Hello friends. It is good to see you all this afternoon. Things have been going great with me. We have been keeping busy by doing fun activities.
Our latest adventure was to Maui where we saw some incredible sites. One that will always be memorable is our trek up Haleakalā where we got to witness an awesome sunrise. The peak itself is at 10,023 feet above sea level and is above the clouds. We had to bundle up because it was cold up there. If you go to Maui, this sunrise is a must. Be prepared. The road to the summit is long and has lots of sharp curves. Bring water with you too since the altitude is higher.
Another place we visited was the black sand beach at Waiʻānapanapa State Park, which is just outside of the town of Hana. To get there you need to travel along what is referred to by everyone as “The road to Hana” or route 360. If you thought the road to the Haleakalā peak was fierce, you’re in for a real adventure with this one. The road itself is narrow and has very sharp turns and 56 bridges, so it is a slow ride. Out of courtesy it is suggested that you don’t honk your horn while driving, as it will upset the ecosystem. Needless to say we had to pull over a few times to let others pass us.
When we reached the park we were really in for a treat. The beach has tiny pebbles that have been tumbled by the ocean. The feel of them is rougher than regular sand. To get to the beach, you have to hike down a steep hill. I will warn you to watch your step as there are loose stones along the way. The trip itself is worth the huffing and puffing. While down there I allowed myself to be swept away by the sounds of the ocean. The warm water felt good against my feet.
During our stay, I also got to do something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time – Zip lining. Actually I’d like to thank my cousin, Vicki Witt, for suggesting that I go. The tour that I chose had us zip over three lines. I quickly found out how fast I can go so I laid flat and allowed myself to zoom. I still got a glimpse of the breathtaking views.
Then there were the brakes at the end of the line, which was another rush itself. This is something I am planning to do again really soon as there are some great sites here in SoCal. Don’t be afraid, it is not as scary as it looks and you don’t have to go as fast as I did. Actually if you sit up, you get to see the views better than I did.
All in all the vacation was one that I had only dreamt of. Someday we’d like to visit O’ahu and then The Big Island, as I love volcanoes.
Earlier in the summer we went down to San Diego to see the Dodgers play the Padres at Petco Park. This was the first time that I’d seen my team as the away team. Proudly we walked into the stadium with our Dodger shirts on.
We were quite amazed to find that about half of the fans that night – were Dodger fans. I felt like I was at home. Whenever the Dodgers scored, there was a lot of noise from the crowd. The stadium is really nice and I like the vibe. The fans were considerate on both sides. There was even a group of fans who held a large Dodger flag during the game.
Afterward, they presented a fireworks show set to 80’s music. I haven’t been to a fireworks show in over 10 years and will admit that this one was much more spectacular than the last one I saw. It took me to another place. Most of the fans (from both sides) stayed for this after show. When we left we were in total bliss. We are definitely going back down to either see the Padres play the Dodgers or another team.
*****
Recently, I was invited to participate in two blog tours. The first author is Adrian J. Smith, author of “Making of a Memoir”. This story captivated me from the start and kept me glued to the pages. When I wasn’t reading I often found myself thinking about the main characters. I’m not going to say anything more except that as I was reading, I recalled good feelings and memories of my youth. My review has been posted so check it out. Prepared to be wowed. Adrian is an artist with words.
The other tour I wrote for featured author Stacy O’Steen and her book “Endless Days of Summer”. This story explores a rarely talked about sexual subject. I now have a better perspective on the topic after learning from her point of view.
Recently I interviewed author Jen Silver. She is a remarkable woman and has so much to tell. In addition to being an avid golfer, she loves archeology and participated on a dig! She shared some of her “dig” pictures on facebook. What an adventure of a lifetime! Her latest work, “Starting Over” revolves around an archeological dig. Don’t forget to read “Arc Over Time” as it is a sequel to “Starting Over”.
As I read Jen’s interview, I got to thinking about my favorite heroine, Lara Croft, from the Tomb Raider series. I love Lara because she is brave, strong, yet is a lady. Also she is an archeologist who travels to various places all over the world, in search of special artifacts in order to bring justice to all. I could just picture Lara being at a site where something incredible is being uncovered.
I am looking forward to reading more literature by Jen Silver. If any of you love archeology, please feel free to share on my fb page about your adventures. Also feel free to start up a discussion about Jen’s books. I’d love to hear what you thought of them.
Last week, I posted an interview with author Amy Dunne, author of “The Renegade”.
*****
I have something serious that I’d like to talk about. As an author, I understand how much work goes into creating and publishing and promoting a book. It was shocking to discover that many of my favorite authors’ work has been published to “free sites”. This is pirating and I discourage all of you from going to these sites. Besides, I have been told that some of them are phishing sites. I love my authors and want to them to succeed. They depend on fans like us to support them. Be respectful and honest and don’t go there.
On another note – I find it disturbing that bad reviews are being written just to bring people down in ranks through Amazon. If you love an author, give them a review from the heart that says what you love about their work. If we want lesfic and lgbt literature to gain more popularity, we need to stand strong together and support each other! I want our work to flourish through mutual respect and respect for ourselves as the artists we are! We are worthy, intelligent, and creative souls. Writers should understand that we are all working toward the same goals in terms of expression and we’re all a part of the bigger picture. This is why I enjoy working with other authors.
Today go out into the world and make it a better place for you and for all.
Until Next Time,
Lynn
Like me/Friend me on Facebook:
Follow me on Twitter:
Sign up for my blog:
Check out my website:
Lynn Lawler's Creative Artists' Blog 
Nice blog Lynn, one of my favorite places to vacation is Kauai. Although I haven’t been there in years. I might have to check out the places you noted because it sounded wonderful. I am glad you spotlighted Jen Silver. She is a great author and I love her work. I also really enjoyed Amy’s book and look forward to reading more of her work. I started Stacy’s book, but haven’t finished it yet because I got distracted. I will have to go back to that.
LikeLiked by 1 person