“This is my first day in
Santa’s Workshop.”*
We’ve all experienced the excitement and fear that accompany
the first time doing something: First day at work, first time riding a bike,
first date and the biggest of all… our first day of school.
For me there were many firsts this last year. First time publishing
and selling a book. First contract with a publisher (for my second book, coming
out in March 2013). First year as a Genre-ista. Each of these first were filled
with the tension of the unknown.
In January Romancing the Genres will be spotlighting such
debut authors as Bethany Cunningham/Annabeth Albert, Regan Walker, Melanie
Robertson-King, Tam Linsey, Kylie Scott and our own Genre-ista, Robin Weaver. I
am sure every one of these authors could talk for days about the many emotions
that accompany debuting a novel.
And, if you think about it, this is the reason we want tension in our writing; because
tension is not only about fear or stress or anxiety, but also about happiness
and hope and joy. As with everything in life, we have to experience the dark to
find real honesty in the light.
These holidays, more than any other I have experienced, have
reinforced this concept. While we are filled with sadness and grief at the
tragedies of the last couple of weeks, we also experience the great joy of hope
and the happiness and fun of the season.
So to all of you and yours…. We wish you a holiday filled
with much laughter and love and a 2013 of many wonderful firsts.
*p.s. My daughter who read what I had written said. “It can’t
be an overhear if you didn’t actually hear it, Mom.” So by way of disclosure,
this was my first and only fictionalized overhear to date…. But I figured you all
probably knew that :>)
3 comments:
Balance is something I strive for in my life. I see that as a calm path where I experience joy, happiness, hope; where I laugh, smile, dance; where I sleep well at night and create the life I want to live during the day.
IMHO too much tension in a book means I don't read it. Yes, I want something there - not 300 pages of Happily Ever After - but too much angst is not my cup-of-tea.
No Thrillers, No Page Turners, No Up-All-Nighters for me. If I can't put the book down, I don't want to start it.
That doesn't mean I don't read late into the night - but it is because the story and/or the characters are interesting which is not the same. A long winded comment to your including "tension is not only about fear or stress or anxiety, but also about happiness and hope and joy."
We're very glad one of your 2012 "Firsts" was to become a Genre-ista and to participate on our sister site "Free Reads From The Genre-istas".
May you have another year of delightful, joyful firsts in 2013!
You're right, Deanne - there is good stress and bad stress, many kinds of tension.
I think most of us are holding the ones we love a little closer this Holiday Season.
Happy Holidays!
Hope all my genreista friends and readers enjoyed a joyful holiday... free of stress and any tension. That said, santa played a trick on my daughter christmas morning which was a great example of creating tension... the ipod cover did not fit the ipod touch shd uses (my husband's) and which she assumed would make it for all intents and purposes hers. She couldn't belive he had gotten it so wrong. Then... at the bottom of her stocking was a wrapped package with a note: ho, ho, ho. Hope you like my trick. This present should match one of you gifts. And there it was... a brand new ipod touch of her own. From tears to joy in moments. Why is this good?... it will be a christmas she will never forget.:)
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