Peek-a-boo Moon

I admit it. I have a love for the moon.

Just last week I was driving home and looking out the window at the moon (so much for watching the road!). A fast moving storm was pushing clouds over the face of the moon. I'd look up, see the moon, look back at the road (yes, I really was watching), then I'd glance back up at the moon which would now be hidden behind the clouds. It was like the moon was playing peek-a-boo with me. Really cool.

When I designed Steigan's world, I decided to have three moons around the planet. I often wonder how three moons would effect an earth-like world. I wonder what it would be like to sit on Jupiter and watch the moons from there.

I'm half afraid someday someone with some astronomy knowledge is going to come along and tell me that my world just isn't plausible for this reason and that!

Is that a reason to not write the story? No. Not a good one at least.

 If you hide from your fears you'll never get to chasing after your goals. You can't play peek-a-boo with your fears. It's best to stay ahead of them by keeping the action moving forward and your eyes on the road.

Where do I go from here?

The act of writing and putting your manuscript together is enough for some people, but most then ask, "How do I get it published?"

Just yesterday I overheard a conversation where a wanna-be writer was asking this very question to a bookstore worker. He seemed disappointed when she couldn't tell him "The Secret." He told her he knew what he needed to do: get on the Internet and start researching agents, but in the end he left the store shortly after his disappointing conversation.

Will he go home and seek his answers online? Probably not. Will he go harass someone else to see if they can give him "The Secret"? Probably. Will that help him? Probably not.

There is no map to getting published. You have to find the road on your own. Even your road may give tips to others, but it won't be the path anyone else takes in exact precision. While having these questions is hard, seeking the magic secret is a waste of time. Just start doing and forge your own path. In the end, that's "The Secret."