I'm not too old, and neither are you!

I've always been a writer. I remember beginning a novel when I was about eleven years old. My friend and I decided to become authors at a sleepover. At that tender age, we thought we'd write a good book and become famous. I did not know that writing is a poor path to fame. Nor did I realize fame was not a desirable goal.

Throughout my life, I've written countless stories, blog posts, a few published articles, a novella for a published anthology, and two novels. Yes, two. I've started five others.

As I wrote The Grace Writers in all its forms over the years, I always dreamed of holding the book in my hands someday, but I wondered if it would ever happen. I received a few nibbles from agents and jumped through their hoops to be accepted, but unfortunately, it didn't work out. 

Discouraged, I set my novel aside.

My mom put a bee in my bonnet about a year ago. "I love your book. You've got to get it published before I die," she said.

Excuse me? 

And it occurred to me that she has been my greatest writing cheerleader throughout my life. My mother listened as I read the first five pages of my (most certainly awful) "novel" I wrote in middle school. She said it was good (I'm sure it wasn't). But I believed her when I was eleven. She said to keep going. I did.

So many decades after deciding to write a novel, my mom's declaration inspired me to overhaul The Grace Writers. I believed I could publish this book. I would make it happen.

I hired an excellent developmental editor whose edits made my book so much better. Then I hired someone to design a beautiful cover. 

Then fear stepped in. "You know, if you publish it and it's not perfect, you cannot change it," Fear said. 

What fear was really saying was, "You're not a good enough writer."

I prayed for courage and replied, "It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it will be someone's, and that's good enough for me."

Fear came back with, "You're too old." (I'll be sixty when my book goes to print.)

I pondered that for a while. I googled authors who published their first books at a later age. Laura Ingalls Wilder was 65. Frank McCourt was in his early 60s. "Wrong, fear."

So, my book will be published later this month, possibly in early October. I'm thrilled ... a little fearful, but utterly over-the-moon.

Let me be an encouragement to you, dear reader. Whatever is in your heart to do, do it. You're not too old. You're good enough. You can do it!

Getting older doesn't mean it's too late. You don't have to accept where you are as where you'll always be. Age has provided inspiration to DO all the things I've dreamed of doing. What is in your heart to accomplish?

I'll reveal the cover of The Grace Writers very soon! Stay tuned!