Road Tripping to Clear the Head

A road trip resets me. Whether it's the hum of the engine or suddenly finding myself somewhere new, I've chased that rebooting feeling for decades. A recent swing through the MidAtlantic coastal cities reminded me why.

I barely had time to pack. For two weeks, I'd been hunched over my manuscript—Mayhem in the Mountains—polishing every sentence, smoothing edges, wrestling it into something I was proud to send out. The deadline loomed; the pressure was real. My long-awaited vacation was dangerously close to being swallowed by my writing. With little time to spare, I made my deadline and submitted the second to last version to the publisher before our flight.

Then, as if the universe had a flair for the dramatic, the final PDF arrived just hours before we boarded the plane. This was the manuscript in PDF format, an honest to God, last look. I had to laugh—timing could not have been more cruel.

I knew it would preoccupy me. Unfinished business follows you, taps your shoulder, whispers at inopportune moments. That hot potato feeling, where urgency burns in your hands, and you need to pass it on before it scorches you, is familiar. It reminded me of thirty years in the working world, when I never wanted to be the bottleneck. Those years I stayed late, worked weekends, did whatever it took to keep projects moving.

Before this trip, I promised myself my writing wouldn't upstage it. With the last version in hand, I immediately carved out time, took one last look at the manuscript, and likely missed some scenery proofreading. But I kept my word—emailed off the final version of Mayhem in the Mountains, and let vacation begin.

For anyone who's spent decades putting work first, that is no small victory. This trip marked my commitment to balancing work and personal fulfillment.

In the past before I began writing, road trips to the Western states, the East Coast, and even Europe offered adventure. Now, they add another layer. Quiet, slow hours staring out the window give uninterrupted time to think. Writers need that—for creating engaging scenes, exploring character motivations and hurdles, and adding depth and believability to our words.

We’ve hit Asheville, Greenville, and Savannah—gorgeous cities with distinct personalities. What ties them together are insanely good biscuits and a vague, spooky quality, especially in Savannah with its Spanish moss hanging from every tree.

And my head is full of new ideas for the new manuscript I’m working on. But with a book release around the corner, I’ll save that news for later.

***

Speaking of the new release, I heard back from the Nantucket Book Festival (the topic of my last blog – Spams and Scams. This is what the festival organizers wrote back this week.

“Hello, and thank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, a fraud actor has been posing as various members of the Nantucket Book Foundation's board and staff using confusingly similar email addresses and inviting authors to a fictitious "virtual" Nantucket book festival. There is no such "virtual" book festival option, and the author roster for the real 2026 book festival is set. Sorry for the confusion, this is a frustrating experience for all of us! Thank you again for letting us know.

Sincerely,

The Nantucket Book Foundation”

***

We’re closing in on launch day for Mayhem in the Mountains, June 9^th!  The book is now on presale in the Kindle version on Amazon, but the best part, is that the three previous books in the series are each on sale (so you can catch up on the saga) for $2.99 for most of the month of May! I can’t wait to hear what you think of this roller coaster ride through the Catskills in 1924! Email me if you'd like to arrrange a book club zoom or an event - jane@janeloebrubin.com..