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Message from a Stranger
This weekend was amazing. Absolutely AH-MA-ZING. I got my books on Saturday, had two interviews with two remarkable women (have I mentioned how many fabulous people I’ve met since I’ve started this book journey?), and last night I got a message that made every bit of work I’ve put into this endeavor 100% worthwhile. The message was from a lady who I’ve never met in person or talked to via any other form of communication. She thanked me for one of my posts. She said she grew up in an alcoholic home and never had any friends to talk to about it. She also said how embarrassing it was throughout…
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Sunday Posts
As I sat here wondering what on earth I would write about this weekend, I was hit with a realization: I don’t have to write every week. I initially said I was going to, and because I feel like I should always do what I say I will do, I’ve done it every week even when I didn’t really have the motivation or time. For me, the problem with writing and posting every week is that it starts to feel like work. I have a full-time job. Writing is what I do for enjoyment when I’m not working. It’s not like I have to write something every week. I mean,…
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If I Build It, They Will Come
Last week while I was at work, my desk line rang. When I answered it, a lady immediately went into a spiel about how I was eligible for a vacation (or something like that). I don’t remember exactly what it was about because as soon as I realized it was a sales call, I mentally checked out. When she finished the first part of her pitch and asked if it was okay to get me all signed up for the vacation/something-like-that, I told her I was not interested and that she had reached a place of business. Instead of saying thanks and goodbye, she completely ignored what I’d just said,…
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An Old Dog
When you write a book, the result you hope for is simple: you hope that people buy it, read it, and like it. For this result to come to fruition, several things have to happen. I would say the first and most important thing is that the book has to be good, but I can’t say it because it isn’t true. I have one book in mind (won’t mention which one) that in my opinion was horrendous—I couldn’t even get halfway through it—but it sold millions of copies. The reason it sold millions of copies is simple: whether a book is good (or bad) is subjective. One very true statement is in order for…
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Bags to Beds
I’ve never been a crafty person. In fact, I could be the poster child for Pinterest fails. I look at the things that some of my friends make and I’m dumbfounded by their talent and creativity. But what impresses me, even more, is how some of my friends use their talents for the purpose of helping complete strangers. These friends not only have beautifully creative minds, but they also have beautifully giving hearts. About a month ago, one of my friends made a Facebook post asking for plastic bags so she could make beds for the homeless. I didn’t understand what kind of bags she wanted (trash bags like you…
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Writing Romance in YA Fiction
Ah, young love…there’s nothing like it. It was a time when we welcomed Cupid’s arrow with open arms, daring the impish little trickster to give it his best shot. And I think with most of us, he was happy to comply. Many of us look back at our younger days and remember our high school sweethearts with a particular fondness; I know I do. Those memories are cherished ones, so when I wrote my book, I knew it wouldn’t be complete without at least a speck of romance thrown in. Some adults may not believe teenagers know what love is, but I’m not one of those adults. In fact, I think some of the purest…
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Her First Valentine
Yesterday, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a photo taken for one of this year’s Daddy-Daughter dances and, as always, it made me smile. It makes sense for Daddy-Daughter dances to take place close to Valentine’s Day—after all, isn’t a girl’s first Valentine her daddy? I often wonder if fathers realize how much of an impact they have in their daughters’ lives. I hope so. We’ve all met someone who has what we call, “daddy issues,” (which refers to a woman’s behaviors and way of thinking when her father was not in the picture or was there and was emotionally unavailable). Whether a woman has “daddy issues” depends on…
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If You Keep Doin’ What You’re Doin’
Years ago when my drinking had landed me in some trouble (imagine that), my dad, who had many years of sobriety under his belt, said something I’ll never forget: “If you keep doin’ what you’re doin’, you’re gonna keep gettin’ what you’re gettin’.” Almost 20 years later, this simple sentence is still my favorite mantra. It turns out that my dad had heard the saying in one of his AA meetings, but over the years I’ve found that while this is certainly important for alcoholics and addicts to remember, it applies to everyone. I often see people complain about things that they have the power to change, but instead of making a change, they…
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A Little About Toastmasters
This week has been a busy one. I publish my blog on Sundays, usually around 11:00 a.m., but it’s normally written by Saturday night at the latest. Today is Sunday. It’s 9:46 a.m. and I’m just now writing. I’ve got a ton of stuff to do today, so I’m trying to get this finished and posted. I’ve been sitting here for the last hour, staring at the blank page on my computer, typing a few sentences, deciding I hate the sentences, deleting them, and then starting over. I didn’t even have a topic, and I was stressing when I suddenly got an idea… I could cheat! I could go through…
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Got Somethin’ Better to Do?
There’s a lot to writing a book and having it published. I always imagined authors sitting at their desks, madly pecking away on their big, clunky typewriters as they created a work of art that was sure to win the Pulitzer, or at least be in the running. They’d type, “The End,” and triumphantly rip the paper out of the typewriter. Then, they’d put the manuscript in a big manila envelope and send it off to their publisher who was anxiously awaiting the next masterpiece. After that, they’d put on their silk robes, go into their massive libraries, and sit by their fireplaces, smoking their pipes while money poured into…
