Thursday, June 28, 2012

Chasing The Dream


I can't believe we are halfway through the 12 X 12 in 2012 challenge.  I have five picture book manuscripts completed and almost finished with the sixth.  It's been all about chasing a dream of mine that began over 40 years ago.

Poetry has lived in my head since I was eight years old and by the time I was in fourth grade I had a dream of becoming a writer.  I chased that dream for years; first filling notebooks with virgin efforts at poetry, then essays about whatever struck my interest and even a stint at being editor-in-chief of my high school paper.  No one knew of my passion for writing and I focused on that dream to the exclusion of many other things.


Yet dreams are sometimes hard to catch and when I was in my twenties I allowed other people's opinions to darken my visions of becoming a writer.  I tried to silence the voices in my head for twenty years and thought I would be content to just read the works of others.  But dreams are funny things.  They don't die easily, so when the timing was right my voices began invading my dreams again and I returned to my writer roots once more.



Maybe there was a reason for the silence.  Maybe I needed time to mature as a writer...time to discover this wonderful writing community I'm so proud to be a part of...time to be able to participate in Julie Hedlund's wonderful 12 X 12 in 2012 Halfway There Blog Party ( http://www.juliehedlund.com/2012/06/25/were-halfway-there/ ) and celebrate a milestone in my new writing career.  And maybe it's not about getting the picture perfect ending, but about the journey through the story itself.  About doing whatever it takes to chase that dream...


46 comments:

  1. Donna, may you continue to celebrate many more milestones on your journey! We're all right there with you! Hugs, Jodi :)

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    1. Thanks, Jodi! When I get lucky enough to be able to say I am an "author", we will do the happy dance together...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. Here's to your half-way mark through the 12x12in2012 Picture Book Challenge and may that HAPPY DANCE come sooner to you then you dared dream!

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    1. Hi Sheri! Lol...I've thought about being an author since I was eight so it better hurry up! ;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  3. Happy Half-way! I'm so glad you're back pursuing your dream, and that I'm one of the people who's around to watch you achieve that dream bit by bit.

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    1. Awww, Beth, thank you for your kind words. I'm so glad to have met you and so many other wonderful people in this writing community. Here's to BOTH of us having an amazing next six months!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  4. Party on as you pursue you dream! I think you're On The Right Track!

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    1. Hi Penny! Lol...thanks, I think I am as well! ;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  5. It's a blog party so I brought a gift for you in celebration of your milestone. It's a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt:
    "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
    Happy halfway mark!

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    1. Hi Romelle and welcome to my blog! What a FABULOUS gift! Thank you and I will remember these words as I continue to work on my own path to publication!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  6. Hi Donna! CONGRATS on reaching the halfway mark of the 12x12 in 12 challenge!

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    1. Hi Susanne! Thanks for your kind words...here's too the next six months!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  7. Congratulations! You already are a writer and even an author. An author is a person who has written something, whether published or not. A writer is someone who writes. We aim for being published to share our thoughts, ideas, and words with the world. Our goal is to be a published author.

    I only got TWO manuscripts written. I'll just have to suck it up and "eat that frog." You know, quit procrastinating! Even when it's something I love to do and want to do, I still put if off. Maybe this is why. And maybe I'll do better for the next 6 months. I think we are both on the WRITE track!

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    1. Hi Christie! Here's to the next six months!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  8. Wise words, Donna...dreams don't die easily!

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    1. Hi Carter! In my case I'm glad it doesn't...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  9. Congrats Donna, so glad you are here girl! So happy you are writing and on this journey with me. Here's to the next 6 months... Cheers!

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    1. Hi Diane! I have met so many wonderful people through the 12 X 12 challenge...like YOU...that I can't wait to see who I meet next!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  10. I'm glad that you came back to your dream. It took me a few years to find my way back to writing. Keep up the hard work.

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    1. Thanks Rena...I'm glad I came back too...now to keep running in the "write" direction...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  11. Love the fishing pic! I want to be an inventor/author some day. I will pursue my dream!

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    1. Hi Erik! I can just see you being both one day...anything you can imagine you will be able to do!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  12. Sounds like we both had dreams that just wouldn't stay silent, Donna! So glad you decided to share yours with the 12 x 12 group. Congratulations on halfway! :-)

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    1. Thanks, Julie! I honestly don't think I would be where I am today without lovely people like you and Tara, who created a way for my to pursue my own dream. Thanks for all you do for the writing community...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  13. Hi Donna, Congratulations and good luck for the next round!

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    1. Hi Cynthia and welcome to my blog! Thank you for you kind words. I was looking at your website and you have some lovely illustrations!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  14. Hoory, hooray, for chasing dreams! Love that quote at the top. My passion is supporting others as they chase those dreams, so I wish you all the best. It's the chase that matters!

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    1. Hi, Deb, and welcome to my blog! We have something else in common besides a love of writing. I, too, live for helping others reach their dreams...probably why I run a martial arts school during the day...but definitely why I started this blog...to encourage others to keep dreaming...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  15. I too let others and the rest of my life get in the way of my dream of writing and have only recently come back to it. So glad you and I have both decided to chase our dreams again! Happy Halfway! :)

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    1. Hi Rebecca! I'm glad you have decided to come back to writing as well! Congrats on the first six months and here's to the next six!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  16. You go girl - and you inspire us all not to give up! Wholehearted congrats at the halfway mark!

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    1. Hi Julie! Thank you for your kind words. I don't know about the whole "inspire us all" thing but I do try to stay upbeat and positive for those around me...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  17. Hooray for silencing those negative voices and picking up your pen again! Congratulations on making the halfway mark and good luck on the next 6 months.

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    1. Hi Heather! Thank you for your kind words. My writing life has changed soooo much since January 2011 and I don't think I could ever go back to where I was before...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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    1. Hi Jackie! I appreciate your vote of confidence and I look forward to the next six months!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  19. Interesting, isn't it, that so many people whose passion it is to write, set that aside for other things. Sometimes it's decades later they come back to it. Here's to coming back!
    Wishing you success.

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    1. Hi, Lynn, and welcome to my blog! I think so many people turn their backs on writing because a lot of people in society belittle the art as being some kind of little "hobby" that can't possibly be looked at as a REAL career...I'm sure there are a number of writers that would be surprised to hear that...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  20. Donna, well done for battling through the storm of ignoramus. I so want to write a poem about the Ignoramuses one day soon. I'm so glad you are pursuing your dream with gusto now, congrats!

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    1. Hi Catherine! Thank you for your kind words. I can only imagine my youth was the driving force behind my not pursuing my dream, but now I am running full force into the wind and I don't think there is anything out there that can stop me this time...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  21. I'm glad you are taking this journey. Happy writing over the next six months.

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    1. Awww, thanks Stacy! The same to you...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  22. Donna, the dream becomes a vision, the vision becomes passion, and the passion becomes reality when we wonder on the dream.
    Discovering others with dreams is delightful, and I'm delighted you are sharing yours. Happy writing in the next six.

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    1. Hi, Sevenacresky, and welcome to my blog! My dreams call me home to writing...I can only follow them and see where they lead me.

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  23. The journey is the best part...and to think we can share it together!! Keep up the good work, Donna. You most certainly have the gift of writing...

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    1. Hi Jarm! I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be on this journey with you! Thank you for your kind word regarding my writing attempts...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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