The Spanish cover of Fire, published by Roca (click to enbiggen) —–>

I always feel just a little bit sad right before a big work trip. I think it’s because of Bitterblue, or whatever my WIP is at the time. I just want to write her, and it’s hard to imagine being able to write her during so much excitement. During my domestic tour last fall, I managed to cliff-hanger myself right before I left, by which I mean that I was able to time it so that I left just as I was getting to a big, exciting, fun-to-write scene. That made it a lot easier to get writing done while on tour, despite all the distraction — and to get back into writing full-time once I got home. But I’m not sure I’m going to be able to do that this time. I seem to be bogged down in a muddy section. We’ll see what happens.

I also get nervous before a trip like this, and so I do a little meditation and imagine myself floating above the earth, and then out into outer space, outside the solar system, outside the entire galaxy, so that I can really feel how teeny-tiny the earth is. That makes me think of two things. First, that Earth is my planet, my home, and wherever I am on Earth, I belong there. Second, that in this enormous vast universe of space and time, it really isn’t anything at all for me to hop from my little section of Earth to some other little section of Earth for a few weeks. I’m barely going anywhere (or anywhen)!

That might be the dumbest (and corniest) thing you’ve ever heard, but, well, I find it comforting.

I have a goal: I’m going to fit all my stuff into two carry-ons.

(*snork* I’ll get back to you on how that works. I AM VERY DETERMINED.)

I leave on Sunday and return in mid-April. It’s going to be fabulous trip; I can feel it in my bones. I hope to blog while I’m gone, but can’t say when or how often I’ll be able to. Be well, everyone! Do something nice for yourself. Do something you’ve been meaning to do but haven’t gotten around to, or haven’t been willing to let yourself do. Give yourself permission.

♥