Angela Scott
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Books
    • ANYONE?
    • ANYONE ELSE?
    • ZIA The Teenage Zombie & The Undead Diaries
    • Zombie West Trilogy
    • WANTED: Dead or Undead
    • Survivor Roundup
    • Dead Plains
    • Desert Rice
    • Desert Flower
  • News/Awards
  • Luv Zombies?

I found my writing/editing mojo in South Dakota. Seriously weird, I know.

7/14/2011

3 Comments

 
Picture
Here I am, trying to squeeze in a blog post or two before I’m off on another adventure next week. Oh, how summer vacations make blogging difficult—but they sure are fun, aren’t they?

Last week, my family and I traveled to see Mt. Rushmore in good ol’ South Dakota. Now, before you guffaw at such a trip, (something I did when my husband first approached the subject--South Dakota? Seriously? Ahh, shoot me now) hear me out . . . I had a blast, and I learned something too, which normally I don’t like to have happen when it comes to vacations. Vacations are vacations. Not learning time. Learning = boring.

But not so. Not anymore.

For instance, did you know that President George Washington and President Thomas Jefferson hated each other? Did you know that? I sure didn’t (In fact, I had no idea what four presidents were even on the mountain—I didn’t care. History bores me). But guess what, folks? Both presidents are carved into stone, side by side. I’m sure they’re loving that. Just goes to show ya, have a dispassion for someone and they just might make a monument to you and your mortal enemy.

Anyway, while in South Dakota we went gold panning and actually found gold (not enough to make us rich, but gold nonetheless) and garnets, tons of garnets. My kids LOVED it! We also went down a zip line (scary) and then we went on a lantern cave tour (super, super, super scary—not because of the dark, per se, but because we had to carry heated fire lanterns down these really steep, slick ladder/stair things, and we were told NOT to set down the lanterns under any circumstance, and I was CERTAIN I was going to die. I’m actually quite surprised I didn't). My kids loved this too. It was interesting but terrifying at the same time. We went to Cosmos, the Mystery House(check out Youtube video at the end--I have no idea who these people are. We were told not to videotape anything, but apparently people did, so I'm sharing it with you).

For my kids though, they would say they loved the campground we stayed in best of all. Yes folks, I went camping. I hate camping. It’s dirty and messy and not fun. BUT, we stayed in a KOA cabin at the Mt. Rushmore KOA campground and let me tell ya, this was my kinda camping—pancake breakfast every morning cooked by the staff, water slides and water park for the kiddos, paddle boat and bike rentals, homemade fudge and ice cream, horseback riding, movie nights, live music, restaurant, big ol’ trampoline thing that a dozen people can jump on at a time, free mini golf, and a slew of games and various activities to keep a person busy for days.

My husband joked that you could literally go to the Mt. Rushmore KOA, stay there a week and NEVER actually go see Mt. Rushmore, or anything else, for the matter, and STILL have an awesome vacation.

That KOA was camping heaven. Highly recommend it.

So now, I’m home for a few days before I head out again next week to do (you guessed it) more camping. This time it’s just me and not the family. They’ll be staying home. I’m a leader of youth in my area and next week is their annual camp time, in tents, in the mountains—ahh, my favorite thing.  You know, even though it won’t be camping heaven, or anything like that, it will be fun. These kids are amazing and we will have a great time.

I will miss my laptop though and my access to the internet (what will I do without twitter and email?). BUT,  big but here, sometimes taking a break from tweeting, and email, and even writing (yes, folks, even writing) can bring you the needed boost you might be needing to put you back into the swing of things, to get your writing mojo back in line.

For me, the break is a necessary evil. I hate being away from my laptop and all the work/writing I need to do. But, while away, I think out plot issues in my mind so that when I return to my laptop, I’m ready to attack it and get to work (hello, mojo).

I’m ready. I really am. So after I write this blog post and in between mounds of stinky camping laundry, I will edit and edit and edit. I can’t wait. I really can’t. I’m actually excited about this.

So, have any of you had a super fun vacation this summer? What do you do when you need to get your mojo back, and better yet, what do you do to survive being away from your laptop for any length of time?



3 Comments
Julia Munroe Martin link
7/14/2011 12:18:31 am

I have been to South Dakota twice, and I can honestly say it's one of my very very favorite states in the entire country -- so I'm not a bit surprised that you all loved it! I was absoutely bowled over by the Black Hills and way impressed with Mt. Rushmore (the only thing I didn't like was the crowds....). Great post; have a wonderful next vacation and can't wait to read about it!

Reply
Jess Bya link
7/14/2011 11:31:15 am

I honestly think I may have stayed at that same KOA campground once! I do recall it being rather awesome, too. :)

Have fun camping in tents!

Reply
Nancy Lauzon link
7/15/2011 12:12:16 am

Hi Angela,

I'm leaving for Boston next week ... a week in Boston and then a week at a beach house in Gloucester, the place where 'A Perfect Storm' was filmed. Really looking forward to it. (Sigh) I'm bringing my laptop. I'm in the middle of upgrading my bookcovers and doing a rolling blog tour, what can I say?

Glad you had a nice vacation, South Dakota sounds awesome. Isn't that where North by Northwest was filmed?

Nancy
Chick Dick Mysteries
http://chickdickmysteries.com

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    NEWSLETTER

    Now Available!
    It's HERE! Get your copy today!

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    My Books

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Click for more info about Mallory Rock, Cover Designer
    Picture
    Click for more info about Megan Harris, Editor
    POPULAR BLOG POSTS

    Write under a pen name? What are you hiding from?

    The Jekyll and Hyde Aspect of Editing

    What kinds of WEIRD stuff have you researched for your WIP?

    Wow. Some book reviewers can be NASTY! Check it out

    Do you view other writers as friends or foes? (Conquering the green-eyed monster)

    3 reasons most writers give up & 3 reasons why YOU shouldn't

    My Twitter Pet Peeves

    How can I promote my book without ticking off the masses?

    10 Ways to promote your book and get surefire results!

    FUN LINKS
    ZOMG SO COOL


    DUDE I WANT THAT

    ALL THINGS ZOMBIE

    ZOMBIE CHRISTMAS

    Fun Stuff

    Picture
    Pixel of Ink
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    If you're ready for a zombie apocalypse, then you're ready for any emergency. emergency.cdc.gov
    Picture

    My BLOG Awards 

Photos used under Creative Commons from revolution540, Jonathan Rolande, Leslie Richards, Su--May, mugwumpian, Say_No_To_Turtles, pedrosimoes7, tiannaspicer, comedy_nose, Lord Jim, corcell_usa, keepitsurreal, Dushan and Miae, Martin Pettitt, Chill Mimi, THX0477, Svenstorm, Grzegorz Łobiński, tsakshaug, Richard Elzey, epSos.de, ▓▒░ TORLEY ░▒▓, Asim Bijarani, Eddie~S, paul-simpson.org, ilovememphis, Sweet Dreamz Design, HockeyholicAZ