Catherine Austen
Creative Writing
There’s more to life than books, you know.
I’m tagging along with my husband on some work travel. I flew across the country yesterday evening, drove for an hour through the dark to our hotel, and collapsed into bed thinking, “While Geoff’s at work tomorrow, I’ll work in my room. I’ll get up and blog, then finish my manuscript revisions, and maybe even have time to revisit a short story.”
Then I woke up this morning, looked out the window of my hotel, and saw this:
And since I happened to have some of these on hand:
I really didn’t have time to blog today.
And my manuscript revisions can wait a few more mountains. I mean days.
(And yeah, I was a teen in the 80s, I had Morrissey on cassette, I know the words that follow “There’s more to life than books, you know,” are “But not much more, not much more.” And there are some days I’d agree. But not today.)
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Catherine Austen writes books for kids and teens, short stories for adults, and reports for corporate clients. She lives in Gatineau, Quebec.
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Catherine Austen 
There are some things you can’t truly experience in a book. Though I do love books, but if a writer writes about being at the top of a mountain, or walking through a forest, you won’t really know what that is like no matter how many times you read the passage until you venture into those mountains or that forest. I just moved to Colorado and I got to say, the experience being on the side of the mountain, or walking through that forest (with snow), I could never have gotten from a book without having actually done it.
Very true. I sometimes think if I moved to my cabin I would lose all desire to write books. It might just seem silly in comparison to hiking and canoeing all day. (It sure works in the suburbs, though.) Since you’re living in Colorado, you may find time for books and mountains both. I’m only visiting Canmore for a few days. The books can wait till I get back home.
Lol, if I had a cabin to move to I think I would write more than ever. My best thoughts and ideas come while I’m either walking, driving, or in the wilderness. I would spend the time I felt needed in the woods, then write until I feel content. My problem would be doing something with my writing aside from leaving it in a dust-collecting notebook. Now that I am living in a completely new state, there is much to write about!
Yes, the woods are so inspiring. I do write a lot at the cabin – with a pen, in a notebook. But I suspect if I lived there, the hikes would get longer and the notes would get shorter. (Probably a good thing in my case since I’m so long-winded.)
I’m ahead of the game for the first time in weeks, deadlines met, no copy due until mid-week. Stepping out now with empty head to enjoy another glorious Eastern Townships weekend. Enjoy the mountains!
Enjoy that feeling of free time – and yeah, it’s gorgeous in Quebec right now. Alas, I am up to my ears in time-debt and my Rocky Mountain weekend is not helping. (But I have no financial debt anymore, and that’s a good feeling. All I owe is a few books. No biggie. Surely I can finish something on the plane ride home.)
My vote would be for the mountains, too, Catherine! Enjoy every step you take. 😉
Thanks, Linda! My feet are a little sore this morning but I will try to take your advice nonetheless.