C.J. West's Blog, page 3

The Twelve Days of (Christmas) the Mayan Apocalypse (2)

Since the world is ending in two weeks, I thought we should get started with our planning for what comes afterward. I’m not sure what will happen on December 21, so I’m going to offer up a number of scenarios to help you be prepared for whatever comes our way. Please join in and comment. It’s only fun if you play along. If you’d like to start at the beginning, click here.

 Day 2: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Tastiest of Them All?

The day after the governments of the world collapse, you find yourself in New York City. (Why you would be in such a godforsaken place I don’t know, but assume you’re there.) The news outlets, sans the dead political journalists, pounce on the alien virus story and won’t let up. Every man, woman, and child in the world knows the planet is rudderless.

What does every grocer and grocery truck delivery driver do? They pack up everything they can haul and take off into the night, headed somewhere secluded where they can wait out the carnage.

When the sun rises and people wake up to find the grocery stores empty, carnage ensues. Men bash each other viciously over the last remaining grocery items.

By 9:00 am you can’t find a can of soup or beans in the city. There are no animals to hunt in New York City, but there is a whole lot of protein walking around on two legs. You can’t walk twenty feet without bumping into a two day supply of food carrying a Gucci bag or a briefcase.

The question isn’t whether you’ll eat people or not, because eventually you’ll eat people or starve. The question becomes, which people will taste best?

Will you like fat people, skinny people, or people who workout?

Would you rather eat men or women?

Will people of different ethnicities taste differently?

What about you? Do you look like you’d be tasty? Would you have to learn to run fast and maybe not shower very much so people wouldn’t eat you?

You’ll need something to do in the post-civilized world, so order one of my books while Amazon’s servers are still up and UPS is still delivering! Your money won’t be worth anything on December 22nd, so spend it while you can.

If you’ve never read me try: The End of Marking Time , Sin & Vengeance , or Dinner At Deadman’s . Or get a signed book and help needy kids at www.22wb.com .

The Twelve Days of (Christmas) the Mayan Apocalypse

Since the world is ending in two weeks, I thought we should get started with our planning for what comes afterward. I’m not sure what will happen on December 21, so I’m going to offer up a number of scenarios to help you be prepared for whatever comes our way. Please join in and comment. It’s only fun if you play along.

Day 1: Kill All The Liars Lawyers, Politicians, and Lobbyists

Imagine the night of December 20th, a meteor crashes to earth in Washington, D.C.  and releases a deadly alien virus. The disease is quickly spread from politician to politician. Lobbyists, government hacks, and lawyers quickly pass the virus to everyone they come in close proximity to.

On December 21, in the middle of a press conference, Barack Obama drops dead.

The press corps that has worshipped him since before he was elected also dies. Even those guys from Fox News drop like flies.

All across the country, congressmen, mayors, even selectmen take a ride in the meat wagon. In the span of two days there is not a lawyer or elected government official alive anywhere on earth. The entirety of world governments are wiped out.

All the idiot actors who speak on behalf of politicians of any party get sick and die, too. Their money and fame can’t save them.

Every law and every legal document goes up in flames. Don’t ask me how a virus causes this, it’s very technical. Trust me the same way you trusted those creeps.

What now?

The only people left are the people those thieves were stealing from. So, in our new world, let’s try and come up with a system that protects the little guy.

Who do you nominate to lead the survivors?

(Preferably someone still alive on December 23rd.)

Bonus: propose a law in 50 simple words or less.

You’ll need something to do in the post-civilized world, so order one of my books while Amazon’s servers are still up and UPS is still delivering! Your money won’t be worth anything on December 22nd, so spend it while you can.

If you’ve never read me try: The End of Marking Time, Sin & Vengeance, or Dinner At Deadman’s. Or get a signed book and help needy kids at www.22wb.com.

Getting Over The Hump – S.C. Cunningham

Please Welcome S.C. Cunningham to Getting Over The Hump Day.

