Why So Early?

I visited Iguanaland in Punta Gorda, FL, on Wednesday, Oct. 11, well before the Saturday Iguana Fest #3. I was there to sell my reptile-themed books at the Fest to help raise money for iguana conservation. I ran into Ty Park as he rushed about doing his many chores. Iguanaland is the world’s largest reptile zoo! He asked why I was there so early. Why did I fly down to Punta Gorda so early? This was a reasonable question. Most festival attendees were either arriving on Friday or driving there on Saturday morning. The Fest didn’t start until noon.

So why did I arrive on the Tuesday before a Saturday event?

1. I wanted to be sure to get there. Travel can be complicated these days. But my flight was uneventful, and I checked into the Four Points hotel on Tuesday afternoon. I didn’t want to drive from the airport in Fort Myers to Punta Gorda in the dark. But still, I could have arrived on Thursday with a spare traveling day.
2. The other reason is blogs like this one. At home in Tucson, I have animals to care for, chores to do, meetings to organize and attend, and marketing to conduct. I wanted, needed, time to write. I needed to write books and blogs. I had several books that were stalled because I needed big chunks of time to get them organized, something that wasn’t happening at home. I had many blogs started, required for marketing, and waiting to be finished. The month of September had zipped by without a single blog completed!

I know authors who set aside a set amount of time each year to do nothing but write without distractions. I understand that now. I decided that a motel room in FL would be my writing retreat. I would worry about marketing work upon my return.

I’ve had several new books creeping along (a creep of tortoises would be much faster) and wanted a chunk of time to organize them to get them published in 2024. At the Tucson reptile show, many people asked for my new books. I didn’t have enough, so I needed to get to work. I want 2-3 new ones before the Tucson Festival of Books in March. I’m honored and humbled that so many readers come to my booth looking for new books. I have to keep producing. Producing requires time to write.

A Productive Time

It was delightful getting up without an alarm clock (just the sun in the window), having a light breakfast in my room (I’d brought some food with me), and writing. The muse bubbled and enticed me. The weather cooperated. On the day I had planned to write the entire day, the weather was windy and rainy—perfect weather for staying inside.

I didn’t spend the entire time in my room. I visited Iguanaland to take photos for an illustrator working on children’s picture books for Iguanaland. I wrote it with Lori Bonati. Lori wrote it with my input. She’s an incredible poet. I took a horseback ride through water, lots of water (I was trying to imagine my AZ horses wading through similar depths), and visited a beach for a walk. But mostly, I wrote. It was wonderful. Writing is what I wanted to do, but sadly, marketing is required in this book business as well.

I took a lot of nutritious snacks with me. I didn’t need to worry about sustenance as the muse took hold and my hands zipped across the keyboard.

When I did venture out, I sought unusual fare, food items I wouldn’t get at home. That is how I ended up with two meals of seafood nachos. They were both delightful, delicious, and very fulfilling. For both meals, I ate overlooking bodies of ocean water, Charlotte Harbor, and the Gulf of Mexico. Both locations stimulated my ideas for blogs. Crunchy food with seafood and location fuel my muse.

Soon, you’ll see the results of my early arrival in Punta Gorda. Vampire Tortoise was proofed, Dinosaurs of Arizona was organized, Bat Chat was pulled together, and Bees of the Sonoran Desert was worked on. I was delighted with my progress.

Could I have accomplished all this at home? Maybe, but doubtful? I’m too distracted by my other commitments. I was refreshed by having the time to write.

No photos of me writing, but some pictures of seafood nachos to inspire you. Shrimp and scallops.

And another with shrimp and blue crab meat.

I bet, with enough seafood nachos, I could write the great American novel or at least a murder mystery. I’m willing to try.