My Writer's Week with Lizzie and Melissa

Melissa, Sarah, and Lizzie at Buffalo Wild Wings.

 Well, I am home and recovered from a five day trip with my friends and the 4th of July holiday weekend!!! Here, I will share with you my trip. I hope you will enjoy it!!!

 On Tuesday, June 28, I left my home in Delphi, Indiana and made the 5 hour trip to Troy Michigan. My two Critique partners, Melissa Stark and Lizzie Walker, decided to meet at Melissa's house and have a writer's week since we were unable to go to the RWA Conference.

I was so excited to finally meet them. I had known Lizzie for two years, having met her in Veronica Wolff's discussion forums and I had known Melissa for one year, having met her in Celtic Critters Critique group in CHRW.



We spent our time writing in her apartment, writing at the pool, writing in the atrium....LOL, you name it and we probably sat there with our computers. Thousands of words were put down and I think all of us feel better about that. But, we didn't just write. We brain stormed about the GMC of the characters.  (G=goal, M=motivation, C=conflict)

This day around the pool, (picture below), we were discussing whether or not to kill off a character of mine. She is a sister to the hero. We needed a conflict. As we sat discussing if I should kill her or maim her, a lady who had been wading in the shallow end of the pool kept inching closer and closer to us. When Lizzie cussed, she looked up and giggled at us. I apologized and she said, "You do what ya gotta do!" and winked. We all busted up laughing.

Lizzie is on the left and Melissa on the right.

One night we went out to eat and then went to the St. Andrew's Scottish Society and learned a little bit. Melissa dug up info on her family tree and we met some really nice people. In case you didn't know, Detroit's Highland games is the longest consecutively running games. This is their 164th year. CONGRATULATIONS!

Now, we have all heard the saying, "All work makes Johnny a dull boy." Well, we did go out one night. Melissa took us on a tour of Detroit and I have to tell you that it is beginning to look amazing. That town has come a long ways and everyone there should be proud of their come back.

On Friday, we took Lizzie to the airport and saying goodbye wasn't easy. I left Saturday morning and though I miss my Celtic Sisters, I was ready to see my family. There's no place like home.

I will leave you with a few more photos of our trip. I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I did making them!!!!

Melissa and I out to eat for her birthday!

Lizzie and I out for Melissa's birthday!