There and Back Again Day 3

Side note/update: Caught up on emails and blog posts. Did I mention that I disconnected from the world? My little phone is able to make calls and texts. That's it. I only sent texts to let family know where I was. No phone. No computer. No television (by choice). No radio. I'm also realizing that I sometimes note something on one day when it was on another, a bit of blending. I'm endeavoring to be as accurate as possible. Should have taken better notes. Oh, wait! I took notes. I can't find them. *pfft*

On the road again.

We woke between 5:15 and 5:30 AM, dressed, packed the Suburban, and ate breakfast at 6 AM. At 6:30 AM we picked up our fourth hobbit, who did the driving. S has driven the route so many times she could do it in her sleep. We didn't use the interstate but two-lane back roads.

It was beautiful driving through northern Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. We arrived at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, Kentucky, in the afternoon. We settled in. L, J, and S in the sitting room, which included a couple of overstuffed armchairs, an ottoman, and a couch. I was given the bedroom as I was the only one who loves the orthopedic foam mattress. Woohoo!

My walls were covered with costumes:

I wore the brown stretch velvet with lace sleeves above. The costumes were mostly L's, and she generously shared with me.

L wore these. Those are my bedtime socks on the bed and my carryon bag.

I wore these to dinner, combining them into three different outfits.

We met one of our online friends, T, and went to dinner together at the Old Owl Tavern. I wasn't particularly hungry. I looked at what was available that I could eat. The joy of being allergic to all things pepper, of any kind. The only possibility was a kale and poached pear salad. Really? I wasn't thrilled. Not a fan of kale or greens for that matter. A firm reminder that "I'm going on an adventure," which included food (within reason), and I ordered the salad. It included goat cheese and bacon. Oh. My. Goodness! It was delicious. I'd order it again, without hesitation.

One more stop before heading home, Krogers, to pick up a few things. They had my newly discovered Vitacoco water, on sale. Now the tricky part. I had a store card for the grocery store that sells Kroger products in Arizona. Would it work in Kentucky? Yes!

Home, and I was ready to go to bed at 10 PM. I'd adapted quickly to the three-hour time difference.

There and Back Again Day 2

The first room had little roaches running around on the desk. We were given another room. We woke around 5:30 AM. I was last. We readied for the day, packed the Suburban, and ate breakfast at 6 AM.

On the road again, we finished crossing Louisiana, long bridges over huge areas of water. We crossed Mississippi into Alabama and headed north. We cut across to Atlanta and took the loop around, hitting some road construction. It slowed us, but it could have been worse.

We continued on to Dawsonville, Georgia, and met our fourth adventurer. The four hobbits went to dinner, and I ordered a hamburger on ciabatta and French fries. It was yummy. I think it was Ruby Tuesday. Again, I wrote notes and have no idea where they ended up.

The company laughed and planned. Another hotel. No roaches, blessedly.

I didn't see much of the countryside because walls of trees lined I-10.

 
Sugarcane fields. 

An old dog learning new tricks...

I grew up using a little 110 camera. It was a great little camera. I learned to create compositions and frame without Photoshop. It didn't exist.

I tried a camera a little more sophisticated, a 35 mm, but didn't like the results as well. So I went back to my 110. My little camera went to Yellowstone, Thailand, and Europe.

Then I couldn't find 110 film. They stopped making it.

Using a 35 mm simply wasn't the same.

Then everything went digital. Whoa! For the most part, I quit taking photos.

My BFF bought a new camera and sent the old digital to me. Perfect! The little critter terrified me. It sat in its box for months and months and months... Yeah, you get the idea.

This year's word, instead of New Year Resolutions, is CREATE.

I determined to learn how to use the camera. With BFF's help, I figured out how to take pictures. I couldn't figure out how to download them. I put it away for a while. I'd take occasional pictures, and they would sit in my camera, all alone and unseen.

Last week, BFF offered to walk me through the download process.

Success!!

This rose was outside my window last April.

March 25 is Tolkien Reading Day...

I've lived in Arizona all my life, with a few odd trips here and there. This past weekend, my California friends celebrated Tolkien Reading Day. They gathered together and read passages from various Tolkien works. The Hobbit was the main focus, of course, what with the release of the DVD, last Friday.

This was the third year I missed.

For eight years, I went to L.A. once or twice a year, only for a weekend. I stayed with a couple of dear friends. Most of our activities were Lord of the Rings related. We talked. We laughed. I relaxed.

The first few years, there were no trips to the ocean. I didn't want to go. My memories of the ocean were of the northern California coast where the waves crashed so loud I couldn't hear myself think. I wanted to turn down the volume. It drove me crazy I couldn't make it stop.

