Category Archives: Tom and Don

A WOWI session that is just Tom and Don, no guests

Announcement, Tom and Don, WOWI Session

Tom’s Farewell to WOWI

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Nearly four years ago, Tom and I took action on a somewhat thought out semi-crazy idea.  We met at a park in Coupeville, WA, and hiked down a winding dirt path to the beach below.  We sat down on some rocks, and I fired up my recording unit.  What followed — in addition to the sounds of waves, seagulls, and local jets — was our first two Writing On Whidbey Island podcast episodes.
(Episodes One & Two)

Tom Don bagpipe presentation Scotland speaking
Playing Scottish smallpipes before Tom presented his book “Walking, Thinking, Drinking Across Scotland”.

Our recording sessions have taken us all over our beloved island, and we’ve had the pleasure of spending time with several magnificent people from our local writing community.  During this time our show has grown in meaning and listeners — even gaining recognition beyond the greater literary community here on the island.

A little over a week ago, Tom and I met at the Coupeville Library for a special show — moreover, one that was bittersweet for me.  For personal reasons, Tom announced his departure from Writing On Whidbey Island — chiefly, it’s because he’s a busy guy!

authorIt was great to spend time with Tom, discussing our earlier episodes, what the show has developed into and contributed to the community, and getting to talk about the future of Writing On Whidbey Island.  I couldn’t have started this podcast without Tom, and as a founding member of WOWI he has set the show on its unique path.  With any luck, Tom will rejoin the show as a future guest with one of his next book releases.

Tom, my friend, Thank You and Good Journeys!

~ Don

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 45 – Tom Trimbath, – Author, WOWI co-founder emeritus

Links:

Amazon Author Page (non-fiction and sci-fi)

Blurb (for photo essays)

Lulu (books for fundraisers)

Twitter

LinkedIn

Tom and Don, WOWI Session

Just Tom And Don And A Bit Of Randomness

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author

Well, that didn’t go as planned; but it may have come out better. Don and I decided to book ourselves for the last interview of the year. Gaps in our schedules coincided, Coupeville Library was nice enough to let us use their meeting room, and the two of us sat down to talk about Don’s books and projects, and my books and projects. We did that, but the conversation drifted over to what life is like for authors in the shopping and selling season. 

Bake cookies author food recipeWe also talked about the value of talking to other members of our writing community. Writing does not have to be a solo venture. Fellow writers can provide insights into how readers perceive a book. The author may have one intent, but readers may find something else that is not obvious to someone who wrote, edited, and repeatedly read the book before it was published. Bicycling books may appeal to RV owners. Travel books may appeal to people from countries that weren’t visited or even mentioned. 

Tom Don bagpipe presentation Scotland speakingThis podcast has become an unplanned, informal, yet possibly useful resource built from the contributions and interviews of dozens of members of Whidbey Island’s writing community. Book store owners can bring some reality to expectations. Librarians can point to overlooked resources for research or even funding. Writers from your genre undoubtedly have encountered surprises, the good ones the bad ones and the weird ones. Successful and failed campaigns are useful as long as we learn from them. And, of course, writers can support writers simply by listening to frustrations or understanding otherwise obscure celebrations. (You finally found the right font!)

Thanks to everyone who participates by listening, being interviewed, and sharing.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and I hope your sales treat you well.

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 42 – Don And Tom And Marketing

Patriotic bagpipe sheet music food recipe cook book

Some self-promotion which should have no shame involved (because each completed work is a celebration):

Don Scoby
Websites
Whidbey Island Baking Company
BagpiperDon.com

Books
The Patriotic Piper Just the military & patriotic Highland bagpipe sheet music Scot-Irish recipe and history book you were looking for — it’s also a FUNdraiser item for my veterans’ Post!
Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies My debut book — featuring 50+ proven recipes, including beverages and comfort food.
Let’s Bake Cookie Squares and Biscotti! My FREE sample recipe e-book … did I mention it’s FREE?

Tom Trimbath
Website – TrimbathCreative.net
Email – tetrimbath@gmail.com

Narratives – Amazon Author page

Just Keep Pedaling, a bicycle ride across America (one man’s failed attempt to lose weight, really) 
Twelve Months at Barclay Lake – from the wet side of Washington’s Cascades (party party)
Twelve Months at Lake Valhalla – from the cold crest of the Cascades (frozen more than thawed)
Twelve Months at Merritt Lake – from the dry side of the Cascades (with more than a whiff of smoke)
Dream. Invest. Live. – personal finance for frugal folks (by request)
Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland – but could’ve used more drinking
Kettle Pot Cup – a light-hearted look at the way we really drink tea
Firewatcher – book one of the Exodus/Genesis sci-fi series

 

Photo essays – Blurb https://www.blurb.com/user/tetrimbath

Twelve Months at Cultus Bay
Twelve Months at Deception Pass
Twelve Months at Admiralty Head
Twelve Months at Penn Cove
Twelve Months at Double Bluff
Twelve Months at Maxwelton Beach
Twelve Months at Possession Beach
Twelve Months at Possession Preserve
Twelve Months at Dugualla Bay

Announcement, Tom and Don, Workshop, WOWI Session

WOWI – 3 Years Running!

