Forest Wells - Author
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Reflections

12/21/2014

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Ah the end of the year approaches.  Maxed out credit cards for Christmas, large meals with family on the way, and soon we'll all have to remember to write "15" when filling out dates.  That one always takes me a couple weeks to get into the swing of.

But while many are making new years resolutions, I prefer to look back.  To reflect on the year, and my golly what a year!  There were bits and events, but one stands out.

At first I wasn't sure it was even possible.  The first thing I would need is good artwork to be made into promotional materials.  Images of my main characters for people to see and, hopefully, fall in love with immediately.  Only that would require funds I didn't have.  Not for the quality I wanted.  Then as luck would have it, the PERFECT artist fell into my lap.  A random search, a random viewing, a little bit of digging, and there was KFCemployee.  Someone with the style I wanted, the quality I needed, and a price I could afford!  The rest fell into place soon after.

Ah yes, the grind toward my Kickstarter campaign.  My efforts to self-publish my first novel.  With commissions in, I had to find places to make the art into something people would want.  A good cover was a nice bonus.  Another random thought became an idea, which grew into a plan, then a plot, then finally a prequel I never expected to write.  Guess my pre-readers got their wish (another story in the same world), just not the way they expected.

I dug, I wrote, I tried, I prepared, I slept very little.  Finally, my Kickstarter campaign was launched.  "Luna, the Lone Wolf" would get the funding it needed to be read and enjoyed!

......  As I like to say, desire and ability do not always coincide.  The Kickstarter failed.  It's been a pile of rejection letters since, though the art has continued to come, and I may yet have some plans for it.  Sooner or later the novel will be published as well.  Be it self-published or through a traditional market, I'll find a way.  I haven't given up on it in the slightest.

Still, I learned a lot from that one event.  I did from others too, but the Kickstarter campaign taught me the most.  Did I rush it?  Perhaps.  Could I have done better?  Almost certainly.  Was it a waste?  Not at all.  I'm not sure I'd change anything, for what I got out of it may yet make me better in ways I've yet to to notice.  For one thing, I got a number of people, new and old, voicing concern over my well being when it eventually came up short.  I won't lie, that was nice.  Almost worth it on it's own in a way.

So now I turn to you, my readers.  What was your highlight?  Not just in your own life.  Was there a particular post of mind that touched you more than others?  Something I said that resonated?  Is there a topic you'd have liked to see me talk about?  Something about me, or my journey, or whatever, you'd like to see my thoughts on?

I'd love to hear from you.  If I'm honest, I need to hear from you.  My stat page says I have readers, but it'd be nice to hear from you more than just your presence being counted.  It doesn't have to be public.  You can send me a message via the "contact" tab.  Only I see those.  Same with my e-mail.  Just drop a line to [email protected].  Again, only I will see it, but it will warm me deeply to hear back from you, my loyal readers.

That's all for now.  Till next time, may you life be filled with cherished moments which leave deep impressions on your heart.

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Take Chances, Make Mistakes, and Get Messy!

12/6/2014

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Okay, first off I have a box of canes here for anyone now feeling old because of the title.  I know I am.

Now then.  I was just reading a friend's post about how twice before she'd let opportunities slip by because she was shy.  "I'd be intruding."  "There will be a next time."  These were the excuses given.  Except there never was a next time, in either case.  A chance to speak with someone she cared about, or was simply a big fan of, got away.  She didn't let it happen again, and was rewarded with a nice conversation with another person whose work she admired.

I couldn't help thinking back on some of the things I'd done in the past.  Times I hadn't passed on the chance, and was glad I didn't.

I've talked before about my relationship with Jane Lindskold.  While I still see her as a mentor, she's a dear friend first.  I can't imagine my writing life without her in it.  And yet, how easily I could have missed out on it.  It was on a pure whim that I sent her my feedback on her Firekeeper novels.  I was VERY young emotionally back then, and also very shy.  I almost didn't.  Yet from that one e-mail, a deep relationship has grown.

Then there's my gaming faction, Nemesis.  I never shared this story, but I had been looking for a new faction after the one I was in... well... it was collapsing, and in an ugly way I might add.  It was time to move on.  But I couldn't level up fast enough to get into the faction I wanted.  They kept raising it faster than I could raise my own.  So I looked elsewhere.

While watching some players fight against each other, I saw one player who seemed good in battle, but also appeared to be good natured about it.  Oh there was some trash talk, but there always is, and he wasn't abusive or insulting.  Their faction was doing decently enough in the territory wars, so, after about nine tries, I got around to asking him about joining.

I spent three years in Nemesis, and it made such a mark I made a patch and wrote a poem when they disbanded, this time in the best way possible.  Got half the faction crying too from what I hear.

Twice, major events in my life happened because I took a chance.  I was shy back then.  Extremely shy.  Talking to a player online is one thing.  There is a certain disconnect that can make that easier sometimes.  But a random letter to an author?  Oh she must get hundreds of letters, why would she bother to even read mine?  A reply?  Forget it!  Oh it might be some simple "thank you for your interest, I'm glad you liked my novel, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera."  No way it would be a personal message of any kind.

Just think what I would have missed, had I listened to those doubts.

It's easy to do though.  We convince ourselves it's not worth it, and at times, for decent sounding reasons.  Then again, what will we really lose?  There's a difference between demanding a raise at work, and trying to talk to someone you think highly of.  How often do you get to meet your favorite author, actor, or sports star?  You know I actually shook Philip Rivers' hand once?  He was coming in while I was waiting for a tour of the San Diego Chargers facility to start.  I held my hand out, left it up to him.  He stopped, offered a quick, "Hi, nice to meet you," with the shake, then kept going.  He felt in a hurry, and I didn't push.  Still, I got to shake the hand of my favorite football team's starting Quarterback.  Not many can say that.

Now what if he had ignored me?  What would that have cost?  Not a lot.  And I was ready for him to resist for any number of reasons.  Playing pro football is a busy job.  I could understand him passing by, especially if he's running late, or maybe he hurt his hand in practice that day.

Though back to the more "normal" for a second.  The idea of "I don't want to intrude" can be valid, but it's not enough on it's own to pass up a chance you may never get again.  Now if you get hints that whoever it is would rather not talk, for whatever reason, then you back off.  Otherwise, take a chance.  Don't be shy.  That chance may never come again.

Had I not waited so long, I might have gone to prom with a date.  I had a crush then.  Today, had I the chance, I'd still think very highly of her.  Would it have gone further had I asked her back then?  Maybe.  I'll never know now.

Thankfully, I didn't wait on Nemesis or Jane Lindskold.  For as long as I live, I'll be glad I didn't.

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    "Be You"

    "Let your words be eternal yet time honored.  True yet not betraying.  Strong yet uplifting.  Challenging yet harmless.  But above all, let all you say, do, and be, remain forever and exclusively you."
    - Forest Wells

    A blessing, and perhaps a personal hope, for this blog and so much more.


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