It wasn’t long, though, when their appetites for those big round red pies returned in full force.
My point isn’t being careful what you wish for. It’s...the joy of writing can’t happen without some slices of “despair”, some bad tastes, some stomach aches. I love the written word. I remember grasping in my little left hand my giant, first grade pencil. I remember reading Little Women when I was eight, promising myself I’d be a writer someday. But instead of a nasty little sister who burned my manuscript in the fireplace, I discovered a long and winding road.
But wow, have I learned much and enjoyed all the twists and turns!
Wonderful, supportive editors, practically friends, supplant the snarky one who destroys confidence along with endless track changes. A short, heart-felt email from a reader heals the misery of a vile review.
The touch of my daughter’s hand makes up for a lean sales report when she says, Mom, the story works for me.
Sometimes I want to kick the computer out my upstairs writing-room window so I can concentrate even more on the grandkids...carve out time and actually read somebody else’s book. Maybe even catch up on the 14 episodes of Justified’s last season I’ve got moldering in the DVR...
But a new story is percolating. My editor has just said, write this for me. I can’t say no, because the joy inside works better than caffeine or red wine.
I’m a writer. I can’t help myself. This joy--it, well, it just is.
In a totally unrelated question, what’s the food you never get tired of? I ask, because I’m giving away a PDF or Kindle copy of my contemporary inspirational novella, Hearts Crossing Ranch. If you’ve ever wanted to take a city-slicker wagon train trip, this might just be the book for you!
A beautiful city slicker and a rugged cowboy…The perfect Wild West adventure.Cowboy Kenn Martin bears the guilt for allowing a coach to ruin his younger brother’s bright athletic future. Feeling unworthy of any happiness, he’s lost his faith in relationships and in God. When he meets Christy Forrest, he begins to hope for redemption but soon learns his past mistakes aren't something she'll easily forgive.
On the Colorado wagon train adventure planned by her late father, landscape designer Christy Forrest seeks to find peace in the nature she loves. However, she can't let go of her anger at the drunk driver who killed her dad—or the woman who did nothing to stop the man from driving. Falling for Kenn Martin begins to lighten her heart…until she realizes the handsome cowboy carries heavy a burden all his own—a burden she’s not sure she can accept.
ORDER A COPY OF HEARTS CROSSING RANCH FROM AMAZON
Tanya, you're so right. No one can be in this business long without slices of despair. The longer you're in business the more battle scars. A passionate love of words is our best weapon for survival. That and the need to tell our stories.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new book. Hope you sell tons!
Hi Margaret, I took your class at Learning Tree quite a long time ago. And now you are such a wonderful "in peson" friend. Love you! Thanks for the post today.
DeleteSo, so true, my friend. Hoping you find that sweet spot of joy as you focus on your current project, and wishing you mega sales for your others. Love ya, girl! xxoo
ReplyDeleteOh, and ice cream. Definitely. :)
Hi Dora, my absolute rock. I can't wait to meet YOU in person this fall. Asheville, NC here I come. And more seriously, your friendship and support mean the world. xo
DeleteThanks for joining me and sharing the joy today, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteHi Cher, thanks for having me! I enjoyed the theme and sitting down and figuring out how it pertains to me. You are also a great friend who has "listened" to my whiney emails many times. Love you and thanks.
DeleteThanks for sharing. For sure this writing thing is mountains and valleys, just like life. But, when the writing bug is in you, you just can't resist getting that next story-fix. And, giving up would be denying the message God has grounded inside of you.
ReplyDeleteNow as for foods I never get tired of - I agree with Dora on the ice cream. Chocolate, of course!
I know just what you mean, Paula. We all feel it, the inevitability of writing. I always tell Hubs okay, after this one, I'm taking time off...but the stories just burst into fire inside my head. It never stops. Thanks so much for posting today!
DeleteTanya, such a true posts. I've had non-writer family members ask was I sure I wanted to do this. They don't understand the drive.
ReplyDeleteAnd for me - chocolate. Always!
I so hear you, Terri. My daughter is the only one who gets it, as a former magazine editor. I think she'll make a great writer someday when she has time There's a two year old right now LOL. Thanks so much for posting. It's great these days getting to know you better cyber-ally, (If that's a word.) .
DeleteP.s. Terri, dark chocolate is a GREAT companion to red wine LOL.
DeleteHi Tanya,
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post. I sometimes feel ungrateful when I complain about any aspect of writing, because it IS my dream career, and I know I'm very lucky to be able to pursue my dream! But, just like life itself, it's a career packed with joy, pain, sunshine & rain. Pizza is awesome, but some days you just don't want to eat pizza!!
Hi Sam, I hear ya quite loudly. My daughter did remind me, quite recently, of a terrible rejection I'd gotten early on when I wanted to toss in the towel. And now I can't keep up. I too am very luck that I was able to leave full-time teaching and try to be a writer. But now being a gramma does get in the way, in a delightful way LOL. Thanks SO much for stopping by today.
ReplyDeleteThis post hit me in the heart. Years ago I heard a writer say, "I can't not write." That says it in a nutshell. Even when I hear family and friends say, "You don't call anymore." Sorry. I love my aunt's reply, who stood up for me and said, "She's a writer. Writing takes time. And you can't write if you're not alone."
ReplyDeleteI'd like to say chocolate, but I have eaten too much a time or two.
Oh yowzers, how you put it in a nutshell, LoRee. Hubs is retired and I know he "misses" me, when I'm in the zone, in my room but...I guess only we writers truly "get it" no matter how much support and encouragement we do get from non-writers...thanks for the post!
DeleteTanya,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Your post was so timely! I've been battling with all the "things" writers are suppose to do yet all I want to do is write. It's what God has called me to do at this time of my life. So I want to erase the "suppose to" noise that comes from everywhere but Him and Just Write...
My can-eat-everyday and never-get-tired-of food? Tomatoes.
Hi Marian, so good to hear from you. I so get what you mean...and even when I am not writing...I'm writing in my head. Not to mention the dialogue sessions I hold out loud when I'm alone in the car. God bless...
ReplyDeleteA great post! The slices of despair really make the pie (and the joy) all the sweeter!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, oh, we writers soooo get that, don't we? Thanks for posting today, I so appreciate you.
DeleteLoRee, my winner! If you'd like a kindle (or PDF) copy of Hearts Crossing Ranch, let me hear from ya at tanya DOT hanson AT gmail.com. Cher, thanks so much for letting me spend the day here at your lovely blog! And thanks to everyone for hanging out with me today. Smooches...
ReplyDeleteSo, I guess I'm too late to win, but it was worth coming and reading the post. Sometimes I think how much time I'd have for other stuff if I just quit writing. But I don't think I ever will.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think I'll ever get tired of french fries. Bad news for me!