My Friend Tony

Well folks, it feels like it has been a hundred years since I've blogged about anything and well, that's just not the purpose of a blog now is it? I've been focusing my attention on too many areas lately and feel a little lost.

Thanks to my mother and my aunt, I was able to devote a good ten hours to writing last week. Novel number two is already up to over 30,000 words. It's following the exciting path laid out by the synopsis I wrote to accompany my Maggie entry (see below) and seems like a mysterious and powerful locomotive so far: inexplicable and unstoppable, like me. I say that with great sincerity this afternoon as I have been struggling with moving myself forward in any logical manner, but I haven’t stopped trying.

So, as I ironed my husband's chef's coats in an effort to catch up the laundry, I listened intently to my dear friend, Tony. Okay, so he's not my dear personal friend. It's not like we've ever met, or even passed one another in a hallway, but he's become my intimate partner in life since I left work last year. I'm talking about Anthony Robbins.

At least three times each week I listen to his booming, enthusiastic voice. It helps me. Okay, so he's the king of hokey in most people’s eyes, but to me he is the boost I need to regain my focus and get on track. Think I'm kidding? When I left my career last June I began listening to Personal Power (so old it references Michael Jackson's Pepsi commercials) and found that after a few days I was excited to have the freedom to do what I truly desired: write.

You may ask, "Lindy, if he's so special, what has he helped you accomplish in your writing?" The short answer: I finished my first novel (its crap and I will go back to the drawing board on it eventually, but I finished it); I attended my first writer's conference in CT; joined my national and state chapters of romance writers; received my PRO designation (meaning I'm officially a professional writer); attend monthly meetings with men and women dedicated to publishing books; have started on my second novel; and finally, entered number two in a writing contest for my state chapter. Not only that, but I work out three to four times a week, keep a clean house, am raising a wonderful daughter (with the help of my incredible husband), and all in all feeling really good about embarking on a new career.

Now, will this render me published? Who the hell knows, but at least I'm living a life that I'm proud of and I feel great success, even on the days I can't manage a thousand words. I'm not saying go out and buy Tony's latest and greatest, but what I am saying is get out there and live your best life. Do something you want to do for yourself and be proud that you took the first step.

Until next time, I remain, the (slowly but surely) Unstoppable Mrs. Start