Writing Retreats, Part Dos

It's me again! I know, fancy meeting you here.

I'll just jump right in, shall I?

The second writing retreat I went to was in Poudre Canyon, up near the border with Wyoming. We stayed at Glen Echo, a campground with cabins and tent spaces. We were in the penthouse, which had three bedrooms, five beds, a sofa bed, and four couches. Five people rented separate cabins, but there were 10 of us in the main penthouse.

We arrived Friday. A friend and I drove up together. My GPS took us to some park then told us we were at our destination, so we made an executive decision to just keep going through the canyon and hope we found the resort. A fire swept through Poudre Canyon in 2012, so we were driving through some of the burn area. There was also evidence of flooding along the way, and construction was ongoing at one point. We were relieved to reach those construction guys, as we hadn't even seen an animal, mammal or bird, through the entire drive. In fact, I insist that I was promised mountain cows, and they were either not there or were hiding. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, we had to go over a cattle guard on the way into the canyon, and there were cattle crossing signs along the way, yet there were no cows. Not only that, but the road was through a canyon, steep sides climbing up on each side, with a river running by the road. Where were the cows supposed to be?? I really wanted to see mountain cows.

Aside from not seeing any animals or humans (until we ran into the isolated construction crew from Tremors), there was a cross made of wood lying on a rock we drove past. Perhaps part of a tribute of some sort, but there were no flowers, signs or other indications, plus, it was just laying there, so it was creepy. The construction crew would have been way better had they been missing, a bloody hat on the ground. I bet they're glad right now that they don't know I was wishing that on them. They don't know WHY they're glad. But they totally are.

By OCAL, CLKER.com

I stopped and asked them if they knew where the campground was (I accidentally called it a resort. Hush, M.B. Also, I apparently spoke in an accent at first, without realizing I had. That's what happens when you throw around accents over the course of a three-hour drive). They said it was ahead, so we kept going.

At one point, a car finally pulled up behind us. It was the first sign of life other than the construction crew. We kept staring back at the car, trying to see if it was one of our writer folks. We never did ask him if he wondered why we were staring at him so intently. But I've just given away that it was, in fact, someone from our party.

The first night was just social time. There was a bar on the premises. Writers drink. A lot. Apparently. Just sayin'. The bartender had one arm; he was awesome.

By OCAL, CLKER.com

Saturday, we had quiet time between breakfast and lunch, then lunch and dinner. We got a huge amount done. The same was true for Sunday, though I think some of us petered out a little before the end. Meals were social time, then bar time came at night, with Vern the one-armed bartender.

My personal stats were editing three short stories, outlining my entire WIP #1 (reverse outlining, so going through the already written novel to outline it and see if that helps me with editing), and I wrote 1700 words on a new short story. Those three shorts I edited are the ones I submitted last week.

The stats for everyone there were as follows:

15 Writers
66,762 Words Written
14,000 Words Eliminated in Edits
83 Chapters Outlined
5 Short Stories Drafted
10 New Scenes Created

Not too shabby, eh?

We got some lovely, steadily falling snow on Saturday. While it kept me from going outside to explore with my camera, it was delightful to watch through the window while writing.

Early Monday morning, around 4:30 AM, an alarm went off. I got up to look outside, and a light was flashing on the main building. It was the burglar alarm. I never did find out if they got robbed or not.

Well, that was my second retreat. It was good times, with fun people (despite the fact that I don't drink coffee OR alcohol, which puts me way on the outside of that writerly sort of thing, but hey, it's fun to watch drunk people.) A very different experience from my other retreat. I enjoyed both, albeit for different reasons..

Been to a multi-person retreat before? Did you get a lot done? Was it regulated some to insure writing time like this one? Would you do it again?

May you find your Muse.

Well, Hello There!

Hi! I haven't blogged on a Monday in awhile. I'd apologize, but Gary would mock me. ;)

I was lucky enough to be able to go on two different kinds of writing retreats this month. I never did tell you about them, did I?

At the beginning of the month, I got to go to the Stanley, a lovely historic hotel in Estes Park, Colorado (bordering Rocky Mountain National Park). It's where Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining, one of my favorite novels of his.

I had just completed a big event that I'd been planning for months. It was a success, but I woke up that morning feeling fairly crappy. By the time I left, my throat and chest hurt, and I was exhausted. I thought it was just from the stress and nerves of putting this event on (did I mention I also MC'd it, and I am nervous talking in front of a crowd?) Come the next morning, however, I was full-on sick. I decided not to cancel my reservations, and headed out, anyway.

It's about a 2-hour drive, so my Jeep and I trekked through the snow toward the mountains. I passed through some of the areas damaged by the flooding this past year, sad to still see some destruction. In fact, I was stopped for awhile due to ongoing cleanup and construction.

Construction, better known as: a little driving break

During that drive, a bald eagle swooped down over my car, then floated on the air currents above me. I've never seen one that wasn't in a zoo. It was amazing. Since I was driving, I wasn't able to get a photo (I like to live).

Right as we pulled into town, the person in front of me hydroplaned on a bridge over Lake Estes. We'd just driven through winding canyon roads, covered in snow and gravel, and it was a puddle that nearly took us out. They didn't go into the lake, though, and we continued on, me leaving them a bit of extra space and being very careful on the standing water. Yeesh.

