Welcome… I’m New Here! Hello from the Pacific Northwest USA!

[CarolMS]

Hi @AgentPete and everyone in the Colony!

I've been regularly watching Litopia's pop-up submissions for quite a while, thoroughly enjoying the warmth and good humor as well as learning from the expert commentary, so it seems about time that I start to more actively participate, yes? I'm a retired psychotherapist with multiple and varied past lives in the entertainment and hospitality industries and business as well as mental health--I know, maybe a little ADD?--and my insatiable curiosity has led me to live in multiple places as well: Minneapolis MN, San Francisco and Marin County CA, New York City, Paris France, Portland ORE, and now just across the Columbia River in Vancouver WA. Regrettably, I'm a bit disabled and too old to still be so adventurous, except in my mind. Ah, well . . . . So after years of writing for business, academia, and mountains of journaling, I'm now writing and rewriting a first novel, and I'm loving every--well, almost every--minute of it. It's literary, upmarket women's fiction, and historical (1968-1970), theme-driven, with the main characters' psychological/emotional dynamics the means through which the story is told. No surprise there, given my interest in psychology, right?

Well, enough about me. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you better, too. Cheers! --Carol

 

[AgentPete]

A very warm welcome to you, Carol! We have quite an impressive NZ contingent here, please step up and give Carol a good old pōwhiri Hope you have a great time here! p.

 

[CarolMS]

Hey @AgentPete, thanks for the welcome--and for your masterful and fun hosting of the pop-ups! I'm glad to be here, but I think you've sent me to New Zealand--a place I've heard is fabulous and I'd love to visit, so a lovely thought--but I'm the newbie in another beautiful part of the world, the USA's Pacific Northwest. Chuckles.

 

[izi 出久]

Pacific Northwest, aye? I'm traveling to Portland next weekend for the marathon. Welcome, Carol! Glad you're here

 

[CarolMS]

Good for you, Isuku! Go for it! Should be fun!

 

[izi 出久]

Good for you, Isuku! Go for it! Should be fun!

I imagine, since my training schedule has been shite, it will suck. But going to spend the day before and after in Portland. Looking forward to exploring a bit.

 

[CarolMS]

Wish I wasn't disabled. I'd take you on a quick tour! Feel free to ask for recommendations, though. I love Portland, and know it well (lived there 10 years), and it's only 15 minutes away from where I live now, in Washington. Re: my last message: I sent it quickly and didn't notice I had a typo on your name and misspelled it as a result. Sorry about that.

 

[izi 出久]

Re: my last message: I sent it quickly and didn't notice I had a typo on your name and misspelled it as a result. Sorry about that.

Oh no worries! Plenty just call me Izzy in here

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome aboard @Carol MS Glad to have you along. I'm disabled too, so I understand restrictions. I seem to remember visiting Portland another lifetime ago. I've visited Washington. Remember Crater Lake. Is Portland near there? We drove up the West Coast from LA to Vancouver.

 

[CarolMS]

Hi RK Nice to connect! Wow! Sounds like you travelled all the way up the West Coast. That's quite a trip. Lucky you. Crater Lake is awesome, isn't it? The first time I saw it, I couldn't believe it was real, thought it was a shiny postcard photo. It's in southern Oregon, and Portland is in the north on the border with Washington State, so about 250 miles away, or 4-5 hours of driving time even on the freeway. Wish I could visit Australia! I think of Sydney and that amazing opera house comes to mind. So special!

 

[Jonny]

A very warm welcome, @Carol MS .

Nice to have you here. Hope you enjoy Litopia and do get involved as soon as you’re ready.

This is a good place to check out (How-to guide) to see a lot of what goes on in the colony.

If anything is unclear do please contact me and I’ll be happy to assist if I can.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Hi Carol, I've also lived quite a few places in the world. I grew up in the American midwest wanting to see the world. Be careful what you wish for. I'm in the "if not now, then when" phase of life. I made a living writing for a number of years, but always wanted to write stories. Three years ago I was propelled into writing a novel. For the longest time I just wanted to tell it like a news story. Who, what where, when-wrap it up in 2k words. I'm only now beginning to get it right. Welcome. I look forward to seeing your work.

 

[AgentPete]

Hey @AgentPete, thanks for the welcome--and for your masterful and fun hosting of the pop-ups! I'm glad to be here, but I think you've sent me to New Zealand--a place I've heard is fabulous and I'd love to visit, so a lovely thought--but I'm the newbie in another beautiful part of the world, the USA's Pacific Northwest. Chuckles.

Well, I did post it from bed at about 3am...! p.

 

[CarolMS]

Well, I did post it from bed at about 3am...! p.

Ha! You're a night owl like me!

 

[CarolMS]

A very warm welcome, @Carol MS .

Nice to have you here. Hope you enjoy Litopia and do get involved as soon as you’re ready.

This is a good place to check out (How-to guide) to see a lot of what goes on in the colony.

If anything is unclear do please contact me and I’ll be happy to assist if I can.

