Jelly-side Down

Well, my brave (read "fool-hardy") daughter has been in Italy for twelve days. In that time, she has managed to get locked out of the monastery where she was staying, climb over the fence at said monastery, lose her credit cards, driver's license and 50 euros, end up in the back of a police car with two Italian policemen, and have an encounter with a giant tarantula. Her life seems to be a case of "jelly-side down." She has an unerring knack for getting herself into trouble. However, thus far she always seems to survive and come out of the situation with a great story to tell. But as her mom, my life is often a rollercoaster. She is everything I never was--crazy, spontaneous, danger-seeking, and irreverent. Somehow, I just can't ever see her being a mini-van driving soccer mom! But I take great delight in hearing about her funny escapades, and I don't much mind having to assist with the occassional "bail-out." It keeps my life interesting.

On the other hand, last weekend I attended a wonderful working writer's retreat at a religious conference center in the San Fernando Valley. It was to have been three days of focused writing, critiquing, sharing, thoughtful solitude, and bonding with new writer friends. I spent much of the time preoccupied by worry about the jelly-side down kid. When I finally got an email saying all was well, only then could I really appreciate the retreat. I did enjoy it, but under different circumstances I know I would have gotten more out of it.

I am always a bit humbled by the talents of other writers, and I love hearing about their successes (and wishing I had something to share). Last year one of the attendees made contact with an editor who took her story back to her publishing house and has now given the woman her first book contract. Miracles do happen. I just need to renew my commitment to regularly working at my craft.

I shared three picture book manuscripts and received some good suggestions for strengthening them, but I was most encouraged by the response to my character study from the historical novel I've just begun. It seems the topic is fresh and unfamiliar, and the characters appealed to my critique group members. I've decided to set aside my middle grade mystery and begin work in earnest on what has the working title of Young Crusaders.