Thursday, January 24, 2019

Guest Blog- Follow Your Dreams with Courtney Shepard


New mother, New writer

I have always read, and I always wanted to write, but to actually write or to become a writer was a holy grail, out of reach achievement for someone like me. In my opinion, I believed that writing was an elevated profession only for the lucky, talented, PhD-types and literary masters of the craft. I never thought it was something I could just do, even though I longed to try. I wanted it, but I was so afraid of it, and because of my fear I didn’t actually begin until I became a mother. 

There were so many excuses to justify my fears of why I never tried. The first and easiest excuse - No time. I had a full-time job and a relationship. When was I supposed to write? After work? Before dinner? After my partner falls asleep? Yeah, no. 

The second excuse was just as easy and convincing - I’ll be a terrible writer anyway so why bother. I can’t speak for others, but my doubts about whether I could create a story, let alone interest anyone enough to read it, were plenty. 

The third and the real scorcher of excuses, and the voice I heard constantly said - “What makes you think YOU can be a writer?” 

Yeah, I know. I was filled to the brim with insecurity and crippling negative talk, plus I was hindered by thinner-than-onion-skin, skin. How would I handle the inevitable judgments and rejection writers must face?

So I never tried…that is until I suddenly found myself a new mother and single. I had two choices; go down a spiral of self-pity that could be detrimental to me and my sweet little boy, or take the plunge and start writing the story that had been clunking around in my head for years. I opted for the latter and opened my computer. While my baby swung back and forth in his little swing, I studied the blank Word document with my fingers hovering over the keys.

“Just do it.”

“What have you got to lose?”

“It’s now or never.” 

And I was off….

My point in sharing this is that if you have a passion inside you, you must listen to it. Don’t run from it or stuff it down. Chase it, foster it, and make it yours. Bring it into the light. 

I lost twenty years of writing due to my fear of even starting. If I had started writing when I first wanted to, instead of listening to my voices of self-doubt, I know I would be much further along, and a better writer. Because with writing as so many things you must do it to become good at it.

Follow your dreams, because despite your doubts you may actually achieve them.



Unbalanced
Unbalanced Series
Book 1
Courtney Shepard

Genre: Urban fantasy, light romance

Publisher: Champagne Books

Date of Publication: June 1st, 2015

ISBN: 9781771551502
ASIN: B00Y6A2RVU

Number of pages: 224
Word Count: 75,000

Cover Artist: Trisha FitzGerald

Tagline: Four sister, one destiny.

Book Description:

Every generation four sisters with power over earth, air, fire, and water are born to fight against a fanatical, secret faith. The Order exists only to sacrifice the sisters for their power. With each success their strength and control grows. They have never failed, for their rule depends on it.

The sisters, separated at birth, are unaware of what hunts them...but they are coming.

A handsome stranger discovers Asha in hiding, and swears allegiance to her cause. She falls for him; though he is not who he says he is. Betrayed and imprisoned inside the Order, Asha is without her power for the first time in her life.

As the war heats up haunting secrets and true motivations are revealed, but the sisters must unite and override their instincts and trust the untrustworthy if they are to fight their terrifying destiny.


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Excerpt:

With a crack and rumble, the ground surrounding the cabin broke apart and water burst from the earth. It sprayed as strong as any fire hose up and over the cabin. The pounding force was like a waterfall in reverse, and the flames sputtered and died.
She had never seen anything like it, an enormous water fountain extinguishing fire burning that hot. The cabin door, charred and still smoking, flew off its hinges and onto the flooded grass.
Three figures ran out into the early morning glare. Asha took off her helmet and slouchy hood, but her eyes weren’t playing tricks. She could see them clearly, even across the distance, and her stomach dropped. They stopped short, facing an army with guns raised. No.
“Fire!”
“Stop!” Her scream was too late; the soldiers fired. She didn’t have time to act; they were sitting ducks. She prepared for their thrashing bodies, but like a swarm of hovering locusts, the bullets stopped in mid-air and dropped.
What? She couldn’t get her mind around the scene unfolding before her. She’d lost control of her body. Her muscles wouldn’t move.
“Hold your fire,” Clay shouted, but the soldiers continued shooting.
His brothers were the only ones not attacking. They had to be as shocked by the falling bullets as she was. She couldn’t blame them. She was as still and as useless as a rock, unable to move or act, only watch in growing disbelief. Three young women stood against an army.
“Asha,” yelled one of the girls, her eyes were even brighter green than Clay’s. “We’re your sisters. We’ve been looking for you.”

Sisters?

About the Author:


Courtney Shepard is a freelance writer living on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. After initially studying for a career in journalism, she switched to fiction writing.


Unbalanced is the first book in the Unbalanced Series published by Champagne Books.





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4 comments:

James Robert said...

Hello! Thanks so much for sharing your book with us. Always fun reading about another book to enjoy.

CShepard said...

Thank you! !

Mary Cloud said...

Sounds like an interesting book

Marisela Zuniga said...

Thanks for sharing the excerpt, this sounds great