We writers talk a lot about going into the CAVE. That’s where you disappear to do little else but work like a maniac until the book is finished. You don’t socialize, you don’t have fun, you don’t blog, you don’t answer email, you don’t do laundry or clean your house or shop or talk to anyone.
It’s like you’re hibernating. Because you ARE. You’re in THE CAVE.
That’s where I am, right now. But it’s my day to blog and for just a minute, I’m thinking about other places I’d rather be. KJ talked about her adventures traveling in the Middle East yesterday, but I’m thinking about someplace closer, someplace where I could just go, disappear, chill out, recuperate, veg out, do nothing at all. I suppose I could crawl under the covers, but I want to sit outside, read and stare at a beautiful view.
I don’t feel like getting on a plane so I’m thinking someplace local, within driving distance. Since I live in Southern California, I’m thinking of Balboa Island. This tiny piece of land in the middle of Newport Harbor is less than one hour from Los Angeles but a whole world away from the feeling of a big city. It’s peaceful, a bit old-fashioned and quiet.
Or maybe I’d head for Cambria, up the coast in Central California.
Or even farther north to a favorite spot, the charming Victorian village of Ferndale, California. It's got the most beautiful beach . . .
Where do your dreams take you when all you want to do is get away from televisions, computers, cell phones and the world?
And is there one book on your TBR pile you’d take with you? I’ve got our own Christine Wells’ The Dangerous Duke in my hot little hands and I can’t wait to start it!
It’s like you’re hibernating. Because you ARE. You’re in THE CAVE.
That’s where I am, right now. But it’s my day to blog and for just a minute, I’m thinking about other places I’d rather be. KJ talked about her adventures traveling in the Middle East yesterday, but I’m thinking about someplace closer, someplace where I could just go, disappear, chill out, recuperate, veg out, do nothing at all. I suppose I could crawl under the covers, but I want to sit outside, read and stare at a beautiful view.
I don’t feel like getting on a plane so I’m thinking someplace local, within driving distance. Since I live in Southern California, I’m thinking of Balboa Island. This tiny piece of land in the middle of Newport Harbor is less than one hour from Los Angeles but a whole world away from the feeling of a big city. It’s peaceful, a bit old-fashioned and quiet.Or maybe I’d head for Cambria, up the coast in Central California.Or even farther north to a favorite spot, the charming Victorian village of Ferndale, California. It's got the most beautiful beach . . .Where do your dreams take you when all you want to do is get away from televisions, computers, cell phones and the world?
And is there one book on your TBR pile you’d take with you? I’ve got our own Christine Wells’ The Dangerous Duke in my hot little hands and I can’t wait to start it!
How about you? Where would you go – and what would you read?
44 comments:
I wouldn't have to go anywhere. I'd be happy to curl up in my bed with a book. Uninterrupted by phones, email, or little hands. A whole day for me. That would be fabulous.
Well look at that. The GR has come back to Illinois. He must've missed me.
Oh, I almost forgot the book. I just started reading Innocence Unveiled - Blythe Gifford. She's an author in my RWA chapter. I usually don't even go for historicals, but this one has me hooked!
Congrats Shannyn
Great post Kate I have had such a busy few days doctors appointments with one of my daughters and today we have had the baby shower for both my daughters and my son has asked me to mind my gandaughter Hayley who is 15 months old and keeps me on my toes and I would love nothing more than to get comfy in my chair and pick up The Wild Sight by Aunty Cindy and get lost in a wonderful adventure it is here on my bookshelf calling to me and there is no way I can even start it till probably tomorrow afternoon after I get home from the city where I am going to meet some of the ladies that I am going to conference with in Feb 09 we are going to Max Brenners a restarant that apparently sells lots of chocolate that is going to be a fun day.
I totally agree that everyone needs time to just veg out with a great book.
Have Fun
Helen
There is a cliff edge down at a local beach which overlooks the Keppel Islands. I go there and just watch the waves roll in from the sea. So peaceful. I've just read Princess Ben (a YA which wasn't too bad). But I think for me I'd look at expanding my horizons and try a new author who I hadn't read before.
Block Island, tiny island off the coast of Rhode Island. A world that time has forgotten. Paradise!
Starts with an I ends with a -land.
