Author: roncookauthor

Even though I’ve retired from doing art and craft shows and not spending as much time in my studio, I am still maintaining my Etsy shop, and working on a few small pieces to add to my stock. A new mini Saxon Rote (lyre) will be completed mid May, followed by a mini hog-nose psaltery. Both have koa tops from wood I purchased in Kona, Hawaii, back in 1994.

What is newsworthy now, is my writing. I am working on book 4 of my Charles Blue Paranormal Mysteries. Books 1, 2, and 3 are available in bookstores and online through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. (Links are on my Author website here.) All books are in both print and ebook formats.

My new murder mystery, Murder at the Commune, has just been released May 10th. It will soon be available through all the normal sources.

A few weeks ago we were in Bellevue, Washington, for the Left Coast Crime mystery book convention. I attended a lot of panels during the four days of the convention. I was not disappointed in any of them. I also got to get together with old author friends and was able to meet several more. A good time was had by all. Next year the 2025 convention is in Denver. We already have our hotel and flights set up.

So, almost daily I alternate between making a little sawdust and writing… sawdust, writing, etc.

Onward…

It has been a few months since my last newsletter. Because I’ve retired from doing art and craft shows, not too much is going on.

I am still maintaining my Etsy shop, and do have a few small pieces I’m working on to add to the stock. Sales have been good this year with the sale of a few stringed instruments, but the biggest seller, for some reason, is my Mountain Dulcimer book. There have been almost a dozen sales since just before Christmas… most during the first three months of this year.

Not long ago I added some vintage stringed instruments I bought and restored to my Etsy shop. There are currently three autoharps from the 1890s to early 1900s. All were manufactured in Dolgeville, New York. There is also a chord zither available. It is also from the early 1900s.

Not much else happening right now, so time to sign off. Onward…

Happy New Year! It’s time to make some resolutions.

1. Finish the three small instruments I started on early last year.
2. Carve a half dozen dulcimer noters (already roughed out).
3. Carve more spoons.
4. Finish carving and assembling another medieval trestle stool.
5. Put the above items on my Etsy shop.
6. Write (already doing that).
7. Go to Left Coast Crime mystery book conference in Belleview, Washington, in April.

I think that’s enough to keep me busy for now. Other than Left Coast Crime, we haven’t planned any other driving or flying trips for this year yet. Well, it is only the first day of the year. Who knows what lays ahead.

Well, New Years is winding down, and so am I. Even though I’m basically retired from being a full-time crafts person, several of those items above were started before I retired. I’m obligated (to myself) to finish them this year.

So, onward through the fog…

Retirement does not mean that I’ve quit working or creating. It has been said that I’m a Renaissance man, because I have had so many different occupations and interests throughout my life. I do plan to continue to create a few small instruments or sculptures for my Etsy Shop. However, at this point in my life, my aim is to write daily on my novels. Currently I have several books published, and a couple more going through the editing process. I am also attending annual Mystery book conferences that are a lot of fun (and work) to attend. To find out more, go to my Ron Cook Author website.