BIRD BY BLUEBIRD

When I was making my bed today, I kept hearing something like a branch hitting one of the windows–only there was no wind and no branch for that matter. Living in our house, stuff like that isn’t unusual, but since it was cleansed for good several months ago, my first thought was “They’re back.” (Yep, it's haunted, and I don't want to talk about it.)

So I ignored the noise and kept at it, but the noise kept at it too. I’d just finished arranging too many pillows on the bed when I gave up and looked at the window to see the culprit–an adult male blue bird. A major miracle considering the crazy cold weather here in Charlotte; although it was 70 degrees here today. (Don't hate me. It's supposed to be in the 30's tomorrow.)

I have a group of author friends. We call ourselves Panera Bread Babes (or Bitches depending on the day.) We get together at, you guessed it, our local Panera Bread about once a month and talk about the crazy publishing industry.

The fact that minute you’re soaring and the next minute you’ve looked at last week’s sales on Amazon’s Author Central and you’re plummeting to the ground.Then you’ll get another good review or an email or Facebook post from a happy reader, schedule a couple of book club appearances, or look at those darned sales again when you swore you wouldn’t and WALLAH! They’re up again. It’s hard to stay on an even keel in real life as it is, but throw in the complications and joys that come from a foray into creating and selling imaginary worlds and it’s next to impossible.

As I stood at my bedroom window watching that tenacious little fellow I was sure he was trying to tell me something, and then it hit me. The metaphor isn’t about me. The poor bird had nearly wracked himself silly trying to make his point and it had nothing to do with luck or happiness.The point is that he keeps trying.

I think that little blue bird was meant to remind you and me that whether you’re self-published or traditionally published or trying to sell your first novel, the only way any of us will get where we want to go is to keep fluttering our wings and believe that one day the window will open.

So aspiring writers, I want to help you by giving away three copies of this fabulous little book with tips from bestselling authors! Just comment below to enter.