S.C. writes scintillating thrillers. When we first chatted she told me she was worried that her work was too hot for the United States market. So be warned, S.C.’s steamy scenes will raise your temperature!

This week S.C. is going to tell us what gets her over the hump.

‘What inspires me?’

I have been staring at the question for a long time,  I don’t know how to answer it because my writing and entertaining folk, just ‘is’, I don’t hanker after inspiration, it just ‘is’…  the question for me is ‘how can I stay alive whilst I do it?’

I know writing is hair-pullingly hard, frustrating, difficult, unsociable, finance draining, mushroom living, lonely and heart on sleeve doubt ridden, but I can’t do anything else.

There are things I surround myself with when I write; music, smells, a dog, cups of tea/coffee. I have to know that all else in my world (family, responsibilities) is safe and ok before I sit and start, rid myself of nagging external thoughts, chores. And then, with a hint of guilt at the pleasure of it, I jump into whatever document I am working on (novel, screenplay)… feeling lucky that I can take the luxury of time to sit at a computer and bash at keys, to create a fantasy world that has the power to entertain folk, take them out of their world, throw them around the ‘cerebral’ room and leave them wanting more.

There are of course days when I seem to get nowhere, but that’s ok, it’s part of the process, it sorts the men from the boys. I know something is brewing, bubbling away in the back of my insane brain, ready to come out when it’s ready… the eureka moment of a sentence, paragraph, chapter, I just have to be patient (which is difficult for an Aries).

Don’t beat yourself up about ‘a blank page moment’ or ‘writers block’, don’t see it as a negative,  every emotion we feel has a use, gives empathy to write, something is always forming somewhere, whether you realise it or not, whether it takes days, weeks, months or years, it will come out… the main concern is surviving whilst we wait.

S.C. has written three thrillers, recorded the voice for her own audio books, and is currently working on a screenplay. Check out The Penance List on Amazon or visit www.sccunningham.com to learn more about S.C. and her work.

Giving Thanks By Giving Back

Over the last four years I have spent a lot of energy thinking about how to make our world a better place by helping those who have gotten off to a rough start. The End of Marking Time highlighted just how tragic life can be for kids who don’t find the right kinds of love and support as they grow.

This year I met a man who is helping make life a little easier for needy kids now and in the future by delivering clothes, toys, books, and other important household items. GiftsToGive founder Jim Stevens has created an organization to be proud of with a mission anyone can get behind. I was so impressed, I included Jim and his organization in my latest book, Dinner At Deadman’s to tell people about the great work they are doing.

 

CJ with Jim Stevens, Founder of GiftsToGive

 

The genius of GiftsToGive begins with volunteering. I’m pictured below with a Girl Scout troop from Marion, MA. These young girls worked hard to sort donated clothing. Just walking into the building these girls learned a valuable lesson about how many people really need our help. Working to provide that help gave them a feeling of joy that you can’t get any other way.

 

The Girl Scouts volunteer with a little help from CJ.

 

Below is a narrow shot of the women’s and girl’s clothes processing area. Area families donate piles of clothing that need to be sorted, washed, and delivered. Because the staff is entirely made up of volunteers, GiftsToGive performs a mountain of work on a tiny budget. The clothing is donated. Volunteers sort, wash, and package it. Social workers deliver the finished gift packages. I feel great helping this cause because everything I give goes to the kids. No one is collecting a paycheck. The entire organization works because they care.

 

Sorting for women’s and girl’s clothing

 

This year I’m proud to partner with GiftsToGive to help provide some of the things kids need new. If you’d like to join me and help buy a pair of socks, a toothbrush, or a birthday present for a child who really needs our support, visit my website and buy a signed book for yourself or anyone on your Christmas list.

Signed books cost $18 (delivered in the United States) and $2 of that will go directly to a child in need.

Please join me by buying a book anytime between now and the end of the year and have a very happy holiday season!

 

 

The Time Travelling Hero

A few weeks ago I met the most powerful hero you will ever imagine.

