Ahh, how the mind has gone

Apparently, lists only help if you remember what to put on them

Here I am, revelling in a weekend where I don’t have anything going on. No trips to take, no bookfairs to prep for, no homework to do.

Ahhh, relaxation time.

And then I remember I missed posting today.

DOH!

Last weekend’s personal writing retreat was a much-needed respite. I reconnected with a project I’ve put on hold for a while, and learned I need to rework the plot after all the changes I’ve made to the beginning scenes. No time to do that during this trip; I had to remind myself what I started with. Next time? Well, I’m hoping to go back this fall for another retreat. I really enjoy my time at the Shire. I would have done more walking, but I forgot my boots, and the trails were wet! Not to mention it’s tick season.

It’s a gorgeous day out today, beautiful! And hubs tilled the garden. Which means I can start the process of planting, which generally takes about three days: one day to shore up the fence and get the panels set up for the tomatoes (which I wouldn’t have to bother with if we didn’t have so many rabbits, chipmunks, and that groundhog–sheesh!), one day to lay out the hoses and mulch (both fabric and grass clippings), and one day to actually plant. This year I’m going to … yes, plant before Memorial Day weekend!

I know, right? But with our not-winter this year, it’s been mild. Might as well get things in the ground now. Hubs tilled the garden area and mowed the grass around it, so I’ll have mulch to rake. Last year I didn’t get much mulch during the summer, only in the late spring. It was so dry that the grass didn’t grow, so we didn’t mow, so I didn’t have much mulch to collect.

This year I’m hoping it’ll be more of a typical summer, with nice rain throughout the summer, rather than lots of rain in spring and lots of rain in late fall, with not much in between. While the garden will be roughly the same size as usual, I’m not planting as many different things. Whether that’s good or bad, I have no idea. I do know that I’ve got only SIX tomato plants this year! Why am I happy about that? I don’t have to figure out where to put them all so they aren’t crowded. I’ve got about six pepper plants as well, but they’re pretty scrawny, so I’m thinking I’ll have to buy a couple to plant.

I’m going to venture into some herbs as well this year. Basil, thyme, oregano. Maybe sage. Cilantro–goes without saying. Gotta have the salsa mix!

Happy Mother’s Day to all those mothers out there, whether your children are people or fur-people!

When they both fit on my lap!

Personal Writing Retreat weekend

I’m away at the Shire, listening to the rain (for today) and writing. Trying to write. Okay, writing and enjoying the relative silence (besides listening to the frogs 🙂 ).

Have a great writing weekend!

Time to breathe and recap

Okay, whew! First weekend in two weeks I’ve got a chance to really sit down and write up a decent blog post. Oh, and I remembered! Seems like my memory keeps going on road trips without me.

Left Coast Crime 2024 – Seattle Shakedown

Murder is my Side Gig panel: moi, Jenny Anderson, Leslie J Hall, Jason Powell, Baer Charlton

Left Coast Crime this year was another fun four days with old author friends, new author friends, and reader friends. My panel went well, even with some last-minute additions; Leslie Hall was added to the panel a couple weeks before the convention, and Baer was added an hour before the panel. While I had time to read one of Leslie’s books, I didn’t have a chance to read any of Baer’s (though I started on his memoir). It was a good panel, though. Great conversation. And if you liked Greg Renz’s Beneath the Flames, you’ll like Jason’s debut, No Man’s Ghost.

No pics this year of our table at the banquet. I have a problem remembering to take pictures (not that I take good ones anyway). People posted lots of pics from the convention on FB, so if you want to check it out, just look for Left Coast Crime or #LCC2024.

Next year’s convention is in Denver in mid-March. Still haven’t decided if I’ll go. Depends on a few things, including how my police procedural does when my agent starts shopping it.

St. Michael (MN) Book Fair

Group photo: Twin Cities Sisters in Crime authors at St. Michael Coffee, Crime, and Donuts event

Last weekend was the book fair in St. Michael, sponsored and organized by the Friends of the Library. First year for them organizing a book event. First year for our chapter holding a members-only book event. We had one panel to kick things off, which was attended by around 70 people. Was a great day to meet readers and other chapter members we either hadn’t met in person or hadn’t seen in a while. It was the first book fair I’ve done in a while, and I probably won’t do another until I have another book come out.

Next weekend: writing retreat at the Shire!

This weekend is my opportunity to try to catch up on housework. You know, the boring stuff like cleaning. Ugh. You do it, and then you have to do it again, and it just keeps on repeating. Then, next weekend I’m heading to McGrath, MN for a few days at the Shire in the Woods. Can’t wait! Oh, and even better–my class will be OVER by then. WOOT! It’s Finals Week this week. Woo-hoo! I’ll probably spend that first evening at the Shire just enjoying life with no homework due. Yippee!

On the writing docket: another outline for our group anthology. We’re each putting together an outline for our character’s role in the second half of the book. I haven’t done mine yet (because homework), so that’s on my agenda, and going back to my rural MN mystery project (with dual timelines). I do have feedback from my agent for my police procedural, and I’ll probably go through that, but she’ll be on vacation for a couple weeks, so if I can work on the other projects at the Shire, I can work on the feedback after I get back during the time my agent is unavailable.

So, that’s a quick recap of my last couple weeks, interspered generously with homework. I am SOOO ready to be done with this class. Did I learn anything? Not as much as I have in my other classes; most of it was stuff I consider–either due to experience or due to common sense–logical. Or obvious when you stop and think about it. The class: Researching and Writing Technical Reports. The task: write a technical research report. And there’s an accepted “formula” for those reports. So, follow the formula, like following a recipe. Anyway, it’s my last class. Woot!

Enjoy your weekend! Keep on Writing!

Book Fair today!

If you’re in the area today, 4/20/2024, stop on by and say ‘Hi!’

I’ll do a recap of LCC next week. Until then, keep writing!

Oops!

My brain on too much to keep track of

Whoops! Forgot I needed to post today. Been thinking about so many other things: day and a half at son’s apartment to focus on my police procedural, homework, Left Coast Crime trip, Sisters in Crime chapter stuff, homework, reading the last book of my panel participants, book fair after I get back from LCC, homework, upcoming retreat at the Shire. Oh, and homework.

Anyway, here’s my token post. I’ll be in Seattle next week, so I’ll try to post an update then (no promises).

Have a great writing week!