Ruby Fitzgerald's Blog, page 10
October 13, 2018
Battles We Can Win
They say to choose your battles wisely, I say to choose them with empathy.
With how busy and stressful life is, it's easy to fall into a habit of irritation that stems from focusing on self preservation... it becomes easy to get into an argument that's unnecessary, give up on something even when it means a lot to you, and ignore a problem that you could have helped with. We're all spread so thin from so many things demanding our attention- I get it. But that's why you have to take a step back and look at the people around you, and remember to be empathetic.
I try my best to support others when they can't support themselves. I try to see and understand the trouble and tension others might be feeling, such as letting a snippy comment be ignored because I know it was said out of fatigue not of malice. But on a bigger scale, I also try to fight for those who are hurt, weary, and/or have fewer opportunities than I do... And I so deeply encourage you to do the same because, when you let yourself feel for those around you, your heart connects. You make community - family - out of everyone you meet. It gives you a sense of safety and peace. And it makes choosing your battles far more straightforward.
I want to support other women, other artists, other creative spirits. I want to support other people with mental health issues. And I want to take care of animals because they can't take care of themselves. I want to stand up for those I know can most use my energy, my voice, my love. Because I know that we when we fight together, we are strong.
With how busy and stressful life is, it's easy to fall into a habit of irritation that stems from focusing on self preservation... it becomes easy to get into an argument that's unnecessary, give up on something even when it means a lot to you, and ignore a problem that you could have helped with. We're all spread so thin from so many things demanding our attention- I get it. But that's why you have to take a step back and look at the people around you, and remember to be empathetic.
I try my best to support others when they can't support themselves. I try to see and understand the trouble and tension others might be feeling, such as letting a snippy comment be ignored because I know it was said out of fatigue not of malice. But on a bigger scale, I also try to fight for those who are hurt, weary, and/or have fewer opportunities than I do... And I so deeply encourage you to do the same because, when you let yourself feel for those around you, your heart connects. You make community - family - out of everyone you meet. It gives you a sense of safety and peace. And it makes choosing your battles far more straightforward.
I want to support other women, other artists, other creative spirits. I want to support other people with mental health issues. And I want to take care of animals because they can't take care of themselves. I want to stand up for those I know can most use my energy, my voice, my love. Because I know that we when we fight together, we are strong.
October 6, 2018
Making Magic
You want to create beauty, you want to create life, you love fantasy, you love magic, you love realms of whimsical possibilities... me too.
That's why I write, and that's why we read. We escape into these marvelous, beautiful worlds and we have grand adventures and live epic lives. But why do we need to escape? Why do our own lives seem pale in comparison to the worlds in books? Well, for one dragons, for two, unicorns... but I digress! What, truly, is holding us from the fantasic? What is controlling us and forcing us to conform? Think of it this way: spells in the fantasy world can be used for both Good and Evil. We love them when they heal the hero and we hate them when they help the villain. We respect them for the options and abilities that they give to characters. Spells entice, enrage, encourage, and complicate. Just like the spells of reality! Magazine and TV ads, comedians and writers, performers and politicians- they weave their talents, their words, and their influence into spells, do they not? They lead us into thinking and feeling a certain way, and then into acting a certain way. That to me is magic.
Spells of reality may not be the type of magic that pulls lightening from the sky or turns you invisible, but they certainly do have draw and power and manipulation. Spells of media and social standards control us, popularity and performance expectations plague us. My question though is why is that the game we've been forced into playing?
The same spells of media and messaging used for ill intent- to sell, conform, and degrage- can absolutely be used to uplift and encourage. I say, if we focus on creating good, supporting love and life, the spells of reality won't need to be broken. Because they'll be changed. We can spread laughter and well-being. We can encourage and compliment with time, money, and influence. We can take back our control from those who tell us that wealth and fame and power are the only things that matter in life. We can make our own magic, rather than being tricked by the negative influences around us that say we're not good enough.
It's time we spun our own spells.