My bed was super comfy, which is good, because I spent most of the time resting and being sick. I'd gone up with a plan, specific things I'd be getting done, and while I still got some done, I didn't get anywhere near the full list finished. I got an anecdote finished for a friend's book on writing, finished a short story, and edited a flash fiction piece, which I've turned into my critique group. That was all I got done in two days. Still, it's more than nothing, and certainly more than I would have gotten done at home.

By Kelly, CLKER.com

I took time to be a tourist, too, which I paid for later. Totally worth it, though. I walked from the hotel into town, then from one end to the other, checking out shops (it's a small mountain tourist town). I grabbed burgers at a joint that proclaimed they were voted Best Burgers! (They were pretty darned good, I must say). I also spent a small fortune at a privately owned bookstore, then bought a new wallet when my wallet decided it was finally kaput (it had been going downhill for awhile). Later, it was a gourmet meal in the restaurant on-site, then a ghost tour on the premises. A couple who was staying in one of the most haunted room invited those of us on the tour up to their room after 11 so we could seek out ghosties, but I opted to lie in bed and be pitiful instead, while watching The Shining and doing logic puzzles. Yeah, I'm a real party-person when I'm dying.

I'd had plans to go into Rocky Mountain National Park, with the hopes of finally seeing a moose in person and photographing it, intending to do this on the last day. I was sick enough at that point that I chose to go home instead. As I headed back out of town, I got stopped at construction. I'd been expecting it, but this time the guy said they were blasting and that I'd have to sit there for possibly over an hour.

I decided to turn around and go the long way home, which took me through Loveland. It also took me past the still highly damaged canyon where the Big Thompson flooded before. The damage there was far worse than that visible to me on the way in. Missing houses, a massive floodplain, the remains of houses hanging over the river. One house was half gone, with a rope stretched across the opening, furniture leaning against the rope. One thin piece of material held it back from falling into the river. It was like pulling open a dollhouse and looking at the guts. It was a wretched sight. There were signs all along the way asking people not to stop on the road side to gawk. I had no desire to do so, as I remembered all the people who swept through after the Waldo Canyon Fire.

Whoops, I talked way more than I intended to. I'll have to tell you about the other writing retreat next week. The other one was with a group of people, so a vastly different experience. Also, I wasn't sick. Shew. I do still feel my trip up to Estes was worthwhile. Heck, as a mom it was nice to be ill somewhere all by myself where I could lay in bed as much as I wanted and go have someone else make food for me when I needed it. Although, I did desperately want soup, but didn't want to pay room service soup prices.

By OCAL, CLKER.com

I will say, in the interest of giving a "progress report," that I left the second retreat with several finished short stories. I submitted three stories to three different magazines a few days ago. I've gotten back one rejection (I love how fast Clarkesworld gets back to you). So until I find a different market to send that one to, I've got three total subs out right now (I had previously sent one out before all this). Fingers crossed! By next week, my goal is to have re-subbed the rejected one.

Have you been on a solo writing retreat? Ever seen a bald eagle? How about a moose? Stop your bragging! Any submissions out? Do tell!

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Here, Pretty Bird & Links

I went hiking with my kiddos and nephew on Friday before heading up to Denver for Mile Hi Con.  We went to Seven Falls, famed for its 7 waterfalls, but also the number of steps to climb to the top of the falls.  Well, the steps go to the top of the falls that are close together, but then you have the option of hiking to the topmost one, called Midnight Falls.

I'm going to share our trip in bits and pieces for the next couple Wednesdays.  Today, the beautiful Steller's Jay, aka the Mountain Jay.  These guys are omnivores, though they mostly eat seeds and plant life.  I was so excited to catch one of these guys!  And he cooperated so nicely.

Link Time!

Contests:

Monkey Puzzle Press is holding their 4th Annual Flash Fiction Contest.  $10 entry fee.  $300 first prize.  All entries considered for publication.  Submission deadline November 15.

Open for Submissions:

Vine Leaves Literary Journal currently has an open submission window until November 30.  They take prose, poetry, artwork, photography, and reviews.  Pays $5.

Blog Fests:

Andrew Leon, Alex J. Cavanaugh and Matthew McNish are hosting the Oh, How I Miss You Blog Fest on November 16.  Join to spotlight bloggers you miss, who haven't been posting often, and those you would miss.

Cally Jackson is hosting The Year I Turned 18 Blog Fest from October 29 to November 2.  Post what you'd like about the year you turned 18.

Writing Retreats & Workshops:

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers is offering their first annual writing retreat directly following The Colorado Gold Conference.  It will occur September 22-26.  The most awesome part?  Kristen Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency will be there, presenting a workshop and offering critiques.  Kristen Nelson is on my short list of agents I'd love to have, so if you're interested, snatch this up!

Registration is currently being accepted for Big Sur Writing Workshops in December and March.

Of Interest:

Michelle Roberts wrote "Creativity Closely Entwined with Mental Illness" for BBC Health News.

Matt Petronzio posted "10 Inspiring Social Networks for Writers" on Mashable.

Anything to share?  Think you'll participate in either of the blog fests?  Have you submitted anything lately?  Ever seen a steller's jay?  How about a blue jay?

May you find your Muse.