The Business of Authoring- Setting Fire to Fears

"I begin with an idea," Picasso said, "and then it becomes something else."

Hi friends, it's been a while since I blogged, but it feels good to be back.

Journaling was my first form of creative writing. Much like Dustin Campbell, who you will meet in Something Like Sugar this September, notebook pages were the place I was encouraged to scribble my fears- young Elsie had a lot of them.

But I'd always find solace in the words meeting paper. The pen would glide and the thoughts would transfer from my heart to the page.

And when the notebook was filled, we'd burn it.

Set them free.

Eventually those fears became hopes. Hopes became dreams, and dreams became characters and songs and stories and...this.

Never in my life did I think I'd be running a small business, producing media, delegating tasks and bringing on team members with growth. Looking back at the little girl who was afraid the world would come crashing down if the thoughts stayed in her head even one more second, I'm so proud of her.

She was so sure she was strange.

I wish I could call her on the phone and confirm to her that she is, in fact, strange, but it's so the f*ck okay. It's better than okay.

It's essential to our story.

For me, this next quarter holds two more book releases, a fourth novel in development, book events with RomanceLandia (MD) , A Court Wine & Whimsy (VA) , and The Richmond Night Market (VA), PLUS exciting Something Series content for newsletter subscribers and followers, including bookish playlists, deleted scene content and more.

If you ever have an idea you think is impossible, even if it's a fear, I hope you scribble it down anyway, and you set it on fire.

You never know how bright it'll burn until you try.