INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP .... FINDING A WAY BACK TO WRITING ....

Hi, everyone,

Well, I can' believe it's time for another installment of the IWSG. It actually couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

As most of you know, I have been working on projects not related to writing for the past six months. Struggling through the A-Z challenge, keeping up with posts, and blogger friend's posts nearly killed me. Although I gave it the OL COLLEGE TRY, I failed. I couldn't keep up and do it all.

Talk about being INSECURE.... I know many of you have or do feel this way; beating yourself up because you can't keep up. DON'T DESPAIR....

That's what we are ALL hear for .... each other. With the amazing support of Alex J. Cavanaugh, Roland Yeomans, Donna Hole, and several other close blogger friends, I made it through the rough spots.

Our community, bar none, is THE most supportive community I have ever encountered. What makes it all the more AMAZING is that we all care! Basically we all strangers, yet .... I consider my blogger friends closer to me than people I have physical contact with. We understand each other. We know all the pitfalls .... we also know how to pull ourselves out of them. We share a passion for writing and for LIFE.

Many of us have families, insane jobs, or health issues, yet .... Here we are, visiting each other, sharing our tales of life, our stories, our dreams. Many haven't even told their families about their secret desires, yet we know.

So when despair hits, when you feel you can't keep up, when you lost .... come to us. That's what I did. When I returned back to Chicago, exhausted, and physically and emotionally drained, I came back to my blogger family. They had never left me.

Although I had no desire to write anything, I knew that reading posts and commenting would help pull me out of my slump. As I surfed the blogosphere I was amazed to find other blogger friends feeling exactly the same as me...

A week ago I dropped by Donna Hole's blog and saw a magazine contest sponsored by Narrative magazine in her sidebar.

"Could I possibly enter?" I had asked myself."What would I write?" I couldn't possibly have anything worthy by the July 31st deadline.

Two days ago I resurrected a short story I had written a few years ago. I knew the story was a strong one, but it needed some big editing, especially in the beginning.

I mustered up the energy and began. I finished the final edit 30 minutes before the deadline closed. I DID it!

For me, a few baby steps brought me back into the fold. It can for you as well. SO remember don't throw in the towel, NEVER give up....

At times like these I think of the A-Z post that Alex had written for T... I was mentioned... stunned. OF all the bloggers Alex is friends with, over a thousand, he chose me for being Tenacious. That alone gives me strength. Thank you ALEX! IT means SO much!

So I am now on the road to my writing recovery. YAY! It took some time, but sometimes time is all we need, so give it to yourself and DON'T feel guilty or put yourself down anymore!

I'd like to share an excerpt from THROUGH SHADES OF GRAY with you. I hope you enjoy. It's about a young man struggling with his life and where he fits in. He leaves the oppressive "Shades of Gray" in Chicago for the sunny shores of Florida.... Sound familiar. LOL.

The excerpt is from the end of the story... his observations while on the beach... It's fitting for this time of year.

Stepping onto the beach, I make it to the waves, drifting north on my odyssey. The beach vibe is altered today, as the human to wildlife ratio shifts. After a mile or so, I perch on an obscure sand dune. Several joggers pass by, but not the hardbodies I’m accustomed to seeing. Average middle-aged men and women smile at me as they continue enjoying their run together. I take a quick pic. 

A young father calls to a little boy, who is just a bit too close to the surf. A moment later, he rushes toward his son, scoops him into his arms, and smiles as his son giggles. The father’s patience and playfulness with the toddler intrigues me. I had always wanted kids. I take more pics as they play in the sand. The sound of a boom box distracts me.

Latino music washes over the beach as a group of teens dance. Passersby move to the pulsating beat. I click away at the random sites around me and then slide down the dune to continue my jaunt. The sun is high, and the heat of the day is peaking. 

The Ray Bans slip down my nose, as sweat pours from my face. Running to the shore with the Nikon held high, I step through the waves and a shock of cold rips through my privates. I’m breathless as I sink lower into the ocean’s depths, groaning.

I wade toward the shore after the impact and zero in on a small group. Teenage boys in over-sized boardshorts lift their bodyboards for another round with the surf, while bikini-clad girls watch in awe. I meander closer to them as the water shallows. 

Concentrating hard on my next shot; water-weight pulls my shorts down just below the equator. One of the teenage girls laughs as I awkwardly grope for the waistband.

“You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, honey,” a woman old enough to be my mother said. I must have turned crimson because she smiled, and then winked at me. I ran, kicking sand on the innocent bystander next to her.

I found another sand dune, and waited for the sunset. As the orange fireball’s lowering in the sky, I hear a couple hidden in the brush. They step out onto the beach hand-in-hand; they hadn’t noticed me. I zoom in on them, and see the vestiges of their former youth, but time had been kind to them. He gently kisses her, as streaks of gold illuminate their faces. I leave, letting them enjoy their private moment.

I hope you all enjoyed the excerpt. Have a wonderful day everyone.