Before the hubby was put on a low low salt diet, we used to order Chinese food every weekend. They always included a lot of fortune cookies, so I started saving them up. Now, we only order once a month—maybe—but I still have all these fortune cookies and open one every week. (Well, I did. Apparently, he decided the cookies needed to be thrown out last week in the great clean out. In his defense, he had no idea how much fun I had opening these every week.)
I may build my stash back up so I can do more of these posts. I know fortune cookies are silly and mean absolutely nothing, but sometimes, it’s fun when you get a message you needed to hear. There are a few that came during some very interesting times, so I thought I’d share.
This is the year when ingenuity stands high on the list.
I got this one the night I was discussing two things. Putting out Psycho Romeo in audio and putting out solo MM romances. That was the plan for this year along with the four books Jocelynn and I had scheduled. I hit a few road bumps as everyone knows now, but I’m still hopeful at least one solo will go out this year. (Joce and I are right on schedule with three out this year already!) As for the audio, we jumped into that one and Psycho Romeo is now up with Audible and narrated by the talented Kenneth Obi.
Embrace change, don’t battle it.
Oh, did I need to get this one! As you can tell from that painfully revealing last post, I battle everything. I’m stubborn and always believe I can do things for myself. I’ve always run myself ragged trying to do it all myself. I don’t delegate well. LOL. But accepting that my biggest battle has to do with missing chemicals was hard. Even after I was told, I fought the diagnosis and well, I’m still learning. Like every other human being out there. We are always learning.
When in doubt, mumble.
Including this one because it cracked me up. Not only do I do this, but my characters often do as well. 😉
Work is the true elixir of life. The busiest man is the happiest man.
My work has been my savior. I love plotting with Jocelynn and Rachel. Yesterday, I had a three hour plotting call with Jocelynn, and not only did we hammer out an exciting surprise coming up, but we made a few other decisions that have my blood pumping with excitement. Plus, we laughed a lot. (It’s not a big secret, but I love making that woman laugh more than just about anything.) In addition to plotting, I love diving into that blank page, even when characters are frustrating me to death and making pace my office. Or bedroom. Or living room. (I move around a lot.) Then, there’s my favorite. Round 2. When you go through that rough draft, and start adding the nuance that makes the characters, story and setting breathe.
Doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is happiness.
This one is my favorite so far because there are no truer words.
I have always wanted to be an author. From the time I wrote my first story in the first grade, and the teacher called my mother to come in and talk. It was a moody little story with a sad ending, but the teacher adored it and read it the class. I was so embarrassed! Yet, proud. I wrote a lot of stories through school and yeah, a lot of moody poetry as a teen. Even those of us without chemical issues do that. 😉 But when I wasn’t writing, my nose was stuck in books. I knew I wanted to write romance novels, and I finished my first one at 23 with a toddler playing next to me. I still cringe when I think of sending that to Harlequin. But I got the loveliest two page rejection letter. At the time, I didn’t think it was so lovely, but I later learned that was pretty rare.
I went on to write many, many books over the years and the dream of publishing just wasn’t happening. I lost my joy in writing over and over, but was always pulled back. I was told my heroines were too strong, and that the heroes needed to save them more—when I liked them saving themselves. LOL. I even wrote this funky book I later learned was urban fantasy and got three agent offers for it. (Dweller on the Threshold) I won’t go into the long battle after that because it already here somewhere, but when Jocelynn asked me to write with her, I found my joy again.
I am writing my favorite kind of stories and rediscovering the happiness in what I do. There is most definitely great freedom in that.
Hi Rinda,
Thank you for sharing your incredibly personal story. A hard one. You are an amazing individual for allowing yourself to heal and to find the inner strength to go forward. That takes courage. Of heart and soul. It also takes faith and hope.
Hope never left you. It just took a bit of a nap. There is a corny saying that popped into my head, at one of those really bad forks in the road moments in ones life. “God never burdens one with more than they can carry”. Not overly fond of that saying. At the same time very true. It is our internal struggles that makes us stronger. Sometimes with the help of medication.
The gift you were graced with was the writing. Writing that is absolutely wonderful. love your work.
For you this was your rock. The one thing you can cling to in times when you were not able to find a balance. I am also very glad for you that you have such an amazing support of family and friends, who don’t simply walk away or are okay with a text or a non meaning phone call.
As for twitter, facebook, and all those not so nice people who have the absolute need to criticize, beat down, day in day out, doing it anonymously, not face to face (now that would take courage), they are the dregs of humanity. One always has to take what they say with a grain of salt. The reality is that at the end of the day they do not mean a hill of beans. They build sandcastles. Huge ones. And the, all knowing, great power of the ocean, wipes them clean at the end of each day. It is not easy to step away from the looking at such foul words or sentiments. Then there is the grace one finds when you genuinely smile at the meanest of people and you feel sorry for their plight in this world that makes have such an overwhelming need to hurt another verbally. And you allow them to pass through. No more thought given or energy spent.
You have better things to live for. Your husband. Your family. Your friends. Your incredible gift that you’ve been given. Writing. Imagination. Hope.
You have an amazing and rich life. Well lived. Even with it’s trials and tribulations.
Treasuring the amazing moments that you have been graced with.
I wish you a good journey in your healing and a well lived life.
ps
Totally loved your new book “Remote Access”. I became aware of you only through the books you cowrote with Jocelyn Drake. Reading the single book by Jocelyn and now the single book by you, I realize how much of you, the free spirit, the great sense of humor, you, is in the Unbreakable and Ward Securities books. You have an amazing gift. Trust in that reality and knowing.
You have an amazing gift. Thank you for sharing it with us. Your work transports our everyday lives and brings beauty to it. Sending you a hug in much earnestness and love.
Franciska
Wow. Thank you for the kind words. And for recognizing me in our co-written books. This comment really touched me. Thank you.
I fully support my wonderful daughter. I have always known her love of books and writing and never felt the need to hold her back from it. Some said I shouldn’t let her read this or that but I knew she wouldn’t go wrong. I trusted her judgement. I loved her laughter and her since of fantasy. I knew someday she would be a writer known and loved.