Monday, January 21, 2013

The Vikings Are Coming!







Everyone comes from somewhere.  My ancestors on my father's side came from Cajun stock.  My mother's ancestors hailed from Scots-Irish and Cherokee blood.  All my life I was made well aware of where I came from.  The only problem...I spent many years not quite knowing where I was going...

I kinda like the history of the Vikings.  Yeah, there is that whole bloody pillage thing, but when you get to know them a little bit better you find they were a vibrant people with a strong definition of both where they came from and even better, where they were going.  And where they were going was into the great unknown where they had the chance to change the course of history.

Kinda sounds like the life and times of writers, doesn't it?  I mean, if we truly want to call ourselves writers, we must be willing to step out into the unknown.  To step foot on that ship bound for publication and eagerly travel uncharted waters in search of a way to leave our mark on the world.  

The vikings encountered adversity and so will we.  It just comes in a different form.  Writer's block, insecurity, rejection letters, deadlines...the list can be endless and yet, so can our faith in ourselves.  Faith in our ability to charm the world with our words.  Faith there is indeed someone out there who believes in us as well.  Faith that one day we might do as the vikings did when they conquered new lands and step into our own new worlds as published authors.

Let's just not get too carried away...










23 comments:

  1. haha...Awesome picture!! And great post. The vikings are really fascinating--if you leave the bloody pillaging aside. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tamara! That's what I thought...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  2. I'm afraid of bloody pillaging. Also balloons, street signs, cats, and the golf cart. Mom wants to be a Viking to discover more about the world of publishing out there....

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cupcake!

      Your mom already knows a lot about the world of publishing...and she has taught ME a thing or two...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  3. LOL. Kudos to whoever made the hat and beard. Inspiration comes from strange places, doesn't it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Wendy! I'm always on the look out for inspiration from whatever source comes my way. If you look at my archived posts, you will see a ton of analogies where I compare writing to everything imaginable...it's what keeps things interesting for me...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  4. Great post and love the benefit of the pictures!! Now I need to stop trolling on the internet and get some work done!

    Kim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kim! Thanks for your kind words...the internet sure is tempting some times, isn't it? Lol...here's to a productive week ahead!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  5. Yup, we must be willing to step out into the unknown! Great post, Donna! Awesome pic:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Richa!

      Thanks for the kind words and yeah, I think I might have to get me one of those hats! ;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  6. Very funny...and true! Gotta have faith in ourselves and our writing in order to reach new shores. ;)

    I love the beard and hat too. I joked about going to Ravelry and looking for a pattern to knit dwarves' beards (that would also double for Viking beards). LOL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Teresa! If you ever figure out how to do that I might be tempted to buy one from you...lol...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  7. I never thought of myself as a viking. I'm loving it! Thanks for sharing this great reminder, Donna.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww, Alayne, you are all that and more...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  8. I have conducted considerable research on my mom's family, Welsh-Irish I be. And I know we were coal miners back through when coal was discovered, both here and in Wales. So, I call myself a Welsh-American, as that is where the strongest pull. And they have a cool flag with a dragon on it. Many of my short stories reflect the life and times (and a lot of fiction) surrounding the life of my great-grandfather, grandfather, etc. And these stories are precious to me. It also helps that I'm passing on some of the stories (embedded in my fiction) that Mom and her generation told me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Karen!

      I LOVE your comments! I am pulled in three different directions. I love the food and music of Cajuns, feel my connection with my Cherokee heritage but it is the song of Scotland which calls to my spirit. Oh to win the lottery and be able to afford to visit there...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  9. It looks to me like someone did get carried away... and was rather crafty about it too! Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi MR!

      Don't you just love that hat? I might have to dress up at a viking for Halloween this year and borrow it! ;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  10. I like this idea: uncharted waters - not really lost; just not really knowing exactly where you'll end up. So we should just head out with our scrap of a map and hop on the boat and start paddling ... After all, what's the worst thing that will happen to us - get lost and discover a new continent?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sue and welcome to my blog!

      I LOVE your visual! I'm holding on to MY scrap of a map and hope Julie Hedlund's 12 X 12 is just the ship I need and hopefully heading in the right direction!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  11. Love the viking picture. Off to pillage my fridge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there! Isn't it a great picture? So cute!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  12. Hi Donna ... they made us - by conquering Normandy ... the then we allowed William to conquer us .. and then we let a few Anglo-Saxons leave these shores ...

    But great fun - and those early peoples are amazing ... and I love both pictures ..

    Cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete