What I did this week: I just got back from a three-day writing retreat in Astoria, Oregon.  Oh boy oh boy was it ever wonderful to have three days to focus on writing fiction.  I also remembered how great it is to enjoy the camaraderie of other writers. At night we drank wine and talked story, solving each other’s plot problems.  And then there were the tarot readings…Oh, and the apartment we stayed in was above a mortuary.  My sister was convinced there would be ghosts and she was right! The first night, the overhead lights clicked on without warning in the middle of the night, scaring the bejebus out of me.  (Cue Twilight Zone song.) Plus, Angie dreamed of ghosts all night. We were a bit nervous to go to sleep the next night but nothing happened, which was almost disappointing.

What I’m reading:  Blown Away by Clover Tate, aka Angela Sanders, who organized the writing retreat.  Also Rachael Herron’s latest Songbird romance.  I’m on her review team so I get to read it before it’s published.  This is a fabulous ideas for you authors out there: ask people on your list to join the reviewing team.  When you have a book coming out, send them the Ebook version for free and ask them to review it.  (Do some research on the correct language to use, as legally you can’t give a book away for a review.) When I’m ready to publish (soon!) I’ll be putting out a request for reviewers to my list. (Not on my list? It’s easy to join–just fill out the box to the right or at the top of the page.)

What I ate: I was desperately looking forward to eating some pan-fried oysters at Baked Alaska. I drove to Astoria for the day with a friend last October, and in my memory the oysters were the best I’d ever had. I couldn’t wait to eat them again. But when we go to the restaurant, those oysters were no longer on the menu.  Instead I got an uninspired Kobe beef burger. But the cheesy baked cauliflower, at least, was delicious.

What I’m excited about: My novel.   The truth is, it was such an undisciplined first draft I’d convinced myself that it was terrible all the way through. But re-reading it (which is what I spent most of the days doing) made me realize how much I like it.  Needs lots of work, sure, but it is tons of fun and I can’t wait to dig into it and get going on the second draft.

What I’m also excited about: I have an article in Magical Goddess magazine! The magazine is free, all you have to do is sign up on the site.  Check it out here. I love the way the article looks and I hope it has some helpful information in it.

What’s going on with you?