Hanging On After Others Have Let Go

“All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man has taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

What sets the successful author apart from the aspiring writer?

Perseverance. The determination to move forward no matter how many obstacles appear on the path.

“The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.” ~Author Unknown

Staying true to our focus means we must recognize that the path to success can be arduous. There are always an abundance of obstacles to overcome before we reach our goal. Time restraints or writer’s block can tempt us to toss aside our dreams. Criticism and rejections can poke holes in our optimism. Instead of floating high from exhilaration, our happy fantasy deflates while we look around desperately for some encouragement.

Let me offer up some reassurance on this end. If you feel frustrated or stymied or overwhelmed, you are not alone. If you yearn for a magical flash of inspiration yet find you must struggle ahead with only a bare glimmer to light your way, you are not alone. All writers experience this struggle.

To be a writer is to sit down at one's desk in the chill portion of every day, and to write; not waiting for the little jet of the blue flame of genius to start from the breastbone - just plain going at it, in pain and delight. To be a writer is to throw away a great deal, not to be satisfied, to type again, and then again, and once more, and over and over.... - John Hersey

During the holiday season time is at a premium. For some of us, there’s last-minute shopping to do and presents to be wrapped. Houseguests pop in to share our few precious moments. Children are on winter break and underfoot. In certain areas, severe storms can wreak havoc on our lives, and even worse, knock out the electricity leaving us without internet or PC. Even those who aren't in holiday mode must endure the excessive crowds (which make errands and normal shopping a marathon) and find December's last weeks slipping away. Which begs the question, what exactly can a writer accomplish at this time of year?

My suggestion first off is this. Relax. Enjoy the season. If you can squeeze in a page or two, by all means let those fingers fly! If you can’t… be forgiving to yourself. Trust that you will be pounding those keys when the craziness eases off. Every book is written one page at a time.

“The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling.” ~Lucretius

However this is a great time to consider what qualities to embrace in the New Year. Perseverance is essential for a successful career in writing. To persevere means we persist no matter what. To persevere means to stubbornly push ahead despite the odds. Grit, moxie, or to put it bluntly, you gotta have a set of steel ovaries to make it in this business. *wink*

Harry Potter was rejected by just about every major publisher and if not for a small London publisher would not have seen the light of day. Madeleine L'Engle was rejected by 26 publishers before her novel, A Wrinkle in Time finally made it into print. Imagine... all those publishers rejecting the story that won the 1963 Newbery Medal!

Judy Blume also collected repeated rejections.

"I would go to sleep at night feeling that I'd never be published. But I'd wake up in the morning convinced I would be. Each time I sent a story or book off to a publisher, I would sit down and begin something new. I was learning more with each effort. I was determined. Determination and hard work are as important as talent." --Judy Blume

Next week we’ll set the stage for the New Year so let’s consider what we intend to accomplish in 2010.

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. ~William Feather

Let’s “hang on” and remember… We Are Writers!!

Have a lovely holiday season, everyone!

--Chiron O’Keefe

The Write Soul: www.chironokeefe.blogspot.com

Title: Diner Girl

Author: Mary Malcolm

The Wild Rose Press

Contemporary Champagne Rose

Rating: Spicy Page Count: 236

ISBN: 1-60154-540-1

Blurb:

“Most Eligible Bachelor” Dr. Mark Stanton can’t escape all the women pursuing him for the wrong reasons. So when the only woman in the city who doesn’t know who he is shows up at his doorstep, he can’t help but want to know her better. Unfortunately, she doesn’t want to know him at all after their time together and he has no idea why.

When Jennifer Cleary discovers she is pregnant by Mark after their one night together, she is immediately faced with the guilt of her actions...and decides not to tell him. When he shows up at her diner during the most complicated part of her pregnancy, she comes face to face with a man who promises to take care of her...no matter what. But will this strong-willed woman have to let go of her independence in order to find love?

