What kind of vacationer are you?

Life has eased up some!
My sis, who you all know was in a terrible car accident, is faring much better now and even moved back to her own home. We enjoyed having her here a lot, but I'm thrilled that she's able to get around on her own now.

Not long after that, I finished my last romantic single title, MY MAN, MICHAEL and got a most enthusiastic response from both my agent and editor. Whoo hoo! Apparently I work well under pressure.

This will be Michael aka Mallet's story from the other SBC fighter books. It's my first attempt at writing a time travel, and it's way fun. (I go into the future.) My editor said she felt the joy leaping off every page. A terrific compliment, huh?
And look at that cover!? Is it stellar or what?



After that great news, I got two fabulous reviews for my "on stands August 27th" supernatural urban fantasy thriller, (that's how the publisher describes it) SERVANT: THE ACCEPTANCE.

RT gave me 4 stars and said, "Foster delivers another chilling installment in the Servant saga. Her latest villain is likely to give readers nightmares; but in this series offering there is a clear focus on Gaby and Luther's fight against the odds to build a relationship. This tale definitely reminds readers that trust is a two way street."

Romance Junkies gave me 5 blue ribbons and said, "This addition to Gaby's story is excellent in both plot and characterization. Foster's innate talent shines brightly in this dark paranormal tale. I fell in love iwth both Gaby and Luther in the first book, SERVANT: THE AWAKENING, and must say that my love affair with these two characters continues throughout this amazing second book."

Yes, I was plenty jazzed that my next romance hit a note with the editor, and that my next release is (so far) getting good reviews.

Naturally, all that good news meant that it was time to celebrate with a much-deserved vacation.

Off we went in our RV! Let me tell you, I had some early reservations because it took us a while to figure out how to work everything. I had pictured us stranded somewhere, unable to make the water run, to open the sides, to figure out the air conditioning... RVs are very confusing! Everything seems to have a switch and not everything is simple is operate.
Like the TV.
Luckily, we had plenty of dvds with us to watch - NOT that we managed much time just sitting around the telly. Nope. Allen and I are outdoor-type people. We love exploring new hills, trails, lakes, rock formations, caves... whatever!
And I realized - I LOVE doing it from the RV! Can we say convenience!?

What about you? Would you rather be in a posh hotel with room service and nearby plays or shows, or do you (like me ) prefer to commune with nature?

Here's a photo of our West Virginia view from a very high tram. The tram took us down a steep mountain to a lake that runs under the sky-high Gauley Bridge. It pretty much sucked my breath away, but everyone at the site was so nice and friendly, that we enjoyed the chatting as much as the scenery.

Once there, we enjoyed a jet boat ride with a very funny tour guide. I sat up front with him, and laughed the entire time.

It was amazing to see small vacation huts built right on the lake's edge, sometimes on a boulder, sometimes with a tree jutting up out of the middle. The only way to get to the huts is by boat, so all the building supplies were floated in. Right behind the tiny houses are railroad tracks.

We also did a rather fascinating coal mining tour, and again, the tour guide was very amusing and engaging. We rode in mining cars and, according to the Beckley coal mining guide, we were around 150 feet underground. It was pretty cold, very dark, and incredibly enlightening about the difficult chore of mining, most especially "back in the day."

I used "night vision" on my camera to light up the passageway so you could see it. Trust me, it was pretty dang dark!

Oh, but the great part is that our RV was right there in the parking lot, air conditioned and secure, with my little doggies inside. Any time we didn't take them with us, we knew they were close at hand, and comfortable.

And when we parked the RV for the night, it was pretty wonderful. West Virginia had Rhododendrons in full bloom everywhere. They were as big as our oak trees here in Ohio, and the first park we chose was very private and quiet. We were literally in the woods - with all sorts of animals visiting and calling out, and a beautiful night sky.

The picture might be hard to see, but that's my hubby and little dogs at the picnic table in our own private little spot.

Later we went to Hocking Hills in Ohio, which is my favorite place to be. There we stayed in a more social park, but we had a fabulous pool, lots of games, and the playground was so impressive that we went home and got my son and grandson, and then went back!

Right next to where we parked, we were able to get a small log cabin with electricity so my son and grandson had their privacy for sleeping. (Allen and are early to bed and very early to rise, and my son and grandson like to sleep in.)
Here are some photos from there. Funstuff, huh!?

That's Allen in the first, with all those impressive rock walls behind him. Then you see me (looking worse for wear in my sloppy clothes, and frazzled from the heat and humidity) in a narrow tunnel on our way to one of the waterfalls.

And here I am, as close to the waterfall as you can get. Sometimes it really pours, and sometimes, depending on the weather, it's almost dry. That day it had rained off and on, keeping me damp but cooling the hot afternoon, too. There's so much to see at Hocking Hills that I could go every weekend and be happy!

Even my grandson had a blast climbing the trails, wedging through narrow niches, and playing in the water.

I have to tell you how surprised I was to learn that Jennifer Schober, an agent from Spencerhill, likes to go camping.

And when Stella told me some of the stories of when she went camping with a lot of kids in tow... I was really impressed. I'd have bet money that I was the only Quill who didn't mind getting muddy, sweaty, and chewed up by the occasional weed and sharp rock.
So what about you!? Do like the sun overhead and the smell of the woods - or do you prefer airconditioning?
Do you like to be near water in lakes, creeks, waterfalls and rivers - or are you a heated indoor pool person?
Are you a nature girl or boy - or a culture craver who prefers museums and find dining?
Would you enjoy waking with the birds, having your coffee at a well-used picnic table while other RV campers woke and made their way around the park?
Do you enjoy meeting new characters and visiting with "everyday" people from around our country?
If you have or had an RV, do you know of any awesome parkgrounds that you can recommend?

Where would you like to go and what would you like to see?

Now that I'm finally getting my crazy schedule under control, I've already mapped out a good dozen places to visit, most of them fairly local (within a 5 hour drive) but some that take some serious travel. It's my sincere hope that I go somewhere at least once a month during warm weather.

I hope this email finds you all healthy, comfortable and happy!

My best,

Lori