Finally, one of my dearest friends talked me into eating at the Belmont Brewery, right there on Belmont Beach. We walked in the sand afterward, listening to the soft whoosh, whoosh of the tide. I was enchanted. Every time I visited thereafter, it was arranged for me to spend at least a little time at Belmont Beach, walking in the sand. I discovered the pleasure of walking close enough to the ocean for the tide to wash over my feet.

I've missed my friends in L.A., and I've missed walking along the beach. I've also missed the Reading Day event. There were two passages I particularly enjoyed sharing, the crossing of the ford and the destruction of the Ring. I was honored to be asked to do the latter several years in a row.

I miss the laughter. I miss the friendship, the camaraderie, the sense of belonging. I miss the sense of peace that always encompassed me.

Now, whenever I see L.A. on some television show, like NCIS Los Angeles, the first thought to race through my mind is "When are you going home?" I can't explain it. I only know that every time I fly there, there might as well be a giant magnetic force. As we fly over the mountains into the Los Angeles Valley, my heart sings, "Home. We're home."

11 years later...

Eleven years ago, yesterday, the world changed...

I promised myself I would change.

I did.

I discovered my emotions and made friends with them.

I discovered the community of Lord of the Rings fans.

I discovered amazing new friends.

I discovered writing.

I discovered how difficult it was to stop lying, especially to myself.

What have I accomplished in 11 years?

God blessed me with guidance and gentle chastisement so I could recognize the lies in my life and stop lying.

God blessed me with amazing friends and a huge support system.

God blessed me with courage to pursue writing.

Peace with myself.

Abundant love.

Dreams realized.

Arizona Dreamin'...

...A Romance Reader Event.

It was fantastic!

Start with the whining: I crashed. Everything that could go wrong, as far as my body is concerned, did go wrong. Under any other circumstances, I would have sent myself to my room on Friday, curled up in bed, and stayed there until Sunday or today. Not sick. A bit dehydrated, though I tried to stay on top of that, allergies, etc. This weekend, giving in was not an option.

Now, for the fun stuff: Picked up,  April London, (an aspiring writer) and one of my facebook friends, at the airport. (Keeping names private, unless sharing a link to a professional site.) Checked in, and helped with stuffing goody bags, which included books, bookmarks, trading cards, a CD or two, anything a book industry person wanted to donate.

With the time I had before the wine and cheese party, I worked on backstory for Mark, who's been modeled, in many respects, after international cover model and businessman Jimmy Thomas. Jimmy is on over 3,000 book covers. He created his own book cover company, making professional covers for a wide variety of romance genres. Recently, he added Romance Novel Center, a site for connecting authors, cover artists, models, editors, publishers, etc. I'm learning the importance of connecting with others in the industry. I've already had the opportunity to share information as others have shared information with me.

"A" kept the schedule straight, and I learned to let go of the need to be right and trusted her. We arrived on time to the wine and cheese/meet and greet. Unfortunately the A/C was out, so the hospitality suite was incredibly warm. As reserved as I tend to be -- or believe myself to be -- I was amazed at the number of people I knew and with whom I felt comfortable chatting.

Gail and Jenifer, from Desert Breeze Publishing, were there. They were surprised to see me because I hadn't mentioned I was attending. My excuses: I was busy worrying about the Desert Dreams Conference, editing, writing, and more editing. The truth: A part of me didn't believe I was worthy of being noticed. I'm working on it. I know it's all in my head. Long-held habits are difficult to break. Learning to be honest with myself is a start.

I enjoyed chatting with Gail and Jenifer and look forward to working with them. They're funny and made me feel very welcomed to the Desert Breeze family. Jenifer wisely brought a fan and generously shared the breeze.

My main reason for attending? To meet some wonderful friends I've made online, amazing, incredible women. I'm so grateful for the privileged to call them friends. (Meeting Jimmy again wasn't a bad reason either. *g*)

Jimmy had joined the party, and yes, he remembered meeting me at the Chocolate Affair and didn't wait to give me a hug. The man knows how to hug. Charming and personable, as always.

I'm not one much for parties, but for the first time in my life truly wanted the evening to never end. We moved the party to one of our rooms. It was such a pleasure to chat face to face. Rhonda Plumhoff, who writes cookbooks Literary Chocolate, shared some of her decadent truffles. Dark chocolate truffles -- melt in your mouth deliciousness.

Sleep beckoned, I thought. The first night, I couldn't settle. Made it to bed by 2am; woke at 3am, and again at 4am, and gave up. Feeling wide awake, I continued to work on my current WIP until breakfast time. "A" was up early as well. Biscuits and gravy for me. Eventually we were joined by others. Registration started at 10am, where we were given our goody bags, schedule for the day, and signed up for author workshops. I was feeling a little rough around the edges, so left myself plenty of time, I hoped, for being down. Good thing. At noon, there was "speed-dating" with the 20 authors with the 95 participants. The authors would move from table to table giving their "pitch," helping attendees decide which six authors with whom they wanted to share a half hour workshop. I went to my room and crashed. I set the alarm for 1:30pm. When it sounded, I felt like I was swimming through quicksand to the surface of wakefulness.

