May 22, 2020

The Power of “What If…”

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

– Lao-Tzu

My journey to write and publish Unlikely Return started in January 2018 with a long run-on “what if” question. I truly cannot believe it’s been two and a half years! A baby only takes nine months, for goodness sakes.

Moment of vulnerability: as I write this blog post, 75 people are reading the book as my Advance Reader Street Team! I’ve never felt so much at risk, yet at the same time so supported. The “writer head trash” is heavy today, the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, as I watch the clock and the calendar, counting down the days, hours, and minutes until I get the first feedback. I don’t bite my nails, but if I did, I’d have none left.

What if? The “what if” question that inspired this book sent me on a creative journey that I thoroughly enjoyed, absolutely loved. Why a “what if” question? Because when you strip down a compelling story, you always find a “what if” question.

“What if an orphaned boy living in a home where he wasn’t loved discovered that he was, in fact, a wizard, with an amazing destiny that would pit him against the powers of evil in a battle for the entire human race?” Harry Potter, of course.

“What if a teenage girl living in an apocalyptic world where children are forced to fight to the death found the courage to fight the evil people behind all of it?” The Hunger Games, of course.

Not that I’m comparing myself to two of the biggest bestselling authors of all time. Oh no, I wouldn’t do that.

But here’s the thing: you’ve got to have a dream!

Step one in my journey of a thousand miles happened in January 2018. Many steps later, another big one happened this week. Now, the journey continues. Stay tuned!