That's why I write, and that's why we read. We escape into these marvelous, beautiful worlds and we have grand adventures and live epic lives. But why do we need to escape? Why do our own lives seem pale in comparison to the worlds in books? Well, for one dragons, for two, unicorns... but I digress! What, truly, is holding us from the fantasic? What is controlling us and forcing us to conform? Think of it this way: spells in the fantasy world can be used for both Good and Evil. We love them when they heal the hero and we hate them when they help the villain. We respect them for the options and abilities that they give to characters. Spells entice, enrage, encourage, and complicate. Just like the spells of reality! Magazine and TV ads, comedians and writers, performers and politicians- they weave their talents, their words, and their influence into spells, do they not? They lead us into thinking and feeling a certain way, and then into acting a certain way. That to me is magic.
Spells of reality may not be the type of magic that pulls lightening from the sky or turns you invisible, but they certainly do have draw and power and manipulation. Spells of media and social standards control us, popularity and performance expectations plague us. My question though is why is that the game we've been forced into playing?
The same spells of media and messaging used for ill intent- to sell, conform, and degrage- can absolutely be used to uplift and encourage. I say, if we focus on creating good, supporting love and life, the spells of reality won't need to be broken. Because they'll be changed. We can spread laughter and well-being. We can encourage and compliment with time, money, and influence. We can take back our control from those who tell us that wealth and fame and power are the only things that matter in life. We can make our own magic, rather than being tricked by the negative influences around us that say we're not good enough.
It's time we spun our own spells.
September 30, 2018
Burning Away the Excess
How much cruelty, neglect, hatred, and abuse is in the news shocks me. The fact that rape, assault, and shootings are what we read about and hear about every single day hurts me to my core. We're so used to the nightmare news that we've been desensitized. We think that gun violence is unavoidable, that women's accusations being ignored is just another daily activity, that politicians are supposed to be liars and crooks, that pain and tears are unavoidable... we've grown up drowning in pain and disrespect. It breaks my heart, it really does, that getting along person-to-person is such a hard task for us to master.
However, I find it encouraging that although horrible things continue to happen every day one small but incredinly important stride toward taking care of one another is being made: mental and emotional health is becoming more and more openly spoken about. Awareness is skyrocketing because mental health has been prominent in the news with athletes and celebrities speaking out about their struggles. And such news reminds people that just because a life is full of good things, just because someone's outward appearance is put together, doesn't necessarily mean their inner world is it peace. So, I see a tiny flicker of hope- that people can love and respect each other, that judgement can fade, that people can open up and say 'hey I'm hurting' and have others around them jump at the chance to be kind, to give support, and reassure someone that it's okay to not be okay and that things will get better. It gives me hope for the future, because for a long time there's been stigma about anxiety and depression, about being sick of the heart and mind, instead of of the body.
For a long time going to the doctor has been completely socially acceptable but going to a psychiatrist hasn't been. For so long we've viewed mental illness as weakness or insanity rather than the battle against disease and disorder that it truly is. We've neglected taking care of ourselves- which is such foolishness! We all have problems, troubles, demons, and we can't always bear those things alone. We need each other's support. The news hurts. It hurts that humans can be so awful to each other... but then I read an article about somebody's determination to get well. And then I see all the comments... and for once they're filled with people saying "me too", "keep working- keep fighting!", "I've struggled through this too and I came out on top. So can you". I read strength and encouragement instead of hatred and trolling, and bashing on the person who had the bravery to open up.
So, although it's only a small victory, it's a victory that's long been awaited. I have hope now that eventually we can burn away the excess, get rid of the bad, push through all the negative, and find the purer, true, kinder version of self and society. That someday we can get along and respect one another. It gives me hope for healthier minds, happier hearts, and stronger bonds.
September is suicide prevention and awareness month. Don't stay silent.
However, I find it encouraging that although horrible things continue to happen every day one small but incredinly important stride toward taking care of one another is being made: mental and emotional health is becoming more and more openly spoken about. Awareness is skyrocketing because mental health has been prominent in the news with athletes and celebrities speaking out about their struggles. And such news reminds people that just because a life is full of good things, just because someone's outward appearance is put together, doesn't necessarily mean their inner world is it peace. So, I see a tiny flicker of hope- that people can love and respect each other, that judgement can fade, that people can open up and say 'hey I'm hurting' and have others around them jump at the chance to be kind, to give support, and reassure someone that it's okay to not be okay and that things will get better. It gives me hope for the future, because for a long time there's been stigma about anxiety and depression, about being sick of the heart and mind, instead of of the body.
