Looking Back - Notes on Quest to the Southwest

So I think that was the end of the story. Just a few comments about my Quest. In writing about my trip in the story form I did have lots of practice. I also realized how much editing and changing takes place when writing. The opportunity for doing this was lost in the method of posting chapters as I went along. In my actual writing I made giant leaps on this trip. I discovered that when something happens in Chapter Two, later on in Chapter Ten, I had to go back and make changes so the story would fit together. I also found out that when writing about a trip it is pretty boring! So, of course, Martha's adventures had to be much more dramatic than my own. While all the things that happened to Martha were spins off of real experiences on the trip, my trip was far less dramatic and actually more fun and happier than poor Martha.

Some highlights:

The sky! You cannot believe the sky, which doesn't reflect it's drama in photos. The clouds, snow storms, fog, thunder and lightning, cliffs, blues, these were unbelievable. I would park and sit for hours just watching. Anyone who has not driven through the southwest should make the trip. The geology is endless, each curve in the road presenting new things to look at.

The town of Tierra Amarilla. This is the small town in Northern New Mexico I stayed at, the town where my father was born and my grandparents grew up. It is a very depressed area, although still the county seat, with the courthouse and jail in town (not much else). This town is surrounded by other very small towns. These towns are so close together that in the 1940's the young men played a game which was kind of an extended field hockey. The object was to get the ball back to your own town, running through pasture, over creeks etc. Each of these small towns has it's own "flavor", Los Ojos, Ensenada, La Puente, Chama, Tierra Amarilla. All of the people were so welcoming and friendly. When they heard I was researching the history of the area for my book they invited me into their homes, spoke with me, showed me maps, photos and other materials, there was no end to the hospitality. What a wonderful place.

The writing. I most definitely work best in isolation. Attending the Women Writing the West conference and then going to the casita moved my writing to a new level. I was amazed that the characters took over and wrote the stories. It is a great feeling to know that I really can do this, it's not just a fantasy, but an actual dream come true. I wrote the entire first draft of one story and made substantial progress on the second while I was on this trip.

Thanks to my husband, Dan, for his support on my quest, not only for the six week journey, but for all time.

xx Robin Martinez Rice

PS: What comes next on the Blog? I think some short stories, so that the entire tale is told in one post.