At 2pm, pictures with Jimmy started. I hung out with my friends and watched, and yes had my picture taken with him. One was taken Friday night and shared on his Official Fan Page at Facebook. This one was the official Arizona Dreamin' backdrop. Sitting and watching the photo shoot and chatting with friends was a joy.

My friends made sure I attended Deena Remiel's workshop. I know Deena from Desert Rose, and she writes paranoormal romance. It's been fun to watch her writing journey.

Time for dinner, and the readers sat with their favorite authors who would set up their own table. I was honored to be sitting with my friends at Jimmy Thomas's table. I want to be an author at next year's Arizona Dreamin', and he's set a high standard.

The Man of Our Dreams contest: The four men, JP, the winner, Ron, Andrew, and Ryan were all delightful and played to the crowd of mostly women with enthusiasm and good humor. They took pictures afterward with anyone who wanted one, again with a donation to a charitable cause (HDSA). They were great sports.

Again, my friends took me to another workshop. This time it was Morgan Kearns. Her passion for writing was catching, and I'm looking forward to more of her books. I was able to ask a question I'd been holding ever since I read one of her books. I was definitely there as a reader. :-)

More socializing in the hospitality suite, ending the event where it began. Though there was now A/C, there were lots of people, so it was pretty warm. By 10pm, my eyes were starting to do the blink, blink, blink, can't stay open much longer routine. I took myself to bed, reluctantly.

I slept a little better, but still woke at 5am, without the alarm. I readied myself for the day and went for a short walk outside to enjoy the sunrise. I sang a few hymns to myself, amused by how little voice I had. I hadn't realized you could lose your voice from laughing. I also realized something else: Last week, I'd been struggling with this path I've chosen. I asked God for a breadcrumb. Yes, He did it again: He sent a whole loaf.

A breakfast of biscuits and gravy quickly turned into a feast of laughter as we gathered one more time. And then it was done. Not truly over because we all plan to attend next year, but done for now. This time, my sister took "A" and "S" to the airport, so we had a little longer to chat.

What else I realized: I often don't feel like I fit in anywhere. As I shared this weekend, I was amazed by how comfortable I felt and how much I felt a part. I was a part of a group, several groups, where I belonged in one way or another. What was different about these friends? I realized it applied to all of the friends I've met online: These are the people who accepted me from the beginning, not because they knew me or my family, not because of the way I looked or how successful I am, not for what I do or for my standing in the community. We share a common interest, and they accepted me because they believe me. They believe I am the person I try to be. They believe I am worth knowing and worthy of notice. I feel the same way about them. More? In a world where identity theft is commonplace and con-artists (spammers et. al.) abound, we each have chosen to practice a remarkable level of trust. I'm honored by the trust they've shared with me.

Forgiveness...

I love FaceBook. It connects me to people I probably would not have met otherwise. They bring inspiration and smiles into my life.

This link was posted over at FaceBook. http://marshill.com/2012/02/15/9-things-forgiveness-is-not I was amazed by the comprehensiveness and clarity.

"Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24

A little more to do...

All week, I've been working through a list of things that need to be done. For most of the week, I've felt overwhelmed. That feeling is beginning to ease. There is much that isn't finished yet, but most of it is close, as in within the next few days.

I find myself having to learn new routines and habits, as I endeavor to fit in my expanding responsibilities. Once I have a schedule, I think it will be substantially easier. Television is disappearing from my life, and I'm fine with that. There are other things that are more interesting to me.

Those who have been so supportive all week made the difference between laughter and tears on numerous occasions. I'm so grateful for all the help and encouragement.

Sharing a blog and progress...

I've spent the past week endeavoring to work out my bio. It isn't that hard, but I'm struggling. Asking me about my writing, and I'll talk your ear off. Ask me about myself, and clam comes to mind, until I feel comfortable, and then I'm a babbling brook. Fortunately, I have a passel of friends who are willing to give me input and feedback. Bless them.

Over at the Lower North Shore blog, Anne Gracie shared an article titled Just Start. She has some wonderful ideas for those thinking about writing a book. I use them myself.

Taking a deep breath...

I enjoyed a delightful chat with a dear friend this morning. Thanks, God.

My thoughts are few and scattered. It's like that after meeting a deadline, even a self-imposed one.

There are other projects to work on for a day or two, and then it will be back to completing stories. Characters are clamoring for attention. Ignoring them only makes them testy and shout louder. :-)

Day Twenty-Three of NaNoWriMo...

