Sailing On a Dream

When I made this title for my blog I remember liking it because it sounded neat. It sounded like a song. It sounded like something I'd say. In the back of my mind something deeper niggled and tried to make push deeper--but I was too busy learning Japanese. Sorry philosophical voice in my head. But first, news (because I know you all care soooo much by all the comments you leave me here!):

The beginning of this year (ie January 1st) is really living up to it's potential. Or rather, all the little seeds I've tended to last year are starting to sprout. It's hard to see they're sprouting. And sometimes something sprouts up from a seed I didn't even know I'd planted! I had committed this year to being the year I just went and did it. It. Anything. SOMETHING. It's the year I do stuff. And so far...my god.

If you'd told me last year that me making friends with other writers or using twitter or that I'd finish my freaking sci-fi novel would pan out into this year I'd say you'd eaten too many goldfish crackers.

But here I am.

Here I am only a month and half into 2016 and amazing, incredible things are happening. Last year felt like it was moving to slow and too fast. I got stalled a lot creatively. But my actual job went by way too fast. I won a lot of little small victories that I didn't properly celebrate because to me it wasn't the big end goal of GETTING PUBLISHED. But looking back (as you're wont to do) I see now a lot of those little victories are why I'm where I'm at now. And I appreciate them.

I've won 1st place in a story writing competition, and Honorable Mention in another prestigious competition with a crap ton of entries from all over the world. And, just last week, I got my first offer for my sci-fi book.

ARE YOU FREAKING OUT JUST LIKE ME, MY LITTLE BLOG AND BOT FOLLOWERS!??!

But try not to freak out too much! The offer is great except for the time frame. They want to publish my book a year from now. Which I would be okay with (well, no really) if it were a traditional publishing house. It takes a year to a year and half for them to publish it and put it in book stores. But this is a Digital Publishing House. The average time frame for them is 3 to 5 months max. And these guys, should my book get picked up, want to release NEXT YEAR. Which, honestly, I don't like given that it's digital.

So....while I got  an offer, it doesn't mean I've accepted it. But we'll see. I asked them if there was any way they would be willing to have my book published this year. If they agree...well. Then we can celebrate. Until then, this doesn't really feel real. But I'm trying to remember that even getting a full blown contract offer ONLY A WEEK after submitting it is pretty freaking awesome! So good job little sci-fi! Some one loved you!

And recently (aka, tonight) a wonderful girl who I can only say is my Southern Twin that I met online via a writing website, offered me a place in being on an author interview Vlog for a super popular site where I would sit with other writers and we would discuss a topic about writing or books. I can't even tell you how excited I am about this. I can't even.

Which leads me to why I started off telling you about my my Blog Title. For me, life really is just me on a little skiff in the middle of the ocean of dreams hoping to god the Nightmare Sharks don't smell the chocolate bars I have on board. The more I think about my life the more I realize just how much this title really applies to it. I'm sailing on a dream. I'm clapping my ruby red slippers and hoping I have enough talent to make this little skiff made of writing work.

But you know what? I think it's working?

I may be sailing on a dream, but who said dreams don't come true, huh?

The Artist's Life

I don't have an easy road. I wasn't gifted with math and perfect studying abilities (despite my smarts). I would rather staple gun my hand to a squirrel with rabies than work in an office again. I'm not cut out for a normal life because I'm not, in fact, normal.

Normal.

It means different things to different people. For a person who works a 9-5 job their world might be very interesting and perhaps compared to their group of friends not 'normal'. But for my definition not normal means you didn't fit into most groups as a kid until you went to high school and MAYBE realized that your love all geek and nerd things were not just you--there were a few others! You don't do well with 'normal' jobs. You think of art in terms of career. You make your passions your career. The thought of wearing a suit or dress clothes to a 9-5 office makes you have panic attacks.

I'm not normal. I never was and I never will be. I've embraced it. I'm glad I'm weird. As the saying goes, "polite women rarely make history". I refuse to not travel this world quietly. I kind of can't. I'm Irish. Talking is genetically coded into my DNA. Being an artist (of any sort) isn't something you just wake up and decide to do. It's something that's been in you since the day atoms collided to form you. You can't escape it. Whether its the deep love of food, dance, music, art, writing, sculpting....its something you were always drawn to because that's what you ARE.

I didn't chose an easy life. But I wouldn't want to be anything else. I wouldn't want to wake up everyday not filled to the brim with ideas, voices, thoughts, colors, and music. That the littlest thing could inspire something great in me that could then inspire something great in someone else. That's all I want. To inspire. To let people know their not alone.

One thing I love about being an artist is that I'm actually very varied. What I lack in study abilities and math/science I make up for in being very good in many different art fields. And those fields bleed into each other. I love that if I'm working on a song on my Ukulele I'll suddenly be inspired by a note for a story or drawing. I love that when I write it can inspire me to make a comic. I love that I'm not regaled to just ONE aspect of art. I may not be the end-all be-all of a specific art form, but I'm good enough at several that I'm constantly creating something. Anything.

It's not easy life. It doesn't always make money. It doesn't always guarantee a safe future. But dammit, it sure makes for an interesting life filled with human experiences and emotions. It's a world of color and light and music. It's a world of darkness, fear, lonilness and frustration. But it is, in fact, one of the best and most rewarding ways to experience life. For that I'm grateful for all the good and bad. After all, it IS the Artist's Life.