Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Wagon Doors
Hello, all. Now and then I find a way that I can participate in the Thursday Doors blog posts, hosted by Dan Antion. “Dead of Winter: Journey 4, The Old Road” lets me do that because of a detail in my writing process. There are a few things I try to include in all of my stories: an unexpected ability, an unusual weapon, and a unique form of transportation. The one about transportation comes into play in the fourth novelette in this series, with the Deae Matres wagons.
I had my Boabhan character create an ingenious design for what Emlyn described as “little houses on wheels.” Journey 4 goes into detail about how efficiently she used the small amount of space in designing the wagons.
I had fun, mentally constructing my wagons. Truthfully, in my mind they are taller and more house-like than gypsy wagons… but for the purpose of images, those vardo wagons will do. You can see one parked behind a tree on the book cover if Dead of Winter: Journey 4, The Old Road. I won’t include the wagon design passage here, but heck, you can read the e-book for 99¢.
The door on this vardo is cool. The top half opens from the middle, while the lower half opens at the side.
These two don’t look anything like my imagining of the “little houses on wheels” in my story, but they’re so cute. I like the four-part doors.
Below, that’s the door where you see the small window. Again, how cute!
If you haven’t already, I invite you to join me on the monthly novelette Journeys of “Dead of Winter.” Wagons ho!
Dead of Winter: Journey 4, The Old Road
Here’s a 5-Star review of Journey 4 from fellow author D.L. Finn. Click HERE for REVIEW.
The slide show shows the book covers I made for all the novelettes so far — plus one for the May installment, not yet released.
Dead of Winter — All the Journeys
Journey 4, the Old Road
Kindle: relinks.me/B092G5LB7R
Paperback: relinks.me/B092M51Y88
Journey 3, the Fever Field
Kindle: elinks.me/B08XTNZ9M8
Paperback: relinks.me/B08XXY3JXF
Journey 2, Penllyn
Kindle: relinks.me/B08VMNSF97
Paperback: relinks.me/B08VLMR2KD
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-of-winter-journey-2-penllyn
Journey 1, Forlorn Peak
Kindle: relinks.me/B08RBBVRGX
Paperback: relinks.me/B08R7RH4F5
Thanks for visiting. I’d love to hear from you in a comment. Hugs on the wing!
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This is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 and 2021 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.
Teagan's Books 
Beautiful post, Teagan. I love those old gypsy wagons. When I was a child, here in Ireland, we often saw them on the roads but not anymore. Tourists can hire them nowadays, horse and all, to travel on designated country routes, with arranged camping sites along the way.
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Wow! I didn’t know about that, Jane. I suppose that’s one way of keeping the way of life alive. Thanks for visiting here. Hugs on the wing!
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These wagons are specular!!! A really nice post.
Pat
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Welcome, Pat! Thanks so much. Have a brilliant new week. Hugs on the wing!
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🙂
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I loved the wagons and how you tied them in to your book series, Teagan. Congratulations on Denise’s excellent review!
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Hi Mark — it’s great to see you. Thanks for your encouragement. Have a terrific new week. Hugs on the wing!
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You are welcome, Teagan. 🙂
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I’ve enjoyed browsing through all the comments and I do not think I can add anything more complimentary, other than they are really beautiful, actually, and I would like to see the inside of them. I am sure they are as pretty as they are on the outside. Keep up your good story, I am excited about starting at the beginning when I finish the book I have started.
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You are so kind, Ms. Frances — thank you! Try this link to see a lot of pictures of the insides:
https://www.google.com/search?q=vardo+wagons+inside&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS759US759&sxsrf=ALeKk01boDhW3dE1qCb28WEoBZ7ifGmciA:1619220973543&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiU-8KXxJXwAhXHuZ4KHSypCnMQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1067&bih=526
If the link does not work, go to Google and type VARDO WAGONS INSIDE. Then hit your Enter key.
Then, just under the box where you typed that, see ALL, IMAGES, SHOPPING, NEWS
Click on IMAGES
That should take you to a page full of photo if the insides of gypsy wagons. I hope you have fun browsing them.
I’m tickled pink that you are going to be joining the Journeys. Hugs on the wing!
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Will you ever collect the novelettes into volumes?
