Summertime: Horses, Novels and Hikes

The summer slipped past so fast that I must note a few highlights before they fade away, too. Click on the links for more information. 

DERBY DAY

Our summer usually starts early, with the Kentucky Derby the first Saturday in May. Since the annual event was so much a part of my childhood in Louisville, we sometimes throw a party to celebrate with a few dozen friends, which is exactly what we did this year. We called it a "party with a purpose" because we co-hosted the day's festivities with my spirited fellow board members from Vista Community Clinic. The purpose was to "friend raise" for our favorite charity, which provides affordable medical care to 65,000 patients in Southern California. In addition to our guests, board members invited guests, too.

About 65 partygoers in a variety of fanciful hats and colorful outfits paraded through the house and outdoor areas. The mint juleps flowed, as did the greenbacks, thanks to a new setup courtesy of board member Mark who wheeled in a giant screen and his laptop to track the bets, bettors and horses. Fabulous new signs, one for CHURCHILL DOWNS at the front entry to the house, and another for CLUBHOUSE at the entry to the backyard where most of the action took place, were courtesy of a board member's husband, Pete, who cut and painted wood plaques to resemble the twin spires of Churchill Downs. A hat contest, quiz, couple photos, and ice-breaker name tags (famous Kentuckians) energized the crowd. Several left for home with winnings in their pockets.  

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SCBWI

After all the hoopla, it was time to turn my attention to professional pursuits. The San Diego chapter of SCBWI (Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) hosted an agents day called Mayfest which featured workshops, panels and critiques by local and national book agents and editors. As a member of SCBWI with three books in the works, I teamed up with critique partner Julie to offer elevator pitches for my Middle Grade novels. Success! Three agents asked for written pitches, the first step in finding an agent to represent a book to publishers. My pitches:

1. Abandoned is the story of 13-year-old Olivia, a troubled girl who spends the summer in Kentucky working with abused horses and begins to heal from the grief and guilt over her brother's death. 

2. Wilson in Yellowstone is about 12-year-old Wilson who is searching for his mother's killer, but spends the summer in Yellowstone where he encounters a life or death situation and  learns he's stronger than he thought and can face life without his mother.  

Lowry signs her memoir, Looking Back:A Book of Memories

SCBWI is a wonderful organization for anyone interested in writing for kids of any age, from infancy through high school. The market is huge, including a wide range of books, i.e. picture books like Goodnight Moon and The Day the Crayons Quit, Middle Grade books like Wonder and A Wrinkle In Time, and YA books like The Fault In Our Stars and The Giver. 

Stephanie Garber poses with her novel, Caraval

The FAB SCBWI Summer Conference LA is held in early August. I attended that as well, with my friend, Joyce, whose Pasadena home has a lovely French garden served up with primo wines. Perfect for our end-of-day chill.

The gathering at the downtown LA Staples Center/Marriott numbered more than a thousand writers, agents, editors, publishers, etc. Many of the talks were poignant and heartfelt (writers tend to be that way), delivered by celebrated authors and illustrators, including Lois Lowry (The Giver), and Andrea and Brian Pinkney (Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Songs). 

So inspired, I promised myself I'd practice a morning meditation and write every day when I returned home. That lasted three days. I do have a life beyond the laptop, so my creative work is inspired by the weekly critique group deadline. It keeps me at the keyboard up to several days a week, thanks to Val and Julie! 

Portland, Oregon

In June I spent some time in the Portland area with Betsy and Jeff as my tour guides. What a delightful, diverse city. I recommend a visit if you haven't encountered this artsy funky metropolis and foodie hot spot. Most days started with a walk to one of the local coffee shops in their St. John's neighborhood which acquired it's name from the beautiful antique patina bridge that stretches across the Willamette River blocks from their condo. A great walking neighborhood to explore if you're in the area. The streets are populated with a ton of unique shops and venues. Hairlandia, Arbor Lodge Coffee, the Community Cycling Center, and St. John's Theater & Pub are a few of the popular ones.

My daughter wasted no time introducing me to locations beyond her hood as well. We made a respectable haul at Sierra Trading Post, a big box must-see store for discounted outdoor wear. Other memorable stops included an Asian fusion dinner in Alberta, with pastries afterward at Petite Provence. We drove to Kenton for coffee at Posies before we jumped on the MAX and headed downtown to the Saturday Market. On my last day, we took in the five-block enclave of Mississippi Street for boutique shopping and dinner.

But, alas, this trip wasn't just about eating  and shopping, right? Two days of hiking tested my New Balance walking shoes and less balanced feet (hiking boots didn't make it to the suitcase). The NB 990's passed the test. Feet recovered. 

The first trek started at the Lower Macleay Park Trailhead in the city of Portland and wound its way under an old bridge, past a small stone house, up to the Pittock Mansion, surrounded by lush rose gardens. A friendly Asian girl recommended the pink roses for the finest perfume scent. After a few sniffs of vibrant varieties, we agreed. The panoramic view of the city and Mount Hood was awesome from the outdoor lawn where hikers sprawled on the grass to rest and take in the scene before hoofing back down the trail.

The second hike, to Moulton and Yacolt Falls along the East Fork Lewis River in Washington, was especially scenic. In less than an hour's drive from Portland, we set out along a well trodden dirt path, hiking three across, and reached the falls an hour or so later. Picnickers who left their cars in a lot nearby dotted the rocky landscape with blankets and baskets. Several jumped off high cliffs into the icy river below. Betsy and I passed on that e-ticket while Jeff snorkeled the river for fish. 

The bridge is a popular pedestrian destination, forming a lovely archway over the river for picturesque photo ops. 

On the drive home, dark clouds moved in and threatened a downpour, but we took our chances and stopped for a happy hour overlooking the Columbia River. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day and trip to Oregon!