Picture this:

A twenty year old man is hooked on drugs, breaking into houses to take electronics. He smashes car windows to steal phones and iPods to sell for cash. Many families suffer for his addiction. He will enter detox fifteen times and never fully recover. Heroin will eventually take his life, but not before he harms hundreds of people on his path to destruction.

An HIV-positive woman sells herself on a busy street corner, infecting dozens of young men who will eventually die. They will all become sick to serve her desperate need for drug money.

A forty year old man stumbles around a dirty, one-bedroom apartment. He screams at his two young children and slaps his wife when she says he is upsetting them. The children cower, but they learn that brute force dominates the home and they will employ it themselves when they are older.

Now picture a mild-mannered eighty-three year old woman who takes away these problems as if with the wave of a magic wand. All is put back in order. The man and the woman lead fulfilled lives and never turn to drugs. Instead they hold down jobs, support families, go to soccer games.

The older man loves his wife dearly. He works hard at his job and he’s good at it. His children receive valuable counsel and occasional discipline when it is warranted.

The old woman takes away these problems too quickly for us to see.

It happens over years and seemingly all at once.

We never know it happened, but the impact is great, multi-generational, and real. She does this because she can see the future and she chooses to make it better.

A few weeks ago I met an eighty-three year old woman who was raising two teenage boys and helping to raise two young children. She has made an enormous impact for our world and it’s a contribution that goes mostly unnoticed and unrewarded. These young men are forever changed. Every interaction they have will be softer, kinder, more helpful, because of the love they received from their grandmother.

Last week I talked with Jim Stevens from GiftsToGive and he told me her story is common. Hundreds of grandmothers are doing this same work all over the city. What these old women are doing isn’t sexy or exciting. It isn’t gossip worthy, but if we could see the two futures side by side—one with their help and one without—we would gawk in awe of their heroic deeds.

And gawk we should!

Here is another superhero.

Her name was Doris West and she helped to save 56 babies from a fate like the one above. Consider how many lives would have been different if these children had been raised in abusive homes. How many people might they have hurt? How would their children have grown and what might they have done?

Mrs. West helped as many people as Superman, flying at breakneck speed from crisis to crisis. But she did more than that. She healed the lives of the criminals themselves. She changed them into happy, fulfilled people. And she did it with a spoon, an apron, and a Wiffle ball.

Today we are a world divided. Politicians left or right are not superheroes. They cannot and will not solve our world’s problems. They merely argue ideology with a microphone and a camera. But they only set the rules. We can’t sit back and hope they will fix things for us. It is up to us to act. We can do more with loving attention and a spoon than they can accomplish with all the cameras and money in the world.

Please remember the true heroes this Thanksgiving. You may just be eating with one.

The Next Big Thing

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing

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My friend Gina Fava tagged me with these interview questions this week. Her timing couldn’t have been better. My latest book is just hitting the shelves. So check it out!

What is the working title of your book?

My latest mystery is Dinner At Deadman’s, where amateur sleuth Lorado Martin sifts through piles of clutter to discover a cold-blooded killer.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Lorado Martin is my real-life brother. I was looking for a hero for a new series and decided he was perfect. He is a quirky guy who loves junk (he calls the stuff collectible). He also does interesting work with recovering addicts that makes him the perfect entry way into a world that many of us don’t get to see.

What genre does your book fall under?

This is a traditional mystery. Lorado is a funny guy and his humor comes through, but the book is a mystery first.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Lorado is a 320 pound, funny, rugged redneck. Who could master that role? I need help here. I like Naomi Watts for his sexy girlfriend, Roxie.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Junk man Lorado Martin digs through the estate of Mary Newbury and discovers evidence that she’s been murdered. Her affable, recovering addict grandson stands to inherit a considerable sum whether he deserves it or not. (okay, that’s 2 sentences. I cheated)

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I started self-publishing long before it was cool and I’m going to continue.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I’m not sure how long the first draft took, but start to finish, the book was done in about six months.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I have to admit that I don’t normally read humorous mysteries. The humor in Dinner At Deadman’s came from Lorado. I’m not responsible. My brother is a really funny guy and the best compliment I’ve gotten on the book so far was from my mom who said, “It sounds like your brother wrote it.”  Since he is the narrator, that’s high praise. of course mom is a little partial.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired to write a book about my brother’s life, but when I sat across the table from a recovering addict, the book took on much more meaning for me.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Lorado is an expert in antiques and collectibles. Throughout the book he provides ideas to help readers get the most from yard sales, eBay, or even the things in their own attic.

