An Author's Life

I used to daydream what it must be like to be an author. Ahhh what a life! I imagined that most authors probably lounged around in their pajamas until noon. Then they probably took their iced tea, with a twist of lemon, to the porch and gazed out over their beautiful gardens until just the perfect word came to them. When the right word did come, they’d meander back into the house and let their fingers fly across their keyboards, much like a musician might play the piano.

In the real world

Getting my first publishing contract was without a doubt one of the most exciting things that had ever happened to me. I had worked so long and so hard for this that when I got “the call” it was everything I could do just not to sob my heartfelt gratitude into the phone. It had finally happened! I was going to be a published author.
As far as my daydreams about an author’s life… Well, I must admit I do sometimes stay in my pajamas until noon. It isn’t however because I’m lounging, it’s because I simply haven’t had the time to get dressed. The part about the iced tea on the porch—um—no. The only time I even see my porch is when I notice we are completely out of food and I make a mad dash to the car. It is then that I sometimes notice my gardens, you know, the ones that are now overtaken by weeds.
As far as finding the perfect word... well...that might work in song lyrics or poetry but do you have any idea just how many words are in a novel? Don’t get me wrong, I do try to find the best word imaginable but generally, I start with having an idea for a scene, which I must get down on paper before it leaves my tired little brain never to return. Instead of my fingers flying across the keyboard, I peck out a sentence or two with one hand while I’m holding my adorable 10 week old grandson with the other. It is later, usually around midnight, when I take the idea and break it down into finding the right words for what I want to convey.
Even though things aren’t quite what I had envisioned, I must say I love being an author and I wouldn’t change a thing.