To celebrate launch week of Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott, we’ve asked some of our favorite women’s fiction authors to stop by and share their own idea of “the sweet life.”
Burnt Marshmallows: A Writer’s Dolce Vita
by guest author Joanne Rendell, The Professors’ Wives’ Club
“I wish I could get this novel finished….”
“I wish I could get an agent….”
“I wish my agent could find an editor who will buy my book…”
“I wish my book would get great reviews…”
“I wish it would be put on the front tables at Barnes and Noble…”
“I wish it would sell lots…”
“I wish I could get on the New York Times Bestsellers list…”
“I wish Oprah would call…”
Many people live by their dreams and aspirations and writers, like me, are no different. From the moment I started writing fiction, I dreamed. I dreamed of being able to finish a paragraph, a chapter, then a book. When my first manuscript was done, I dreamed of securing an agent and finding a publisher. I was lucky, although there were hiccups and rejected manuscripts along the way, these dreams came true. I found an agent and a publisher and now have a book out on the tables of Barnes and Noble and another book in the publishing world’s pipeline.
But even when our dreams come true, we still keep coming up with new dreams. As soon as my first novel The Professors’ Wives’ Club was launched this Fall, I cooked up a whole new set of dreams: seeing a review in O magazine; a mention in The New York Times; my name on the bestseller’s list; a call from the Today show. I couldn’t help it. I just kept dreaming.
Indeed, because of these new set of dreams, I spent a few weeks after my book’s launch worrying: worrying about sales, worrying whether I was doing enough to help publicize my book. In an attempt to get my name out there, I ended up writing a number of articles for publications and websites, including an essay about homeschooling for Babble.com which whipped up a storm of controversy. The piece was picked up by a number of media outlets and resulted in my family and I being featured in an article for The New York Times.
Yet, what I realized through the whole rollercoaster adventure in the world of “big media” was that, in spite of being exciting and dream-fulfilling, it wasn’t where I found the most happiness.
The day after seeing my article in the newspaper (and after fielding all the phonecalls and emails it prompted), my husband, five year old son and I took off for our little ramshackle cabin in upstate New York. In the evening, the temperature dropped and we built a fire and roasted marshmallows. The moon was bright and a few wispy clouds scudded across the otherwise clear sky. I wasn’t thinking about the Times piece, or the sales of my books, or the fact that, out in the country, Oprah wouldn’t be able to reach me! Instead, I simply enjoyed the sweetness of the marshmallows and my small family who were smiling and laughing in the glow of the dancing orange flames.
Dreams are vital, I realized as I tucked myself into my sleeping bag that night. Without dreams we might not dare to strike out, take adventures, or pursue those things we’d really love to do. However, it is the simple pleasures – and sticky burnt marshmallows – that make our lives truly sweet.
Thanks, Joanne! I could use a smore right about now. Continued success on your writing and making those dreams come true.
Get The Professors’ Wives’ Club on Amazon here.
Joanne, Wonderful post! Thanks so much for stopping in. I can definitely relate to everything you’ve said. And I did a post yesterday on Casablanca Authors on “savoring the small stuff.” We are on the same wavelength, girl!