Living My Novel (a bit)

As I mentioned in my last post, I finally managed to get my Oregon Trail novel published.  I know that is only the beginning of the work.  Now I need to publicize it.  I need to carry the books with me and talk about them all the time and, in short, be nothing but obnoxious about them for awhile and then back off and hope someone else carries on the conversation.

 But I am also a Mom with only two short months left until
empty nest syndrome hits hard when my youngest moves 400 miles from home to start college.

So with the book in print, I said "yes" to a camping trip with
the family and with friends who are nearly family.  Scratch the nearly.  They have shared more of my life, holidays and celebrations and sorrows, in the last 19 years than most of my blood relatives.  Blood is important but miles are a great divide there.

 So we headed up into the hills above Ashland, Oregon to a place we all love, called "Howard Prairie Lake." The temperatures here at sea level have been in the 50's *F but there were nearly double that, so it felt both good and shocking and we spent a lot of time in the lake.

 One thing I quickly realized about washing by dipping in the lake, and walking a lot carrying water, and sitting around a smokey fire and breathing dust and no-seeums; is that I should have written even more about the smells of sweaty, smokey people working hard and living outdoors.

  The kindle version is available now at

http://www.amazon.com/Double-Time-Oregon-Trail-ebook/dp/B008G3JZB8/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341109826&sr=1-5

 and the paperback is available now as well from CreateSpace.  https://www.createspace.com/3923513

or on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Double-Time-Oregon-Trail-1/dp/1478160926/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341504499&sr=1-3&keywords=double+time+on+the+oregon+trail

 I realized that there is a natural inclination to gather in the firelight, to sleep soon after dark and wake early and to love the stars when you wake in the dark because the ground is hard.  I realized that carrying water is hard work, and cooking in the fresh air is hard.  But everyone is very hungry and thirsty.

I  realized that when there is the whole outdoors around you, you feel small and the presence of those you love is an immense comfort.

I realized I should have done this a lot more often as the boys were growing up.  Writing books is important but telling stories around the campfire is even more rewarding.