It’s the first Wednesday of the month! DO you knOW WHat time it is? Alex Cavanaugh’s IWSG–Woot, woot! If you’d like to join our Insecure Writer’s Support Group, just follow the link:~)
So last week I shared pics of my fam’s trip to Star Wars Celebration VI in O-town and promised to share some insights this week.
Do you ever wonder why you do this? Why you research, plan and plot, write, revise, ect . . . over and over again, many times without seeing the fruits of your labor for a loooooooooooooong time (3 yrs for many;-) While I walked around the Orange County Convention Center, it hit me. Stories, good stories, make us feel emotions and experiences we wish we had in our everyday lives. Sometimes in a world where I feel like nobody is real anymore (just look at ‘reality TV’), I can delve into a book and live in the world of the characters for a few moments (okay, usually for a few hours, lol) and feel like all is right with the world again. Because these rock stars, I mean, authors, have such talent, it makes me believe in mankind and our purpose here. Some people meditate or take Pilates, I read & write. It’s my therapy (along with a steady diet of chocolate and coffee. I think my pen name should be “Caffeine Girl”).
There’s another reason why I write and you may or may not share my sentiments. Besides needing it as much as the air I breathe, I look at it as a calling, just like my teaching job. I realize not everyone believes in callings and I’m not trying to preach at ya. But I do believe we’re all born with God-given talents and I think writing is one of mine. If it was a money thing, I’d go out and get another job (and I wouldn’t be a teacher either for that matter). It’d be a LOT easier, let me tell you! But in life, we all have those, “Luke, I AM YOUR FATHER” moments.
Love my daughter’s Darth Vader mask with Ahsoka shirt-we all have a little bit of dark and light in us
If I can impart some wisdom from those moments that happen to me to somebody else through my novel, then I think that’s awesomesauce. Like I said, writing & reading are therapy to my soul. In life, I’m a complete mess. I may have the Coach purse to fool you into thinking that I have it all (it was a gift from my students last year, how cool is that), but trust me, people look at me walking down the school hallways and say, “Man, that Jamie Ayres is a complete mess! Look at her!” And I praise God for that, because He uses people like that to make a difference. So I write it into my characters, but the nice thing about that is I can make them shine on the pages by the time I’m done. Too bad it’s not that easy in real life. But nonetheless, our destinies aren’t thwarted by failures. George Lucas once said in an interview, “Even when Anakin became Darth Vader, he was still the chosen one.” So don’t give up on your stories if you’re feeling doubts and concerns over appearing foolish or weak. Darth Vader was still able to overthrow the emperor after the task seemed impossible all those years!
One more thing before I go, Krystal Wade’s cover reveal!
Isn’t it pretty? Doesn’t it just draw you in? Krystal’s a fellow Curiosity Quills author (not to mention the BEE–some of you get that, heeheehee). The last book in the trilogy is out in exactly 2 months *sQUee* Here’s the blurb:
Happy endings are hard to find, and even though Katriona is in the middle of a war with someone who’s already stolen more than she can replace, she aches for a positive future with her Draíochtans.
Armed with hope, confidence in her abilities, and a strange new gift from her mother, Kate ventures into the Darkness to defeat a fallen god.
Losses add up, and new obstacles rise to stand in the way. Is the one determined to bring Encardia light strong enough to keep fighting, or will all the sacrifices to stop those who seek domination be for nothing?
Well, until next Wednesday . . .
May the Force be with you:~)
Jamie Ayres 
Thanks for a great post, and for reminding me that writing is so much more than just a daily ritual that I pursue in the vain hope of publishing someday. My words might be why I’m here.
You and your Coach purse are awesomesauce. 🙂
My elite Coach purse and I thank you from the bottom of our vain hearts;-)
I invented the word Awesomesauce. I just want the record to state that! 😉
Great post. So true about callings and what we’re meant to do with our words. Use them for good!
Thank you for incorporating my cover reveal in such a thoughtful blog! ❤
X – BEE
I thought it was appropriate since you are a huge Star Wars fan yourself . . . who wouldn’t be since it’s the epitome of Awesomesauce–and of course you invented it!!!
Great post and thank you for the advice 🙂 Sometimes I forget why I write 😀
– From a fellow insecure writer 😀
You’re welcome, Ravena! THank you for visiting . . . are you part of the support group??
Yes I am! My most recent post was my second one 🙂 Nice to meet you!
A calling is absolutely how I think about it. I don’t feel like I am ME unless I am working on a writing project. But yes… SO MANY revisions before they are even approaching right…
Jamie … this is a great post and speaks to the heart and soul of many who have been “called.” No one has to think of it that way, nor do they need to agree … yet there must be a reason why stories have bounced inside my head since childhood … and that’s what I think it was … divine intervention … Great good things for you and BTW that is an awesome cover. May the force be with you as well 🙂
Wow, I never thought of all those books as divine intervention but you are TOTALLy right!!! Wouldn’t it be cool if our books do that for others? You just brought this to a whole nuther level for me:-)
I don’t know if God called me to write, but where I’m at in life, especially online and with what I’m doing musically, I think He’s put me in the right place.
For sure, Alex! I couldn’t imagine the blogosphere without our Super Ninja!
I joined IWSG for the first time today! Yay! Love its concept.
And I love how you talk about taking your brokenness and placing it in your characters. That’s the only way real people will ‘get’ our writing. Because we’re all broken.
Yay, welcome Barbara!!!
I agree with you about talent being a Divine gift some people have been given. We’ve been loaned that gift while we’re in the material world, and it’s up to us to use it to the best of our ability.
Amen, sista!
Writing is a great gift to be given. I’m glad God gave me a talent for it!
I’m glad He did too! ~Cheers:-)
I tagged you in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop! http://jessesaidyes.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-next-big-thing-blog-hop.html
Thanks,Lindsey!!!
I love that your daughter seems very cool with the idea of rocking a Vader mask. My little one seems to have a crush on him. Someday she’ll learn the truth about Vader, but I won’t break her little heart just yet.
And, yes, one can always apply what we’ve learned from Star Wars to everyday life. Not a day goes by when I don’t say, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this!”
Ha, I’m gonna have to start making that part of my mantra! Thanks for the follow!
We’re definitely on the same wave length, Jamie. Heck, we’re practically sisters.
Hey there, sista . . . thanks for stopping by:-)
First of all, thank you for your sweet comment yesterday, made my day! And also, a neighbor boy and I had a sweet conversation today. It went something like this:
Me: “So, what did you learn in school today?”
Him: “Not much. But I’d like to learn more about Star Wars.”
Ha! And then I find this blog.
A delight.
Keep writing woman. You’re good.
Kim
Hmm, luck or divine intervention;-) I think we both know the answer!
I SO agree with writing being therapy for the heart and soul. Preach on! Congrats on the upcoming book release Krystal. Awesome cover. May you have many sales 🙂
So good to hear I’m not the only one that’s a mess in my real life…hehe:)
A Star Wars convention, what fun! Very inspiring post. I think writing is one of my callings, too.