My Monthly Journal
Magic in paradise, Pura Vida, yes a pure life in a land with a national symbol that speaks of beauty, the blue morpho butterfly. A sizeable striking butterfly with iridescent blue wings. The symbol of Costa Rica’s rich ecosystems.
1. I am back home in San Jose, Costa Rica. My place is a small house in the burbs. Escazu, San Rafael. What I find remarkable about it, the privacy, the beautiful backyard, surrounded by nature. This place has everything you need. And it comes with 2 dogs. Our hosts who live in the main house own the dogs. But one of them, Pan, comes for a walk with my partner and me. We walk every day.
2. As a special March break reading promotion, I’ve enrolled my middle grade novel Dojo in The Woods in this fantastic book sale, Coming of Age Stories.
https://books.bookfunnel.com/ComingofAge2/bip23g1vrd
3. My 3rd draft of The Samba Dog series book 4 is complete and I have sent a manuscript to Joshua Miller, the master illustrator.
The idea is to let him have some time with the manuscript and see what illustrations speak to him. This book, no 4 in the series, takes place in the city of Matera, Italy. Ariela and her best friend Samba are visiting relatives and it just happens to be at the time of All Souls Day, a Halloween mystery.
4. Since I’ve been in Escazu, I’ve been working on drafting a manuscript for Book 3 of my Blue Mountain series. A couple of weeks ago I completed the rough draft.
The next step in my process is to let the manuscript sit for a few weeks. A fresh look, corrections, adding chapter headings, the fine tuning, and editing. Self-editing and passing the manuscript to some beta readers who can add valuable input.
5. Other than working on writing, I’ve been walking, discovering hidden gems, parks, trails, and great cafes. My karate continues with a fantastic group that works out at the Escazu Fitness Centre. I also do a morning yoga class with a great group.
The Escazu Fitness trainers, Andres and Tatiana, organized a hike to Adventure Park, in a small town of Barva. The hike was magnificent, at about the halfway point, a spectacular waterfall. An early morning swim in a mountain’s waterfall to renew the spirit. Spectacular!
Now I’m taking another time out with a trip to a spot I’ve always wanted to explore, Nuevo Arenal, and its marvelous Lake Arenal. A man-made lake built after an earthquake destroyed three villages. The old arenal town is at the base of the lake. A fascinating story. The history of nuevo arenal.
Thank you for reading. If you know of someone who may be interested in this Monthly Journal, please share. Be sure to check out my newest book, Life on the Beaver River, an early reader chapter book. All my books are readily available online through your favorite bookstores.
Be well, stay safe, and keep reading and writing.
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