Motivation and Inspiration

As most of my loyal readers know, I took a year long sabbatical to pursue my writing. Financially I've done okay so I'm hoping it'll be like eighteen months or so. It still isn't a lot of time. And the writing is slower than I'd like - somehow I thought I'd become a writing machine, dashing off a novel a week. And when that doesn't happen, it's easy to get discouraged. Coupled with The Graminator's fall and all of the time I have spent at the hospital (good news, she will probably come home next week but she will need full time care - guess it's a good thing I'm working from home, huh?) plus the myriad of other stumbling blocks this summer (being sick for a month when I've never been that sick in my whole life, what's up with that?) have gotten me a little down. It was supposed to be so easy.

But that which does not kill you makes you stronger, or so the saying goes. This week I felt in dire need of a little motivation and inspiration. The motivation came on Monday night, when I went to the Clark County Library to meet a couple of authors of romance novels, Suzanne Enoch and Teresa Medeiros. Both have written several styles of romance, including my favorite genre, Regency. In fact the event was titled "Highlands, Highwaymen and Being a Bestselling Author". But after just a few brief remarks by the authors, it was really just a great Q&A. You could ask any question you wanted and I gleaned a lot of information from that evening. For instance, the vampire romance genre is cooling right now and the concept on the rise is cougar romance (older woman/younger man.) I found out how they each got their agents. I found out that now selling a book is a lot like selling a film concept - reduce it to a pitch. Which is great for me since I'm also trying to pitch scripts.

They were very nice ladies and it was great to hear their ideas and stories. I went with my writing friend, Dyann, and my mom, who got dragged along because we had been at the hospital and the library was just down the street and I didn't have time to run her home and drive back but she's a great sport and didn't mind. There was a book signing and refreshments after the event. After I bought the books to sign and we were waiting, I noticed that the brownies were getting low and the two authors hadn't gotten any yet (which they mentioned they were really looking forward to early on in the lecture) so I got one for Suzanne and had Dyann get one for Teresa. (Hey, I may not be very good at the schmooze but I am the queen of ass kissing.) Suzanne was actually really happy about the brownie and even signed my book with a personalized "Shae, thanks for the brownie" which I will twist in my future mind to mean she actually had one of my homemade brownies and loved them - c'mon, who said real life couldn't use a little re-writing? It was nice to speak to them for a minute one-on-one and it was also great to hang with Dyann. A lovely diversion from the hospital grind and a great motivator.

The inspiration comes from my friend Maura Prenty who finished her book yesterday. CONGRATULATIONS MAURA!!!!! Maura and I met via an online writers group and she has quickly become a true friend. She is a loyal reader and commentator on this blog and has been a source of encouragement for me both personally and professionally. I hope that I have done some of the same for her. Please check out her blog and if you can, leave her a congratulatory note on her achievement. I am so impressed and happy for her. I cried last night when I read that she had finished because I know what a huge accomplishment it is. I hope she is as proud of what she has done as I am for her. She truly is an inspiration because I know if she can do it, while working and being married, then I have no excuse but to get off my sorry butt and get a writing!

If you read a lot (and I read A LOT) you notice things in inscriptions and dedications and one of the things I have noticed is that a lot of authors have dedications to other authors. At the author lecture the other night I asked the question as to why this is. Both Teresa and Suzanne said that some of their best friends are fellow writers who they met at conventions and writers groups and such. I guess it's because only a fellow writer can understand the birthing, er, I mean writing, process and all that it entails. It is my hope that one day someone will ask me why I credit Maura and Dyann in my writing. (Yes, my family is already a given, and anyone who has seen the credits of "Supermodels" knows I like to thank all of the people that support me.) And I will answer that it is because these fellow writers have helped me through the elation, frustration, doubt, insecurity, delight and all of the other manic-depression that comes with writing a book.

Great work Maura. I am so happy for you and grateful for your friendship. I can't wait to read you novel. And thank you for the inspiration you have given me. Thanks Teresa and Suzanne for the motivation you have provided. And thanks to all my loyal readers and all of my friends who believe in me. I truly don't know what I'd do without you all!