For a long time going to the doctor has been completely socially acceptable but going to a psychiatrist hasn't been. For so long we've viewed mental illness as weakness or insanity rather than the battle against disease and disorder that it truly is. We've neglected taking care of ourselves- which is such foolishness! We all have problems, troubles, demons, and we can't always bear those things alone. We need each other's support. The news hurts. It hurts that humans can be so awful to each other... but then I read an article about somebody's determination to get well. And then I see all the comments... and for once they're filled with people saying "me too", "keep working- keep fighting!", "I've struggled through this too and I came out on top. So can you". I read strength and encouragement instead of hatred and trolling, and bashing on the person who had the bravery to open up.
So, although it's only a small victory, it's a victory that's long been awaited. I have hope now that eventually we can burn away the excess, get rid of the bad, push through all the negative, and find the purer, true, kinder version of self and society. That someday we can get along and respect one another. It gives me hope for healthier minds, happier hearts, and stronger bonds.
September is suicide prevention and awareness month. Don't stay silent.
August 6, 2018
Daydreaming Characters
Each character in the DoW series is a developed aspect of my own characteristics and struggles. Gwendolyn is my endurance, Silvia both my strength and my fears, Bridget my frustration, Jestin both my good-naturedness and my sorrow, Eleanor my internal struggle, Malcolm my heart, Zagan my temper... etc. When I write each character I imagine the aspect of myself that they portray and elaborate on it. I let the characters' actions be based on what would happen if I was fueled by a singular aspect of my personality rather than them all. If I let my anger and temper rule me- that would be the ruthlessness of Zagan. If I let my selfless kindness rule me- that would be the dedication of Gwendolyn...And so on and so forth.
I often lose track of time as I write, because I dont want to break my thought flow. The lives my characters live need to feel real- real life doesn't stop- so I don't want my stopping and restarting while writing to get into the story and diminish the authenticity of my characters. But! Because I strive so hard for authenticity, my characters end up with direction and opinion and plot different that what I intend. I always have a pretty good overall of how I want my books to unfold but, I swear, it's like the characters band together to change things as I write, and make the story totally different (and way better) than my original intentions.
On top of authenticity, I always want vivid imagery and relatable challenges in my stories because that gives readers a grand stage on which to imagine what I've written. I want readers to continue the story themselves, wonder about the details of the personalities and lives of characters that I don't get the chance to cover. I want them to think they'd befriend a character if they were real. That's why I never cease to visualize and daydream about the lands and the characters I've created (even if all my thoughts don't make it into the books) because I want to understand the story from a reader's perspective and write to help them enjoy the story even more.
I often lose track of time as I write, because I dont want to break my thought flow. The lives my characters live need to feel real- real life doesn't stop- so I don't want my stopping and restarting while writing to get into the story and diminish the authenticity of my characters. But! Because I strive so hard for authenticity, my characters end up with direction and opinion and plot different that what I intend. I always have a pretty good overall of how I want my books to unfold but, I swear, it's like the characters band together to change things as I write, and make the story totally different (and way better) than my original intentions.
On top of authenticity, I always want vivid imagery and relatable challenges in my stories because that gives readers a grand stage on which to imagine what I've written. I want readers to continue the story themselves, wonder about the details of the personalities and lives of characters that I don't get the chance to cover. I want them to think they'd befriend a character if they were real. That's why I never cease to visualize and daydream about the lands and the characters I've created (even if all my thoughts don't make it into the books) because I want to understand the story from a reader's perspective and write to help them enjoy the story even more.
May 17, 2018
The Lives of Characters
I feel like my characters, over the length of book one and two, have developed on their own. It's almost as if they and I were fresh friends when I began writing, and the farther along the story goes, the more both I and the reader discover. Aurora is a calm in a storm. Bridget is constantly emotionally torn. Donovan is scummy, but the type who people love to hate. Malcolm is patient. Eleanor is troubled but trying. Silvia is in the midst of her own mental war. These are the simple things, the traits of personality you learn early on in a friendship... what comes after though is like watching a flower unfurl, like falling in love.
