by Catherine Dilts
I picked my first tomato
Saturday. Colorado backyard gardeners compare their efforts to other regions at
their emotional peril. Seeing bountiful harvests on social media can be
distressing. I have to remind myself, we have a short season, and harsh
weather.
I’m celebrating my modest
successes. I’ve been harvesting lettuce, zucchini and green beans. The
snapdragons are finally blooming. Barring a hail storm, I’ll have a decent
harvest of tomatoes.
Writing fiction can feel like a
slog through a vat of molasses in January. Especially if I immerse myself in
social media announcements. Everyone and their Aunt Harriet is getting
published. They’re having book signings, and winning awards. Bushel baskets
full of success! Or so it seems.
Being a serious introvert, just
witnessing all this putting-yourself-out-there author activity stresses me out.
And here’s where my gardening attitude needs to apply to my fiction writing.
Comparing yourself to others can cause depression, especially if you’re on the socials frequently. Fellow Type M for Murder author Shelley Burbank takes breaks from social media. This is a fantastic idea.
Focusing on your own path is
healthier. Write that next story. Outline the next book in a series. Write a
blog post, plan a book signing, or take a writing class. Give back to the
writing community by teaching a class. Celebrating the success of other authors
is a way to engage in the community in a positive way.
Along with my tomato, I have a
writing success to celebrate. I can announce this now because the contract has
been signed.
Real Cowgirls Like It Hot
is scheduled for the November/December issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Set
in modern day Colorado, rancher Katie is wrangled into judging a televised hot
sauce contest at a mountain farmer’s market. Things heat up when a bottle of
Banned in Hades hot sauce goes missing.
I’m celebrating by writing on the
deck. Listening to hummingbirds, blue jays, and magpies, enjoying the summer
heat and the blooming flowers, is inspiration to keep going.
