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| The Journey of Writing Books |
I happened to walk by the television during the announcement of
the Best Supporting Actress category for the 2023 Academy Awards as my hubby
had just serendipitously switched it on. I paused, wondering who would win, and
when Jamie Lee Curtis’s name was announced, I smiled knowing she’d earned her
acting chops throughout years of peaks and valleys slogging it through the
entertainment industry. Then, I listened to her speech, and something deep
inside of me resonated with her. She rattled off a list of names having to do
with the award-winning movie, raised the golden statue, and yelled, “We won an
Oscar!”, then she mentioned her family, and repeated, “We won an Oscar!”. This
speech continued on with colleagues and fans of her movie genres until the
actress finished off with her parents, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, both
accomplished actors in their own right, and shouted, “We won an Oscar!”
Then it hit me. What Jamie Lee Curtis said would apply to anyone
who worked hard, and put in the time and effort to accomplish a huge dream or
goal. Being in the Olympics. Making a professional sports team. Getting your
paintings or photographs in a gallery. Writing and publishing a book. You saw
where I was going with this, didn’t you?
What Ms. Curtis said rings true for me. It takes thousands of
people to help you reap your reward…or in this case award. I’m not sure how
many people (over a thousand for sure) who have helped me along in my writing
career. From conception in 1995 to publication in 2012, and then again in 2015,
it truly took a global village to help me make my dream of becoming a published
author come true. Of course, I have more dreams in my back pocket. Completing
both my young adult book series, starting another book series, reaching readers
globally, and seeing my books translate into movies or a television series are
but a sampling. Some of these goals will take years to accomplish through
dog-eared determination, and others will rely on connecting to the right people
at the right time. One never knows how fate will intervene, but it helps to be
prepared and ready when that door swings open. I know what I’ll say too. “We
wrote a book!” I’ll shout humbly, knowing that I was never alone in the midst
of writing any of my books. Ever.
If you never got a chance to hear Jamie Lee Curtis’s speech, you
can listen to it below. I promise, it’s short, but very powerful:
If you’re a reader, did you
realize how many people are involved in helping an author become published? If
you’re an author, have you ever thought about how much support you’ve received
over the years of your writing career? Would love to read your comments. Cheers
and thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you!