The daffodils are up. Though struggling a little from wind and rain, they are persistent flowers. These are in the field outside my kitchen window. I need my daffodils. They promise me spring is coming. I just need to hang on a little while longer.
And that brings me to the subject of persistence as a writer. Even with publication coming up this June, the work goes on. And it has been a productive winter in my writing world.
I completed a major revision last fall of one of my favorite books, which adds a new title to the list I hope to market (as shown on my website). Called The Shifting Winds, this novel is set in the same time period as A Place of Her Own, my great-great-grandmother Martha’s story. Shifting Winds portrays the challenges of Oregon pioneer Jennie Haviland whose story of conflicted love parallels the conflict between the United States and Britain over the contested territory of Oregon.
And just last week I completed the rough draft of an all-new novel. It’s another of my ancient historicals set in the days of Minoan Crete, roughly 3,500 years ago. This one, called Grains of Light, portrays the crisis of Minoan artist Sarena when she bears the king’s son as surrogate for her high priestess who is too old to give birth. This couldn’t possibly work out as well as she’d hoped. Lots of work left on this book, but once the first draft is done it feels like a real entity. Having been immersed in the story, I was reminded of how much I love to write. I especially enjoy historicals because I love to step into a world unlike my own and live and breathe life as it might have been.
In other news, I recently got word that I will be a presenter at this summer’s Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference in Seattle. I met my agent Rita Rosenkranz at the 2012 PNWA conference which started me on my way to publication of Martha’s story. I’ll be giving a workshop on the Power of Perseverance (taking a lesson from those daffodils), and will serve on a panel of authors presenting our PNWA success stories. I’m excited about this conference. Rita will be there, and we can enjoy a little celebrating.
Meanwhile, I touched base with my publicist at Globe Pequot Press who will help in marketing A Place of Her Own. We’re on our way. Spring is coming. The book release is coming. June! I just have to hold on a little longer. One more bow to the daffodils, which thanks to the rain seem to bow back.
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You can take a peek at some of the opening pages of A Place of Her Own by clicking HERE for a short excerpt of my great-great-grandmother’s story. The click takes you directly to the new Excerpt page on my website which my webmaster daughter just added.
Janet fisher 