Welcome!

View from just below the summit of Mount Wilson on 1/30/16.

Two things have called to me over the years, nature and writing. Both have been integral parts of my personal growth. Both bring me to my center as calming and cathartic presences, while at the same time, challenging me to grow.

My first memory of the profound power of nature happened during a camping trip when I was a small child. I remember rising with the sun, and the delicious smells of breakfast wafting from campsites as I wove through the tents peppered in the forest early in the morning,  I trotted up a small hill and when I reached the top, the lake came into view, spanning as far as the eye could see. I stopped in my tracks, in awe of the beauty and majesty. The cool breeze, the water, the lush green. At that moment, I was forever changed.

Writing has always been in my life. Although my earliest story was written in the first grade (I still have a copy of it), my first memory of writing was in the 3rd grade. I wrote stories because they just came to me and I had to get them out. Over the years, writing became a release, a way to express my innermost thoughts, fears, and hopes. Eventually writing became a part of who I am. I am as much of a writer as I am human. I have written four novels. My latest novel, The Decomposer: Part I: Fallow was my first publication. I am currently writing the sequel to that novel.

This blog will celebrate my two loves. I am an avid hiker and am currently taking a Wilderness Travel Course to learn techniques to stay safe and be responsible when hiking and camping. I will share my experiences, the beautiful places I visit, the new-found knowledge through these experiences, and reflections.

I will also share thoughts on writing: the craft, the creative process, the ups and downs of creating art, and the joy and hurdles of serving what I've created up for public consumption.

So walk with me, through green places full of wonder, along the waterfalls , through forests, and over the mountain tops, and let's also embrace life's endless search for meaning through the art of storytelling.

Peace,

C