Writing on a Rainy Sunday Morning

by Betsy Ashton

Betsy Ashton, born in Washington, DC, was raised in Southern California where she ran wild with coyotes in the hills above Malibu. She protested the war in Vietnam, burned her bra for feminism, and is a steadfast Independent. She is a writer, a thinker, the mother of three grown stepchildren, companion and friend. She mentors writers and writes and publishes fiction. Her first mystery, Mad Max Unintended Consequences, was published in February 2013. The second in the series, Uncharted Territory, A Mad Max Mystery, came out in April 2015. In her spare time, she is the president of the state-wide Virginia Writers Club. She loves riding behind her husband on his motorcycle. You’ll have to decide for yourself if and where she has a tattoo.

Lake Writers | Smith Mountain Lake | Writing

4 Comments(s)

August 2, 2009

I love rainy days when I can write and edit and rewrite to my heart’s content. Today was one such day.

I worked a bit more on tuning my first Mad Max novel, after a wee bit more feedback from one on my best friends. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have changed anything. Besides Mad Max 2 awaits in complete first draft.

Yesterday, four women writers took off on our boat for an afternoon of wine, writing, talking about plot and characters, and other mischief on Smith Mountain Lake. We had hoped for three more, but Sally Roseveare was doing her first book signing for Secrets of Sweetwater Cover, Becky Mushko was over at the Hanover Bookfest, and Claudia Condiff was coughing and hacking and didn’t feel at all well.

We had a perfect day of relaxing on and in the water before heading home for a barbeque with our husbands. And then the rains came. And came. And came. Oh well, I was already wet. . . .

So with yesterday’s inspiration and today’s rain to help, I tackled my query letter. And thanks to Sue Coryell, a fellow Lake Writer and YA novelist, I sent her the latest version for improvement.

August is query letter month. No but firsts.

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4 Comments

  1. Becky Mushko
    Becky Mushko on August 2, 2009 at 10:10 pm

    You had rain yesterday? We had humidity and light rain. But I yesterday evening, I heard a lot of thunder and saw dark clouds in your direction. Today's rain was so light that it didn't soak in much.

    Congrats on getting some writing done.

  2. Clementine
    Clementine on August 3, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    How wonderful…all except the part about Claudia! It's fun when you're able to steal a few writing moments for yourself.

  3. Sally Roseveare
    Sally Roseveare on August 4, 2009 at 12:56 am

    I really wanted to be with you writer gals, but the book signing at The General Store was fun and I sold lots of books. Jim Morrison, Bob VandeLinde, and Curtis Nester signed with me. Met lots of nice folks, too.

    And, like you, we had a terrific thunderstorm at our house that evening.

  4. Claudia Condiff
    Claudia Condiff on August 5, 2009 at 2:06 am

    I was so bummed to be sick, I hate missing parties!
    Hope you will let me have a 'mulligan'……..
    Still hacking, but better…
    this thing is tough to lick!