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Hi Marian. I might make an omnibus when it’s all finished. But I will price it according to the combined price of the individual journeys, in fairness to people who have been getting them. That would also be about a year away, as I estimate somewhere around 12 Journeys.
Thanks for visiting. Hugs!
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The wagons are very neat, and you are definitely participating in Dan’s Doors!
I hope many are enjoying your serial. My taxing taxes are almost done, and I only have 1 drawing commission… Dracula, which is almost finished. I’ve done 3 already. The person who commissioned the Dracula can have their pick. I have plans for the other 3.
Then I will tackle the KOBO reader, and get the hang of it. It works different than the Kindle.
Anyway! {{hugs}}
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Thanks Resa, it’s good to see you.
I don’t like the way the story looks on Kobo — it looks… cheap. They’ve never sent me a sales report or deposit, but good luck with their reader.
I look forward to seeing your Draculas and your next art gowns! Hugs winging back to you.
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I love these primitive RVs. 🙂 They are pretty amazing for the times, especially the ornates ones. Thanks for sharing, Teagan!
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In bygone days, it seems like they put effort into making everything beautiful, Jan. Wouldn’t it be amazing to take a little excursion in one of them? Thanks for visiting. Hugs on the wing!
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I love these pictures, Teagan. I am also fascinated with wagons. My interested started when my Granny Joan read Little house in the Big Woods to me when I was about seven. I’ve loved wagons ever since and am planning to make one out of gingerbread for Christmas this year.
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I remember you talking about those books, Robbie. I can’t wait to see your gingerbread wagon! Thanks for taking time to visit. Hugs on the wing.
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I think Bond and I could be very comfy in those wagons with a window seat for him and a stack of books for me!
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Ooh, now that is a serene thought, Teri. Purr-fect, in fact. You’re the cat’s pajamas!
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I love those wagons, Teagan! Especially the really ornate one.
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I’d love to see inside that one, Deborah. The whimsy of the wagons is wonderful. Stay safe and well. Hugs on the wing!
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Me too! I hope you stay safe and well too! Hugs! 🥰
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It is a creative idea to always include a unique form of transportation in your books. It could become a special feature that your readers look forward to. “What is Teagan going to come up with this time?” I especially like the gypsy wagon. It conjures up images of a hot dog on wheels.😊
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Haha! Pete, I’ll be playing childhood commercial jingles in my head for the rest of the day..
My first published novel (Atonement, Tennessee) gave one character a purple Volkswagen beetle. The Pip 1920s stories were filled with fun vintage autos, an unfinished 1970s novel has a customized Vista Cruiser station wagon (among others), of course The Delta Pearl has the magical riverboat, Thistledown has a unicycle, and a dog-powered cart (their tails spin), and my work in (endless) process blasts through all the limits with unique vehicles.
Have a great rest of the week. Hugs on the wing!
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Just loved these. I wonder what it’s like to live in them. Travelers now have huge RVs.
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Hi Noelle. I’m delighted you enjoyed it. I love to see the vintage re-done travel trailers too. I actually hoped to make my cross country move here using an RV, but it just didn’t work out. A one-way rental, was way too complicated, and getting it would have added a couple of days to my trip, and hundreds of miles. New life. Time for new dreams. Stay safe and well. Hugs!
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We thought about taking a trip to Maine in an RV, but horror stories about flat tires, breakdowns and general filth changed our minds. Also the cost of gas. Cheaper to fly, believe it or not!
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Oh, flying is definitely cheaper. I had other reasons — partly moving my cat who is extremely sensitive. And not having to unload and reload a bunch of backache inducing gear to stop at hotels. But the logistics of getting the one-way rental were just out of the question. And once I got here, I would have had to to an extra 4 hours out of the way to drop it off. For my purpose, there was a lot involved. There are thousands of things to consider when making a cross-country move alone. Here’s to cozy thoughts. Hugs!
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Sometime I’ll have to blog about Hubs and my cross country trips – one out to California and the other back!
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Absolutely. I imagine more than one great adventure along the way — both ways. 😀
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I like the wagon doors and the wagons in your story. Xo
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Thanks so much, Denise. I only found your wonderful review this morning, and added it to this post. I’ve been glowing from it all day. I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for being part of these journeys. Hugs on the wing.
