The Meditation of Writing
My first venture into book publishing happened on October 5, 2014. My romance short story, A Light in the Dark, was accepted by LGBT publisher JMS Books. Unbeknownst to me, over the next three years, that single story would find a new life with readers and be shaped into a trilogy series.
Skip to three years later, and I am still writing and publishing for JMS Books. I’ve watched my growth as a writer develop gradually, interestingly over the years, trying to top myself, and work harder on the next story, or to experiment with syntax, narrative, and structure — all the important elements for a writer.
Words on a page have always fascinated me. Reading and writing are a lot like breathing and eating and sleeping. Writing is a survival mechanism for the mind and body. Writing is my therapy, even among the most difficult days when I’m sitting in front of a blank screen, uncertain how the day’s work will turn out or if I’ll be able to write anything at all. Writing challenges me, brings me joy, angers me. But I need it.
In 2018, I wrote a novella called Jay Bird about two young men, Jay and Rocco, and followed them through their high school adolescence, the ups and downs of their tough teenage years, and watched as they struggled with every aspect of their lives from friendship, sexuality, and self-acceptance. Now, in 2020, I continue their story with a sequel called The Unbroken Circle, which will be published August 2020 by JMS Books.
Since childhood, I’ve turned to books for support, courage, faith, entertainment, self-help. All those words: they enlighten, educate, engage. Words and books are a powerful booster for self-expression. Entitlement. A writer’s healthy morale.
At the end of the day, I know I am lucky to be able to do what I do. I do not take any of it for granted, the writing, or when a story is accepted for publication. It is all fleeting: here today, forgotten tomorrow.
Enjoy the journey, somebody once told me. Don’t take it seriously. Accept rejections as a stepping stone to the next best thing. Work hard. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. If you want to be a writer, then do it. Write. Don’t wait for the literally muse to tap you on the shoulder.
Keep at it. Do not give up.
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