I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou
My Why
A year and a half after I published my first novel, I attended a holiday staff party. My coworker, Walshie, strode over and insisted I come with him to meet someone at a pub down the street. After a few minutes of trying to convince me leaving our staff party was a good idea, Walshie escorted me to the pub where he introduced me to a female reader--she was waiting at the entrance.
Nothing on her face screamed 'your words are about to change my life.'
A year and a half after I published my first novel, I attended a holiday staff party. My coworker, Walshie, strode over and insisted I come with him to meet someone at a pub down the street. After a few minutes of trying to convince me leaving our staff party was a good idea, Walshie escorted me to the pub where he introduced me to a female reader--she was waiting at the entrance.
Nothing on her face screamed 'your words are about to change my life.'
First, she thanked me for writing the book (I probably stammered something). Then, she shared her story. When she read my novel, she was unemployed, on social assistance with two children at home. She thought that was all her life would be. But, according to her, reading my novel inspired a different idea. What if she returned to university? AND SHE DID! What if she studied to become a social worker to help other women who were in her situation? THIS was her PLAN! And, what if she became proud of herself and became the mom she felt her children deserved to look up to. AND THAT IS WHO SHE WAS BECOMING.
And every single time I think of this beautiful woman, I almost cry. Sometimes, I do. I am not the one who changed her life, but she certainly changed mine.
I am forever grateful that you waited in that Halifax pub storm porch to tell me your story. You made me feel valuable and seen.
And, you might never know this, but whenever I get a 'no' and think I should just quit, YOU are one of the main reasons I keep going.
In my heart, I know this is the right direction.
#ForeverGrateful
My What:
What I've always wanted is to write a great novel. I knew when I finished my first novel that it wasn't the great one; it was my 'testing the waters' one. I really wish we had a word in the English language for the Acadian word 'amariner'. Anyway, I had a deadline for that first novel and my English was not as strong as it is now. It's time. I don't want the next book I publish to be a simple page-turner; I want my novel to be treasured by someone, hopefully more than one:) and I hope people will read it years from now, and understand a slice of what it was like to live in our time, facing the challenges we face as human beings, as women, as migrants, as survivors of ethnic 'cleansing', trauma and (neuro) diverse conditions.
And every single time I think of this beautiful woman, I almost cry. Sometimes, I do. I am not the one who changed her life, but she certainly changed mine.
I am forever grateful that you waited in that Halifax pub storm porch to tell me your story. You made me feel valuable and seen.
And, you might never know this, but whenever I get a 'no' and think I should just quit, YOU are one of the main reasons I keep going.
In my heart, I know this is the right direction.
#ForeverGrateful
My What:
What I've always wanted is to write a great novel. I knew when I finished my first novel that it wasn't the great one; it was my 'testing the waters' one. I really wish we had a word in the English language for the Acadian word 'amariner'. Anyway, I had a deadline for that first novel and my English was not as strong as it is now. It's time. I don't want the next book I publish to be a simple page-turner; I want my novel to be treasured by someone, hopefully more than one:) and I hope people will read it years from now, and understand a slice of what it was like to live in our time, facing the challenges we face as human beings, as women, as migrants, as survivors of ethnic 'cleansing', trauma and (neuro) diverse conditions.