Today is a day for the history books…If history cares about the day I did something crazy. And by crazy, I mean completely normal to everyone but myself. Yes, today I did something special. Something amazing. Something unheard of! Today…I signed up for my first writer’s conference!
 
Are you disappointed? Sorry. This is a big deal for me, though! I never do anything like this. For years, I chose to go about my writing business alone. I was a little row boat tied to the harbor, trying not to sink as the tall ships around me sailed on to the high seas, experiencing adventures, finding treasures, making friends with the other…ships…(That metaphor got away from me a little bit.)
 
But today, I decided to stop cowering and finally sign up. I am looking forward to learn more, to meet new people, and to improve my writing. But I still get a little queasy every time I think about this new adventure. So I'm making myself feel better by staring at my pictures of the ocean (taken just last week on my trip to California). Because, let’s be honest “The cure for anything is salt water. Sweat, tears, or the sea.” (Isak Dinesen)

While seven months pregnant with our second child, my husband and I flew to England. We had a wonderful time, as we always do while there, but even more so because my sister and her husband were able to join us. We explored all over the country together and had the time of our lives, however, the exhaustion I felt while pregnant and traveling with our 18 month old was acute. So much so that I promised myself I would never travel so far from home while pregnant again. 

Two years later, my husband and I headed to England once again where I visited Cornwall for the first time. From then on, I was forever changed. I have never longed to return to a place (excepting my own home) more than I do Cornwall. There is something about it (the rugged coastline, the accents, the food, the views, the small roads, the peace and quiet) that calls to me. 

​When we returned home, my yearning for the county grew, but with our third child on the way, I knew we wouldn't be able to go back for years. To satisfy my unquenchable thirst to see Cornwall and the ocean again, we planned a trip to Oregon.  

2.) I wanted to be sure to get a few sunset pictures of our growing family. After five nights spent hoping for beautiful sunsets (each night ending with thick clouds blocking any light from the departing sun), we were finally blessed with a breathtaking sunset on our last night. 

​After our wonderful vacation, we returned home, however, nothing could compare to my beautiful Cornwall, and I am now, more than ever, longing to return. I suppose I will simply have to wait a year or two, though, when we can enjoy the county with three children instead of two.​

​Now all I must do is find the patience to wait for the baby to join our family, and for the next time we get to enjoy Cornwall together!

Or perhaps I wished to start writing again because of the beautiful autumn we are experiencing this year. The colors of the leaves have been so vibrant and have lasted far longer than years past. The air has been crisp and not absolutely frigid, which has been a nice change, and now that November has come, I am happy for it to snow and drop in temperature. (At least until January when it needs to warm up day one.)

​I expected great things during our trip to Cornwall, planning for months on spreadsheets every minute of every day so we could take full advantage of our time there. We had so many places to see, so many miles to drive, we were exhausted by the end of every day, but each moment of exhaustion was worth it for the sights we saw.

I was taken aback at my love for the sea once again as we stopped at beach after beach, cliffside after cliffside. The power of the incredible amount of water, the sounds of the waves on the beach, the soft sand beneath my boots, the freezing wind burning my reddened cheeks, the rugged, Cornish cliffs around me, everything was overwhelmingly peaceful and powerful.

I have not been the same since, and every day, I long to return to the place I felt such deep joy and contentment. 
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For now, however, I will settle for the next best thing, writing about the place I fell in love with, the fierce winds, the rushing waves, and the endless beauty of the Cornish coast. 

Charlestown quickly became one of my favorite places in Cornwall. The only sounds we heard as we walked through the small port town were seagulls hovering above the low tide and the soft chattering of residents who nodded their heads to us in greeting as we walked past them.

We moved along a short pathway, taking in views of the ocean in one direction, while behind us, tall ships rested in the harbor. Drawing closer to the grand vessels, we noticed a man rigging up the boat, while two other men stood on the dock with folded arms, speaking together about the workings of the ships as they squinted in the bright sunlight.

We visited the Shipwreck Centre afterward, and there, I was able to learn more about the shipwrecks that occurred in the waters around Cornwall.

Visiting Charlestown was an invaluable experience, as it provided me with a great deal of information I have since been using in my upcoming novel, and I cannot wait for my next clean romance to be released.