I’ve thought a lot about my new alphabetically-themed posts. I’m not going to abandon my blog theme during this stretch, so you’ll still get to read about my journey toward getting a novel published … you’ll just get to read about it in alphabetical order. As I did pass kindergarten, and spent many hours watching Sesame Street, I know that today is brought to you by the letter “A”.

A is for Attitude!


You’ve heard it said before: success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration (or something like that).  It’s more than just perspiration, though. You can sweat all you want, but if you’re not sweating with the right motivation, you’re sweating in vain.

It’s all about attitude. If you’re working so hard because you think you can’t do it, you can’t. If you think you have to work hard because you’re not talented enough to do it, you aren’t. But if you’re working hard because you want to succeed as quickly as possible, you’re gonna make it.

My writing career is an interesting story. I’ve always loved stories. Whether it’s television, the movies, or books, I like anything that’s make believe. 

When I went off to college, I chose to major in English after a couple of days of prayer. I wasn’t planning to write, it just felt like I was supposed to study literature. (I wanted to major in chemistry, and thought business would be more practical, but I still picked English). I read and wrote on command for four years. When it was over, I didn’t pick up another book for seven months.

So how did I end up writing? My husband-of-less-than-a-year was diagnosed with cancer. While that may not be incredibly motivating for some people, it worked it’s magic on me. I needed something to do while he was in the hospital sleeping or getting chemo. I decided to read. I didn’t want to read dramas, though. My coping mechanism is laughter, so I wanted comedy. 



At that time, the only Christian novelists I knew were Janette Oke, Lori Wick, and Frank Peretti. Not quite what I wanted. A friend recommended Janet Evanovich. I didn’t have high hopes, but I cracked open One For The Money. A few tears and one aching side later, I was hooked. 

I couldn’t believe people could actually write novels that made me laugh at loud, and in public.  Even though there other books like that existed, I had never read anything like it in Christian fiction – witty, sarcastic, not even remotely serious. I loved it! That was my motivator. I decided to write funny Christian fiction. I had no idea how to do it, but I knew I could figure it out.  

I knew I could write – I have a degree in English. I knew I was funny – people laughed at me just for walking through the door. I knew I wanted to read Christian novels that both inspired and tickled me. Since I didn’t know where to find such novels, I had to write my own.

Once I decided to start writing, I just wrote. I knew what I wanted to do, so I did it. I didn’t let my inexperience scare me away. I just did it. It was all in my attitude.

As of this posting I still haven’t had a novel published, but I’m closer. I have three completed manuscripts, over 200 published articles, and a few editing jobs to my credit. I’m still studying, still learning, and still determined to see my words in the form of a book.

I’ve got an attitude.

QUESTION: How about you – do you have the right attitude?