One more thing… I’m a character in this book. My brother needed a side kick and I picked ME. I had some fun with myself being omniscient and all. You can also see how my brother sees me in real life and get some insight into what I’m like day to day.

 

The new tags are:
Sue Ann Jaffarian
Susan Wingate
Jillian Dodd
Diane Capri
Mike Faricy

And here are the rules:

* Give credit to the person / blog that tagged you 

* Post the rules for the blog hop 

*Answer these ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) on your blog 

*Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.

Getting Over The Hump – Welcome Alan Baxter

Please welcome Alan Baxter, author of RealmShift and MageSign, who reminds us how important readers are to storytellers. I couldn’t agree more that the business of bookselling can be incredibly frustrating at times, but it is those times when we connect with readers that truly inspire us to keep going.

Welcom Alan!

 

Running Against The Wind

So CJ asked for guest posts about what motivates us to keep writing when things aren’t going so well. It set me to thinking about what really does drive me. First and foremost, I have the need to tell stories. I have no control over it, and it doesn’t go away. But that’s only half the deal. There’s no point in me telling stories if no one is reading them. Writers need readers like plants need rainfall – it sustains us and makes us grow.

In the face of constant rejection or low sales, however, we can often be left wondering when the hell the next rain shower might come. Sometimes we’d settle for a light mist, even a heavy dew. Anything to remind us that what we do is worthwhile and appreciated.

 

My motivation comes mainly from the knowledge that I’m constantly improving. Even in those lean times, when it seems like I can’t sell a story to anyone, or book sales are really down, I know, deep down, that I’m working on my craft, improving my skills and telling better stories. People didn’t buy anything of mine for a long time. Then, slowly, I started to make some sales. Then better and better sales, in all lengths of fiction. So I know I can do it, I know I can keep getting better and I know that the rejections will always far outweigh the acceptances. But all the time I can push myself and see better results, I’m going to keep pushing.

I reassure myself with the knowledge that pretty much every other writer I know goes through the same stuff. And I know a lot of writers. We’re all striving to be better, we’re all facing regular rejection and we’re all persevering, determined in the knowledge that if we keep at it and keep getting better, we’ll keep making sales. However infrequent they may be.

The writers who sell books by the million and can get pretty much anything they write published are very few and far between. There are so many more midlisters and up-and-comers out there working their arses off for some recognition. I know that I always have stories to tell. I know that I’ll keep writing, no matter what. So I’ll be damned if I won’t keep working hard to sell those stories and get ever more readers.

And if I never sell another story or book, if I never get another reader, so what? That would be very sad, and, honestly pretty unlikely, but I’m a writer. It’s what I do. If I only did it for the readers, the sales and the accolades, I’d have given up a long time ago. Those things are thin on the ground most of the time. I do it because I do it. It’s a part of what defines me. And the beauty is, I know there are people out there reading and enjoying my work, and I know, if I keep at it, there will be more. That’s motivation enough, aside from my inability not to write anyway.

It’s a special kind of insanity that we writers are victims of, but there’s nothing we can do about it. We may as well embrace it.

 

Alan is the author of the contemporary dark fantasy novels, RealmShift and MageSign (Gryphonwood Press), and around 40 short stories in a variety of journals and anthologies worldwide. He’s currently trying to find a publisher for his third novel and working hard on his fourth and fifth. Learn more about him and his writing at www.alanbaxteronline.com

 

 

Getting Over The Hump – August McLaughlin

Please welcome a new friend, August McLaughlin. A former model and actress, August has found her calling writing fiction. I highly recommend visiting August’s blog while we await her first book. You’ll find her writing polished and insightful. You’ll be glad you paid her a visit.

