No picture and I’m a day late. I’m doing my Wednesday blog on Thursday. Not only Thursday but Thursday in California and that means I’m even later. But it’s not every time you can sit on your veranda watching and listening to the ocean crash against the rocky beach in your fancy hotel supplied robe and write back home to your friends. Okay, that was taking a germ of truth and turning it into fiction. I do have a very tiny veranda but it’s still dark (my head can’t get off Kentucky time) and the cord for my lap top that won’t hold a charge isn’t long enough to reach. And although the ocean is out there and making that great crashing noise it is on the other side of the hotel. You know where those people who weren’t too cheap to pay the extra whatever amount of dollars to have that ocean outside their windows are sitting on their verandas. At least will be when the sun comes up. But I am writing home to friends and being very sorry I didn’t bring the cord to connect my camera to the computer so I could share one of the beautiful pictures of the ocean with you.
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I have seen the ocean a lot because who wants to stay in her room when you can go out and walk beside the ocean. It’s a beautiful place with a lot of history. I’m learning all about Cannery Row and why it’s called Cannery Row. That’s due completely to John Steinbeck’s book. The town grabbed the name and now it’s a tourist destination with lots of shops and restaurants. No more sardine canning factories.
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But back to the retreat. It’s a fun time my agency Books & Such have organized to give their clients a chance to relax and learn and meet each other. I’ve never been to a writers’ retreat. This is my year for firsts. I went to my first writers’ conference and now a retreat. This is similar to the conference. I’m not holing up in a quiet secluded corner writing a bestseller. Some of the other writers here might be and I’m sure our agents would have no problem with us skipping some of the sessions if that was the result. I am getting some great writing tips and promoting tips and best of all meeting so many new writing friends. I met Lauraine Snelling who has to be the sweetest lady in the world. She endorsed my novel, Angel Sister, that’s coming out in February. Even better, she gave me the friendliest hug when we met Tuesday night. There are famous writers all around me and I’m hoping their knowledge is rubbing off on me. I keep telling people you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but then in my heart I’m not all that old. I think I probably can learn a few more tricks.
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I’ll be sharing more with you in the weeks ahead. My blog imagination has been grabbed by several ideas and you know you’re going to have to be looking at some of these pictures I can’t upload right now. LOL. But I’ll close today with the two words that have been ringing in my ears since I heard Kyle Duncan, an editor with Bethany House, talk yesterday morning. He said to be encouraged. And so I am. I hope you are too – that you are encouraged on this day and that you carry the seeds of encouragement with you to share with others. Thanks for reading and I’ll be anxious to talk to you Sunday. I’ll be back on Kentucky time then for sure.
