Audio Day 8, May 16, England

Published on May 16, 2023May 16, 2023 by Kristi Holl Leave a comment

Day 8, May 16, England: Fun day today! My writing morning flew by, and this afternoon I had tea and scones at a museum coffee house with another writer friend, Sarah Lister. We met at The Folly, a café within the museum. I’m attending her school presentation tomorrow at the local church graveyard.

Those kids are in for a treat!

Best gluten-free scone ever!

Sarah’s latest two books. She has been my best source of material for Book 2 in my work-in-slow-progress trilogy.

Delightful and so very funny, Sarah Lister!

Day 7, May 15, England

Published on May 15, 2023 by Kristi Holl

I did more writing than walking today.

However, even on short walks, there are things to see!

(Delicate purple flowers growing out of the drystone wall)

Yum! If I were home, I’d make a little pie.

White lilac (more a tree than a bush), but oh! the scent!

a toy store decked out for last week’s coronation, complete with a photo op golden carriage at the bottom and the royal family at the upper window

I will never, ever, ever get tired of this view!

Day 6, May 14, England

Published on May 14, 2023May 15, 2023 by Kristi Holl

Today, I’m going to show you the little “British touches” in my cottage that I love and will miss back in Texas: the architecture (crooked beams above the windows and slabs of stone above the fireplace and door), the skeleton key lock and letter box (the “plop” of the village magazine landing on the mat always takes me by surprise), the little egg cups and egg timer, my teapot and breadbox, my fireplace, and British commercials! It’s the little things that I love the most.

Day 5, May 13, England

Published on May 13, 2023May 15, 2023 by Kristi Holl

I walked to the train station this afternoon. It was 65 and sunny, and I never saw so many people walking around with ice cream cones.

A steam train was scheduled to pass through (but not stop) about 4:00. Here are the train station, the stationmaster’s house, the old water tower and coal house (for use back when steam engines were prevalent), and the Settle signal box, which is now a fascinating museum. Enjoy!

Day 4, England, May 12

Published on May 12, 2023May 14, 2023 by Kristi Holl

Despite no rain in the forecast for two days, it feels like time to settle in today and do some solid writing. (But yes, I’ll take “walk breaks” today.)

I’ve received a few questions about the cottage I’m staying in for three weeks. This is my third time here, and it feels like home. Here’s a tiny guided tour through The Old Brewhouse on Constitution Hill!

The kitchen, dining area (which is my writing spot), and the living room are on the ground floor. Downstairs is the bedroom and bath and a door out to the private garden and laundry room (watch your head!) Pretend you’re opening the front door and walking in…

Day 3, May 11, England

Published on May 11, 2023May 14, 2023 by Kristi Holl

Day 3: my walk with Julia…

I met Julia Chapman five years ago, and she’s become a dear writing friend. This morning she took me up into the “bluebell woods” (Wharfe Woods) near the village of Austwick, where she lives. https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/be-inspired/what-to-do/the-yorkshire-dales-in-spring/ We saw dozens of lambs, bluebells, wild lavender orchids, yellow cowslips, ivory primroses, wild garlic, and other wildflowers. (It’s absolutely stunning what a well-watered countryside can produce—no offense to Texas.)

From the bluebell woods:

Writers are the same on both sides of the pond, and we talked nonstop all things publishing. It was such a joy to see Julia again. Her books are for sale everywhere, including the beautiful local Limestone Books bookstore.

Stone bridge several hundred years old…

Wild lavender orchid

Primroses

A stile built of stones projecting from the drystone wall

See the little lamb behind me with its mama!

Lots and lots of little bleating lambs…my favorite thing!

Stopped in a pub/café on the way home and found this in the “loo”!

England: Day 2, May 10, 2023

Published on May 10, 2023May 14, 2023 by Kristi Holl

I took three walks today, just to get reacquainted with the village and buy food. (England has the BEST gluten-free bread!) Photos today include a few historic buildings in the village plus the surrounding hills, limestone crags, fields with new lambs, drystone walls zigzagging uphill, and everything so GREEN! Everywhere you turn, something is blooming in flower boxes, hanging baskets, and tiny gardens. Enjoy!

Left: Gallery on the green: this phone booth has been converted into a local art gallery. I don’t know how often it changes, but at this time, it features a book by a writer/historian I know here.

Below: Old street sign pointing to neighboring villages and the way to London! Embedded into a stone wall on what must have been a main thoroughfare several hundred years ago.

I never get tired of this view: the stunning hills (fells, they call them), and the sheep. Lots of new lambs! [The third one is a poor sheep with its head caught in a traffic cone!]

And now…some of the flowers!

