Are you happy? I mean, are you truly happy?
Last April I participated in the A-Z Challenge, blogging the whole month about finding happiness. But today I'm not interested in happiness. I'm interested in JOY.
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| Image courtesy of Koolente |
Specifically, I'm talking joy that comes from hard labor after the day's work is done. Is there anything so satisfying as sitting back, seeing something you've worked to create, and feeling like you did good? Or better yet, that you did great?
How about after ten years of pounding at the same book? I feel like the smithy who's developed all the right muscles from forging several weapons, but one specific masterpiece that required me to lovingly fold the metal again, and again and again to build character, strength, and an enduring legacy. It's been such an amazing journey thus far, and I feel privileged to share the final product with all of you.
What is it you're working on? Do you have any projects you've put your sweat, guts and tears into?
And now on to the blog tour...
Special Event:
Mystery Sentence Game: Unravel the mystery of the Moonless night! Gather all 8 hidden words from the excerpts and figure out the sentence to win a free copy of Moonless. Send your mystery sentence to crystal (AT) crystal-collier.com with the subject MYSTERY SENTENCE before December 10, 2013, and you will be entered to win one of 10 copies of MOONLESS—just in time for Christmas. Happy hunting!
Truth or Lie Game: It's Writerly Wednesday on STERIODS! (Minus the Wednesdays...and the steroids.) You have 6 chances to guess the lie and win a copy of MOONLESS. Each post has different truths and lies, so here's a chance to really test your human lie detector skills. Winners will be announced here December 11th. Are you a human lie detector?
Today:
Natalie Aguirre asks every question about anything, ever. No, but seriously, she hosts a wallop of an interview. If you've ever considered writing historical fiction, this is a must read. Oh, and let's not forget it's a giveaway.
What kinds of crazy things did you do as a kid? Gwen Gardner hosts the first Truth or Lie giveaway.
Out of the fire, characters are born. Come read all about it with Laurel Garver.
Carrie Butler is trying to decide which high adventure story is a lie. Help a girl out, eh?
What kinds of crazy things did you do as a kid? Gwen Gardner hosts the first Truth or Lie giveaway.
Out of the fire, characters are born. Come read all about it with Laurel Garver.
Carrie Butler is trying to decide which high adventure story is a lie. Help a girl out, eh?
Okay friends, what have you been working on?
Oh, and ENTER TO WIN! (Because you know deep down you are a winner.)
Checking in from Natalie's place.
ReplyDeleteGlad you stopped by! Great to see you, Donna.
DeleteWow, lots of good things happening! Will check out the other posts. Cheering you on in this exciting journey! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen.
ReplyDeleteNatalie asks awesome questions! See you there.
ReplyDeleteLots going on today! I'm doing NaNoWriMo this month. I'm managing to keep up with the word count too. That makes me happy. :)
ReplyDeleteChristine, that in and of itself is amazing--but keeping up around hosting part of the Realms Faire? Now that's miraculous!
DeleteI love the sentiment about forging a masterpiece. :)
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot to build those writerly muscles, eh?
DeleteNice post. I agree there is something so deep-down satisfying about working on a writing project. I'm currently working on a mystery, and just doing it puts a sparkle iin my day. I'm a happy person in general, but I agree that this gets into "joy". I think your smithy metaphor is right on. BTW, Thanks for stopping by my Victorian Scribbles blog. I'll be doing the free giveaway again in December.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Giveaways are the best. =)
DeleteFinishing that work. It's really a kind of high, if you think about it. :)
ReplyDeleteSo true, but I think there never really is a "finish" until it's published.
DeleteI just completed a short story for an anthology. It had been a while since I completed any writing solely for me - excluding freelance work. I felt freed. Now, I'm on the home stretch of my MG novel. This home stretch seems to get longer with each passing day. I can't wait to finish it and celebrate. Thanks for reminding me of that joy.
ReplyDeleteNice! How freeing--writing something just for you. We all need to do that every so often, eh?
DeleteCongratulations! It sounds like your hard work has given you just what you need.
ReplyDeleteNo effort is wasted, eh?
DeleteI love that feeling of accomplishment from knowing I did good work, whether it's through writing or through something else, like de-cluttering or completing a long-standing project.
ReplyDeleteI know! It's the best, right? Until you stop and wonder, "What do I do now?" ;)
DeleteCongratulations! Those years of toning those writing muscles seems to have certainly paid off. Definitely adding to my "to read" shelf.
ReplyDeleteWahoo! --See comments like that make me giddy. ;)
DeleteToday I'm happy! But sometimes i'm not and I don't know why :/
ReplyDeleteHey... I didn't know JOY is an English word. My dog is called Joy. And the name suits her!
