Late Night With a Caffeine Infused Writer.

 Persevere I said. It will be okay, I said.

But it doesn't feel okay. Not all the time anyway.

Have you ever started over? It not easy, is it?

(cuss word deleted)

I try to persevere in this journey back into publication. Usually I do well, but sometimes....ugh.

Well, it's done. Or it's just started. I suppose it's all in how I view it.

I've gathered my manuscript, synopses, and even updated my author bio. After researching many publishers, I sent submissions to a few. Jewel of Ramstone, needs the perfect home. Of course, all my books need a home, but I must admit Jewel of Ramstone is my favorite.

Then I waited.

Me: CHECKING EMAIL SEVERAL TIMES A DAY

  Usually I write while I wait, but I found myself coloring. Even though it was an "adult" coloring book, I put all my creativity in that, instead of working on the second book of the Medieval Quest Series. I mean, a secondary character refused to rest when Jewel of Ramstone ended. Who am I to argue with a handsome knight? Well, I was doing well with book two, and said knight was very pleased.

Before the bridge on my road to publication exploded.

I didn't know what was wrong with me. I always want to write. But damn, I sure could color pretty pictures, right?

Then the rejections began. But as many writer friends said, it is just a rejection. Keep at it. And I did/
I know it isn't my writing they are rejecting. There are a myriad of reasons publishers reject a manuscript. I'm not going to go into them, because…well, I'm supposed to be writing about perseverance.

As usual, I go around the long way to get to it.

I hope you aren't skimming

Okay this is random, but damn.

Back to the inspiration of this post.

PERSEVERANCE

You know what helps me persevere? Fellow authors.

They know the hours spent tapping away at the keyboard while the night turns to day.

They feel what I feel. Totally understand the ups and downs of the journey to publication...and beyond. 

They know the heartbreak of watching numerous works simply vanish when a publisher closes their doors.

Though authors may be going through all this, we are connected--like a single soul. 

I know, dramatic right?

Well, hell, I'm a writer. I love drama. 

And so, I'd like to dedicate this late-night-coffee-infuse-blathering post to my fellow writers:






I FEEL YOUR LOVE. I SEE YOU REACHING OUT, AND PULLING ME IN EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING.


Writer or not, words cannot convey the depth of my gratitude.

I am there for you as well.
Our community of writers, misfits, artists---whatever name society wants to put on us--we are strong.


WE will get there again. And we will celebrate with each success.

Blissfully Weird

Previously posted on my guest appearance at Laptops and Lingerie 

Have you ever been out somewhere and witnessed someone acting a little weird? More often than not, you are watching a writer's mind displaying itself in public.

How do I know this? Because I've received the following reactions: 

The old smile, head shake and giggle.  I was supposed to be listening at an employee meeting but I was thinking about a customer who visited my teller window earlier that day. He had clear blue eyes that I spotted even though he was waiting at the end of the line. Now, those eyes sparked an idea for a new story in my Magic Stone Series.  When my boss asked a question, I snapped back to reality and received the said smile and head shake. The giggle came later...when I told her about cutie-blue-eyes and how he would make a great character. Then she gave me yet another head shake.

The dreaded side-eye. I've gotten this a lot, but an incident at a coffee house was the most memorable. I was hanging out with my best friend, doing normal stuff like flushing out story plots while consuming vast amounts of caffeine. (Okay, you just shook your head didn't you?) Anyway... A guy spilled his coffee at the next table. The look on his face was so comical I giggled; hence the dreaded side-eye.  I apologized through my fit off giggles and proceeded to write on a napkin instead of offering one to wipe the mess. Okay, don’t judge me. I couldn’t help myself. 

People openly laugh and point at me. I deserve it. I've done stuff like write snippets of a conversation on my arm with eyeliner so I wouldn't forget it. Where is pen and paper when I need them?

Why do I tell you this? To give you a little insight into the writer’s mind. Well, mine anyway.  Don’t commit me.  I’m just creating new scenes, characters and worlds for you to enjoy. If it takes head shakes, side-eyes and pointing, I’m willing to be the recipient in order to follow my bliss.

 By the way, I married the guy in the coffee shop years later.

If you're a writer, please share weird stuff you've done in the name of creativity. If you're someone that's witnessed odd antics (usually in a coffee shop--a usual writer's haunt) please share. We all need a smile...or head shake.