Monday Snippet: The Travelogue #2 Edition

Wow, has it ever been a crazy busy last 36 hours! Carol and I got to San Juan Capistrano around 1:30 on Sunday, and walked from the train station to the hotel, lugging our bags. It was only a few blocks, so it was fine. We were pretty glad we were able to check in, though, because we were both ready for rest, lunch, and a few moments to chill. Turns out, we skipped lunch and went down the road to buy me pajamas. Yes, in all my uber-efficient packing, I spaced putting jammies in my suitcase. I know, I know, a real DUH moment. We found a Marshalls and I found a couple of pairs of really cute PJs and we got a bunch of steps in, so it was all good.

We found our way to the bar in this amazing and gorgeous hotel, ordered some wine, and met up with other Tule authors as they arrived. By five, nearly everyone was present and accounted for, so we headed to dinner as a group with Jane leading the way. We ate at a fun restaurant across the street from the hotel that had great food. So much chattering and laughter and greeting one another with hugs and love really set the tone for the whole week.

Personally, I’ve had such a delightful time meeting all the authors whose books I’ve copy edited! Putting a face to the name and to the books is a joy for me, and honestly, I have to confess, I’ve been so happy to hear them say how they are learning from my edits and appreciate my work for them. It warms my heart!

We were dead beat by the time we got back to the hotel, changed into our jammies, and curled up to read. Ha! We were both asleep by 9:45 p.m. Yeah, Carol and I are just that exciting. Zzzzzzz…

This morning, we took a tour of the town with Jane, who showed us several of her favorite places here in SJC. It is a charming, beautiful little town full of shops and restaurants and history! The foliage is just spectacular, as you can see, and the architecture is old Spanish adobe that reeks of the beginnings of California.

The rest of the day was pretty much taken up with workshops, presentations, and conversations about Tule and writing and promotion and marketing. We had delicious lunch at a Mexican cantina, came back for more great info sessions, and then after a glass of wine at the hotel bar, headed to a Tule-hosted group dinner at another fantastic restaurant. Yes, you are sensing a theme here–we Tuligans love to eat!

After supper, we all trooped back to the hotel. Carol and I are back in our room, checking email, blogging, and just taking it easy. I’m planning to meet another author downstairs early in the morning for a writing sprint session. Maybe Carol will join us–we shall see…

We will report in again tomorrow and in the meantime, mes amies, stay well, be kind, and stay tuned!

~Nan and Carol~