Virtual Blue Ridge Mountain Tour




Photo Taken from the Skyline Drive in VA

Sometimes I need a break, a getaway. Since the National parks are closed, how about taking a virtual trip to one of my favorite getaways--Shenandoah National Park?



Photo Taken from Discovery Hiking Trail

Nothing like a hike in the mountains to ease stress. Now, let's head south on Skyline Drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway and drive to North Carolina where some of the characters from the Highland Gardens novels live.

Photo Taken From the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC

Did you know time-traveling Highlanders live in the Blue Ridge Mountains?

Available for Kindle, Nook, and Kobo

 

Just Beyond the Garden Gate

A Highland Gardens Novel
Book 1

 

The Scottish Highlands—a place where faeries and brownies and other fae creatures dance through time. On occasion, so do mere mortals.

Determined to regain her royal status, a banished faerie princess accepts a challenge from the High-Queen of the Fae to unite an unlikely couple while the clan brownie attempts to thwart her.

Passion ignites when a faerie-shove propels burned-out business consultant Laurie Bernard through the garden gate, back through time, and into the embrace of Patrick MacLachlan. The arrogant clan chief doesn’t know what to make of the lass in his arms, especially when he recognizes the brooch she wears as the one his stepmother wore when she and his father disappeared.

With the fae interfering at every opportunity, the couple must learn to trust one another while they battle an enemy clan, expose a traitor within their midst and discover the true fate of the missing parents. Can they learn the most important truth—love transcends time?

Journey from the lush gardens of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the Scottish Highlands of 1509 with Just Beyond the Garden Gate.

~Dawn Marie

Shenandoah Waterfalls and Recharging the Muse

Rose River Falls

Sometimes a writer needs to recharge her muse. So last Thursday, we loaded the car with camping gear and drove up to Shenandoah National Park for a long weekend getaway. One of our favorite places to unwind.

We did a bit of walking. The first day out, we hiked the Rose River Loop trail. For most of the trail, we enjoyed the pleasant sound of running water along the river, cascades, and falls.

Upper Section of the South River Falls

While camping at Lewis Mountain we heard an interesting presentation from Ranger Mike on the origins of the campground and met several thru-hikers making the trek along the AT from Georgia to Maine. Wish I had that kind of stamina.

On the second day of hiking we traveled along the South River Falls trail, stopping at the oberservation point to take this photo of the upper section of the 83' waterfalls, returning to our car via the South River fire road. We were exhausted when we reached the parking lot, but it was a good kind of tired.

How do you reenergize?


Now that we're home, I'm back on virtual tour with Just Beyond the Garden Gate. Here is where I'll be for the rest of the month.

06/11/13 Romance Junkies - Guest Post

06/12/13 Nancy Lee Badger’s Blog - Guest Post

06/13/13 Books ‘a la Mode - Interview
06/14/13 Star Crossed Romance - Guest Post
06/18/13 Anne Lange's Blog - Guest Post and Recipe

06/19/13 House Millar - Interview

06/21/13 Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas – Soulful quotes by Renee Vincent
06/23/13 Dawn Marie Hamilton Writes - Full Moon Book Giveaway

06/24/13 Fresh Fiction - Guest Post

06/27/13 Melissa Limoges's Blog - Guest Post

I'll also be visiting the Firebirds blog on June 26th as a 2013 Golden Heart® Finalist.

~Dawn Marie

Positive Energy For The Muse

By Dawn Marie Hamilton

You know it's a bad day when the page in front of you remains blank. The more you try to think, the more your head pounds, the more frustrated you get. The thought of cleaning the bathroom all of a sudden seems like a fun thing to do.

What do you do when your muse refuses to whisper to you?

Chocolate? Helps for a short while. Take a walk? Gets you through the rest of the day.

When I'm really stressed, and the words won't flow onto the page, I need to get away and clear my mind.

Where to go? So many choices to choose from. How about an escape to nature, a hike to a waterfall? Perfect.

I'm not sure what it is about waterfalls that refresh the spirit. All I can say is when I hear the roar through the trees as I approach, I tingle with excitement and when the cooling mist teases my skin, I feel eased.

Some of my favorite falls are near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Where are yours?

Dark Hollow Falls, Lewis Falls, Rose River Falls are within a hike from the Byrd Visitor Center and Big Meadows. The trailhead for Whiteoak Canyon Falls is located near Skyline Lodge. These are but a few options.

On weekends during the peak of the season, Shenandoah's trails can be crowded, especially the most popular falls trails. When I visit, I try to stay for a few days. Though there are lodges and cabins, my husband and I like to camp. We wake to chirping birds. Eat a camp breakfast while butterflies flutter by. And if we are lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a bear and her cubs as they lumber through nearby woods.

When I return home, my muse is energized, and I'm ready to write the next scene.

The park will celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary in 2011. To learn more about the waterfalls within Shenandoah National Park visit Shenandoah Online.