admin Colorado, Health & Fitness, Jer's Updates

Long-Distance Walking in New Mexico and Colorado

I’ve begun reading Rebecca Henderson’s book and travel log of her “walkabouts” – called Long Distance Walking in New Mexico and Colorado. In 1987, 1988, and 1989 she did three solo long-distance walks, pulling a hand-made cart behind her with her tent and gear.

She and her partner had tried hiking the rocky Appalachian Trail, but found they preferred long-distance solo walking on country roads instead. For her first summer, Rebecca backpacked and walked from her home in Albuquerque north through New Mexico, through the mountains of Colorado, then had to stop in Silverthorne due to a shin injury.

For her second summer, Rebecca created her first iteration of her pull cart, and it was upright, a little like a large grocery cart. She strapped her backpack and supplies onto it. She walked north from Albuquerque again, this time walking a more western route through the mountains to Gunnison, Colorado. She sometimes had other mini-trips in her summers so would take the bus to the reunion or retreat, then return by bus and continue her walk. She designed her pull cart to break down into poles, removing her 20″ bicycle wheels.

I’m still reading, but in her third summer walk she’d redesigned her cart to be at an angle, making it easier to pull. She’d learned that with the cart she would walk twice the number of miles and it was easier. For her third summer, she trekked south in New Mexico and explored the Gila Wilderness and Jemez Mountains, sometimes leaving her cart to backpack into the wildest areas (the rangers wouldn’t allow her cart, it was considered a vehicle, lol).

Rebecca Henderson was a 44-year-old Quaker woman inspired by Peace Pilgrim. I’d never heard of either but shortly after beginning this simple log, my spirit responded and said “go!”

I was made for adventure and since I’m currently not larping, this sounds like a brilliant idea. It’s inspired me so much I’ve already gotten a little carried away buying gear! We have car camping equipment but not backpacking, though my husband used to backpack before we were married and together we ventured out once with a group (I was pregnant at the time and didn’t realize it yet.) Maybe I can talk him into joining me, but I’d also like to try solo trips.

I’ve been thinking through it, figuring out baby steps. Since it’s just getting warm enough on some days, I’ve switched to walking as my main exercise, taking long walks when I have time. I’m planning a 6-hour or so walk on an upcoming March Saturday. I’ve already mapped it out (part of the fun). I’m going to walk from my house to Palmer Park, our largest city park which is like a mini-mountain itself with hiking trails through its woods as well as many along its sunny mesa top. It has bears and mountain lions and everything in there! It’ll take me 50 minutes to walk to the park, then I’ll spend 3 hours or so walking the various trails (taking breaks as needed), then 50 minutes to walk home again. For a day walk, my simple leather backpack will be enough, and I’m making my short list of supplies.

After that I’ll plan to walk to various friend’s homes just outside of town. I have one friend out on the plains in Peyton, so I can walk from my home east for 8 hours to arrive there. I’ll practice pitching my little tent in their yard, maybe spend the next day with them (depending if I can get off work for a 3-day weekend), or the evening, then walk home again. I also have Quaker friends to the north in Black Forest, to the west in Manitou Springs, and one down south in Pueblo. I can take a few weekends to walk there, spend the night, and walk back.

My plan was to try walking all day first this month before buying gear, but I’m afraid I got ahead of myself as I often do, one of my character flaws. I need a thicker sleeping pad for our car camping anyway (we camp in the mountains every summer). Ever since my hip problems and even after my hip replacement surgery, I need a softer sleeping pad. The old Thermarest Basecamp pads we have are only 1″ thick and I can feel the ground. My husband is able to use those only when he has both of them on top of each other. (We both weigh a bit more now in our 50s than in our 20s!)

Yesterday I spent the morning driving up to Denver. I’d found a thicker sleeping mat for only $10, it’s quite a bit thicker, and for $10 I can try it out and see if it’ll work. I’ve been window shopping for all kinds of supplies and brand new backpacking gear is so expensive – well over $100 or $200 for each item! It would take me several thousand dollars to equip with new things, which defeats one of the main purposes of walking – simplicity! But I’ve discovered that FB Marketplace and Ebay have a ton of like-new, good quality gear at way cheaper prices. I could outfit myself with just several hundred instead of several thousand. (I have a job now and steady income, which is making this possible.)

Rebecca put details in the back of her book about logistics and gear. On the road she lived in a Bill Moss 1-person tent, and it was super simple and easy to put up with just her, it kept her dry and warm in all kinds of weather and low temperatures, and she could sit up in it.