Thank you, Jonny! So helpful. By the way, I always enjoy your Sunday contributions! --Carol

 

[CarolMS]

Ah, @Pamela Jo, I get it! Sounds familiar. I laugh when I think of how many times I've thought my manuscript was polished and almost ready, only to realize I still had so much to learn. So now I'm in my fourth revision. Duh. Where did you grow up the Midwest? I grew up in a Minneapolis suburb, but went off to San Francisco in the "hippie days" (I wasn't a hippie, though in many ways of similar heart, mind and spirit). --Carol

 

[RK Wallis]

Crater Lake is awesome, isn't it?

Gorgeous

 

[Pamela Jo]

Ah, @Pamela Jo, I get it! Sounds familiar. I laugh when I think of how many times I've thought my manuscript was polished and almost ready, only to realize I still had so much to learn. So now I'm in my fourth revision. Duh. Where did you grow up the Midwest? I grew up in a Minneapolis suburb, but went off to San Francisco in the "hippie days" (I wasn't a hippie, though in many ways of similar heart, mind and spirit). --Carol

Kansas. I had Aunt and Uncle in California when it was still mostly orchards instead of McMansions. I remember flying into San Francisco age 15 as this song played on the planes loudspeaker. Still love SF. Because we were living in HK when I got pregnant with my first son we'd fly through Bellingham on the way to Boston for all the surgeries etc. Wasn't expected to carry to term then. My cousins lived there and I have a real soft spot for the Pacific Northwest.

 

[CarolMS]

Ah, yes, I allude to that song in the brief "prelude" to my novel, in which music plays a significant part. My protagonist is a young woman who moves to San Francisco in 1969, hoping to start a career as a jazz/pop vocalist despite it being just when several new, young bands then based in SF--The Grateful Dead, The Jefferson Airplane (later Starship), Janis Joplin's band and more--were exploding on the music scene. Those were the days is an understatement.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Ah, yes, I allude to that song in the brief "prelude" to my novel, in which music plays a significant part. My protagonist is a young woman who moves to San Francisco in 1969, hoping to start a career as a jazz/pop vocalist despite it being just when several new, young bands then based in SF--The Grateful Dead, The Jefferson Airplane (later Starship), Janis Joplin's band and more--were exploding on the music scene. Those were the days is an understatement.

I think your timing is right on. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) I think there is a huge wave of 60's nostalgia coming and even for the 70's as we hit a decade or 2 of stagflation. Has anyone made better music to clean house to than Ball and Chain?? Or Cocaine? . My Baylor Tx. Song Goddess.

 

[CarolMS]

I started the novel (gulp) ten years ago, thinking the timing was going to be just right for the 50-year anniversary of the '67 "Summer of Love" in San Francisco, but I was then such a novice I had no idea how long it was going to take me to hone my craft, write and publish it. Life intervened, too. I hope it's still timely. Still, it's an era that always seems to interest people, and there is definite relevance in several ways for today.

 

[KateESal]

Welcome to the colony!

 

[LJ Beck]

Hi Carol, I'm new here as well. Glad you've decided to join in and get involved. I lived in Vancouver for 2.5 years and loved it there. Such a beautiful part of the world. I'm in NZ now, and got excited for a miniute that Pete put you in NZ too. haha. I can attest to it being a fabulous here.

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Hello sweetie, nice to have you with us, looks like you're gonna fit right in. xxxx

 

[CarolMS]

Thanks, @Vagabond Heart! I'm looking forward to it, but I must admit I'm feeling a bit lost as I try to find my way around all that's going on. I think it's going to take me a while to settle in. Tech savvy, I'm not. Speaking of talents, I glanced at your profile and see that you're quite a multi-creative person. Well done!

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Thanks, @Vagabond Heart! I'm looking forward to it, but I must admit I'm feeling a bit lost as I try to find my way around all that's going on. I think it's going to take me a while to settle in. Tech savvy, I'm not. Speaking of talents, I glanced at your profile and see that you're quite a multi-creative person. Well done!

Aw shucks, you’re making me blush.
So, I go to New Posts and What’s New on a daily basis, to see what’s happening. I head to the Writing Workshop to see what people have posted, and who’s looking for help.
And I recommend Pete’s seminars, and the monthly Craft Chats for good info. As a Basic member you have to pay a small amount for the seminars, but they are gold dust.
Xxx

 

[CarolMS]

Helpful suggestions. Thank you. I'm certainly interested in full membership, but want to see if I can manage the time commitment first. I'm not getting enough done on my novel revision, nor am I doing other social media posts I'm hoping to do in order to connect with more writers and also potential readers. Regrettably, I just don't multi-task or accomplish things as quickly as I used to. Sigh.

 

[CarolMS]

Hi Carol, I'm new here as well. Glad you've decided to join in and get involved. I lived in Vancouver for 2.5 years and loved it there. Such a beautiful part of the world. I'm in NZ now, and got excited for a miniute that Pete put you in NZ too. haha. I can attest to it being a fabulous here.

Vancouver, WA, or Vancouver, B.C.?

 

[LJ Beck]

Vancouver, WA, or Vancouver, B.C.?

oooohh.... right, I forgot there's 2! haha. B.C. Seems we're moving you all over the place! Woops.

 

[CarolMS]

It's so common for people to think of Vancouver B.C.--which I agree is a lovely city in a beautiful region. We're always chuckling about being "the other" Vancouver here in Washington State, the one nobody knows about.