Monday, October 11, 2010

Post: Twenty Eight - 28 - XXVIII

It's that time of year again - another year older!

How weird is it to look back on 28 years of walking on this planet Earth, breathing its air, and consuming its carbon-based lifeforms to sustain my own? Okay. Maybe these aren't the things you think about on your birthday, but I am grateful for the life I've lived and the two years I have left to be considered (physically) young . . . you can imagine how I felt ten years ago at a BJ's restaurant when a female server guessed my age at what I am now. Made me feel old then, but it's not so bad. Maybe she was looking for a date, for all I know.

I have since completed four rough drafts with two more in the works/one in hiatus, and I have two years left to get my writing somewhere before I have to shelf the hobby, go back to school, and get a real job. The heat is on, and maybe this won't work, since I'm only following in the footsteps of Dean Koontz's approach. With the two projects I have planned to be finished by this next summer, I can only hope that I may catch my break.

The Laire has been busy since Thursday! Please welcome as I give a shout-out to two new Laire followers: Jamie Burch and Hanny! Both are total and sudden surprises. I had not met either of them in person or visited their blogs - but I have since visited their blogs - and they are chock-full of awesome! Jamie is a fellow aspiring author of YA who is actively chasing her dreams, with a stylish blog to match those dreams.
Check out her blog here:
http://dancingdownserendipitystreet.blogspot.com
Up next is Hanny (last name?), who is something of a mystery and very much a great observer like myself who isn't afraid to post his thoughts on what has surely passed through the minds of most people. Insightful and at times funny, his blog is a worthwhile read. Check it out if you have a moment!
http://stoneintheriver.blogspot.com
Welcome to The Cosmic Laire, you two.

Updates: I wish I can say chapter 14 is done - but it's not. My awesome alpha readers e-mailed back several chapters to look at and consider revisions, but now that that's all done, I can focus again on new ground. Aside from attending a wedding, I have no excuse this week to not have chapter 14 done, as well as 15!.

My advisory column will be up on Friday this week (wedding and all). Now, since it is my birthday, my Cosmic readers can give me presents! How? Ask a question about writing or how to improve an aspect of your writing in the comments section! I'm running out of advice, so your questions will make suitable gifts :)

I'm David - and you can never outgrow Legos.

6 comments:

  1. David-

    As aspiring writers it can become discouraging at times and difficult for us to find the encouragement to continue pursuing our dream. I recently read a short story which I enjoyed so much that I had to write the author and tell him. To my delight, he wrote back and gave me this advice, which was in response to me complaining that I'm getting too old and afraid that I'm missing my prime while slaving away at the 40 hour-per-week job:

    "Some writers seem to hit the ground running in their twenties...but most take a while longer to find their voice, and if you've already said what you want to say by your mid-thirties...where do you go from there? The main thing is to keep writing, and occasionally to be a bit selfish with your time."

    This was from Ian MacLeod, who didn't publish his first novel until he was in his forties. Now he has quite a bit published and more on the way. Don't give up just because you reach a certain age, or because you get rejections. Every challenge is a lesson. And Legos will always be awesome!!

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  2. Happy birthday! I don't have any questions, but if I do, I'll let you know!

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  3. Hanny - what a great quote. Thank you for sharing that. I know I will never fully give up on writing. I can't. It's always been a part of me, but I will have to shift my priorities a bit to keep up with providing for my family. I will have to look into Ian MacLeod and his works. Again, thank you for sharing that. And good luck to your writing!

    Shallee - Thank you! It's always a pleasure to hear from you, questions or not ;)

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  4. Happy birthday! And with kids and a pile of messy legos behind me as I type, I can say comfortably that, yes, you can never outgrow legos.

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  5. Thank you, Lydia and WritingNut (name?). I'll be sure to visit your blogs often and give you a shout-out on mine soon. Welcome to the Laire :)

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