REVIEW:

Diner Girl Jennifer is a woman struggling to make her own way in life. She's got no family, and few friends. She's living paycheck to paycheck in a not-so-hot apartment. I'm not sure what her goals in life are, but they certainly don't include motherhood. Circumstances, and weather, throw her into the arms of doctor Mark Stanton. One night of passion later, and Jennifer sees something that makes her think Mark has a wife or girlfriend.  Rather than hope for the best or (God forbid) *talk* to the guy she's just slept with, she just leaves, and doesn't speak to him for the next eight months. Even though she finds out she's pregnant.  Thanks to Jennifer's friend Sally who is one of two characters in the book with her head on straight, Mark finds out about the baby, and vows to take care of her and his child. Again, without *talking* to Jennifer, he makes some decisions that affect her life. Jennifer is upset, but she certainly wouldn't actually *tell* him this, she just lives with this misery.

Time after time, the hero and heroine in this story clam up and do things to make the other wonder and doubt. I kept wanting them to JUST TALK!  That said, the pacing in the book was very good, the writing clean, and it is edited well. Diner Girl reminds me of the old Harlequin romances from the '80s. Overall this was a great afternoon read. Very sweet.

Reviewed by Jade Ryan

Title: Another Man's Love

Author: Cheryl A. Cornell

The Wild Rose Press

Contemporary Champagne Rose

Rating: Sweet Page Count: 208

ISBN: 1-60154-477-4

Blurb:

The third Sunday of every month is open house brunch at the Sheppard home.

Travel circumstances leave Tom Hayden accepting an invitation from a stranger. One look at his hostess Corin with her husband unlocks buried emotions, reinforcing his failures.

Leaving her is difficult, but he has no other option, taking with him the first line of a new song: She’s another man’s wife, she’ll never be mine.

When the situation changes, the reality of their destinies must be put in perspective. Can Corin move forward without guilt? Will the reality of their relationship spoil the dream they’ve been fantasizing about

 
 Review:

Amazing amount of detail gives the reader a feel for the surroundings and every meal the characters eat, every hot shower and comfy chair along the story, you literally move into their skin. The tension builds nicely as the two people become attracted to one another and the love story weaves in and out through the descriptions of their steps. The story certainly seems to be a journey in real life, revolving around meals, their preparation and enjoyment, clearing up, a gentle stroll with the two people in the story as they went about building a healing love. Very beautiful story.

Reviewer: Sally Vanessa Hearne

Title: A Hot Time in Texas

Author: Cindy Causey

The Wild Rose Press

Contemporary Champagne Rosebud

Rating: Spicy Page Count: 196

ISBN: 1-60154-558-4

Blurb:

Twink Harrison dreams of opening a restaurant of her very own in the tiny town of Howard, Texas, the only place she ever felt free of the tyranny of her controlling father. But she could lose everything if stuffy bank officer Ethan McCloud won’t give her a loan. Ethan can’t wait to brush the dust of Howard off his polished wingtips. He refuses to give himself up to the podunk little town that sucked the life out of his father. A new job awaits in Chicago, but Twink threatens to derail his carefully-laid plans. It might just take a little good luck to bring them together, and part-time psychic Margie McCloud finds it in the bottom of a teacup. But will she work her spell in time for Ethan and Twink to quit running from who they are and realize their fortunes lie in each other?

REVIEW:

I'll start off by telling you that it took me a couple of chapters before I could read the name Twink without picturing what the slang word conjures. Once I got past that, I actually had to reread from the beginning. Twink is a woman. She has a dream, and she wants to achieve it on her own. Being the only child of an Army General, Twink always assumed that her gender was a chasm between her and dad. (But then he did name her Twink, so surely he didn't want her to be a macho man, right?) Sorry, I'll let that go.

We meet both Twink and Ethan early in chapter one, where sparks fly. Not the good kind though. You see, Ethan has turned her down for a loan, meaning she can't get her dream restaurant open. Argument after argument, and these two just can't see eye to eye, though I found the sparring dialogue to be a bit contrived at times. Ethan already accepted a job in Chicago because he has had enough of small town Texas. Twink comes to Howard TX to create a home. She wants roots, Ethan wants wings.

