But I hear you on the worries. I have them, too, and a lot of the same ones you do. But you have to bear in mind the positive things going on in life or the negative will just eat you alive. And keep a sense of humor, it helps. I remember once one of the kids asking me at dinner time, why can’t we have whole grain bread like other people? (Being that white bread is cheap that’s all we could afford at the time.) So I pointed out that yes, whole grain is tasty but you just made a bread ball that you’re rolling across the plate and flipping with a spoon into your peas -and those things are hard as heck to make with whole grain. This brought a laugh and I didn’t hear the question again either, lol.

Life just sucks sometimes, sweetie. But don’t let it suck the life from you

Susan, you are right. I do not write shiny, happy characters because I am not a shiny-happy person! In my family, writing and pubbing a few books in NY is nothing unless it comes with large financial rewards. Because I am not a high earner, my parental units see me as a middle-aged loser still holding on to my teenaged dreams. I need to get the L branded on my forehead asap, LOL.

If we all lived cheery lives and thought cheery thoughts, what the heck would there be to write about? We’d just be out there enjoying our sunshiny lives, rather than pounding away at our computers.

Having said that, I agree with Kate that what you toss out there into the world tends to come back. If you send negative thoughts, it’s sure not helping you feel more positive and I don’t think it can attract a lot of positive energy.

But we’re women, and we’ve been raised to be humble, to downplay our talents. It’s hard to stand up and say, “I’m good.” Damned hard. (And try being Canadian to boot; we’re particularly self-effacing!) But I truly think we need to try. And even if we can’t say it, we have to find a core of internal strength and believe it.

Here’s hoping it happens soon!