1/21/08

Be Passionate - Be You

Hi everyone, just wanted to stop by and say a few words.

I was listening to a friend speak yesterday and something she said lit up for me. You know how that happens. It is one of those moments when you say, "Yeah, I knew that but the way you said that makes it so much clearer."

I wanted to share with you how fortunate we all are to have each other. Our different perspectives open doors that otherwise can be seen but for some reason we keep missing the doorknob.

As a publisher and author, one of the things people will say to me is, I have this story but I am sure it has been told before and why would anyone want to hear it from me.

My answer is because you are 'Unique.' There is only one you and the way you choose your words, the way your vibration comes through them, is different. Everyone has people who will be attracted to them. We all embrace differently yet it is still an embrace.

So if you have a story to tell, tell it. Blog it, test it, lulu it or get out there and hawk it to an agent or publisher. The only way you are going to find out if someone is listening is if you ask.

J.K. Rowling, the most successful author in the history of our world received rejection after rejection for three full years - that's 36 months or 156 weeks of rejection. That is a lot of rejection. So who were those publishers? Lots of publishers. But that did not stop her.

When I meet with children in the schools the most frequent question I receive is, what made you write this book? My answer is, 'Passion.'

You have to be in love with your work, your journey, your characters and your narrative. No one is going to write 95,000 polished words without passion. It would be drudgery, and that would pour through onto the page.

When you are passionate about what you are doing, no matter what it is, it shows.

I think the secret to passion is being in love with being. I am passionate when I wash dishes or walk on the beach. The world we live in is a beautiful place.

Architecture leaps from the pavement to touch the sky in the big cities, while foamy fingers caress the sand at the beach, and turbulent rivers race around verdant hills pressing hard against reeds and crashing over rocks in the valleys of my hometown.

There is beauty where ever you look when you carry it in your heart.

So take this stardust....... I am sprinkling over you and look again in the mirror.

Now what do you see? The author? The artist? The medic? The cowboy? The video entrepeneur? Be whatever you dream, because you can.