ESCAPING TO RECHARGE

I love writing. I can spend hour after hour happily writing in my pink cave. Wait, I DO spend hour after hour writing. Occasionally, every muse needs a break to recharge. A couple of weeks ago in honor of the Annual Celebration of My 39th Birthday, Hero and I ran away together to East Texas. No, that’s not an exotic place like Paris or London or the Mediterranean. We enjoyed ourselves, though.

Road to our getaway

We went to Blue Gill Cabins between Canton and Athens, Texas. Hero loves to fish, and blue gill are his favorite target. For this stay, we were in the old feed store. Yep, a genuine historic building with corrugated tin outside.

Former feed store now cabin

When the owner found the feed store building, his uncle had sheetrocked over the inside. The owner, Devon Weatherford, removed the sheetrock to display the wide plank walls. You can’t buy wood like that now, so we think he did the right thing.

Bathroom with claw-foot tub

The floors are also wood, although not all the same size planking. Seeing them was a pleasure. Judy Weatherford, Devon’s wife, had decorated perfectly with old advertising signs and feed sacks. This is not the Ritz-Carlton, folks, but a charming rustic cabin with all the comforts like modern plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and large TV with all the channels...but no Wi-Fi.

King-sized bed surrounded by
plank walls (and a window)

The complex includes five small lakes stocked with blue gill (hence the name) plus a few catfish, crappie, and bass. There are four cabins, each with a nice dock. Devon and Judy currently have the site for sale, but can’t decide whether or not they really want to sell. I hope they don’t, or that if they do, the new owners are as hospitable. Caring for the grounds and four cabins must be a huge undertaking, but the Weatherfords do a great job. In addition to the feed store in which we stayed, there is a bunkhouse, an extended A-frame, and Rose cottage. This is a family-friendly site, plus they let us bring our dog, Webster. We only stayed two nights, but next time we’re staying longer. And next visit, we’ll try the Rose cabin.

Whether it's to Paris, France or Paris, Texas, each of us needs a change of routine to recharge and relax. Where do you go to recharge?

Winners of copies of HIGH STAKES BRIDE are MK, Sue, Michelle, Jenn, Pat, and CLivingston. I'll contact you by email and arrange to get your copies to you.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Value of Networking

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to attend an all-day conference held by Yellow Rose Chapter of Romance Writers of America. Christie Craig and Rachel Caine spoke and editors from Sourcebooks and Samhain took appointments. The luncheon was catered and was absolutely wonderful, the centerpieces were fresh flowers, there were fabulous gift baskets given away, and free books. The main benefit, of course, was networking with other writers and with the editors. Thanks to all those who participated in this lovely day.

Events like this recharge a writer's batteries and feed his or her muse. I am always so pshyched up by the end of an event that I can hardly wait to rush home and start writing. Having Deb Werksman from Sourcebooks request my WIP (work in progress) ramped up my adrenaline even more! Isn't it lovely when someone you like and respect likes your ideas? By the time I returned home, I felt as if I could boost the energy of the Energizer Bunny!

Every profession (as far as I know) has conferences/conventions. For some jobs, attendance is required and/or funded by the employer. Not so writers. We're on our own. Budget constraints may prevent a writer from traveling long distances or attending major conferences with high registration, but most writers have access to a local conference.

No matter how many events a writer has attended or how multi-published a writer may be, he or she can always glean information from a conference. Yesterday I picked up some choice information (and some hilarious stories from Christie Craig). Plus, I was able to visit with friends I don't see often. What a great day!

I hope each of you can attend your profession's conference this year. Treat yourself to a day of revitalization!