Tag: tea

NanoWriMo, Writing journey

Research, Motivation and of course a Cup of Tea

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For those who follow or know me it is no secret my MC, Willow like me loves tea. However, unlike me, Willow has taken her love of this delicious drink to the extreme and has studied, worked with, and lives for the perfect brew.

As I research her backstory and personality I’ve found myself longing to walk amongst the rows of tea bushes in Shenzhen, Guangdong. Wishing I could visit Tong Xin Tea House, who I discovered on Instagram.

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On April 28, Jake and I set out from 8 a.m. in Shenzhen and arrived at Wuyi Mountain safely at 9 p.m. The 13-hour long journey was very hard but very happy. On the morning of 29, we went to the hotel to find J who arrived at Wuyi Mountain in advance. We started our journey in Wuyi Mountain. We tasted Bian Rou in the morning, drove into my tea garden and tea factory for about an hour, and arrived at the tea factory with Ja. Ke and J visited our tea garden and tea factory. In the afternoon, we went to the mountain to make tea. Everything was ready. After tasting Rou Gui and Da Hong Pao in 2013, the sky suddenly began to rain heavily. Finally, three of us were soaked into soup chickens. The heavy rain did not affect our mood. We walked happily in the rain and enjoyed the magical power of nature. We drove to Tongmuguan on April 30 at 10:00 a.m. It took us two hours to get to Tongmuguan from downtown. The road was rugged. We arrived at Tongmuguan at 12:00 p.m. smoothly and safely. We enjoyed the delicious food in the mountains at noon. After lunch, we went to Tongmuguan's brother's tea garden and the tea factory to visit the process of black tea picking and making. The scenery along the way was beautiful. We picked tea in the tea mountain at 1200 meters above sea level. Ye is very hard, every leaf is hard-won, return to Wuyishan city in the afternoon, every day is very full, J, will return to Shenzhen tomorrow, my trip with Jake is continuing. 🙏 .#looseleaftea#teaddict#gongfucha#chinatea#teaset#gongfutea#tetitas#breakfast #organic #cascara #cake #cat #dress#morning#morningtea#green#cupoftea #flowers #茶道 #sencha#shenzhen #lovetea #yixing #tealove #茶 #oolongtea #tea #chinesetea #koreanceramics

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There are many inspirational places I would like to visit and enjoy the full sensory experience rather than using photos or videos as prompts. Some are not as far-flung as India or Nashville, Tennessee where the unique High Garden Tea House and Potion Parlour are; I would love to visit Twinings at The Strand which has been there for 300 years or have afternoon tea at Betty’s Tea Room in Harrogate.

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The discovery of an UK Tea Academy, where you can train to be a tea Sommelier, made my nerves tingle with excitement. What an experience that would be and would give me a deeper insight into Willow’s world.

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The possibilities where her story could go are endless and I want to explore them all but then with a click of a mouse, reality bites. The ability to research to that depth requires funds only a fledgling penniless duvet dwelling paperback writer can dream of and as it stands, is it crucial to this WIP to experience them first hand? Probably not but it has given me the motivation to keep writing, and to keep dreaming of success because one day if I decide to write about a character on safari in Africa, I may just be able to experience it first-hand.

Time for a cup of tea made in the pot and write.

Happy writing!

Love

Kate Kenzie's Blog

P.S. All these places are now firmly etched on my bucket list and if they get ticked off, you will be the first to know.

NanoWriMo, Writing journey

A Quick NaNoWriMo Update

kakenzieblog

This is a quick, very quick post; I should be focusing on increasing my word count because writing time is limited today but a quick update is needed. It is a week since I began to work with Megg and six days NaNoWriMo started and a miracle has happened — I am on target!

Day 5 words
I have words!

Some days have been harder than others. It seemed an impossible task on day three, after sleep won over my early morning writing routine and feeling ill but with the knowledge Megg was behind me words were written. How many of the those words will stay after editing? Not many but they have moved the story forward.

I predict today and tomorrow will be a struggle too with hospital visits and tests and I also fell into the trap of research this morning but with a site like the Tea of Life and writing about a tea obsessed witch who can blame me? Just don’t tell Megg

I need to stop procrastinating and write.

How is everyone else doing?

Happy writing!

Love

Kate Kenzie's Blog

Writing journey

Preptober is here the countdown to Nanowrimo

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October is halfway through and NaNoWriMo is creeping closer. I can’t believe it is that time of year again but the pumpkins are lined up ready for Halloween so it must be. I have that familiar rush of excitement I feel when a new project is forming. Yes, instead of ploughing on with The Ellfaenian Journals I am using Preptober to plan a new WIP. It has been brewing for a long time but it is time to do it. Based on my favourite character, Willow Anderson from the journals I can’t wait to tell her story.

Inspired by a teacup and prompt from my local writing group, she has evolved from a small player to a fully formed personality influencing my life. After all, if you are researching tea you have to try them. I have become obsessed with teacups and saucers while my hubby has discovered the joy of loose leaf tea again. Our (or should I say his) teapot collection has bloomed in recent weeks. Every time he goes to a car-boot he comes back with a bargain. I am a colour magpie and attracted to all things bright but brown Betty teapots make glorious cuppas bordering on perfection. They have converted me to love them. Expect more tea related posts as Willow, a witch from Whitby gets further into my head. She loves the stuff.

My characters are waiting for November to begin while my Pinterest boards are flowing with inspirational settings. Unlike before where I planned the plot to the nth degree, I aim to be more fluid and go with the flow; an experiment to see which style works. It is also a different genre, romance so wish me luck. I will need it.

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Happy writing!

Writing journey

Let the Challenge of Camp NaNoWriMo begin 

kakenzieblog

 

April has galloped in so today I will be celebrating Easter, unraveling the news from the April Fools jokes -this could be difficult, and starting  Camp NaNoWriMo.

It is 3 am and 255 words have been written. How much sense they will make when I wake up who knows. My target is 10,000 words to break through the 50,000 word count barrier and make a dent in the first draft in the tale of Amber Rose, the first book of The Ellfaenian Journals. It feels as if I am creating an epic because I have not got far in the story despite 44,088 words  – gulp.  No one wants a LOTR size novel or if they do, they expect his level of expertise. I don’t have his flair for the English language nor his talent so I believe a heavy edit will be performed at the end.  this novel I may have a written outline but it has not been looked at. I am winging it and making it up as I go along.

The plan for this month is

  • Write
  •  Write some more
  • Think about writing while cuddling  Nigel or Pip.
  • Let Elsie free and listen to her ideas
  • keep stocked up on chocolate and tea – perfect writer’s brain fuel despite the healthy advice.
  • And KEEP OFF SOCIAL MEDIA!

To do this my husband needs to be occupied so he does not suffer while being a writer’s widow. I am hoping the Easter bunny will bring him some wood for a project and he can be happy in his shed. I have been thinking of an acronym for him; my husband sounds too formal, hubby too wrong and using his name would feel even worse especially as he likes to be in the social media shadows. I have my writing and he has his shed so it could be

  • Man in the Shed MITS
  • Him in the Shed as his mug states HITS
  • Guy in the Shed GITS but that is only apt sometimes
  • Writer’s Widower WW

Any suggestions or thoughts let me know below.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter.

Happy writing and for fellow campers – good luck!

 

 

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