We meet a few supporting characters like Ethan's mother, a zany older lady. She's predicted a few things in town that end up coming to fruition, and it seems that the only person in the small town who doesn't believe that Margie is a true psychic is her own son. And then we have the over-zealous police chief. Boy. Small towns sure are fun.

A Hot Time in Texas is a sweet love story, not too short, not too long. A bit contrived, but overall I found this a pleasant read, with some sexy parts, some romantic scenes, even some action in there.

Reviewed by Jade Ryan

Embracing the "No Way" Factor

"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away… Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday…" (Lennon/McCartney)

With all due respect to Paul McCartney, I prefer to believe in Today. Even better, I want to believe in Tomorrow. Every word I type in the present is transported into a magical future, which is still yet a dream. The essay I'm composing will be read tomorrow or Monday or maybe next Friday. A new WIP will take months to finish and weeks more to edit. We can forget in the tedium of the effort involved how miraculous tomorrow can and will be, especially if we lose sight of the magic in our words. There's something to be said for introducing Optimism to Risk-Taking and discovering how amazing this collaboration can be.

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." –André Gide

Every writer goes through it. A manic-depressive swing depending on where the story is at. When we're in the zone, the words fly, the ideas are so thick they infiltrate our dreams and we can't type fast enough. When we're stuck with a plot point or drowning with too many choices, we can unfortunately be quite unbearable. My favorite image (which I'm embarrassed to say is only slightly exaggerated) is of me dashing through the house, hands waving in the air, while I shriek, "I'm a hack!"

Ups and downs. Highs and lows. Welcome to the wonderful world of writing.

"You can do anything you think you can. This knowledge is literally the gift of the gods, for through it you can solve every human problem. It should make of you an incurable optimist. It is the open door." --Robert Collier

No matter how many times we go over it, the truth always bears repeating. Our thoughts shape our world. At the very least, they shape our perception of our world and perception really is everything.

"A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes." –Mahatma Gandhi

Studies are ongoing in regards to mapping the brain and proving repeatedly that Positive Beliefs Work. Science has taken it a step further, revealing that thinking about accomplishing a task lights up the same region of the brain as the actual activity. Even more exciting, visualizing that finish line (in whatever race we're facing) seems to carve a pathway in our brain that leads to success. Scientific proof for what has been a tenet of every successful person's philosophy for eons: Positive Thinking Leads to Success.

"Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness." –Oprah Winfrey

It's good to be the queen!

Truth is, there are no safe routes or any way to assure a life free of troubles and pain. Life is messy and filled with complications. Since we're going to get out hands dirty anyways, why not go for it?

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one." ~Elbert Hubbard, The Note Book, 1927

There's an endless variety of methods people utilize to move past writer's block or procrastination or (let's call it what it is, folks) Fear. Yet each and every method ends up at the same place. Sooner or later, you have to plop yourself down, whether in front of a computer or with pen in hand, and write. Why? Obviously, if you don't write it's all over but there's more. This is the horse you've fallen from. The longer you wait, the greater and more fearsome this beast will appear to be. Don't hesitate. Grab the reins and let the words take you for a ride. Don't concern yourself yet with deciding whether the prose is brilliant or prosaic. That's what editing is for.

And keep this in mind: The only writers who don't make mistakes are those who don't write. That's my quote and I'm standing by it.

"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative." --Woody Allen

Why play it safe? Safety is for wusses.

I read this brilliant post on the BookEnds blog by Angie Fox, author of "The Accidental Demon Slayer." Her words are so good I'm going to re-post them here along with a link to the complete article.

The post is called Angie Fox: Three Things I Had to Do in Order to Sell. She speaks of the steps involved with taking her writing to the next level. To get from 'almost there' to SOLD. Here's the first segment (may it whet your appetite for more):

The “No Way” Factor:

"My characters had to take bigger chances, have more to risk and lose. It’s easy to say, but a hard thing for a writer to do. It’s a vulnerable, risky place to be. I knew my story was big enough to sell when instead of ending my writing sessions thinking, “I hope that’s good enough to impress an editor,” I ended them thinking, “No. I did not just write that. I did not just make my character defend herself with a toilet brush and a can of Purple Prairie Clover air freshener.”

