--CELEBRATE EVERYTHING

 

…This morning I woke to learn that I had my 1,000^th story/poem accepted.  It’s exciting and humbling to hit this milestone.  I’ve been at this writing gig full-time, more or less, for around seven years and I didn’t really know what I was doing when I started out.

I remember my first goal was just to get a story published.  Then maybe ten so I’d have some credibility when I wrote a novel and sent it out.  I’ve written eight novels in that time, only a few of them good, but they’re still sitting there.
The writing gig has its highs and lows, to be sure.  Today is a good day, so I’m just going to enjoy it.

-“Here’s how I’m going to beat you.  I’m going to outwork you.  That’s it.  That’s all there is to it.” Pat Summitt, winningest college coach of all time

-“God will not place a burden on a man’s shoulders knowing that he cannot carry it.  Parkinson’s is my toughest fight.  No, it doesn’t hurt.  It’s hard to explain.  I’m being tested to see if I’ll keep praying, to see if I’ll keep my faith.” Muhammad Ali

-“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
― Albert Einstein

-“I’m just really fascinated by people.  And I think that’s probably what draws me to fiction: It feels like the most elastic place to explore people.” Heidi Pitlor

-“I decided that the most subversive, revolutionary thing I could do was show up for my life and not be ashamed.” Anne Lamott

-“A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick—a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.” Neil Gaiman

-“Build a museum and I will fill it.” Picasso