Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. —Ralph Waldo Emerson
Good Omens
Sometimes, when we are writing, a good omen will appear. This is just further evidence that the Muses are watching, waiting, and secretly whispering their blessings over our work.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been hard at work drafting a new novel. This will be the second in a new series due to be published by Scholastic next year. I’ve centered the story on my last dog, Jojo, who came to us as a senior with special needs. Despite seizures, a skin condition, chronic ear infections, and advanced age (he was eleven when he came to us) Jojo was a high-energy mischief-maker. He was my good-old, bad old boy. He was a real pain, but I adored him.
I spent a lot of time caring for him and managing his myriad pills and drops. But that’s the thing about love—sometimes, putting in the work is what teaches you how to care.
The Omen Appears
Back in the summer of 2019, I wrote a personal essay about Jojo and submitted it to several publications. One accepted it, and every week for several months, I checked Google to see if it had gone live. It never had. Finally, I gave up, figuring that the publisher had changed their mind.
Yesterday, I got a very apologetic email from the publisher. They had been saving the piece for a “slow news day,” and then there was an impeachment, then a pandemic, then another impeachment, and so on—not a slow news day for 18 months. But they wanted to publish the piece next week.
It felt as if the muses were smiling down on me, saying, Yes, you’re working on the right book now. We’re smiling on you. Keep it up.
Writing, like a high-maintenance dog, tests our love by being difficult. But we stick with it. That’s how we know we love it. This week, I hope you’ll fall in love with your writing all over again...even if it’s being a pain.