I went online and soon discovered that the Moss tents were the best ever made back in the day, produced in Camden, Maine. Later the company got bought out and the products were then manufactured in China, the quality deteriorated, and the brand went out of business, the tents discontinued. I found campers online who LOVE their Moss tents, they are such high quality that they last for a lifetime. Now old used ones on Ebay go for just under $500 up to over $2000! I couldn’t find any on FB Marketplace. I was eyeing the cheapest one on Ebay. For reference, new tents I’d been looking at ranged from $500-$2000 as well. There are cheaper used or like-new tents on FB Marketplace, but the quality is not the same as the Moss line.

Then suddenly a 2-person Moss tent appeared on FB Marketplace, one that was in better shape than all the ones on Ebay, and it even still had its original footprint ground tarp! None of the others have that anymore. I experienced a full-body YES – THIS IS MY TENT moment. So even though I haven’t yet done my all-day test walk, I thought about it for several hours, then messaged the seller, as I suspected this was going to go fast. He had it for $675 but lived in Denver, so I could drive up instead of paying for shipping and insurance.

Yesterday I spent all morning driving. Got to Denver, bought the $10 sleeping pad and the Moss tent. The old couple were friendly, they invited me in, we laid out the tent and he showed me everything. They used to backpack. When I mentioned Peace Pilgrim (I haven’t read her books yet), the wife had one of her books and she gave it to me! That was an unexpected delight. Then the husband took a few minutes to teach me all about backpacking stoves, he had quite a collection (which he wasn’t selling). He showed me the different kinds and how they work. I thought I was eventually going to get the kind that you just plug into a propane tank and the pot holder sits on top. But he showed me a better Whisperlite system where you have the little red gas tank and can see how much is in it anytime, can refill and reuse it, etc. That one was a little complicated to set up. Then he showed me the Svia all-in-one unit – so cool! It can burn any type of fuel, so you can use it anywhere, is super tiny and light, like the size of a small soup thermos (a little smaller than that even). It comes with its own tiny pot but you can use it with larger pots and pans, too. It obviously lasts a very long time.

That was so fun, spending time with them, learning about the stoves. I drove home, stopping at Castlewood Canyon State Park for a short walk in nature.

So I’ve done it again. Got a bit ahead of myself and spent a lot of money. I was so glad I had the money in my Travel Savings and could buy it. (At first I’d prayed for the provision to buy the tent, then was guided to look into my Travel Savings and behold, I had just enough!) I’ve invested in one of the best quality tents ever made which will last for the rest of my life, and maybe I’ll be able to pass it down. Soon these Moss tents will disappear. So I don’t regret my decision. It does have an old musty smell, so I need to practice setting it up by myself in the backyard to air it out and try it out! Maybe with my five-year-old grandson.

Rebecca had made her own pull cart, but I see there’s a used game cart on FB Marketplace for only $25…

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Jerilyn Winstead Encyclopedeia Magica, Jer's Updates, Law of Attraction

I signed with a publisher – first time author!

After three and a half years and two literary agents as a first time author, I finally landed a publisher for my own debut novel series! IT’S HAPPENING! Join me on my journey as I share my progress and the best advice for writers I’ve learned (and am learning) along the way.

Book agents: first time authors

Timeline: in 2017 I was close to finishing my novel draft. Friends talked me into attending BarCon at the Pike’s Peak Writing Conference, since it was too late to get in for the full conference. I’d been studying the Law of Attraction and said a prayer before entering, then I found my friends and networked around the room. A friend from my first writer’s group introduced me to a book agent because he felt she would be a great fit for my unusual book. I had five minutes with her as I pitched my novel, and right away she caught the vision and asked for a full manuscript! I couldn’t believe it! I stammered that it wasn’t quite finished yet, and she told me to take my time and to send it in once it was done.

WOW – I didn’t expect to connect with a literary agent as a first time author before my book was even done! A little over a year later, she became my agent.

My writing advice for authors: join local writer’s groups (find the right one for your needs), and begin attending writer’s conferences as soon as you can, even before your novel is finished. You will learn SO MUCH, make new friends, and some possible vital connections.

My first literary agent as a first time author

I finished my novel draft in a few months, but surprisingly it took me a full year to get through the revision process. In 2018, I won a scholarship to the Pike’s Peak Writer’s Conference and was able to attend the full conference this time. Again the Law of Attraction came through – usually you get to pitch to one agent or acquiring editor at the conference. But this year it worked out that I got to pitch to all five of the agents/editors that I was interested in! I couldn’t believe it!

