Thursday, May 19, 2016

Summer Plans



Do you have a trip planned for this summer? Memorial Day weekend is just ahead. My wedding anniversary is coming up in June. Father’s Day is shortly thereafter. Then the Fourth of July… Official holidays, personal celebrations, or a getaway – maybe you have a special go-to place like a mountain cabin or a beach house, or do you like to see new places and fresh faces when you get away? 


My husband and I have been talking about getting away. Several times over the past year we’ve discussed and planned, but stopped short of actually booking a trip. Life, I guess. Family obligations that can’t be accounted for within a schedule like my mom in a memory care unit, or job obligations, or – you name it – there’s always something ready to hold you back from taking off on adventure. 

We planned to take a trip to the UK in May but didn’t go through with it. We’ve looked at cruises, not really caring where it sails, but only wanting to be on the ship and watch the ocean go by. We’ve considered short, more local trips to the shore or to the mountains, but each time I pull my Go-For-It finger back from the keyboard. Not yet. 


So when? Will it be when this current book project is finished? There’ll be another to write. As for family – there’s no guarantee of health and stability on any given day or week regardless of age or condition, so timing may be a gamble, but waiting is a sure way to never get away. Or do you just enjoy the planning more than the actual trip? Many do.
What holds you back? Whether it’s from traveling or doing something else you’ve dreamed of? What keeps you anchored in the planning stage, never to take off and do it? Where would you go if you had the chance to travel without restriction?



~:~:~

Grace Greene writes women's fiction and contemporary romance with suspense. A Virginia native, Grace has family ties to North Carolina. She writes books set in both locations.
The Emerald Isle books, BEACH RENTAL and BEACH WINDS, are set in North Carolina where "It's always a good time for a love story and a trip to the beach."
Or travel down Virginia Country Roads in KINCAID'S HOPE, A STRANGER IN WYNNEDOWER, and CUB CREEK and "Take a trip to love, mystery and suspense." Her newest release, LEAVING CUB CREEK, is the sequel to CUB CREEK.
BEACH RENTAL, her debut novel, won the Booksellers Best contest in both the Traditional and Best First Book categories. BEACH RENTAL and BEACH WINDS were each awarded 4.5 stars, Top Pick by RT Book Reviews magazine. KINCAID'S HOPE received a 4 star review from that same magazine.

 
Grace lives in central Virginia. Stay current with Grace's releases and appearances at www.GraceGreene.com and sign up for her newsletter. Grace loves to hear from readers.

You'll also find Grace here:
Twitter: @Grace_Greene
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Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Grace_Greene
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/gracegreeneauth/
Amazon's Author Central: amazon.com/author/gracegreene

11 comments:

  1. My vacation isn't until September but I'm looking forward to summer.

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    1. Me, too. With book deadlines (I'm not accustomed to working to a publisher's deadline)I may not take any vacations this summer, but on the other hand I'm working from home on my own schedule, so while the surroundings aren't exotic or new to me, it's still a lot like a stay-cation, so no complaints here.

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  2. I guess my hubby and I have thrown caution to the wind. We are traveling, traveling, traveling this year. In April we went to the Masters Golf Tournament practice round and combined it with a trip to Florida. In May we visited friends from Ohio before our trip to the Kentucky Derby. In June we are going to national parks in Utah. In July we are going to Spokane for my 50th class reunion. How did I get so old? In August we are headed to Europe. We are taking advantage of this time in our lives when we are still healthy and can travel widely.

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    1. Merrillee - That's exactly what my husband and I want to do. I just need to comfy with working to deadlines first. Leaving the day job was a huge change for me and when I get comfortable with understanding how fast/slow I can write full time, I'll be a lot more comfy with bringing travel into the schedule.

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  3. I'm on the path with Merrillee!! I've been on the go for the last year. Deadlines still loom, but I fit them in even if it means a few sleepless nights or extra naps to make it happen. I still have some fun places on my schedule this year including: Boston, San Diego, Phoenix, Outer Banks of North Carolina, Virginia Beach, Suffolk and Cape Charles VA, then off to Nashville, followed by a tour through Indiana to celebrate the Every Yesterday book launch, Denver and Gatlinburg.

    Wow...maybe I'm overdoing it...hahah.
    Truth is...since Mr Mike's passing I've felt compelled to not waste a moment or think twice. Life is a precious gift and the expiration date is a secret...so I'm squeezing everything my joyful heart can take.

    Can't wait to sign with you in Cape Charles this August, Grace.
    And you and I still need to book a tour along the coast of North Carolina!

    Keep bringing us those wonderful stories.
    Hugs and happy writing~
    Nancy

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    1. I am totally looking forward to Suffolk and Cape Charles in August. Your travel schedule otherwise, sounds a bit exhausting but also a lot of fun. I'll be glad when I get a feel for this deadline writing and will feel freer to play and travel.

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  4. Grace, to steal Merrillee's quote, we threw caution to the wind and made payments for a year on a big cruise

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    1. We LOVE cruising. And we are way overdue for another one. Soon, I hope. Where are you cruising? We want to do a Canada cruise and also the Baltic Capitals cruise. All that said, there are smaller, more expensive cruises that go around Scotland and Ireland. I almost signed up for one of those last year.

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  5. Grace, My husband and I are traveling to Ireland this summer to visit our daughter, who is graduating from university. We are staying in a home exchange--it's a small home with no internet but salmon fishing in the back yard. (umm, no, dh and I aren't salmon fishers...or any type of fishers...) LOL!

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    1. That sounds delightful!! We had a huge map of the UK that we hung up on the wall and maps of the castle heritage trails in Scotland and were really planning the trip, but then I decided to leave the day job and contract to write two books, so at that point I decided to postpone the trip. I hope you'll post pics and blog about your trip. Help me figure out where and how to go!

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    2. I'll be happy to post pics and blog, and help you and your dh figure out where to go. :)

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