Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Writing on the Road


Running down the road in the passenger side of the Semi makes it difficult to write sometimes. I have to say I am very disappointed in the conditions of the roads around the country. Some states are fairly smooth, but some will throw you out of the seat. It is a challenge to just look at the screen as it bounces on my lap.
My husband is a long haul truck driver, he owns his own company, www.idahoramtruckinginc.com and he travels all of the 48 lower states. Now that the last child at the house is graduated from High School and started College I have the opportunity to go with him, which is much better than sitting at home and patiently…:) okay not so patiently, awaiting his return.
 I used to go with him only in the summer, while the kids were at their grandparents, but now I get the fun of winter travel, can’t be any colder than the air conditioner he runs full blast. My friends all make fun of me because I bring my blanket with me in the summer to wrap up in….if they sat here for long they would understand.
As I write this we are traveling through Washington, a beautiful state. We are in Naches, WA…well going through it on our way to load in Richland, Washington. Most of Washington that I have seen is tree covered, with lots of rivers and lakes. I am watching, with regret, as the campgrounds go by. One of the drawbacks to being on the semi is time constraints. We are on our way to the next load and unable to stop. Oh well, it is kind of cold to stop and swim anyway, out temperature gauge says it is 72 degrees out there.
I am enjoying going to all the different states and seeing the new scenery. Before I got with my husband the only trip I ever took, besides to Jackpot, Nevada (45 minutes from the house), was a trip to Minnesota, where I stayed at the fabulous Lake Toad in Frazee. I was a stay at home kind of girl and barely left southern Idaho.
One of my favorite activities while on the road is visiting museums. We have stopped at several so far, which I will make sure and tell you all about as I stop at more. I was born in Coffeyville, Kansas and have not been back there since I was 6. Recently I got the opportunity to stop there on the truck. We went to the Dalton Gang Museum and I got thousands of pictures.
It took some getting used to, to be able to write as we drove, okay, as he drives, because it would be very unsafe if I were to drive and write…fine, it would be unsafe for me to drive the Semi at all, though he is pushing for me to learn.
The bouncing screen was the hardest to get used to, but I am doing quite well at it now, as long as the roads are not too messed up. I tried to write only when we stopped, but he doesn’t stop often enough for me to get anything done that way. So, I just made it work. I now write, or do something book related, most of the day. I do miss the large screen at the house that I hook to my laptop, but other than that I am content with what I have to work with on the road.
We have internet on the truck and I am able to send my books in to publishers for consideration, or work on my site, or work on my blogs…or play on Facebook. :) I probably spend more time on Facebook then I should, but I just call it publicity for the new book and that is what I am sticking with, even though I don’t promote on there as often as I should.
When my books are finally out and available, I will have the advantage of being able to set up book signings all over the country. I am hoping that will help get my name out there faster and more people with have the pleasure of reading my character’s stories.
Thank you for stopping by to see me, and I hope you will come back often. Leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to ask me anything you wish…see you next time.