But....since Aer Lingus doesn't fly out of Louisville I'd settle in my comfy PJ's snuggled under my Mickey icon weaved throw watching favorite movies on TV. "Steel Magnolias" "Driving Miss Daisy" "Pollyanna" Nothing real new, nothing with a "message" that makes me think real hard.
Oh. And snacks.
Congrats on the GR Shannyn! He definitely must have missed you and you must have treated him well. He is such a sucker for people who spoil him!
Believe it or not, one of the places where I am most laid back and relaxed is New Orleans. A room with a balcony in the French quarters, maybe a stroll to Cafe du Monde to sit and sip some chickory coffee and nibble some beignets. I have even spent an entire day at the New Orleans Zoo sitting on the benches at various exhibits and watching the animals. (And, yes, I would take a book to all of these locations.)
I just won a copy of Andrea Pickens's The Scarlet Spy. I think I would take that one with me. It sounds intriguing and sexy - the perfect read for New Orleans.
I'm with Shannyn--If I could have a whole weekend alone in my own house, I'd be thrilled. I would devour my TBR pile, I wouldn't share my pretzels with anybody. In fact, that's what I'd eat for dinner. A whole bag of pretzel & a 2 liter of diet coke & I wouldn't worry about setting a bad example for anybody.
And I'd finish it off with a big bowl of ice cream & stay up all night reading.
Then I'd sleep in.
Mmmmm. big happy sigh.
I'm with Shannyn. I'd hide away in my guest room, reading my favorite book -- right now it's J.D. Robb's "Memory in Death."
Hmmm, maybe I should put a mini-fridge in there so I'd NEVER have to leave.
Great topic, Kate. We all long to "get away" at times, even if it's only in our minds.
Hey, Shannyn, I just left Illinois. Was that him I saw in Chicago?
Hey Shannon -- Curled under the covers with a great books sounds wonderful!
And congrats on snagging the GR! Watch out, though...he steals the covers. LOL
Hi Helen! Wow, you sound so busy, but it's a "good" busy, right? :-)
I've got The Wild Sight coming up right after I finish Ms. Wells' latest. I think we can all agree, there's nothing better than hiding out with a great book.
Hi Natalie! I had to look up the Keppel Islands. Beautiful! How lovely to live where a short walk gives you such a fabulous view. I'm pretty lucky in that regard, as well. We're just a few blocks from the beach. Maybe I'll sneak out of the cave and take a walk later. :-)
Hi Marie -- I've got your book on my stack, too!
Block Island looks wonderful. I love hearing about these charming little seaside towns that time forgot. Kinda makes you want to set a romance in one of them, doesn't it? :-)
Ah Joanie, we all know where you'd rather be, don't we? Your beloved I--land! That sounds like a pretty wonderful destination right about now, doesn't it? I'm feeling a real urge to travel lately. Must have something to do with being stuck in this dark cave, maybe?
Meanwhile, enjoy your Mickey blankee and the chick flicks!
Louisa, there can be something relaxing about wandering a big city with no particular destination in mind, maybe taking time to sit and read in a cafe, sipping a cafe au lait or, hmm, a glass of wine. I'm picturing Paris, but New Orleans sounds good, too!
I haven't heard about The Scarlet Spy but I love the title! I'll have to look it up. Thanks!
LOL Susan! The joys of having one's own bag o'pretzels cannot be overstated!! And OMG, ice cream and staying up all night reading? Is there anything better? Not having to get up and go to work the next day would be nice, too. :-)
Hi Jo!! Welcome back from Chicago!
Ah, a room of one's own, a great book and a fully stocked mini-fridge? Paradise! LOL
Hi, Kate--
Did you know that Robert the Bruce was hiding in a cave while he planned the campaign that ultimately won him the crown of Scotland? Just a thought.
What a fun post. You have a lot of choices in California. If I were going somewhere around here, I'd choose either a chalet in the NC mountains, somewhere near Asheville, or a cottage on the Outer Banks. There are still a few beach cottages that aren't actually mini-hotels, old ones designed for one family's getaway. If I could choose anywhere in the world, I think I'd pick the coast of Cornwall, with its spectacular scenery.