I like to think about why people act and respond to actions they way that they do. In Harmonies of War, Xenos, although a participant in the brutal slaughter of his own academic colleagues choses not only to let Aurora live, but holds onto a necklace he feels must have sentimental value. Why? To answer that question, I put myself in his position. If I was loney, lost, brainwashed and had tucked my emotions away for years perhaps I too would be capable of terrible things... but the heart of a person is a difficult thing to break. Somewhere, hidden deep inside, are Xenos' sweeter memories and sentiments. There's a boy who loved his school mates and once enjoyed listening to the tales of Prophecies on snowy nights spent in the tundra. When I think of it that way, I suddenly see that of course the well-trained soldier would be inclined to kill without remorse but the child inside would weep at the thought of ruining the stories he held in fond regard.
Each character's journey is intwined with the others, just like our own lives are intertwined with our friends', family members', and coworkers'. We gather expierences, learn lessons, and develop emotions greatly because of the people we are surrounded by throughout life. It is no different in the life of a book series. A reader (and I as the writer) rejoices at the triumph of, and mourns the sorrows and deaths of, characters just as they would a friend.
I like to think about why people act and respond to actions they way that they do. In Harmonies of War, Xenos, although a participant in the brutal slaughter of his own academic colleagues choses not only to let Aurora live, but holds onto a necklace he feels must have sentimental value. Why? To answer that question, I put myself in his position. If I was loney, lost, brainwashed and had tucked my emotions away for years perhaps I too would be capable of terrible things... but the heart of a person is a difficult thing to break. Somewhere, hidden deep inside, are Xenos' sweeter memories and sentiments. There's a boy who loved his school mates and once enjoyed listening to the tales of Prophecies on snowy nights spent in the tundra. When I think of it that way, I suddenly see that of course the well-trained soldier would be inclined to kill without remorse but the child inside would weep at the thought of ruining the stories he held in fond regard.
Each character's journey is intwined with the others, just like our own lives are intertwined with our friends', family members', and coworkers'. We gather expierences, learn lessons, and develop emotions greatly because of the people we are surrounded by throughout life. It is no different in the life of a book series. A reader (and I as the writer) rejoices at the triumph of, and mourns the sorrows and deaths of, characters just as they would a friend.
April 24, 2018
Ripping Off Art
I keep seeing ads about how "piracy is not a victimless crime"... but it's always in relation to illegal music downloads of big-name stars. What about small-time artists?? Those are the people who most often get worked over, ripped off, and financially destroyed by piracy! For instance, I recently found out that an acquaintance- a talented artist who produces stunningly beautiful glass pieces Brewer & Marr - had her designs stolen by a popular clothing line. No credit to her, no payment, just straight stolen. It's a massive slap in the face to an artist's dedication and creativity to have something that they worked so hard on get hijacked for the sake of a money-hungry company making more money. All because they made something beautiful: punishment for a job well done. Instead of companies having any respect at all for originality and artistry, they scam, steal, and ripoff, unwilling to pay a price worthy of the real product.
The outcome of theft of creativity ranges from financial struggle to emotional fatigue, deteriorated motivation to legal chaos... stolen concepts can destroy an artist, both literally and figuratively. Wonder why creative people are more prone to depression? I definitely think one of the reasons is because it's easy to lose hope that your talent and art and ideas will ever be recognized, appreciated, or pay your bills. How can constant concern and fear of theft not take the wind out of your sails?
Over the years, people's inclination to be inventive and dream big has disappeared. People have ceased to strive for betterment because it doesn't pay off! Big companies monopolize the creative market. Clothing, jewelry, artwork, music, movies, etc, are all things you'd hope to see a massive spectrum of beauty and uniqueness in, instead it's the same already rich and already famous people and corporations producing and controlling everything. It's painfully difficult for a local artist to break into the market- actually make a name and a dollar for themselves- and then to add insult to injury by having work stolen by exactly the same company that's their competition...?! How disheartening.
Stop coming at me telling me piracy is not a victimless crime - big businesses - you are the ones ripping people off.
The outcome of theft of creativity ranges from financial struggle to emotional fatigue, deteriorated motivation to legal chaos... stolen concepts can destroy an artist, both literally and figuratively. Wonder why creative people are more prone to depression? I definitely think one of the reasons is because it's easy to lose hope that your talent and art and ideas will ever be recognized, appreciated, or pay your bills. How can constant concern and fear of theft not take the wind out of your sails?
