SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS CELEBRATE WRITERS!
Gratitude Day
This must be my month for cliché statements. They keep popping into my head, so I’ll share another one with you because it helps me keep focused and creative when I’m having a challenging writing day: “Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude.” At first I wanted to ignore that thought. Yup, I was having a sour-face day. My leisurely life as a writer—who rises in the morning to the enticing scent of a vanilla latte awaiting me—had turned into TOO MANY projects racing through my head. For quite a lengthy season I’d been able to organizing my writing time and play time and even nap time into a beautiful weekly pattern; but not recently. So with that cliché popped into my thoughts, I growled.
Later that same day, I was waiting for my appointment time at the dentist and scrolling through some blogs. The second title to appear: “Why Writers Should Be Supremely Grateful” by Andrea Lundgren (#atozchallenge #writer). I almost growled out loud. But I loved her opening statements and her blog lifted my spirits and perspective. Andrea said: “We should definitely be the most grateful because we get to hang out with some of the coolest people in real life (other writers and readers), even if it’s only through the internet. [AND!] We get to be best friends and confidants of some of the most interesting and intriguing people in fiction that (hopefully) have ever existed [the characters we create].
Immediately my thoughts turned to two characters I’m developing—one for a sci-fi/mystery novel series and one for a modern-day, hometown, maybe Hallmark series. Both are women characters with hidden strengths they never realized they possessed until…. Oh, yes, indeed. I am grateful for their companionship! THEN, two books popped up on my books-you-need-to-read list
Because I’m also deep into research for a military background novel, the title: Vignettes
From Vietnam: Brief Moments of Sanity and Belated Notes of Gratitude, came up. The author, Brice H. Barnes shares the event of his personal miracle that he experienced during the Tet Counter-Offensive and compiled these true stories—which emphasize the value of teamwork—dedicating the book to a variety of men who were major contributors to the successes that Barnes experienced in Nam. He closes each vignette with an expression of his deep sense of gratitude. There is nothing like the Memoir/True Stories to remind us of the miracles of daily life.
The second book was 
by Lisa Ryan. Because I had just experienced my own “down time,” this title became a must-have book. Ryan’s leading summary statement is so true: “Most of us tend to focus on the negative.” The UPSIDE is that we can learn to harness the power of gratefulness.”
Immediately I started thinking. What about the women characters in my two novel series? Will the ideas offered by author Lisa Ryan help me release their hidden strengths in their stories? Ryan is now only an author, but she’s has some movie experience. Maybe, just maybe, her ideas are just what I need to get these novels moving again.
So today I’m FILLED WITH GRATITUDE! Thankful that my gift is writing. Thankful that my writing friends are always willing to support me, encourage me, nudge me and occasionally yell at me.
Thankful that other writers have produced their books so that I can benefit from their experience and knowledge. And, thankful for the expertise of people connected to book publishing; the editors, coaches, marketing specialists and printers! Yes! Thank you Mr. Johannes Gutenberg for inventing the printing press! OH how the world has been blessed ever since! ⚓︎
Self Publishing Advisor 