Do You Worry You Won't Succeed As A Writer
By author, Nadja NotarianiMarcy Kennedy challenges us to ask ourselves the tough questions in her post, 'Do You Worry You Won't Succeed As A Writer?'. I'm sure we've all had those pesky moments (or days) of self doubt. Heck! It's why I participate in the Insecure Writer's Support Group. But we must not let self-doubt have the final say!
I've had a weird month, confidence wise that is. Someone I've grown to respect offered me quiet yet solid in a way I'm not sure I can describe praise. It felt great...and then the bottom dropped out from under my feet. You see...I have a tendency to over-think things. Once I heard those words of affirmation, my brain erupted into civil war. Let's meet the factions...
Under the command of the illustrious Captain Confidence, Positive Prudence claps her hands as Optimist Oola joins in, cheering the gang toward victory. Goddess Ego nods approvingly from her raised dais platform, leaving The Harridan of Hilarity to poke fun at the whole scene, ordering any and all in her path to laugh their troubles away...or else!
Evil Nemesis Enemy Mine, that hope-hating-harpy, rallies her band of miscreant masochists with a wag of her bony finger. Inner Critic is the first in line, that brown-nosing blackguard! Always attempting to appease Enemy Mine, she is. She's a sadist I tell you, staring me down with that rotten gleam in her eyes! An honest-to-hope-and-change-sadist! The minions, Not Good Enough Today and her twin brother Not Good Enough Tomorrow wheeze their missives of despair and defeat into my ears.
'Charlatan! Poser!' They cackle with glee.
Inner Critic smacks a ruler against her hand.
'Just wait until something bad happens, Nadja! Everyone will see what a fake you are!' She smiles an evil, anticipatory expression that sucks the air from my lungs.
I want to cry, but I never can. To run. To forget all this reach-for-your-dreams nonsense and hide away. To focus on something more 'do-able', more 'reasonable', more 'regular'. Maybe I could join a Bridge Club...
'Ha!' Harridan of Hilarity injects, eyebrow raised archly.
Oh! She's up to something.
'Something bad already happened, Inner Critic. You're here, aren't you?' Harridan cracks herself up, and it takes her a moment to recover.
The corner of my mouth quirks - against my better judgment.
'Nadja,' The Harridan faces me, eyebrow still peaked above her twinkling eyes. 'Did calamity come down upon your head? Is the sun still shining? Did the sky fall, my chicken little?'
My smile broadens, slightly, as I realize that no, no such awfulness has befallen me thus far.
'And what would happen if Inner Critic was right? Would the earth stop spinning then, Fraidy-Cat?'
I shake my head in the negative.
'Well...then let's get on with it. Get it out of the way, shall we?'
I'm stupefied, speechless. I don't know what she means.
'Failure,' she sings, dancing toward Captain Confidence and the gang.
Prudence and Oola go into back-up-singer-mode.
'I didn't like your writing style, and your freckles are DIS-Guuuuuus-ting.'
Her singing really does leave a lot to be desired and I reach up, sliding my hand over those hateful freckles ( I mean, really, who has a deep olive complexion and freckles), but I find my toes tapping along with the perky melody and beat.
'We'll sing the worst to a happy tune - but don't you think of ES-caaaaaap-ing.' The music reaches a fevered pitch, the notes sharp and clean. 'UN-original, UN-inspiring, UN-talented, UN-reliable, Uncommitted...'
I cut her off. 'Hey there. That's not right. I'm original. I'm inspiring. I'm talented, reliable, AND committed! And Don't. You. Forget. It!'
Oh, Wait...I'm singing. Goddess Ego conducts while contorting herself into the most unusual yoga pose. She's radiantly beaming.
Harridan, the bossy jester, sneaks up beside me. 'See...you never really did believe all that nonsense Inner Critic was spewing. Why didn't you stand up to her the way you did to me?'
I stand, dumbfounded before my sub-conscious. 'Because she scares me,' I confess.
'You're not afraid of me,' she states calmly.
'You're different,' I reply. 'You're more like me.'
'Chickie-poo...we are you. We are only as big as you allow us to be.'
I smile, truly smile, although it takes a minute for it to spread across my face. I continue singing loudly in my vehicle - windows up of course! Round one, Nadja.
Series:
Author: Nadja Notariani
Publisher:
Desription: Practical plans go awry when prim sensibilities unwittingly capture the heart of a scandalous seducer.
Miss Evangeline Grey, intelligent and sensible, has no desire to marry, her reluctance born from the dire warnings of her overly emotional mother. Her father has other ideas, however, and decrees that unless she weds by the spring, he will choose a husband for her.
Prim and proper Evangeline accepts her father's issue with little more than mild alarm. Knowing herself plain of face and sharp of tongue, she believes herself capable of warding off any perspective suitor. Her plan goes awry when the scandalous seducer, Mr. Thomas Masterson, visits her family's home, for Thomas has learned that he must procure a wife to receive his full inheritance.
When he discovers Evangeline's predicament matches his own, Thomas determines to orchestrate a practical arrangement. A war of wit and word results, and Thomas finds himself ever more beguiled by the soft heart he discovers under Miss Grey's stern, inhibited exterior. Patiently, he endeavors to gain her respect and awaken her passions. As tenuous trust blooms between the rake and the reluctant, unfortunate events – and Thomas' past reputation – threaten to destroy the peace and happiness he has found within the bonds of his Practical Arrangement.
Purchase the book:
Amazon.com - A Practical Arrangement
Smashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/229680
Tour Stops:
9/24 - Arianne Cruz - Guest Blog and Giveaway - http://ariannecruz07.blogspot.com/
9/25 - My Devotional Thoughts - Guest Blog and Giveaway - http://www.mydevotionalthoughts.com/
9/26 - All Things Writing - Guest Post - http://www.allthingswriting.blogspot.com/
9/26 - Reading Romances - Review and Giveaway - http://reading-romances.com/
9/27 - T B R - Review and Giveaway - http://tbr-io.blogspot.com/
10/1 - Queen of the Night Reviews - Review, Guest Blog, and Giveaway - http://queenofthenightreviews.blogspot.com/
10/4 - I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! - Guest Blog and Giveaway - http://www.sithereandread.com/
10/4 - Harlie's Books - Review and Giveaway - http://harliebooks.blogspot.com/
10/8 - Identiy Discovery - Guest post - http://www.identitydiscovery.net/
10/9 - The Insane Writings of a Crazed Writer - Guest Blog and Giveaway - http://www.jessekimmelfreeman.com/blog.html
10/9 - The Bunny's Review - Review, Interview, and Giveaway - http://bunnysreview.com
10/10 - Just Another Rabid Reader - Review, Guest Blog, and Giveaway - http://justanotherrabidreader.info
10/10 - My Cozie Corner - Review - http://coziecorner.blogspot.com/
10/10 - Reviews By Molly - Review - http://reviewsbymolly.com/
10/11 - Mademoiselle Le Sphinx - Review - http://aliaaelnashar.blogspot.com/
10/12 - Reading on the Wild Side - Guest Blog and Giveaway - http://readingonthewildside.blogspot.com/?zx=1013a8f156087770
This book tour is brought to you by Innovative Online Book Tours
