Pre-Ecliptic Writer's Retreat
I think there are going to be 20,000 extra in people in Sidney this weekend to watch the solar eclipse. We are in a good spot. 97-99% completion. I hear the sky gets dark. Will I see stars?
I'm not teaching this year. I made the decision last year. It was a tough one. I love my students. I love researching, and getting dressed, and having fantastic discussions about interesting things. I love CNN student news, eating lunch in the cafeteria, and having the same work schedule as my children. But committing for a full year felt too much. There was also a lot of unknowns with teaching. I wasn't sure about the status of my husband's job with the Cabela's/Bass Pro merger. I knew the school I taught at would suffer if I had to break a contract for some reason. And, the fire in my belly for writing was burning. It all aligned. Write.
Provo, Seattle, Park City, Sidney, Potter. These have been the location of my writing adventures this summer.
Right now I am in Park City, Utah. I think Park City might be fancy. I can tell fanciness by parking prices. The parking garage was for 10.00 per hour, up to 72 hours. Yikes. Sidney, Nebraska does not require anyone to pay anything for parking. That is what the road next to the sidewalk is for. And if there is a place called "Sushi Restaurant." The grocery store has a sushi chef next to the bakery. I've never had Sushi, but I also don't really want to have sushi. But then I am listening to an audio book, "The Unhappening of Genesis Lee" and there is a fantastic sushi scenes that makes me feel like I am missing out on something. However, I really like pizza. Like, a lot. Do I really need to make room in my life for fancy, expensive, mysterious, dangerous to pregnant women sushi when I live in a world with pizza?
During May, in Provo, I went to my third year of Storymakers. I have so many friends there. The classes are awesome and build my knowledge and passion for storytelling. This year my friend from college, Janelle and her sister were able to join in. I also had Lizzie for a day. The three of us sat beside each other in John Bennion's workshop on essaying the spiritual and I felt like I was in a fuzzy, happy bubble. So many thing I love and thought about were sharing a space. I think I cried a little bit. I felt OK about the tears. Allie Condie was there, and taught a master class on setting. I had her sign "Summerlost," and I felt fancy. Maybe even sushi fancy. Allie Condie is a pretty big deal.
This July I went to Seattle to the PNWA writers conference with my local friend, Tammy Vaughter. We met at my first job in Sidney working with juveniles who were court appointed to our care. Tammy taught art. I sort of fell in love with her. Three years later, we went to this writer's conference together and I pitched my middle grade fantasy book to agents. I met fantastic writers, who I am so excited to know and continue relationships with. There was an amazing speaker, Natalie Baszile who wrote "Queen Sugar." During my pitch session, for which I was incredibly nervous and had sweaty armpits, I got requests for pages from several agents, and I need to get those pages to the point I can submit them. SOON!!!! I do not want the magic to dissipate.
This weekend I am at a writer's retreat in Park City with some of my Utah/Wyoming gals. The outside world smells like pine trees. I am sitting on the floor with a pillow behind my back, and a laptop on my lap. I think I am going to bed soon, and then tomorrow, I am going to get my cute little fairy Pippa girl into some trouble as she cheats her way into Wish Granting School instead of becoming a dumb tooth fairy.
I can do this.
And on Monday, I watch the moon eclipse the sun. I really hope I see stars.
I'm not teaching this year. I made the decision last year. It was a tough one. I love my students. I love researching, and getting dressed, and having fantastic discussions about interesting things. I love CNN student news, eating lunch in the cafeteria, and having the same work schedule as my children. But committing for a full year felt too much. There was also a lot of unknowns with teaching. I wasn't sure about the status of my husband's job with the Cabela's/Bass Pro merger. I knew the school I taught at would suffer if I had to break a contract for some reason. And, the fire in my belly for writing was burning. It all aligned. Write.
Provo, Seattle, Park City, Sidney, Potter. These have been the location of my writing adventures this summer.
Right now I am in Park City, Utah. I think Park City might be fancy. I can tell fanciness by parking prices. The parking garage was for 10.00 per hour, up to 72 hours. Yikes. Sidney, Nebraska does not require anyone to pay anything for parking. That is what the road next to the sidewalk is for. And if there is a place called "Sushi Restaurant." The grocery store has a sushi chef next to the bakery. I've never had Sushi, but I also don't really want to have sushi. But then I am listening to an audio book, "The Unhappening of Genesis Lee" and there is a fantastic sushi scenes that makes me feel like I am missing out on something. However, I really like pizza. Like, a lot. Do I really need to make room in my life for fancy, expensive, mysterious, dangerous to pregnant women sushi when I live in a world with pizza?
During May, in Provo, I went to my third year of Storymakers. I have so many friends there. The classes are awesome and build my knowledge and passion for storytelling. This year my friend from college, Janelle and her sister were able to join in. I also had Lizzie for a day. The three of us sat beside each other in John Bennion's workshop on essaying the spiritual and I felt like I was in a fuzzy, happy bubble. So many thing I love and thought about were sharing a space. I think I cried a little bit. I felt OK about the tears. Allie Condie was there, and taught a master class on setting. I had her sign "Summerlost," and I felt fancy. Maybe even sushi fancy. Allie Condie is a pretty big deal.
This July I went to Seattle to the PNWA writers conference with my local friend, Tammy Vaughter. We met at my first job in Sidney working with juveniles who were court appointed to our care. Tammy taught art. I sort of fell in love with her. Three years later, we went to this writer's conference together and I pitched my middle grade fantasy book to agents. I met fantastic writers, who I am so excited to know and continue relationships with. There was an amazing speaker, Natalie Baszile who wrote "Queen Sugar." During my pitch session, for which I was incredibly nervous and had sweaty armpits, I got requests for pages from several agents, and I need to get those pages to the point I can submit them. SOON!!!! I do not want the magic to dissipate.
This weekend I am at a writer's retreat in Park City with some of my Utah/Wyoming gals. The outside world smells like pine trees. I am sitting on the floor with a pillow behind my back, and a laptop on my lap. I think I am going to bed soon, and then tomorrow, I am going to get my cute little fairy Pippa girl into some trouble as she cheats her way into Wish Granting School instead of becoming a dumb tooth fairy.
I can do this.
And on Monday, I watch the moon eclipse the sun. I really hope I see stars.
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So exciting to hear about your book(s)! I hope you see stars, too!
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