Thursday, February 21, 2013

On Starting Over

Lent arrived last Wednesday, and with it came the inspiration not only to give something up but to use the time to renew a practice to which I had once been strongly committed--writing regularly here on my blog. Oh, I can offer lots of excuses for my disappearance--immersion in researching and writing my newest book, wearing multiple hats on my new day job--but it's not really about time or distraction. It's about commitment. 

So, here I am, starting over.

After a long period of isolation filling my narrow-ruled notepads with my new story, I suddenly find myself the recipient of several invitations to speak. Out loud instead of in my head. I have not forgotten how much talking to readers feeds my writing, and I am excited about all the opportunities to connect--not only through the written word but also through the spoken. The give-and-take, the curiosity about how and why I write, and the immediacy presented by book events is thrilling to me.

I hope if you are in the area where I am speaking you will stop by, listen and react.