WRITING RETREAT RECAP

Good morning, friends.

Wow, what a week!
I left last Monday to spend five days in Eureka Springs AR. Eureka Springs is where the Planned to Perfection series is set. An Ozarks Christmas releases October 11th so I've been busy trying to get the revisions in order so I can get a copy out to beta readers no later than this coming Friday. Ack!!!
They say time flies when you're having fun. I have to say that while this was a working trip, I always enjoy any time I can get in the quaint Victorian tourist town.

One of the icon places is the Crescent Hotel:

  

The Crescent Hotel has housed many things over its lifetime. According to encounters (my own included) and TAPS, some residents never leave. From that upper deck, outside the Sky Bar, you can see the Christ of the Ozarks, over at The Passion Play:

After stopping in Springfield MO for lunch and a quick meet-up with my sister, her daughter and SO, I headed for Cassville MO. There I stopped to see my bestie Rose Sartin. She just had her first book released last fall. I featured her HERE. I wanted to make arrangements to have lunch when I came back through on Friday.

By the time I reached the Inn of the Ozarks Monday afternoon, I was too tired to do much of anything except unpack/ set up and call it a day. I zoned out to Ninja Warrior qualifiers in Indianapolis.

Tuesday, I put my BIC -HOK until time to dress for dinner. I have a scene in An Ozarks Christmas where Brendan and Stephanie have a little adult time to iron out some things. Brendan knew he needed someplace Stephanie couldn't just get up and walk away. She'd have to face some things. So I thought this the perfect setting.

We took the lunch train last summer with the girls but this was the first for dinner. A beautiful setting on a vintage rail dining car:

Table for 1 please:

Menu consisted of:

     Tomato Basil Soup:

     Garden Salad

     Entree (I chose the Prime Rib)

with Rice Pilaf and Steamed Vegetables in Hollandaise Sauce

     Dinner Rolls (scrumptious!)

I ate one then saved the other three to eat with my soup on Wednesday

Went great with the Chicken Dumpling from Myrtie Mae's

     Baked Alaska... in the form of:

Jessica pushing the Baked Alaska Engine

Periodically she would stop for photographs then toot the whistle and move on.

An enjoyable evening. I chose to sit alone so I could be aware of how voices carried throughout the train and make copious notes without being rude to a dinner partner. I did chat briefly with a lovely couple across the isle then met up with them again on Thursday at the buffet at Myrtie Mae's 

I didn't do anything Wednesday except work. Thursday I did walk up to the Crescent and had a drink in the Sky Bar. I brought 12 bbq wings back to my room for dinner. 

Friday morning I loaded up and headed back to Springfield. Made that stop in Cassville for Rose to tell me all about her week at the RWA conference in Denver and a quick stop at my sister's to check out her garden. 

Dinner with Skiz at Mikado's Chinese/ Seafood Buffet.

Spent the night in Springfield then attended the Sleuth's Ink meeting on Saturday.  Bob drove in Saturday morning to go to the gun show then met me afterwards. We did dinner at Mikado's then came home. 

I am so happy to be at my own desk, doing my own thing, with my hubby near by. I still have revisions work to do but I got a lot accomplished on my alone time. 

I highly recommend time away from everyday house stuff to really get yourself into your  novel when it comes to revisions. Even if you can only be gone a night or two, take it! You'll be happier with the end result.

Now I need a vacation :-D