Writer's Retreat -- Day 1

I have the blessing of getting away from the world for a week with three great friends. We have rented a five bedroom condo in Branson, MO, for a week, and our intent is to hide away in our rooms most of each day to work on writing projects that we each have.

I rode down yesterday with my friend Colleen, and we had a wonderful time of conversation and some singing along with Christian music. We were both so excited about this opportunity that we were almost giddy. The car was packed to the gills with all the things we thought we might need...we weren't sure it would all fit, but between Colleen's and my husband Doug's master packing skills, we made it. I sure hope it all fits back in on the way home!

We arrived a bit early and the housekeepers were still cleaning the unit, so we went out for a late lunch and we hit the grocery store to prepare for the week.Once we got to our unit, we were thrilled and amazed with the space. There are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, and kitchen on the lowest floor, another kitchen/living room, 1/2 bath, and a bedroom with a full bath on the main floor, two bedrooms and two baths on the upper floor, and a fabulous rooftop  area accessible only by the elevator in our unit! We spent several minutes walking through each room to figure out the best places for each of us to stay. Every room has some wonderful amenity -- a great place for us to put our folding tables (aka writing desks), a balcony overlooking the lake, or a great soaking tub! I chose a room with a great space for a desk and lots of wall space to use.

As you can see, I've already started using the wall space -- I brought tickytack and I've been putting my research on note cards for months! This is a timeline of events in the book I want to write. Hmm...looks like I should have brought a level to ensure my rows are straight.

A bit about my book -- it's an historical novel set in Biblical times. This is a real stretch for me -- all the writing I've done to date has been non-fiction. However, I love doing research, so I'm looking forward to taking real information and creating a book that documents the life of a woman who was close to Jesus and the apostles. This book has been on my heart for years, so we'll see if I'm capable of taking it from my imagination onto paper (well, onto a computer screen!).

Today I want to get everything set up so I can really start writing tomorrow. I want to set daily goals and finish up a couple of research items. I decided this morning during my quiet time that, regardless of how productive I am at writing, I want this week to be a prayer. I don't intend to say 'amen' until next Saturday, and I want to consciously pray continually that whole time. We'll see how well I do!

I intend to update my blog daily, and I'd appreciate prayers from anyone who reads these little posts. Please pray for clarity of thinking, focus, and creativity! It would also help if you pray for my amazing husband as he deals with a week of twin 13 year-old boys!