Welcome August!

 

Forging Ahead Without Going Crazy

The moment I set foot in Los Angeles in 2005, I was a giddy firecracker. After years of working in the fashion industry, I felt I’d found my calling in acting. Shortly after my arrival to the film and TV mecca, I sat down to dinner with my theatrical agent. He asked me a question his first acting coach posed to him. It went something like this:

“Imagine yourself in your seventies… You’re living in a studio apartment, eating Top Ramen for dinner and performing in a play at a little known black box theater, making just enough money to get by. Would you be happy?”

            My agent responded, “NO,” and began pursuing an alternate career. My answer? A resounding “YEEE HAA, YES!”  I loved acting, and I’ve always believed in following my heart’s desires. The only way I could see myself quitting acting, was if something I loved more came along. I couldn’t imagine that. About two years later, it did.

I have plenty of downfalls, but the tendency to give up isn’t one of them. If I’d left acting because I wasn’t booking enough work or wanted a more stable income, I’d say I surrendered. But neither was the case. I quit because I knew with my whole heart and mind that I was, and will probably always be, a writer.

If my agent asked me a similar question about writing today, my answer would be an even more enthusiastic YES. That’s not to say I don’t believe or desire success or financial stability; I do. The joy for me, though, is in the journey. Taking that path and trusting it leads to success of many kinds. That’s my compass. When I feel challenged, I remind myself of that. Then I sit down to the page and keep going.

When C.J. asked me to share how I stay motivated when times get tough for his fantastic blog, I was stoked. When I sat down to write it, though, I came up empty. I just…keep going, I thought. Why wouldn’t I be motivated? I quickly realized that there’s much more to it than that.

Forging on no matter what is vital, but that doesn’t mean overworking, never relaxing, or hitting back-to-back literary home runs. When I first began writing, I was under the impression that more meant better. I’d cram as much as I could into every day, barely stopping to breathe. This took away from my writing quality, my sleep and even my finances. I’ve since learned the value of rest, full days off, friendships with other writers and setting boundaries. (Every time we say “Yes” to a lunch, volunteer work or walking the neighbor’s dog during work time, we’re saying “No” to writing…)

If your brain feels sludgy today, rest then write tomorrow—assuming you’re not facing a deadline. If you think best during morning or evening hours, work then, but also leave room for play. Aim to move forward, rather than for perfection. Sleep enough. Eat well. Don’t forget to breathe. And when the going gets rough, don’t be afraid to seek help. One of the attributes I love most about the writing industry is its supportive nature. Lastly, listen to your inner voice. I can’t tell you how many times my instincts have saved my writerly butt. We often have the answers we seek, and need only to tune in and listen.

What keeps you motivated and moving forward? What has your inner voice been suggesting?

Getting Over the Hump – Welcome Toni Kelner

Please welcome my friend Toni Kelner. We’ve shared some fun at writer’s conferences and working together on a murder mystery and we’ve also had the joy of sitting together at a book signing (with 5 other writers) when two customers showed up.  Writing is filled with highs and lows and Toni is here to give us some insight into hers.

Sometimes Writing Sucks

by Toni L.P. Kelner

I’ll be honest. Today it sucks to be a writer.

I’m in the middle of a new novel, which is the first in a new series, and I’m not feeling happy with it. I’m not at all sure that I have a handle on the protagonist, my premise is kind of strange and the plot is creaky as all get out. I’m so far behind where I want to be that it’s not even funny.

There’s really only one reason I don’t call my editor and confess my ineptitude and lack of professionalism before making arrangements to return the advance and slink away into the sunset.

Here it is:

Yesterday didn’t suck.

