A Little Wrangler History and Future

 

by Margie Senechal

I'm counting down. 12 days, 5 hours, and 17 minutes until I take flight across the country. So, really there's not much on my mind except what I'm bringing, what I'm going to write, and finally meeting some of my best friends in person.

I "met" Liz around 2009. At least that's where I can trace it back to with my email files and critiques I've saved. She's read more of my writing more than almost anyone else--ideas I tinkered around with and forgot about until I did a bit of deep email diving.

There's a certain amount of safety in online friendships. Sometimes you can say spill secrets over a keyboard more easily than in person because there's that distance and maybe because we're writers. 

Over the years, according to said critique files, we've had many Wranglers come and go. Some names on the crits, I barely remember.  When we first started up, we were a few writers who just wanted critiques. I think Liz was the only published author at the time, and it had been a number of years for her and she was looking at reentering the ring, so to speak.

Kristi was the next Wrangler who came aboard and by the way, we didn't call ourselves Wranglers until we decided to create a group blog. 

The blog has morphed over time. At first, it was just a place to put up some thoughts when the need hit. But, we realized we didn't really have a following or any theme. We also were hit and miss on posting because we didn't know what we were doing. LOL

Then we decided to have days. I remember having Thursdays. And I was pretty good about meeting my weekly deadline. As members left because of time constraints or other obligations, we added new members, Nan and Ava. And then finally, Jana and Janie.

In twelve days, I'm finally going to meet Nan and the next day, Liz. And we're going to drive together to North Carolina and meet Janie. We're going to write, eat, tour, and write some more.

I'm so excited because a) it's been years since I've gone anywhere except the Oregon Coast for a vacation, and b)I get to meet these very dear friends, and c) It's freaking North Carolina.

I'm pretty sure there's magic in them thar hills. My favorite authors Sarah Addison Allen and Karen Hawkins books take place in NC, and they can't be wrong about the apple-throwing tree that reveals how your life ends or the Book Charmer, can they?

Plus, fireflies!!! I haven't seen a firefly since I was nine-years-old. I love the Pacific NW, but we don't have fireflies. And stars! This month is the Persoid meteor shower and living in a fairly large city, dark skies aren't an option. So, while in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I'm pretty sure I'll get to wish on a shooting star.

So, that's where my head is at today. I'm hoping we'll be blogging either here or on Nan's blog like Nan and Liz do on their writerly excursions while we're gone. But, until then, stay safe and have a great week-end!