Over the years, people's inclination to be inventive and dream big has disappeared. People have ceased to strive for betterment because it doesn't pay off! Big companies monopolize the creative market. Clothing, jewelry, artwork, music, movies, etc, are all things you'd hope to see a massive spectrum of beauty and uniqueness in, instead it's the same already rich and already famous people and corporations producing and controlling everything. It's painfully difficult for a local artist to break into the market- actually make a name and a dollar for themselves- and then to add insult to injury by having work stolen by exactly the same company that's their competition...?! How disheartening.
Stop coming at me telling me piracy is not a victimless crime - big businesses - you are the ones ripping people off.
April 11, 2018
Forgotten Power of Books
The books that have made lasting impressions on me are always the ones with multifaceted characters. The more complex the character and the more emotional development that they go through, the more believable and intriguing a story. Because of how my love of literature has progressed over the years, I strive to write elloquently, entertainingly, and personally. Eloquently to create clear mental images, entertainingly to spur a reader on, and personally to create an investment in a storyline. I have laughed aloud, swore, cried, and stayed up until 6am because of a well written book... So, on the flip side of that, I hope that when someone reads my work, they view the characters as true-to-life, the landscape as vivid, and the conflict as highly relatable. Nobody is strong all the time, a coward all the time, or chipper all the time, etc etc. Everyone rides highs and fall into lows! So shouldn't a book character do the same? Situations in life allow a person to act upon different aspects of their personality and abilities- THAT is the reason why I have always tried to make characters not only struggle in a believable manner but develop and redeem themselves in a believable manner as well.
One of the main characters in Descendants of War is Silvia, a woman who has faced an unmentionable amount of loss and heartbreak but has also lived through peace with great confidence. She has just as much, if not more, internal conflict as she does external. Her pride, self-value, happiness, strength, and life-outlook all get shaken to the core over the course of the series. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say her journey to re-center herself and find contentment after turmoil and change, is a process I'm sure we all can identify with. Life is ever changing, and so are we. We learn to cope, we learn to fogive, we grow stronger, become braver, work harder, and find new hope. That is the circle of life- to fall down only to get up more resilient and more determined.
To me, one's personal journey is just about the most important thing out there. Finding internal peace means you have the energy and ability to then turn to others to assist them on their journey toward peace. That's the answer, isn't it, to getting along with others? If you're confident in your own being you are more open to kindness and less likely to take hatred to heart. And, the opposite can be said, if you are confident in yourself you are also more likely to be able to spread goodwill and curb negativity. Don't ever believe your peace of mind doesn't matter, don't let yourself be belittled, and don't ever stop loving yourself. You matter. And once we all know and believe this, we will be able to support eachother without judgement or suspicion of ill intent. Personal peace leads to life peace. And you know, I'm quite sure just as well as I do, how desperately we all are in need of peace.
One of the main characters in Descendants of War is Silvia, a woman who has faced an unmentionable amount of loss and heartbreak but has also lived through peace with great confidence. She has just as much, if not more, internal conflict as she does external. Her pride, self-value, happiness, strength, and life-outlook all get shaken to the core over the course of the series. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say her journey to re-center herself and find contentment after turmoil and change, is a process I'm sure we all can identify with. Life is ever changing, and so are we. We learn to cope, we learn to fogive, we grow stronger, become braver, work harder, and find new hope. That is the circle of life- to fall down only to get up more resilient and more determined.
To me, one's personal journey is just about the most important thing out there. Finding internal peace means you have the energy and ability to then turn to others to assist them on their journey toward peace. That's the answer, isn't it, to getting along with others? If you're confident in your own being you are more open to kindness and less likely to take hatred to heart. And, the opposite can be said, if you are confident in yourself you are also more likely to be able to spread goodwill and curb negativity. Don't ever believe your peace of mind doesn't matter, don't let yourself be belittled, and don't ever stop loving yourself. You matter. And once we all know and believe this, we will be able to support eachother without judgement or suspicion of ill intent. Personal peace leads to life peace. And you know, I'm quite sure just as well as I do, how desperately we all are in need of peace.
March 31, 2018
It's 4:13 again...
