The First

I got a box of my books today. They have my name on them. It really is the craziest thing. All these years I have waited to see that and suddenly, I’m holding it in my hands and watching the curving font forming the letters that make up my name. I still can’t get over that initial thrill. Also, the lingering terror. That now people other than myself and closest friends and family will read it. Or worse. That they won’t. Oh, the agony. Suffice it to say, this was a very, very exciting day.

So cliche, but DREAM CASTING

So, I have absolutely NO illusions of grandeur when it comes to my book. I love it. I hope other people will love it. I dream with all my heart that it will impact someone positively in some way. However, I know it will not be made into a movie. I know it will not be the reason I am invited to some awards show in Hollywood. But it’s so fun to talk dream casting, so let’s just go for it, shall we?

Friendship and a Sneak Peek

So, I love friends. What a banal statement! Who doesn’t love friends? I’m marvelously insightful this morning. I have a sister that has a million and one friends. She is pretty magnetic. She had like seventeen secondary bridesmaids at her wedding. She is awesome. I, on the other hand, seem to be more the sort that has a few super close friends and then lots and lots of people I’m comfortable with and like to be around, but don’t necessarily confide in, nor seek out for a late night Target and ice cream run.

My Process

I just had my fourth child. So life is just a little bit crazy. That being said, I think having my writing and deadlines and goals has helped me tremendously. In my world, meaningful productivity is the secret to day to day happiness. I believe in being present. I believe in scrapping plans to hold a baby or child who needs to be held, but to do lists and daily goals help keep me sane. I’ve been doing lists for so long I’ve come to have a very amicable relationship with them. I rarely see an unchecked off item as a source of guilt.

Dancing on the Ship

“Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It's like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can't stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.”