My guest today is debut historical author, Jayne Fresina. Her topic is timely for writers. When you write for yourself it's different than the courage needed to share that writing with others. Jayne calls it girding her loins.
An appropriate term, if an old fashioned one, because the loins are vulnerable to injury. Taking on a physical task or going to war, one girded, or wore a protective belt to protect the loin area and sword. Or in the case of the biblical use, meant tying (or belting) up your loose clothes for ease of movement and generally meant preparing to use all resources for a difficult task. I would say a writer preparing for having their work published would qualify.
An appropriate term, if an old fashioned one, because the loins are vulnerable to injury. Taking on a physical task or going to war, one girded, or wore a protective belt to protect the loin area and sword. Or in the case of the biblical use, meant tying (or belting) up your loose clothes for ease of movement and generally meant preparing to use all resources for a difficult task. I would say a writer preparing for having their work published would qualify.
I started writing stories in my head when I was a
girl walking to school each day. I vividly remember foggy autumn mornings,
dawdling along, crunching fallen berries under my shoes. Often I stopped to
collect beautiful gold and burgundy leaves that would not look half so
impressive by the end of the school day, crushed into my satchel with the balsa
wood airplane I made in woodwork, or my sweaty socks from hockey.
Unlike the fallen berries and dry leaves, my
stories lived on. Each day I wrote a new chapter.
In the beginning I kept those stories in my head,
because I feared other people would laugh at me. Certainly, I never had
thoughts of becoming a published writer or letting anyone else know about the
stories I thought up. It wasn't until I became an adult, that I started writing
them down—in a notebook at first and then on a computer. Even then, I wrote
them for my own satisfaction, not planning to share them with anyone else.
Ever.
But one day I got up the courage to show a
friend. I had mentioned to her, quite by chance, that I'd been working on a
book. Immediately she was curious —as in What
on earth are you doing writing a book? It must have been a surprise to a
lot of people, since I'd kept my passion secret all those years. For some weeks
I put her off, changed the subject, politely evaded talking about the book I
was writing. It became a bit of a joke to some people. Oh, Jayne's writing a book, poor thing.
Eventually it was done, I felt an immense sense
of pride and achievement and suddenly I wanted to show someone. Suddenly I was
unaccountably vain. I was so proud, so in love with my characters. I wanted
other readers to enjoy them as much as I did. It takes a pretty swelled head to
take a manuscript that's never been professionally edited and give it to a
friend to read. How did I ever get to that point? I laugh about it now, the
hours I sweated over my decision to show other people what I'd written. I was
taking a huge chance. They might never stop laughing at me.
Well, I'd better pull up my big girl panties or -
as my heroine Sophie Valentine would say, I'd better learn how to Gird my
Loins.
Looking back, I suppose that was the point when
writing changed from hobby to purpose. My friend showed the manuscript to her
husband and then to other friends. Soon I was being persuaded to try
publication. Before I really knew what had happened, writing became not just a
pleasant past-time but a driving need. Every morning I got up a few hours early
just to write before leaving for work. At night I sat up in bed reading books
for research or making notes on the pages I'd printed out. At that point I knew
I had to find a way to get published. Whatever it took, no matter how many
rejections from agents and publishers—and there were hundreds of those!
Sometimes I stop and look back. I wonder what I
would have done with all those hours if writing had not become such an all
consuming passion. What would I have found to do? Occasionally, when I finish
another book and I'm about to release it out into the world to be judged, I
think back to that first time I ever showed another human being my work. And I
wonder how I got so brave.
No, the fear never goes away, never fades.
I write stories that I would like to read. It's
all I know how to do. It's all I want
to do. That is, after all, why I started, as a schoolgirl, trampling berries
and fallen leaves on her way to class. It still feels incredibly good to know
there are folk out there who get as much pleasure from reading these stories as
I get from writing them.
Frankly, it amazes me that the stories coming out
of my head can entertain other people, because inside I'm still the same girl
with scabby knees, a lot of geekiness, hair that will never lay flat and a
very, very good imagination.
And a great deal of fear as I send my precious
characters off into the world for the first time.
Like Sophie Valentine I had to learn how to
"gird my loins" and take a leap of faith.
- What has had you girding your loins and taking a leap of faith?
THE MOST IMPROPER MISS SOPHIE
VALENTINE BY
JAYNE FRESINA – IN STORES JUNE 2012
"Wanted: one husband, not too particular. Small dowry,
several books, sundry furnishings, and elderly aunt included. Idlers,
time-wasters, and gentleman without other attachments need not apply."
—Miss Sophie Valentine
 |
| AMAZON, B&N, B.A.M |
A SCANDALOUS LADY…
Sophie
Valentine knew placing an ad for a husband in the Farmers Gazette would bring
her trouble-and she was right. When the darkly handsome, arrogantly charming
Lazarus Kane shows up on her doorstep, the nosy residents of Sydney Dovedale
are thrown into a gossiping tizzy. After all, it's common knowledge that Sophie
is a young lady In Need of Firmer Direction. But even Sophie isn't so
scandalous as to marry a complete stranger…is she?
SEEKS HANDSOME
STRANGER…
Lazarus Kane has been searching for Sophie half of his
life. She may not remember him, but he could never forget her. But the past is
a dangerous thing, and it's best if his remains secret if he wants to tempt
Sophie with...
A MOST IMPROPER PROPOSAL…
~*~*~*~
