Coffee and Conversation: “Traveling Through the Alphabet” A-Z Theme Reveal

Grab a cuppa and a comfy seat, and let’s chat a while! It’s time for Coffee and Conversation!

When I was six, my family was driving on a highway late at night. Streaks of headlights and taillights painted the dark. For the first time, I realized that each car held people living lives as important to them as mine was to me.

I wanted to know what those lives were, and to share my own.

Okay, it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve remembered or managed to get here. Oops…! But it’s that time again…April approaches, and, with it, the Blogging From A-Z April Challenge – a letter each, every day but Sunday, until the alphabet is all planted. =)

 

April will bring showers of words! Click the calendar for more fun alphabetical activities!

I’ve begun this post twice before, and it seems to have gotten lost in the sweeping sands of time…in other words, the effort that it would take to locate it is a lesser one than what it will take to create a third post…so, in that vein, I’m going to go ahead and write it again….and post it this time, because it’s time for the Big Theme Reveal! =D  But before the curtain goes up, let’s talk a bit about why I love this challenge, and my own personal history with it…

I’ve participated in the  A-Z April Challenge for the last three years. In 2012, I chose random topics.

For 2013, I focused on a theme – I wrote 26 stories that became the exploratory basis of two novels – the original fantasy The Stars Are Fire, and the Star Trek: TOS/Enterprise fan fiction, Perchance to Dream.

Last year, for my third trip through A-Z Land, I decided to explore a niggling idea that I’d had for nearly a year – life on Kifo Island, a no-charge island hospice resort – a little like Fantasy Island for the dying. Each letter represented a character name; every character is either a dying person who has come to live out their life and create memories; a loved one; or someone who volunteers on the island. They’re a diverse mix of ages, personalities, and cultures. Some of the stories are romantic; a couple are humorous; and several are ominous or sad. 

Each year that I’ve undertaken this challenge, I’ve gained some stories, developed ideas, expanded my horizons, and learned a great deal, not only about my characters and their realities, but also about myself.

And now, April is on its way again, and it’s time to think about this year’s challenge. I toyed with several ideas – writing more Kifo Island stories – but I will be writing two novellas for that series as my April CampNaNo Challenge, and I don’t have 26 new characters in mind to develop.  So I’ve decided to go in a different direction -or, more accurately, several – this year.

Ready for the Big Reveal?  Well, ready or not… here it comes!

And the curtains slowly draw back to reveal…..

For several years, I’ve wanted to blog about the early years of our marriage, when my Accomplice and I traveled the country, working and playing in various places, including three national parks – Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and the Everglades. Along the way, we had some adventures that have become stories and vignettes that are a part of our family history and lore.

So, this year, I’m going to share these with you, alphabetically, as my challenge.

Now, without further ado, here’s my topic list for the month:

Wednesday, April 1:

• A – Alligators and Agave

Thursday, April 2:

• B – Bison and Black Sand Basin

Friday, April 3:

• C – Chicago

Saturday, April 4:

• D – Diving Here and There

Sunday, April 5:

• A-Z Rest Day

Monday, April 6:

• E – Everglades and Eagles

Tuesday, April 7:

• F– Firehole and Fumaroles

Wednesday, April 8:

• G – Grand Canyon

Thursday, April 9:

• H – Havasu Falls

Friday, April 10:

• I – In the Dark

Saturday, April 11:

• J – Joshua Trees

Sunday, April 12:

• A-Z Rest Day

Monday, April 13:

• K – Klamath Falls

Tuesday, April 14:

• L – Lone Star Geyser and Lava Lake

Wednesday, April 15:

• M– Mooney Falls and Mosquitoes

Thursday, April 16:

• N- Nine Mile Pond

Friday, April 17:

• O -Old Faithful and Oregon

Saturday, April 18:

• P – Pacific and Pennekamp

Sunday, April 19:

• A-Z Rest Day

Monday, April 20:

• Q–  A Quiet Quarry

Tuesday, April 21:

• R– Robert is Here

Wednesday, April 22:

• S – San Francisco, Sequoias, and Stars

Thursday, April 23:

• T – Thermal Features and Tourons

Friday, April 24:

• U – Umpqua

Saturday, April 25:

• V – Viewpoints

Sunday, April 26:

• A-Z Rest Day

Monday, April 27:

• W – Wyoming and Wild Things

Tuesday, April 28:

• X – X Marks The Spot

Wednesday, April 29:

• Y – Yellowstone

Thursday, April 30:

• Z – ZZZ…Sleeping Outside

And that’s it…my A-Z Challenge all laid out. I even mapped it out on my day planner, so that I know what to do. And now, I just need to write the 26 posts, find relevant images and links, and get them all set up and scheduled.  

Throughout the month of April, if you see this logo at the head of the post, and a letter badge, you’ll know you’re in for a bit of adventure (and often humor, too!).

Sound exciting?  Looking for a little adventure in your life? There’s still time to join in, or read others’ posts! =D I’ll brew a fresh pot of coffee, and you can reveal your April theme!   And I’ll see you Out There, under that Wanderin’ Star!