I have had so much fun traveling the past few months that I thought I’d share some pictures of my adventures.
In June I headed to Boothbay Harbor, Maine where Barbara very generously hosted the annual Wicked retreat. The setting is beautiful (Cabot Cove anyone?) and time spent with the Wickeds makes my heart sing.
In July I returned to my hometown of Davenport, Iowa for a class reunion. I love my hometown and also did an event at a local library. It was a fantastic trip.
I couldn’t get a picture of the whole room. It was such a fun crowd!
Davenport has a new rooftop bar at one of their hotels. It was the perfect evening with mild temperatures, a great breeze off the river, and not too much humidity! (Oh, and the tower on the right side of the picture? It’s a bank where I used to work.)
We took a cruise on the Mississippi River on the Channel Cat — a water taxi, stopped by one of my favorite houses that sits across from a park that looks out over the town, and admired all of the sculptures scattered throughout the city!
In August I made my first trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin to attend Writers’ Police Academy. Green Bay is a great town and EVERYONE should attend WPA. I’ve talked about it with so much enthusiasm that my husband wants to go next year. Then there’s the cute Wisconsin accents and the cheese! The Green Bay Fire Department let us watch an exercise at the Burn Tower. WPA had a carnival where we got to use fake pepper spray, cuff someone, use a baton, and get timed putting on and off a policeman’s uniform and utility belt (sans a real gun)!
They have so many classes to choose from. The one on interrogation techniques was fascinating and so different from what you see on TV. After I took a class on using a baton and yes, we got to use one (whew, I didn’t injure anyone)! Even after they saw me use the baton they let me use a TASER in the next class. They aren’t as effective as you think for as long as you think! How would you like the spike below stuck in you?
In early September I was in St. Petersburg, Florida for Bouchercon. I headed down a few days early to spend time with a friend who I’ve known since ninth grade. As soon as I got to the hotel I ran into friends enjoying a drink on the veranda. I got to see Julie and Barbara there, but don’t have any pictures of all of us together.
The hotel was beautiful! And the frozen Cabernet Sauvignon amazing!
At Bouchercon I became president of Sisters in Crime. It’s such a wonderful organization and has had such a huge influence over my life. Julie was the first person to tell me about SinC and she encouraged me to join. My friendships with all of the Wickeds and so many other authors came through SinC. Below I’m pictured with Kellye Garrett the publicity liaison of SinC, and past presidents Roberta Isleib and Hank Phillippi Ryan. I’m holding the official “seal” of the office.
In late September I traveled to Connecticut to visit Liz. I took the train which I haven’t done for eons! My page proofs were due when I returned and I got them all done on the way up and back. I’m in love with train travel! The shot below is when we were passing New York City.
Liz took me to a tag sale (garage sale). Liz headed straight for the jewelry. And we had lunch with Shari Randall.
We stayed in an old inn that boasts F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald as visitors! I loved the old key.
And I just got back from visiting my mom and doing some research in the panhandle of Florida for the new Chloe Jackson Redneck Riviera mystery series!
I snapped a few photos as I flew back into DC.
And here is my dear Lily. I miss my family and Lily when I travel. (Okay, and my pillow — I love my pillow.)
Readers: What do you miss when you are away from home?