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The Season Approacheth

3/22/2014

3 Comments

 
Picture
Our great discontent during this past winter (we hope it's past, anyway) has not yet spurred us to make any camping reservations. The photo is a planning party from a couple of years ago. Obviously we started sooner that year. I don't know why we are so slow this year except for an underlying reluctance to believe that spring will actually arrive. Ever.

But the bear is gradually awakening. Last week Butch plugged in the trailer, opened the slide, took the battery out to charge it, and fiddled with the furnace.

I went so far as to take the extra pillows out of the closet and return them to the trailer. This week, several friends have bought or are considering new RV units and we've begun to plan.

Part of our inspiration is browsing the old camping scrapbooks. So many places we want to revisit, but so there are many new ones we'd like to hit.

The biggest issue for me is remembering where I put everything that I brought into the house last November. Some things come in because they will freeze and some because we might be able to use them inside during the winter: the extra pillows and blankets, a soup ladle, the big electric skillet, etc.

I've discovered a number of camping pages on Facebook that are fun to look at and have great plans and ideas. One called 'Vintage Camper Trailers' shows amazing and clever restoration of old trailers. I recently joined Sisters on the Fly, a group of women who say on their website "
Our activities run the gamut from fly fishing, kayaking, "Cowgirl College," wine tasting and horseback riding to whatever else sounds like fun.' Although it appears most of their events take place in the West or Southwest, some of the themes a very intriguing. (A meatloaf festival? Who knew?)

I also joined a FB group called 'Midwest Glampers.' Glamping is a word devised to describe luxury camping. This group has modified that to include
anything that adds a little touch of home, creativity and/or glamor to camping. One post showed using bright cupcake papers on top of a canning jar held in place with the jar ring and with a hole poked in the top for a straw--a beverage container to keep the bugs out!

I confess that part of the reason for perusing these pages is research about different types of camping and campers. Some Sisters on the Fly will appear in my new book, The Lady of the Lake. As will The Barefoot Lady--some of you may remember her from our bed and breakfast days.


Nevertheless, I am a firm believe in putting a personal touch on one's camping abode. And one of the things I like about camping is the opportunity to take part in a wide gamut of activities--maybe even 'Cowgirl College.' Well, I could at least watch. And take notes.



3 Comments
Joel Henke
3/22/2014 01:15:13 am

Karen,
It truly seems that winter is unbearably long this year, with only a few teasing days of spring-like weather. Although Pammel Park is not open to the public yet, our campground hosts, Larry and Laura, have been on-site doing various maintenance jobs around the sites, shower building, and yurt cabins. Looking forward to spending time there this summer. Bring on Spring!!!

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Andy
3/22/2014 02:52:34 am

Love the cupcake paper hint. Jacks stuck in the mud especially in our foolish early spring lust of the outdoors...so be sure to put big wide footies under those spring time camper jacks. BIG WIDE

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Nancy Lynn Jarvis link
3/31/2014 08:17:34 am

Hi Karen,
Sorry to contact you here, but I couldn't figure another way. We need some campground fare.
Would you like to put your name in front of people who love cozy mysteries and have an opportunity to tell them about your books? Would you like them to keep your book link for years? Would you like to encourage them to buy other books in your series? Would you like to do all that without spending any money or taking time away from writing your next book?
Poisoned Pen Press put together a compilation cookbook as a way to get exposure for its authors. Several cozy writers like JoAnne Fluke and The Cozy Chicks have put out cookbooks with recipes from their books. I want to do what they successfully did for a broader number of us cozy and almost-cozy mystery writers by putting together an anthology of our recipes to target people who love cozies and the recipes associated with our books.
Being a contributor to the cookbook will give you exposure similar to being on a blog, pod-cast or radio, or getting a mention in a publication. The big difference is that people keep recipe books, so you have the potential of being “discovered” for a long time.
Participating will let you reach a broad audience of cozy-style mystery lovers who may not yet know about your book(s). It’s also possible that cooks who buy the cookbook for the recipes will discover a new genre of books to start reading.
All recipes will be fully accredited to the author, book and/or series, and publisher, and include a link to your book. You’ll have an opportunity to be creative as you briefly tell each cook about you, your book, and how your recipe relates to what you write. But your time commitment will be minimal since you’ve already created your recipe or probably have a recipe in mind that your characters use.
Seems like a good way to get some free publicity, doesn’t it?
I’ve found some unusual ways to get my Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries in front of potential readers. My first book was featured in the National Association of Realtor Magazine that went to almost every Realtor in the country. My second book made The Costco Connection Magazine. I worked a story about retirement into a feature about my books for CNN.com, and recently I was interviewed about real estate for Bloomberg News. It looks like my cat, Fala, is going to be in the Ladies Home Journal; she’s my official book spokes-cat so my books will be mentioned. I can’t make promises about where publicity for this cookbook will turn up, but I have some ideas.
If you would like to be part of this venture or need more information about it, please email me at cookbook@goodreadmysteries.com or call me at 831-427-1320.
Nancy
P.S. I’ve probably missed some authors who would be great candidates for the cookbook. Please feel free to share this note or send me their names.

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    Some random thoughts about writing, camping, and eating.

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