My guest is romance author, Joanne Kennedy. Joan has published over eight books but she's also face many trials in pursuit of her dream of writing. I think every writer faces various insecurities and aspiring writers, at times, look at those published as ones who have it made and with no problems. That's just not true.
Joanne shares a bit about the worries and the triumphs she's faced as a writer.
The road to
publication is a long road, paved with rejections and frustration—but I made
it. I’m finally “there” – but now that I’ve reached my goal, I’m surprised to
find that, in the words of Gertrude Stein, “there is no ‘there’ there.”
When you first start
writing, you think to yourself, “If I could just finish this…”
You finish it. Then
you hope to win a contest. Then you begin the long process of submission,
aiming for goals like getting requests for partial manuscripts, then fulls,
then getting offers of representation from agents.
When I signed with my
agent, I really thought I was “there.” And I was close—closer than a lot of
writers get with their first agent, because I was lucky enough to strike gold
the first time out and sign with a really good agent who’s also a fine human
being (actually, I think she’s a goddess). But even with her knowledge and
contacts, it took over a year, many revisions, and finally a second manuscript,
to make a sale.
I can always find something to worry about.
I can always find something to worry about.
But in some ways,
that’s a good thing. No matter how well the book does, I’ll always be reaching
for the next milestone. Bestseller lists. Awards. Making a living if I’m lucky,
and then a better living.
The striving never
ends—and that’s good. Life loses its flavor when you have nothing to aspire to.
But that realization
showed me that the ultimate reward writing offers doesn’t lie in any of these
achievements. The real reward is in the writing itself—the good days when the
words flow freely, the triumphs when I solve a particularly gnarly plot
problem, the weird, almost mystical joy of creating a world and characters who
inhabit it and make it real, and even the satisfaction of knuckling down and
getting the job done on a difficult day.
If you don’t take joy
in the simple act of doing what you love, forget the other goals. Because if
you think achieving any of them is going to complete your life, you’re wrong.
Whether your talent
lies in writing, painting, teaching children, or running a business, you’re
lucky if you’ve found what you were meant to do. Doing what you love is a
privilege and a joy.
In the all-consuming
quest for success, it’s easy to forget the biggest blessing of all: you have a
talent that only you can offer. You have a place in the world.
So for all you
aspiring writers out there, and everyone else who is always aiming for some
elusive goal, take heart. When you sit down at your desk or your piano or your
word processor, take a deep breath, and light into the day’s work, you’re
already “there.”
- What do you love to do?What are your goals, and how would achieving them change your life?
Winning comes naturally to bronc rider Brady Caine. Ruggedly handsome, careless and charismatic, the rodeo fans adore him and the buckle bunnies are his for the taking. He's riding high when he lands an endorsement deal with Lariat Western Wear that pairs him up with champion barrel racer Suze Carlyle.
Until one wrong move changes everything
A stupid move on Brady's part lands Suze in the hospital, her career in tatters. Now it's a whole new game for both of them. Brady is desperate to help Suze rebuild her life, but he's the last person she wants around now. Suze's got plenty of grit and determination-learning to trust Brady again is a very different matter.
Joanne Kennedy's lifelong fascination with Wyoming's unique blend of past and present inspires her to write contemporary Western romances with traditional ranch settings. In 2010 she was nominated for a RITA award for One Fine Cowboy. At various times, Joanne has dabbled in horse training, chicken farming, and bridezilla wrangling at a department store wedding registry. Her fascination with literature led to careers in bookselling and writing. She lives with two dogs and a retired fighter pilot in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
You can find Joanne:
