Finding a Writing Path!

by Diana McCollum

 

First let me say my writing career has been on hiatus. 2019, Like many of you the pandemic stopped me in my tracks. I couldn’t seem to get a grip on what I should be doing, and I let things slide and my writing went nowhere.

 

2021, still dealing with the pandemic, sanitizing like crazy, wiping down groceries with sanitizer, washing masks, and avoiding people. Then in April of 2021, my husband and I took a trip to CA to have our first visit in 18 months with family. On that trip we decided to move back to CA to be closer to family. 

We put our house up for sale May 3^rd and it sold by May 25^th .  Then back to CA to find a home to move to. So the summer was all about moving and getting settled.

 

This year 2022, we are pretty much settled. I am taking the path to publication.

 I have committed to taking writing classes from POV Authors, restarting my newsletter, blogging for Romancing the Genres and Windtree Press. I’ve blocked out time each week to write on my work in progress. I also plan on venturing out of the romance genre and writing a short murder mystery to be included in an anthology Windtree Press is producing in the fall.

I’m pulling out an unfinished MS “The Rose Witch” and intend to finish that novel this year.

 

I am excited to finally be excited to write again. My desk in clean, papers have been filed or discarded, and calendar has been filled out with dates for classes etc.

 

Most of all, I’d love to attend a conference in person. There is nothing quite like being around other authors. The excitement, the good vibes and the networking, all good.

 

Are you looking forward to in person conferences and meetings?

Happy Holidays!

 

 

Change? Who, Me?

 Many of you know that my husband and I have packed up our home in OR, and moved to CA. With that move came many changes.     

We left the climate of the Pacific north west for the much hotter and arid weather of northern CA. We left the high desert 3,500 ft above sea level, cold winters and couple feet of snow, and not many trees. Only to put down our roots in Paradise, 2,200 ft above sea level (no snow, or a dusting) and plenty of Cedars, pines, and hardwood trees. 

We left a city of 130,000 people to a city rebuilding after the devastating Camp fire 3 yrs ago and right now it only has a population of 1,200 people. Well, now 1,202! We love that. No more sitting in traffic trying to get across town. No more rush hour traffic! No more crowded restaurants or stores. And the traffic lights are all new and change with in 15 seconds!

People are friendly, kind and smile. Many lost their homes to the Camp fire, and are rebuilding in Paradise or have put in modulars and moved back.  And they welcome us as new residents. We are doing our part to help the town come back. We shop local as much as we can, even if we have to pay a little more.

I must add how this move has changed me! I've come to the conclusion I have collected an obscene amount of clothes and stuff over 40 years that I no longer need or wear. True some are old favorites but totally not in style any more. When I go to a book signing I want to look my best. Dress for success! Put my best look on, a current look that will say "Hey, I'm a professional and I care how I look."

I have changed in that I am no longer going to be attached to my old clothes. If I haven't worn it in 2 years, off it goes!

I'm going to be a minimalist. If I do decide to buy something new, then something in the closet has to go!

The same goes for all those knick-knacks and dust collectors. I mean do I need 18 different candle holders, when I use the same two or three all the time? I'm cutting back and donating. I no longer want clutter in my life, not physical or emotional.

When we were done packing the house we had 300 black crates with yellow lids, a very small part was from the garage. It was a quick move and we did not get to weed out at the time but threw everything in crates. 

Books are the hardest to weed out. I'm not talking about my one shelf of keepers, the books I'm sure I'll read again someday. I'm talking about books I've inherited or collected. I've a whole bookcase of those. I've never opened up one of them in all the years I've had them. Yikes!!! Do I really need all those, or is it an emotional attachment because of who gave them to me?

What things to you collect or become so attached to you don't think you'll ever part with it?

Moving On...by Kristin Wallace

 

“I love moving,” said no one ever, I’m sure. 

In fact, moving is one of the most anxiety-driven, exhausting things you can do, as I realized this past month. After 16 years in my apartment, my roommate and I got the bright idea to look for a new place. For one thing, the apartment was getting old and many things needed to be fixed that would be hard to do with us living there. Then there’s my dog. The apartment doesn’t really allow pets. 

Since our lease was up at the end of July, we started looking in early June. You should know that the rental market is VERY tight right now in the US, as is the residential housing market. There weren’t a lot of available places and the ones that did show up were quickly snatched away. We found one promising townhouse, but with multiple bids on the place, we lost out. 

Finally, a realtor friend agreed to help. Just when we were both ready to give up and stay in our apartment another year, a listing came back on the market. It was in the right area and around the same rental price. Turned out to be a condo complex and we’d be renting from the owner. The place was older, but bigger than our current apartment and very well maintained.

