It’s been brought to my attention that my last post bordered on whining. And yes, it’s true I’m disappointed I don’t get to go on my annual Idaho retreat this year. But my intention was simply to advise the universe that I am now available for other opportunities.

The universe, of course, responded even before making myself crystal clear. No sooner had I revealed my change of heretofore unchangeable plans, but a grand and glorious opportunity plopped right straight into my lap. An opportunity I would have missed had I been otherwise committed to my usual June retreat.

My frequent readers know I’ve been working away at my first novel, every single morning, for several months now. My original plan was to take my work with me to Idaho to continue my morning writing practice.

But now, I’ve signed up for “Summer In Words,” a 3-day writing conference in Cannon Beach the last weekend of the month. I’ll be rubbing elbows with more established writers and picking the brains of the workshop presenters. I’ll be digging deeper into plots and characters and enjoying all kinds of good stuff that happens when writers hang out with other writers.

At the very least, I’ll come away rededicated to my current project and feeling more connected to the writing community. My intention, and this time I’ll make myself perfectly clear, is to come away with several potential agents’ contact information so I can query them next month and sign a contract with one of them by mid-August.

That’s my intention, and I’m sticking to it!