Snowy Reflections of Author L.A.

I had such a productive day that I wasn't even mad when I came out to my car covered in--not easy to brush off snow, but a thick sheet of ice that took several minutes of window defrosting and aggressive before I could leave. The snowy ride home--45 minutes longer-- gave me ample time to reflect on the moves that I made and what's next.

For the last 7 years that I've been working on my upcoming novel, Reconciliation to Hell, I've been struggling choosing one career field over the other--being an author of novels or exceling within my corporate job. I thought I had to choose. But even when I got discouraged over how long it was taking me to write my second book (just a few years shy of the 10 yrs for the first), I could never, comfortably, choose the corporate life.

That's just my day job." I told myself countless times over the years.  "The steady paycheck to pay the bills until I write the breakthrough novel that's going catapult me to literary stardom."

And that may very well be true. I certainly haven't given up on that dream. However, what I've come to realize as I've been spending a considerable amount of time blogging about fitness, spirituality, relationships--I simply love writing! And as my mentor told me last year, I can incorporate my love for writing within my day job. At first I thought she just meant using my skills in an extracurricular fashion like creating and managing a newsletter for an employee resource group. Well, she did but she also meant for the purpose of developing myself further and connecting with different people in the company. I'm planning to write and network my way into a day job that can bring me the same satisfaction of finishing my novel! How cool is that?

Last week I put the wheels in motion by stepping up into a lead and support position in my office, working more closely with management. Today, I committed some time connecting with people in positions that I'm interested in--corporate communications and employee relations. I read their work histories and educational backgrounds. Many of them had undergraduate degrees in journalism or communications but a couple of them had degrees in business, like me.

Does this mean that I'm any less focused on my literary plans? Not at all. I think I'll always have a book budding inside of me. Though I'm burnt out from novel writing (after only 2 books?), there's been a 3rd novel brewing in my head since last year sometime. I have every intention of writing it, too. Just hopefully after I'm published in a couple of magazines and/or book anthologies.

Plus, I'm still moving fast forward with publishing my novel in the spring. The manuscript is in the final editing stage and I couldn't be more excited. I also read an email the other day that reignited my interest in obtaining an literary agent. Delving into this world of self-publishing, as though it's the only way to be an author, I almost forget that traditional publishing is not only possible but it was my preferred method of being an author.

I'm pursuing greatness in my home life as a wife and mother, in my writing life, and, unapologetically, in my corporate life!

All of this while working to lose 25 lbs this year, caring for my chronically sick husband, and staying on top of my 11 yr old son (he's a Boy Scout and he'll be playing soccer this spring). Whew! I'm tired already.

I didn't even touch on the other productiveness of my day, which started at 4:30 a.m. Check out my lifestyle blog, where I talk regularly about fitness, spirituality, natural hair, and anything in between.

Yours in Writing (and Everything Else),

L.A.

NOT Reading at the Library

It's no secret that I LOVE the library. Just in case you didn't know--I LOVE the library. Ironically, I don't spend nearly as much as I'd like. But when I do... I'd easily lose myself for hours in the columns of thick spined books on every subject one can imagine, wood tables tucked in various corners for the kind of quiet needed for studying, reading, or just relaxing. However, I have one of those husbands who doesn't quite get that about me and an 11 yr old son who'd enjoy that time too much without me home to keep him on task. Therefore, I only go when necessary. Like last week, for example, I went in to check out a book that my book club is reading this month, God Help the Child by Toni Morrison. Just like a kid on a rare stop by the toy store, I wanted to stay longer. That day, I had an even more pressing reason to cut the visit short--my husband's doctors appointment. 

A few days later, I found myself logging onto the library's website. I still don't rember what I was looking for but the first item on the page was an announcement about adult coloring! Stress relief was the only encouragement I needed to make a snap decision to go. It was the same night I'd seen the announcement so it must have been meant to be.

The event was advertised on the site for adults but I should have known it was for the entire family. Good thing my son was with me. Participating in non-electronic fun is just what Dr. Mom ordered for him. He got off to a slow start but by the time we were leaving, he was asking when the next coloring event was taking place.

Check out our masterpieces:

Are we going back? Absolutely!

