The Write Idea

Jeez, for a writer, you’d think I’d post here a lot more often. I really need to make an effort at this and be diligent about posts. Though I’ve always been of a mind that if I really don’t have something amazing or important to share, why come here and fill a page with fluff? It’s a waste of space to just go on and on about stuff no one wants to hear about.

At any rate, I finally do have some stuff to report. (woohoo!) I was recently adopted by my best friends brothers parrot. (Yes, that’s what I said) It was a funny situation. The parrot was in a central location at his house and I just bonded with him. As I started to hang out there more and more, the bird just got attached I guess, to the point where he started to get aggressive with everyone else that tried to touch him. (What can I say, he has good taste!) At any rate, my friends brother asked if I would consider taking “Arthur” and after giving it some thought, I said yes. Have had the handsome little man in my home for about a week now and he’s great. He’s my newest companion and he talks away when I’m writing.

My second bit of news is that Wild Rose Press has requested a partial of my Regency manuscript. THIS I am really excited about. A writing colleague of mine suggested I query them, as they were looking for some new blood and I figured, what the heck. It’s worth a shot. After so many years of my books not finding a home, I am hoping that this one is a keeper. I am keeping fingers crossed and not saying too much as to not jinx myself in the process….

In all, it’s been a good year so far. My apartment didn’t flood during the raining months, which was a relief and I seem tobe weathering every other natural disaster that hovers in the area, so I consider that a boon. Hey, things can only get better, right?!

It’s been nearly a year since I’ve posted here and I cringe to think that not much has changed since my last post. Yes, I weathered quite a terrible year, fraught with natural disasters, health issues and life in general, but in retrospect, I’ve finished a second manuscript, started another three and am no worse for wear.

I’m now diligently searching for an agent. Have had no luck with publishers in the past year and it seems as mentioned to me once before by a well-known author, talent is never enough. Just like everything else in this industry, it’s who you know and how you go about approaching them. I’ve done that, pulled every card I had in my pocket and persevered as best I could, to no avail, so I just plug away and hope that something comes of all of it.

I’d hate to take the easy way out and self-publish. To me that seems like cheating. You have no one to say “this isn’t good enough”, then again, who are they to say anything at all? Liking or disliking ones work is subjective and changeable. I’m not a boastful or conceited woman, but I know I have what it takes. I know I have talent. I’ve had diligent readers of my work over the years that push me and ask when they can see my books in bookstores. I just hate telling them there are none, especially after reading some of the dreg I have read, which decorate our bookshelves already. It’s proof enough it’s all in who you know…

With that, I continue to search for acceptance while I continue to fill pages with my thoughts and let my characters run my life as often as I dare let them. Hopefully someone will see what others have and my work will finally get out there and please someone more than myself…

This year has been a whirlwind for me, to be sure, and not a good one at that. As many of you know, I suffered the devastation of the April Nor’easter that pummelled the East coast and basically lost everything I owned. Luckily, the things I hold dear to me (myself, my cats and my work) were quickly moved to a safe place while my apartment sat, four feet underwater, for well over a week.

It has taken me a few months to clean out and rebuild my life from that moment, but as always, I tend to look at it with a positive prospective. I guess I saw this as the gods way of telling me I have too much crap and needed to clean. Now, after cleaning, steaming, shoveling, repainting and rebuying as much as I could, I think I’ve finally finished enough to get on with my life. My office is now a beautiful, soothing place to work and during the time I was stranded I managed to finish my Regency and edit it and now have begun with the submission process. I’m keeping things crossed…

My health has been a deterent as well over the past several months, though I’ve never let that stop me. Anytime I find myself stuck in bed, I just bring the trusted laptop along and I am happy as a clam. Maybe that’s why I was able to finish my Regency so quickly. Who knows, but it’s done and I’m hoping the effort wasn’t for naught. Well, to me it never is. I enjoy ever moment and thought I put into my work. Its like hanging out with a group of friends you don’t get to see very often and I enjoy it immensely.

At any rate, summer is upon us so I hope to get out, go to the beach or just laze by the pool and enjoy life for a change. Its been a long time coming and I certainly do deserve it after the year I’ve had so far.