My debut novel is quite unusual – a real potions textbook, interactive novel, and puzzle workbook. I received some interest mockup cover by Jerilynfrom someone higher up within one publisher, but got all rejections from the actual agents. Still, it was great practicing my elevator pitch.

Writing advice for authors: be sure to craft and hone your elevator pitch for your novel idea. Do NOT start describing the whole story, plot, or characters to people (only amateurs do this and no one likes to sit and listen to more than five minutes of your story – make them want to read it). Just pitch 1-2 sentences to hook them.

I actually finished my novel in June 2018. I queried many agents and also sent the full ms to that first agent from 2017. After many rejections, that original agent got back to me in August and requested to become my book agent – as a first time author, I said YES!

It was such a thrill to be able to say the words “my agent” over the next couple of years. WOW!

How to find a publisher as a first time author

Getting a literary agent as a first time author is a rare thing – you’ve passed your first major hurdle and it means your writing really is quality. Your book agent is like the first test – you passed! They are also sort of like an angel investor – they are taking a chance on you and investing their own free time to help you revise and hone your work until it’s perfect.

For us, it took us another full year going back and forth as she helped me to uplevel my novel. We performed alchemy on my alchemy novel – taking it apart, improving the separate sections, then putting it all back together. It was a truly incredible experience which later led me to become a freelance editor, helping other new authors to perfect their novels via Upwork.

In late August 2019 my husband and I got to spend four days in London, which helped me to fact-check for my novel and make a few important changes as soon as I got back. My book agent was ready and she began pitching my novel to the major publishers in the US. She spent about a year – yes, through the 2020 Covid mess – but by October 2020, after she’d stopped communicating with me, I reached out and found out that she’d given up as she hadn’t been able to sell it. My magical book was now back in my hands and I no longer had an agent!

Writing advice for authors: when you have a book agent as a first time author, don’t wait around too long without hearing from them. Reach out regularly for updates. Agents and publishers are notorious for being really bad at communicating with their authors.

Getting my second literary agent as a first time author

I found myself in a really bad position. I did research and discovered this is a bad place to be. No agent would pick me up now that all the major publishers had rejected my novel – one of the struggles of finding a book agent as a first time author. What to do?

I was at a pretty low point through the rest of 2020 and most of 2021. I basically didn’t do much with my novel. Needing income, I built up my contract writing and editing services on Upwork and met with success on that platform, building a part-time income as well as a robust and varied portfolio. I maintained high reviews and became experienced as a professional contract ghostwriter, writer, editor, developmental editor, proofreader, and more. This later served me well in advancing my author career – I had real “writing cred” in the professional world.

One of my clients had me ghostwriting for him and knew my writing was top-notch. The Law of Attraction came through again and I received the inner guidance to reach out and ask this guy to become my literary agent. He was running three different businesses related to books, book marketing, and turning books into films. He wasn’t really an agent, but he’d been in the publishing industry for a long time. He was an American living in the U.K. and my novel is set in 1665 London.

So I contacted him and proposed the idea. I discovered that he is an agent to a few select authors. He requested my ms and then put it through his process – having his own team of readers to read it first. My novel passed his test – every one of them recommended he move forward – this was amazing! He told me that rarely happens. So then he took the time to read it, and in October 2021 he became my second book agent as a first time author! WOO-HOO!

My confidence restored as once again I could say “I have an agent.” I hoped that with his long-time connections in the publishing world, especially in the U.K., he’d be able to sell my magic school interactive novel/textbook.

Writing advice for authors: listen to your inner guidance and take a bold move when you receive inspiration. Have courage and do it!

Letting go of my literary agent as a first time author

For the following year I had an agent, but he was so busy and spread thin that he never got around to pitching my novel to anyone. I’d read of one woman who’d begun querying directly to publishers as a first time author – there are some smaller publishers which do allow direct queries. She landed her own publisher in two weeks after having had and lost three agents!

I gave my second agent a little over a year, but also began pitching it directly to small publishers myself. When one – a sci-fi publisher who I’d just interviewed with for a job and were willing to look over my ms – wanted to communicate directly with my agent, my agent did the job of talking it over with that publisher – it was another polite rejection. (I didn’t get the job either, although I was in the top three).

By now I was working through Lacy Phillips’ To Be Magnetic courses online, learning to build my Law of Attraction magnetism, working through subconscious blocks, etc. As the year 2022 turned into 2023, I realized I had to take the courage to “fire” my agent. He’d had health issues and just didn’t have time for everything on his plate. We parted amicably, both agreeing this was the right move. Once again I was without a book agent as a first time author!

