The Best Travel Moments
Henley by Amy Richmond
Guest Blogger Amy Richmond
Ever since my parents took me on a plane to Disneyland when I was in the first grade–in the days when air travel was restricted primarily to businessmen in suits–I’ve been hooked. Our family took two big trips a year: one by air in the winter and a road trip in the summer. Once I got to high school (and French class), I couldn’t wait to see more.
I spent a month in Switzerland and France when I was 17. That’s when I discovered that I could branch out from the peanut butter sandwiches that were my meal staple–and that Mme. Sczarka hadn’t taught me as much as I thought she had. I couldn’t communicate past “Bonjour” and “Il fait beau.” If the sun wasn’t shining, I was in trouble. But that summer, I learned a lot about life–a good girl could get drunk and survive, an American in Brittany was a very popular entity, and communication isn’t always about words. In fact, it generally isn’t.
When I boarded the plane in Paris to go home, I had one goal. To go back.
I did.
Many, many times.
Then my international travel slowed with a career and then a gig as a stay at home mom. I packed the suitcase for my daughter and me to cross the border out of the States a few times, but it wasn’t enough. I missed my fix.
By the time my daughter was 7 or 8, my only New Year’s resolution was to leave the country at least once a year. And ever since then, I’ve fulfilled the goal quite well.
Last month work took me to Birmingham, England. We stayed at the famed Belfry and I was never more grateful for my job than when I walked the beautiful grounds. Contrary to my previous experiences in Britain, the food was delicious. What happened to turn the tide? The staff was solicitous and the people friendly. The work event was a success and then came some pure fun—A few days of girl time with a dear friend.
Kate and I hadn’t spent any concentrated time together since my daughter was 3. Her 4 children were young at the time so even though we were together for a week–and it was wonderful–I don’t know how much one on one time we actually got with 5 kids swarming about.
Kate has long lived in France–and I can take some credit for that. My broken leg from a skiing incident in the Swiss Alps maneuvered a meeting with her husband of almost 30 years. That first meeting–between 2 people whose communication was mostly nonverbal–took place on the night train from Geneva to Paris.
We were well familiar with train travel. Kate and I’d been traveling with Eurail pass in hand for almost 2 months. We hit somewhere between 10-15 countries, using the train as a frequent hotel. We made new friends, picked up additional vocabulary, and formed a life-long bond. Repeatedly sharing a miniscule sleeping compartment will do that to you.
Henley Countryside by Amy Richmond
Back on the train for a day trip in England brought back a flood of memories–and made some new. Once again we had an unlimited travel pass and we took advantage. Our first stop was Henley-in-Arden, a quaint town in Warwickshire. We had a lovely lunch in a cozy restaurant before venturing down the one main street to take it all in. We sped through the Heritage Centre after being told we’d want to be there for hours (it was tiny!), checked out the two main churches and tested out the goods at the famous ice cream shop.
And then we hopped back on the train to continue onto Stratford upon Avon. The countryside is lush and lovely. We saw cows, sheep, and lambs. My iPhone didn’t do the scenery justice, but the images are printed indelibly in my mind.
I’d been to Stratford before. We couldn’t see much this visit. By the time we arrived, most everything was shut down for the night, a surprise to this New Yorker, and even for Kate, because it wasn’t late–5 pm–but we took our cue and went back to Birmingham.
The next day we explored the city and as we navigated the streets by foot, we shared stories–current and past. We caught up on the details even though our friendship had never lagged behind. Our chance meeting with the American expat at the Town Hall nudged some talk about meeting husbands, and the long-time effects of that; the visit to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery led to a discussion about our current television viewing habits. A boat ride in the canals reminded us of our shared time in Italy. The topics wove in and out, just as our feet did the same on the cobbled streets. The one constant? A friendship we can trust. One that we appreciate.
It made me realize that these days, the best travel moments include connecting with loved friends. The location is just a bonus. But who doesn’t love a good bonus?
Amy lives in NYC–the perfect city for someone who wants to feel like they’re on vacation when they’re at home. You can follow Amy’s travels and adventures on her blog Stop Whining About Your Life. Change It.
Let it Raine: An Interview with Indie Author Raine Thomas
Life of Riley: Writing, wedding planning…That’s major multi-tasking. How are you able to juggle all of these hats?
Raine Thomas: This is a great question. I can’t tell you how often people say that what I do for a living sounds so “glamorous.” But the truth is, it’s a challenge balancing two careers!
I work at least 40 hours a week on the wedding planning side of things (largely Monday through Friday, unless I’m coordinating a weekend wedding). Then I spend my early evenings with my husband and daughter, up until my daughter goes to bed. After that, it’s time to work on my author tasks. Most of my writing takes place late at night and over the weekends. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep (not to mention a real day off) in quite some time. Doesn’t sound very glamorous, right? But I wouldn’t trade it for the world!
