Monday, March 19, 2012

CP Retreat

*did the camera click yet?*


I'm back from lovely California after an amazing long weekend with my critique partners:Emily, Robin, Kathryn and Taryn. We talked, laughed, plucked eyebrows, ate, walked, showered, slept, watched movies, drank diet coke, took pics, played with baby, and wrote, wrote, wrote. But mostly wrote. Seriously, it was so nice to be around people WHO GET IT. It's hard talking to non-writer friends and family as though my characters are real people...they think I'm insane. And in a way, I guess all writers are. But being around my fellow insane all weekend made me feel not so crazy...just a little bit.

*eating at the fancy winery restaurant in Emily's novel--so cool*


Not only did we make fun of each other's writing :), but we also laughed, cried, and talked way too much about sex...especially for a group of thirty-somethings and one nineteen year old. :) We tried living vicariously through the teen and ate way too much chocolate, homemade bread, and cinnamon rolls, but it was wonderful! I can't wait to do it again.

*waiting for Emily's homemade cinnamon rolls...yum*

Have you met your critique partners in real life? Ever have a CP retreat? Would you rather write than do almost anything else?

Here's a video treat for you all, if you have 15 minutes to spare. (Ha!) For book lovers--readers and writers alike:

19 comments:

Emily R. King said...

Fun! I should do this with my critique partners. Conferences don't offer the same opportunities to sit down and chat as long.

Angela Cothran said...

This is such a fantastic idea!!! I would love to do something like this :)

Kathryn Purdie said...

I just have to say, who plucked all those BEAUTIFUL eyebrows? She must be an amazing plucker AND writer! Haha... Ilima, I miss you already, and you only live seven minutes away! Please email the kitchen table pic! And happy typing your longhand writing over the weekend. :-)

ilima said...

Emily and Angela-do it! Seriously. It was so worth it.

Katie-Just picture me as Breaking Dawn Bella...:)

Kelley Lynn said...

I would LOVE to do this. It would be so great to spend time with my CPs not talking to them from behind a computer :)

Sounds so fun!

Kate Coursey said...

I am so jealous. Seriously, I am burning up with jealousy. I've never been to a writing retreat, but I hope to someday! Maybe this summer :)

Tonja Drecker said...

How fun that must have been! It'd be wonderful to have a weekend like that - and not have everyone stare at you when you mention a scene you'd think would be neat. Great that you had the chance to do something like that!

ilima said...

Kelley-yes, just to prove we're not robots.

Kate-Haha. At least you'll get some fun Taryn time in this summer. :)

T. Drecker-I'm so glad the stars aligned with our schedules to pull it off. It was so worth it.

Robin said...

Agreed, so good to be with my CP's and for us to all be working away together-and living vicariously through Taryn:)

Katie-thanks for the eyebrows-it was worth it, right Ilima? even with the Bella experience?

Kittie Howard said...

Wow, a really great trip. Oh, but you're blessed. And thanks for following. I'm happy to follow you back. You're almost at 100, yay!

ilima said...

Robin-Haha. The price of beauty...

Kittie-I know, so close to 100! Thanks for following.

Jaye Robin Brown said...

Wow, how lucky you are! Thanks for stopping by my blog and following. I've done the same.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Glad you had a wonderful time with your critique partners! Thanks for following me and I hope to see more of you! Julie

ilima said...

Jaye-Welcome!

ENI-Great to meet you too!

G.M. said...

Just curious .. what is KA'AO? Thanks.

ilima said...

Giora-It means "to tell a fanciful tale" in Hawaiian.

G.M. said...

Thanks, Ilima .. and for being a beautiful Mother and Wife and a future Best Selling Author .. you can tell you friends that you have reached the number 100. Hurray!

Melodie Wright said...

Thanks for sharing that video - and your weekend with your CPs. Sounds like you had an awesome time. New follower!!

ilima said...

Giora & Melodie-Thanks for following!