2124 total ~ 39785 Not a bad days work. I think I'll turn in a little early, and start in again in the morning. I think I've even managed to clear my head of ideas, for the moment. I know what's coming next, but I'm hoping I'll be able to leave it alone, until tomorrow. Thank you God, for friends who remind me of what truly matters. For friends who help me sort through my crowded thoughts. For friends who believe in me. For friends who lift me. For friends who have taught me about trusting in Thee. My treat for finishing earlier than usual tonight: Deck the Halls by Arlene James, one of my Must-Read authors.

Day Twelve of NaNoWriMo...

2258 total ~ 22307 I'm not sure how good today's chapter is, but it moves the story forward. The next part is already written, but will now need some serious editing. That being said, the word total will still need to be met. I can to do this. I'm simply in awe of what this month has been like for me, what I've accomplished. My dreams hinted at this possibility, but I'm not sure I actually believed in myself or my ability. Granted, I haven't sold anything yet, but I'm hopeful, and I'm not giving up. I will do what I may, and turn what is beyond my abilities over to God. Thank you, God, for the amazing friends You have brought into my life. They lift and inspire and encourage in countless ways and so often precisely when I need it. All things are in Your capable hands, and I am learning to trust the truth of that.

Another chapter...

The POV is straightened out, and the next chapter is ready to be tackled, when I'm more awake, tomorrow morning. I'm learning a lot in this whole process, including that my writing has improved a lot in the last several years. Good to know.

I enjoyed a wonderful break with a dear friend, today. It says a lot that I was still able to meet my word count. Whoohoo! I also managed to work on a few other projects, and do a bit of my PTBW. I am blessed.

Not much writing...

...was accomplished, today. Not necessarily a bad thing. I had a delightful chat with a very dear friend. We spent quite a bit of time talking writing. Sometimes, it helps to talk things through, solidifying ideas and concepts. A lot of my "think" time is spent fleshing out my characters. It may never make it into the story, but helps me recognize what matters in the story and what is extra information.

Other writing was accomplished, which is also taking a clearer form.

God is good.

Cleaning up...

Today, I cleaned up chapter 1 of book 3. With the new information I'd gleaned, this past weekend, there were a lot of things that needed to be explained, clarified, and changed. I'm much happier with it. I also needed more detailed information on a Sunday service, for chapter 2. Thanks to ((Mary)) for talking me through. Lots of notes, and I'll tackle chapter 2, tomorrow.

And the project is moving forward. I'm learning a lot about myself.

A little bit of everything...

I've started mapping book 3 and book 5, which will follow the short story that I also spent a little time expanding. Book 5 isn't part of the first three, but does have a character that was introduced, only briefly in book 2. It's stand alone. I love series that have characters from other books. It's like an inside joke. My dear friend also edited the first two chapters of book 2. I love working with her. She notices little things that add so much to the story. She'll request something that I think can't work, and I'll explain why. Somehow, in the process I figure out how to make it work. Thanks God.

Coming along...

Completed an important scene, today. It wound up much longer than I anticipated, but I'm much happier with it now. I'll edit it, tomorrow. I added about 1,600 words. I want to continue to do this, increasing the number of words added a day. If I truly want to pursue this, then I need to stop holding myself back. I admit that I'm afraid of failing. What if I throw myself in wholeheartedly, and nothing comes of it? I was going to say that I've done it before and failed, but I'm not sure I've ever wholeheartedly thrown myself into anything. I tend to always hold at least a little bit of myself back. Or is that simply a habit from previous disappointments? I don't know. There's so much of my life I don't remember, for good reason. That being said, I'm trying to live in the here and now, fully, wholly, so I'll endeavor to do so. Today was a good day, by the end. Thanks to inspiration and God-given friends.

Good work done...

Another 10 pages edited, and over 1,400 words added to the current WIP. Homework done. The Project taking shape. Thank you, God, for a bit of inspiration. Only God would nudge my mind with the realization that my completed manuscript was missing a detail, and where it belonged. Done. God also blessed me with wonderful friends who lift me up, encourage me, and strengthen my faith in God's loving plan for me.

Moving forward...

Edited/added another 15 pages. Added almost 1,000 words. It was a good place to stop. The scene was more difficult than I'd originally planned, but it's right for the story.

I'm staying on top of my homework, so far, and learning a lot. The Project is also coming along.

All is in God's hands. I try to remember that, but frequently find myself worrying anyway. It isn't that I don't trust God's plan for me, but more along the line of trusting myself to be listening and obeying. I'm so grateful that God has blessed me with such wonderfully supportive and encouraging friends.

The good days continue...

After baking my favorite chocolate chip cookies, the rest of the day was open to some needed catchup and writing. Another 1,000+ words and 15 more pages added and/or edited. I'm so grateful for the friends God has brought into my life. They lift me and inspire me. I pray God blesses them as they have blessed me.