Good Samaritan

I didn't finish writing my Oregon story, but it ended with high drama and the generous deed of a very good samaritan. On Saturday morning I was driving to the Portland airport armed with a Starbuck's latte and plenty of gas. I was enjoying driving along the Wilson River HIghway on a misty day. I was thinking about my OCCBWW experiences when I encountered a small rock slide moving across the road. Disaster struck. A large rock dented the inside rim of my front tire and very quickly I had a flat tire. I pulled over to the side of the road, there may have been some colorful language involved, and evaluated the situation. Naturally I reached for my trusty cell phone only to discover that there was absolutely no cell reception in the area. This had been the case all week--driving around trying to get a working signal. It's unfortunate that I have come to depend on this technology so completely and yet there are so many times when it's not a reliable resource.

I locked the car, set the emergency blinkers and headed off in the hopes of finding a hospitable resident who would take pity on a stranded motorist and let me use their telelphone to call AAA. Knocking on the door of the first house I went to yielded nothing but a barking dog so I returned to the car and looked plantively at the cars zooming by and ignoring me. No luck.

I set off again, this time walking along the inside of the metal railing preventing cars from careening off the curve at this point in the road. At certain points I was hanging on to the railing myself as a slip of the foot would have meant sliding down into the Wilson River. I discovered another house, knocked on the door and found Scott and his family. I asked to use the phone but Scott said that AAA would take too long and he insisted that he drive me back to look at the situation. He grabbed a variety of jacks and we took off in his Action Painting Contractor's van.

To make a long story short (or at least shorter), Scott was not a deranged homicidal maniac who booby-traps the highway to procure victims. He was an incredibly nice guy who removed the very flat tire on my rented Taurus, put on the temporary spare and assured me that the tire would make it to the Portland Airport. (I made a mental note to finally learn how to change tires, but don't know if I will manage that or not...)

Scott refused my offer of cash to thank him for his trouble. We said good-bye and off I drove, easily making it to the airport in time for my flight to San Francisco. Of course, I didn't get his last name, address or any useful information to track him down. But ye olde Internet came to the rescue yesterday when I scrolled through the Tillamook Chamber of Commmerce roster and spotted his first name paired with an address on the Wilson River Highway. Yeah! I was so glad to find him. I knew he didn't want any cash from me so I am making a donation on his behalf to the Tillamook County Library. I think it is only fitting after my week at OCCBWW that I ask them to purchase a selection of children's books in honor of Scott, the good samaritan.

A day of rain didn't dampen my enthusiasm for my Oregon experience. It has been so dry in Santa Barbara this year that the moisture has been a novelty. Had a great beach walk after the workshop ended.Mary Dolan and I were brave adventurers and went through the cave tunnel. Made me realize the spelunking is probably not in my future! Enjoyed a delicious dinner with Mary at Roseanne's in Oceanside. Wonderful pasta dish with gorgonzola cream sauce, chicken, hazelnuts, dried cranberries...I think I may be missing one more unique ingredient. I'd love to recreate it for Paul. After almost two weeks of fending for himself, I'm sure he'd love a home cooked meal, too.

OCCBWW was exciting and encouraging. Meet lots of wonderful aspiring and inspiring writers. Can't wait to get home and start working on Boxes again.

Am off to SF today and a fun night in the city with Nora. She'll pick me up at the airport and we'll head off to Nordstrom downtown--keeping up our Nordstrom sale tradition. I hope there are still some size 11's left!

Oceanside

Still in Oregon where it's raining in Tillamook, but Oceanside is bathed in sunshine. Amazing what a difference 10 miles can make on this coast. Beautiful symetrical rows of white-capped waves creep up on the wide beach in front of the community center. The waves aren't big enough for surfing but that hasn't kept a few brave, wetsuited souls from trying. The three huge rocks just off shore look like puzzle pieces broken off from the mainland. Green plants edge down from the top of the cliff. Their green has become more intense because of all the rain (which I love) and rows of houses with weathered wooden siding and shingles in shades of blue, gray and brown fill the steep hillside (Maxwell Mountain) above the beach. The houses each have an inordinate number of windows framing the flat oceanscape and the huge sky. Today it's windy and two dipping neon kites cut into my view, interfering with the native seagulls and pelicans.

The kites remind me of Nora's favorite killer whale kite that she and Paul bought in Carmel many years ago. I can't remember Nora ever having a fascination with whales but i know she liked the turquoise backgound and the hot pink tails. The kite has flown on both coasts--Paul is the master kite flyer. Maybe we'll take it to Cambria on Monday.

Had a great dinner tonight at David Greenberg's house in Oceanside. Went with Mary Dolan and Mary Boone. The views were incredible. The house has three stories and decks on every floor. Everyone had house envy.

Workshop weariness is beginning to set-in. Just one more day.

Omens--To Believe or Not Believe?

I don't really believe in omens, honest. But whenever I am going to try something new, I find myself looking for them. On the drive from Albany, OR to Tillamook I found almost a dozen "significant" signs predicting a successful week at OCCBWW. A Bald Eagle, a great blue heron standing by itself in the middle of the Tillamook River, lots of beautiful green meadows filled with black and white dairy cows (not sure bovines can be omens...hmm), a sign designating a tsunami zone, a sign offering homemade tye-dyed shirts (is that a local spelling?), a doe with two speckled fawns at her side, and full yards of blooming shasta daisies. There were a few other omens I tried to write down while I was driving on windy roads, but I can't read my handwriting so I'm hoping they weren't the significant ones. Wait--I just deciphered one more! I just decoded what I thought was itay (a new Apple product?)--I was writing hay. At one point on the trip I spotted a field with rolls of recently mowed hay drying in the sun. l hope they've covered those up--it's pouring out right now. Can rain be an omen, too?

Once a Month is Not Enough...

I am ashamed by my lack of postings--one item a month does not a good blog make! But now I have something exciting to share. I am currently attending the Oregon Coast Children's Book Writer's Workshop in Oceanside, OR. This is a solo writing adventure to inspire me to write or perhaps sound the death knell on my writing efforts. I think I'm inspired--I may even be in "love." I have taken 48 writing classes over the past two years, attended numerous SCBWI events, bought lots of books on writing (I've even read a few of them!) but this week may be the turning point I've been waiting for.

I submitted my first chapter of Boxes for critique by a panel of writers, agents and editors. Each participant in the workshop receives a personal critique every day as well as a first page critique by all instructors. I had my first page criitque today and I received lots of positive feedback--I was thrilled. This is the first time I have shared my writing outside the safety zone of my adoring family and my writing class. My real world debut, and I liked the response.

Later this afternoon I had a critique with an agent that was also very positive, "great." I discussed my failure/inability to plot with her and she said not to worry. I know my story, I definitely know Emelia and I should just go ahead and keep writing. That's what Paul, Nora, and Patty have been telling me for months but my lack of confidence kept me editing and revising what I already written. Now I'm ready to tackle the rest of the book. In the immortal words of my dear Paul, "Don't get it right, get it written!"

I'll try!