I’m telling you, Sunday evening was a blast! I had a celebration for the production of my novel: Pearls My Mother Wore. So many of my friends came out to support this four-year effort. I couldn’t have asked for more. Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves, and I concluded the evening with achy cheeks from smiling so much. I talked a little about how the novel had come to be, I read a short passage, and then I finished with a few words about self-publishing. I went to bed that night with absolutely no regrets; I hadn’t bombed.
And then Wednesday, I gave my first interview. My friend Tammie Casis is writing a blog called “The Waiting Room.” It is where writers will be able to talk about all the different waiting phases involved in writing: waiting for inspiration, waiting for reviews, waiting to hear back, waiting to get paid, etc. She asked a few questions, and I talked away while she took rapid notes. I think I was her first interviewee. Once her blog is up and running, I will add a link here.
The not-so high came yesterday when I learned I hadn’t made it through to the next round of eliminations in the Amazon contest. See: “My First Contest.” I thought I had a chance. I’m not going to let the fact that I didn’t get this first nod discourage me. Maybe it was a bit of a lottery ticket anyway. I mean, how closely could they have read five thousand manuscripts in seventeen days? Congratulations to the two thousand authors that made it through.
It’s true that my ego would enjoy eye-popping literary recognition as much as anyone, but it’s also true that, in my heart, I believe showing up for my creativity is an absolute, life-affirming, reward in itself.
Happy to be on the path, and see you next Friday.
While this story is not an autobiography, it does cover themes near and dear to my heart. If I can get paparazzi chasing me for this novel, a novel about loss and recovery, resentment and forgiveness, then that would be a giant victory for social evolution. Thanks Rita.
Terry – This makes sense to me (that you would have had such a struggle) because of the sensitivity you had with your characters’ problems, and their ability to overcome them. I kept thinking about you as I read, wondering about your own childhood and experiences. Reading your book made me want to get to know you better! Watch out! If this happens to thousands of readers, you could be fighting off papparazzi.
Comments are welcomed and encouraged.