IWSG June--Stop Saying "I'm Sorry"

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the June 5 posting of the IWSG are Diane Burton, Kim Lajevardi, Sylvia Ney, Sarah Foster, Jennifer Hawes, and Madeline Mora-Summonte!

June 5 question: Of all the genres you read and write, which is your favorite to write in and why?

READING: I love books that make me feel something, regardless of genre. My heart has always connected to the adventure in science fiction as long as it's not too political. And in the last few years, I've grown to love reconnecting with that young first love feeling of contemporary romance.

WRITING: Because those are the two I love to read, that's what I enjoy writing the most. Lately, though my romance had been bogging me down because I'm digging "too deep." Not my words, but those of my writing group. There are certain issues my brain wants to dissect and deal with that is turning my romance into women's fiction. Maybe I should have stuck to my sci-fi ideas to do that. LOL, oh well. Good thing I can write what I want!

Reflections From May

May was a roller coaster of emotions for me. There were many great moments, lots of fast-paced days that left me drained, and some good lessons as well.

First, I've decided my husband and I should always travel in May. The last two years of May excursions have gone down in my "best trip ever" book. Last year it was Ireland. This year it was Alaska. We enjoyed the beauty of the land, saw humpback whales, otters, sea lions, orcas, and bald eagles. The trip was educational too, which is always a bonus in my book. Here are a few photos.

 Ice as we neared the Endicott Arm to view the Dawes Glacier. The sun came up and all the color came out.

 The Mendenhall Glacier was one of my favorite stops. Beautiful 70-degree weather and sunshine as we strolled through the rainforest.

This is perhaps my favorite photo from the Endicott Arm. The water was like glass, creating perfect mirroring and then the wake from the boat looked like ribbon.

Sea lions sunbathing. This lake in Juneau was so beautiful I kept expecting to see water skiers everywhere. But nope. Just whales and sea lions.

We returned home happy and refreshed, having enjoyed some of the best weather ever in Alaska. Of course, that meant life had to go crazy. We've stayed busy building another room in the garage for our exchange student who will arrive at the end of July. I'm also helping plan a writer's boot camp for August, as well as the annual preparedness fair in September. All three things feel like full-time jobs at the moment. That means there has been no writing which sends me into a perpetual state of frustration with everything and everyone. 

Victoria, Canada

The good news is I'm generally polite about it. This means I end up apologizing to everyone all the time for stupid stuff--like breathing. At one of my many meetings, another woman was trying to thank me for all I was doing. I immediately apologized for doing too much.

See, stupid stuff! Her lesson for me is something I really need to internalize. She said I needed to stop apologizing for being me. For doing the things I'm passionate about in the full-speed-ahead way that I do it. 

I told her I still feel like a poser after all these years. Sure, I've published books and am finally out of the red at the end of each year with them, but just barely. That doesn't feel like success, so I'm always saying "I'm sorry!"

This wise woman told me to stop because my experience over the last ten years is what makes me an expert. 

That's what I want to share with you today. We all need to stop saying "I'm sorry" for trying our best to do what makes us happy. Each day adds experience and makes us an authority in that area. Every mistake means we have something to share and teach others. 

In honor of that, here are a few things I'm participating in this month:

Browse and grab the first 10 chapters of my latest YA space opera HERE.

Browse and grab my first contemporary romance HERE.

Come back on June 16th to find a hidden word on my blog as well as the list of other participating blogs. 

And now, some more home project photos. The first is inside the room, the next two are the new "hall," and the last is the view from outside. We still have a ton to do, but we're getting there.