I am lovin’ the summertime #roadtrips! This week we traveled to Monterey in northern California to do some #FathersDay and #birthday celebrating with family. The drive was spectacular going up the 101 freeway—with all the rain, the hillsides are gorgeous in green–and the central California vineyards have the vines ready for summer. This is perfect weather for driving and sightseeing and certainly has me inspired for the next trip (just avoid those LA rush hours, #JustSayin).
Monterey is a charming beach town famous for its Aquarium and John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row (which is now filled with loads of eateries and souvenir shops). I love driving along the beach streets with their whimsical houses–architectures of many styles and some great colors to make them pop! It’s a great place to visit if you have the opportunity, ideal to do some #InspirationResearch if you’re so inclined (temps are cooler too if you’re looking to beat the heat). Another great benefit? The return drive along PCH through Big Sur (see below). It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
#AmRevising/#AmEditing #AmQuerying
#AmRevising: I have my first set of edits from the fabulous Author, Editor, Blogger, #WritingCommunity supporter Theresa Snyder (@TheresaSnyder19). I’m busy making changes and beefing up the characters and storyline in certain areas. I still can’t believe how many punctuation errors slipped through, but c’est la vie…In all seriousness–Theresa’s comments and insights are invaluable. It takes an outside view to pull you out of the weeds and get the fixes in sometimes, I can’t stress this enough. I know the storyline will be richer and complete with the changes, this is an investment well worth it! Check out Theresa’s website and services here:
#AmQuerying: I’m still working on the synopsis and scoping out the agencies, publishers and literary agents I’ll be focusing my querying efforts on. The Duotrope weekly updates are really helping my quest–it’s subscription fee is well worth it if you’re looking to query, IMO. Take a look at their website here:
AmReading #AmReviewing
Author Teri Wilson, Love at the Shore, 5 STARS:
Writer Jenna Turner and her two children are off to the shore for a five week adventure and a looming deadline for her manuscript. Their rental house is a charming duplex steps away from the ocean, perfect for relaxing and writing—until Jenna meets her new neighbors, Lucas and his rambunctious pup, Tank. A surfer who shies away from neatness is not exactly her idea of the perfect next door acquaintance. Lucas has his doubts too about being next to a seemingly uptight mom with two kids. Will their differences draw them together, or be barriers that neither can navigate?
Author Teri Wilson takes us on a romantic jaunt at the beach as Jenna slowly starts to unwind and gets to know her neighbor, who turns out not to be the slacker she first thought. Lucas unexpectedly finds himself bonding with the kids next door, coaching Jenna’s son Nick in swimming at the kids camp, and fostering a relationship with Jenna’s daughter Ally and his dog, Tank. He surprises Jenna again and again as she learns more about his successful past, and his friendship with her children touches her heart. As their friendship grows, will it fizzle at the end of summer when it’s time to go back to reality, or blossom into something more?
Put on your sunglasses and tip your toes into the warm sand. This is a perfect #summertime read that warms the heart and definitely makes you smile!
Next up in the #reading queue:
On the #Hygge decorating front…
Loving these pops of red for the #summertime! Pillowcases are a quick way to change up the look of a room for the season (leaving more $$ for sparkly shoes, #JustSayin). I also changed out our #rug to brighten things up–with cats I stick to indoor/outdoor floor coverings (hairballs and wool carpets do not mix, at least not at our house…). Daisy seems to approve (and yes, the rug has been, ahem, ‘christened’) 🙂
On the #Hygge food front…
Who’s the lucky girl who received this fabulous cookbook featuring a beloved chef for her belated bday present! I’m salivating over this cookbook from Nigella Lawson–she is definitely one of my favorite chefs. I adore watching her older shows on YouTube–who doesn’t love her last scene where she goes to the fridge for a late night raid of the day’s cooking? A woman after my own heart for sure! First dish on my ‘try’ list—sticky toffee pudding—perhaps not an official Danish #Hygge dish, but certain to put a smile of #yummo satisfaction on this face. ❤
Some pics from our #roadtrip down PCH from Pacific Grove to Carmel to Big Sur…
We had a fantastic drive home on PCH through the gorgeous seaside towns of Monterey/Pacific Grove, Carmel, and Big Sur. This road along the California coast has to be one of the most scenic drives in the country, IMO. We were lucky–the road was open for the drive, although there is extensive road work being done due to rock slides. Many sections were down to one lane, so there were traffic delays. In this case, we didn’t mind–the views were magnificent. Enjoy!
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. Travel to Montery, CA: https://monterey.org/ Gemma would approve! 🙂
P.S.S. Have you bought your copy of the #WolfPackAuthors Anthology yet? Great #Summertime reading, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many fine platforms!
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