Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Kyuquot, a small community on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island. Technically it was a fishing trip, but I was netting word count, because when the anglers are away, the writer will play.
A more spectacular perch from which to write would be hard to find. Inspirational vistas, no cell phone service, and only a whisper of Internet added up to hours of uninterrupted writing bliss.
The Fishing Lodge
The lodge is located on one of the small islands that dot Kyuquot Sound. Every window offered a spectacular view, and the expansive decks that surround the lodge provided plenty of outdoor space.
Kayaks and hiking were right outside the door, and directly across from us, a helicopter flew in and out of a nursing station outpost. On Thursday, we headed outside to wave to the MV Uchuck III which cruised by on its weekly supply trip.
Each day when the crew returned with their catch, they’d clean the fish on the dock. They’d take the heads and innards to a nearby rock to feed the local wildlife. The gorging that ensued was a photographer’s dream even for those of us without long lenses.
The One That Got Away
With the salmon iced down and the eagles fed, we’d enjoy a glass of wine or a cold beer, and the anglers would entertain us with colourful lies about the one(s) that got away. Each evening a different crew cooked dinner, salmon on all but one night, and I’d be hard-pressed to choose a favourite rendition.
Sadly, we couldn’t stay forever, but we left Kyuquot topped up with good food, fond memories and loaded fishing coolers.
The next Gift Legacy book sits at +50K words, well over the halfway mark. Every day I’m pumped to write the next scene, and if I ever need some Kyuquot inspiration, I can always cook a yummy salmon dinner and gaze out to the Pacific!
A note on the rebranding front: yesterday I set up a table at Denman’s Saturday market and a group of three women approached to ask if the books had a religious theme. That’s three more votes for rebranding!
Fashion Valley was a treat with its high-end shops.
It’s been an uncommon winter here on Denman Island. The ground froze for 6+ weeks, which is an unusual state of cold we normally count in days, not weeks. (No need to roll your eyeballs—we know we’re spoiled—we barely reach the “damn it’s cold” threshold for Canadians.)
I didn’t get outside much in November. The November 15 release of Betrayal (now Lover Betrayed) kept me busy. As always happens with a new release, I was plagued with promotion should’ve/could’ve/would’ves. Not to mention the inconvenient fact that I also have a life.
That “life” took me back to Ontario to spend a rare and snowy Christmas with my family. Despite my earlier whinging, I love a white Christmas. There’s something magical about crisp, white snow at Christmastime. And it may just be my ego, but I think Ontario went out of its way to emphasize the white this year. It brings me back to my childhood. I can count on one finger how many white Christmases I’ve experienced since moving to the coast (not that finger – gheesh!). The coast has many wonderful attributes, which I tout to no end in the Gift Legacy books, but a white Christmas isn’t one of them.
I’m now back on Denman Island
It demands my attention, and I’m beyond happy to oblige. In addition to developing my next series (the Dark Dreams novels), I’m writing the next chapter in Emelynn’s story. This is what it looks like when I’m organizing my ideas. Do you have thoughts about characters or storylines you’d like to see on one of those stickies? Now is the perfect time to tell me. Leave a comment, or contact me on any of my social media sites.
Like a lot of you, I’ve been in a whirlwind of cleaning, wrapping, cooking, baking, entertaining, and being entertained :). I’ve also been packing for a winter road trip back east to spend a rare Christmas with my family in Ontario. And also like a lot of you, rare is the morning when you wake up with a leisurely stretch and wonder how you’re going to fill your day. Especially this year. Leisure doesn’t even have a seat at the kiddie table.
Screeching Halt
But on the bright side, we’ll still have a white Christmas with my family, and we’ll still be able to visit with friends along the way. For us, it’s the people who make Christmas special, and the rest of it though nice, is simply glitter on the tree. Not critical, nor necessary, and easily done without.