After our brief trip to Asheville and Brevard, NC, my friends and I headed to Luray, VA. We wanted to see the Luray Caverns, and they did not disappoint. The self-guided tour is about 1 1/4 miles in length, and there are some farily steep inclines on the way in, which makes the route out mostly downhill and a little treacherous. So be forewarned if you're planning a trip! The caverns were nice and cool inside even with the heat outside. If you get cold easily, you may want to bring a sweater. I did, and I'm glad! I would have shivered the entire way through it.
The caverns are simply magical, and it gave me all types of story ideas. It's something that has to be seen and experienced for yourself as the pictures really don't do it justice even though I have about seventy-five more. It's just an incredible place, and one you should definitely put on your bucket list!
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I just returned from a wonderful six-day vacation that included travel to four states and five cities/towns, all of which had something wonderful to be seen and experienced. There's so much beauty in the United States, and I'm glad my friends and I chose this particular journey this year. Last year, we went to Great Smoky Mountain in Bryson City, NC and rode on an old steam engine, which was incredible! This year, our first stop was in Asheville, NC. I've been there many times, but I always love returning. My friends and I had a wonderful dinner at 131 Main, an incredible dog-friendly restaurant, which is good since we brought along their Shih Tzu, Lilly. Then, we enjoyed the beauty of the city before returning to our hotel room. The next morning, we were up bright and early and headed to Pisgah National Forrest in Brevard, NC to see Looking Glass Falls, which is one of the most photographed waterfalls in America. (See picture above!) (I used to live in Brevard so this isn't the first time I've seen it, and I also returned in 2019 to see it again. It's still just as stunning as I remember.) There was a chill in the air despite it being summertime, and the rush of the water and the excitement of a busload of visiting campers only made me want to stay longer. But the road awaited us, and we had to leave as Luray, Virginia was calling. Stay tuned for part two of my vacation!
i saw this question on Twitter, and I thought "what a great way to get to know people a little better." You can tell a lot about someone from what they carry in their purse. For example, I carry copious amounts of Refresh eye drops. Easy to deduce that I have dry eyes. So what else is there?
I'm constantly on my laptop so it's no surprise that I go through them fairly quickly. Though I could pay to get them fixed and try to keep using them, I'm too paranoid that something will go wrong with them while I'm in the midst of writing. Not that I don't have everyting backed up. I have back-ups for my backup, but when it comes to laptops, you could be right in the middle of something, and poof! The computer goes off, and you've lost what hasn't yet backed up. That's a horrifying thought to me, and it has happened. So when my laptop starts to give me problems, which is usually 18-24 months after I purchased it, I begin the search for another one, and I'm extremely picky. It can't just be any laptop. I have to have a backlit keyboard, a touch screen, and a number of other things that I could probably live without but now that I've had them, I don't want to. I usually like to buy my laptops in person, although, I have bought them online. I prefer to be able to see the model and feel the keys. Best Buy always has a plethora to choose from, which means I spend at least an hour in the store trying out keyboards. Sure, I get funny looks from the sales associates as well as a constant stream of offers to help, but I keep to myself and move along with my phone out to take a picture of the top contenders. I never buy on the first visit to the store because I have to go home, compare all the ones I like, and see which one edges out the others. And each time I buy, what I need changes, like RAM and speed, etc. So there's some research involved to find the fastest, most reliable computer with everything I need and want.
