Reflecting Upon The Squiggly Road to Publication

For someone whose dream began in the first grade, it has been a very steep and curvy road that has taken nearly 40 years to realize.  I never quit. Oh, I did get discouraged, I even cried when the rejections reached my knee caps, but I never quit. I was just about to, when I got an unexpected blessing in my third husband. He never got behind me to push me, he never stepped ahead of me to pull me when my feet wanted to stay mired in the dark red clay that would have meant defeat. No, he got down on his hands and knees and crawled beside me, or when a little stronger, walked next to me and said nothing but the encouraging words that kept me on the path when I wanted to stop.  

Dreams take work and effort to realize. For some it comes easy, others it is difficult even if you are very good at it. Everyone must pay their dues and carry their share of the load. I had my reasons for wanting to have my dream come true and it wasn't just for me.  I wanted to show my children that, no matter what anyone said, if you worked hard enough and set your eyes on your goal, it could happen for them, for anyone.  Also, I wanted it to happen for my husband. Without him I don't know if I could have made it. Without my mother-in-law and my own mom, I might not have made it either. They are all key in helping me make my manuscripts, not only the best, but squeaky clean when I send them in. 

I always thought I would travel this road by myself and it was hard. In many ways it will always be a trial. However, I am no longer alone on this road. I have a small following and that will grow. I also have the greatest support network in the world in my family. They are strong enough to surround me when I feel I can't take another step and their encouragement carries me over each and every hill to the other side where we can run down the slope laughing and celebrating each success as it happens.

And all of the above was for just one book. I have a lifetime of them to share with the world. Each path should become a little easier, but I will struggle to reach each success as it comes.  Faith in the greatest giver of gifts and all the angels, both heavenly and earthly will surely help me become the successful writer I have always aspired to be.  For you and for me.

Writing is my dream From romance to dragons; fairies to fantasy worlds, this is where I live and play. Thanks be to God! - Lisa Hannah Wells

WHO AND/OR WHAT IS A WRITER?

Just like most industries, the creative world of writing, composing colorful, fascinating characters all of them with goals, flaws, likes and dislikes, eccentricities, and strengths, is a constantly revolving door.  If you write a story and it contains subject matter that is currently in style, chances are good that someone will notice it and offer you a contract.  If the door on that particular subject matter has closed, just wait a year or more and it will swing open again sooner or later. You just have to wait for it. Of course, talent is definitely a plus. Most people think, at one time or another in their lives, that they would like to write a book.  For most, this is a very difficult task, no matter how patient, how good you are with writing essays, how well you know the English language, etc., it takes discipline and the right frame of mind to be a writer.

So, who is a writer?  This person may or may not have vivid dreams in surround sound and bright color, have characters form in their heads that want you to write their story and will not leave you alone until you comply. Some may say that to have this going on in your head qualifies you for the funny farm complete with straight jacket. Sometimes, the person experiencing this phenomena will agree with you. For others, it is simply a love of the forming of words into a picture that leaps off the page at you in crystal clear 3-D imagery.  But, this is simply WHO a writer is.

When asked the question; "What is a writer?" Well, that is a question only a writer can answer.  For me, being a writer means having an intimate relationship with all my characters, being part of them and not just in their heads, but laughing and crying with them through all the stages of their stories.  Loving some, hating others and being able to see them act out page after page of scenes from living and dying to fighting and loving until their journey is exhausted, leaving me drained but completely sated. Being a writer means loving the craft from not just my heart and my head, but from my very soul and wanting to share it with the entire world. 

When someone asks me what I do; I tell them I am a writer first and foremost. To do otherwise is a great injustice to who I am.

Writing is my dream. From romance to dragons: fairies to fantasy worlds, this is where I live and play. Thanks be to God!!                          - Lisa Hannah Wells

Talk About Overwhelmed!

I never knew there would be such an enormous, all hours of the day and night, community of other writers out there.  I suppose I am considered slightly hermit-like.  Then again, writing is not all that I do.   It is the only thing I truly want to do and excel at, my dream since I was six years old. But, for now, I have a part time away from home day job four days a week.  As a healer, I am much in demand and will drop anything to do what I can for those who need it.  As a designer of my own clothing,  jewelry and other items, I try to sell what I can so that the money goes to the things we need around the house.  There is so little time to do what it is that sustains my creative gifts and my sleep suffers for it.  Ahhhhhhh, then there are the characters themselves.  I have more than 6 books written and the characters from those books compete for the time it would take to give a complete revision of their stories.   It is sometimes a little difficult to determine who is in the front and which ones came earlier and/or later...

I would like very much to tell you the short synopsis version of the book TWRP has contracted for. I am also very excited since this is the first step toward my dream. "Be Still..." is about  a new race of characters to the paranormal genre. Known as Vatamps, which means "Memory Makers," this old race was almost completely annihilated by a warring faction many years before this first book. There are few of them left and even though they are growing again, most of the females have suffered from infertility. The eldest two took the only ship left them and joined a brand new space station called 'The Amazzi Moon 14' where they built a night club and have been successfully running for the past 400 years.   That brings us to the first part of the book.   Basically, this is a futuristic paranormal tale spun in space.  

When young, Tempest was told by the seer that escaped being annihilated that he would go away until it would be time for him to return and become the leader for his people he was meant to be. He would know this by an event that he has prayed for, followed by the letter announcing the seer's death.    Shea is human, widowed quite young and lives life on the edge with her best friend as members of the Union,  a universal military service on a small station where they put their lives in peril every time they go out to defend colony bound cargo ships, carrying precious supplies to outposts and new colonies, from ruthless pirates that would rather kill the crew and steal the entire freighter.    To make the long story short, one of their own is dangerous, and due to certain circumstances, targets Shea and is intent upon her death.
When both young women are brought into the emergency medical bay after being pulled from what was left of their fighter, Tempest swears he is not going to lose Shea, his bondmate and makes it his responsibility, staying by her side, holding her to him by sheer will and determination. This is where the romance comes out, predominantly.  Time grows short when another letter arrives begging for him to take his place among those of his kind but Tempest will not leave without Shea.  First, he has to protect her from the person responsible for trying to take her life and still searching to make sure she is dead.   Okay,  this is as far as I am going to spill.    You'll just have to wait until I get the news of it's release.    I can promise that you will love this first book in the Memory Makers series.

   Okay, I'll end the post here. I warned you they could be fairly lengthy, but I had to make a token pitch of the book.  See you next post.

Writing is my dream. From romance to dragons; fairies to fantasy worlds, this is where I live and play.  Thanks be to God! - Lisa Hannah Wells

New Author to Blogger

I'm a new author with TWRP in the process of publication of a whole new race of beings with the background of space, a little spice, a dusting of danger, and a whole lot of romance.
This isn't the first time blogging and I will insert a link for those of you who would like to get under my skin and begin to read the posts in 12 categories all designed to give you a look inside my head. Some of it will put you off, some of it will fascinate you and there is a little there that will interest everyone. Since this is my introductory post here, I will keep it short. However, be warned that most blogs I post are rather lengthy. Check me out. Welcome to my Imagination!

Writing is my dream. From romance to dragons; fairies to fantasy worlds, this is where I live and play. Thanks be to God! - Lisa Hannah Wells