Travel Dreams #MFRWauthor #BlogChallenge

This week I'm answering Marketing For Romance Writer's 52 Week Blog Challenge. The challenge began in January, but I'm just joining in now. This week's topic is:  

Top 5 Places I'd Like to Visit

Germany 

I've visited Bamberg, Germany several years ago, and I completely fell in love with the history, customs, and people who live there. It was an adventure unlike any other I've experienced (including my first time ever in an airplane!). I've written about my experiences in Germany before, including a bit about the summer palace home of Marie Antoinette. And I've been dreaming of going back ever since!

Anywhere, but especially London, England

 

I'm not sure when it happened, or how exactly, but I've discovered recently that I'm an Anglophile. Maybe it was when I fell in love with Jane Austen's novels spurring me to research everything and anything about the Regency era in England. Or it could be when I first watched Top Gear for the first time, discovering many differences between England in America from the cars to the language. Or, it could be when I first watched a movie featuring Colin Firth. Who knows? Who cares? All I know is that I love England and I've never even set foot there.

I've been researching British history for years and have even set my Regency paranormal romance The Merriweather Witches series in  England. One of my travel dreams is to walk along the same streets in London that my characters have walked. Even if its the present day and not in the Regency era. I just want to be there!

New Orleans, Louisiana

Okay, here's another one. I've visited here several years ago, before Katrina hit. My husband (then boyfriend) and a bunch of our friends drove 19 hours to spend a week in New Orleans. We partied on Bourbon Street, visited a haunted graveyard, boarded a ferry crossing the mighty Mississippi River, and took a tour of the swamp where the crocodiles followed our boat. It was another great adventure that I want to experience again. And there's so much that we didn't get a chance to do, like visit more haunted locations, so I want to go back to check off that on my to-do list.

Rome, Italy

Here's another location that any history lover would be thrilled to explore. The central heart of the Roman Empire. Not only do I want to visit all of the historic sights, but I'd love to learn the Italian language. There's something so enchanting and romantic about this language. Plus, I have some Italian friends who are in desperate need of a vacation. It would be great for us to travel together in a group to explore the home of their ancestors!

Paris, France

Do you sense a historic theme to my choices? I really should just include all of Europe in my travel dreams, because if I want to be honest, I dream of visiting all of the European countries. I'd love to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris and visit the Louvre. Here's a list of things to do in Paris that I'd enjoy checking of my list!

Be sure to visit the posts for the MFRW's Blog Challenge!

I write sensual paranormal and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Sign-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

Happy Traveling!

Tricia

Where I've Been and Where You Can Find Me #AuthorUpdate

The last several months have been busy for this intrepid writer. But, not with writing related activities. I've taken a break from my hectic writing schedule to tend to my family. This winter has been hard on us. Every week for the last few months I've had at least one child out of four to see the doctor. We've had a wide range of illness this year including the flu, strep throat, bronchitis, croup, and several nasty ear infections to name a few. We've also had our share of injuries. My 2 year-old tripped and fell, biting almost clean through his bottom lip. My 6 year-old got a paper cut on her eyeball! Yes, on her eyeball! And my 11 year-old has developed an enormous chip on his shoulder that I believe might need to be surgically removed. More likely, I'll need to wait it out, but I dread the approaching teen years with this kid!

As Spring blossoms in the air, the children are finished with sick days and back in school struggling to stay focused as the end of the school year approaches. And as much as I looked forward to Spring, I realize that my schedule hasn't gotten quite back on track, yet. Now, my 9 year-old has baseball practices and games nearly every night of the week. There's also Cub Scout and Boy Scout meetings for the boys, with the additional Committee meetings of which I am a member. The kids also have music and art lessons. Camping trips and bowling lessons. And homework! There is an immense amount of homework each night! I feel like I've gone back to school trying to relearn math to help my kids understand it. 

Add to that a bad case of Spring allergies! I'm sneezing my way through edits as we speak.

Never fear! I am nothing if not stubborn. I haven't given up, even if it might seem that I disappear from time to time. I eventually pop back up. Right now, I'm struggling to catch up with edits and emails. Not to mention a host of new calls for submission that have come to my attention which are brewing new story ideas in my brain that I'm eager to write. My toddler is fighting naptimes, now. This is a new development, but I'm hoping it's just a phase. I've tried explaining to him that naptimes are my writing times, but he's not impressed. Instead, he smiles and laughs, then points at the television and says, "Doctor Who."

With that being said, where can you find me these days?

 

I'm still checking in at my old haunts at Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. Pinterest has helped keep me sane this winter with some great ideas for knitting and crocheting crafts while I sat with my sick kids during those days we binged on Supernatural. I'm planning to post some of my completed craft projects soon. I'm roasting marshmallows with the campers at Camp Nano to complete a short story for a possible anthology. I've joined Reading Alley where my new book, The Pirate's Lady, is available for review. Other than that, you can subscribe to my newsletter to keep updated with my new projects, contests and events. And, of course, I'll be posting more on my blog again, so I hope to see you here, too!

                                    

I write sensual paranormal and historical romances. Interested in learning more about my stories? Sign-up for my newsletter where you'll learn about my new book releases, updates on my works-in-progress, writing tips, book reviews, contests, and other fun book-related info!

Here's wishing all is well with you!

Happy Spring!

Tricia