As a writer, buying a laptop is a lot like buying a car would be for a mechanic. I'm assuming they'd want to know everything about that car. I'm the exact same way when it comes to laptops. I read reviews, both good and bad, and I even look at the reviews on past models to see if the manufacturer is improving its offerings. This isn't a short process for me, which is why I always dread it when the time comes around. This takes time away from my writing, but it's an investment I want to make last as long as possible to lessen my chances of having to do it again soon. To say I'm particular about the computer I buy is much too tame. But being happy with my laptop, to me, makes me a better writer. No, it doesn't write the words for me, but, if I'm comfortable with the keyboard and the screen, and the computer is fast enough, I can write at a fast clip. And this process is about to begin. I figure I can put it off for a month, maybe a little longer. Then the ordeal begins. Ah, but once it's over, and I set up my new computer, I'm like a kid with a new toy. And life is good again...at least for 18-24 months. In an article on Bankrate, freelance writing was suggested as one of ten side hustles. To me, side hustles are things anyone can do to make quick mone, although Merriam-Webster defines it as "work performed for income supplementary to one's primary job." That's not necessarily saying it has to be quick, but most people who are looking for extra income do want it sooner rather than later. That's not what comes to mind for me when it comes to freelance writing
Practically anyone can learn the technicalties of writing. They can learn what works and what doesn't, but that can take quite a bit of time. And if you're starting from scratch, it's going to take a lot longer to build freelance writing into a side hustle than it would being a shopper or working with a food delivery service. It has taken most of us writers years to get to the point where we're making income, and even then, many writers don't make that much money a month, especially not enough that it could be considered a hustle. Freelance writing is hard work, and it involves more than writing. You have to learn the process if you're not a writer at first. Then you to learn how to find publishers looking for what you're interested in writing. You have to learn how to craft a query letter, how to submit a pitch, and how to make a topic an easy read for the market. Overall, I would never consider freelance writing a side hustle. It can be a part-time or full-time job, but iyou're not going to make a lot of money fast from it, and you're going to have to invest your own money to learn and to grow as well as to market your own work. So if you're looking to make quick money, you won't find it by freelance writing. Most of us don't spend enough time on ourselves. We're too busy with work and taking care of others. But making time for ourselves is so important. I realized this week that I'm guilty of putting everything else before me. So this week. I'm challenging myself to complete some self-care challenges. Real Simple calls them small "but mighty" challenges. It has a list of twenty. I already know I won't do all of them so I've chosen five to start off the week with.
Stretching for ten minutes in the morning Scheduling time for creativity Read ten pages of a book every day Get ten minutes of sunshine in the morning Spending five minutes a day tidying my home If I can do these every day for the next seven days, then I'll add more...or maybe I'll just continue these for a while. :-) It's been a little over two years since my last book release, but this year, I've got several lined up. The first will be Letters to Laura, which will release on Tuesday, March 30th. If you like the 1950s, this is your type of novella! You can read the book description below, and afterwards, sign up for my newsletter so you can keep up with future releases and giveaways! 1951
The Korean War is tearing apart more than just the soil on which it’s fought. Laura has loved Mark for as long as she can remember. She can’t imagine her life without him. Mark’s feelings for Laura are just as strong, but he has a secret—one that is bound to come between them. He’s shipping out to Korea in a week. Blindsided by the information, Laura is scared, angry, and confused, knowing she doesn’t have a choice but to let him go. Meanwhile, she’d just have to love him through letters. After all, he’s promised he’d return to her. She has to believe that, or she’ll go crazy. After months of waiting to see him again, Laura learns a devastating secret. Mark is back, but he doesn't want to see her again. Now it's up to Laura to unravel the why. I'm reading a whonderful book by Shana Abe, "The Second Mrs. Astor: A Heartbreaking Historial Novel of the Titanic." And when I say this one can tug at your heart strings, I am not kidding. I won't post the full synopsis here as you can find it on the book's Amazon detail page. But I have to share this absolutely gorgeous cover. Beautiful, right? And if you're a member of Amazon Prime, you can read this wonderful novel for free! It's full of glorious descriptions of faraway places and clothing, the joys and fears of a newlywed, and the Titantic. It tells a tale of love, hope, and loss in such a majestic way that I don't think any other book about John Astor and his second bride could ever compare to it. Read it for yourself because you won't be disappointed, especially if you love historical fiction/romance. And you can use the link above to buy your own copy or check it out if you have Prime.
When I started this year, I had intended to self-publish at least three of my books. That all changed when I realized needed things done in my house, and I had some other unexpected expenditures crop up as well. That caused me to shift my direction to writing more articles, short stories, and essays.
Getting payment from those avenues is generally quicker than payment from book royalties. There's no guarantee of book sales, but if you write iand sell an article, you should, unless something changes drastically, get paid with a decent amount of time. Of course, sometimes, you have to wait to hear back from the magazine so it can be a bit of a wait. That's why I submit a minimum of four articles, short stories, or essays a month. So I always have something in the pipeline. If you're an author and you're feeling a little discouraged about your book sales at present, perhaps it's time to change course. Getting paid from any writing, even if it's $50, can be a boost to your self-confidence. So if you're struggling as an author write now, consider using the skills and talent you have elsewhere. Put it to good use writing articles, entering free writing contests, and writing short stories and flash fiction, and essays. Trust me. One sale can change your perspective. I love, love, love the sci-fi series, The Orville. Last year, when the third season was released, it was renamed as The Orville-New Horizons, and you can find it and the first two seasons on Hulu and Disney+. Recently, hip-hop artist Sean Mic wrote a song "Living on the Orville" as a tribute to this wonderful series, and I wanted to share it with you so you will hopefully share it with your friends as we continue to try to get this show renewed for season four. |
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