Riley: I know you started writing at a very young age. How did you nurture that love of writing to make it as a successful young adult author?
Thomas: Yes, it was my fourth-grade literacy fair when I became addicted to writing. My cousin helped nurture this, begging me each summer to create a story and write more of it every day so that she could read it. Thanks to her, I learned how to keep a story flowing and see it through to the end.
Those early efforts taught me that I could write complete novels. I then earned my bachelor’s degree in English with a focus in Creative Writing, which taught me more of the mechanics of writing effective stories as well as how to handle critiques. My master’s degree in humanities then opened my eyes to how the arts have impacted literature over the years, and how much all of the arts overlap…from book “sound tracks” to the gorgeous covers and all of the research that goes into writing, they all interconnect. I’ve used much of what I learned in school in the course of my writing career.
Riley: What does it mean to you to be an Indie Author?
Thomas: It means that I control my destiny. That’s really the bottom line when it comes to self-publishing. For good or bad, I have control over the content of my books, the designs of the covers, the price format, all sales and marketing efforts, my social media platform, connecting with reviewers…well, the list goes on and on. It’s a tremendous responsibility. If I don’t achieve success, I have no one at which to point the finger of blame besides myself. Right now, having that control has worked really well for me, so I love being an Indie Author!
Riley: How have you embraced social media as a valuable platform for your work?
Thomas: If it wasn’t for social media, the only sales of my books would probably have been to my friends and family. One of the first (and best) things I did before making the decision to go Indie was reading John Locke’s How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months. In it, he discusses the value of Twitter. I hated the idea of joining Twitter, not really understanding how it worked. Because of that book, however, I joined Twitter…and almost instantly built a fan base. I’ve since joined a number of other social networking sites, too. Social media had the biggest hand in getting my writing career off the ground, no question.
Riley: Tell readers about your latest book, Defy.
Thomas: Defy is the first book in my upcoming Firstborn trilogy. This trilogy is a follow-up to my Daughters of Saraqael trilogy, though it contains a glossary intended to bring new readers up to speed. The story follows Tate, the firstborn daughter of Skye and Caleb from my book, Foretold. Here’s a summary:
Seventeen-year-old Tate is about to make her parents’ dreams come true. Unfortunately for her, their dreams foretell her death.
Eager to explore more of the Estilorian plane and prove her abilities, Tate goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the area of protection surrounding her home. Her choice puts her on a deadly path…one that leaves her alone, severely injured and battling for her life.
Her possible savior arrives in the form of Zachariah, a male who has removed himself from Estilorian society for more than fifty years. Fighting an unexpected connection to Tate, he must decide whether saving her life is worth destroying his.
As Tate struggles to find a way home, she ends up drawn into a dark Mercesti plot involving multiple murders and a powerful ancient artifact. With the unpredictable Zachariah as her only source for aid, she’ll soon find out if her abilities are strong enough to help her defy her Fate.
Riley: Best advice for writers?
Thomas: Never, ever give up! There are so many stories out there of authors who struggled for years to make their dreams come true, and then they finally did it. Whether you intend to go the traditional route or publish independently, research like crazy, hone your craft, and produce the best work possible. It will all pay off in the end.
Riley: Who’s your favorite author? Favorite book of all time?
Thomas: My favorite author is Nora Roberts. She has the ability to make me laugh out loud and cry like an infant, something no other writer does quite as well for me. I don’t have one favorite book, but Nora’s “In Death” series written as J.D. Robb is definitely my favorite. I’ll re-read the entire series every other year or so.
Riley: The art work for your books is quite beautiful. Could you tell us about the artist and how you connected?
Thomas: Thanks! My cover artist is the brilliant Devan Edwards of Nimbi Design. I met Devan through a mutual friend. That friend has some graphic design knowledge, so I approached her about designing my Daughters of Saraqael covers. She wasn’t very comfortable with the idea of doing book covers, though, and connected me with Devan. The rest, as they say, is history!
Raine Thomas
Bio: Raine Thomas is the author of a bestselling series of YA fantasy romance novels about the Estilorian plane, including the Daughters of Saraqael trilogy and the upcoming Firstborn trilogy. She is a proud member of Romance Writers of America and is a contributing blogger to The Writer’s Voice. When she isn’t planning weddings, writing or glued to social networking sites, she can usually be found on one of Florida’s beautiful beaches with her husband and daughter or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.
Ways readers can connect with Raine Thomas:
Twitter (http://twitter/Raine_Thomas)
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/rainethomas)
Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/raine_thomas/)
Website (http://rainethomas.com)
Blog (http://RaineThomas.com/blog/)
Life of Riley
