ROCKS~ So, yes, I sailed my instructor's boat onto the rocks. Nautical trivia: a sailboat rudder can cost a thousand bucks. I know this because Captain Queeg reminded me of that several times afterward. I'm not certain that the man had an intact sense of humor even before that 102 degree, windless day that I ran his boat into the rocks. Ak.

ROSES ~ But on a happier note, I got my copy of the signed contract for AYE DO OR DIE, so that means that I'm sailing forward with my second book and that I have a new deadline to meet. I also got a very nice surprise at my local RWA (Romance Writers of America) chapter meeting this week: the President presented me with a long-stemmed red rose to celebrate the sale of my first book. Pretty goose-bumpy considering how many times I'd seen similar presentations to other authors and always tried to imagine myself in that enviable situation. Wow.

A related, and equally strange, phenomena is that I have just comleted the third requested interview: questions posed to me regarding my writing career, my tips for other writers, my goals, etc. It occurs to me that people must think that after "The Call" (to contract your book) that a writer suddenly knows a lot more than she did the day before. Not so in my case--instead I now find myself on another steep curve of this publishing roller coaster with a new map to follow. And frankly, I'm not even sure if I'm looking at the thing right side up! But, of course, I know why they want to interview new authors--it's the same reason that I always eat up the war stories of other writers; their success makes our dream seem do-able. They keep us in the game.

One of the questions on the interview I completed for the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA asked about my future goals. I answered in the same tongue-in-cheek but ambitiously serious way I usually do: "I want to be the next Jennifer Crusie." Who wouldn't want to be a best-selling author and much sought after speaker? But I surprised myself a little by my explanation of this dream: "I love her books, I admire her guts and honesty, but MOSTLY I love the way she works so hard to help other writers." The more I thought about that, the more I realized that truth is a huge part of the passion that I feel for this writing pursuit. Being in the company of like-minded people and sharing that bond of camraderie and mutual support is so very special.

Along that line, a very talented young writer friend (who just completed a baby-birthing hiatus) wrote to thank me for "inspiring" her to get back to work at her writing and to return in earnest to her goal of publication. She said that NOT writing caused "a pain I can't even explain." Only another writer can fully relate to that. The same way that only other writers can understand the guts it takes to write from the heart, expose yourself for who you really are, then send that out to be viewed by strangers--and most of the time have the effort met with criticism and rejection. And maybe only other writers can fully share the mind-blowing elation when "The Call" finally comes in.

PROMISE ~ So, yes, I want to be like Jenny Crusie and not simply because she's talented and famous and sells a boatload of books. I want to be like her because it would be very cool to use that venue to encourage and support the other writers struggling to reach their goals too. I'd like to be there to hand them a rose when they realize a dream and to put my arms around their shoulders when they--um--sail onto the rocks instead. I promise to do that.