Morning.

At least, I think it is. The sun is up. It’s going to be warm for us (Don’t laugh. Seattle-ites think anything over 80 is too warm, 85 and up is a heat wave and we hide in caves.), and there doesn’t seem to be enough coffee in my bloodstream. And that’s after two cups (one is my normal). Yep, it’s going to be a long day.

Something I’ve struggled with, and I know other authors have, is accepting credit for what we’ve created. I’m not talking about authors whose ego is bigger than a 747. I’m talking about those of us who are either operating under the assumption that somehow we got lucky and someone bought our book. Read it, reviewed it, and loved it.

Accepting that we created something that others enjoy is daunting. In my case, I grew up thinking nothing I did would be ‘good enough’. That someone else would be better, and I’d only get a shot because of some miracle from above.

It’s taken me a few years to accept that I’m a published author because I wrote books. GOOD books. Ones worth reading. And that I got my contracts because of that work. That my Goddess, your God, etc., had nothing to do with it.

You heard me. God doesn’t work on your behalf in publishing. YOU work on your behalf. YOU get out there and promote. You smile and do interview after interview. You make the cold calls at local book stores, share your work at the library, and contact book clubs.

You wrote the book. It was your idea, your inspiration, your words. Your pain while you edited and revised it. Your courage when you hit that send button time and time again. Your determination to see your work up for sale that kept you going as you got rejection letters.

Am I blessed by my Goddess? Yes. She gave me a talent. That’s it. What I do with that gift, and where it leads is up to me. She put my feet on the path, but I’m the one walking it.

BB

P.S. – the Solstice Shadows contest is still open for submissions! Don’t forget to check out what they’re looking for here: http://solsticepublishing.com/solsticeshadows