It’s been a little while since I’ve blogged. I’m sure you’ve had those kinds of weeks, too. Where everything took a little longer than planned. And when you needed things to be finished, they kept creeping back into the picture as unresolved. I owe a handful of some tremendous people my heartfelt thanks and the greatest virtual backrubs imaginable for their help in keeping me afloat. Muddled through it, all because of you.
Some have asked me what the latest is with my book, so I thought I’d share here. At least what I’m able to at this time.
My book The Muse Unlocked is still on target for a summer release. I should have a date to share soon but it’s appearing to be closer to July or August. And of course, a little cover reveal might be headed your way soon, as well. So stay tuned for that. I have been quite the badger to my poor publicist about it. She knows if I had my way I would blanket the skies with one now. But I am quickly learning through this process that patience is indeed a virtue.
About time I got a little of that. Heh.
I’m excited that I’ll be able to share with you so many new places that we will be able to hang out together beyond here and Twitter that are all currently in development. But I promise, I will have links for you very soon.
Holy cow, it really is just a matter of months.
<Crickets.>
I might need to go lie down for a bit. Felt a little woosy suddenly.
However, before I do, just a reminder that tomorrow is Guest Blogger Friday and I’m so excited about this week’s guest who will bring a fresh perspective on a subject that I think will especially be of interest to other writers but hard-core readers, as well. So I look forward to sharing that charming person with you then.
I’d like to leave you with a little thought. This past month, I’ve had many wonderful opportunities to interact with other readers and writers, and in particular, I’ve been able to grow closer to some fellow scribes who I could “talk shop” with and in some rare instances, perhaps be helpful in some small way…from extending a hand to help someone pull themselves out of a creative well, encouraging others to step into a new path or simply cheering them on to grab the laptop by the USB cords and take control of their dream to write before it scurries off or runs around haphazardly and pokes someone’s eye out.
Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a published one stumbling a bit or perhaps a reader who appreciates words and has some other dream that you just — can’t — seem — to — catch! Whew — tiring stuff, that aspiration…ironic word since it does leave most of us breathless, huh? Anyway, regardless of your pursuit, the one piece of advice I have for you is
NEVER
FORGET
WHY.
Why you want to write….
I was asking this of one good writer friend last night. And it’s quite possible he was ready to block me for my persistance and inability to hold my tongue. But this “why” is the simplest for us to forget, because we let it. We allow ourselves to make excuses and let things and people become distractions that impede our forward motion. You can get busy. You can get fearful. You can even temporarily find yourself in a creative abyss, finding nothing imaginative even remotely near your grasp. But your reasons for writing, your reasons for pursuing your dream, they never go away. They might get buried, blocked, smothered but they never go away. So we must cherish them, keep them safe — keep them pure. Let them be about your love of language, your drive to speak out, your desire to inspire, amuse, entertain, educate, scintillate… CAPTIVATE. And whatever you do, never feed them after midnight. Oh wait, that’s Gremlins. But you get the point.
NEVER
FORGET
WHY.
Why you feel this need to do it…
When you stay from words for awhile because you’re too busy fulfilling your “day job” or tending to other personal needs, do you feel that loss? Are you experiencing a little guilt? Let that be less about flogging yourself for what you haven’t written and more about pushing yourself forward to write more. Excite don’t incite. Pull don’t drag. Tickle don’t taunt. Remind yourself of all of those many reasons you chose this conduit for letting it flow in the first place.
NEVER
FORGET
WHY.
Why you interact with other writers…
Though I’m confident it’s our magical, sparkling personalities, I’m sure, there is more to it than that. We are your soundboard. We are your cheerleaders. We are your lifeline. Never forget to reach out. I’m the biggest culprit of this one myself, old Ms. Self-Sufficient over here. But sometimes, you need that other voice, you need that long, poking finger on the shoulder reminding you that you are not alone. Not really. Even when it may feel that way sometimes. When you hit a snag, don’t look in the mirror and find all of those reasons you failed, look to your informal townfolk who make up the Village of Championing You and call a town hall meeting. We’ll get to the bottom of this thing. We will. Together.
There is no better quote to leave you with than this beauty. And if you’re not a writer, don’t think you can’t apply it to the significance of your own direct pull on the Earth’s axis and all that you must do, that you were meant to do.
“The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible.” ~Vladimir Nabakov
Happy reading,
ck
Reblogged this on Cameron Lincoln's Erotica and commented:
A wonderful and thoughtful piece from @chriskuhnauthor. It’s the most sage of advice!
Thanks, Cameron, as always for all of the support you give me – as a fellow writer, as a friend, as a human being. I appreciate you passing along my message to your own blog followers and for your kind words. You are exactly why that blog is written, because people like you exist and are there graciously being a lifeline to their writer friends, and many of us are either too blind or unaware to realize it. You’re definitely one of the good guys, and I feel so wonderfully lucky to know you. 🙂 ~ck
Can’t wait for your post tomorrow and for your book! Thanks for all of the support you’ve given me–truly wonderful. ps: laughed at the Gremlins reference. Eek! Bright Light? Mogwai!
I can’t wait for you to see tomorrow’s post either, Dana. HE is fantastic. Yes, HE. Finally, a little testosterone flowing through my blog, huh? I’ll always welcome that, too. 😉 You will love it and HIM. Trust me. Oh, and remind me to share with you an old photo of me and my best friend donning our matching Gremlins sweatshirts with little Gizmo on the back! I have to see if I can dig that up… too funny. What a dork I was. And proud of it, too. Yes, indeedy. ~ck
Nice post! Excited for your book and that you are achieving your dream. Good to know there is someone like me who keeps.. on.. writing!
Thanks so much, E.M. We must forge ahead, right? It’s too easy to let things get in the way of it all. I’ve done that far too long. I’m not doing it anymore and publishing this book is just the first step in a series of steps I’m taking to stop that from happening. So who’s with me? *signals behind to group to follow* Come on! *crowd roars* Let’s do it, E.M. *hands Braveheart paint colors* There’s work to be done. 😉 ~ ck