It's been several years since I held a virtual retreat here at the blog. So I thought I'd re-share the retreat I posted for you in 2012. I hope you enjoy another writing retreat at the beach! Be sure to turn up your sound on the videos. Well worth it for the relaxation. :)
Before we start, though, I wanted to share some inspiration. I just read an article at CNN.com by Ashley Strickland about the launching of the Parker Solar Probe. I was very moved by the end of the article (click here to read). For the first time, NASA named a spacecraft in honor of a living person. In 1958, as a young physicist at University of Chicago, Eugene Parker submitted a paper to a journal predicting the existence of solar winds. The "referees" of the journal rejected it as "radical." But Parker appealed to the editor, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (winner of a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983), who ended up publishing the paper. Later, Parker's theory was confirmed. Today, Parker is the S. Chandrasekhar Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago. He's also been given NASA's distinguished public service medal...and has a spacecraft named after him that will be the first to go to the sun. How cool is that?
I hope this inspires you as much as it did me! And now...on to our virtual beach retreat...
Missy, here, coming to you with a little more tan and a lot more freckles! Our family just returned from a vacation on the beautiful Alabama coast. Spent a glorious week at the beach with my husband and three kids. Once again, I thought I'd share! Today, you can have your very own mini-writing retreat. :)
Good morning! Time to get up and spend some peaceful time on the balcony. A nice cup of coffee, your Bible and a deserted, quiet beach await.
Once you finish breakfast and your devotional, it's time to write! The sound of the ocean waves hitting the shore is the perfect white noise for me. I hope it speaks to you like it does to me! Here's your morning soundtrack.
And a special treat! We saw a double rainbow one morning!
So after a session of writing, the beach is filling and the kids at the pool are starting in on a game of Marco-Polo. It's difficult to concentrate now, so it's probably time to break for lunch on the balcony and a little time at the pool or beach yourself. Here's your afternoon soundtrack...
After lunch, head down for digging your toes in the sand...
...and setting up to read under your beach umbrella! Because remember how much we learn about writing from reading. :)
If you'd like to work for a while down on the beach, here's your afternoon beach soundtrack...
Once you're done, it's time to quit for the day and spend time with the family. Time for a beautiful dinner at your favorite restaurant on the bay, where you can look at all the yachts and dream about how it might feel to own one.
Then back to the condo to watch the glorious sunset...
Ahhhh. I don't know about you, but I feel relaxed and inspired to start again tomorrow. Do you feel rested? Did you get a lot accomplished on your retreat? :) What's your favorite place to write? Let's chat about writing retreats.
Today, I'm giving away a tote bag that says "Life is Beautiful" as well as a Kindle copy of my indie novella His Summer Valentine to one lucky winner!
Speaking of His Summer Valentine... If you didn't read it in the Coffee Shop Romances boxed set, then be sure to get your copy today! And if you've already read it, please consider leaving a review. They're really helpful to authors!
Let me know in the comments if you'd like to be entered for the giveaway!
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His Summer Valentine
Opposites attract in this novella-length inspirational romance (Christian romance) Book 1!
Willow Valentine is on a quest—granted, a crazy one. When her car breaks down in the middle of a 4th of July parade in the tiny town of Dahlia, Georgia, she can’t help but wonder if God was bringing her here all along. After the handsome Trent Meriwether comes to her aid, she’s tempted to believe God has. But she, like her dad, is the type to keep moving on. Can she truly avoid that Valentine itch and settle in this town, especially when she finds she’s quickly falling for Trent, a man with deep roots in Dahlia?
Trent has moved back to his hometown to make amends and support his family. Though his grandmother warns him the Valentines are drifters, he finds himself intrigued by Willow. She makes him laugh and feel hopeful for the first time in ages. But how can he look twice at someone so much younger, someone who could pick up and leave at any moment—even if she is like a ray of sunshine to his troubled soul?
Welcome to the small town of Dahlia, Georgia, where everyone feels at home!
(Note: This story previously appeared in the 2015 Coffee Shop Romances collection.)
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After more than 10 years of pursuing her dream of publication, Missy Tippens, a pastor’s wife and mom of three from near Atlanta, Georgia, made her first sale to Harlequin Love Inspired in 2007. Her books have since been nominated for numerous awards, including Romance Writers of America RITA® Award. Visit Missy at www.missytippens.com and sign up for her newsletter!
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