R is for: Retirement

I retired from decades of nursing three years ago next month. No regrets, only an occasional twinge of missing my friends or a memory of babies in the NICU. I could live without the work dreams, though, often frantic and confusing, that make me glad to wake up in my own bed.

Retirement has been different in some ways than I expected. I do have more time to do the things I love, but, somehow there is always the stuff I don't get to, even with good intentions. Writing is work, a lot of work. Not to mention the disappointments and frustrations. But, I do love it and consider writing a very good use of my time.

When the Northern Colorado Writers Conference comes around March 2015, I will have my current novel ready to pitch. Maybe this will be the one, who knows?

Will I retire from being a writer? Not until I don't know what any of the words mean anymore.

A is for: Author! Author!

As I mentioned in my last post, I spent the weekend at the Northern Colorado Writers Conference with writers of every kind who talked to me and taught me. I`m wild with ideas. I feel as if I can`t go fast enough to keep up with my mind. Love feeling this way again. Bye-bye, long winter of my discontent.

My biggest takeaway from the conference this year is my boundless admiration for authors everywhere. These writers followed their hearts and dreams the distance. They jumped through every publication hoop, independent or traditional, learned their craft, dotted that I, crossed that T! Killed off their darlings!

I bow down before you all for what you`ve accomplished and given to rabid readers everywhere.

I want to be you when I grow up.

Tale of two blogs

What's worse than creating a blog and not taking the time the write on it? How about having two blogs and neglecting them both. And forgetting there were two of them. I'm lucky I haven't been turned in to Blog Protection Services.

I figured out I could eliminate this one, printed it up to keep the posts, found and clicked on 'delete this blog.' Okay, good decision. With a bit of creative excitement, I went to the other blog, Soul to Page. I clicked on the dashboard to actually post, when what to my wondering eyes should appear a message stating I had no blogs. Uh-oh. Did I delete the wrong one? No. Could I access Soul to Page? Yes, but I had no way to make any changes or post. Long story short, I signed in and out of accounts and did all suggested tasks to no avail. Fortunately, I was able to resurrect this blog. So, here we are. Welcome back to A Word Girl.

I attended the Northern Colorado Writers Conference this past weekend and am one recharged writer. Much of what I learned or re-learned requires posting stat.

Please come back soon.