Who Am I Now That I Am An Author?

Who am I now that I am an author?

 When I made the commitment last year to write a book and to expose my personal life journey to the world, it was an exhilarating and terrifying decision.

I felt like I’d strapped myself a the first-row seat on a death-defying roller-coaster. Once the ride started, I could not stop it. I felt sick to my stomach when I realized how fast the days would race with the deadline only months away. I wanted to squeeze my eyes tightly shut and not see myself careening around corners, heart in throat, as I white knuckled through creating an outline and flow, writing, writers block, writing some more and editing, fretting over edits, editing some more, et al.

My emotions revved, plummeted, and lurched forward as I struggled to feel wise, witty, creative, and stay disciplined enough to complete this magical mystery tour with a manuscript worthy of the investment and the promise I made to myself to create value, entertain and inspire.

I bought my ticket the day I declared my intention to forty of my fierce and fabulous girlfriends – my Vitamin G. I didn’t want to quit on my intention, and they were my insurance. I told them this was how I wanted to celebrate my 65^th birthday and asked them to hold me accountable!

As the scope of the book grew, I was more convinced that sharing my mess could help other women and this was a mission that required me to press on, even when waves of panic and limiting beliefs threatened to swamp me.

I’d thought deeply about writing this book for more than five years, and in fact, I wrote the original dedication for it in an airport lounge in July 2013.

While I continued to live my life and fumble as an author-in-waiting, I was unknowingly still researching and gathering data and experiences that would enrich my first book.

I worried that maybe I didn't have what it would take to write a book, not just a book, but a really good and valuable book. I just couldn't seem to sustain momentum.

Finally, I realized to ensure success, I needed to do two things;

a.) hire a kick-ass editor and project manager, and

b.) make my goal known to the women who would kick my ass if I wimped out.

As Steve Jobs said, “We can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards.” I know now I did not have all my dots gathered until last year.

Last year was the right time to write “Who Am I Now? – Feminine Wisdom Unmasked Uncensored”.

Until I understood fully the Why, What and How of crafting my story, I could not have produced this work. This epiphany was so significant for me that later, I collaborated with my kick-ass editor, Caren Cantrell, also an accomplished and published author, to help others realize their dream by creating a guided course called “Time To Write My Book”. This online program contains the wisdom and techniques that we and our clients have used successfully.

If you have thought over and over about writing a book, if people, upon hearing your story and experience, say “You should write a book!”, my advice to you is “Buy the ticket! take the ride! and discover who you are now as an author!”

And when you are ready to take that second step, Caren and I collaborated to provide you all the support you need to go from PEN to PUBLISHED!

I’d love to help you and cheer the day you hold that manuscript in your hands!

You can change lives, including your own, when you decide to share your words and wisdom.