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What I’m Working On – September 8, 2022

I had an exciting thing happen to me this week. I hiked just over half a mile up and down and on the side of steep hills. To some of you, this doesn’t sound like a big deal. For me, it totally is.

For the last ten years, I’ve had a debilitating ankle tendon pain that stopped me from hiking. (I’ve seen 13 health practitioners about it and tried all their suggestions – except surgery.) There was a small window of time where I hiked around Colorado with no pain, but eventually the pain grew so bad I was limited to roads and flat dirt trails. Uneven terrain triggered a burning sensation so intense that I’d have to stop immediately, drop to the ground and wait 15-20 minutes before I could continue. A few times I’d hike with my forearm crutches, but it’s not as relaxing because I’m more focused on where to put my crutches than on seeing the beauty around me. Standing for longer than fifteen minutes is excruciating.

I read a book titled: “Fixing You: Foot and Ankle Pain” by Rick Olderman after having a terrible meeting with a chiropractor who told me I needed to treat the symptoms of my ankle tendon, take some enzymes, wear orthotics, and accept that my ankle will never get better. The only reason I didn’t believe this chiropractor was because I had seen one that had helped me immensely before we moved from Eau Claire, WI area.

The author Rick Olderman is a physical therapist who specializes in helping people heal from chronic pain. The book is short and reminds me of reading the anatomy chapters from my biology books in high school. He goes into a lot of detail about his observations working with a variety of injuries and pain points. I figured I had nothing to lose and approached the book with an open mind.

The most surprising thing I learned was that I lock my knee when standing and walking, which caused discomfort in my ankle. I also walked with a 100% heel strike (a normal heel strike should be around 50-75%). While I waited for the support tape to arrive for the exercises he advises, I focused on walking with less heel strike and keeping a bent knee. Those two things got me to where I hiked the half-mile trail with no pain. I think I could’ve gone further, but my husband worries about me overdoing things (rightly so) and advised we celebrate the small win.

This week the support tape arrived, so I’m rehabbing my foot. I hope to rebuild the strength so that I can hike anywhere and workout without worrying about triggering severe pain in my foot.

The one advantage with my ankle issue is that I have time to write and create art.

Writing Update

I’m still writing my romance novel. It’s fun to see the twists and turns it’s taking. I’m excited to get it finished because I have a few ideas for other stories bouncing around in my mind.

I also started a short story for a market that invited me to send them something. I expect to have it finished by tomorrow.

The novel that’s finished is just about ready to publish. I need to make the cover and assemble the book.

Other than that, I plan to enjoy the warm weather we’re having before the temps plummet. The high temps here are below 70 degrees. The other day I dug out a sweatshirt because it didn’t get above 60. It’s a little strange coming from the high desert in Idaho where they still have temps in the 80s.

Have a great weekend.

What I’m Working On – September 1, 2022

Caribou Falls a short hike from Highway 61 along the Northshore of MN. (35 ft high)

Between writing, art, reading, juggling work items, and exploring our new area, I listen to a wide variety of podcasts. This week I listened to two interviews (by different podcast hosts) that talked about the importance of play when we create art. Both of the artists (one a sculptor, the other a comedian) talked about how a sense of play made them feel happier and stoked their creative fires. It also helped them view the world in a more positive light.

I’ve heard this idea before, but the reminder was timed perfectly. I fell into super-serious mode and forgot that writing and painting are fun. I got wrapped up in trying to find just the right words, colors, or techniques instead of letting playfulness be my guide.

Since today is the first day of the month, I want to approach my writing and paintings with a sense of play for the month to see what happens. Maybe I’ll think of a paper and dice game that I can create to go with it.

What am I playing with this week?

My romance novel. It took a few turns that I’m exploring. I’m enjoying the characters. I’m guessing I’m about 75% done with the draft. If I play well (haha), I think I can have it finished by the end of next week.

My fantasy novel came back from my copy editor. It’s awaiting my attention. I plan to have the edits and cover designed by next week.

That’s it for the writing updates. As usual, I plan to continue to play tourist along the Northshore of Minnesota. There’s so much to see and do.

Enjoy your week. I hope you get time to play.

