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Writers in the Wild

This unseasonably hot Sunday morning in the Grimoire Cafe, six women are gathered round a large table in the middle of the space. They’re having fun and their laughter is infectious, carried across the cafe on the breeze coming through all the open windows.

You can’t help but grin as you step up to the counter. “It’s a party in here, today.”

Tini huffs a laugh and glances around you to see the table of cackling women. “Authors.”

“Authors?” Did you hear her right?

“Romance authors. They have their meet-up here once a month,” Tini explains. “The special this weekend is an iced brown sugar cold brew with vanilla cream.”

I’m at a writers’ retreat this weekend with my author besties

Some writers’ retreats are more formal, even put on by an organization. Other retreats are actually just a chance to spend time with people you care about, doing things you both love individually and together.

This writers’ retreat is one of the latter.

Since 2021, my author group (affectionately called The Ponies) get together once (sometimes twice) each year for a few days. We write, we goof off, we do some edibles, and we eat lots of good food (usually in that order). Sometimes there’s hiking, sometimes yoga (movement helps creativity!) We all come with goals and plans of what we want to work on during author focused hours. A draft, revisions, even marketing tasks–anything goes.

This weekend, I had a three-item menu of things to work on. One of them (this blog post) needed to be started and completed. Another, a revision I’m tackling piece by piece (Moonseeker), needed attention; my goal for that project was to make some progress. And, finally, my dessert project (Blood Pact first draft), I reserved for working on when I need a break from revisions.

How did I do on my retreat goals?

  1. This blog post is complete! ✅
  2. Moonseeker Revisions: 11 of 24 revisions completed! 🙌 I’m happy with that! I got a great start and built good momentum.
  3. Blood Pact – no progress, but that’s okay! I was rocking and rolling on Moonseeker and that’s not a bad thing!

We head back home tomorrow morning, so there’s still time. Maybe I can make it 12/24 revisions completed!

Here’s some pics from our retreat. We’re clearly a serious bunch 😆

Temporary tattoos scattered across a table
Four women walk across a grassy knoll
A view of Hood River with steep hills and cliffs.
(Selfie by the pool) - a white woman with black glasses, wearing a gray hat and rainbow striped top by a swimming pool
A group of women pose side by side in a friendly way
Jasmine Silvera tries to do yoga but her dog has other, more cuddly ideas. - A Black woman sits on a yoga mat. A dog is in her lap, and another dog is by her side.
Jo Segura, a light-skinned woman with dark hair, writes while two women, Jasmin Silvera and Melora Francois, chat in the background

Iced Brown Sugar Cold Brew with Vanilla Cream

This week’s special comes straight from my kitchen! Here’s what you’ll need:

In a glass or metal container, combine whipping cream and vanilla; whisk until the consistency has thickened, but before peaks form. If you’d prefer it to be sweet, add sugar (or browns sugar!) to taste as you stir. Set aside.

Add cold brew coffee to your tumbler (don’t forget to leave room for the ice and cream!) To the coffee, add browns sugar to taste and stir until dissolved. Carefully add ice to the tumbler (as much as you prefer!)

Last, pour vanilla cream mixture onto the iced coffee.

Enjoy! 💜

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