That’s when Ace books released An Apple for the Creature, the latest in a series of anthologies co-edited by NYT bestseller Charlaine Harris and myself. I’m really proud of this book.

Charlaine and I invited eleven other writers to come up with their takes on supernatural denizens and schools, and were just delighted with what they came up with. We’ve got Charlaine visiting kindergarten while Rhys Bowen reminds us of the horrors of high school. Steve Hockensmith introduces an unusual college professor and Donald Harstad teaches a special class for law enforcement. My own story is adult ed, of a sort–an educational conference for werewolves. That’s just the start, and we love them all.

The cover is gorgeous, and we’re getting display space at the front of my local bookstore, and people have been sending kind words about it, and I put the finished book on my ego shelf to look at and smile proudly.

It was an wonderful day to be a writer.

That’s what’s getting me through today. I keep reminding myself that I’ve written books before–a bunch of them, in fact–and while I’m hardly objective, some of them have been pretty good. So it’s reasonable to assume that I can do it again if I don’t give up.

The fact is, there were some sucky days while working on An Apple for the Creature. Some emails got lost which slowed down the process, there was some disagreement over edits, the first cover design was really nice but didn’t quite work for the theme, and one of the contributors was so late I was starting to think she’d never finish the story.

It may not be professional for an anthology editor, but I’m going to name names. The slow-as-molasses contributor was:

Toni L.P. Kelner

Yup. Me. I just went back to my notes for “Pirate Dave and the Captain’s Ghost,” which is my contribution. At various points, I was sure that every character in the story was a cliche, the “jokes” weren’t a bit funny, there was no emotional growth for the main character, and the plot was full of holes.

That sounds kind of like today, doesn’t it? Yet, I did finish the story and was happy with the result. When I was reading galleys, I even smiled at my own jokes.

So right now I’m thinking that maybe, just maybe, if I can get through this particular plot problem and get a better feel for my protagonist, I’ll finish up with a manuscript that I can be proud of. And maybe about this time next year, I’ll have a great cover, enthusiastic readers and booksellers, and a new book for my ego shelf.

Come to think of it, that makes two reasons I keep going on those days when it sucks to be a writer. I keep remembering the wonderful yesterdays, and looking forward to the awesome tomorrows!

 

 

Getting Over the Hump Day – Welcome Joshua Graham

Joshua Graham and I met on the Amazon Kindle Facebook page back when you could have a conversation there and not be deluged with author self-promotion. I was lucky to discover his book Beyond Justice, a legal thriller with a Christian theme that does a great job of delivering a message while still appealing to a broad audience. Joshua’s latest novel, DARKROOM, hit 3 bestseller lists on Amazon the night of its release.

I’m delighted to have him here today to share a great story about staying committed when things are tough.

COMMITTED, NOT INSPIRED

How to keep motivated when things aren’t going their best

You’ve had your glory days and they were good, but now, as the luster of the moment or season has faded, you’re back at the daily grind again.  You know, that place where you were before that great victory, that award you won, that promotion, or whatever it was that sent your emotions into the stratosphere.  If you’re a writer, you’re now staring at the nemesis of all writers: the blinking cursor on the blank screen, and wondering, how can I do this again?  How can I get back to that place—that happy place, where I felt on top of the world?

Sometimes it feels like you can’t go on, when that feeling is gone.   Like in that chorus of the song by The Righteous Brothers You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling, those feelings are “gone, gone, gone.”  Truth be told, those are times you just want to quit—can I get a witness?

Back in the mid 1980’s, when I first got accepted to Juilliard as a cello student, I was on top of the world.  I felt like a big fish swimming  where others only dreamed of getting accepted.  Before that, I had practiced many hours every day, trying to catch up to other students who’d been studying since they were 4 years old.  (I started taking cello lessons at 14, so by the time college came around, I was behind by about a decade.)  But thanks to God’s grace, a great teacher, and practicing like mad for 6-8 hours a day for four years, I made it.

So, by the time I got into Juilliard, I thought I was pretty hot stuff.