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Happy Birthday cake three years old
Click the cake to help us blow out the candles …

Wait — WHAT — WOWI is 3 years old?!?  Yeah — that’s right — 3 years ago Tom and I sat down and recorded our first Writing On Whidbey Island episode!  I remember it fondly … a beach in Coupeville … with waves, and seagulls, and jets.  This past Wednesday, Tom and I sat down — this time at a picnic table (we’re moving up!) — meeting for our 3 year anniversary show … with seagulls and near the water of Oak Harbor … with the potential for overhead jets … so, actually, not much has changed.

Oak Harbor’s newly remodeled Windjammer Park served as our backdrop.  Our audience was a flock seagulls, while our special effects were ash and smoke that smelled like charming pipe-tobacco emanating from the southern Washington forest fire.

From Inspiration To Publication Self-publishing workshop writer author book

Tom and I discussed how the show has grown over 3 years, where it’s going, what we each have been up to in writing lately (*See Links Below*), and our upcoming From Inspiration To Publication workshop .  This 1-day workshop will be co-presented in Coupeville WA October 15th 2022 by Tom and myself — See You There!

Tom has two new books recently published!  Check out …

 

Tom and Don

WOWI 2021 Year End and Forward!

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Tom and I recently decided to wrap up 2021 the same way we started WOWI — meeting together and talking about what’s up in writing as we know it! This may be our longest recording session yet — jam-packed with reflection and looking forward into 2022 and beyond.

Among other things, in this session we find out that Tom is working on a sci-fi novel with potential for being a series with sequels and spin-offs. He’s also bringing his book on tea to fruition — sure to be filled with local flavour!

As for me … I have 3 new recipe books nearly complete, publishing sometime in (Fall?) 2022. Just as soon as those are done, I already have 3 half-complete projects to move up from the back burner. Depending on how those go … I might publish 4 new titles in 2022. I’m also taking steps to become a professional audiobook narrator.

Enjoy! ~ Don

Honorable Mentions & Handy Weblinks From This Episode of WOWI

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 30 – WOWI 2021 Year End and Forward!

In-Person, Tom and Don, WOWI Session

Don And Tom Reconnect WOWI

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On a typical marvelous day in Coupeville, Don and I found an opportunity to set these podcasts back on their original track. At the start, we crafted these episodes based on our resources, i.e. two guys, a microphone, an interest in highlighting the writing community of Whidbey Island, and a willingness to adapt and learn. Writers are creative people. We did what we could with what we had. The pandemic changed things (understatement.) And now, thanks to responsible folks wearing masks and getting vaccinated, enough progress has been made that we could return to something like our original concept. Uh. How did we do this a little more than a year ago? We begin again. 

We started with live, largely uncut interviews and discussions with various members of the expansive yet unofficial Whidbey Island writing community. Guests included writers, of course, but also editors, publishers, poets, librarians, book sellers, book collectors, etc. Our community is varied. Whidbey Island is varied, too. So, we recorded at a variety of locations. The background became part of the show. Listen for ambience that includes jets, turkeys, dogs, businesses, pedestrians, etc. The island provides a long list to include.

Then, the pandemic hit. Zoom this. Google Meet that. Everyone was remote. Everyone was required to have a bit of technological skill. And of course that thing we all needed, a sense of humor, somehow.

Now, we’re back – or at least we hope we are – sort of. For the first time in over a year, Don and I recorded a live, masked-face-to-masked-face episode. The bonus was a setting that included the sounds of eagles, people, and maybe a ferry. Our personal bonus was a view of the Sound, Port Townsend, the Olympics, and the usual extraordinary panoramas from near the Admiralty Head Lighthouse. Why not include someone as a guest? Well, partly, we had to see if we remembered all of the gadgets and setup considerations. (Good thing Don remembered the extra batteries.)

It was good to reconnect and remember those other bits of communication that are harder to convey online. Body language, hand signals, stifled laughs – as well as a reminder to not bump the microphone.

And there was a lot to talk about. Those months weren’t wasted. Turning binge watching into a way to research writers’s styles. A surplus of uninterrupted time to write. Dealing with a support network, or at least fellow writers, that are necessarily more remote. Marketing campaigns that can’t rely on readings, signings, panels, or talks. 

Listen for our personal adaptations and approaches, as well as progress in our individual projects – including opening hints about a possible group project for sci-fi writers. 

If you have a story to tell about your recently released book, how you managed your marketing campaign, how your business survived, how your organization adapted, whatever, send us a note about possibly being one of our guests. (If we get too many we might have to put all the names in a basket and see what luck provides.)

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 23 – Don and Tom Reconnect