Taking risks can lead you into unexpected places, and even better… it transforms your perspective of writing from an effort to an adventure. Plus, from a purely practical point of view, when our writing excites us, our enthusiasm will spark a flame within the hearts of our readers too.

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark burn out in a brilliant blaze than it be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet." --Jack London (Note: London received upward of 600 rejections before publication)

So, this week's motivation is two-fold: Keep Believing and Take Risks. Those two qualities go together like books and readers.

And remember…

"If you wish to be a writer, write." --- Epictetus

Thanksgiving is just around the corner with Christmas and New Year's a mere breath away. Let's keep the energy up and make this next week count!

Remember all books are written One Page At A Time.

--Chiron O'Keefe

Weekly Motivation for Writers at The Write Soul: www.chironokeefe.blogspot.com

Title:  Stars in Her Eyes

Author:  Beverly Breton

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Genre:  Contemporary Sweetheart Rosette

Page Count: 28

Rating: Sweet 

Blurb:

If Dream Man never comes knocking, at least she’ll own the door. That’s 28-year-old paralegal Karen’s new plan, anyhow, to buy her own home, and the reason she’s been working every weekend-- until she bends to her best friend’s pressure to spend a Saturday at the wave pool. Determined not to be derailed by another dead-end relationship, she avoids looking at the cute curly-haired guy—his friends call him Spence-- carousing out in the waves. But the tide turns as she’s caught unaware, a wave pool virgin on her first time in, and swept into a head-on collision with one of his friends. When she manages to stand and open her eyes, the world has disappeared. She sees only Spence surrounded by dancing stars. Has she been knocked silly, or is he gazing right back at her?

Review:

Karen Gabriel has sworn off men, or so she thought.  But who can ignore cute guys in swimming trunks, especially when one of those guys is Dylan Spenser who actually seems to take an interest in her?  Throw in a best friend, a wave pool, and a freak accident and you have all the makings of a good story.

Stars in Her Eyes is a cute tale of love at first sight.  The characters are realistic and lovable while the plot is intriguing.  Unfortunately, the story's good qualities end there.  The book ends abruptly, leaving the reader feeling cheated and the story unfinished.  This book would make a wonderful introduction to a longer book, but alone, it leaves much to be desired.  There is no closure to the story.  In fact, it seems as if the story has only just begun.

Another problem with the book is the flowery phrases used by the author.  While the phrases sound beautiful and poetic, they are difficult to read and understand.  They also interrupt the overall flow of the story.

Stars in Her Eyes is a charming story beginning, but with all the other good books out there, it would be low on my list of books to read.

Reviewed by:  Dana Rongione

Title: Ghost Unlaid
Author: Marie Treanor
The Wild Rose Press
Fantasy Faery Miniature
Rating: Spicy Page / Count: 110

Blurb:

A rebellious librarian encounters the ghost of an ancient Scottish king... Rare book specialist, Julie Macbeth is sent to work on the Drummonds' private library in Edinburgh as a punishment. But in fact, she is delighted with the job and fascinated by Lulach, the charming eccentric who appears to live there. When Lulach claims to be the ghost of a thousand year old king, she's sure that he’s insane. But as she begins to fall in love, it breaks her heart to know that she should do everything in her power to lay his spirit to rest at last.

Review:

Okkaayyyy- don't read this if you have an important place to be. I started and was late for work because I just couldn't stop. I kept thinking, 'I'll just finish this page,' and then loads of pages later I still hadn't stopped. I found the characters and the story fascinating, well written, seamless and sensual. There's a genuineness and straightforwardness to this author's writing that enhances the reading process. I think ghost stories are generally hard to manage and make unique but this author achieves this. For me the down point of this book was the ending. I would have preferred something a little more miraculous and magical- however that's just me. If you read this you get  the happy ending that you would expect and it's believable and realistic and it works, so if you want a feel-good story with a bit of suspense, great characters and really likeable protagonists then this is for you. 

Reviewed by Vasiliki Scurfield