Keeping My Head on Straight

I'm a writer.  That's my thing, as you all know.  I like to tell stories and paint pictures with words.  I enjoy the research, creating and fleshing-out characters, and developing plots that intrigue and entertain.

So there are times, when all the other stuff, really pisses me off.  On the one hand, I'm trying to keep my people motivated and focused.  I work on social networking, marketing, PR, advertising, and all sorts of company issues, on a miniscule budget.  Depending on the day of the week, I wake up, look in the mirror, and shake my head.

"Have you lost your fricking mind?" I ask the reflection.  It's funny how he never replies.

Of course I've lost my mind.  Why would anyone with an ounce of intelligence, start their own company?  In this current economic condition, strangely there's plenty of cash flowing into the most ridiculous tech applications, but it seems too much to ask for someone to fund a new entertainment company with a vault full of content.

Is it too much to ask?

I snarl and hiss and grunt and groan, then go back into the fray.

I'm telling you, I'm insane.  Either that, or for some illogical reason, I believe in what I'm doing.  See, this dream isn't just about me.  Sure, I envision a breath of fresh air for the entertainment world, because none of my stuff is a retread.  Of course I want to write more books, screenplays, comic books, graphic novels, script games and roll out the myriad of adventures in whatever format the consumer demands.  Some great movies could be born from these gems.

But it's the people who have remained loyal and true to the cause.  They labor and sweat blood over projects, without pay, but with me heartfelt thanks as their only reward.  I couldn't have gotten this far without them.  This includes my readers and fans and friends and family too.  I want to deliver this level of quality for anyone and everyone.

In fact, our Vision Statement is:

Quality Entertainment Begins With a Magical Heart

And our Mission Statement is:

To Provide Quality Entertainment for Everyone

Yes, it's a dream.  Yes, it requires my passion every day, over and over and over again.  You face the ups and downs throughout, sometimes without any light at the end of the tunnel.

"In a startup, things seem great one moment and hopeless the next.  And by next, I mean a couple hours later."  Paul Graham

It's at the critical moments, when I throw up my hands in dismay and question whether anything else can go wrong, that a voice of calm always whispers, "Go write about it."
So rather than retreating, I whip out the keyboard and dive back into what I'm best at.  Someday, mark my words, this is going to pay off.  Not necessarily with a big paycheck, though that would be nice.  More importantly, lots of people are going to discover quality entertainment, whether that is with a Motor Torpedo Boat officer in Element of Surprise, a rare book dealer in Dust Jacket, a US Army Captain in A Favor For FDR, or loveable Thaddeus Osbert in the Dragon's Secrets series.
Mark my words.