writing life

Interview with Author Lori Helke Inside Her Vintage Writing Retreat Camper

Posted by Barbara Techel

As promised earlier this week, here is the inspiring and uplifting interview to share with you with my friend and new author, Lori Helke.

The interview took place inside Lori’s Paris themed vintage camper named Beatrice (see photos of the inside below!). We discuss Lori’s love of travel and how it fulfills a special space in her heart, overcoming fear, the inner journey, mid-life, the power of an oracle reading, and her children’s book (about Beatrice!), plus a sneak peek at what she is working on writing next.

Lori now invites you inside for a tour of Beatrice!…

Lori’s sweet pup, Zoe loves to hang out in Beatrice. This table is headquarters for Lori’s writing projects and her blog on travel.
Folds down into a bed

And heeeeeeeeeere’s Beatrice with her own children’s book, the first in a series, written by Lori!

I smiled the whole way through reading this sweet book! It’s endearing, touching, funny, and heartwarming.

About Lori Helke:

Lori is an Author/Travel Writer from Wisconsin whose mission it is to inspire women to conquer their fears through travel. She just published her first children’s book Beatrice The Little Camper Gets Rescued about her little vintage camper named Beatrice and is looking forward to writing a whole series based on Beatrice’s adventures. Currently, along with writing about her travels on her blog, she has begun writing a memoir based on her first trip to Paris and how it changed her life. Learn more about Lori at:

www.lorilovesparis.com and/or www.lorihelke.com

Thank you so much, Lori, for spending time talking with me inside your adorable, sweet, special space! I’m so happy for you and enjoy watching you continue to follow your heart!

XO,

Barbara

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Robin Had a Message for Me About the Writing Process

Posted by Barbara Techel

I spied this Robin gathering materials for her nest outside my bedroom window this morning. How exciting to see new life is in progress!

With her mouth full of materials, I watched as she flew to the dwarf lilac tree, hopped carefully through the tight-knit branches and added to her creation of what will soon be her home sweet home. What a perfect tree for her to build her nest where she will raise her first brood. It faces the east and gets lots of morning sunshine. Not to mention the bonus for me as I can see it from my bedroom window and my writing cottage window.

I couldn’t help but think how I’m nesting just like the Robin. No, I’m not expecting. Well, in a way, I guess you could say I am.

Late last week I received feedback from one of my beta readers for my upcoming memoir, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am. To me, writing a book is like different stages of life. From starting with the idea to writing the draft, to reworking it until it feels right to send out to beta readers, to reworking it again, then sending it off to the editor, and reworking yet again, and then finally… off to the printers! But it doesn’t’ end there.

As I watched the Robin gathering materials, adding them to what will soon be a completed nest, which will soon be filled with eggs, to her sitting on her eggs until they hatch, and eventually her baby birds who will fly off into the world on their own.

I realized writing this book the importance of the nesting stage has been for me. I’ve been preparing myself emotionally along with news things I always seem to learn about the writing process, to eventually sending my book out into the world.

I really don’t know where it will land, but yet I trust that it will.

And speaking of my book….back to the nest I must go and give new life to the text that needs reworking!

XO,

Barbara

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Has It Really Been Ten Years? Life in My Writing Cottage.

Posted by Barbara Techel
My favorite photo – in the fall. Be still my heart.

Celebrating ten years of this beautiful space which has held and nurtured my heart, helping me expand and evolve.

Every time I walk through the Victorian style screen door of this 10 x 12 quaint space that sits off the corner of my deck, it feels like a warm embrace from Spirit, supporting me in what matters to my heart.

It was a thrill a few years ago when the term “she shed” and what became a trend that took off like a rocket in the media and I was interviewed about my space on a morning show out of Australia. I was also featured on Today.com and ABC.com, but best of all was the interview a local news station did. While I didn’t have the landscaping as I do now in the photo, and my deck accessories have become a bit more simplified, I absolutely loved this interview from the summer of 2015.

Little did I know this would be a trend, as I was a wee bit ahead of my time. And my little cottage in my little corner of the world has certainly seen its changes inside and out. My writing cottage was a labor of love constructed by my husband, John, and my selling of a car I loved, to help pay for the materials. All to support my love of writing which has now expanded to my love of supporting others through my oracle readings and guidance sessions.

Two children’s books, two memoirs, and a third memoir in the works I’ve written within this space.  And countless women I’ve connected with around the world within this space via the internet whether to talk about writing, animals, oracle cards, workshops, and so much more…oh, what fun it has been!

So in celebration, I share this, my favorite photo of my sweet writing cottage in the fall.  Most of all, I hope it inspires you to follow those niggles and nudges within your heart of what is calling you!

XO,

Barbara

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