 I'm a big fantasy fan, and the phrase "Journey Before Destination" isn't just an important phrase from Sanderson's Cosmere- it's arguably the theme of his entire expanded universe.
It's also how I feel about publishing, and perhaps life in general since moving. The above shot is the ravine I walked up in the heat after dropping the kids off at school. It's a hard 30 minute climb from the bay and the city to our home at the top of the hill, and yet it was a wonderous climb, passing ancient ruins, stunning ravines, and the stunning Mediterranean shoreline. It was a walk alone, often in silence. It only takes a block or two walk away from the touristy-busy areas to be surrounded in silence here in Malta. Writing and publishing are a similar journey. Miley Cyrus talks about the climb and always having another mountain. Those who've followed along since the beginning, know I've been in publishing a long time. I've been agented, and I've had some major successes, but I definitely haven't broken through yet. I also recently left my agent, and am back in the query trenches. It was the right move, but it puts me back on that journey. And yet, I feel more optimistic than ever. My life is amazing. I am living where I want to be, and showing my children the world. Every weekend brings something new to explore or see or do. And writing is bringing unexpected joys as well. I've been quoted in many major publications for my parenting book - a process that involves tons of pitching and mostly rejections. Last week, one magazine I'd appeared in before reached out to me to set up an interview about the book and asking for my expertise. This is a big step. And an exciting one. The right agent is out there, as is the right publishing deals. And in the meantime, the journey is amazing. Journey BEFORE destination. It's the climb that counts.
0 Comments
Malta is essentially a city-state. Yet, where we are is exceptionally quiet. The flora is a cross between tropical Mediterranean and pure desert. Palm trees sway above hedge-walls of cacti. The most common animals we see are snails, lizards, cats, and roosters. The hilly land is riven with terraced ravines, laced by crumbling stone walls. Each morning is silent, save for many roosters and the clip-clopping of our neighbor's horse/buggy, which always leaves at promptly 7am Malta time (see note below). It is only a fifteen minute walk to be amid a Manhattan-feeling bustling city filled with tourists. And the sea is often visible in the distance, crowded with ships. Yet here, on the hill above the town, all is very calm. (Note: 7 am Malta time means it could be 6:30am, 7:45am, 8 pm, or never. The concept of "time" is quite abstract here, as is particularly evident in the busses, which exist in a separate reality and bear no connection at all to the bus app that supposedly lists their times)     Greetings from Malta! Bonju is Maltese for Hello, and merħba means "welcome" or "welcome to." |
Archives
September 2025
Older postsCategories
All
|
RSS Feed