Until I went to the practice rooms and heard all the wunderkinds practicing around me.

To say that I was in a state of shock and awe would be a gross understatement.  These kids were amazing!  Some of them were already giving concerts in all the major halls, had recording contracts with major labels, and subbing for greats like Itzhak Perlman.  They deserved all that success because they were true geniuses.

But I began to suffer from an acute case of intimidation and discouragement.  I feared going to those practice rooms with paper thin walls, because if I could hear three other musicians around me practicing, they could all hear me.

Practicing became a frightening experience.  Performing was literally feeling the opposite of what they tell you to do to overcome stage fright:  I felt like *I* was the one in my underwear before the audience.  Finally, under the weight of it all, I told my teacher I felt like quitting.

What he said to me in response shaped my attitude for the rest of my life.  He said [I’m paraphrasing a bit] “I can understand why you want to quit.  And to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t think any less of you if you chose to do that.  It’s a tough road and not for everyone.  But it’s a lot like marriage.  You see, when you first started playing the cello, you were merely infatuated.  You didn’t have very high standards and you didn’t know better.  You played because it was fun and it pleased you.  But now, as you improve and your standards are raised and continue to be challenged to push you to the highest levels, it’s not as fun.  It’s hard work, and even painful.  But if you’re committed to the art you love, you’re not in it for what it gives you, but what you give to it.  That’s what love is: giving, not taking.

“People get divorced when things get tough, when that “loving feeling” is gone.   People quit when it’s not fun anymore, or it gets too challenging.   But those who stick with it, those who work through it and work things out?  Only they will experience a lasting joy that those who quit never will.  There’s a high price to pay for it, but the rewards of staying true, and staying the course are incomparable.”

You know, I’m so glad my teacher didn’t say, “No, don’t quit.  You’re too talented, what a waste that would be.  All that hard work, all that time!”  Deep down, I was a little hurt he didn’t try to talk me out of it, but that hurt lasted only a few seconds.  Instead, he told it to me like it was.  Count the cost, do it for the love, and be committed when it feels bad and when it isn’t giving you pleasure.

Now, flash-forward 26 years with me.

I recently began an exercise regime with an awesome former Marine drill instructor.  I’d been feeling really out of shape and after many failed attempts at the gym, I had to do something for my health’s sake.  A friend of mine from church had been a member of this exercise program and had lost about 50 pounds during the time he joined.  So, my family and I decided we’d join too.

On the first day, after the rigors of military physical training, I felt like throwing up.  Apparently, several before me had done that on their first day, so I didn’t feel so bad.   What kept me going was the motivation of my peers and the instructor.  One thing my instructor said that resonates with the words of my cello teacher two and a half decades ago is:  “We’re committed, not inspired,” meaning, we show up, give it our all, and keep going, not because we feel like doing it, but because we have committed to doing what it takes to get results.

“Committed, not inspired” is what my cello teacher was getting me to understand back then, and what my Motivational Drill Instructor is reminding me of today.  During those days when I don’t feel particularly excited about working out, writing, or anything else to which I’m committed, I remember this and I do what it takes, not because I feel like it, but because it’s the right thing to do.

Whatever it is that you’re committed to—your job, your family, your marriage, your art, your workouts– just remember that when you’re not feeling it, that’s when you dig in your heels and refuse to quit.  Don’t go it alone.  Get some other like-minded friends or even a coach, to keep you going and push through the pain.  In the end, you will reap the fruit of commitment that you will never otherwise know.  And that fruit is sweet.

 

JOSHUA GRAHAM

Joshua Graham grew up in Brooklyn, NY where he lived for the better part of 30 years. He holds a Bachelor and Master’s Degree and went on to earn his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. During his time in Maryland, he taught as a professor at Shepherd College (WV), Western Maryland College, and Columbia Union College (MD).

Today he lives with his beautiful wife and children in Southern California. Several of Graham’s short fiction works have been published by Pocket Books and Dawn Treader Press.

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