Anxiety wakes me up at 4:13 in the morning and reminds me of everything I have to do "in the morning." Anxiety keeps telling me my list of to-dos over and over again until suddenly it is "in the morning" and I have not yet gone back to sleep. Anxiety makes me want to weep when my alarm clock sounds, it makes me frazzled and shaky when my routine is thrown off. Anxiety makes my chest seize and my thoughts race when my phone rings or even so much as buzzes more than twice in a row. Anxiety tells me I'm too fidgety with untamed energy to sit still but also too tired to sit up. Anxiety makes me lay on the cold floor of my bathroom long after the steam of my shower has evaporated, staring into space, memories and made-up conversations warring in my head.
Anxiety makes me realize at 4:13 in the afternoon that is indeed "afternoon" and I have not yet eaten. Anxiety tells me I am broken but, it tells me no one will care that I am hurting, no one will answer if I call for help, and no one will believe me if I admit that I am broken. Anxiety makes my voice shake when I meet someone new, makes me pop my knuckles and bite my nails when I talk to someone I want to impress, and makes me too scared to stand up for myself when I am angry. Anxiety tells me I am not good enough and never will be. Anxiety tells me everyone is judging me.
Anxiety keeps me up until 4:13 in the morning, even though "morning" simply becomes early passed late. Anxiety keeps me lost, drowning, stuck in my own head, waiting for the sun to rise again. Anxiety makes me acutely aware of every detail of my day and night. Anxiety makes itself comfortable in my bed, yet not so comfortable as to let me lay in peaceful slumber along side it. Anxiety thinks it is powerful, thinks it is resilient... and it is.
But so am I, and so are you.
Anxiety makes me realize at 4:13 in the afternoon that is indeed "afternoon" and I have not yet eaten. Anxiety tells me I am broken but, it tells me no one will care that I am hurting, no one will answer if I call for help, and no one will believe me if I admit that I am broken. Anxiety makes my voice shake when I meet someone new, makes me pop my knuckles and bite my nails when I talk to someone I want to impress, and makes me too scared to stand up for myself when I am angry. Anxiety tells me I am not good enough and never will be. Anxiety tells me everyone is judging me.
Anxiety keeps me up until 4:13 in the morning, even though "morning" simply becomes early passed late. Anxiety keeps me lost, drowning, stuck in my own head, waiting for the sun to rise again. Anxiety makes me acutely aware of every detail of my day and night. Anxiety makes itself comfortable in my bed, yet not so comfortable as to let me lay in peaceful slumber along side it. Anxiety thinks it is powerful, thinks it is resilient... and it is.
But so am I, and so are you.
March 25, 2018
Handling Pressure
There’s always a deadline to meet, bills to pay, people to talk to, errands to run, things that need fixing, schedules colliding, phones ringing, emails buzzing, it's enough to drive you crazy. On top of that there's always opinions to balance and emotions to process. Always. Every day. That’s true as a person, but also as a writer. Writer’s block is totally and completely a real thing. But it’s just a side effect of feeling pressured. My brain isn’t broken, and 'I'm never going to write again’, isn't ever true.
Just like having a bad day… it’s just one day. You’ll get up again in the morning and start fresh. It's not about the morning being fresh, or the day holding the promise of hope - it's about you, and your perspective. The choice is finding the hope of a new day, it's not easy, but after awhile, and a lot of discipline, it starts to work. Right? I know reading this you understand what I'm saying, it works for almost any habit.
I have stressed myself out over and over again because I take on too much, forget to take care of my inner self, and try to do too many things at the same time. Because of this, I’ve slowly realized that there’s never enough time, energy, or attention to make life—or a story—perfect. At least not all at once. Enjoy life instead of treating it like a duty. I know negativity hovers around us, bad things happen, stress and strain is unavoidable. I also get that it’s often hard not to linger in the past, but it’s always served me best to take the lessons I’ve learned and mistakes I’ve made, and file them away. It’s so much better for the mind and heart to instead focus on the present and the future full-heartedly. Life is exhausting. We all know that.
The key is the freedom to feel. Let yourself momentarily freak out, worry, get overwhelmed, then take a deep breath and keep going. The farther you go, the more you learn, and it's the learning that leads to understanding, and that leads to hope.
