In the Company of Writers

I love to hang out with friends, especially when those friends are fellow writers, and that’s what I did yesterday. Meg Fraser hosted the Vancouver Island Chapter of Romance Writers of America’s annual summer picnic. Meg has just moved into a gorgeous home—I’ll tell you more about it in a minute—and she is a hostess extraordinaire. And as a special treat, her husband left a box of chocolates for us. Let me tell you . . . even a small group of women can make a sizable dent in a box of chocolates!

Here we are (from l. to r.): Daniela Hewson (chapter president), Susan Lyons (Kensington author), Tara Bisgrove, Meg Fraser, and Rachel Goldsworthy (chapter treasurer). I’m the one behind the camera. The vivacious Bonnie Edwards, another Kensington author, joined us after lunch, and after this photo this was taken. That’s the Strait of Georgia and the faint outline of the snowcapped coast mountains in the background.

Our potluck lunch ended up being salads and desserts, which everyone decided was pretty much perfect, especially accompanied by the four Cs—conversation, camaraderie, chilled white wine, and chocolate. We ate and sipped and chatted, periodically distracted by views of the garden and the strait, and the ravens and bald eagles soaring overhead.

Meg has a glorious back garden. Instead of lawn, there's a gorgeous array of shrubs and perennials, many of which were in bloom. A pathway winds through the garden and down the sloping back yard—perfect for a stroll and a close-up look at all the plants. It’s all surrounded by a deer- and rabbit-proof fence, thoughtfully constructed by the home’s previous owner.

An altogether wonderful day in a perfect setting. Many thanks to Meg for hosting us, and thanks to all for the friendship and fellowship.

Until next time,
Lee