L.A. Jeff & Scribes for Christ

Finally the weekend had arrived. And this was a rare Saturday that I didn't have anything that I had to do thanks to my son surprising loss of interest in bowling. Well, to be fair to him, his loss isn't really in the actual game of bowling but the having to wake up at 8 am on Saturday to bowl at 8:45. After two weeks of dragging him out of bed and out of the door I decided to stop forcing the matter. Heck, I'd be saving approximately $15 a week ($10 for bowling, $5 my coffee and my son's snack).

Anyway, my calendar was clear and lucky for me just the day before a message had come through my email notifying me of a writer's group meeting not too far from my home. I was totally excited! First you have to understand that every other writer's group that I know of meets on the 2nd Saturday of the month. One of the first that joined, Motown Writer's Network, meets at 10am and the other, The Called and Ready Writers meets 1pm and the last one, The Detroit Writer's Guild meets at noon. Seriously???  A writer shouldn't have to choose. I'd love to attend all of these meetings but that just wasn't possible. Second Saturday is also the day off my sorority meeting. I don't always make it to that either, but you can understand how overwhelming it could be knowing all of that is happening on the same day.

So, yes, I was excited that the Lord orchestrated a way for me to network with a group of writers. It may not be on my vision board for 2016 but the desire to meet with other writers on a regular basis has been in my heart. Networking and getting and giving support to and from other writers is a piece of the puzzle to a writer's success. Writing may be a solitary activity but the support and encouragement of other writers is a key component in most writers' success. And I want mine!

Scribes for Christ is a group of writers who right for the lifting up and glorifying of God. The group meets at Greater Grace Temple, a humongous house of God, which boasts a membership in the thousands! I'm just glad that it was on my side of town and didn't require me to drive to downtown Detroit where I have to drive everyday for work--a hindrance to me attending the Motown Writers Network meetings.

My current book projects are not Christian in nature, but with the start of my very first book, over 10 years ago, God was whispering in my ear about my responsibility to write for Him. I'm ready to be obedient to that call.

I arrived at the meeting about 10 mins late--I recently added a clock to my vision board to represent timeliness in all things. A powerful prayer was being led by an apparent prayer warrior. God's annointing was called into the place. and then the meeting was called to order. I'm glad that I've been involved in enough writers' functions that I wasn't a total stranger to the proceedings of the meeting. Nevertheless, as I was driving to the meeting I experienced a similar nervousness that was present when I attended my very first writers' meeting back in 2004 or 2005. Plus, there were a couple of familiar faces. One, in fact, a writer/professional editor that I'd been intending to reconnect with for a mentor/mentee, friendship relationship. God was aware of this desire too!

Prayer was the first distinction that I'd noticed with this group but that was expected--Scribes for Christ. However,  the next distinction was not.

Writing exercises. Group Exercises.

    Writing Exercise Time

"You mean we're not just going to listen to a speaker talk about a certain topic with the opportunity to ask questions?" I thought to myself.

"Uh-oh. This meeting was going to pull me out of my comfort zone in more than one way." But I was excited!

By the time I left that meeting, I'd written a vision of who L.A. Jefferson was 5 yrs from now, which included millions of books sold across the country and beyond, books translated into multiple languages, movie options, Oprah book club selection, and a nationally syndicated column.



Oh yes! I was blessed during that meeting and left it knowing that I would be back!

Of course I went home fired up to write. It may have taken me all day to do it in between housecleaning, preparing dinner, and entertaining my 5 yr old niece who insisted on wrapping me up like a present and painting each other's nails, but I composed  one blog posts for the upcoming week and started on a few more in my head.

Til next time...

Author L.A.

New Year, New L.A.

 

Ooohhh baby! It's cold in the D! So much so that I had to cover up my entire yet!

I can't tell you how good and strange this new year feels to me.  For the first time since I started this blog waaaayyyyy back in 2009 (possibly 2008) I don't have a book project looming over my head. I didn't come into the new year with an unfinished project for which I've had to extend the deadline. Nope! Not this year!

For the first since I published my first book I get to focus on building my online platform, promoting my upcoming book, Reconciliation to Hell, and working on some shorter writing pieces--essays and memoirs, specifically.  I actually started that process in the latter part of 2015 having submitted two stories to Chicken Soup for the Soul and one to Readers Digest.

It's been far too long since I've posted here so I can't possibly fill you in on everything that's been going on. So please come back and follow me on my writing journey. I'm looking forward to sharing with you.