Thoughts

Trips for work these past three weeks have included Omaha, Lincoln, Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans.  I enjoyed meeting people in the heartland and the south.  Becoming familiar with cities and towns other than my own is a challenge, but a fun one.  Spent one night in the worlds most pleasant Walmart.  I needed a sewing kit in Lincoln, but the hotel didn't have one, so they pointed me toward the world's largest discount chain.  I was helped by the world's nicest clerk and celebrated my good fortune by buying a diet coke and fries from the McDonald's across the street.


In Denton, Texas a perfect stranger (with a cowboy hat and boots) greeted me in Starbucks one morning and wanted to know how my day was going to go (it was morning).  He sincerely wished me well.  I had the best taco salad ever at Pappasito's in Dallas later that day, so his wish was granted.  This week I drove through beautiful scenery on the way to Baton Rouge.  We crossed through the Atchafalaya Swamp and I had a moment of insanity when I briefly wished I could pilot a boat through the cypress tree swamp forests.


All that said, I'm very glad not to be traveling for a couple of weeks.


Goodreads has a new feature that has sent some new readers my way.  It's such a great thing and I'm very grateful to them and their marketing.  I also saw a fun mention of both of my books on Library Thing - go here to see it.


I'm taking a class on writing for children at UCLA.  It is taught by a wonderful writer named Michelle Markel (she has a website and a blog).  Her topics are very interesting and I've met other great writers in the class.  On Thursday I had the opportunity to workshop my science fiction middle grade book.  There were fantastic comments and very helpful suggestions.  I now have a clear idea of where to go next.


Of course, that can't even start until March edits are done.  I'm on track to have a first revision done by the end of next week (not traveling is helping with that).  After that, I'll need another month for a second revision, and that will leave me about a month for final revisions.


Watching the Olympics is fun, but much like the beautiful scenery in Alaska - after a while you just have to look away.