By now I’d taken a highly detailed and well-done course by Sara Cannon (on YouTube as Heart Breathings) all about self-publishing. I had the information, but I couldn’t shake my inner knowing, which stayed with me without fail, that my novel was going to be traditionally published.

Writing advice for authors: be sure to learn everything you can about the three main paths to publishing: “trad” (traditional publishing, usually with a literary agent); “indie” which means self-publishing, becoming an independent author where you do all the work of publishing and marketing, every step as a small business owner; and “hybrid” where you pay a publishing company to handle many of the nitty-gritty publishing tasks. There is a slight difference, I believe, between “vanity publishers” which just want to take your money, and a true “hybrid” publisher which works with you, handles the cover art and publishing details (which you’d have to find and pay for a la carte in any case), who help you come up with a marketing plan, etc.

How to find a publisher as a first time author – without an agent

There are lists online of many small publishers which do accept queries by unagented authors. I recommend the Reedsy website’s articles on this. Also, you will meet publishers and editors at writer’s conferences – attend these! (I go every year now, saving up all year.)

I had made my “List” – a list of all the specific traits I was looking for in a publisher. Six months later the Law of Attraction (and all the years of inner work I was doing) used my own mother to help me find my perfect publisher! She heard of a small publisher in her state, Kentucky, and told me about them. In March 2023 I looked them over and submitted my manuscript. Within DAYS they reached out and told me they were interested in signing with me, and would I look over their sample contract?

OH MY GOODNESS – after all these years, it was FINALLY happening! I had a full uplevel experience in my whole being as I consulted with a lawyer friend, who looked over the contract (since I had no agent), I made a couple of tweaks and then signed with my own perfect publisher! They matched every single thing on my list. I also found out that they specialize in publishing unusual books. They sell their books at cons (like I’m planning to do) and the Kentucky Renaissance Festival every summer – wearing medieval garb like me! They are small but agile and will launch my book in six months – WOW – that’s unheard-of in the publishing industry. That means I could potentially publish one book a year of my magic textbook series! They are called Line by Lion Publishing on Facebook under the company Pixel & Pen Studios.

And what is my debut novel? Do you remember in the first Harry Potter movie when he opened a book in the Restricted Section and a face screamed out at him? I wrote that book. 😉 Okay, at least something in my creative mind triggered the idea for what that textbook could be – and I wrote it. It’s my answer to wishing I could go to Hogwarts and take a Potions class. I wrote a real beginning Potions textbook, only there’s something wrong with it (just like many things found in magic schools). It’s called Encyclopaedia Magica – Volume 1: Alchemy. Pre-orders are coming up and the book should be available Fall 2023! WOO-HOO!Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Jerilyn Winstead Colorado, Encyclopedeia Magica, Jer's Updates

What I wished I’d known my first time at LeakyCon

Yes, I read through many first-timers tips before attending my first LeakyCon in Denver, 2022. I even attended the Ickle Firsties meetup at the convention. While these were all good and helpful, I felt like several key tidbits of information were left out, and I wished I’d known them.

Tidbit #1: Ribbons are a thing.

Okay, I actually did find out about this really fun trend ahead of time, and came prepared with ribbons. But many first-timers knew nothing about this, I discovered. So here’s the thing: attendees at LeakyCon really love handing out and receiving ribbons to attach to their lanyard, eventually creating a very long trail of ribbons down their front, lol. The fun part is anyone can print these ahead of time (not just the merchants and shops), and you can have anything printed on them: a fun picture like Luna Lovegood’s glasses, or funny quotes from the Harry Potter books or other sayings. One ribbon simply said “Grandpa” and made me laugh. I printed three different colored ribbons with different words to help promote my book and YouTube channel (I am a fantasy author, after all). My quotes were also related to Hogwarts, just as my books are, indirectly (I’ve written a real potions textbook which probably escaped the Restricted Section at Hogwarts…)

Tidbit #2: Bring a water bottle

Even more awesome if you have a Hogwarts water bottle or one in your house colors. Yes I know I live in Colorado, and everyone in Colorado always carries around a water bottle. But I was going to be in a hotel the whole time, and who wants to carry one when they’re cosplaying? (I cosplayed Professor Trelawney.) I discovered that most attendees knew this tidbit and carried water bottles. And that the hotel was sometimes lagging in refilling water coolers in the rooms, and not all the rooms had water. I was so busy running from one session or panel to another, that it was challenging finding time to go look for liquid sustenance. I sat through the Hufflepuff meetup very thirsty. I even tried using my wand, shouting “Aquamenti!” at the water cooler several times, to no avail. The cooler suddenly refilled just as the session ended, though I didn’t see anyone fill it, so maybe my spell decided to work after all.

