Thought I'd give you a look at the beginning of Mocha's 30-day novel-writing journey...
Thursday, October 23—Sometime Late at Night
I looked at the research books on Huna spread across my desk next to my scribbled notes for the novel I wanted to write—a story about a woman who went in search of herself and found Huna.
I picked up one of the books, read the title—Hawaiian Huna: The Secret of a Magical Mind—and opened it, flipping through the pages.
The philosophy of Huna was intriguing to me—you create the world you live in through your thoughts and feelings; you can influence your environment and create events you want to experience—but what seemed so elusive to me was the loving, accepting spirit of Aloha on which the ancient wisdom of Huna was based.
Huna seemed to be so much more than a philosophy; it was a way of life, a way of living your life filled with magic.
I wanted to find a kahuna—a master who could teach me or show me how to open and use the magic in my mind; I wanted to live a life filled with happiness and light.
It's one thing to read about something; it's quite another thing to experience it, I thought to myself.
"I'm going on a kahuna quest," I told her.
But how is that possible? I wondered. The house repairs last month had wiped out my savings account.
I sighed and turned my laptop on. Browsing the blogosphere and wishing I could find a way to pay for the airline ticket to Maui next month, I landed on a Writer's Workshop blog and saw the ad...
Wanted: Writers who would like to write the novel they've always dreamed about writing, are invited to attend the annual thirty-day—all expenses paid—Wiamea Writer's Retreat on the island of Maui.
I could hardly believe what I was reading. I'd just been wishing for a way to get to Maui and this blog post was a wish come true. I read it again, just to be sure my mind wasn't playing tricks on me.
This is totally awesome! I thought. This is my ticket to Maui. I'd been planning a vacation in Maui in November, and Magi had already passed the rabies titers and qualified for direct airport release, so it seemed like perfect timing.
The only thing holding me back was the price of the air fare. "Thank you, Universe," I whispered. I stood up and did a happy dance. Magi barked at me and wagged her tail, then twirled around, doing her little happy dance.
I read the instructions: Book your stay and bring your laptop. Some clothes and a toothbrush would also be nice. Everything else is provided. There were several paragraphs of fine print I didn't bother to read.
I filled in a few lines on the attached form; a pop-up window instructed me to check my email and click on the link to confirm my reservation. I was then directed to the Wiamea Writer's website to enter my username and a password before printing out my tickets.
I looked at the blinking cursor in the username field. Might be fun to create a pseudonym, I thought to myself. But what? I looked at the cup of coffee on my desk and typed Mocha Latte.
I packed four pairs of jeans, my flip flops, and some T-shirts—thinking I'd buy some new clothes in Maui—and a few other essentials into my carry-on suitcase.
I tossed my toothbrush, sunglasses, and laptop into the huge messenger bag I always carried with me. The front, zip-up pocket contained Magi's food, two small food bowls, and her treats.
Then I went to bed. Happy and excited, I could barely sleep. This is going to be so much fun, I thought.
Early the next morning, I was on my way with Magi, curled up comfortably in her purple dog stroller. It was almost too good to be true. Little did I know what I was getting myself into...
If you've enjoyed reading this prologue, you can read the whole book. Both the print book and the ebook are available on Amazon.
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