The Most Interesting Thing: Coping with Rejection

"Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil - but there is no way around them." - Isaac Asimov

Have any of you out there ever had to cope with rejection? If your answer is "no" I'd like to know what planet you're living on. For those of you who live on earth and have experienced rejection, you know what Mr. Asimov is talking about. Sometimes I feel like the publishing "eagles" are ripping apart my writerly "flesh". Yes. I'm being a bit overdramatic. But the pain is real. True?

As with most things we deal with in life, we have coping mechanisms. How do I cope with the pain of rejection? After I spend some time licking my wounds, I take away whatever is useful to improve my writing and let the rest arouse my fighting spirit. Rejection gives me something to prove. Encourages me to work harder. Energizes my creative spirit. Something inside of me shouts, "Take that! You'll live to regret that rejection!" 

Yes. I realize rejection is subjective. And I don't take it too personally. Nonetheless, a writer has to cope. 

How do you deal with rejection?

The Most Beautiful Place: Strawberry Park Hot Springs

Last Saturday we journeyed to one of the most beautiful places I've ever experienced. Please come along with us! 

The road leading out of Steamboat Springs

Aspen-lined road into the mountains

Anticipation builds as we approach our destination

The hills are alive!

Our first glimpse of the soothing joy that awaits.

Another glimpse

Our changing cabin

Words do no justice

A place to relax

Chillin' after a soak

That's me out there

Had enough?

On the way out of Strawberry Park

The road leading back to Steamboat Springs

The Most Interesting Thing: Finding a New Place to Feed My Fiction Addiction

"Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future."

--Ray Bradbury 

Isn't my new library card beautiful?
Local attraction: Fish Creek Falls

One of the first things I did when I arrived here in my new home was walk over to the local library. You're all totally surprised, right? Libraries are the best. Never in my life have I left a library depressed.

I left our local library HUGELY depressed.

Let me try to be positive by saying I'll get to re-read many classic works of children's literature, if I can find them mixed in amongst all the adult fiction. Yeah. No kidding. But don't despair, this story has a happy ending.

Last Saturday a friend drove me 40 miles east to Steamboat Springs and surprised me by taking me directly to THE MOST AMAZING LIBRARY I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED!!!

I wish I'd taken pictures, but I was too much in awe of the place, which included a huge aquarium and the most amazing YA section I'd ever seen. Then the librarian gave me my own gorgeous card, even though I don't even live in the same county!

When I got home, I searched their catalog and no kidding, I found EVERY SINGLE BOOK ON MY TBR list and they were ALL AVAILABLE.

Okay, I think I should stop now before I abuse my caps lock button and someone takes it away.

Do you want to share some library love with me?

The Most Interesting Thing: Taking Chances

"Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good."

--William Faulkner

Right now I face some hefty decisions in my writing life. Risky decisions.

Are you a risk taker? I am.

At the same time, I don't make decisions in haste. I like to pause and imagine all the possible outcomes,  get input from my trustworthy writing partners, calculate whether or not it's wise to take a chance.

We writers face decisions every time we open our WIPs, every time we receive feedback from our critique partners, every time we query or go out on submission. Chancy decisions.

I don't know about you, but I believe I'm leaning toward Mr. Faulkner on this one. 

What do you think about taking chances? Are you willing to take risks?

The Most Interesting Thing: Moving On!

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts”

Eleanor Roosevelt

Life's a journey, right? Next week I'm hopping into a moving truck and heading for a new home near the Rocky Mountains, a place I've never been before. Leaving dear friends behind is heart-ripping hard, but I must move on.

Like finishing a novel, I must leave behind people I love and face blank pages, pages to be filled with characters I've not yet met in a place I've only seen in my imagination. Moving on.

In this WIP of my life, I finish the chapter in the foothills of the North Cascades with satisfaction. After seven years of peaceful living in this gorgeously quiet corner of the earth, my spirit is refreshed. Still I'm ready for a scene change. As Eleanor put it--new day, new strength, new thoughts. It's time to move on.

So my fellow travelers, are you moving on? How does it feel?

Gearing Up To Get an Agent--Meet and Greet

If this is your first visit to this blog and you don't know me--WELCOME! To all others--WELCOME BACK!

I'm one of the #GUTGAA judges. My life is mostly about books--reading and writing them. Fiction addiction. I love hearing from my readers, so please let me know you've been by and come back anytime. ^_^

-Where do you write?

Mostly from bed, but occasionally I get my butt out of it and move to the couch. My favorite place to write is from the passenger seat on a road trip. No Internet. No distractions. Makes the time pass quicker. 

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

An empty spot on the bed. Wait! Who stole my husband?

-Favorite time to write?

Early morning. The earlier, the better.

-Drink of choice while writing?

Earl Grey or a latté

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

I used to write to baroque music. Now I need complete silence. Miss the music, though.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

My latest manuscript was inspired by a TV commercial for breath mints I saw as a kid. 

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

Writers write!

Thanks for stopping by! I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can. Now tell me one thing: What's the best book you've read this summer? For me there are many, but I'll say IN HONOR by Jessi Kirby.