Friday - The Retreat that wasn't #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor Spa #Hudson Valley

Usually on Friday, I have a guest but since I was supposed to be on a writer's retreat, I didn't schedule anyone. I'll talk a bit about the retreats we've had. The first one was very long ago and the Hudson Valley Chapter had people who no longer return. This was held at a spa and we did have a great time and spent a lot of time talking out ideas and brainstorming. Later we began the retreats again and what an interesting time they've been. We returned to the spa and had some interesting sessions but I'm not comfortable with sitting in a room where other people are writing on their computer. I write by hand.

One thing I recall most about the Jersey shore times was reading for critique in the only space they could give me. The bar. Not a particularly busy one but one where people came and went. The other thing here was the restaurant that assured us they would do individual checks but then they wouldn't. Figuring out each person's contribution was interesting.

Then we moved to a place not far from home. The first time was fun but again the room where each person worked on their computers. Our evening meals were interesting. The first a not so good Mexican restaurant and the second a great Italian. We returned to this venue the next year but things had gone downhill there. At least our meals were good.

This year we were going to a place upstate. A town where I'd been once before and had really enjoyed my weekend there but alas the corono virus struck and there is no retreat. We've rescheduled it for fall and have hopes it will come about.

Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWAuthor #BWLPublishers #Retreat #Poem #Writing

Meander 1 -- Poem -- High Tide --

Waters rush, dash
At the huddled crown
Seeking to pull the masses from safety
She lets the high tide
To draw her further
Further out to sea.
When the waters break security
Into bubbles, froth and foam
Content she is to lie
On surging waves
High tide pulls her
From the shore
To reach the deepening sea.

Meander 2  Retreat. Many members of our chapter met at a resort kind of place and spent Saturday writing on our stories. I'm not sure how everyone else did but I managed to add about 2ooo words to my current WIP. The laughter and talk was great and we all learned more about each other. I hope the  events of the weekend carry over to the every day and people continue writing up a storm.

Meander 3 - Writing -- Finally got my latest WIP on target. A bit behind since I had to regroup and do some rewriting of several segments. Hopefully by the end of this month I'll be into the further drafts so I can finish the book soon.

Meandering On Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #Poetry #amwriting

Meander 1 - Poem - The Well 

My well of love is fathomless.
Come, stop and fill your cup.
This gift is given freely.
Come, stop, refresh yourself/
Bend over me and let your rope
Into my endless depths.
Drink deep, drink full and
Often return bring yourself to me.
For my well of love is bottomless.
Come, stop and take your fill.

Meander 2 - Retreat - The weekend was a fun time as well as a productive one. I managed to do the last scene of a chapter and outline the next. Then I did what I think is fun. Reading and critiquing other people;s work. I had two friends whose mss I read. Both good stories. Ones I hope to see published one day.  I suppose I could be an editor but I like writing more. Editing for friends gives me a chance to help others. That's fun too. As for the retreat. Great rooms. Long walks to get anywhere. Chatting  with friends and telling stories and hearing stories. Talking about the world of books and the trials and tribulations of being a writer. The support found is great. Writing is often a solitary event so reaching our and being with others away from the daily events is a great thing.

Meander 2 - Writing. Working on the Virgo Pisces Connection. It's a little ahrd to do two books in a series back to back but I want to finish this series so I will persist. What is fun about this series is each of the stories has a different bit. There are no repeats. So, I'm working hard but the rough draft is always slower since the need is to go from the beginning to the end and be organized.

Friday - Retreat #MFRWauthor #writing #retreat

I'll not be posting my usual blogs today and nothing tomorrow. I'll be off for a retreat and returning on Sunday morning. Once a year, the Hudson Valley Romance Writers get together for a weekend where what we do is spend all day Saturday writing. I'm kind of the rebel in the group since I don't write on my computer and I rather need less company to distract me. I will do a little writing, but two of the group are bring pages for me to edit and critique. I really enjoy doing this. This is one way I have to help others.

