Showing posts with label New Hampshire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Hampshire. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

What I Did On My Year-Long Vacation

Well, it’s been…let’s see…over eight months since I last posted! And yeah, I will admit that the break felt good—really good. Not only did I take a break from blogging and nearly all social networking, but I also took an even longer break from writing. I might have been suffering from a bit of burnout, but I think that mostly I wanted to revisit my life the way it was before I took up the crazy notion of publishing my work! Yeah, I actually had a life and it was still intact just waiting for me to slow down, to clear my mind, and to refocus. What do I have to show for it? Well, at least a few pictures… 

Beginning with last autumn...
...we visited New Hampshire...

...did you know they have drug-free cows?...

...we started roasting our own coffee beansyeah, that's a modified popcorn popper!...

...I mooshed my kitties a lot...

...I watched as Todd split a lot of wood...

...we made lots of pear wine (not as good as our last batches)...

...I painted a bit...

...I sewed a bunch of dolly outfits for my granddaughter's American Girl Doll...don't make me rant about how ridiculous those dolls are...

...I tried on goofy hats at the flea market...

...made and ate far too much bread, and didn't spare the brie!...

...visited my beautiful sister and her husband in Virginia...

...enjoyed an 'ice storm' while with friends in the beautiful Virginia countryside...

...came home and survived the rest of our winter in Michigan, and waited until May... 

 ...when we went to the Chesapeake Bay to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary...

...we watched sunsets...

...and sailed...

...ate raw oysters! Yum!!...

...saw scary sea creatures...

...and gooey ones...

...and ugly ones...

...and more sunsets...

...and hung out on the beach and did nothing at all...

...and sat around some more...

...and played with crab pots...

...and sailed some more...


...watched our last sunset...

 
...and then, a month or so later, we headed to New England and camped with my lovely daughter and her family in Maine...

...and saw more cool jellyfishes...

 ...and visited the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse...

...and took pictures that made me want to write...

 ...and made me want to paint...

...then we backtracked to New Hampshire and kayaked while visiting my brother and his amazing family...

...and ate clams on the halfshell...

...and later on, played on the river with grandbabies...

...and now we are home and I'm writing again. I've had an idea for a third book in my Portraits series, and it has turned into a plot. I'm in the very early stages and can't make any promises, and I won't set any deadlines, but I am making progress and enjoying it.

So, there you have it! I may even post again before the year is out! 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Embarrassing


In one week from today, I will have landed in New Hampshire—hopefully without incident! This means that until then, I’m going to be running around like—well, like when I’m hopped up on caffeine and sugar doughnuts. Actually, I wish I could sustain that sort of crazed energy, but I’m sure most of my time will consist of wandering from box to box in a daze—starting today. Fortunately, my good friend Anne Gallagher, over at Piedmont Writer, is picking up the slack for me, blog-wise.  Yeah, it’s an interview of sorts, but it contains a story that I once posted here and then took down because it was really embarrassing and I was afraid of who might read it. I’m over the embarrassment now and it’s kind of a funny story. Go have a peek if you are inclined!

And be warned, Anne has also written a lovely review for Uncharted: Story for a Shipwright that you'll have to wade through to get to my amusing anecdote.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Travel & Planning a Book Launch


Yes, it’s been a little quiet around here for a while, but that doesn’t mean nothing’s been going on! Okay, it’s true—most of my activities take place mentally, but this time it’s been a fair mix of planning and follow-through!

We just returned from our twice-yearly trip to New Hampshire with a detour through Charlottesville, Virginia (what an awesome place—just sayin’) to pick up my sister for our pilgrimage to visit family in New England. In all, I visited with five of my six siblings, but that has nothing to do with my writing...
...speaking of which...since Uncharted, Story for a Shipwright will be released on October 1, and would likely coincide with our autumn trip to NH, and since the story primarily takes place in Maine, I thought New England would be a fitting backdrop for my book launch. I considered someplace coastal, but I wanted something more local to where I spent the larger part of my adult life—the Sunapee Lakes Region. I also wanted something intimate (as in, not some huge chain bookstore) with local appeal and interest in promoting ‘local’ writers and artists. With some recommendations and research, I narrowed down my choices to the MainStreet BookEnds independent bookstore in Warner, New Hampshire. Serendipitously, Warner NH has a well attended Fall Foliage Festival during the first weekend in October (6th and 7th), and the bookstore is a hub of activity! Perfect!

So, I had some business-type cards printed up, announcing 
Uncharted ’s release, rehearsed my ten-second what’s-it-about pitch (“It’s about a reserved New England shipwright and a spear-fishing girl who is either delusional or the missing key to his family’s mysterious past.”) which I didn’t end up using, though I know it will come in handy for the book signing.

Todd accompanied me, nudging me forward as I smoothed my skirt and entered the Colonial house bookstore. After stumbling my way through an introduction, I found the owners of MainStreet BookEnds so very amiable and enthusiastic that I’m actually looking forward to the event (easy to say with it still three months down the road). In fact, the bookstore exceeded my expectations! Meanwhile, I have lots of preparations to keep me busy, in addition to final edits. As long as I keep moving forward and don’t look down, I should be okay.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Foliage and Friends


I’m stopping in quickly to say I’m having a lovely time in New Hampshire. The foliage peaked a few days ago and this is the view from where I sit and write. Inspiring indeed! I've been getting lots of writing—revisions, that isdone...


…also, I want to direct attention to Anne Gallagher’s new Regency Writer blog (and not just because the header features one of my paintings—she produces some really high-quality stories! Go check it out!