WHAT I’M WORKING ON – AUGUST 5, 2022

This writing update comes to you from the shores of Lake Superior. It’s a balmy 64 degrees Fahrenheit at Black Beach, one of my favorite beaches around here. There are at least 50 tourists congregated at the tiny inlet on the other end of the beach near the picnic tables. I’m not sure why they don’t come down to my corner, maybe they know something I don’t, like a monster is going to appear from rocky bottom waters and pull me into Gitchi Gumi, the seagulls might turn into vampire gulls, or there could be an ancient curse that the tourists sense that I’m too dense to notice. Whatever the reason, I’m glad that I have a private outdoor “office” space.

This week I got my fantasy novel back from my copy editor. I plan on making the edits within the next week. If all goes well, I hope to have the book published by the end of August.

I’m making progress on my romance story. I’m enjoying the little surprises that my imagination added. It’s coming along nicely. My goal is to have the draft done by next Friday.

This weekend between writing sessions, I plan to continue to explore the area we moved to. I have a book that gives locations of 150 waterfalls around Lake Superior. I’ve visited many of them over the years, but there are some that are super close to us to explore.

What I’m Working on July 13, 2022

I can’t believe that it’s the middle of July. We’re settled into our new place and make frequent visits to Lake Superior. It’s so beautiful. I think that’s something I repeat to my husband nearly every time we drive somewhere.

The biggest surprise about living here is that it’s much cooler by the lake. There were a few days when the temps reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit at our house. When we went down to the lake, it was 50. The best part about the temperature difference is that tourists don’t stay long at the beach because they’re wearing summer clothes. That means we get the beach to ourselves, albeit a cold one.

Reestablishing a routine after a big move takes time and I’m finally getting my groove. I’m continuing to write my romance story. I expect the draft to be done by the end of the month.

My third novel in the Rockton Treasure Hunting series, Abandoned City, is almost up for sale everywhere. There were a few tech problems yesterday that caused the upload to fail. I’m optimistic that today the tech gremlins are busy elsewhere so that I can release it.

Watch for my announcement on my blog when it’s ready to buy. You can also subscribe to my newsletter.

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer by taking advantage of the sunny days when they arrive.

What I’m Working on May 27

My husband and I moved to the Northshore of Minnesota. Most of the boxes are emptied, but I still have to hang artwork and find homes for items. I’m not a fan of cluttered areas, so the piles are bothering me. We’ve been here a week and still don’t have Internet. Thank goodness for the data on my phone.

We live in a quiet neighborhood where white-tailed deer wander down the middle of the streets in the evening. I’m glad the speed limit is 25mph for the sake of drivers and the deer. I find them funny, but I’m sure the people who love to garden aren’t huge fans of them. When we walk our dogs, there’s always deer watching us go by, often standing near someone’s flower bed or garden.

The songbirds chatter almost non-stop. I love hearing them, and it was something that I didn’t hear often enough in Idaho. The other unusual sight is watching the seagulls hop along the sidewalks, calling out to their friends.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the northshore of Minnesota, we’re near Lake Superior. This section of the lake has cliffs and rocky shores. The lake reminds me of the ocean with its vastness; it’s not as blue as the Pacific and not as blue-gray as the Atlantic. Our first week here it rained everyday, and the weather is much cooler than in central Idaho. I’m definitely going to miss the mild winters.

The other thing the Northshore is known for, besides the rocky shores of Lake Superior, are all the waterfalls. Gooseberry Falls in Gooseberry Falls State Park and High Falls in Tettegouche State Park are among the most popular. There are many other waterfalls and hiking trails abound. And, if you’re a lighthouse lover, Split Rock Lighthouse is a beautiful historical lighthouse to tour.

Now for my writing update.

I started a romance story in Idaho while I packed up our previous house. Writing is a nice break from the joys of filling boxes. I didn’t bother to work on it during our trek across the country, but resumed working on it today. I’m a little distracted by the newness and sounds of my neighborhood, so it’s taking me a little longer to find my groove.

My most recent novel, Artful Magic, is with my copyeditor. I’m expecting it back mid-June.

The third novel in my Rockton Treasure Hunting series will be published at the end of the May. I have some final tweaks to do for the cover.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

A Letter and Pepperkaker

A Nostalgic Christmas Short Story

Beth Parson uncovers something about her grandmother’s past at Christmas that leaves her puzzled. Her grandmother told her many stories, but not this one.

She embarks on a mission to find out more.

Enjoy a lighthearted, nostalgic Christmas short story about family and new connections.

Purchase the ebook from your favorite bookseller.