Wahoo! It must have been meant to be. ;)
DeleteI've been working for years on a family memoir project. I have stretches where I'll work on it all the time and stretches where I'll hardly think about it. I know I'll feel great when I finish it. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the journey is pretty awesome too, right?
DeleteVery happy for you Crystal. Moonless sounds like my kind of a book. Wishing you lots of good luck.
ReplyDeleteI'll take that luck, bottle it up, and infuse it into my bottomless supply of cheese. ;)
DeleteCongrats!! I hope you're celebrating with lots of cheese, and maybe something bubbly :)
ReplyDeleteLOL! Lots of cheese to be sure, but we drink the sparkling cider variety. ;)
DeleteFantastic! Looks I've got some blogs to visit.
ReplyDeleteKnock yourself out, eh? =)
DeleteHope the blog tour is going well!
ReplyDeleteI'm just trying to lift the hammer on my MS right now. It's the end of the day and I'm tired, but I gots to get the sword finished by midnight, you know?
Try cheese. *nods* It helps. ;)
DeleteCongratulations! It looks like all of your hard work is paying off.
ReplyDeleteI've put over two years into my book and that was only the first draft! Still a long way to go, but I feel as if I've already done so much to craft it and bring it closer and closer to being what it needs to be.
That's awesome. It definitely takes a ton of effort to get moving initially.
DeleteSo true, with really hard work comes joy. I'm working really hard on novella 2 in my new adult series. The lead is quite amusing--a rich, charismatic but crazy artist.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE crazy artists.
DeleteAlready visited two stops today!
ReplyDeleteAnd I saw you there!
ReplyDeleteFinally completing a project and sharing it with others is always the greatest feeling, especially when that project has been in the works for years!
ReplyDeleteYou said it! My hubby's been after me for a long time to get something out there.
DeleteFinishing something good is truly a great feeling! Congrats on the release! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jemi. It does feel good.
DeleteWoohoo! Onward with the tour. :D
ReplyDeleteYe-ah! Break out the lies, eh? ;)
DeleteCongratulations on the joy you're experiencing. Wishing you all the best with your novel release and the tour!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Ruth.
DeleteYeah, I feel that sense of accomplishment whenever I finish knitting or crocheting a larger piece. And then getting to wear it is the best part. Still working on several novels, but none of those are near completion.
ReplyDeleteOne day at a time. You'll get there, eh?
DeleteThanks for sharing that your journey was a long one like mine. Making me think of my journey in a new light. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMisery loves company. ;) Kidding! I've loved every step of the way. (Other than querying.)
DeleteI've been going between migraines and work work, nothing fun going on here... But I'm so excited for you!
ReplyDeleteYour description reminded me of Orson Scott Card's 'Alvin Maker' series, Alvin was a journeyman blacksmith whose final project was a plow, a really special one...
Ooh! A special plow... Does it dig up cheese?
DeleteNooo, I can't tell you what makes it special, you have to read the books! Spoilers!
Delete:)
Congrats Crystal! I'm so happy for you and that you can now enjoy the joy of your hard work!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kimberly. =)
DeleteSweat, tears and blood should go in everything! It makes it taste better. Oh, and I hope you're having a happy book tour :)
ReplyDeleteHm....I'll agree with you mostly. I'm not sure I want them in my cake. ;)
DeleteHi Crystal - I can (now) see the correlation .. of writing a book and working at a smithy for a day, or mowing the lawns comes to my mind! Cleaning the house -might fall into the category too!! Congratulations though and have a happy blog-tour and good luck with the book .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteLOL! Cleaning house...mowing the lawn... Except you don't get a shiny, pretty sword out of those! ;)
DeleteCongratulations on reaping the fruits of your hard labor! 10 years is a long time to spend on a project, and that's great that you stuck with it!
ReplyDeleteDetermination is a great thing, eh?
Deleteyou keep rocking Crystal.. way to go :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, are you giving me permission to insert a new guitar rift? Done!
DeleteI'm hammering away on my ms and every now and then I'll hit my thumb, lol! Glad you're enjoying this time, it's awesome to see dreams come true through hard work. Congrats! (:
ReplyDeleteThumbs were meant to take a pounding--better than your head anyway. ;)
DeleteI loved doing the A to Z tour in 2012 - I decided this year that once was enough though. It was certainly a way to meet nice people though! Thanks for stopping by my blog.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely exhausting, but can you guess what prepared me most for a blog tour, eh? It took me 4 years to jump in. 4! But once I commit...well, here I am, sweat, blood and tears. =)
DeleteA to Z was the time I came accross u. good to read ths again :)
ReplyDeleteits surely imp to have joy !
Keep in touch :)
Good to touch bases every six months, eh?
DeleteIt's always satisfying to complete a task - we feel like that every time we feed the dogs:-)
ReplyDeleteFeeding those dogs must be some challenge!
Delete