Getting Off the
Couch
My favorite pair of shoes are my
Adidas Sambas. They’ve come out with countless variations, but the perfection
of the classic footwear can’t be stressed enough. Each pair that I purchase is
worn for years until the rubber is so eroded that there are literally holes in
the bottom of my shoes (yes, I drag my feet occasionally when I walk).
Much of life is about comfort. It’s
a bumpy ride, so why shouldn’t we make every effort to be relaxed? Wait until
rush hour is over, buy the cake instead of making it, forego exercise for
television, watch the movie instead of reading the book. Before we know it,
we’re in a cozy little rut, and we have no idea how we got there.
Some things are good to go easy on.
Others present a problem that may take some real effort to solve. My fear is
that we get too cozy on our couches. Perhaps we wait too long to stand up and
go after what’s truly important to us. Worry and the long list of things that
could go wrong build up until we lose sight of our dreams. We turn in the
runner’s baton for the remote, the race for the bed.
Saga
of the Spheres was my way to challenge myself. Almost anyone can start a
book, but am I a finisher? And when I complete a project, my habit is to
downplay it, even hide it from others, for fear of criticism. Could I open my
mouth and announce to the world that I completed something I enjoyed – dare I
say, am proud of?
Then, it dawned on me – people
criticize Shakespeare. Shakespeare! I don’t know who these people are, but they
exist. And I’ve yet to meet one that I’ve left standing, but there are those
who are not fans of J.K. Rowling! Can you believe the state of the world?
Upon the completion of yet another
round of editing out the kinks in the Saga, I began to think of the fears I would
have to face in order to do justice to the hard work I put in to the series. I
would have to (gasp) tell people that I wrote four books. Yep. Sometimes the
first step is the hardest.
Next, I would have to (gulp) ask
for help. Actually, the second step is the hardest. I pride myself on having a
long history of not asking for much help. That pride kept me nice and warm for
years until, surprisingly, I found one of my toes dead from frostbite. I’ve
learned to ask for blankets instead of clinging to my wholly blanket called
self-sufficiency. And, it turns out, it won’t kill you. I never realized such a
miracle could happen. I could ask for marketing advice, help building a
website, a book trailer, people to pass out flyers, happy retweeters, and more,
and no one died. Fantastic.
Another lesser known fear I have is
one of public speaking. For anyone who has met me, they will no doubt think
this is a joke. I have a decent acting resume, and am in general a fairly
talkative person. Being a character onstage is entirely different from being
yourself. Having a conversation is not the same as delivering a monologue in
which people stare at you, daring you to say something interesting. But, this
is the new Mary, and she will not be afraid any longer. So I called up my old
favorite English teacher, who shockingly, remembered me, and booked two
speaking engagements to talk to his students about writing. Again, I did not
faint, throw up, accidentally curse or besmirch the good name of writers.
Saga
of the Spheres was the vehicle that brought me to a new appreciation of
really putting yourself out there. I learned to write a mythology, market my
behind off, ask for help, and engage in public speaking. I can only hope that
when your vehicle comes along, you have the courage to throw on your Adidas and
fling yourself onto the wagon, no matter how rough the terrain ahead might be.
Remember, your friends and family will be there to catch you if you should
fall. And if anyone points out the mud on your shoe, give them a friendly
little kick to the curb and get back on the wagon. He’ll be in your rearview
soon enough.
People will cheer and boo – such is
the state of things. However, if you spend your life not moving for fear of
making too awkward a splash, you’ll find yourself drowning just so you are not
thought a fool. Don’t be that fool.
Mary
E. Twomey
RDB June 1
Books, Books, and More Books
The Bunnys Review –
The Book Connoisseur –
Book Bloggers Collaborative –
Nilsa's Book Blog
Fang-tastic Books
Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
Roxanne’s Realm
Week long tour
June 3 Promo/Excerpt
Butterfly-o-Meter Books
June 4 Promo Excerpt
Book Nerd Revealed
June 4 Interview
A Dream Within A Dream
June 5 Interview
The Bunnys Review –
June 7 Guest Blog
Simply Infatuated
June 7 Promo
My Guilty Obsession
June 8 Interview and review
Book Reviews, Fiction Reflections, N' More
June 8 Review
Books, Books, and More Books
The Silence of Lir
By Mary Twomey
Book 1
Genre: young adult fantasy fiction
Available as a free download on Amazon June 1-5
Available as a free download on Amazon June 1-5
Behind the scenes of our spinning earth are keepers of the elements who make sure that tornados don’t destroy cities, fires don’t ravage forests, earthquakes don’t decimate towns, and floods don’t take out humanity. They wrestle with the natural elements to ensure that the world keeps spinning smoothly on its axis.
Since the beginning of time, the Sun has been fading, and the light that shines on the earth is dimming, causing the elements to be more volatile and impossible for the keepers to control.
Now they must enlist the help of one man, Finn, to help them bring the light back to the Sun. The keepers war, the North Star steals light from the Sun, and the Moon is in disrepute. The end of existence is coming, and all the while the king, the Moon, Lir, remains silent.
About the Author:
Mary E. Twomey lives in Michigan with her husband and two adorable children. She enjoys reading, writing, vegetarian cooking and telling her children fantastic stories about wombats.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/SagaOfTheSpheres
Twitter @shesleepssoftly
website www.SagaOfTheSpheres.com
Mary E. Twomey lives in Michigan with her husband and two adorable children. She enjoys reading, writing, vegetarian cooking and telling her children fantastic stories about wombats.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/SagaOfTheSpheres
Twitter @shesleepssoftly
website www.SagaOfTheSpheres.com
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