Boo! + Importance of Mixing with Other Writers by Darlene Foster

Halloween is soon upon us! I love how low-expectation it is, so anything about it is easy to appreciate as a bonus. My doggie takes barking seriously when visitors knock at the door, so I enjoy halloween vicariously, through kind neighbors who decorate their lawns. Sweet friends scoot their fire table onto their driveway, where my husband and I join them to marvel at the stream of ghouls and goblins. Generosity, whimsy, creativity, it’s all there, and it feeds my soul as a novelist (about my novels here).

The other day, while walking my dog, I was totally tickled at seeing this on a nearby playful soul’s lawn…

Today’s guest post is all about the wonderfulness of people connecting. You might remember Darlene Foster from when she guested here before.

Click here to visit her blog, where you can find out more about Darlene and her Amanda Travels series of delightful books!…

The Importance of Mixing with Other Writers by Darlene Foster

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” -Jane Howard, novelist

Because writing is a solitary activity, it is beneficial to spend time with other writers by attending writer’s conferences and retreats, joining critique groups and reading the blogs of writers.  Other writers possess a wealth of ideas and offer encouragement and motivation, something all writers need. Without the support of the writers I have met in person and online over the years, I would not have completed and published ten books in my Amanda Travels series. 

Four years ago I was invited by a blogging friend to attend a small writers’ retreat on the Isle of Arran off the coast of Scotland. It was just what I needed, time with like-minded people and uninterrupted time to write in an inspiring location. Since we all found the retreat so valuable, we decided to hold it every year since. Although the focus is on writing, attending morning workshops and discussing writing, we always manage to get out and explore the island. After completing my work-in-progress, I began to think about my next book in the series. Why not set it on the wonderful Isle of Arran? After all, I had plenty of material.

I subsequently completed book #10 of the series, Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones and launched it in June of this year. One of my writer/blogger friends provided the photograph for the front cover while others beta-read the manuscript. Many others helped me through the process of self-publishing.  My three excellent critique groups offered valuable advice and suggestions which helped make it a better book. 

It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes a network of writers to see a book to completion. If you can’t travel to conferences and retreats, check out the many blogs, like this one, by and for writers. You will be amazed at what you will learn, the contacts you will make and the encouragement and support you will receive. 

A little about my latest book — Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones

What could possibly go wrong on the magical Scottish Isle of Arran? It’s such a peaceful, charming place with castles, mountains, old graves and ancient standing stones.

Amanda Ross and Leah Anderson are visiting Aunt Jenny who owns an old house on the island. But something is not right. A mysterious woman, who seems to have stepped out of the past, keeps appearing, Leah’s father hasn’t contacted the family for some time, and Aunt Jenny’s house may have an uninvited guest.

Amanda is intrigued by this picturesque island, often called Little Scotland. She watches exciting sheepdog trials, attends a lively ceilidh, makes friends with the locals, and visits the mystical Holy Island. Join Amanda as she tries to solve the mystery of the strange woman and the disappearance of Leah’s father. Will the past catch up with the present?

Do you have a creative tribe?

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