Author: kristinjudy

Waikiki & Punalu’u

We traveled to the Hawaiian islands several times during our year of travel. Beach hopping, local food, snorkeling, local culture, learning proper pronunciation, building sand castles…It doesn’t get much better than Hawaii.

Oahu is the island that pulls us back, beckons our souls to stay.

I can’t help but use Oahu as the setting in my contemporary romance work-in-progress, COMPLACENT PARADISE. The picture to the right shows the backyard (practically a private beach!) of a rental in Punalu’u we stayed at for a week. Such an awe-inspiring view. The best part for me was walking the sand at night, wading in the calm waters. Absolutely amazing.

Salt Creek is one of my favorite beaches. I grew up going here with my childhood friends and high school boyfriend (now hubby!). We’d spend the day hanging out, swimming too far out, just enjoying the sand and surf without any worries or concerns.

Salt Creek is the setting of my main characters’ childhood home in THE MAP WITH NO NAMES.

River Rats

Laughlin is always a good idea. It might not be lavish like Vegas, but it is such a fun place to visit.

My husband and I have a soft spot in our hearts for Laughlin. He grew up a bit of a river rat, while I wasn’t exposed to the fun until our college days when we’d venture a weekend getaway that wouldn’t cost too much. And nowadays despite traveling all over the world, we always find our way back to Laughlin to share in the fun with our six-year-old son, who is now officially a beach bum AND a river rat. Lucky boy!

The last time we were in Laughlin I was able to write a lot. The words flowed smoothly and I was able to edit at a fairly good pace. I also discovered that I was a first place finalist in the Orange County Chapter of RWA’s Orange Rose Contest. I was especially thrilled to be a finalist (and later tie for first place) because I grew up in Orange County, California.

 

 

 

The Old Town of Rhodes

Traveling to foreign lands offers some of the best writing inspiration. I thought I would be writing pages and pages every night after a full day of sightseeing. How could the words not flow after experiencing a new culture, language, and people?

But it was so much more difficult than I ever imagined.

I didn’t write much at all. But I had the time of my life spending a month in Greece with my husband and little one. Island hopping with eyes wide open and camera incessantly clicking. And I’ve stored the memories in my mind, hoping to one day write a novel with the setting in Rhodes or Crete or even the quaint island of Symi.

 

Les Arènes d’Arles

Now that was a room with a view. I was editing my contest entry for the final round of the Beacon Contest, drinking beaucoup de cafe au lait, and enjoying the close proximity of the ancient arena (amphitheater) located in the picturesque city of Arles, in Provence, France.

There is something about writing and traveling, finding yourself in a new location every few days. It definitely keeps me on my toes, my senses heightened, always searching for a new perspective, a new character, a new setting…

un café noisette

This cup of coffee is enjoying a beautiful view from our hotel in Mandelieu-la-Napoule located in the South of France, along the exquisite Côte d’Azur. Similar to this coffee, I, as a writer, enjoy good views. Inspiring views, thought-provoking views…or simply relaxing views.

This coffee was ordered as a celebration. I’d just received notification that my first contest entry I’d ever submitted was a finalist! I’d submitted a portion of my first novel, THE MAP WITH NO NAMES, to a regional chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA)–First Coast Romance Writers (FCRW) 2016 Beacon Contest.

This was a new experience for me, making it all the more special as I was traveling in one of my favorite places in the world with my husband and adorable little boy. I was given a week to incorporate any of the first-round judges’ suggestions, which I certainly planned to do!