Just like having a bad day… it’s just one day. You’ll get up again in the morning and start fresh. It's not about the morning being fresh, or the day holding the promise of hope - it's about you, and your perspective. The choice is finding the hope of a new day, it's not easy, but after awhile, and a lot of discipline, it starts to work. Right? I know reading this you understand what I'm saying, it works for almost any habit.
I have stressed myself out over and over again because I take on too much, forget to take care of my inner self, and try to do too many things at the same time. Because of this, I’ve slowly realized that there’s never enough time, energy, or attention to make life—or a story—perfect. At least not all at once. Enjoy life instead of treating it like a duty. I know negativity hovers around us, bad things happen, stress and strain is unavoidable. I also get that it’s often hard not to linger in the past, but it’s always served me best to take the lessons I’ve learned and mistakes I’ve made, and file them away. It’s so much better for the mind and heart to instead focus on the present and the future full-heartedly. Life is exhausting. We all know that.
The key is the freedom to feel. Let yourself momentarily freak out, worry, get overwhelmed, then take a deep breath and keep going. The farther you go, the more you learn, and it's the learning that leads to understanding, and that leads to hope.
August 2, 2017
The Reader
As I start winding down my edits on Harmonies of War: Magic's Demise and get ready to hand it off to my publisher, it puts me in such an interesting space. I have set the stage with Book 1, and Book 2 goes incredibly deep into the world of magic. We really get to see the Descendants and the light as well as darkness of their journey. You will cry, and scream, and jump for joy at the intensity of the story. Magic's Demise is about a journey into every corner and dimension of existence imaginable. Love, hatred, war, death, miracles, and explosive, earth shattering betrayal. A journey that is eerily similar to what many of us experience in the world today.
And then it hit me like a tsunami.
As readers, YOU are the artists. It is each and every one of you that interpret and color my words in unique and exceptional ways. No matter what I write, I can only imagine how you will see this world. I see it in blues, and purples, and wine. How do you see it? I feel despair, hope, betrayal. What do you feel? Sometimes I read a review that at first glance isn't positive, and then I stop for a minute to see your world, see how you colored it, and I add that little piece of the puzzle to my bigger picture as I write, and am overwhelmed with gratitude.
So as I get ready to send Magic's Demise to my publisher, only to see it again in a few months, with mere glimpses from now until then I say this:
To you, the reader:
Thank you for reading. Thank you for still seeing colors in the world, and thank you for caring enough to talk about it. Thank you for not being afraid to confront the issues you feel when taking a journey into words, and for pushing authors like myself further. Most importantly, thank you for not giving up on art.
Deepok Chopra says the way to fix our planet is through Artists:
"The only people they're afraid of are the Artists, because the Artists serve as the voice of the people. Artists are in a way are the conscience of society. The Artists, can stir people at a very deep level, whether through music, or through movies, or through any kind of entertainment. I have two choices, go to the bar say the heck with it and have a drink, or be the change I wish to see in the world. Hang out with people who want to be the change, and hope that we can create. a critical mass."
Thank you readers, you are the real Artists.
And then it hit me like a tsunami.
As readers, YOU are the artists. It is each and every one of you that interpret and color my words in unique and exceptional ways. No matter what I write, I can only imagine how you will see this world. I see it in blues, and purples, and wine. How do you see it? I feel despair, hope, betrayal. What do you feel? Sometimes I read a review that at first glance isn't positive, and then I stop for a minute to see your world, see how you colored it, and I add that little piece of the puzzle to my bigger picture as I write, and am overwhelmed with gratitude.
So as I get ready to send Magic's Demise to my publisher, only to see it again in a few months, with mere glimpses from now until then I say this:
To you, the reader:
Thank you for reading. Thank you for still seeing colors in the world, and thank you for caring enough to talk about it. Thank you for not being afraid to confront the issues you feel when taking a journey into words, and for pushing authors like myself further. Most importantly, thank you for not giving up on art.
Deepok Chopra says the way to fix our planet is through Artists:
"The only people they're afraid of are the Artists, because the Artists serve as the voice of the people. Artists are in a way are the conscience of society. The Artists, can stir people at a very deep level, whether through music, or through movies, or through any kind of entertainment. I have two choices, go to the bar say the heck with it and have a drink, or be the change I wish to see in the world. Hang out with people who want to be the change, and hope that we can create. a critical mass."
Thank you readers, you are the real Artists.