Whether I'd take a book would depend on what I was doing there. If I had to work, I probably would leave such pleasant distractions at home. If not, I'd probably take AC's book, which I just started, or maybe a biography.
Shannyn, congratulations on nabbing the GR. I hope you keep him too busy to plot!
Helen, it sounds as if you could use a few days of caving, with all that going on around you. Your February getaway sounds lovely. Chocolate--yum!
Natalie, we have beautiful beaches in the Carolinas but not with cliffs. Our beaches are not, to me, spectacular. I like trying new authors, too. It's always such a pleasure when they turn out to be fun!
Louisa, I've never been to New Orleans just as a tourist, only for conferences. Poking around there sounds wonderful.
Susan, I'm all for sleeping in. That's part of any holiday for me.
Ooh, Newport Beach and Balboa Island take me back --- way, way back. That was our family vacation spot for years when I was growing up. Since I live in the hot, muggy confines of central Flordia, I'd love to get away to someplace where the landscape actually goes up and down. We're going to Colorado in a couple of weeks. Can't wait.
Hi Nancy! Okay, no fair having to take work on a holiday. Ugh, can't imagine sitting on the Cornwall coast, having to open up a folder and read legal papers or some such business nonsense. It's just wrong! LOL
But speaking of the Cornwall coast...great choice of hideaways! I've never been there but always dreamed of going. Ah, and the same goes for hiding away in a beach cottage on the Outer Banks. It sounds so romantic. :-)
Helllooooo...o..o..o down there in the cave, Kate! If it weren't for the stress of meeting a deadline, I'd enjoy cave time. So much fun living in another world, another time.
When I emerge blinking at sunlight, wondering when the seasons changed or how the kids grew, I tend to veg out with movies as my eyes can't handle more words. I wish I could escape to a beach, but I'm landlocked here in Ohio. I'd just head out in the car...I'm bound to get lost even with a set of directions...and see what I discover -- usually an unusual museaum in a tiny college town, or a fun little antigue shop.
Marie - I love Newport Beach in RI. I've placed my April release, Seduction of a Duke, there. Bummer, though that we missed Block Island. None enough time, too much to see. Those "cottages" were amazing. I'd love to go back.
The GR takes on the Land of Lincoln. Shannyn, be sure to send pictures (grin).
I was watching an old Globe Trekker episode about Venice last night. I would love to take a gondola ride and relax and see the sights. Sometimes I dream about being on a beach in Tahiti. I could get a nice tan while I'm reading my new copy of the anthology "It Happened One Night."
I agree with Shannyn that a nice weekend alone in my house would be fantastic. I actually had one of those back in June. I did something I never do. I watched huge amounts of TV. I rented Season I of the Tudors. After that I was so addicted to the show, I discovered Comcast had the entire second season On Demand. I barely moved off the couch that weekend.
And it was GREAT!
I must get my husband to take the boys hiking again. But with fall and winter upon us, I'll probably have to wait until spring.
Hey, Shannyn, cool catch on the chook! He's been playing the field lately, that rogue! I think Fedora is feeling quite bereft!
Kate, what a lovely post. I emerged blinking and exhausted from the cave at the start of October and have really just been taking it fairly easy since. I've done some blogs, I've written a couple of articles and done my tax. I've got my website updates done and, shock, horror, actually talked to my friends! Even better, I've knocked a few books off the TBR pile. Actually if anyone's interested in my discoveries, I listed them in my favorite things for November which is already up:
http://www.annacampbell.info/fave%20things.html
I was thinking of going away somewhere but frankly, I thought I've got everything I need here so I had my little break at home. And the next book off the TBR pile? Sophia Nash's THE KISS that's been taunting me for months but I've been strong and resisted its charms.
Hi Kate....
Beautiful pictures! And what a great idea...slipping away for some quiet. ahhhh....
Me? I vote for Ferndale. Ooh. Or La Jolla...I also like Crescent City, way up north...God, you've made me want to go!
Ooh Terry, you know about Balboa? It's another one of those towns that time forgot. I love it there. And it's got the tiniest, cutest little bookshop on the island. Gotta love that.
Have fun in Colorado! I think you'll definitely get your "cool" fix there! :-)
Helloooooooo, Donna! I like the idea of getting in the car and driving til you get lost in some small town and can stop and explore for a while. :-)
Hey, can't wait to read The Seduction of the Duke!
