The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.

~ Thomas Paine

 

I took the day off yesterday and sat down to reflect about a few things. I was thinking about the fact that it was just about a year ago that I really started to ponder the possibility of finally writing my book. I can almost pinpoint the moment when I decided to gather whatever amount of bravery and strength I had to begin this great undertaking. I’m laughing to myself as I realize how much life has changed for me in the last year. I thought about how I would’ve love to have sat down with myself a year ago and what I would’ve said.

Even though I am fully aware that I have a long road ahead of me, I still would’ve liked to have had some direction in the beginning instead of winging it like I normally do in life. Sometimes that works and sometimes it just doesn’t. I compiled a list of things what I would’ve liked to have known before I sat down and started writing. I decided to use some of my favorite quotes because, like I said, I’m in a reflective mood.

1)  The strongest of all warriors are these two- Time and patience~ Leo Tolstoy

Take your time. You may think that you have demons on your ass chasing you but those are all in your head. The world is not going to end if you miss your own personal deadline. The only person who even cares if you finish in a certain amount of time is you. Write, revise, edit and repeat….like a million times.

2) There is nothing  to writing. All you have to do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed ~ Ernest Hemingway.

Truer words have never been spoken. Growing up, I always liked Hemingway but he was never my favorite author. I always enjoyed F.Scott Fitzgerald more than Ernest. It’s funny how when I started writing that I realized how much I truly did admire him. The more I read about him personally was an awakening for me. He get’s it, I thought to myself one night and then I laughed. It’s not he who gets me but I who finally understands him. You have to be prepared to give everything of yourself when writing a book. You can never truly be free of your demons until you face them head on. Only when you bleed can you purge your soul.

3) It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation ~ Herman Melville

Decide what you are going to do when you are done. Don’t second guess yourself either. Listen to your gut. Don’t try to be too mainstream or cookie cutter. Being honest and telling the story the way you want to do it is far more interesting. Don’t play it safe, life is much more interesting when you take a chance.

4) I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best. ~ Marilyn Monroe

Oh how I love this quote. If you don’t support me now, please do not jump on the bandwagon later. You know in your heart who will be supportive and who won’t. Don’t be surprised at the utter lack of respect or disinterest from people that you know because in the end it really does not matter.

5) Do one thing every day that scares you ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Don’t be scared to write out what you are thinking. I was terrified for some reason to write out my love scenes for ‘Isle of Night’ but I did it and I felt awesome after finally finding the courage to put it on paper for the world to see. I now find it amusing that no one has even mentioned the sex scenes which caused me so much anxiety. Yes it is scary to put your thoughts out for the world to judge. Fiction is never really fiction. A writer always puts a part of themselves into their work and when it is criticized it cuts deeply. You may think that they are not so much rejecting what you wrote but who you are as a person. It’s a frightening proposition but you have to try and not think about it too much. Embrace your fears and learn from them.

6) I believe in everything until it’s disproved.  So I believe in faeries, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it’s in your mind. Who’s to say that dreams and nightmares aren’t as real as the here and now? ~ John Lennon

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved to read about fairytales and myths. That obsession continued as I got older and I guess that’s why I write paranormal romance. I believe in the fantastic. I think everyone still has a childlike need to believe in the impossible and the happily ever after and I am no exception. I also think that it is important to have a deep rooted belief in yourself and what you choose to do with your life.

I don’t think I saw my real reflection until my first book cover was done and my name was written on there as the author. That was when the person who used to stare back at me in the mirror cocked her eyebrow and said “It’s about God damn time.”

 

 

Isle of Skye

Isle of Night