Wayzgoose is a pen name/avatar I have used online for well over a decade. I used it for my 'serious writing' which I first published in 2007. I started using the moniker while I was still teaching publishing and design software and theory… a long time ago.
Which brings me to the meaning of the term. A wayzgoose was the party traditionally thrown by 15th century printers for their typesetters, usually in August or thereabouts. It marked the beginning of the time that typesetters would have to start working by candlelight. In other words, they were working such long hours that it got dark before quitting time! No daylight saving time for these dudes. It was part of the lore that I taught in my classes and I believe the first time I used it as one of my email addresses was sometime in the early 90s.
And why is this of interest to you?
Today, I created a new pen name on SOL: Wayzgoose. I created it for two reasons. First, I've been talking a lot about working on my new literary novel, City Limits. A few (very few) people have expressed an interest in reading it, even though it is a no-sex story. It will be published in June, but I've decided to give it away here as a sneak preview starting in April.
Second, I figured that my books have been in the market long enough that new sales are pretty rare, so I've decided to serialize my backlist here in case some new readers might get interested. So, after City Limits, I'll start putting up my cyber mystery, For Money or Mayhem. Eventually, I'll get all five books on my backlist up here for your reading enjoyment.
Third, (I know I said two, but I'm making up another) I'm not happy with my latest Devon Layne/aroslav endeavor. Even after rewriting, I think The Props Master 2: A Touch of Magic, needs another going over, which means it won't appear here for at least another couple of months. I just don't think it's up to the standard of my other stories and need to spend more time working on it.
The summary of this diatribe is that I'll start weekly posts as Wayzgoose of City Limits on Wednesday, April 4 before it goes live on Amazon and other sites in June. There won't be another aroslav story in the next month of two.
In other news, I lost another hour in my writing day today when I crossed from New Mexico into Texas. I'm now in the Central Time Zone. Camped tonight in windy Amarillo, TX, I'm headed down toward Lubbock to visit my sister for the weekend.
I somehow interpreted the lost hour as a lost week. I was certain that Sunday was April 1 and was panicked that I had not the slightest idea of what to write for Camp NaNoWriMo. As it turns out, I have another week to figure that out. Color me relieved!
I've decided to take another untried route when I turn and head north next week. I haven't been in a hurry to head north because of the weather. Snow in Seattle? No thanks! But looking at my maps, I discovered that I can stick to foothills for the next five hundred miles. In the past, I've intersected with and traveled small portions of US 385, but this looks like an opportunity to drive it from North Texas to the Wyoming/Colorado state line before I start west on I-80 to Cheyenne and Laramie. I owe a visit to the Coe Library on the UWyo campus now that the Redtail/Blackfeather/Yelloweye series is complete. They were really a great help in getting it researched.
I could be wrong, but I don't think there is a town of more than a thousand souls between Littlefield, TX and Julesburg, CO. I'm just hoping I'll have an internet connection occasionally.
Well, that about sums up the adventure of late. Remember, you can always check my travel blog at https://firstexit0.blogspot.com/.
Enjoy!