Fear is the little death...

Today I wrote down all the fears I think are holding me back. I was brutally honest with myself.

I wrote them out in full sentences, starting each one with "I am afraid..."

I then took that piece of paper (I filled one side of an entire page), folded it up, sealed it in a zip-lock bag and put it away.

Being brave doesn't mean not having fear. Being brave means being afraid, and doing things anyway.

"I will face my fear. And when it has gone past... Only I will remain."

*(Quote & post title from Dune by Frank Herbert - the bene gesserit litany against fear)

New Year's Resolutions

For several years now I've been busy creating websites and blogs and various other social media setups for places I've worked and places I volunteer for. In that time though, I've been neglecting my own public blogs and media to the point that folks have become a bit too curious.

No more!

Many people have been telling me for years now that I focus too much on work and things I volunteer for and not enough on myself. I've kept doing what I've been doing though because that's the personality I am and I love my profession.

I truly am passionate about books and information and the need for information to be accessible to all. It may sound corny, but I honestly believe that the right to access information is essential to a functioning free society. I also believe that leisure reading is an important part of maintaining good mental health and flexibility.

My New Year's resolution is to take some time to allow myself these rights and needs more often. Get back to public blogging instead of just private journalling. Spread the good joy of reading, writing, publishing, librarianship, and information as myself instead of just as other groups.

I'm going to read more books just for fun. I deserve it, and so do you.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

I am enjoying a week off of work wherein I am enjoying some feasting, some quiet time, some reading, and writing!

May your holidays be bright and merry and all your dreams come true.

"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'It will be happier'." Tennyson.

The heart of a writer - broken?

Few things stop the heart of a writer quicker I think than finding a book that seems to be exactly what you're currently writing...

I was ordering books for my library yesterday when I came across a book that at first glance struck me as "Crap! That's the book I'm writing!!" My heart stops, my soul is crushed... Still, I put a copy on hold for me to read and then went on with the day of work.

Too busy last night but tonight I looked up the book and read a little more about it and I don't think it's the same. It does explore some of the same themes. So my heart restarted anyway!

I'll read it when it comes and see.

The place of a story?

I'm trying to decide if I should now set my novel in Canada.

Admittedly, prior to now I've been a bit of a coward about actually setting it in a specific town - either part (there's where now is happening in the book, then there's flashbacks to somewhere else).

Part of this is that if I set it someplace specific and real, I'd have to know that place well - and I don't really know anywhere all that well. In the States, I've lived in Ann Arbor, MI for a little over 3 years, 10-13 years ago, Fairfield, OH (Just outside of Cincinnati) for a little over 4 years, 3-8 years ago and Friday Harbor, WA (an island in Northern Puget Sound) for 3.5 years (until last fall). None I really knew well enough to set a whole life in, and none really very interesting to set a life in.

If I set it in Canada (seeing as how I've moved back here) - where? Where I grew up? I haven't lived there or spent any real time there in over 13 years. Where I live now? I've only been here 4 months. I only know this town in the winter for a start!

Of course, I could set it anywhere and just do the research, but everything I've read says if I'm going to set a story someplace real and specific, I have to know that place personally.

Setting it in Canada might give more publishing opportunities here in Canada, but I think would hinder it being published elsewhere. Setting it someplace I've never been I think would make in insincere. Setting it in the States, might limit opportunities here in Canada. And setting it either no where in particular, or someplace invented and maybe even vague about the country I fear is a cop-out and pretty lame.

Decisions. The location isn't critical to the plot, but it would be a part of the story a little.

What to do, what to do...?