Tidbit #3: Remember to always carry your wand

Speaking of wands, whether you bring one or buy one there (so many cool wand shops!), be prepared to always have it on you, just like at Hogwarts. There are merchants selling wand sheaths, too. This was one of my favorite things about LeakyCon! Finally being somewhere where it’s normal to always have your wand on you! (I kept forgetting and having to run back to my room again.)

Tidbit #4: You’re on your own for meals

I was used to the writer’s conference where meals are a part of the ticket and everyone eats together. I searched and searched online, but could find no information on meals at LeakyCon. That’s because there is none. Everyone is completely on their own for all meals and snacks. At the hotel in Denver, they offered a breakfast for pay (not included with the room) and there was a pub restaurant for supper. They had wonderful service, but such limited staff at the pub that everyone had to wait 45 minutes to an hour to finally get their food. For lunch, the hotel offered several offerings in the merchants hall, for cash only (see Tidbit #4). There were a few places to eat nearby, but not very many, and I heard attendees complaining at the lack of local options. One couple ordered pizza delivery, and waited at least two hours to get it! (I’m not sure how long because I left to get ready for the Esther Earl Ball.)

Tidbit #5: Cash is king

I ended up having to retrieve cash from the hotel ATM (paying a nice fee) twice. Not only were the lunch foods cash-only, but I needed cash to leave a room tip. And it does help the merchants to pay with cash. Most merchants accepted cards, but you never know who might not. I ended up having to run to the ATM to get cash so I could buy a book from one of the presentor’s. Thank goodness he waited for me while selling and signing books to others. Next time I’ll bring cash for all my shopping.

Tidbit #6: Prepare for some culture shock, especially if alone

If you go with friends you might not deal with this so much, but I often find myself trying out new experiences, countries and groups solo. And just like in the SCA, with larping, and with international travel, I experienced bodily fatigue and feeling “out of it” just from culture shock, especially on the first day. It’s okay, just stay hydrated, try new things, take breaks and power naps if you can, make sure you eat. By the end of the weekend I was adjusted and didn’t want it to end.

Tidbit #7: How to dress for the Esther Earl Ball

One fun thing about LeakyCon’s Saturday night ball is that you can dress however you want. There were people in the same casual or house clothes from the day. Some wore modern ball gowns, some wore medieval gowns like me, and some wore Victorian-era ball gowns. Several cosplayers came right in their cosplay, allowing us to dance with Molly Weasley, Ginny Weasley, a couple of Hagrids, a glowing Patronus, and Bellatrix LeStrange. I found myself wishing I’d done the same. I even almost ran back up to my room to change out of my medieval gown and back into my Trelanwey cosplay. They were giving and having so much fun! But I didn’t. I’ll simply stay in cosplay next time.

Tidbit #8: The sessions are more fun that you think

When I was planning ahead, the panels and sessions only sounded “okay” to me, and I chose just a smattering of them to attend. But when I actually tried them, I discovered they were more fun than I expected. I ended up wishing my broken Time-Turner actually worked so I could attend a couple of them at the same time. Make sure not to miss the Wizard Rock Cafe.

Tidbit #9: Every LeakyCon is a little bit different – plan for the littles

I learned several things about LeakyCon. One is that it is a traveling con, and attendees go to wherever it is being held each year. Two is that each venue and event will be a little bit different. I heard that the one in Dallas has the four house common rooms to relax and hang out in. In Denver one “Quiet Room” was available, but no comfy chairs in there. Also, there wasn’t much for the littles to do in Denver, I noticed. There was a little craft area with two self-directed fun crafts in the merchant’s room, and that was about it. Most of the littles wouldn’t enjoy the sessions. If you’re bringing littles with you, search the panels ahead of time — they might enjoy the cosplay contest — and make a plan of what they might like to do. (I have some awesome creative ideas for sessions I want to present, and if they choose me going forward, we will have some rocking activities which even the littles will go crazy over.)

You will have fun

Everyone is so friendly, the wares so unique, the panels and sessions suprisingly interesting, the cosplay delightful, the Wizard Rock rocks, and the Esther Earl Ball is a blast. No matter what, have fun! I know you will. It turns out that attending LeakyCon is addicting. I’m alread planning on next year. (And FYI, they are going to be expanding to add more fandom things, like elves and dwarves, hobbits, D&D, and more!)

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