So be patient and I'll return on Sunday with another book to promote.

Meandering On Monday with Janet Lane Walters - Poem, Retreat, Writing

Meander 1 - Poem

Cries the woodland deep and pleasant,
Pulling me to plunge within.
Where the Indians lived with nature.
Let me hear their music there.
Find the legends of Hiawatha.
Weave them into magic places.
Use the legends of my people
To create the dreaming worlds
Taking people from their troubles
Thrust the into other worlds.
Let them escape their worries.
Help them into Life.

Meander 2 - Retreat - I spent the weekend with other writers and enjoyed myself. We talked about writing, discussed what we were doing and learned things to help our own writing go smoothly. I did edits for a friend and found few problems making the her story strong and good. Not much of my own writing. Went to dinner with some friends. Spent a bit of time at the bar with others. Then I went to my room since I was exhausted. But had a good time.

Meander 3 - Writing -  I'm still involved with updating a lot of books. I'll finish another soon and then there will be twenty plus more. Am also working on several other projects checking to see if there need to be changes to bring the stories up to date.

Friday - Retreat #MFRWauthor #Writing

I'm off today for a retweet so the usual Friday guest won't be present. Tomorrow, I'll be away from the internet for a short vacation from social media. Writing retreats are kind of interesting. Others of the group will be writing merrily on their works. I'll be reading mss returned and looking for grammar mistakes. That's rather good since I don't write on the computer but do all by hand. Perhaps I'll accomplish more than they will. Who knows.

Meandering On Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #poetry #amwriting

Meander 1 - Poem - Good Friday

These may be out of season but they were written in 1975 oh so many years ago. This is a poem cycle.

Good Friday

Burn the palms of yesteryear.
Bring them to the altar,
Ashes of another life,
And another being.
Secrets carried in the heart,
Little sins and big.
Pile them high upon the dish,
Scapegoat them away.
Build the pyre. Build it high.
Light the fire. Touch the flame.
Watch them burn and purify,
Secrets from the soul.
Hidden things you never knew
Lurked to startle you.
Given as a gift
To burn and cleanse the soul.
Wear them black upon your brow.
Show the world you know
What you were just yesterday
And hope to be no more.
Ashes of remembrance.
Ashes of your life.
Burn the palms of yesterday
And come to see yourself.

Meander 2 - Retreat.- Last weekend I met with a dozen members of Hudson Valley Romance Writers at a spa to write and discuss many things. Two of the people didn't stay over night but 10 of us did. We had lots of laughs and lots of talk about writing. We also had a new drink. Tangerine Rum and for some Diet Coke and for others regular. Call it the Steph. Friday out to dinner at an Italian restaurant where the food was good but they charged for refills. Spent Saturday morning with a small business meeting. Had some interesting bits about our contest. Early Bird special and then a price hike. We'll see how it works. Then we sat and wrote. Everyone with their computers and me with my paper and pen. Managed to put down 2000 words. I write fast. Snacks provided by the spa and then lunch. Afternoon, a bit more writing and then some of us read for critique. I managed what I had set out to do and that was good. Evening dinner at the spa but I've written about that before. Then sitting around drinking and telling jokes. Was a lot of laughs. Over all the retreat was a success and hopefully this will become larger as the years move forward.

Meander 3 Writing - Have almost finished typing in the stuff for Book 5 of At First Sight. Book 4 is up for pre-order. Must promote that soon. Am continuing my project. Learning about horses and stables and trying to make the romance prominent and not bogging the story doen with research.

Friday - Unscheduled visit - Retreat #MFRWauthor

 Today I'll be leaving for a writer's retreat with other members of Hudson Valley Romance Writers. Others will be taking their laptops and writing away on then. I'll probably retreat to my room and write in my old fashioned way. What now that has taken me into a largely unexplored area. Horses, horse farms and riding plus Zumba. Should be interesting. Will be back on Sunday,