Welcome, S. Durham

Thank you Ginger for having me as a guest today on your blog. I’m new to this
fascinating world of blogging, but what better way to start than with one of the funniest, and kindest, ladies I’ve met thus far in this newbie author’s journey.

I asked myself what in the universe could I possibly contribute to your readers that they haven’t already heard? Hence my apprehension. Well that little voice in my head quickly responded: ‘Sister, you have made it this far, having secured a contract with Muse It Up e-publishing, so chances are, there are some writers out there newer to the writing scene than you are.’ So here goes...

I’ve been writing in earnest for almost five years now and I’ve learned a few things along the way. However, the one truth, which has solidified in my heart and mind, is what I’ve read all along, writing is hard work...

If you can survive impatient looks from your family because you’ve been holed up in your writing corner too long, and they are wondering when and what’s for dinner. If you can weather fifteen to twenty rejections between two manuscripts, and your despair lasts only about an hour, and you are back at it. If you live through a novel exchange where the recipient of your novel definitely got the proverbial ‘short end of the stick’, and she is sooo much smarter than you. And you receive yet another rejection, but you answer that rejection by sending out another query to someone else, because you won’t take ‘no’ for an answer...then you might just be a writer after all.

Okay, well when I put it that way, writing sounds like purgatory, but I haven’t mentioned the rewards yet. With each brutally honest critique( I’m not talking humiliating critiques, just honest), and with each subsequent revision, something starts to happen within you. You begin to evolve, to change...you are getting better at this, you are learning, absorbing, even helping others along the way. And even when you want go Office Space on your computer, and want to reach through the phone and shake the tech who is trying to help you, and he’s not even in your country (get a local ‘computer guy’, you’ll be much happier that way), remember, you are learning valuable writing lessons.

Then one day, after all these trials, when you are wondering what sort of demon has possessed your very soul...a publisher sends you an email saying she’d ‘be honored to publish your book.’ Whoa!...and you sit there, in the silence of your office, looking around for anybody, a ghost from the past, or even the cat, to share your news with. But alas everyone is asleep in bed. So what do you do? You go wake them up of course! Because finally, all of your hard work and passion for writing has been recognized!

Of course I forgot to mention I’ve been an avid reader since childhood, and usually have three or four books on my reading table. That is another truth: reading is essential to good writing. Also, I would encourage anyone who hasn’t done so already, to join a writers group, whether on-line, like I did, or locally. I went it alone for two years, afraid to show any other human being my writing. When I finally joined my writing group, I realized it was the smartest thing I’d done in a long time. So don’t wait like I did. You need other people, with their insight and ‘fresh eyes’, to view your work. Before you know it, you may very well help one, two, or even ten writers along the way.

Already, since being part of the Muse Author’s Group, I’ve learned more about online promoting, looping, websites, and facebooking than I ever thought I would. I’ll let you in on a little secret...it’s been kick a** fun too! As I said in the beginning of this lengthy oration, I’ve gotten to meet thirty more people I didn’t know three months ago--and they all love writing! Imagine that!

S.Durham’s debut paranormal romance novel, The Lycan Moon, will be released April 2011

Visit her website and her page on Facebook.