There’s a handful of questions I’ve answered approximately 9,478 times and counting over the past decade as I’ve stood behind the bar and brewed coffee or mixed a Room One cocktail.
Have you always wanted to open an inn?
How’d you find this place?
Do you miss the city?
What are the winters like?
What’s the deal with the Arnold Schwarzenegger connection…?
Honestly, I am ALWAYS happy to answer these questions! Even for the bajillionth time. Because, even though on the surface lot of you are asking the “same” questions, if I can take just a minute or two to get to know you a little, I can understand what you’re really asking me, and then we can have an interesting conversation.
See, Have you always wanted to open an inn? sometimes means:
I’m thinking about changing careers, did you change careers to do this? Help me get psyched for a big change!
Other times it means:
I want to open an inn myself, can we talk about that? I have lots of questions about operational costs and publicity!
And sometimes it means:
This seems like a bananas job I would personally NEVER enjoy, did you actually want to do this? Convince me you don’t regret it, haha!
The other top contender for Most Frequent FAQ is:
What do you do when you’re not running the Inn?
And that’s been a tricky one to answer recently because guys, I’VE BEEN LYING TO YOU…!
Well, not entirely lying to you. When I’ve told you that when the Inn is closed I travel with my husband and our two little kids, that’s true. This year we took an epic road-trip through the southwest.
And when I’ve told you that when the Inn is closed I read a lot, that’s also true. Here are some books I really enjoyed while on the road:
But if I’ve ever gotten as far as telling you that when the Inn is closed I work on my art, THAT’S where I’ve probably become cagey and deflective and suddenly had to go check on the bonfire outside…
But here’s the rest of the honest answer:
I’ve been writing a novel, and IT’S GOING TO BE PUBLISHED!
To preemptively answer a few FAQs about this—
Yes, I’ve already written the whole thing!
Yes, I’m currently working with a most excellent editor at Harper to revise it so it can be the very best book it can possibly be!
Yes, it really will take that long for the book to actually be published even though I’m turning everything in this fall!
Yes, I will absolutely let you know the moment you can order a copy!
For now, I just want to say a big fat thank you to all the people who’ve helped me along the way: my family, my friends, my neighbors, my reading community, my writing community, my agent, my editor, and YOU! My Inn guests! For supporting the Inn year after year, and for all the good chats in Room One. Writing can be a very lonely experience, and you all are my favorite antidote to that. I can’t wait to see you again this summer and fall!
Speaking of— I’ll be sending out your exclusive early booking link exactly one month from now: Thursday, April 11th! So mark your calendars, set that alert, start texting your friends about coming up all together…
See ya soon-ish!