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Thank you so much to the many people who have been wonderfully supportive commenting either here, on Facebook, or otherwise in regard to my last post “Beaten to the finish line??? Or, an opened door….?”. We all have our own voice, and a great subject is viewed even better from many angles! I think Flashpoint will be a great success that will launch into a ready and eager audience thanks to Dan Browns priming latest best seller The Lost Symbol.

…So, I want to live my life as a successful writer… but what does that mean? What do I really have to go through to live that life? What is the cost vs. the solid and possible rewards?

Reading a recent post from literary agent Nathan Bransford
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/, the perspective of the obsessed struggling writer came acutely into view for me:

“…As a society, we often celebrate tortured and struggling artists who finally make it big despite their obstacles, and yet we don’t often examine the flip side of this, which is that the vast majority of tortured and struggling artists don’t actually make it. We tend to encourage everyone to write (Person 1 tells an interesting story, Person 2 says “Wow, you should write a book about that”), and there are very few people out there willing to tell any writer they don’t have what it takes and should probably try pursuing something else with their time. I’m guilty of this as well – who am I to say whether or not someone will or won’t be published?…” -Nathan Bransford

There comes a time when a everyone needs to evaluate if their passion is healthy and beneficial a or obsessive and destructive to the balance of their life… Are you spending too much time in your mind writing, obsessing over characters, blogging or networking (or anything else on the drive for success for that matter)? … instead of spending precious quality time with your children or other loved ones, nurturing your body and soul or missing out on LIVING? When does pursuing your dreams become destructive? -and not worth the price?

Marilynn Byerly commented wisely on Nathan’s Blog; “…Writing is a hobby, an avocation, or a career, but it is not a life. Real life is what matters most. You will regret it if you look up from your keyboard one day to discover life has passed you by, and the writing wasn’t worth the cost.”

How many people have you met that spent every waking moment chasing their tails and franticly scurried about stressing over “success” -of any kind- only to realize they missed too many of their kids baseball games or dance recitals? Forgot to really experience and enjoy the many gifts around them? forgetting to “smell the roses”? Sometimes I catch myself so caught up in the rat race of website glitches, blogging, tweeting and Facebook-posting about my book to get the buzz going… I almost forget … it’s all about balance.

When someone asks me what I do. I usually express it in this order… “I am a mother, a writer and…” I love writing -it nourishes my spirit and brings forth my soul…. when I’ve had a good writing session, I am often rejuvenated to get up and go play with my kids and joyously get some house work done :). But if I get too caught up in so many other details in life that DON’T really feed my soul, I feel drained and searching for small successes -like diligently checking things off my ‘to do’ list- that are rarely really satisfying. On the flip side, if I spend too much time focused on my kids and the daily chores… my spark that is “me” withers.

I have always envisioned my life as a writer being balanced between all my other passions and priorities in life. A couple hours of writing each day while the kids play… then joining them :)… Yoga a couple times a week, other creative and life-affirming adventures, walking and exploring with my kids regularly, plenty of quality family time while traveling the world…

When I notice I am not enjoying or “feeling it” whether it’s the promotional part or the creative part… I know I need to walk away for a while. When I get that anxious, antsy feeling in my body and I can barely tolerate to sit in front of my computer any more, I know it’s my message to get back in balance… and go jump on the trampoline with my kids 🙂

If it doesn’t feel good -especially long term-, don’t do it.

Here a couple pictures of my daughter and the first few stages of her “fairy taking a bath in a tea cup” Halloween costume 🙂 -It’s all about balancing what you love … in all areas:)

Chicken wire frame tea cup for "fairy taking a bath in teacup" costume. My little fairy in the background :)
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Chicken wire frame tea cup for "fairy taking a bath in teacup" costume. My little fairy in the background 🙂

PA061273
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In my last couple blogs I have included excerpts from Flashpoint hinting at the love story… this excerpt is more action suspense … Just to keep you balanced ;).

Let me know what you think. Do you like my blog topics? Is there something more you’d like to read about from me?

With Love
Jamie

This next scene is just after Avlyn has recovered the Perfect Lady Diamond from the high security lab on The Sutras mobile headquarters and is about to make her escape…

“Avlyn punched the elevator button and waited silently, closing her eyes to focus hoping to feel Finn was near and the hostages were now safely aboard the charter boat.
She realized something was out of place just a moment before she heard the elevator doors open and the click of a gun cocking. She opened her eyes to see an angry faced man with long stringy hair glaring at her. The side of his face was a swollen red mass. He must have been the guard she dropped from three stories up. That is one thick skull she thought.
The man gave her a creepy grin.
“Well look-y here…” He slightly licked his lips before grabbing Avlyn by the arm, twisting and yanked her against him crushing her back against his ribs. He hit an elevator button with the gun barrel then dug it into her side. Breathing heavily he nuzzled his nose in her neck.
He grumbled in her ear “My my, you’re a pretty little thing… How did such a nice little piece of meat like you cause so much trouble?”
“I’m a whole lot more trouble for you than you could possibly imagine” she said as she stretched her eyes to glare at the man clutching her so tightly.
He chuckled, and groaned deeply in her ear “Oh honey,… I can imagine a whole lot I can do with you…”
Making her skin crawl, he licked from her jaw line to her temple moaning as he tasted her skin.
Avlyn closed her eyes and felt deeply, her inner light flickered but grew, and she envisioned the mans dark heart thumping in his chest as her light reached into his body. From his heart began to radiate her light… he groaned.
“Oh sweetheart, you’re gonna feel so good” he chuckled, but she didn’t hear him. Her body relaxed a little and the light reaching from her brightened. He felt her body slightly relax against him and something within him stirred, but he was so caught up in the idea of what he was going to do to her he only felt aroused and his body responded to the sensations he was misinterpreting.
Then his face suddenly dropped as images started flashing through his mind…”