A few weeks ago, I went on a writing retreat in Hull, Massachusetts. Hull is a town in Plymouth County, and it’s located on the southern edge of Boston Harbor. Most people flock to Hull in the summer, and famous visitors way back in the day included Calvin Coolidge and former Boston mayor John F. Fitzgerald. For those who don’t know, I’m a huge American political history nut, so these connections made me smile.

I went in February, which may sound insane to most of you. Why go to a beach town in the middle of a New England winter?

I needed time away, and I wanted to be close to the ocean. I grew up in Southern California. Salt water flows in my veins. (Okay, this is a slight exaggeration, but I’m a writer, so…)

Each day, I woke relatively early for me (I’m a self-proclaimed morning hater) and had breakfast. Afterward, I worked on an outline for an upcoming writing project. Around two in the afternoon, I went for a stroll along the beach for a couple of hours. After returning to my hotel, I continued working for a few more hours. I rounded out the day by reading a research book for the third book in The Chosen One series, which I’m starting later this year.

Some photos of my walks on the beach:

One day, I only worked for a few hours in the morning, went for a twelve-mile walk along the beach, and then made my way to Fort Revere, which includes the remnants of two seacoast fortifications situated on Telegraph Hill. One of them dates back to the American Revolution, and once the history nerd inside me learned this, there was no way I could skip seeing it. I selected the sunniest day of my retreat to visit.

Along the way was this beautiful resting place. 

Here are photos of the snow-covered fortifications and grounds.

The sunset on my walk back to the hotel.

As for the outline, last week I started drafting the novel, and the project will eventually involve Clare Lydon and Harper Bliss. I’m super excited about it. Keep an eye out for more details.