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‘Wagon Doors Lovely, Teagan – my best wishes..
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What a treat to see you, Billy Ray! I’m happy you enjoyed this. Stay safe and well. Hugs on the wing!
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Great wagons and doors, Teagan. I’ll bet your little houses are terrific. Hugs.
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Thanks, John. I really thought I might be able to find some more like the ones in my head, but the gypsy wagons are certainly beautiful. Stay safe and well, my friend. Hugs on the wing!
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Thank you, Teagan
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Awesome door photos! Journey 4 is a good one.:-)
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Thanks about Journey 4, Priscilla. I’m glad you enjoyed the wagons. I should have included some interior photos too. Hugs on the wing!
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Very cool and beautiful wagons, Teagan, and how fun to imagine and work on. I just finished Journey 1 and loved it. So, on to Journey 2! All of your covers look great, and you have me intrigued now in following Emlyn’s story. I also like how you’re including a few things in each book. Clever and unique to your writing. I look forward to continuing on this journey. Hugs 🥰
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Hi Lauren. Welcome to the Journeys! I’m tickled pink that you enjoyed the first one. The others are longer, but still quick reads. The monthly installments aren’t long enough for me to include those things in each one, but they are in several. Huge thanks for visiting and commenting. Hugs on the wing!
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Cool wagons with beautiful doors.
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Thanks, Tim. I’ve been fascinated with that kind of thing since the first time I saw a camping trailer as a kid. Stay safe and well. Hugs on the wing!
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We had camping trailers when I was growing up. we used to go camping for two weeks every summer. I never liked it much.
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Oh, cool. That sounds like good memories.
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I loved the wagon doors! What a fun post, Teagan. The photos are gorgeous, and what a great tie-in for The Old Road!
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It’s good to see you, Mae. I’m happy you enjoyed this. It’s such fun to imagine that kind of wagon. I love revamped vintage travel trailers too — or converted school buses. They seem whimsical to me. Hugs on the wing!
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Fun wagons, Teagan. I don’t think I d like to live in one but I love the idea of them. Your imagination is incredible. Now I can’t wait for the next Journey. Hugs trundling you way via painted wagonm
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Thank you kindly Pat. I hope you’re having a great week. Hugs on the wing!
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These doors are perfect to add to Dan’s doors. He and I are partial to the historic ones and these are an ideal fit.
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Hi GP. I didn’t think about these being historic, but indeed they are. I’m glad you enjoyed visiting, because it’s certainly a joy to see you. Hugs on the wing!
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Always a pleasure to be here!
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I’m glad you brought these doors to share, Teagan. The doors add to the lovely description of the interior of the wagon in the Journey. I love how you handle descriptions of the unusual things you include in your stories. Your characters question the things I would question, but in a subtle way that just adds to the story. I learn about these marvelous inventions of your mind almost without realizing that I’m learning. I have to add, that as a cabinetmaker (in a previous portion of my life) the description had me thinking about how these wonderful mobile structures were made. That was an added pleasure while reading “The Old Road.”
I hope you’re having a great week – Wagons ho!
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Thanks, Dan. Oh, gosh — I admire your woodworking skills so much — I can’t believe I forgot about that when I was editing Journey 4. Good thing I did, because I would have felt intimidated by the prospect. LOL. I’m relieved to get this great feedback.
Yes it’s a beautiful week here. I hope the snow is finally done there. Now I need to get those wagons rolling to work on Journey 5. 😉 And I know it’s not the same thing, but I’ve had the theme from Rawhide in my head for two days now because of this post. Ha! Hugs on the wing!
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Rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ kep those doggies rollin’ … 🙂
You did a fine job describing the wagons. I was impressed.
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These are gorgeous, Teagan. I love the decorations, and it also reminds me of the barges you can see in the canals in the UK, where some people live all year around. I guess minihouses on wheels have always existed, even if they’ve become more popular recently. I’m looking forward to reading this fourth journey even more now, Teagan. Stay safe!
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Oh! I’ve seen television shows about some of those barges, Olga. They’re marvelous. LOL, maybe there’s a river-traveling branch of the Deae Matres somewhere. Hugs on the wing!
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