 As a bonus it’s gated, with security, two pools, tennis courts, a fitness center, and a clubhouse. We even loved the owner, who seems like a decent, funny guy.

We put in a bid and it was accepted! 

 

Unfortunately, once all the paperwork was processed, we only had a week to get packed up and move! You ever tried to move that fast? It’s crazy! 

 

Still, we love the new place, and we’re very happy.

Kristin Wallace is a USA Today Bestselling author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with Love, Laughter, and a Leap of Faith. She has three best-selling series: Covington Falls Chronicles, Shellwater Key Tales, and Palm Cove Tales. Look for CHRISTMAS CHARADE, a brand-new Covington Falls Chronicles book as part of the Holiday Fake-Out box set. 

Christmas Charade - Covington Falls Chronicles

The story revolves around Magnolia (Maggie) Lewis. She left Covington Falls over a family rift and the desire to follow her dream as an artist and sculptor. Now, she has to return for her cousin's Christmas wedding. She can't go back alone, however, because everyone thinks she has a boyfriend. (It was just a tiny lie.) A non-boyfriend who has no idea he's about to get dragged into her family drama. 

Convincing Liam Sullivan to be her fake date to the wedding is only the first challenge. She needs to make sure she doesn't fall in love with him for real.

   

 

AMAZON  /  ITUNES  /  BARNES & NOBLE   /  KOBO 

 

I've found peace!!!

by Diana McCollum

 

Since my husband and I decided in April 2021 to move to CA to be closer to family my life has been in constant turmoil! 

 

We spent the month of April in CA looking around to see what area we wanted to move to. We managed to narrow it down to two areas. Both with things we liked and didn’t like.

 

We came home to OR on May 1, 2021, and listed our house on the market three days later. After that came the whirlwind of packing all personal items, things off dressers or cupboards with glass doors. All photos and art work off the walls. The realtor wanted all items off the kitchen counters, end tables in living and bedrooms and bathroom counters. Next came pictures by a professional photographer.

 

Meanwhile, it was like living in a warehouse. The area rugs had all been rolled up and put in the garage. Walking into the living room everything echoed. The house had lost its personality!!!

 

We went back to CA and found a house in a mountain town. Where we live in OR the population has grown to 134,000 people. Small town life what we like. The house we bought is at  2,200 ft elevation so no deep snow and above the fog line in the valley. Plus, we’ll be going from 1.1 acre to ½ acre. Is bigger than the one we have now. It has a sunroom, koi pond, four fruit trees and landscaped beautifully. We are very excited!! Peace for me today!

The OR realtor knew what he was doing. Our house sold 3 weeks to the day of being listed. 

 

Now the garage has 200 Costco black with yellow lid storage boxes stacked up inside with our belongings. Our first trip back to CA will be to take those boxes. Then sign papers for the new house, and come back to OR to load up the furniture and the last of our stuff, then ‘Adios!’.

 

We’ve been smarter about this move and have hired help on both ends of the move to load and unload the rental truck.

 

I can truthfully say I am now at peace for the first time in 3 ½ months! 

 

My writing life has been put on hold during this time. Our new place has several options for writing room/areas and even in the sun room off the living room. I have options!!

 

In my whole life and through two marriages I’ve moved 21 times. How many times have you moved?

 

May you all have a peaceful and blissful summer!

 

Writer Interrupted

My writing life has been on hold since May 27th 2011.

Why you ask? Because May 27th is the day I retired, which is a good thing and will mean, eventually, free time to write, write write. However, that is the day I began packing in earnest for our move to Oregon. The move, which turned into several trips back and forth the last being on August 8th, and hopefully the last. Grandsons helped with the first move.

Then there is the unpacking and purging what won't fit in the new space. (We're going from a house to two rooms and half the garage). We are roomies with my 85 year old mom, which is a good thing don't get me wrong. It's just we brought way too much Stuff .

So instead of my hero and heroine seeing and talking with me everyday, I'm on a first name basis with the young man at Goodwill who unloads the Stuff from the back of my car. Who now and again comments, "nice Stuff, lady!"

I am excited because I can now walk across the room without bumping into boxes and reach my computer stand with my lap top on it. Yea! Writing full time is getting closer.

My writing books and research books have also gone through the purging process and I am down to one shelf of books in the closet.

I am feeling good right now, purging will do that for a person. H-m-m, I wonder if purging would help with the wordiness in my historical? Would I feel good about that?

What has interrupted your reading or writing this week?