My Everest

                  A FEW QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS ON WRITING

Do all writers feel troubled by the merits of their next project?

In life I have learned to not waste my time reaching for that which is impossible to achieve. Having said that, why do I stretch so far outside my self-imposed writing boundary. It makes me feel less gratified with what I have accomplished and more focused on the stretch it takes to achieve the seemingly unattainable?

I have always told my daughters that if you try hard enough, pay attention to the magic of opportunity, act, plan, bob and weave, you can have it all...you just can’t have it all at the same time. I lied.

I envy people who don’t dream. Not nighttime dreams but the kind which changes the direction of your life, sends you on to greater things, sets right your own personal universe.  They do not set themselves up for disappointment only satisfaction from another day lived. Yes, I envy the simplicity of that.

The man I married is a sweetheart but not a dreamer; he is a realist living day to day. Plodding along he is satisfied in the summer when he finishes mowing the lawn and happy in the winter when he’s done plowing the driveway. He’s like the dog, all he needs is a good meal, a place to sleep, a place to do his business and a little nuzzling once in a while and he’s as happy as pig in poop. Oh, a six pack helps too. Me, I’m not like that, I want it all.

I don’t care about stuff like a big house, nice car, yadda, yadda, yadda, been there, done that, have that, am paying for that, don’t want that any more...I just want peace of mind and a book deal.

What do you want?

The epitome of writing for me is the feel of my book in my hand. I want to smell it and drink in the visual of the cover.  My Everest is that the industry of writing acknowledges that the impact of my words, means something, has merit and is enough of a lasting quality for them to say, “I do”, “we will”. Not having that is what breaks my heart and leaves me alone in the dark.

Do you climb or do you mow at base camp?