Hi Jane -- I love your choices! I would love to travel to Venice, and anywhere else in Italy. That's my next dream destination. And talk about a dream. Tahiti sounds heavenly! Good luck with your tan! :-)
Hi Christie! It sounds like everyone's favorite destination is a comfy couch and a great book or a fabulous movie. Or maybe just a nap!
I haven't seen the Tudors yet and I'd love to. I think I'll use it as a treat when I finally get out of this cave. :-)
Hi Anna! Your list of accomplishments since exiting the cave are impressive. Along with everyone else, I'm heading straight to your website to check out all the latest goings-on immediately! I love your favorite things lists and your latest news updates. You've always got such fun photos posted, too. :-)
Hi Maureen, thanks for stopping by!! Ah, you know Ferndale? I love that little town. All the little towns along the Lost Coast are beautiful, aren't they? I think it's the combination of the redwood forests connecting with the rugged coastline and beautiful beaches. It's magical!
Hi, Kate--
The Outer Banks used to be romantic. Now they're highly developed. Hatteras, in the southern part of the banks, still has sort of a rustic feel and limited parking. I hear Ocracoke also does, but the area from Nag's Head north to Corolla has a lot of commercialization. Hence the mini-hotel "cottages." *sigh*
We stayed in a B&B in Tintagel once, a Victorian house that had the best shower I've experienced in England. The scenery was gorgeous, but we didn't have time to linger. Someday I'd like to. It's a perfect place to read Arthurian legends. :-)
Tintagel also has a big cave under the headland. Legend has it Merlin waited there while Uther deceived Ygraine and begat Arthur, so it's called Merlin's Cave. At high tide, the waves slamming into it create a percussive effect that sounds like tympani. Supposedly, the waves will someday erode the headland completely, and the land will collapse into the sea. Archaeologists need to be very busy until then!
Tintagel also has a big cave under the headland. Legend has it Merlin waited there while Uther deceived Ygraine and begat Arthur, so it's called Merlin's Cave. At high tide, the waves slamming into it create a percussive effect that sounds like tympani. Supposedly, the waves will someday erode the headland completely, and the land will collapse into the sea. Archaeologists need to be very busy until then!
Okay Nancy, fair warning! I've got to make it to Cornwall before it falls into the sea!
That cave sounds fascinating. And so does the shower in Tintagel. LOL! I don't recall having a really satisfactory shower experience in Britain. :-)
And I'm sorry to hear about the build-up in the Outer Banks. It just figures, doesn't it? We humans don't seem to know when to quit. Sigh. But I'm glad to hear there are still a few random spots of charm and open space left.
Nancy, I've been to Tintagel. It's amazingly atmospheric, isn't it? Although I had to laugh at the menu at the local pub which offers things like a Lancelot Burger and Guinevere's fried scampi.
Kate, delighted you like My Favorite Things. It's really bizarre - when I started it, I wondered if anyone would care about my maunderings but it's a really popular page on my website.
Iwould go to a spa.taking with me
when the duke returns by Eloisa
James.
I like to go out on the porch swing on my deck to get away from everything. My dreams would be me being in the highlands of Scotland. I would love to visit there. I have already read Dangerous Duke so don't enter me. Its a great read, I wouldn't leave it in that TBR stack to long.
Peggy, hi! Spending some time at a spa sounds wonderful. So relaxing. And Eloisa is always fun!
Hi Virginia! Scotland is one of the most wonderful places on earth. I hope your dreams come true and you get to go sometime soon. And lucky you, you've already read TDD. I can't wait to start it tonight!
Hi Kate! From one cave dweller to another...a vacation on a beach sounds so lovely! :-)
I had a little mini-vacation last night. The hubby took the kids away and I took a hot bath and read one of Eloisa James' Duchess books. It was heavenly. I even lit candles and put lavender salts in the water. Completely decadent and I loved every minute.
I love the Oregon coast, or a good hike in the forest nearby. We've had glorious bright, crisp, sunny fall days and have been trying to take advantage of them before the rain comes...it will be here soon, unfortunately!
I love hearing about everyone's vacation spots. It's a little vacation just to visit with the Banditas and the BBs! :-)
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