England: Day 1, May 9, 2023

Published on May 9, 2023May 14, 2023 by Kristi Holl

I’m back at my writer’s retreat in the Yorkshire Dales. I plan to spend my days writing, reading, sleeping, and walking (a lot).

I plan to show daily some highlights of my stay in the Yorkshire Dales. A few photos, a few notes…from a small village filled with lovely people.

Confession: I also bought ten books today–so many old bookstores here! I’m going to have a lot to mail home! I’m going to post pictures daily for the three weeks I’ll be here. Thanks for coming “with” me across the pond!

The top picture: the coronation of King Charles was this past weekend, and the village is still decorated. My favorite thing is how ladies have crocheted decorations for the tops of the mail boxes. [That’s a crown on the top.]

The view out my cottage window looking down on my tiny back garden…

Looks like pink snow! It’s a flowering cherry tree and smells heavenly.

They have hedgehog laws too for preservation.

Love their garden and lawn ornaments! The hills are filled with tiny lambs right now.

This is the back side of Falcon Manor. Looks like the manor appropriate for the Lord who used to own most of a village, but it was actually built in 1841 for a Reverend Swale with money from his two grandmothers. See here for the gorgeous front: https://www.visitsettle.co.uk/thefalconmanor.html

Time for bluebells, and they are everywhere!

A Writer’s Perfect Week

Published on October 3, 2019October 3, 2019 by Kristi Holl

It has been a writer’s perfect week. I wish I had a word for it! A perfect storm (of which I’ve experienced many over the years) is a “particularly bad state of affairs, arising from a number of negative factors,” according to the dictionary. But this week was the opposite: a writer’s perfect week.

While I don’t believe a picture is worth a thousand words (or I wouldn’t be in this business), I love photos that tell stories too, so they’re sprinkled throughout.

Two Big Events

Two things made this such a great week: a national writers’ conference last weekend, and my research trip to England tomorrow!

I’m president of our local branch of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), and this past week was our National ACFW conference. We met downtown at the Riverwalk. (That is a view from my room.) As host city, we were responsible for a few things, like transportation for VIPs. (Thank you again, Bruce Judisch!)

On Thursday night I was surprised before the dinner by receiving a “Milestone Pin” for having had more than 50 books published with traditional publishers. My friend’s photo caught us as we left the stage.

Incredible Speakers

The speakers this year were superb, and it was an honor to sit under the teaching of authors I had admired and read for decades. They were all so generous with their time and “secrets of the trade.” One special time for me was meeting Frank Peretti, author of two books I read in the 80s (This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness) that made a huge impact on me (as well as the other 3.5 million people who bought the books.) He was hilarious and deep, a rare combination, and such a kind man. He was our keynote speaker for the weekend, plus he shared in workshops, and I came as close to being a groupie fangirl as I have ever come in my life.

Other speakers who were favorites were Allen Arnold, James Scott Bell, Robert Dugoni, and Susie May Warren. They all shared deeply moving stories about their lives as well as teaching on writing.

One especially encouraging thing happened with the pitches for my new series idea set in the Yorkshire Dales in England. The agent I spoke with, and both editors I “pitched” the idea to, were very interested and want to see it. I am so grateful for this encouraging “shot in the arm.” It doesn’t mean a sale, but it’s the next step in that direction.

Perfect Timing

So, I head back to England tomorrow, to a small flat in Settle, England, to work hard on Book 1 and finish research for Books 2 and 3. My head is practically bursting with ideas after sitting in 16-18 hours of excellent teaching. My next three weeks will be filled with writing, reading, museum visits, talking to the sheep on my hikes…and then starting the cycle over again. I can’t wait! I’ll post some photos and news throughout the time I’ll be there.

And if anyone knows a word for the opposite of “a perfect storm,” let me know!

Oh, the Places I’ve Been! (Research, Part 2)

Published on September 15, 2018September 15, 2018 by Kristi Holl

Day Five

Lovely day for a train ride to Skipton to see Skipton Castle (900 years old) and its church, plus another older church. (Skipton Castle once withstood a three-YEAR siege.) We walked along the canals–I’d love to take a canal boat trip sometime. We have another train ride and castle planned tomorrow! I love castles!

Such a well-behaved school group! The whole class fit inside the kitchen fireplace!

An ice cream boat!

Day Six

Another day packed to the brim with making memories: hours on the train through settings that local Yorkshire people say is the “true England,” including crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct, then spending hours inside Carlisle Cathedral and priory, Carlisle Castle, the castle’s military museum, and enjoying the historical city. Now, it’s time to put this great research to use! Excited to get busy writing!