction queries out to two agents.

5/4: One query will be going out tomorrow, as requested by an agent.
5/10: Sent query & synopsis to Sourcebooks Casablanca imprint

-Edit Devon’s Wish (still haven’t started that).

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , Casablanca, fiction, Jen Nipps, jennipps, nonfiction, queries, Realms of Fantasy, romance, short story, Sourcebooks, write, writing

Been Working

There are actually a few things I’ve been working on today.  The first is my dial-up connection.

Yesterday, my phone cord and extender connector died.  That meant I had to get a new phone cord long enough to reach from the computer to the phone jack in another room.  Apparently whoever designed this house never thought of this room as being used for an office (probably because there’s a very small built-in office area by the laundry room), so there’s not a phone jack in here.  The phone jack in the small office area doesn’t work.  It would cost the same to get a new jack put in as it would to fix the old one.  But I digress.  I got the new cord and connector and then some.  I now have a phone on my desk so I don’t have to jump and run if/when my phone rings.  My other answering machine was fried in a thunderstorm sometime last year, so I now have a working answering machine as well.  That bodes very well for me so the editors/agents can call me now.  Hey, I can dream, right? 

I’ve also been working on my next website review, which is almost done.  (I’m sure my editor for that would be very glad to know that, if he were to ever read this, that is.)

Even more, though, I’ve been working on a work-in-progress that I’ve let sit for a while.  I found out, through some judge’s comments, that what I was calling a contemporary romance would actually be classified as romantic suspense.  Now that I know that, any time I add anything to it, I find myself thinking, “Does this work for suspense?”  I think I need to forget about that and focus on the romance.  I can go in and edit/tweak any suspense stuff later.  Right now, I’m sitting at almost 8,000 words.

Other than submitting requested queries, that has me covered for the past couple days.  How’s it going for you?  Been working?

Filed under: editing, writing , agent, editor, Jen Nipps, jennipps, office, romance, romantic suspense, suspense, telephone, web site, website review, write, writing

And Now There Will Be Three

First there was “Kiernan’s Curse,” which I am still revising and marketing.

Then there was “Devon’s Wish,” which is waiting for revising.

And now?

Now???

There is “Benen’s Burden,” which I have already written the first couple paragraphs. 

Just like Devon is 100 years after Kiernan, Benen is 100 years after Devon.

It starts with a (figurative) bang, too. (Should I tell ya??  )

I guess I’m going to have to figure out how to write two big projects at once (instead of writing one and editing another) because I’m still working on “Navajo Rose,” which is a contemporary taking place from Arkansas cross-country to California.  (That’s the one I asked about the rock songs for the other day.)

Filed under: editing, revisions, writing , editing, Ireland, Jen Nipps, jennipps, revising, writing